Okay, so, I'm back again! I know, I know, you guys probably expected the next update to be in a month, right?

I'm really really sorry about how slow it took me to update this story last time. I was having a major writer's block and I was really busy so… but to make it up, I'm now writing two chapters in two days. Yay?

This chapter is going to mainly be about America starting princess duties and all that with Silvia and Amberly.

As always I don't own the Selection – I wish I did! – and please review, favorite, follow, and PM me with any suggestions. They're always welcome.

To MusicGirl9624: Thanks so much for reviewing, it means a lot to me!

On with the story…

Chapter 3:

AMERICA POV:

"Wake up, miss!" Anne's voice rings through the room. Mary pulls back the curtains and Lucy pulls down my comforter. The bright sunlight streams into the room, blinding me.

Groaning, I roll over. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven, miss," Lucy chirps. "You need to get up early. You don't want to be late for your meeting with the queen, do you?"

"Right!" I shoot up into a sitting position and then rub my head. "Ugh… I hate meetings. They're so stressful!"

"Well, you better get used to it," Anne reprimands me playfully. "You are going to be princess after all."

"Hmph," I grumble. "Okay, okay, I'm up."

"Great!" Mary dashes over, grabs my arms, and pulls me out of bed, yanking me towards the tub.

After my bath, my maids brushed my hair back into a high ponytail and did my makeup similar to yesterday. "Why do you keep going for that smoky eye thing?" I ask. (A/N: Just imagine Taylor Swift's eye makeup at her Good Morning America show)

"Your smoky eyes look really good. It makes you look more royal," Anne says. "Hold still miss, and close your eyes." I obey and feel her skilled fingers apply mascara to my lashes.

By the time I'm ready to go down for breakfast, its eight thirty and I'm donned in a navy blue strapless dress with folds along the skirt and bodice. (Sorry, another AN: Dress: . #axzz3KZXUpEqT) Around my neck hangs the songbird necklace from Dad and Maxon's New Asia bracelet adorns my wrist, setting off my engagement ring perfectly. Along with that, my maids decided that putting me in gold strappy heeled sandals would set off the look, and I admit I can barely walk.

"Ames!" I hear May call as I step out of the room. "You look so pretty!" she stares at me. I smile slightly. May looks like an angel in the girly pink dress she chose to wear. "Let's go down to breakfast!"

"Good morning to you, too," I say, walking over and giving her a hug. "Are you wearing makeup, miss?" I squint at her face.

"Just a teeny bit. Come on, Ames, I gotta look good too," she winks at me. "Can't have you stealing the spotlight all the time."

I laugh. We walk down together and bump into Nicoletta and Queen Isabella. "Your highness," May and I curtsy together.

"No need for that, caro," Isabella laughs. Nicoletta gives me a hug. "You look beautiful, America," Queen Isabella says, smiling. "Are you ready for your meeting with the Queen and Silvia?"

"I guess," I reply.

Nicoletta wiggles in front of her mother and grasps my hands. "You'll have time to talk in the afternoon, no?"

"Yes, but I am having dinner with Maxon," I say.

Nicoletta waves her hand carelessly. "You can be a little late for that. We must have tea in the Women's Room together!"

"Of course," I laugh. "Where else would I have tea?"

"With your fiancé, or his mother, or maybe his father?" she rattles.

I shake my head and open the doors to breakfast.

"Hey, America," Celeste says as I take my seat. "Guess what?"

"You bewitched Mark into proposing to you?" I tease.

"No! America!" she scolds. "Of course not," she takes a deep breath. "We have another date today at teatime!"

"Tea time?" I ask. "Oh, but you should come with Nic and me!"

Celeste grins. "Well, there'll always be next time." I smile.

"Hey, Ames," Maxon presses a chaste kiss to my cheek as he slides into his seat.

"Hey," I say. "I have a meeting with your mother this morning, so don't expect anything."

He laughs. "Why would I? I have a meeting too, and it happens to be with all the advisors and my father on the New Asia matter."

"At least mine will be more interesting," I counter, taking a bite of strawberry tart. He raises his eyebrows as he digs in to his oatmeal.

"We'll see who falls asleep first, right?"

I grin. "As always, your highness."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After breakfast, I head to the Queen's office, to be ushered in by Silvia. "America," Amberly stands up and hugs me. "I'm so glad to see you again. Have a seat, and you too, Silvia." The queen rustles around. "Tea, anyone?"

Silvia and I politely decline, still full from breakfast. Amberly sits down at last. "Very well then," she says. "Silvia, would you do the honor?"

"Ah, of course, your majesty," Silvia opens the sleek binder she was holding. "Now, Lady America, you will be crowned princess in a little over a year. Being princess is a huge responsibility, and it is only little compared to what you will have as a queen." She pauses here to see if I'm following. I nod.

Amberly continues. "The whole nation knows that you're feisty, America, from kneeing Maxon in the thigh to publicly giving a speech on the removal of the caste system." I smile, slightly embarrassed. "It is not a bad thing, but you will need to be able to control this feistiness."

"I understand," I say, nodding. "I am kind of rash at times," I laugh slightly.

Queen Amberly smiles at me. "Everyone can be," she says. "You just need to learn how to control it. Now, my dear, that is pretty much all I wanted to talk about today. I know it is a short meeting, but we have so much time before you are crowned that I don't want to cram information into you so quickly. Do you think you can meet with me around ten o'clock every day? I will send you a note if we won't meet for a certain day."

"Of course," I say. What else could I say?

"Great," Amberly stands up. "If you'll excuse me, America, Silvia, I must go intrude on Clarkson's current meeting. I have some papers for him."

We file out of the room and I head back into mine, thinking about what Amberly said. "Hey, Ames," a voice piped up. May was at the door, looking at me. "Can I come in?"

I scoot over on the bed and let her sit down. "How was your meeting with Queen Amberly?"

I smile and run my fingers through her hair. "Good," I reply.

"That doesn't help me gossip," May sits up. "You look unfocused, Ames."

I shake off my train of thought and look down at her. "May, do you want to run to a maid and tell them to send up strawberry tarts and some ginger tea for two?"

May runs off and I lie down again, thinking hard. I want to be a good princess and I want the public to adore me like they did in the Selection. But here, the stakes are so much higher now. If I make one wrong move, the whole country could collapse. I'm just getting to the freaking-out part when May barges in with a tray. "Here, Ames!" she places the tray down on my nightstand and climbs up. "What's wrong? Please tell me, you know you trust me. Do you want me to get Kenna?"

"No, no," I say, sitting up. "I just . . . realized how much pressure it is to be princess."

"Oh. Would a tart help?" May breaks off a piece and puts it in my mouth. "Hey, Ames, I know I'm younger than you and I'm loud and boy-crazy, but if you're troubling about something, I'll always be there for you, okay? And the same is for Kenna. We're your sisters. We're meant to help you through times and you'll help us."

"Thanks, May," I hug her. "When did you grow up so fast?"

May grins at me. "When I realized my older sister was becoming emotionally unstable. And not Kenna."

I scowl playfully. "You can hold on to that thought if you want, but do not mention it to Maxon. He will send me to a psychologist."

May snuggles into me. "'Kay, Ames." She's quiet for a moment, and then sits up. "Is Maxon someone who's always concerned about the smallest things for you?"

I laugh. "You could say so."

"What's he gonna be like when you become pregnant?" she asks. "And the morning sickness? Is he going to think that you're incapable of being princess?"

"May!" I gasp. Pregnancy is something I haven't even thought about yet. "I – May, you are such a boy freak."

She sticks out her tongue at me. "I try, Ames."

I smile and check the time. "It's almost teatime." Stretching, I sigh and grab a piece of stationary. Nicoletta, just come into my room for tea. May is here as well. ~Ames

I hand it to a maid outside and sit down, attacking a tart. "You ready to see Nicoletta?" May asks.

"One can never be ready for her," I laugh. "I am never ready for you, either."

And… that's a wrap! So, a sweet moment for May and America. I'm sorry for the lack of Maxmerica but I think it'd be unreal if they spent all their time together.

I doubt I'll have another chapter tomorrow, but I'll try to have one by next week.

Again, please review, favorite, or follow! PM me with any suggestions!

Oh! If you guys have anything that you REALLY want to see in the story, PM OR REVIEW ME RIGHT AWAY!

~Bookworm4life