A/N: I really hope you guys are liking this story! I am surprised how many people have read it since it's been up. You guys are great! Anyway, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it!

Again, the characters are not mine, and the passage in italics are Kierra Cass' words.

From The Heir

But I was stopped in my tracks by the sight behind me. Several large framed pictures covered the wall. There was one of Mom and Dad when they were my age, with him in his full suit and sash next to Mom in a cream-colored dress. I saw them on their wedding day, their faces covered in cake…

Looking nervously at the church doors, I try to take a deep breath. Maxon squeezes my hand and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before nodding for the doors to be opened. The first thing that hits me is the roar. I can hear the crowd's excitement building as the doors open further. Among the noise I hear my name and Maxon's peppered in with other well-wishes. When the doors are fully open, and the crowd can see us fully, the crowd becomes impossibly louder.

Maxon and I make our way through the roped off path to our awaiting car, but not before we each stop a few times to thank people in the crowd. As much as I want to get away from the screaming masses, I knew this was important to the public, and to Maxon. To be honest, I don't mind it so much either. After greeting a few people, we get in the car and head back towards the palace.

"You look beautiful today, my dear," Maxon says as the car pulls away from the church.

"Why, thank you, your Royal Husbandness," I reply, giggling a little over the ridiculousness of the name,

He chuckles, "The title's required by law I'm afraid."

We both smile and remember that night. The night before everything went wrong; the night before both of our worlds flipped upside down. But today is not about being stuck in the past, it's about looking forward to the future.

"Hey," I say, taking hold of Maxon's hand, "I love you."

Maxon smiles and places his hand on my cheek; turning my face to his. For a moment he stares into my eyes before finally bringing his lips to mine. The kiss starts out slow and sweet, but eventually we are both gasping for breath. We break apart and Maxon leans his forehead against mine.

"I love you too," Maxon breathlessly replies, "more than you know."

We both sit there in that moment before the car stops. I look out the window and see that we are in fact back at the palace.

"Wait here," Maxon says before getting out of the car. I want to ask him why, but he shuts his door before he gets the chance. Shortly after that, he is at my door, opening it and offering me his hand.

"How gentlemanly of you," I quip with a small smile.

He smirks, "I've been known to be a gentleman from time to time."

Hand in hand we walk towards the doors, but Silvia somehow manages to get between us and the building.

"Your majesties, if you wouldn't mind heading towards the gardens, we are going to take pictures before the reception."

I groan, but follow Maxon as he pulls us towards the garden and our bench. That was actually Maxon's idea. About three months into planning, I was getting tired of all the small details. I still had to decide on the cake flavor, the napkin patterns, the bridesmaids dresses, where to take wedding photos, and countless other small details now that the big stuff had been figured out. One night I had had enough, I left my meeting with Silvia exhausted and frustrated. All of my ideas were getting shut down, and I was tired of arguing. That night I flopped onto bed beside Maxon as he was looking over some paperwork.

"Bad day?" he asked, setting his papers down and started rubbing my back.

"I'm so tired of this wedding already, can we just elope?" I asked, scooting closer to him and snuggling into his side. Just being next to him was already calming me down.

He chuckled, "No, I'm sorry. It's going to need to be more formal than that."

"Well can you at least solve some of my problems for me?"

Together we worked out almost all of the details, except for the photos.

"We could always take them on the stair case. That's where my parents took theirs." Maxon offered, but I shook my head.

"I want to take them somewhere unique to us, you know, somewhere where down the line we'll know that it had special meaning to us."

We both sat there and thought, and then Maxon started smiling.

"What?" I asked.

"What about our bench?" I smiled, I knew it would be perfect.

Now we are both here sitting on our bench as my family arrives, as well as the rest of the wedding party, and Maxon's aunt and her family. Because neither of Maxon's parents could be her for the day, she was the next best thing, and I could tell Maxon was happy to at least have a small part of his mom with him.

For an hour we are told how to pose and sit. We take every combination. Me and the bridesmaids, me and my family, Maxon and the groomsmen, Maxon and his family, Maxon and I, both of our families, and then some. Eventually Silvia comes out to save me. Everyone had settled into the Great Room, and it is time for the reception to start.

Before Maxon and I go in, I finally take off the heavy cape I had been wearing all day. Then I return to his side. We take hands and share a kiss before we hear the announcer welcome the King and Queen of Illéa into the room. As we enter, we are met with a room full of smiling people bowing. I feel like I will never get used to that, to people bowing my presence, and some part of me doesn't want myself to get used to it. I want to be reminded that I didn't simply get handed this role, I want to remember that it is a privilege to have this life.

After everything calms down, Maxon and I take the floor for our first dance.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mrs. Schreave?" Maxon asks as we move across the floor.

I blush at the use of my new name, "As long as I have you by my side, I don't think it's possible for me to have a bad time." I reply simply.

Maxon smiles and bows his head to give me a kiss. When we break apart, I lay my head on his shoulder as we continue to dance. I see the flashes of cameras as photographers capture the moment, but I'm not focused on it. For once I am not aware of the crowds surrounding us, or the people at home watching their televisions. I am just aware of Maxon, and this moment, and how I never want to forget a second of today.

After our dance ends, the food is brought out and people start eating. Maxon and I sit down at the head table and begin to eat our meals, but I'm not very hungry. I don't eat very much, and I'm sure I will regret that later, but I am just too overwhelmed to eat. Maxon doesn't eat very much either, so we both get up and make our rounds of the room. We stop by every table to thank our guests for coming. When we get to the Italian table, Nicoletta immediately stands up and envelopes me in a tight hug.

"America, I am so happy for you! I told you it was going to be you."

I roll my eyes, "Yes, I know. Everyone else knew it was going to be me before I finally caught up." I nudge Maxon in the ribs, "I keep being reminded of that today."

Maxon smiles. "May I remind you, Mrs. Schreave, that my vows made you cry, so they must not have been too bad."

I laugh. "So modest."

Nicoletta chuckles too. "Well, I won't hold you up, this is a very large room," she pulls me into another hug. "I really am happy for you America." I give her one more squeeze before Maxon and I move on to another table.

A few tables later, we reach where all the selection girls are sitting. As we got closer to this table I could feel my anxiety rising. I know some of them will be genuinely happy for me, I know some of them will still hate my gates, but there are some, like Kriss, that I don't know how they'll react. As we walk up the girls immediately jump up, and I think that most of them are going to embrace Maxon, but instead, they huddle around me instead.

"America!" Kriss says right in my ear. I wait for her to start ranting, but instead she pulls me into a hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

I pull away and raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

She laughs. "Yes, of course I am. Really, America. We all knew-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You all knew before me. You all could all tell, and I was just late to the party."

"Well you really were," Elise said, speaking the loudest I'd ever heard her speak.

I look around at all the girls, and I see my friends. Girls who've all gone through the same thing, who've all had their hearts broken, and even though it's my fault they didn't get what they wanted, they still want to be my friend.

I smile. "Thank you guys, so much for coming today! All of you I mean it."

We all give a few more hugs, before they sit down. Kriss, however, walks up to Maxon.

"If you hurt her, we will all hurt you," Kriss says with a serious look, and behind her all the girls at the table give a similar menacing look.

Maxon pulls me closer beside him, "I assure you, I have no intent of letting her down."

After we finish visiting everyone, Maxon and I take the dance floor. For hours I dance with Maxon, Nicoletta, my friends and family. As the night draws to a close, it's time for Maxon and I to cut the cake. As we step up to the cake I become more hesitant. The cake is a work of art, it is covered in flowers and designs made of frosting.

"It's so beautiful," I say.

Maxon looks at me. "America, I promise there are plenty of pictures of it."

I roll my eyes. "Just an observation."

We both pick up the knife and cut into the bottom tier of the cake. We each take piece of the cake and Maxon goes to feed me mine first. I see the mischevious look in his eyes, and I know what he's going to try.

"Don't you dare," I warn, but it's too late.

He wipes the cake all over my face and I feel the frosting covering the whole bottom half of my face. Without skipping a beat, I pick my piece and return the favor. We're now both covered in cake and I see the flashes of the cameras around us, and I can't help but thinking about how great this picture must be. The two of us are supposed to be the picture of grace and authority, but this moment reveals how young we really are; reveals our true selves. This moment sums up how I want the rest of our lives to be. I want us to always find the moment of reality and youth amongst the hard life we are going to have. I want us to always remember how in love we are. And though this day is about to be over, I know it means the start of the rest of our lives together.

A/N: Wow that was a long one. I hope you guys still like it! I hope I'm doing the characters justice. As always don't be afraid to post. Tell what I could do better, or what you want to see more of. I would love to hear what you guys have to say!

Until next time!