"No, Addy!" The giant teardrops that spilled from Rosie's big, brown eyes and down her chubby little cheeks came almost instantly. The shift from 'excited to have a family meeting' to 'devastated to the point of tears' was immediate, the heartbreak unequivocal. Rosie was simply too little to self-soothe or have defenses in place to protect against this level of pain.

Addy was seated next to her parents on one sofa in the family room. Jamesy, Maisy, Lief, and Rosie were squished on the opposing sofa.

It was family time. Maxon, America, and Addy had worked very hard to keep everything normal for the past few days while Addy finalized her decisions regarding university and began settling on specifics, like which day she was going to leave the Palace to move into her dormitory. Therefore, none of the younger Schreave kids had had a single clue that something like this was about to happen.

The stunned and hurt faces looking back at her from the other side of the coffee table caused Addy's stomach to clench painfully. "It's okay, Rosie—"

"You can't leave, Addy! You're not suppose'ta leave!" Rosie was hardly intelligible through her shaky sobs.

Addy opened her arms wide, but it took Rosie a moment to gather the strength to slide off one couch and cross to the other. When she finally got there, Addy pulled her up into her lap and squeezed her close. "I love you more than anything in the whole wide world, Rosebud. More than cake. More than coffee. More than Christmas presents. I'm not leaving because I don't love you."

"Why?" Rosie sloppily swiped at her cheeks.

"I want to learn a lot of good, smart things to help me be the Queen."

"No, Daddy can teach you, he's smart." Rosie promised, hoping to resolve Addy's misunderstanding.

Maxon chuckled, reaching over to rub Rosie's back soothingly. "I just don't have time to teach her everything, Rose-buddy. And there are some things that even I don't know."

"No." Rosie insisted, completely rejecting everything everyone was saying. Completely rejecting a world in which big sisters left their baby sisters behind and daddies didn't have all the answers to all the questions.

"Rosie, you can come visit me at school! I can show you the big library and we can meet all kinds of new friends." Addy tantalized.

"I can go to school, too?"

"Someday, when you're my age, if you want to."

"I want to go with you." Rosie begged.

"You're going to stay home with Mommy and Daddy, and Jamesy, and Maisy, and Lief." Addy said, "And sometimes you'll come and visit me. And sometimes I'll come back to the Palace—"

"For my birthday?"

"Of course I'll be here for your birthday! I wouldn't miss your very special fifth birthday." Addy winked. "And I'll be back for Halloween and my birthday and Christmas and New Years—"

"You will?"

"Yes. And in-between, when we aren't together, you and I will write secret messages to each other and send them through the mail."

"I will have letters?" Rosie gasped. As a four year old, she hardly ever received letters.

"Secret ones, from me." Addy kissed her dark blonde hair.

Rosie pressed her cheek on Addy's shoulder, thinking everything through. It was still a major loss. "What if I'm scared? What if there's thunder?"

"You'll have Mommy and Daddy." Addy reminded her.

"What if they're travenin'?" 'Traveling' was a complicated word to pronounce, and Rosie didn't like practicing it because usually 'traveling' was a terrible, horrible thing that took her parents away from her, so Rosie thought about it as little as possible.

"I'll be here." Maisy spoke up. "If there's thunder, and Mommy and Daddy are traveling, I'll be here. You can always come sleep in my bed, Bud."

Rosie sighed with relief, remembering that she had a backup big sister.

"And even when it's the middle of the night, if you're scared and you need me, you can call me on the telephone." Addy reminded Rosie. "Any of you can." She added, glancing up to her other siblings. "We can have big, long telephone conversations."

Addy knew Rosie would latch onto that idea, because the youngest Schreave baby was obsessed with phone calls but had no one to call, herself. Sometimes she would beg to intrude on America's calls with Queen Nicoletta, who was always happy to hear from little Rosie, but who was also extremely busy and so the conversations were always short.

Rosalynn continued to hug Adrienne tight, refusing to leave her lap, but the tears slowed to a stop. She was coming to terms with the news.

"Addy, I'm really happy for you." Jameson said.

"Thanks." Addy smiled appreciatively.

"It'll mean a little more responsibility than you're used to, son." Maxon warned.

"That's okay, I can handle it." Jamesy promised eagerly. He knew that 'more responsibility' also meant more one-on-one time with his dad. Jamesy was at an age when he was starving for that kind of time.

Maxon nodded, his tone full of confidence, "I know you can, Jameson." And Jameson smiled broadly.

"I really appreciate the help, Jamesy. If it wasn't for you taking over a few of my day-to-day responsibilities, I wouldn't even be able to go." Addy said.

"I know." Jameson grinned teasingly. "You owe me now."

Addy laughed, "Yeah, I do."

"You owe me, too!" Rosie chirped.

"I know, Rosebud." Addy giggled, kissing her hair again.

"You owe me toys…" Rosie grumbled, popping her thumb into her mouth.

This set off a few moments of America reminding Rosie not to suck her thumb, that thumbs are covered in germs, that sucking thumbs is for babies, and Rosie being unwilling to part with both her oldest sister and her comfort thumb. Finally, as a compromise, Addy snuggled Rosie even closer on her lap and then covered the sucked thumb with her own hand, substituting one comfort for another. Rosie temporarily submitted.

Maxon studied his younger children and frowned, "Lief? What are you thinking, son? You've been so quiet over there."

Lief shrugged, lips pulled into a deep frown.

"How do you feel?" America asked, attempting a different avenue of questioning.

Again, a shrug.

Jameson stepped in, "Well, I feel kind of sad, because I'll miss Addy while she's gone. What do you think, Lief?"

Lief nodded, frowning even deeper.

Maisy caught on and added, "And two years is a long time for her not to be living in her room down the hall…"

Lief balled up a fist and rested his head on it, sighing deeply.

"But I'm also happy for Addy…" Jameson added cheerfully, "Because I know she's going to have a lot of fun, and make new friends, and learn lots of great new lessons…"

Lief gulped.

"And," Maisy added, "Addy's never been allowed to join a soccer team or take music lessons in the city, she's never been allowed out of the Palace for normal things before. This is the most normal thing that's ever happened to her, and I'm really happy she's getting to do this."

They sat in silence for a moment as Lief pondered everything. Finally the seven-year-old Schreave managed, "Can we have secret letters, too, Addy?"

Addy laughed, relieved that something so simple might help her baby brother through this difficult change. "Of course!"

"You'll always be home for birthdays and Christmas?" he double-checked.

"Always."

Lief shook his head, "Jamesy, can we still play at the tree castle, even though you have to have more work now?"

"'Course we can, Lief." Jameson nodded bracingly.

"And I can still teach you soccer tricks." Maisy reminded him.

"And when I'm home," Addy said, "We'll still sneak down to the kitchens to make macaroni and cheese if dinner has too many vegetables."

America gasped and pretended to have no idea about Lief and Addy's not-so-secret tradition, "What did you say?"

Lief finally cracked a reluctant giggle as Addy said, "Nothing, Mom…" And then winked at Lief.

"We're still a family." Maxon smiled warmly. "We'll always be a family, forever. Addy will come back. I know two years seems like a long time, but once we get used to this change, it will fly by. Then she'll come home and be ours again."

The older kids were nodding, the younger kids were still uncertain.

"You don't have to be happy about this right now, okay?" Addy said to her littlest siblings. "That's not your job. We're not trying to make you happy, we just want to help you not be hurt, if we can."

"Um…" Lief ventured, "I know what will help."

"What is it, sweetheart?" America asked, desperate to do whatever she could to lessen their pain.

"Swimming?" Lief asked, hopeful blue eyes peeking up at them.

Maxon and America grinned at one another. They hadn't had a 'Schreave family pool party', where they all got to go swimming together (even Maxon), yet this year, and it was already June.

"How fast can we all change into our swimming suits?" America pondered. "We've only got an hour and a half until Rosie and Lief's bedtime, and there won't be much time for swimming if it takes half an hour just to get down there, and another half to come back for bath time…"

There was a beat as the Schreave children met each other's eager eyes, and then they all leapt up from the couches. "Run, Lief!" Jameson urged as the boys rocketed out of the family room at a sprint.

"I'll help Rosie change—" Maisy rushed over and Addy hurriedly handed off their cheering baby sister so that the blonde girls could scurry down the hall toward their bedrooms.

Addy was already gathering her hair up in a knot for swimming, but she paused to turn to her smiling parents. "I think that went alright, don't you?"

"Give them time." America nodded.

"You're still happy?" Maxon checked.

"Well… Yeah. I don't want to miss my brothers and sisters, but… I still really want to go." Addy determined.

America kissed Addy's cheek, "It's possible to want two opposing things at the same time. It's confusing and complicated, but it happens more and more the older you get."

"Does it get easier?" Addy asked, eyes widening as she looked between her parents. This had been a painful evening at first, she didn't want to feel this every day, more and more, for the rest of her life.

Maxon shrugged, wrapping an arm around America's waist, "Are you still doing what you think is right?"

"Yes."

"Whatever is inside you, telling you that this is what you're meant to be doing," Maxon smiled, "Listen to it. Learn what it sounds like so you'll always know what it's saying. I know you're not doing the easy thing here, Addy, and I'm actually very proud of that."

"You are?"

Maxon and America shared a particularly long and sappy smile, and Addy rolled her eyes. "You are?" She repeated, to remind them she was in the room.

"If this was easy, it wouldn't be worthy of you." Maxon said, simply. "You're broadening and strengthening yourself by taking on this challenge, even though it will cost you time with your family and the other comforts of home. Your mother and I are both exceedingly proud."

Those words from her father melted all the discomfort of the night away. She was still worried about the future, but now more than that, she was looking forward to a night of splashing around in the pool, under the stars, with her family. Besides, it was only June. She still had two whole months before she had to leave all this behind.

"Addy!" There was excited knocking at Addy's office door.

Addy laughed, recognizing that voice. Only her friends ever knocked like that. Advisers and palace guests were announced by guards, and Addy's family knocked softly before walking right in. Her friends were the only ones who shouted her name, pounded at the door enthusiastically, and then just stood there, waiting.

Addy raced from around her desk and threw the door open to see Kile's shining, eager face.

"You're back!" Addy threw her arms around him excitedly.

"I'm back." He agreed, squeezing her in a tight hug and lifting her from the floor.

Kile had taken the summer session at Angeles University to get in an extra art class. He'd insisted that it would help his designs when he finished school and became a real architect. Addy knew that Marlee, Carter, and Josie had missed him like crazy for the extra seven weeks he'd been gone.

At the sight of him, Marlee had stood from her side of Addy's office and hurried over, "Welcome home, baby!" She exclaimed, waiting impatiently for Kile to finish squeezing the breath out of Addy before getting a hug of her own. "How was the drive?"

"Perfect." Kile assured her. This had been the first time he'd been allowed to drive himself from university back to the Palace, all on his own. "It's a gorgeous day out there, Mom, I put the top down." he grinned.

"You did?" Marlee shook her head woefully. Carter's and Marlee's parents had all conspired behind Carter's and Marlee's backs to gift Kile with a convertible for his nineteenth birthday. He hadn't had the chance to use it much at university, his classes were close enough to walk to, but today he'd had a couple of hours on an open stretch of road and he'd loved it.

"I'll take you for a ride later." Kile promised, pecking Marlee on the cheek. "You too, Addy."

Addy grinned, "I don't think a car ride with you is on the list of pre-approved out-of-Palace activities."

"Why not?" Kile pretended to be offended.

"Your convertible isn't bullet-proof, Woodwork." Addy teased.

"Oh." he conceded. Then he sobered, his tone belied with sincerity, "You're really missing out on some fun, Adrienne."

"I'm sure." she smiled ruefully.

"But hey," Kile squeezed her hand, "I hear you're coming to Kings University next year! I'm so happy, Addy, this is going to be great! We'll sneak out one night and go for a drive—"

"You'll do what?" Marlee demanded.

"Mom—" Kile complained at her instant overprotectiveness.

"You understand that if something happens to Addy—"

"Mom—" This time Kile soothed.

"She's the heir to the throne, Kile! Think of what would happen to the future of our country if she were lost! She needs to stay with her guards at all times next year, and please don't forget it."

"Mom." Kile said, this time matter-of-factly, "I'd never do anything to put Addy in danger, you know that. I was joking. We'll find a safe closed course to ride down or something, we'll negotiate with her security team to make it work. Okay?"

Marlee pressed her lips together, but nodded. "I'm sorry, Kile, I just… I don't think you know how hard this has been on Uncle Maxon and Aunt Ames, and on General Leger. We've been coming up with strategies to deal with all kinds of different imaginary threats on Addy's life that might pop up, so far away from the Palace. Spending so much time imagining doom and gloom is starting to take its toll on us, that's all."

Kile kissed his mother's forehead and said, "That's understandable."

Addy clasped her hands behind her back, contrite. She'd had no idea her parents and the adults in her life were struggling. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Never sneak away from your security team, Adrienne Emlyn Schreave, do you understand me?" Marlee's words were firm but her voice was pleading.

"I promise, Aunt Marls." Addy reassured her. "You can scratch that off the list of things you have to worry about." Addy took a breath and looked between the Woodworks in her office. "You should both go find Josie and have lunch together. I'll be fine without you for the afternoon, Aunt Marlee."

"Really?" Marlee's eyes lit up and Kile grinned.

"Really." Addy nodded, opening the door for the both of them to leave.

"Thanks, Addy." Kile smiled. "We'll catch up later."

"Yeah, I need to hear all about the campus."

Kile mock-saluted her, the way his father might have actually saluted her, and then he led his mother off down the hall.

From all the way down the hall, Addy could hear loud laughter coming from her father's office. She knocked once before peeking her head in.

Astra and Maxon were leaned back on one of Maxon's sofas, sharing a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries. Maxon's shoes were kicked off, Astra's feet were bare, and they both had their legs up, resting on a coffee table. Maxon's tie was loose and crooked, his jacket long ago discarded, and his face still lit up from their laughter.

"Am I interrupting something?" Addy grinned.

"Not at all, Bird." Maxon waved her in. "Just sharing a few minutes with my beloved Pumpkin head."

"Want some berries?" Astra offered, holding up the half-empty plate.

"No thanks." Addy said, eyeing the cream the they were dipping the berries in. "But, um—"

Maxon chuckled and offered her his spoon. "I've had enough."

"Thank you, Daddy." Addy eagerly joined them on the sofa, kicking off her own shoes, and digging into the whipped cream with delight.

Maxon smiled between the two of them, then closed his eyes with a sigh. "If I had my way, we'd do this every afternoon, girls."

"Mmm…" Addy smiled around the spoon in her mouth at the idea.

"Maybe someday." Astra said, brightly. "You'll be retired in a few years, right? Then we can schedule a twenty minute meeting with Addy where all we do is eat chocolate covered strawberries while she empties a bowl of pure whipped cream."

"Yeah!" Addy smiled.

Maxon's lips tugged upward, but the expression behind his eyes was exhausted. "That would be nice."

Addy tugged his arm around her and leant into his side, tucking her legs up on the sofa. "What do you have next?"

"Jepsen."

Addy winced. "What are you paying for now?"

"Your Selection."

"Oh." Addy frowned. "Do you want me there?"

"Not at all, sweetheart, it's going to be fine. We've been tucking money away here and there since you were born, you have a nice fund already. We're just looking at ways to add to it over the next couple of years."

Astra wiped a smear of chocolate off of her lips and stared at them. "Addy? You're having a Selection?"

Addy gulped. She hadn't seen Astra since accepting the adviser's proposal, and she'd wanted to talk about it all in person. "Ready for our walk?" Addy asked pointedly. It was why she'd sought Astra out to begin with.

"Yeah, I guess so." Astra said, indicating with her tone that if that was the only way she was getting answers, she was ready to go immediately.

Addy leant over and kissed Maxon's cheek, "Thank you, Dad."

"You're welcome, baby bird." Maxon took the spoon back from her and set aside the dish.

"Not for the cream." Addy smiled. "For taking this meeting instead of taking a nap."

Maxon smiled and patted her cheek, "It's my pleasure."

Addy stood and slipped her feet back into her shoes, while Astra found her flats and slid them on. "Thanks for the snack, Mackin." Astra said, hugging her uncle.

"You're very welcome, Pumpkin. I'm so glad you're back in Angeles."

"Me, too."

"Have fun, you two." Maxon waved the girls off.

Addy let an officer close the door to her dad's office behind them, linking arms with Astra as they walked down the hall, toward the stairs.

"So? Last I heard you were just watching the videos." Astra said, pointedly.

"I did." Addy assured her. "It was enlightening. My necklace… Astra, did you know my mom once gave this necklace to a man who had been sentenced to life in prison. He used it to pay his debt to the Crown."

"I had no idea." Astra gulped. "What was… I mean, why would she—"

"I don't really know." Addy shook her head. "I asked Mom about it, she didn't go into much detail. All the girls were supposed to listen to a prisoner's crimes and then assign them their sentences. It was some kind of test, proof that the Selected could obey, could submit. All the laws were written so that any crime committed anywhere, no matter what it was, was a transgression against the King. If you stole an apple, you stole it from the King. If you robbed your neighbor, you robbed the King. So it was like the Selected were proving that they would do whatever it took to punish those who had 'harmed' the King or something." Addy was still flabbergasted by the whole thing.

"Is that how the laws are written now?"

"Technically." Addy shrugged. "It's not how they're interpreted anymore, though."

"You should do something to fix them when you're Queen." Astra advised.

"Believe me, it's on the list." Addy frowned. "Anyway, there were other things the girls had to do, too. Actually useful responsibilities. Practice hosting parties with foreign delegations, interviews about theoretical policy positions; I even saw that thing my parents are always joking about, the Report thing."

Astra nodded, remembering the joke better than the historical event, "Oh, right, something about the castes?"

"Yeah, when she proposed dismantling the castes, live on TV, and the feed cut right after that."

Astra laughed, "It is kind of funny, looking back."

Addy shuddered, "I'm never doing that. I'm never going off-script on the Report. I never want to be the cause of a mess that big."

Astra squeezed her hand. "So you looked at all of that and thought, with a few tweaks, it would be a good way to find the love of your life?"

"Well, not exactly…"

"Addy—" Astra scowled, preparing a rant about how important finding love was.

"I'm sure it will be!" Addy defended. "But it's doing something even more important for me."

"More important than providing you with a husband?"

"Yes." Addy said, flatly. "Husbands aren't everything. I plan to have a whole life and list of accomplishments outside of whatever husband I end up with."

Astra couldn't help but laugh. "You're perfectly right, Bird. A girl's life is not measured by what kind of husband she can snag."

Addy nodded, pleased, "Exactly."

"So what is this Selection getting you, then?"

Addy paused and turned to Astra, grinning like crazy. "I'm going to Kings University in the fall."

Astra's jaw dropped all the way open for a long gasp of a moment. Finally she managed, "Seriously?!"

"Yep."

"No!"

"Yes." Addy laughed.

This was where Astra started getting teary eyed, "Addy, I'm so happy for you! Come here!" and they hugged. "… Oh, Birdy, this is the best news. Your dream came true!" she squeezed Addy tighter.

"Yeah… I guess it did." Addy allowed herself a grin.

"But what does it have to do with a Selection?" Astra pulled back, remembering the rest of their conversation.

"Well," Addy said, re-looping their arms and continuing on their way down toward the gardens, "The thing is, if I want to keep the people happy, I need to show them how much I respect Illéa's traditions. And I need a husband at some point anyway, to help with the work around the Palace. It's a great way to kill two birds with one stone."

Astra narrowed her eyes at Addy and said skeptically, "I've never heard of anything less romantic than that."

Addy shook her head, "Romance is a trap."

Astra laughed, "What?"

"Stupid moonlit fountains… stupid boys with stupid romantic words… It's a trap, Astra—"

"Baby bird, what in the name of all that is holy are you talking about?" Astra was still laughing incredulously.

Addy sighed in an enormously overdramatic way. "We need to talk about England."

Astra's eyes widened comically as she considered the lengths and depths of gossip that 'England' could lead to. "What happened?"

Addy didn't know where to start. The guards opened the doors to the gardens for them and bowed. "I wish you'd been there… it never would have happened if you had been there—"

"Addy, do I need to go assassinate an English prince?" Astra paused, turning to Addy, alarmed.

"No! No, nothing like that. I…" Addy buried her head in her hands and then dragged Astra farther from the Palace so that they were less likely to be overheard.

They climbed to the very top of the tree castle, hanging their legs off the side, peering out over Addy's parents' bench and across the gardens beyond.

Addy steeled herself by taking a deep breath, "Lucas tried to kiss me."

Astra considered this news, thinking it over. "Oh." She clearly wasn't surprised. "Okay. Um, tell me more."

"We were taking a break from the crowd at the party, sitting alone by that fountain out across their lawn."

"The one we used to swim in?"

"Yeah. The moon was bright, the stars were beautiful, and he was so, so sweet…"

"He's Lucas. He's the sweetest guy in the world." Astra pointed out, studying her cousin's face. "Addy, did you want to kiss him?"

"I… I don't know. I really don't know, I'm not just avoiding the answer." Addy explained. "It's complicated." She thought of the conversation she'd had with her parents the night they'd told her siblings that she was going away for university. "I wanted two different things at the same time, I think. I sort of wanted to kiss him, but… I didn't want him to be my first kiss. And at the same time I didn't want to kiss him, because I need him. I mean, I really need him as my friend. And, look, I think it's dumb that you're ignoring Andrew—"

"It's just weird with him, it's hard to explain—"

"I know, but he's one of our oldest friends and he really misses you, but that's not my point." Addy waved her hand. "My point is, even though I wouldn't ignore Lucas after a break up, things would still be weird between us for the rest of our lives."

"What if he's the one, though, Addy? What if you'd never break up because the two of you are perfect for each other? Lucas has always understood you on an emotional level better than anyone else. You've always had a special bond, as long as I can remember, which is much longer than you can remember."

"Astra, I've never been kissed! How am I supposed to gamble my entire friendship, not just with Lucas but with Andrew, too, on the hope that the very first boy I ever kiss in my life is the person I'm going to marry? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of."

Astra blinked at her cousin, "Addy, your mom was your dad's first kiss."

Addy gaped, "What?"

Astra shook her head, "I can't believe you don't know this. Birdy, your dad was just like you, he'd never spent much time around eligible girls until his Selection. Then, the night before his Selection started, he met your mom." Both girls let their eyes drift to the bench on the grounds below them. Addy did, at least, know that part of the story. "She stole his heart. Aunt Ames was the first one he wanted to kiss."

"How do you know that?" Addy narrowed her eyes skeptically.

Astra giggled, "I used to make your dad tuck me in at night with the story of your parents falling in love. Aunt Ames winning the Selection, falling in love with the prince, becoming a princess… I thought it was better than a fairytale because it starred two of my favorite people. He told me about kissing your mom for the first time like it was written somewhere in a gold-embossed book." Even now, as an adult, Astra sounded wistful about it.

Addy thought about this as they both fell silent, the sounds of the gardens wafting up to them. A breeze rustled through the hedges, and somewhere in the distance a bird chirped. "It's going to take me more than one try to figure this all out, Astra." Addy confessed. "Whoever I marry has to check a lot of boxes because he's going to be the Prince consort of Illéa. It's not fair to expect me to be able to make that decision in one kiss."

Astra let her dangling feet begin swaying back and forth, "No one expects you to do that."

"That's what it would have to be if I kissed Lucas. He's too important for me to casually kiss. It would have to be for sure, you know? I can't just kiss him for fun, because—"

"Because why?"

"Because there's only so much we can put those boys through before we lose them forever." Addy managed, though her cheeks burned at the veiled accusation in her words. If it wasn't for Astra's dalliance with Andrew, maybe Addy would have more leeway to dally with Luke.

Astra sighed heavily. "Listen, Bird, Andrew and I made the decision to start dating together. And we made the decision to stop together. There are absolutely no hard feelings. We still love each other, we'll always love each other. We'd still do anything for each other."

"Then why won't you talk to him?"

"Because I'm a baby! I'm embarrassed and I'm not taking responsibility. I'm avoiding it because it's easier than working through it. But that has nothing to do with you, Bird, you should be free to try whatever you need to try. Kiss Lucas. Kiss anybody you want to kiss. You don't have to pay for my mistakes. And they're certainly not Luke's fault."

"You think I should have let him kiss me?" Addy couldn't believe it. If anyone had a cautionary tale about kissing English princes all willy-nilly, it was Astra.

"What was it you said to me? 'If you hadn't kissed Andrew, you'd have always wondered'? Something like that? I don't want you to always wonder about Luke. I want you to know for sure, especially if it's not going to work out. Don't marry someone else and then spend your life pining for an English boy who would have been your ex within a few months anyway. Cross him off the list, baby bird, and keep flying." Astra encouraged.

"It just doesn't seem smart." Addy said. "Especially now that I'm going to have a Selection. Luke's not an option for me, not a real one."

"Maybe he'll enter your Selection, if you give him enough warning." Astra laughed. "He can immigrate and become a citizen by the time you're ready to host your competition."

"Don't even joke." Addy shook her head gravely.

Astra paused her teasing and said soberly, "Addy bird, not everything in life has to be smart, not even for you. You should get to do the fun thing every once in a while."

Addy pouted, letting her hands fall to her lap. "I hate fun." she grumbled. "Fun is so complicated."

Astra laughed at her dramatics, "I know, sweetie."

"I'm too young to have to deal with such complex fun."

Astra laughed again, "Poor Bird."

"I don't want fun ever again." Addy bemoaned, thinking of Lucas and his hair and his eyes and his lips…

"Okay." Astra giggled. "But would it make you feel better if I gave Fun's brother a call to see how Fun is feeling about this whole almost-kiss situation, now that he's had time to think it through rationally?"

"You'd do that for me?" she was touched that her cousin would initiate that uncomfortable conversation with Andrew, just to help Addy and Lucas work through this.

"Oh, Addy." Astra wrapped an arm tight around Addy's shoulders. "There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you, Cousin-Sister-of-my-Heart."

Addy laughed at the reference to their special childhood titles for each other. "Thanks, Astra. Maybe just give Fun's brother a call and see… if we're all still friends and everything."

"Okay." Astra kissed Addy's cheek. "But you owe me."

Addy nodded, "There's a lot of that going around."

"And you're going to be the Queen soon, so I can probably get something really good out of this."

"Probably." Addy giggled.

"Like a yacht made of gold." Astra snickered.

The very idea of Astra standing proudly on a sinking golden yacht (for any yacht made of pure gold would be utterly unable to float) made both of them collapse into silly, contagious giggles.

For most of the summer, it was easy to pretend that September 1st wasn't coming. There was a lot for Addy to do, helping her mother prepare for the Grateful Feast Parade, and helping her father assemble the budget proposal for the next year. Earmarked at the bottom of an unassuming paragraph was the amount of money that would be set aside to pay for the census that would tell the Palace where to send Selection invitations in a couple of years. Addy couldn't tell if that little addition made her nervous or excited, but either way her stomach was fluttering.

Maisy's 12th birthday was in early August, and the family celebrated it quietly. Every Aunt, Uncle, and Palace kid was in attendance, not to mention half of Maisy's soccer team. Addy kept a close eye on them, and it was hard to tell, but it seemed like the bullying was under control. It was obvious that Maisy had a couple of close, best friends to defend her and build up her confidence, at least. Addy hoped Maisy would hang onto those girls, at least for the next two years until Addy was done with university and could defend Maisy herself.

Then in late August there was the big celebration. King Maxon's 40th birthday commemoration. There was a week of festivities throughout Angeles, and the Royal family was expected to attend most of them. Poor Lief and Rosie were so tired out from all of the events, they napped through most of the boat parade (It sounded more fun in theory. Watching a string of boats float by in reality was very slow and boring).

Family time was cut short all week because dinners were out of the Palace, but the Schreaves still managed to find a few minutes every night to gather together and enjoy each other's company. On the actual day of Maxon's birthday, all he wanted was a full hour of family time before the culmination of the royal celebrations, the Palace ball, began.

America and Addy had a lot of work to finish in preparation for the guests' arrival, but no matter what it cost them, they stayed with the family for the full hour after breakfast.

Jameson and Maisy played a board game and Rosie put on a special dress-up fashion show in the background. Lief crashed a handful of toy cars in increasingly creative ways, apparently directing his own imaginary action movie. Addy sat on the sofa with her parents, watching the relatively controlled chaos.

"You are unimaginably old." Addy grinned at her father.

Maxon chuckled and placed a kiss on Addy's temple. "I know. It's hard to believe, really. When I was first coronated, everyone called me a 'young king'. Stavros used to say how well I was doing for a 'young king'. But this morning I was thinking, and I realized that I can't remember the last time someone called me a 'young king'."

"No." Addy agreed. "You just have to settle for being the best king in the world." She emphasized the last part dramatically.

Maxon laughed and thanked her.

"For the record," America said teasingly, "Everyone still calls me a 'young queen'."

"As well they should, my dearest." Maxon winked.

They paused to cheer for Rosie's newest fashion choice, one of America's shirts that fit like a dress on little Rosie. It was belted with a ribbon from Addy's collection, and accessorized with one of America's old handbags and an absurdly long string of pearls from Addy's jewelry box (Addy would normally have triple wrapped the strand around her neck, making it the perfect length. Rosie chose, instead, to let them hang all the way to her ankles). Rosie curtseyed and bowed, then turned and strutted from the room on her way to create another outfit.

Maxon leant toward America, gently tracing the sensitive side of her forearm from wrist to elbow. America snuggled into the embrace and sighed, content.

"I could do this all day." Maxon finally declared, gazing out over his family. "I really could."

"I know." America agreed.

"In another world, Max and Mer world, we'd have all day together."

"We'd have everyday together." America added.

Addy wasn't sure what 'Max and Mer' world was, but she knew those to be the names her mom and dad used every time they played 'castaways'. She figured it had something to do with that.

"You'll be retired soon." Addy chirped, hoping to make them feel better. "I mean, I know it won't be exactly the same because I won't be there, but it'll make a big difference to Jamesy, Maisy, Lief, and Rosie."

"It certainly will." America said.

"I can't wait to watch you come into your own, Bird." Maxon confessed. "I fully plan to be sitting right here for your fortieth birthday, basking in how privileged I will have been to watch you grow into your role as Queen."

Addy gulped. "Um… How do you know I'll grow? What if I just… barely get by?" She always said something like this whenever Maxon seemed too optimistic about her future. She wanted to prepare him, just in case she couldn't live up to his expectations.

"Trust yourself. And if you can't do that yet, then trust me." Maxon squeezed her hand. "No one expects you to be fully-realized at the age of sixteen, or nineteen for that matter, Bird." He reassured her. "You'll keep growing and changing for the rest of your life, that's what humans do. You're an exceptional girl, but as far as your mother and I can tell, you are still human. You're not beyond growth. Part of growth is not knowing what you'll turn into on the other side of things. You're not supposed to know, so if you're worried about not knowing what kind of queen you'll be, stop. Let that be one less thing to agonize over. No one knows what kind of person they'll be five years from now, but if you're diligent about doing your very best, if you're laying the foundation for a successful reign, then you're doing all that can possibly be done. And I'm proud of you."

Addy nodded, trying to let her father's words comfort her. How was it that now, after his kind words, she felt even more pressure to be an amazing queen?

America chimed in, "And the first time your carefully laid foundation, everything you poured your sweat and blood and 'best' into, blows up in your face, you just come to us, baby bird. We know that feeling very well. You'll think you're a failure, but the truth is, that's just part of being queen."

Those were the words that actually made Addy feel better. She smiled over at her mother, "You're wise for a young queen."

"Wise far beyond my years, right Maxon?" America said haughtily.

"Far, far." Maxon agreed hurriedly.

"OW!" All eyes in the room fell on Lief, who had accidentally smashed his own fingers in one of his car crashes.

America's fingers tightened on the sofa. She and Maxon worked really hard not to run to their children every time they were hurt by something small. This way, their kids could learn how to survive a bruise or sting without being smothered by kisses from Mommy and rocked soothingly in Daddy's arms. It taught the children that they were strong, and could survive life's minor bumps on their own.

However, none of this stopped America and Maxon from wanting to smother their children with kisses or rock them soothingly in their arms whenever their little ones were hurt.

"What happened, Lief?" Maxon called over.

Lief grunted in pain and held up his hand, "My fingers…"

"Any blood?" Maxon continued.

Lief shook his head, still reeling.

"You're going to be alright." Maxon said confidently. He wanted Lief to be confident about that, too.

Lief blew air onto his sore fingers as if they were burned.

"Hey, Lief!" Jameson swooped in with a distraction to take the little guy's mind off the pain. "Will you come be on my team? I need help beating Maisy."

Lief nodded, always eager to play with his big brother. With his 'good' hand, he gathered up his toy cars and dropped them in their bucket, then joined Maisy and Jamesy by crawling into Jameson's lap and snuggling in.

Maxon and America shared a smile at the sight of their sons.

Jameson had desperately wanted a brother when Maisy was born, and after Maisy they didn't think they'd get any more siblings, so Jameson thought he'd never have the brother he'd wanted.

He'd hardly dared to get his hopes up throughout America's eventual next pregnancy, but Jameson cried like a baby in the hospital room when Maxon brought them in and introduced them to Lief. Jamesy cradled and cradled his little brother until Maxon had to intervene so that Addy and Maisy could have a turn bonding with the baby. The doting really hadn't stopped since then. Sometimes they fought, and sometimes Lief annoyed Jameson to no end, but at the end of the day, Jameson and Lief adored each other.

"I need pictures." Maxon declared, rising up from the sofa and stretching, then hurrying into his bedroom for his camera collection.

"Addy!" Maisy called. "Help me! If Jamesy gets a teammate, so do I."

Addy giggled and turned to her mother, "Duty calls."

America nodded her amused understanding as Addy slid off the sofa and onto the floor, the crawled over to Maisy's side of the board. "You're going down, boys." Addy pretended to taunt.

"No!" Lief exclaimed in a fit of giggles. "You are!"

"That's right, girls, you're going to lose." Jamesy added.

Rosie stumbled into the room wearing a pair of America's heels and Maisy's soccer jersey, which hit Rosie at her knees. "Rosie, join us!" Addy called. "We need a teammate!"

"No Rosie, over here!" Jameson called. "We want you for our team!"

Rosie blushed at the attention from the big kids. "Me?" She couldn't believe they were fighting over a little kid like her.

"Girls against boys!" Maisy declared. "Come on, Rosebud."

"No! Winners against losers." Jameson declared, clearly insinuating that Addy and Maisy would be the losers.

Addy laughed, but Rosie covered her eyes. "I can't pick!" she lamented. "I love you both!"

Jameson and Addy shared a laugh at that, "It's okay, Buddy." Addy said, opening her arms wide. "Come sit in my lap and you can help me, alright?"

"Yeah, go on." Jameson encouraged.

Rosie stepped out of the large heels and climbed into Addy's lap. "I still hope everyone wins, though." Rosie clarified.

There was a gasp from the doorway. "Look at this!" Maxon was back, camera around his neck and another in his hands. "I left the room for a few seconds, and you somehow got cuter?"

Maisy rolled her eyes, "Just take the picture, Dad."

"Oh, I will." Maxon reassured her. "I will be taking lots of pictures. Ames, do you see this? Do you see all of our children playing happily together?"

"I see." America smiled.

"Look at our daughters!" Maxon melodramatically cried. "Look at our sons!"

"Look at your daughters defeating your sons." Addy added, rolling the dice.

It was a noisy game, lots of advice coming from Lief and Rosie, lots of taunting back and forth, and America and Maxon joined in as advisers once Maxon had his fill of photographs. In the end, the game had to be abandoned before it was finished because their family hour was over, so both sides were able to walk away confident that they would have claimed victory eventually. There was even a promise of a rematch, though such a promise made Addy's heart quiver.

All summer long, it had been easy to pretend that September was never coming, and not to worry about the new, strange world she would be living in for the next two years. She'd had months of delaying her anxiety because, after all, she wouldn't be leaving the Palace until after her father's birthday. That event, the biggest event of the summer, had been a buffer in her mind. But now it was here, and suddenly Addy only had a week before moving day.

It would probably be two years before her whole family would be able to gather together and play through an entire board game as a family again, if ever. And it was all Addy's fault for leaving.

"Birdy? Are you okay?" America asked. Addy had spaced out on their walk to the Great Room.

"Fine, Mom." Addy gulped and straightened her shoulders, hiding behind her princess facade. "Let's check on Aunt Silvia and see if she needs help."

America wrapped an arm around Addy's shoulder and squeezed. "That's my girl."