It happened way to fast. I had never expected to be chosen. Not even after writing a response to the letters he had given me the night before the big moment. Deep in my heart I knew it wasn't all of my fault. But if I told him so, he would get angry with me. But after telling him about the strange guards surrounding us, he hadn't given me any angry glares. My notice had maybe saved everyone from what could have been the worse. What could have been my death, or the death of my loved ones.

He told me he was proud of me, saving his people, including him. And he got down on one knee…

'Maxon.. I don't want to win like this. I had never planned to see through a rebel attack, I just happened! You should chose Kriss, she is sweet and she loves you with all her heart. And you can trust her, unlike me.'

'Mer, she has gone home. I eliminated her because I want you to be my wife. I acted like an idiot, a jealous sort of boyfriend and I should have let you explain it. I hate it that you lied the whole time but I have to live with it. Because I am in love with you!'

Tears were streaming down my cheeks. And he was looking hopefully, waiting for my answer. I was screaming yes in my head, but the connection between my brain and mouth was somehow not working. So I tried to nod as hard as I could. He stood up with a big smile and brought the ring he was holding closer to me. I only noticed it now. My voice was making weird noises because the ring was beautiful. It was a small, silver design. A little diamond shined different colours in the light of the chandelier above us. He took my hand and put the ring around my finger. A gasp escaped my throat. I was engaged to a prince.

'It's beautiful Maxon.' I sobbed. He kissed the ring on my hand.

'Life is beautiful, my dear.' Was the only whisper that came from his mouth. He should have been just as nervous as I was minutes before.

'I might be engaged to you, your majesty, but I am definitely not your dear!' I giggled through my tears he tried to wipe away.

'Just tell me how to call you, my d….' he stopped right in his sentence and tried not the burst out of laughter. I just had to fake scowl at him. But how could I be mad at him when he just had given me the best gift in my life, himself.

He kissed me on the cheek while I was still admiring the ring and he walked us to the nearest bench in the room. I didn't speak for minutes. Not only the image of the engagement ring kept swirling through my head but also thoughts about my family and the future popped up. So many questions burned inside but asking them would ruin the whole moment. I leaned further into Maxon and laid my head on his shoulder.

'Everything will be all right?' was the question I asked, that would answer all of my questions. He nodded. The silence was peaceful. Until it was broken by his voice, which was peaceful too. I had to promise myself to always listen to it.

'We should probably tell our parents, although I had already warned them about this. They would want to see the ring!' He joked.

'Will your father be happy with your choice?' I asked softly, too scared to know what the answer could be.

'I don't care what he says or thinks about it, he just has to live with it!' his voice turned angry and defensive. I loved it when he talked defensive about me. But I was still scared his defensive talking or his choices would get him in difficult places. His back full of scars filled my thoughts. Many because of me. That would haunt me until my death. My responsibility for his scars.

'He won't hurt you, right?' I couldn't wait for his answer. 'He can't, he won't. I might be a girl but I'll protect you. Against him, against anyone who wants to hurt you!' my voice had risen. Crap, what kind of girlfriend, fiancée, was I. I hated to see him cry. He was probably feeling upset because I had shown him how weak he was. But in my eyes he was the strongest out of all people. Now I was just as uncomfortable as he was when girls cried. The first thing he had told about himself and girls.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to…' I whispered with a voice full of regret.

'No! It shows how much you care about me, and it makes me love you even more!'

I sighed of relief. 'How are we supposed to meet with our parents. Look at our crying faces!' I joked. And he laughed.

He sighed now too. Wiped away his tears and I did the same with my own tears.

'Enough heavy talk. We are going to get married, my love! And I will let everybody in this palace, in this country know it! You are mine, and mine only!'

'Only yours!' I whispered in his jacket. And then I started realising things. I was engaged to a prince. I was going to become a princess myself. I had to bare a heir! Had I ever thought that I could become someone like that. I year ago, I was still America. A girl that was hiding her relationship to everybody. A girl that had to work for her family to keep them fed. And now she was wearing an engagement ring!

'It happened so fast, Maxon.' Were the only words escaping my mouth.

'I know, but we can take our time now. We don't have to be married in two weeks.' He grinned.

'Yes because I want to know you better.' I responded.

'But Ames I know you!' I could here he was confused.

I chuckled about it. 'Yes, but I want to know if you liked to be tickled underneath your feet, or if you're scared for spiders. What your favourite colour is…'

'You know my favourite colour.' He said even more confused than before.

'I do, but you don't know mine!'

'It changes all the time America, how is it even possible to know. I can't read your mind every day.' He laughed nervously.

'One day, you will be able to read my mind about such things. Because we're going to get married.' I laid my head on his shoulder and he kissed my temple.

'I will.'