"America was walking down the palace hall when she heard thrashing and faint yells of pain. A frown crossed her face as she tried to find where the sounds were coming from. America scanned the hall and found it empty. It was late and she should technically be in her room like the other Selected girls were, but nights were her only chance to get away and think. As America walked further down the hall, the sounds got louder and clearer. Her heartbeat picked up its pace. Whoever was making those sounds was in a lot pain. Moonlight filtered in through a high window and illuminated a door. Standing in front of it, America knew that the source of the sounds was behind it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and turned the handle. Her eyes flew open when she opened the door. America gasped as she took in the horrific scene that the room held. The King had just landed a blow on his son, Prince Maxon's, face. Maxon had fallen to the floor, badly bruised and the back of his shirt was soaked with blood, while his father towered over him. Without thinking, America ran toward them and flung herself between Maxon and the King. "Your Highness! He's your son! How could you do this!?" she yelled. The King froze for a moment in shock.
"America, please, you need to get out of here. He'll hurt you too," Maxon begged. The red haired girl looked back at him and shook her head. It broke her heart to see him like this. America wouldn't leave him here to face his father alone. When the King had broken out to his stupor, he said with fury and disgust, "You have no right to be here.
"Whether I have a right to be here or not, I'm not going to let you do this to Maxon," America said boldly.
"Do not tell me how to treat my own son!" the King bellowed. "I'll send you home for this!"
"If you send me home, everyone will know how you treat Maxon, and I don't think you want that," America spat at him. The King lashed out and slapped her across the face. She screamed and fell to the floor beside Maxon. The Prince tired to get up but cried out in pain and crumpled back down. America scrambled back, away from the King as he advanced toward her, knocking over piles of books in the process. He brought his foot back to kick her when the door burst open. Aspen, a palace guard, rushed in.
"Go away. You're not needed here," the King commanded.
"My job as a soldier is to protect the people in the palace and help keep the peace," Aspen replied, glaring at the King. "You, of all people, should know this," he sighed. The King sputtered but was at a loss for words. "What could the young lady have done to deserve this?" Aspen asked.
"She rudely interrupted me while I was teaching my son a lesson," the King said coldly. Aspen looked at America. The dim candlelight flickered across her face. She looked frightened but determined.
"Is this true?" he asked her.
"Yes," she choked out. "But he was beating the Prince and I couldn't just watch and not do anything about it." America's eyes met his and an understanding passed between them.
"I will not tell anyone of this…incident, if you let the two of them go," Aspen told the King. The older man opened his mouth to object but thought better of it and simply nodded. The King looked from his barely conscious son, to America who stood up slowly, and back to Aspen who looked him straight in the eyes without a single trace of fear. His majesty walked silently from the room and closed the door with a click behind him.
"America," Aspen went over to his childhood best friend. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but we need to help Maxon," she replied.
"I'll get Lucy," Aspen said and left the room. When Aspen was gone, America knelt down beside Maxon.
"Hey, you're going to be okay," she whispered while gently stroking his face. He looked up at her and smiled.
"Of course I'm going to be okay…you're here," he said quietly. America smiled.
"Aspen went to go get help," she said.
"Who's Aspen?" Maxon asked with a confused expression.
"Oh, he's just the soldier who came in and stopped your father," America explained. Lost in the moment, she'd forgotten that no one in the palace knew about her relationship with Aspen except for her maids. "Why was your father so upset?" she asked gently.
"He was disappointed that I didn't come up with a battle strategy the way he would've," the Prince sighed.
"I'm sorry you have to deal with him like that," America whispered.
"It's not your fault," Maxon told her. The two of them looked up as Aspen entered the room with Lucy.
"Your Highness," the young girl curtsied at the sight of the Prince. Maxon nodded to her in acknowledgment. After the maid had tended to his wounds, she left the room quietly. The four of them had a silent agreement that this night wouldn't be spoken of to anyone else. They all slipped out of the room and back down the halls to either their bedrooms or their posts.