#I looked for a long time but couldn’t find the ‘Cal goes to Maven first’ thing

[snakerdoodlle]

It’s nearly 2 AM and I’m literally crying over Cal and Maven rn

The way Cal defended Maven and stood by him until the very end, being the only person who still loved him despite everything. Cal hanging on to any kind of hope for his brother that he could, searching desperately for someone that could possibly help him. Cal putting off the inevitable for as long as possible, never wanting to give Maven a death sentence but being forced to by the court/Scarlet Guard with so much regret behind it. Cal knowing that it’s not Maven’s fault. Cal blaming himself for years and years for never seeing what was happening to his baby brother, and for never shielding him from his mother. Cal going to Maven’s body first when finding him and Mare. Cal burying Maven on Tuck with the hopes that maybe at last, the broken, lost boy he knew could finally have peace. He promises he’ll always keep Maven with him, he’ll never let him go, never let him be forgotten in his memories. He gave Maven a proper headstone, he made sure his brother could have what little honor he was able to offer. It also basically served as Cal’s final message. Cal will always love Maven, he will always regret what happened, he will always wish he could’ve changed things, he will always have guilt weighing on his shoulders, even if it eases with time. Cal will never abandon Maven like so many others.

And then the way Maven spared Cal the final blow, letting Cal believe he was truly gone despite it being a lie. He hurt Cal just to save him the much worse pain it’d have caused him if he knew the truth. Cal would’ve done anything to try and save Maven if only he’d known, and Maven was aware and didn’t want Cal to go through that. They both knew nothing would’ve come of it, but none of that mattered to Cal ever. He would’ve been willing to do anything.

I am so unbelievably emotional over these two brothers good god

[themadauthorshatter]

I haven't worked on this in a long time. And I now know what Universe Alterations are😁

If Cal and Iris were arranged to marry! PART 4!!!!!

A month or so has past and Tibe and Orrec are no longer trying to kill each other, though that doesn't fully translate to trust.

Elara hasn't tried reading either of the Cygnet's minds because their guards are always ready to shoot her if she tries, and because they barley take off the silent stone rings.

There's talk of Cal's and Iris's wedding, and their future as the new king and queen of the allied Norta and Lakelands.

Speaking of the lovebirds:

Arguments. NOTHING BUT ARGUMENTS. ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. Iris instigates, much to Orrec's annoyance, and Cal reacts, which really annoys Tibe.

It doesn't help that the two have differing opinions on what to do with Scarlet Guard leaders; Iris wants to find and kill them, but Cal would rather arredt them and get information from them as bloodlessly as possible.

It gets serious in training, when Iris and Cal must fight each other. There is some back and forth, at first, until Iris roundhouse kicks Cal in the face, taunting that he wouldn't hit his intended. He proves her wrong with a punch in the cheek.

They toss ability to the wind and just beat the hell out of each other. There's hair pulling, biting, scratching, kicking, some below the belt, some aimimg for the eyes, and just hell in the ring before they whale on each other with their abilities. Their fights leaves the training room floor soggy, the room itself full of fog and smoke, and the smell of smoke, and the walls charred black.

It also ends with the two of them glaring at each other from across the room as healers tend to them.

"This is not over," Cal snarls.

"I will gladly rematch you right now, Tiberias."

"Neither of you are fighting again until you are properly healed," Arven snaps.

Cal backs down, but continues to glare at Iris, who glares back and manipulates water aroind her hand; 'Try me/ I dare you to try it.'

Orrec is very frustrated with Iris, who asks if they're going through with the plan of taking over. He reveals that no, they're not. Things are going well between the two sides and restarting this war all over again would be a terrible idea, so she needs to play nice.

Tibe does the same with Cal, telling him to at least try to get along with Iris. Cal, however, counters that it's impossible to get along with a girl like Iris. Tibe admits that she may be difficult, but their current circumstance is better than fighting a war.

After the day is over, Maven and Cal are playing some chess to shake off the day's "scuffle," to say the least; Orrec brought up how Cal and Iris basically tried to kill each other, and Tibe simply stated that young love appears in funny ways, not wanting to talk about how the fight was a draw between the two or debate whether or not Cal won that fight against Iris or vice versa.

"You're doing again."

"Doing what?"

(Maven scowls.) "I don't need a Whisper to know what you're thinking, Cal, you wear it on your face."

(Cal moves one of his pieces, more a little more annoyed.) "'I will gladly rematch you, Tiberias.' I completely won that fight. She's just mad she lost."

"Are you sure you won that fight?"

(Cue some serious murder eyes from Cal, and Maven backs down.)

"I mean... from where I was standing-"

"Don't. Go there."

(They're quiet for a few minutes, until Cal sighs.)

"I get we're supposed to be allies now, but why is it THIS hard to at least get along with my betrothed?"

"Well, if it makes you feel better, Evangeline and I aren't really friends either. They probably won't trust us for a long time. We have been at war with them for years on end."

The two talk a little longer befor they go to bed.

Cal isn't exactly in bed long though because he hears the sentinels arguing with someone outside.

Turns out Princess Iris went out for a nightly walk and the sentinels still don't fully trust her.

Cal steps in and the sentinels back off, giving the two time alone.

"I could have escorted myself to my room."

"Knowing sentinels of House Gliacon and Eagrie, they wouldn't have let you round the corner alone."

(Iris hides an eye roll and folds her arms.) "Well, what do you want?"

"Why are you up so late at night? It's two in the morning."

"Why are YOU awake?"

(Cal also folds his arms.) "Mavey and I usually stay up and play a game before bed. One for strategy. We meet up almost every night."

(Iris raises an eyebrow.) "Does your father know you're both so close to his least favorite son and intentionally sabotaging yourself?"

(Too much salt for Cal's liking, but he answers anyway as he chuckles.) "I'm willing to bet he doesn't. As much as he says he doesn't mind being alone, I'd rather spend time with my brother behund my father's back."

"I'm guessing the lack of alcohol helps."

(Again, too much salt, but he has a counter.) "Don't pretend you and your sister didn't spend time together."

(Iris is surprised Cal knows about Tiora.)

"Maven did some digging while my father and I were talking. A thankless favor between brothers."

(Iris sighs and hugs herself, the battle won by Cal.) "I used to walk the halls at night, when I couldn't sleep. I'd watch the moon reflect on the waves of the shore, stand on a balcony and listen to them. You're too far away from open waters, so I tried simply walking, but it clearly didn't work."

(Cal drops his shoulders as Iris looks out the diamond glass window.)

"It's foolish, and childish, but I miss home. My mother and sister. Having my father here has made this easier, all the same I just..."

Neither speak, but Cal understands, as he was training with a legion away from the palace and missed Maven, who was taken home after a certain incident that left him scarred for life and a Red burnt to an extra crisp.

The two talk a little more, about how they trained in combat and whatnot, before Cal escorts Iris back to her room and then goes to bed.

In her room, Iris kicks herself for being vulnerable, while Cal, in his room, laments that this nice little chat will be forgotten when the next day arrives.

Good news: It isn't.

Iris isn't as annoyed with Cal, and doesn't start any fights with him, and Cal is more courteous towards her.

They don't really talk because it's awkward and they're not there yet.

In training, to break the ice, Cal goes to talk to her, but Arven calls for them to run laps instead. Iris doesn't miss it and starts a race between the two of them, which Cal accepts. Soon enough they're both sprinting as fast as they can as they dodge and evade obstacles until Iris backpacks Cal, when he gets ahead of her. He calls her a cheater and she tells him that no fight is a fair fight.

Iris is pitted against Evangeline and Cal tells her to keep her hair up because Evangeline will pull it. She ignores him, which leads to her being yanked around by her hair before she damn near drowns Evangeline.

"Instead of tying up my hair, I should cut it."

"You're father would skin you."

"I'll blame you, then."

Cue a 'Wait, what?' Face by Cal and a smile Iris hides behind her hand. Yeah, she's pulling his leg, and Cal laughs with her.

TIME JUMP TO A BALL!

Everyone is having a good time and is getting along fairly well.

Iris and Cal dance and have a small conversation that if Tibe hadn't offered for Cal to marry Iris, then they'd most likely be killing each other.

At this point, they've bonded and are starting to fall for each other(I'll touch on that in the next part), so the words sort of rattle Cal to his core.

NOT ENOUGH FOR HIM TO NOTICE A SERVANT TIP SOMETHING INTO ORREC'S GLASS WHEN HE ISN'T LOOKING.

The dance ends and the kings toast to the alliance of their kingdoms, though Orrec notices that his is slightly less ornate and decorated with flames and filled with water.

A few moments later, Cal starts coughing and gasping, Maven and Iris at his side first as he tries to make himself vomit, which fails.

Tibe shouts for a healer as Orrec spots the servant and quickly subdues him with the water.

Cal foams at the mouth and passes out, dropping Orrec's glass

WOW! ANGSTY!

Yeah, I haven't worked on this in a while, and I'm basically playing a game of catch up with a lot of stuff I've made

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed!!!!!

[lilyharvord]

The Chain (Part 5)

Main Concept: Two love struck idiots get sent back to a pretty UGH time period in their lives (that required me to reread all the books again) and have to hide the fact that they know everything. 

Find Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 

Tag list: @delilahlbard @king-maven-calore @scxrletguardsdawn @freaky-freiday @whatsup-gorls @kuwei @redqueenetwork @elane-in-the-shadows @evangeline-of-montfort  @evangelineartemiasamos @petergrantkavinsky (girl I’m so sorry that I haven’t tagged you yet!) @thatoddgirl777 @elliekratzzz. If you want a tag please ask ((: 

Chapter 5 

Cal leaves me a few houses away from my own, and stays in the shadows of another home’s stilts while I walk the last hundred meters to my porch. I can spot the outline of my father’s shadow in the dark as I approach and I glance over my shoulder once to make sure Cal is concealed. Even to my now trained eye, I can’t spot him. He’s much better at hiding now. 

“You shouldn’t worry your mother like that,” my father’s voice rumbles from the shadows, his eyes narrowed. They dance over my shoulder, probably trying to spot what I am looking for. He won’t spot Cal though. At least, he won’t spot him if Cal stays put until we get onto the porch. While I love him, sometimes he’s not the brightest bulb in the country. 

“I’m sorry.” I whisper to my father as he squints at the shadows down the street. If Cal didn’t stay put I think I might have to kill him. 

Slowly turning his eyes back to me, my father shifts in his chair before jabbing a thumb at the utility box. He lets out a huff. “Power went out. Thought I’d give it a look.” He wheels over to the source of his musings wheezing the whole way. I follow dutifully, already sensing the electric current humming from the ground. I can tell which wire is faulty too. Like a small spot of darkness in otherwise pure light, it sticks out like a sore thumb. “’Lec papers didn’t work?” I ask as I watch him try to tinker with the box. 

He pulls one of them from his shirts and feeds it into the box. Nothing happens though. Twisting my lips to the side, I step in front of him and hear his wheel’s squeak as he rolls out of my way. 

“What are you going to do? You can’t fix the damn busted thing.” He grumbles, and that clicking in his chest gets louder as he coughs. 

Prying the thing open with my fingers, I glance at the mess of wires. I need him to look away while I do this. I can’t have him seeing what I can do, especially if all I do is grab a wire and all the lights turn on. I step back from it then, knowing that I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way. 

He rolls forward and smacks the box before I can even try to do anything. His hand hits the metal with a deadening thump that I can feel through my own resting on top. I watch as he continues to hit it, hoping to bring something to life with each swing. I let him throw one good hit before thrusting life back into the box. Sparks dance on the wires, and above us, the porch light hums to life. 

“Well, fancy that,” Dad mutters before spinning in the mud and wheeling himself back to his pulley. Closing the box with one hand, I clench my other hand into a fist to quench the sparks that want to explode to life. 

He waits for me to approach before buckling in and saying, “No more running.” 

I nod and try to smile. I don’t have the heart to tell him what he needs to hear. I’ll be gone by tomorrow and I won’t be back for days. They’ll think I’m dead, and that’s fine. We’re alright someday, I promise myself as I watch the rig rise to the porch with a whine. When he gets there, I climb the ladder, using the time to glance in the shadows for Cal. One detaches and starts walking. He stayed the whole time, I think with a stupid smile. Maybe he had gotten a little smarter. 

At the top, Dad struggles with the rig and I scramble up the ladder before helping him with the belts. When he’s finally free, he mutters, “Bugger of a thing.” 

I can’t help but smile. For all his rough edges, I know what is beneath. “Mom will be happy you’re getting out of the house.” 

He grabs my hand tightly, and the callouses there rub at my skin, reminding me that we’re not out of this hell hole yet. His hands never do soften, no matter how long he lives in Montfort. 

“Don’t tell your mother,” he whispers to me. I purse my lips in response, knowing that given today, she could use even the resemblance of hope. “But—“

“I know it seems like nothing, but it’s enough of something. She’ll think it’s a step on a big journey, you see? First I leave the house at night, then during the day, then I’m rolling around the market with her like it’s twenty years ago. Then things go back to the way they were.” His eyes darken as he recounts what I know will come to pass. He fights to keep his emotions at bay, his voice only wavering slight at the end. “I’m not getting better, Mare. I’m never going to feel better. I can’t let her hope for that, not when I know it’ll never happen. Do you understand?”

I nod, understanding absolutely what that means. Hope comes in small flares to my family, only to be snuffed out. My brothers return from war, but not Shade. Then Shade returns, only to be lost again. They lose Shade, but they gain Clara. They lose me, but my father gains his legs and lungs back. They say goodbye to me on a tarmac when I fly back to Norta to save a country that has never bothered with me, but gain their safety. They almost lose me in Norta when I go the second time. I return to them though, dragging a heartbroken prince behind me. I wish I could tell Dad what is coming, that the future will be better, even if we lose parts of ourselves along the way. He rolls inside though, leaving me on the porch while a weak river breeze cuts through my hair. 

 ((((/////////))))

I’m already awake when the officers kick down our door. I couldn’t sleep, planning every second of tomorrow down to the second. I don’t care that my plan may not survive the first few moments. I will make sure that nothing goes completely off kilter. 

I wake Gisa slowly, and help her out of her cot then down the ladder. She accepts my help at first, and leans on her good arm for support as she goes. Mom waits for us on the floor, and opens her arms to Gisa before engulfing her in a hug. She keeps her eyes on my though. I know why. They’ve come for me, and whatever motherly instinct she possess has told her so. 

Two officers wait by the door, with Walsh between them. My chest tightens at the sight of her. In almost a month, she will be foaming at the mouth on the floor a chamber. Does she feel her clock ticking down like I do?

“We submit to search and seizure,” Dad grumbles, but the officers don’t move. Walsh raises a clean brow at my father’s words though. Stepping forward she brings her eyes to me. “Miss Barrow, you have bee summoned to Summerton.”

I expel the breath I’m holding. I had worried that Cal had given Walsh different orders, maybe to take me another way, but apparently he understood that today has to occur. Gisa’s good hand closes around mine, and I hear for the first time her whisper, “no.” 

“You have been summoned to Summerton,” Walsh repeats when I stay rooted to the spot, shocked by Gisa’s words. “We will escort you. Please proceed.” 

She gives me a smile as I step forward, but Gisa doesn’t let go of my hand. Seeing this Walsh dips her head to my parents. “Don’t worry, everything’s settled after yesterday. The Hall and the market are well controlled now.  Please proceed.”

This is a summons from the crown prince, even if Walsh doesn’t know that, she has to follow her orders. We can’t arrive too early though. I have to get there just in time, so that everything lines up. Turning back to Gisa, I untangle my hand from hers. She leaps forward, making a move to grab me, but Mom holds her back. I give her a little smile in response, hoping to calm her nerves. “I’ll see you soon.” 

Dad’s hand brushes my arm, his own form of goodbye, while Mom’s eyes swim with tears. One of the officers grabs my arm and pulls me toward the door. I look back at the three of them though. The world changes from here too. When they see me again, I won’t be the same. Cal will be with me this time though. We’ll have to come up with something far more convincing than him being from Harbor Bay when we see my family again. We’ll be prepared for that encounter at least.  

The door slams in my face, and I turn forward to watch Walsh descend our ladder. One of the officers pushes me toward it and I follow her to the ground. I’m hustled through the village then, and I know why. Queenstrial awaits, and Walsh does not want to be late. 

I focus on my hands the entire ride in the transport, counting the seconds until I’m trapped in gilded cage with Elara. While Montfort tried to teach us ways to combat whispers, the methods aren’t perfect. Elara was a master of her craft too, I don’t know how much my techniques will help me. My secrets have to remain my own though. She can’t know what is to come. 

We stop at the gate, and after we are let through, I feel Walsh’s eyes on me. She gives me a soft smile. “I’m Ann, by the way, but we mostly go by last names. Call me Walsh.” 

I know. I know more about her than she could ever imagine. She raises a brow at my continued silence. I snap my head when I realize she’s waiting for me to respond. Her name is supposed to ring a bell. Grimacing, I say, “You’re from the Stilts.” 

“I am. I knew your brother Tramy, and I wish I didn’t know Bree. A real heartbreaker that one.” She teases, and I can’t help the smile that those words conjure. A heartbreaker indeed. He had half of the Montfort women eating out of the palm of his hand after living there for only two months. She tilts her head to the side at my expression and muses, “I don’t know you though. But I certainly will.” 

Yes, yes you will. You’ll probably regret it too. 

She waits for another response before raising a brow. “Not the talking type I see. Well, you should know you’ll be working long hours here. I don’t know who hired you or what they told you about the job, but it starts to wear on you. It’s not all changing bedsheets and cleaning plates. You have to look without seeing, hear without listening. We’re objects up there, living statues meant to serve.”

Not for much longer. 

She sighs before opening the door of the transport and helping me out. After wrenching open a door from the wall, she begins to lead me down a flight of stairs. I follow quickly. Queenstrial awaits. Cal is waiting. He told me once that today was both the worst and best day of his life. Worst because he knew it was the day he would never escape Evangeline again, and the best because I managed to ruin everything about Evangeline’s big day. I had pushed a pillow into his face in response, and he’d laughed himself hoarse about it. 

Walsh hurries down the stairs, looking over her shoulder to shout, “Keep up, I don’t have time to hold your hand!” Scrambling to catch her, I descend into a dark tunnel that runs underneath the market and into the Hall of the Sun. She waits for only a moment before saying, “You serve the king now, there’s no time for dilly dallying.” 

 ((((/////////))))

I hurry along a hall of the Spiral Garden, keeping my eyes on the red servant in front of me. He’s much older than me, and I can see it in the way his shoulders slump as he walks. Queenstrial is set to begin, and a bead of sweat runs down my neck when I being to wonder if I’m in the right place. What if I’m not in the right place in line? How long was I in the Samos box for? What if I’m not the servant that goes up to the box I fell out of? Can I stage a fall from the servant’s box? I doubt it. 

By the time I get to the elevated platform the other servants are standing on, I bump my way into line, hoping that I’m in the right place. As I do so, the High Houses enter. I strain to catch sight of them, memories of sitting with Lady Blonos and memorizing their colors bubbling to the surface. Dark blue and red, House Iral. Blue and green, House Osanos. Green and Gold, House Welle. Green and Black, House Viper. Gold and Black, House Provos. I can recall them all from memory. In another year, many of them will be dead. 

I look them all over, and manage to spot Ara Iral, looking beyond bored in her box. But she’s also spying, I know that, cataloging everything away for later. In my distraction, I almost miss my call to the Samos box. I leap to attention, hurrying but trying to make it look like I’m not. I dance between bodies, lighter on my feet than I was even when I was this age. 

I enter the Samos box silently, shifting the curtain aside. From behind, I can see every muscle Ptolemus tries to hide in his fancy shirt. Like Cal, he’s never been able to hide the fact that he would rather be a warrior. My stomach still curls at the sight of him. To think in a few months he will be the reason Clara doesn’t have a father. The sight of Volo makes me queasy. Evangeline told me what fate befell her father in Archeon during the Lakelanders attack, and I wonder if I’ll ever be able to look him in the eye without picturing his face flattened against the deck of a ship. 

I draw my tongue along my lip before saying, “Sir?” He doesn’t even notice me, and a part of me almost laughs. What I wouldn’t give for him to ignore me like this in a few months. Soon, he won’t be able to. He holds out the empty water glass to me, a bored look on his face. “They’re toying with us, Ptolemus.” 

Taking the glass from him, I wait for Ptolemus to finish his. His eyes dance to me in confusion for a moment over his rim before he offers me the glass. I stifle the shake in my hand as I take it, panic coursing through me as he continues to watch my hands. “A demonstration of power, Father.” He says nonetheless as I hurry away to hide my face from him. “They make us wait because they can.” 

I want to spit in his face, or at least make a face in his direction like a child. To think Cal still respects you when you talk about him like a dog you can’t get to heel. Then again, Cal never did hesitate to throw a quip about Ptolemus out. 

I fill their glasses at the sink when the tone sounds, announcing the royal family. I close my eyes and expel a slow exhale. From where I hide in the flowers, I can see the High Houses all rise to their feet. Ptolemus whispers something to Volo, and I wish I was close enough to know what it was. Peeking out from the flowers, I watch as Cal’s father steps onto the balcony. My skin prickles at the sight of him. I can’t begin to imagine what Cal felt the first time he saw him. I know the first time I see Shade I’ll clutch him a hug like never before. I couldn’t imagine Cal doing that with his father, but I’m sure even being near him is making his heart ache. This is a torture neither of us could ever prepare for. Perhaps that’s the dark side of Giselle ability. You could see your happiest moments and the people you haven’t seen in years, only to remember that this has already occurred and you are simply reliving pain. 

From behind him, Elara floats out. I have to clutch the sink to keep from ducking out of sight. She doesn’t know I’m here, she doesn’t even know I exist yet. My plan is going to fail within seconds of seeing her, I know it. My weak little defenses will not withstand her ability. She’ll see everything. She’ll kill Cal, and hang his body up for everyone to see. Weak like his mother, she’ll say. He was sympathetic to the reds, he had to be removed. And it will be my fault. 

“Death to the Scarlet Guard!” rings out from several of the boxes, jarring me from thoughts. I dare a glance to see who is yelling. Haven is the only house I have time to catch before the King shouts back at them. 

“The Scarlet Guard—and all our enemies—are being dealt with!” The crowd silences immediately and my lips curl up in a smile at that. I don’t miss this man, not in the slightest. 

“—today we honor tradition, and no Red devil will impede that. Now is the rite of Queenstrial, to bring forth the most talented daughter to wed the most eligible son.” He continues in his speech, and I crane my neck down the stairs to check on Volo. He hasn’t moved, although he does lean over to whisper something else to Ptolemus. I grip the glass tightly in my hand as I turn the sink on again to hide my breathing. I might be sick right here in this room. If I see him, if I look into those blue eyes will I be able to avoid falling apart?

“Both of my sons honor our most solemn custom,” he waves them forward, and I dare a glance at the back of their heads. Cal’s on the other side of his father. He can’t see me, unless her turns his shoulders and cranes his neck slightly. I squeeze my hand into a fist though as Maven slowly turns, raising his hand in a greeting I know has been perfected by his mother. I slowly set the glasses down and grab the edge of the sink. 

He’s so young, so… clear eyed. He’s not haunted by his demons yet. They’re still alive and standing next to him though. And in that moment, as I look at him, I begin to regret everything. I should have just told Cal that we could do this alone. That we could get to Montfort on our own. We would be at the Rift by now if we had left last night. I should have ignored Jon, I should have said to hell with his meddling, and run. I can’t face Maven again. 

Cal is announced. He turns slowly, smiling and waving politely. When he turns to the Samos box, I can see his eyes searching. When he pauses, and makes eye contact with me, I raise my hand in a small wave. His hand barely twitches. It could be a wave to the Samos family and the others Houses will never know it was for me. He turns forward once more, and I turn the sink off. 

I told him I could do this, I told him that we were in this together. I can’t leave him now. 

In a daze, I leave Volo and Ptolemus their glasses. Even as I climb the stairs, I can’t forget the brief flash of Maven’s eyes. I won’t be able to escape them after this. Inhaling slowly but surely, I return to the servants’ platform. I feel like I can’t breathe. In an hour, I will let myself fall off a platform and into a force field and then, I’ll let myself be betrothed to the man who tried to kill me numerous times. Is this what Cal felt? In the first moment that he had run into Maven, had he felt this rush of emotions? Had his chest felt like it was going to cave in, and his legs were going to fall out from underneath him? 

His father is still shouting, completing the announcement of Queenstrial. I dare another look at him. He’s still smiling, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. As every house claims their right to Queenstrial, his smile wavers a little more until it falls so low that he has to brings his lips back up. Just a little longer, I want to tell him.

When his father turns to Lord Provos to order the arena created, Cal’s eyes dance up to the servants’ box, and catch mine. His shoulders rise and fall in what must be a slow, deliberate exhale. He’s searching for control, or maybe a reprieve. He won’t get one until we find Giselle though. 

Underneath my feet, the platform lurches, and moves. That’s the last look I’ll get until he finds me in that hallway. The hum of electricity underneath my feet tells me the shield has activated, and the fight has only begun. The floor opens and Rohr appears a moment later. She’s even tinier than I remember. She bats her doe like eyes at Cal, and smiles. She’s little more than a child. So was I though. I’m older now though, and I have the wisdom to back it up.

((((/////////))))

It feels like it has been hours. My eyes burn, and my skin crawls until I feel like I’m going to explode like a live wire. Any longer and I might just throw myself over the railing and into the shield to kick start this whole thing. Evangeline was last, but as the parade continues, I softly set my hand on the railing, prepared to throw myself over. 

The minute I think I might actually do that though, the platform at the bottom rises once more, and the sun catches the highlights of platinum blonde hair. My heart beats erratically and a bead of sweat rolls down the back of my neck. Her eyes dart up and around, but her expression is cold. Years ago, I thought that the light in her eyes was malicious. Now I know better. I know that she’s just as disgusted, and irritated with this whole process as everyone else is. Unlike the other girls, she is not seeking out Cal, she is seeking out the crown Elara is wearing. She’s seeking the safety of being queen, where no one will question Elane curling up by her side, and her father won’t be able to order her to do anything. She looks nothing like the woman I remember grabbing coffee with just a few days before I was chasing Giselle down a backstreet. 

I wish she was that woman. That would make things so much easier. 

Her father calls her name and her ability, and a moment later, I’m summoned to a box. My heart hammers in my chest as I pace down thin hallways to answer the call. Once I step into that box, my fate is sealed. I’m going to have to find something deep within myself. Jon had warned me though, had told me to find the strength to get through this. I have to have some faith. Not in him of course, but in myself. I learned that hard lesson at Corros. 

As I gather plates and glasses, I keep my eyes on Evangeline on the screen. She prowls around, searching for something to work with. With a flick of her wrists, and iron studs on her jacket start to move. I can’t help but roll my eyes at the theatrics. And she claims that I’m dramatic. She sets to work destroying the arena while I make my way slowly but surely toward the biggest open space in the box I can find. If she doesn’t tilt the arena, then all of this is for nothing. 

Evangeline never disappoints though. 

The floor shifts underneath me, and I squeeze my hand into a fist at my side. Even though I know I’m going to be just fine in the next few seconds, it doesn’t mean I want to fall thirty feet into a force field. The box tips, and I force an exhale through my teeth. A body slams into me, and I let myself fall. 

It’s a much shorter fall than I remember, so I hit the shield a lot harder than I want. Sparks fly across my skin, and I close my eyes. I feel like a battery getting recharged, and every volt of electricity that burns through me makes me feel whole. The shield wavers underneath me, and I only have a second to push to my knees and spit a curse before it fails completely. I fall the last twenty feet and curl up into a ball as I hit a pile of dust and sand. The blow doesn’t quiet knock the wind out of me, but it still leaves me stunned for a moment. 

Shaking myself out as I try to climb to my feet, I glance up at Evangeline. I’d forgotten the look she’d given me the first time she saw me. The mix of terror, horror, and fear is startling. She never looks at me like that again, not even in the Bowl of Bones when I create a storm from nothing. Above us, the rest of the High Houses gasp and murmur. 

I swallow as I glance around and then back at Evangeline who takes a tiny step back. I don’t have time to say anything this time, because she throws a hail of metal shards at me. I gasp and throw up a net of lightning to catch them. The shards shriek and burst apart a few feet away from me. I release the net and it explodes out, hitting the far wall behind Evangeline. She throws herself to the side to avoid being hit by any stray bolts. 

I hadn’t been that close to hitting her the first time. I grimace, as she whips her head around to look at the hole in the wall before turning her eyes back to me. I would stamp my foot at my stupidity, if Cal’s father didn’t shout for the Sentinels. They bleed out of the shadows in the boxes, and I lick my lips for a moment, tasting the ozone from the shield on my skin. I dare a glance up at Cal who is trying his best to seem surprised by me. Drawing my lips in a tight line, I sprint for the hole in the floor. Just as gun fire explodes behind me, I drop into a slide and go feet first down the hole. 

As soon as I hit the ground of the antechamber below, I start into a dead sprint. The cameras follow me, and every one I pass, I destroy. They explode like fireworks around me and rain sparks into the semidarkness. 

I make it to the mirrored hall and pause for a second to take heaving breaths. My chest burns and my legs already ache. I dont have much time, but I need to start thinking of a plan—gun fire explodes over my head and I drop to a knee and cover my head as pits of the wall cut across my neck. 

Two Sentinels come charging toward me. With a smirk, I charge them. They try to bring their guns up in time, but I drop to my knees and slide between the two of them and throw two well placed bolts of electricity into their hips as I go by. They collapse with a clang of metal, and I scramble to my feet, sprinting once more. At least the hallways are familiar enough to me that I don’t have to stop to think about where I’m going. I only hope that Cal’s memory is as good as mine.

I end up in a hallway, panting and a worried that I’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere. How far away is Cal? Had it been a mistake to knock out the cameras on my way here? Maybe that was how he’d found me last time. 

Footsteps sound from the hall that connects to the one I’m in and spin into a defensive stance, lightning dancing in my hands. Cal comes around the corner though, his entire uniform askew. He catches himself on the wall and I drop my hands immediately. He approaches quickly and his bracelet sparks before a wall of fire encircles us, successfully obscures us from view. 

He reached out for me, and I grab his arm panting, “Don’t have much time, the Sentinels.”

He nods his eyes scanning over my charred uniform. “Elara—”

“I can do this, just don’t knock me out.” I growl as I meet his eyes. There isn’t time for him to play hero or savior right now. He shakes his head quickly and says, “We’ll think of something else.”

“No time. And if you try to dissuade her, she’ll know something is wrong. Let me face her, trust me.” 

He looks like he wants to argue more, but the sound of Sentinels shouting on the other side of the fire makes him whip his head around. I grab his cheek and force his eyes back to me. “Everything will be fine,” I assure him with a little smile. He looks even more uncertain, but his jaw tightens in understanding. I let my legs go limp, forcing him to catch me. Cradling me close to his chest he slowly lowers the wall of fire, whispering, “Be brave. I’ll see you soon.”

I let myself hold onto the image of his face for a second longer than I should, but if I do mess up with Elara, I want to at least remember those as his last words. 

[leeholtwrites]

Red Queen: Chapter 15

So, last time I found a worthy target for some anger in an otherwise “meh” YA book. I mean, this book is really, really cliche on a level that even I can barely forgive, and I recognized that tropes are important to defining genre, but I hadn’t found anything yet that made me angry. Then Dickbag happened.

If you have a better nickname for him, please comment below.

Horse is startled awake by her servant, Walsh. I’m not sure I remember mentioning her before, but she has a servant who is a Red. And startled is an understatement. Horse almost downright Tazers the poor woman in shock.

Horse gets out of bed, trying to apologize to the woman because she’s not completely the worst, and Walsh just mouths “Rise, Red as the dawn” to her (because of course she does) before shoving a teacup of water into Horse’s hand.

“And at the bottom of the cup, a piece of paper bleeds ink. The ink swirls as I read the message, the water leeching it away, erasing any trace, until there’s nothing but cloudy, gray liquid and a blank curl of paper. No evidence of my first act of rebellion.”

Apparently the paper said “Midnight,” but that isn’t my gripe. She knows there are cameras in the room. Isn’t it going to be suspicious that she just stares into her teacup before setting it aside? Also, the thing with prisoners, especially if you have people serving her that might sympathize with her, usually trays and food are searched. So either the writer wants us to know that the king isn’t having her service checked for anything from the political dissidents running around that he knows about just in case they might contact her, or the writer is just not smart enough to think about that. 

If you couldn’t tell by now, there are a lot of similar YA set ups involving political intrigue, but the writers don’t really think things through or do their research enough to make it convincing. In this situation, someone would need to dispose of the ink-paper trick in the room filled with cameras. So unless that ink is drinkable, and someone (Horse) drinks it, what is Walsh going to do with it? 

Maybe I’m overthinking this. Whatever. It just feels stupid.

There is a new schedule on Horse’s nightstand. Horse now has training just as Cal said she would. She’s impressed that he worked so fast. As Lucas walks her to training (I’m assuming because the time line is awful at the moment) he warns her to be careful because the trainers are brutal. Then we find out he entered the army at nine.

Okay, what is with YA and child soldiers. Is that just another shortcut for Current Administration Bad? HUNGER GAMES did it to make a point, but here its just another thing for the writer - fuck it - Aveyard to be all “War is bad, m’kay?”

“But Lucas shrugs like it’s nothing. ‘The front is the best place for training. Even the princes were trained at the front, for a time.’

“‘But you’re here now,’ I say.... ‘You’re not a soldier anymore.’

For the first time, Lucas’s dry smile disappears completely. ‘It wears on you.’... ‘Men aren’t meant to be at war for long.’

‘And what about Reds?’ I hear myself ask.... ‘Can they stand war better than Silvers?’“

I’m just going to lay down right here and try not to start shredding this book. First, you train people before you send them to battle so they know what they’re doing. Second, how old are the princes? When did they go? They’re not even the age of a modern US enlistee (18). Like, what the fuck? Also, why would you stick the goddamn crown princes on the front line? Are you trying to destroy the  royal lineage?

I have been reduced to rhetorical questions. 

And then Lucas answers:

“... looking a little uncomfortable. ‘That’s the way the world works. Reds serve, Reds work, Reds fight. It’s what they’re good at. It’s what they’re meant to do.’”

Nice on the casual classism. 

“Not everyone is special.”

I wish this book understood that more, what with 3 guys lusting after our lovely protag.

Horse gets mad at him, but mostly just brushes him off. Lucas notices her feelings and warns her that he if he doesn’t have the luxury of asking questions, than neither does she, even going so far as to use her new name.

Lucas will not ask questions. Despite his black eyes, his Silver blood, his Samos family, he will not pull at the thread that could unravel my existence.

This confuses me. Her italics thought bubble at the beginning feels more like a criticism than Horse’s realization that Lucas won’t do anything that will hurt her, even going so far as to try to help her understand how silvers Silvers think and how controlling their upper echelons are. I mean, its pretty clumsily done, but I get what Aveyard was going for. The italics double don’t work because this book is in first person. We’re in Horse’s head. We don’t need thought bubbles. The whole thing is a thought bubble!

Second, “Silver blood” or “silver blood?” I feel like it should be the second. Just saying.

Lucas also continues to sympathetic, making all the woman hate even more pronounced.

Le sigh.

At training, Horse is handed what sounds like a Lycra jumpsuit before entering what sounds like my university gym. Multi-storied, lots of equipment, dozens of baby-faced young adults in better shape than I am. Of course, all those college students are more mature than most of the people in this book, and mind their own damn business.

Unlike Polarity Princess.

The moment Horse walks in, PP drops what she’s doing to mock her. She is of course joined by her mean girl club in the process. We’re spared because Horse ignores her and immediately goes to find Maven. They talk a little, mostly about what their life will entail after they leave and the ball before they leave - which leads to dancing and how Silver girls are the worst.

Maven then asks how her visit with her family went. She tells him it was difficult because she found out one of her brothers was executed before they were all released. Mavey places his hand on hers, apologizes, and says he that he’s sure he didn’t deserve it because the guy Silvers aren’t shit heads.

Then for a moment Horse thinks he might be able to read minds, which leads to this little detail:

Few silvers Silvers inherit abilities from their mothers, and no one had more than one ability.

The low key misogyny is killing me.

And if Maven turns out to be the evil prince, he’s totally going to have his moms abilities. Watch. Or at least that’s what I would do.

Hey, I never said I wrote capital L literature. 

We get some more description about powers. Shades can bend light around themselves for invisibility. Windweaver says exactly what you think it does, and that is probably the least lame power name so far, while also not belonging at all. Then you have eyes, which have limited precognition. You know, they can see the next 5 seconds or something. If I remember right (and my Teen Titan’s knowledge is rusty) Rose Wilson has that ability. I’m still confused what a silk is. They still sounds like a D&D Rogue. Or a hunska from Red Sister. (Go read that instead. It’s written by a dude and has 100% less misogyny and a 99% female cast.)

A soft voice orders them into a line, followed by an old man with Cal and a telekinetic boy. I refuse to call them “telkies.” It sounds like something I would put on a baby’s butt for diaper rash. The old man is her trainer, and apparently used to oversee executions. Turns out this was because he’s a null - he nullifies powers, or turns them off as the book puts it. 

He can reduce a Silver to what they hate most: a Red. He can turn their abilities off. He can make them normal.

All that wealth and privilege, but removing their powers can make them normal. If only it were that simple. It’s almost like this book doesn’t understand power structures at all.

They begin to run laps. Horse is happy it’s something she recognizes until it isn’t when a piece of wall swings out and slams her in the stomach. She’s startled, but manages to keep up. And before you think this is some cool tech, the telekinetic controls the pieces.

Their powers return, and a gun barrel without the actual gun part rises from the floor.

Only the telky’s power makes it move, not some greater, strange technology. The abilities are all they have.

I thought they were defined by having power and Reds having tech. Why is this a new revelation to you? Unless this is book treating the reader like an idiot again.

Horse is called forward for target practice first, and again we hear about how special she is because she can create electricity despite bio-electricity being a thing. She misses the first target but hits the second. PP is a bitch who won’t clap. The instructor moves onto the next instead of patting her on the back. I can’t tell if this is supposed to be a bad thing.

The work out calls wore her out, but she’s still happy for it. Happier for the quietness of Julian’s class, even though the moving time means she’s closer to her midnight meet up. When she arrives, he has book labeled with years. Turns out they’re death records for the war. She knows her executed brother probably isn’t in them, and makes the lamp flick on an off in her distress. Julian asks her why, and she says its the new schedule. He says she did fine today, she gets cranky about him asking to be there, and he uses her power on her to calm her down.

Horse is upset he does this, and he explains he’s the last Singer. They can control people as long as they hear them. (Found the Bards.) Julian launches into how his sister married the king for love, not by Queenstrial, and how they could talk their way to the throne, but didn’t because they’re nice.

I don’t honesty hate this, but there are so many toxic women in this book that we see on a regular basis that it makes me sad that the one that sounds non-toxic is dead.

Horse relates to Julian, mentioning Shade and how he was executed. Julian tells her that they “removed” his sister too and will do it to anyone that gets in the way. He warns her that over-throwing them would take too much planning and luck, and to not get over her head. She knows that she’s already in deep, but doesn’t tell him this.

I actually kind of liked this scene because Horse behaves like a person. Even Julian just comes across as sad and lonely. I just wish that Julian was a woman so Horse could have a relationship with the same sex that wasn’t pure hate. We don’t see her family enough to matter. I think that’s one of the things that bugs me about this book the most. Most of the women are bad, and most of the men are good. Why? Just... why?

Next time, Horse has her midnight meeting.

[paperblairplanes]

The tragedy of Maven Calore

I'm still so upset with Maven's death and his situation in general. He deserved loving parents that didn't force him to pretend to be someone else for his entire life, and a brother that he didn't feel constantly inferior to. He deserved the person that would love him for the version of himself he really was, instead of a facade. He deserved the freedom to think what he wanted without knowing his mother would violate his mind and find every thought. He deserved to feel safe, appreciated, and chosen.

And instead, he had a mother who cut out the pieces and memories in him she didn't like and stripped away the person he was supposed to be. One who took away any semblance of privacy and freedom he had. A father who didn't really love him, one who only had him because his true love died and it was his duty to remarry, who ignored him half the time and compared him to Cal the other half. A brother who couldn't see the way he was deteriorating and had all the things he was so often denied. An uncle who saw him not as his nephew and a victim of the same thing that killed his sister, but a symbol of Elara's cruelty, and a slight against Coraine and her legacy. He had a boy who cared about him and looked past his masks, and he accidentally killed him. Can you imagine the kind of mark that leaves on a person? Much less a child? He begged Elara to take away the feelings and memories from that event. She couldn't.

So for years, he shuts himself off, and doesn't let himself feel things. He goes along as usual, because that's what he's expected to do. All the while, all that he can remember feeling from his past is this love he could've had and the anguish of accidentally ruining that. He doesn't remember parental love or childhood joy. All he has from his past are these broken, painful fragments of what he was supposed to be.

And then imagine, he meets this girl, an anomaly, a Red, and once again his freedom of choice has been taken from him, because now he has to marry her? And as time goes on, he discovers that she's actually this passionate young woman and he's feeling things he hasn't felt in a very long time. His mother tries to cut them out like usual, because that's not a part of the plan, Maven, but once again, she can't, and for the first time in years, Maven is making good memories. This girl makes him feel happy and she is the first person since Thomas who has chosen him, even if 'him' is half a lie. She doesn't want anything from him, not like his mother. She loves him. And he finds himself hoping. Because he loves her too.

And then, because nothing can be too good in his life, he finds out Cal likes her too, and Mare has kissed him. And he feels the familiar anger and bitterness because Cal has always gotten the things that Maven was deprived of. Cal is always the chosen one, always better, and he has all these things he doesn't even know he has, and Maven wants nothing more than to have them too. For once, he had something Cal didn't, and then he took that away, too.

Maven's life is one heartbreak after another, and I think it hurts the most because he had so much potential to be a kind, loving, person. He genuinely felt things for Mare, which proves he could love, and that his love was warped by Elara trying to 'fix' that love. If Maven could learn to love despite Elara controlling him his entire life, who would he have become if given enough time?

This has been way too long, but I just have a lot of feelings about this boy. Because, remember, he was also only seventeen at the start of this series. He was still in high school in today's terms.

Tldr: Maven Calore deserved the love that could have saved him.

[fictionalinfinity]

A Fantastic Adventure - King’s Cage AU Part 2

previous / next 

I was forced to leave Mare’s body to continue fighting, I would have been vulnerable if I hadn’t. Rage had fueled me as I fought, burning down every enemy in my path, both Nortan and Lakelander. At the time, there was no feeling of guilt for killing the silver, they had killed Mare.

By the time the fight was over and the dust had settled, Mare’s body was gone. We looked every where, even checking under other dead bodies but it was like she had just gotten up and walked away. As much as I wish that were true, I had seen her die, and there was no coming back from that. Just like when my parents died.

Everyone was exhausted, and after almost two hours, the search party had become a search trio. Kilorn was looking with me and Farley had come down to join us before we set out for the kingdom of the Rift, but I wouldn’t stop.

“How much longer are we going to drag this on, Cal? I can’t leave Clara with the Colonel forever,” Farley says, her eyes roaming the field of bodies.

“As long as it takes,” is all I can say. Luckily for Kilorn, he hasn’t had to talk the whole time we’ve looked. I wish I had the same luxury.

I had to be the one to inform the Scarlet Guard of Mare’s death. I had to be the one to tell them I had seen the life fade from the little lightning girl’s eyes. I had to be the one to keep the secret that she suffered, unlike her brother, Shade.

A few more minutes go by, and then I see her. Her hair is still wet and her hands look mangled, crushed by a strongarm. Both of her shoulders are dislocated after being pulled in too many directions. There are burn marks littered all over her, reminders of how she took out many by destroying herself.

Beside me, Kilorn chokes back a sob, holding a hand to his mouth. His best friend and my lover was dead.

Farley is braver than both of us, stepping forward to examine Mare’s body. Slowly and carefully, she closes Mare’s eyes. She looks towards us both with a grim expression and steps away.

Before Kilorn can, I close the distance between Mare and I, gently lifting her body into my tired arms. She’s not as heavy as my heart, though.

Yet again, the Barrow family would bury a child.

As we walked back to the Guard, Kilorn seemed just as upset as I was. Farley herself even looked depressed, though it was nothing compared to when she lost Shade. I think of the earring I gave to Mare earlier, and how now she will never wear it.

The thought tips me over the edge and I can hear the moisture in the air begin to sizzle. Kilorn and Farley try to tell me to calm down, that it’s way too hot, but I just choose to ignore them as I storm ahead. I need to find Nanabel, Julian, I don’t care, just anyone who can help me get revenge on Maven and overthrow his tyrannical ass, and avenge Mare’s death.

-

The darkness around Shade and I melts away, revealing our old home in the Stilts. It’s exactly as I remember it, which is what makes it so terrible. The familiar walls make my heart ache for simpler times, the smell of it making me crave what I can no longer have. That life is long gone, and there’s no going back.

“Why are we here?” Is the first thing I say, looking at my dead brother.

“Thought you’d be more comfortable here,” is all he says.

Shade gestures for me to sit at the old table and when I do, Shade is quick to follow suit.

“We’re not dead,” he looks at me, completely serious. This can’t be true, since I felt myself die. There was not a way I couldn’t have died, there had been so much pain.

“Shade, I watched you die. I buried you,” I say, shaking my head.

“Yeah, and our friends are about to bury you. They’re burying your body, but they’re not burying your soul. Your soul is here, with me. I jumped you out of there, which is why you might have felt like you died. Before I died back at Corros, I was so panicked that I jumped, but I left my body behind. Apparently, it’s one of my abilities to jump people’s souls when they’re on the brink of death,” Shade shrugged when he finished his explanation.

“Well, jump me back!” I demand, realizing now that if what Shade says is true, then I can go back to Cal, my family, and the Scarlet Guard. Shade shakes his head no.

“Not as easy as it sounds,” he says, “if I jump you back, you’ll be in a body on the brink of death, six feet under, no way of getting to a healer in time. Trust me, Mare, I’ve tried everything, we’re stuck here.”

“So you’ve given up?” I ask, already beginning to stand, my hands poised for action on the edge of the seat. Electricity is fueled by my frustration, tingling in my fingertips.

“No, Mare, I just- I lost hope a long time ago. If you think you can do better than me, go right on ahead. I’ll be here when you come crawling back, desperate for my care and attention,” he mocks, smirking as if he’s beat me. In any other case, I would laugh, appreciating it as a joke between siblings, but not now.

“I’m going to find a way back to them, and whether or not you’re there to help me doesn’t matter. Think on that, Shade. I’ll be back at nightfall with some provisions and then I’m off. If you can find yourself some hope, feel free to join me,” I say, my face heating with frustration.

I’m angry, and I need to cool off. Leaping from my chair, I exit my old home and walk down the familiar dirty streets. Every so often a wave of warm air hits me, bumping either my leg or my shoulder, sometimes even going through me. When it goes through me I can hear voices. It must be the living, going about their lives.

It’s like two sides of the same coin, and I’m trapped on the wrong side.

you asked for more and i gave it @electricons  ;)

next part up soon!

[stardustandsuffering]

King’s Cage Review

Let me just start off saying that I forgot how much I loved Mare.

(spoilers below)

The beginning was very hard to read through. While I understand that it was necessary and that the ending wouldn’t be anywhere near as satisfactory it was still a very long read. The first half (two thirds?) of the book was mainly detailing Mare’s suffering and her abuse at the hands of Maven and the other Silvers. You could slowly tell that Mare was changing as you read. You could see her give up and then tentatively start to hope and fight back again. It was nice to see Mare get back the spark that she had lost in Red Queen (pun intended). And my god was it satisfying to have Mare get her lightening back and raise a little hell after those agonizing first chapters.

I REALLY liked that every (but Mare) was 100% aware of how much of an asshole Cal is. Like dude we get it you’re a racist. And before you cry “But Cal loves Mare!!! He can’t be racist!!!” let’s think about how everyone in Scarlet Guard knows Cal would willingly let Reds die. It’s been stated a few times that Cal only cares about Silver lives and honestly? It’s true. Cal’s not a good guy he’s just obedient. Though only to Silver laws. Cal gets furious whenever anyone in the Guard so much as mentions killing Silvers who have been their oppressors for generations. But he’s seen and let thousands of Reds die and not even batted an eye because at the end of the day he only cares if one Red dies and that’s Mare. And don’t even get me started on how that isn’t romantic in the slightest.

Worldbuilding

It was interesting to see how the Silvers felt about love. As it was implied in the previous books familial love is very important to Silvers. Many Silvers are shown to care deeply for their children and siblings despite their overall cold attitudes toward one another in public settings. It was also interesting to note that they don’t really seem to put much value in romantic love. As most marriages are arranged and if a married person loves someone else it’s seen as socially acceptable for them to have an affair (i.e. the casual mentions of Elane and Evangeline’s relationship).

That being said child abuse runs rampant through Silver society. How Evangeline fears Larentia and is controlled by Volo, Elara literally using Maven as a puppet, and King Tiberias’ apparent neglect of him. Which I thought was kinda strange do the importance placed upon blood (haha) relations. Then again we have similar issues with romantic love and we all know how big a deal that is in our society.

It would have been nice to see how the lgbt community would be treated in Silver society. But all we got was a general lack of reaction to Elane and Evangeline’s love. We also find out that Maven was in love with Thomas (which I kind of thought since Red Queen ngl). But Thomas being a boy had nothing to do with how their relationship went wrong and Maven being bi (pan? poly?) isn’t put in a positive light. It can be assumed that same sex relationships would be frowned upon as marriages in Silver society are meant to produce heirs and there was no reference to any same sex marriages already existing. Going by that logic would it then be socially acceptable for two men/women to marry if they were capable of conceiving?

Lgbt

Three of the four lgbt characters were evil; in other news water is wet. I didn’t appreciate Maven being depicted as bi. Like really??? You pick one of the worst, if not the worst, characters to be your token bi? What does that say to young biromantics/bisexuals? Imagine them reading that Maven is what they have to look forward to becoming. That this boy who is constantly suffering and terrorizing others is the representation they get.

Admittedly I thought that Evangeline might be gay since Red Queen, mainly because of that oddly sexual tension that she had with Mare (and goddamn does that ever come back in King’s Cage). While I didn’t appreciate yet another evil lesbian trope I liked how this book humanized her, and I even think she might be redeemed next book. There’s a lot of room for growth with her but I understand why so many people are upset with another antagonist being gay.

Magically Healed Disabilities

I didn’t like how physical disabilities were treated in this book or the previous ones for that matter. Since Red Queen Mare’s father has been depicted as this miserable man whose life ended the moment he lost his ability to walk. Now all of a sudden he’s got both his legs and is steadily relearning to walk. But why couldn’t he have been happy as he was? Mare’s father was described as being broken until he was healed. He was bitter and resentful and he couldn’t be happy until he could walk again. Then suddenly he was a changed man who smiled and was happy. That’s such a messed up ableist notion. Able-bodied doesn’t equal happiness and people need to stop treating it like does.  Frankly the whole “magically healing disabilities” trope is so ableist and disgusting.  

Then there was what happened with Sara. Sara was mute up until the end of King’s Cage when another skin healer used their ability to give her back her tongue thus enabling her to speak again. Instead of continuing to magically heal character’s disabilities Sara and those around her could have learned sign language. I would understand the Silvers not needing sign language as an option any longer considering they have people who can magically heal any injury. But surely Reds would still have and use sign language. Think of how useful it would be to the Scarlet Guard to be able to communicate in a language that Silvers have no idea of. Why weren’t they already using it before? Why was Sara just using a pad of paper to communicate? There was so much wasn’t opportunity here.

I did like that Mare’s PTSD wasn’t just washed over. We get to see how scared she is to have something touch her wrist and we actually see her have a few attacks. I’m hoping the next book goes a little more in depth with it but we’ll see.

Considering its flaws I gave King’s Cage a 3 star rating as it’s apparent that Aveyard is trying to improve her writing in terms of diversity.

[lilyharvord]

Ghosts

  Alright, so I’ve been literally living under a rock for the past couple months, but I was digging through my RQ writing files looking for inspiration and my draft of the next chapter of Gold as the Crown when I found a series of one shots that I’d started forever ago. Originally the group of them was called All the Lights We Cannot See, and this was titled Confessions Swept Under the Stairs, after reading through and editing a bit though I decided I liked the title Ghosts better. So, a gift to everyone for your patience during my long ass hiatus...

     Julian found him sitting in a rather dark corner, partially hidden by banister of the stairs, but there was no mistaking the glossy black hair that was highlighted by the tiny shaft of light falling on him. He was still rather small, and his size made it rather easy for him to hide in such places, but he could never hide completely. He was far too recognized, far too naive, and far too easy to predict, and his father grumbled about the latter more often than not, muttering about kings and death and a number of other things Julian was sure the boy shouldn’t have heard but did anyway. 

       At seven years old, Tiberias was a petulant little boy, who preferred to hide away when he was ambushed by criticisms, which at the moment, Julian had heard about. According to Sara, who had fixed the black eye and bleeding lip, he had run away to hide after losing a rather nasty fight with Ptolemus Samos, who for the first time it seemed had gotten the upper hand. It was rare to hear the Samos boy had bested the Crown Prince, but when it happened, Cal could be rather cross the rest of the day.       Arriving at the entrance to the hide away, Julian bent down and whispered into the small alcove, “Mind if I join you?”        Those amber eyes flashed up to meet him, but they were not furious like he expected to see them, they were rather watery and filled with pain. He froze in surprise and then stretching a worn hand out to his nephew he inquired, “What’s happened? Come on now, you can’t hide here forever.”         The boy turned his head away and wiped his nose and eyes with the sleeve of his tunic. His face was hidden in shadow, making it impossible for Julian to see his reaction clearly. He frowned and then crouching down so he was slightly closer to Cal, he whispered softly, “I already heard about the fight, a pity, Sara said he hit you rather hard.”         The comment had the opposite effect that it should have. Such a comment would have driven the boy to hysterics, claiming the number of victories he had over Ptolemus, but this time, it brought more tears and a sniffle that he tried to hide in his shoulder. The motion was so childish that it stirred worry in the pit of Julian’s stomach. Although his nephew was only seven, he was expected to be a young man in his mannerisms, and the very thought had made Julian’s skin crawl. Seeing him so weak and vulnerable, drew the older man into the alcove, until he was squashed inside, his neck bent at an awkward angle to account for his height, and his knees tucked in a rather uncomfortable position.         Cal glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and then looked away quickly once more, his unease obvious in every gesture. Julian reached out and set a warm hand on the boy’s shoulder and with a voice like gently falling rain he whispered, “I’m sure one loss won’t hurt. You know I’m dreadful at fighting, for goodness sake, you’ve seen me wrestle with my tea in the morning and lose spectacularly.”        The comment brought a crack of a smile, but no words had escaped. Puckering his lips in annoyance, Julian inquired, “I doubt it was an easy win for him though, what happened?”        For a moment, Cal didn’t respond, but Julian could see the gears turning in his head, could hear the thoughts chasing themselves around, looking for the way out. Suddenly, Cal stated bitterly, “I hate him, I hate everyone.”         Julian frowned and then replied simply, “well that’s hardly fair, that means you hate me.”         Cal glared at him, and Julian felt a shiver run down his spine. As much as Cal looked like his father, his mother haunted his eyes, haunted the very soul of her only son. In that moment, Julian saw his little sister’s blue eyes flashing with fury at her brother’s misunderstanding, and he pulled away in worry. The movement seemed to cool Cal’s gaze, because he looked away and muttered bitterly once more, “I hate Maven too.”       Julian huffed and replied sternly, “That’s not fair either, Maven’s never done a thing to you.”       Cal glared at him once more, but the gaze lost all fire when a tear rolled down his cheek and joined the rest in his hands. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, Cal whispered through choked breaths, “He has everything.”         “Hardly true, I think perhaps-“         “He has Elara, he always goes to see her after lessons, and she always strokes his hair, she always whispers how proud she is, and then she reads him some of her book.” Cal choked, his palms coming to cover his eyes as he tried to hide his tears. The dreaded things a sure sign of weakness, one that a Prince should never show, no matter what he felt inside. Julian swallowed heavily, it had of course occurred to him that Cal would be rather emotional today. It was a silent event between the two of them, the anniversary of his mother’s passing. He would normally receive a visit from his nephew in his rooms, who came looking for solace from a emptiness in his heart that he couldn’t explain. Elara was hardly a fitting substitute for the hole, suiting herself more to ignore Cal in favor of her son who she adored.      Julian’s eyes narrowed at the very thought of the she-devil, his mind instantly going to the dark place he banished such terrible thoughts of the Queen. She would know, and she would find some way to take it out on Sara again, or worse, on the boy next to him, who would have no idea what was coming. Reaching out in that moment, to comfort the boy, he set his hand on Cal’s knee and whispered, “I’m sorry, I had no idea that it would upset you so much today, but I don’t see how-“       “Ptolemus said that it was my fault that she went away, that I was the reason she died.” Cal muttered darkly, and it took Julian a moment to process such a horrible accusation, but he heard something subtle in his nephew’s voice. He believed such a disgusting notion, he truly believed he was part of the reason his mother had ended her life. To alleviate the thought, Julian squeezed Cal’s knee and murmured, “Don’t you believe a word of that. Your mother was troubled, if anyone is responsible, it is me. I failed to see her suffering, and chose to ignore her silent pleas for help.”      Cal looked at him sadly, the shaft of light from above lit his eyes on fire, but Julian could barely meet them. Pulling Cal close to him he whispered into his hair, “We can never change the past, we must keep looking forward, and learn from our mistakes.”       “Is that what you do?” Cal whispered into Julian’s jacket, his voice muffled. Nodding weakly, Juliana hugged him tightly and replied, “It is something I try to do every single day.”         And it was rather difficult. Every mistake seemed to compound, his sister’s tragic end, Sara’s unfortunate sacrifice, even Cal’s unknowing innocence in the whole matter. He was dutifully kept in the dark about the truth of his mother’s death. As much as Julian had fought with himself on the matter, he could never bring himself to whisper the truth. It would shatter the fragile line the boy walked with Elara, and Julian would never be able to live with himself if he had to watch the boy be reprimanded for saying the same things as Sara.      “I wish I could see her, I wish she was still here.” Cal whispered softly a few minutes later, his more recent worries alleviated for the moment. His voice was small though, like a hushed whispered, and Julian had to swallowed the knife in his throat before hugging Cal’s shoulders tightly and whispering, “me too, Cal.”