Hi! I have no idea when the next chapter will be up :S I'm sorry, but I had my first two exams today and they end on January 16th so I'm going to be really busy for the next week or so.

I hope you guys enjoy :) x


CHAPTER NINE

I got my first real break eight days later. My days were filled with lessons and interviews and meetings and luncheons. The only time I had free was spent with Maxon in our bedchambers. Either talking, catching up on paperwork or – doing other things. We had never had a honeymoon and so, technically, we were not to blame for any disturbance caused.

It was half past eight in the morning and Amberly and I sat in the largest room in the Eastern Wing, talking in the window seat. We were discussing the faults in the political structure of North Eurafrica when a knock at the door interrupted our review of my most recent politics lesson. I rose to answer, needing only a little help from my mother-in-law to stand and managing to get to the door by myself, though a little shaky and tired when I got there. I opened the door wide, allowing for the children to carry through their instruments. A few days prior to this meeting, I had remembered the promise I made to the children of Carolina Musical Institute and had contacted the school's director, arranging for the children to visit me in the Palace. Around thirty children bustled into the large room, carrying instruments and sheet music in hand. They sat themselves down one the golden chairs lined up in four rows and looked to me expectantly.

"I'm so glad you could all make it," I greeted them, smiling as I made my way back to the spot next to Amberly. "This is Queen Mother Amberly Schreave, my mother-in-law, and she has come to listen to you play today." The children's faces lit up and they got their instruments out ready to play.

We spent hours listening to and playing music. I sang along if I recognised the song, playing my violin if there was spare sheet music. One of the older girls had even been teaching me a few chords on her guitar. The room that had been so vacant and cold just a day before was now filled with life and colour and sounds. The transformation was magical. The music played was trance-like, luring you into a world of childish joy and achievement. None of the children made an attempt to conceal their excitement, and neither did I. I was thrilled to see them all here, to have children in my home. It brought vitality and energy and delight to the palace that had an overwhelming number of large unused rooms. It got me thinking, about Maxon and I's future, about my dream.

I wanted to leave something behind. I knew that Maxon and I needed to have children, and I wanted to have them now. We were ready. After having been through so much together, I knew that we would be able to handle it.

I was torn from my wistful musings by a tap on my shoulder. I looked up to see Amelia, the girl that I had been speaking to on the day of my visit to Carolina. She must have been about seven years old, with blonde hair and grey eyes, very similar to how I had imagined Maxon and I's second daughter to look during the time at which I was comatose.

"Hello Amelia," I greeted her, smiling. Her face lit up and she hugged me tightly.

"You remembered my name!" she squealed excitedly as I returned her embrace. I chuckled, pulling back.

"Of course I did, how could I forget you?" Amelia blushed and looked at the floor. "Come on, shall we go for lunch?" She nodded eagerly and we left the room, gesturing for the others to follow us. I led the students down the grand staircase, holding my skirts as they trailed behind me. It was no secret that I would rather wear, but I did quite enjoy the feeling of having a trailing skirt. It made me feel important in a way that I had never felt back in Carolina. We entered the dining room and I sat in my seat at the end of the table, with Maxon's vacant seat between myself and Amberly, while Amelia took the chair nearest to mine on the long side of the wooden table. We ate triangular sandwiches and Parma ham pinwheels and drank lemonade and juice, all the while discussing music and dancing and art. It felt good to be conversing with Fives again, able to talk about what was the focus of my life until I met Maxon.

Speaking of, Maxon walked into the dining room and all of the children either grinned or looked terrified. He walked over to me, kissed my forehead and turned to the children.

"Would you mind terribly if I joined you?" he asked politely, and the students either replied by shaking their heads and passing him food or opening and closing their mouths, with no words coming out. "Hello my dear," Maxon greeted me, taking my hand and smiling at me as I poured him a glass of lemonade. He looked at it questioningly, suspicious of it.

"It's lemonade," I told him. Maxon raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? You've never had lemonade?" He shook his head slowly. "Drink." I commanded, and he did so warily. "Do you like it?" Maxon nodded and smiled, taking another large gulp.

"This is amazing. Mother, why did we never have lemonade?" He had turned to Amberly, much to the amusement of our guests. She shrugged before finishing the remains of her glass of orange juice.

"Maxon, this is Amelia," I introduced him, and he reached to shake her hand.

"It is wonderful to meet you Miss Amelia," Maxon flashed a grin and she blushed so I hit him on the chest. "Don't make her uncomfortable, it's rude." I reprimanded, laughing.

"America's mean, isn't she?" Maxon pouted, stage whispering to Amelia. I laughed, smiling at the sight of him acting around children. The fact that Amelia looked so similar to both Maxon and myself made me contemplate our future once again. I laughed at an awful joke he made, seeing her giggle at the sight of us. Taking Maxon's hand in my own, I spent the rest of the meal watching him talk and play and laugh.

I wanted this to be our future. We deserved it. Maxon deserved it.


REVIEW RESPONSES

PeetaOrMaxon - Thank you! I'm glad you've enjoyed it :) xxx

avaatquevale2250 - yup :P sorry :L I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D xxx

Bookworm973 - thank you and thank you :D xxx

lilythemermaid - I already PMd you (I've PM can be a verb now - to PM or not to PM? That is the question... anyways) sorry :S about the lack of clarity and the sign off xxx

winterprincess - 6) thank you :D xxx 7) Yarp :D xxx

Guest - Thank you :D that means so much ohmygosh :D xxx

Dl9571 - haha no worries :) I really mean it though, thank you so much, the constancy of your reviews is so amazing to me and I get really happy whenever I see that you've reviewed because it's gives me so much more confidence to know that someone has actually bothered to stick with my story so thank you thank you thank you xxx

Piper Pippins - 3) Sorry... thank you :D haha thanks :P 4) haha don't worry about it :D xxx

sparklysparkle - ohmygosh thank you thank you thank you :D I genuinely cried when I read this :') I love you so much ohmygosh xxx

Pegicorn - Thank you :D I'll try :P (I love your name btw) xxx

Guest - Thank you :D xxx


Please keep reviewing, I love hearing from you all, it means so much :D xxxx

Lily xxxxxxx 3