I Choose You

Nineteen

Cameron

I sit in my room with the other newbloods, Jon and Nix stay silent, and some other new recruits are doing training outside. It's hard without Farley and Shade here to help us learn about our abilities and our leader.

But I'm glad Cal is gone; he never was a friend of mine; all he really has done was teach me about silencing people, that's it, nothing too special, when I really can teach myself, it is how I did the prison break. Saving those people gave me a boost of my confidence, my powers scared me at first, but staying with the Scarlet Guard helps me out with that, though.

All of my thoughts are cut off when Shade and Farley appear out of nowhere. Shade's a jumper, right.

Farley was released from Maven's grasp, Shade must have teleported them here for safety, but one thing caught my eye, Mare didn't come with, neither did Kilorn. The commotion started when everyone saw their presence. Everyone huddled around them, asking them while I stayed behind, no one would listen to me anyway.

Shade and Farley were answering everyone's questions. I stayed in earshot, the questions I had were answered even though I didn't ask them.

"Mare is with Maven she chose him,"

"Farley is fine,"

"Cal betrayed us,"

The last one made me laugh, of course he did. It didn't shock me one bit that he left, not even a cell in my soul felt that betrayal. Shade met my eyes at my amused face, Cal is out of my way, he's Silver, he never belonged here.

Shade walked next to me, he was the only one who was kind to me, he's kind to everyone anyway. I stood up once he was in the room. I had to look up to see him, he was always made fun of for being short, but he really was tall.

"Any questions, Cam?"

"No, they've all been answered,"

I never was one for information, especially since I didn't have the choice of being here, but in the end, I am glad I ended up here.

He walks away from me, back into the cluster of people. "I am going to jump to get Kilorn, I'll be back."

And there he goes, gone.

Mare

Maven just came back from another council meeting; I can tell he's getting sick of them and nothing going on in them besides the same old kingdom crap. I was sitting in our room the whole time, keeping low and not causing trouble around. He was shocked to see I was in the same place all day; his meeting took longer than I thought.

It was about 7:00, the sun had already set, just a little bit of the sky was lit, the stars sprinkled the horizon. He shut the door behind him and locked it with a sigh. Something was bothering him.

"How was your meeting?" I ask him, he walks toward the bed and sits next to me.

"Long, boring, the Houses and I had a disagreement,"

"Oh? What happened?"

He looked at his knees, he unbuttoned a button from his uniform and went into a small pocket on the inside of his blazer. He slowly pulls out a small ring. The ring had a large diamond in the middle with obsidian and rubies around the silver clasp.

Oh, that's what they talked about.

I sigh a shaky sigh, they talked about his Queen.

"Are you set to marry someone?" I ask, breaking the tension.

"Not yet, I said my opinion,"

"And that is?"

He copies my sigh from earlier.

"You,"

That was the only word he said, it stabbed me thinking he wanted me to be his Queen, that he thought I was up to the role. But it didn't hurt, it made my heart feel something I didn't know it could.

"Me? You want me to be your Queen?"

He flushes, feeling ashamed. But eventually, he nods softly.

I can feel my bones shake, he isn't down on one knee and proposing, he is so glum, down.

"Why me, Maven?" I ask him, he looks up at me.

"Because Mare, you make me feel something again, feel emotions, I know what's best for my kingdom when I look at you, because I love you,"

I have to yell at myself not to scream, I can't scream and sob again, I am weak, but not that weak.

"Maven-" I cut myself off not knowing what to say. Did I really feel the same way to Maven that he feels me? Do I love him?

He has changed, he is so much more open, and I did choose him once, I can choose him again, right?

"Can I see that ring?" I ask him, he hands it to me, his hand quickly brushed against mine when he plopped the ring in my palm. When his hand touched mine, I felt my heart stop, I didn't know how to feel towards Maven, part of me loves him, but the other part doesn't know whether to accept my feelings or not.

I examine the ring, it's warm from being in his hand. The diamonds sparkle in the moonshine, the obsidian and rubies honor Calore colors. I slide it onto my ring finger and look at it, letting Maven see it as well. It fit my finger perfectly, so perfectly it makes me shudder.

"It suits you," He says with longing in his voice.

"How so?" I ask, not taking my eyes off the ring.

"It brings out your eyes, the sparkle,"

I glance at him, putting my hand back down, his eyes are loving, calm, and soft. Just like the glances he'd give me when I was Mareena Titanos.

"Can I have my ring back now?" He asks with a playful smirk.

"Do I have to?" I tease back. He raises one eyebrow. I stand up and do a small jog to the door, playing with him. His arms grab me and he picks me up with a childish laugh, I mimic his giggle. I squirm to escape his grasp; he pushes me against the wall and turns my body to face me, both his arms pressed against the wall, locking me in.

"Can I please have it back now?" He says please like a 5-year-old begging for a cookie. I giggle, living in a fun moment for once. I take the ring off and stick it in my nightie pocket, I give him a smirk.

"No, you have to earn it first," I tease. My heart throbbing in my chest it's hard to hear my own thoughts.

"Define earn it," His face was inches away from mine, our mouths open, breathing heavily with desire.

"Whatever you want, King Maven," I whisper so quietly I could barely hear.

"Is this good enough for you?"

His lips meet mine, warm, soft, pressing against mine, this kiss isn't like the others, this is more passionate, more loving, more lustful.

After about 30 seconds I knew where it was going.  We've been close to doing the unthinkable deed before, before everything else, but now, it's real.  Not a fantasy in my head, it's real.  Really happening for the first time.

The romance between us has changed, it's no longer who will kill who first, who will betray who, now it just is.

I'm happy with where this is going, very much so.

This romance isn't bad.

It's good.

So good.

Welp, here ya go, sorry it's been so long and my story got deleted for some weird reason, but I fixed it and I have returned!

Love y'all

Hannah