(we were doing karaoke today in choir and this song played and I didn't know it but reading the lyrics HOLY SHIT THIS IS LITERALLY MAVEN

LIKE LISTEN TO THE SONG BEFORE READING THIS

IT GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS THIS IS REAL SHIT

I don't think any writing I do can give this song justice)

"You don't know this man

Like water against a stream, your dress flows down the hallway as you walk. You feel soft against the hallways, your skin feeling at every drop of moisture in the air. Anything to give you strength. Anything to connect you to your House Osanos origins.

And you thought you'd hate to be Maven's queen. When stuck by his side only to be picked as his bride when his precious Mare left. You thought you knew the man, but you realized you didn't know him at all. It was so strange, so you dipped your fingers into the waters at first. He wasn't mean. He snapped back, certainly, but he was not mean. He wasn't the immature, weak leader you thought of him. He was a gentleman, somebody who's intention isn't well hidden behind his kingly mask, at least for you. 

You don't know a thing

And as he makes eye contact with you, the sparkle in his eyes returning once more. You can only smile back. You didn't know this man. You could never have guessed have gentle his touches were, how simple his smiles worked against your lips. How his heart challenges yours. How desperately he ached for somebody to save him. How much missing his brain is, and you just wait until it'll be put together. 

You feel the need to protect him, to save him from the country you reunited together. You want to save him from the decisions you know you're going to have to make. 

You want the world to know this man, the man that lays within the king.

You come here with these horrifying stories

These contemptable conceits

You can never forget how distraught Maven was during your wedding when he lost Mare Barrow. Her rugged brown hair flowed behind her as you watched her run. You almost scowled. You know how her devilish tongue works, the lies she will spill about your husband. Call him a monster, a murderer. It sickens you. 

You don't understand how they shine the despicable shadow against him, how all of his hard work can be pushed aside and forgotten by the word murderer. Don't they understand his pain? How hard he worked for his position?

And you think you understand how a mans heart beats

"(Y/N)," he greets you. His pet name wife has long passed since you first started showing interest in him. You give him a curtsey, grinning to him politely. 

"My love," you tease. You pretend not to take notice in the small switch of his lips. This man, controlled yet lost, was the gift brought to you that you refuse to let get taken away. 

He takes your hand, holding you endearingly yet professionally as he leads you down the halls. You recognize the path as your heart begins to pace. You lean into his touch, politely resting your head against his shoulder as you walk. The simplest movement like that makes your heart race. You feel soft, weakened by his touch. You never thought you'd feel this way by a Calore's touch.

You don't know this man 

You don't even try

You growl under your breath as you look down at the Red village from afar, seeing people like ants as they march around. What do they believe? What is there truth, then another man's lie? All those people down there, dancing like they don't have a care in the world. Wandering like their king isn't suffering in his own castle. Struggling as the Whitefire castle crumbles from the ground up. 

They don't care when they should. They don't try when they can't. They don't want to know the man, they only want to know the monster. You want them to experience the things you've seen, not the things they have. 

When a man writes his mother every Sunday

You sit next to him in the queen's study as the sun goes down and the night gets cold. You remember the calm part of his lips as he looks around the newly decorated room. You feel sorrow in your heart for the king whose mother was killed by a revengeful Red, a dirty Red with no morals or goals other than a massacre. 

You grabbed his hands, kissing his knuckles softly. His skin is freezing. He has no warmth. You can see the despair in his eyes, even when he tries to hide it. You don't say a word, you don't even try to. You can't find yourself interrupting his intruding thoughts, no matter how hard you know they are. You don't want your voice to be apart of his demons. 

Works so hard to feed his family

There's your murderer for you

And every day he sits at his desk, reading and writing letters, focusing on the world around him. You try to soothe him, instruct the servants to bring him food, try to remain in the room for as long as possible. But the tension is thick everytime you enter. He doesn't speak. He doesn't do anything but reading and write, working hard to keep his titles. To keep his life. And you convince yourself, to keep yours, too.

And you brush your hands through his hair, your nails against his scalp lightening the heat in the room. Your touch releases his stress more than he's ever admitted to himself. All he wants in life are your soft touches, your caring personality and how easily your smile loses him. But he knows everything comes at a price. He knows that one day, your smile will have to be due. 

And you stand there spittin' words 

That you know aren't true

"The Reds can't do anything to us, Maven, we need to destroy them." You clench his shirt, resting yourself against his body. You lay gentle but he can see your passionate, angry eyes. His hands find themselves at your shoulders as he pushes you away.

"Where do you we should start? What have you think we've been trying to do?"

You smack his hands away, "You haven't been trying to do anything but get your little rat back."

Suddenly, the room grew in temperature as you back away from the angry man. You don't fail to notice the twitches in his face, the way his muscles spasm under stress. And for a second, you wish to take back your words and dig them deep inside of you. 

Then you don't know this man

So you turn, putting your hands over yours. You don't want to hear the monstrous words that will fall from his lips. You don't want your brain to repeat them over and over again, you don't want to be tormented from his angry rants. You shelter yourself in your clothes, and suddenly everything around you turns to black when you close your eyes. You feel like you don't exist. You forgot how to see, if you even knew at all. Your heart pounded as your thoughts fought against each other. 

Fear him, you try to convince yourself. No, you know this man more than anybody. He isn't a Red obsessed murderer. He is a gentle, wise man. He is your husband. He is somebody you love. Somebody you love even though you don't know him at all. 

I don't think you could

And in the back of your mind, you know everybody is right. You push the thoughts deeper and deeper every day but your heart understands how your relationship with him can lead to his demise. Like when Scarlet Guard finally gets their hands on him and you, and you still find yourself unable to see. The only words you can hear are monster. Is he a monster?

You look around your small cell, your body facing away from Maven. You haven't been trying to do anything but get your little red rat back. He must be happy. He finally has her, or well, she finally has him. You still can't believe he chose a Red over you. Maybe he is what everybody says.

You don't have the right to know 

A man that wise and good

"(Y/N)," you can hear his voice from across the room. He must feel cold without your touch. He must feel cold without anybody to shape him anymore. You can feel pride swell up in your throat but you swallow it. Your heart begins to beat in that familiar rhythm is does when he holds you close. You miss his warmth, even though you'd hate to admit it. You still don't turn back, your tongue locked away in your mouth even though you yearn to call out for him in the dark.

"(Y/N)," he repeats, more desperate. He seems to hate how weak his voice has gotten. Maybe he realized he has lost. Lost his crown. Lost his mother. Lost Mare. Lost you. 

You shudder at the thought. Maybe it's his fault he lost you. But you realize it's your fault he never got you back.

He is a decent man

You look up at him, seeing him standing by the end of the tight room. He looks down at you, his form strong against your weak posture. You straighten under his gaze but hesitate when it weakens. You just stare at him, unable to do anything but stand. 

And suddenly, you feel yourself walking. The cold floor tingles your bare feet as you try to find your balance. You feel lost, you feel blind. All you know is this man. All you know is Maven. 

You collapse in his arms as you hold him tight and pretend the world is far away. All there is is his heat as he buries his face into your neck. So many words escape his mouth that you don't hear. Regret, guilt, fear. 

He is an honest man

You pull away, cupping his cheeks with your hands as you stare into his dark, blue eyes. You kiss him. It's hard to feel his skin again, knowing that you both won't be lasting long. It's over, you have lost. But at least you lost together in each other's arms. 

He pulls away first, refusing to lighten his grip around you as he scans your face. "I love you," he tells you. His tone scares you, the pure determination and boldness of it. You nod, your hands shaking as you kiss him again.

I have nothing more to say to you,"

"...I have nothing else to say to you," you finish as you bite your lip. Farley's face twitches at the sadness in her tone. Something in it struck her, the passionate way you spoke about her husband. She longs for the feeling once again, the pure confidence it takes to defend somebody you love. But she swallows her emotions as she stares you in the eyes once again, seeing the Silver veins running to your Silver heart.

She only looks at Mare, shaking her head. Mare keeps her chin up even though she looks like she might fall apart. She refuses to meet your gaze. But you can see her fingers trembling. Your face falls. 

Farley nods, "We will take him, this one returns to their cell. They might be useful."

Mare's gaze hardens as she glances at you. You just look down in defeat, knowing that they will never know the man behind Maven's devilish tongue.