"What the…?" Maxon began, I couldn't finish understanding what Kriss had just said, but everything around me happened so fast that it made me feel dizzy, literally.
"There's no time for explanations, Maxon. McAffle, it's time! Take them to the shelter, they cannot get hurt!" I had never seen that part of Kriss, the one that was brave, stable and decided. She turned into a leader in a second. Everyone started to move crazily but Maxon and I were frozen next to each other, until we heard another gunshot.
"If we don't get out of here fast, we'll become dust. Quickly!" but she wasn't talking to us, she was talking to the other people in the room who appeared to know exactly what to do. They all had some kind of devices that showed a red dot in its screen, they started to move things and put other ones on the walls. I recognized those things as an object that Georgia showed once to me, they were trackers, they were giving information about our position before leaving the room, I don't know why or what was the use, but I was far too terrified to ask.
"What is this, Kriss? What's going on?" Maxon let out that voice tone he only used when he was really concerned about something, Kriss sighed to relax a bit and answered.
"I promise I'll tell you everything when it's prudent but right now we've got to get you out of here, especially because of you, America…" I was beyond shocked with that comment of hers, what was going on with me?
"There's nobody in the hall" said Mr. McAffle opening the door of the nursery for us.
"It's just a question of time, C'mon people, move!" said Kriss, suddenly the men from the parliament and even the doctor surrounded us as Kriss guided us to the shelter, we were walking fast and my head wouldn't stop spinning. Then something entered from the window of the hall and caught on fire making us step back.
"They know we're out" said the doctor leaving me speechless, like I could've said something in that moment.
"They definitely saw us, we are too many! We'll have to divide into groups" she said almost screaming, I finally woke.
"No! I'm not going without my husband" I took Maxon's hand and he squeezed mine tight letting me know he didn't want to be apart from me either.
"We're running out of time, America! You decide, you both die or you both live…" she told me on the verge of losing patience, I turned to see my love's beautiful eyes covered with fear.
"That's the problem, there's not just two of them!" replied Mr. McAffle, he had taken off his coat and I saw that on his shirt was wearing a medal with a shape that I recognized at that immediate second, a six-pointed star, he was a northern rebel.
"I perfectly know that, that's why I'll go with America along with the doctor, she must be taken care of" answered Kriss, she knew something about me that I didn't know of.
"Dear, whatever's going on, I think we must listen to them" said Maxon shakily while stroking my wet cheek, I was desperate, but he was right, I knew better than him that we had to trust the northern rebels.
"I know, but I don't want to leave you" I cried, he kissed me softly on my forehead; something like a mark of what I begged would be our last goodbye.
"It's ok, America. Don't be scared, I'm sure she'll protect you, ok? Stay strong, my precious darling. I love you so much" I hugged him when he said that last word.
"I love you too, please be safe" it never hurt so much for me to break a hug with him, but I had too, the atmosphere was getting denser and denser and I heard non-stop explosions and shootings.
"I will, only because of you" he said with a gentle smile. 'My God, if something happens to you... I won't be able to live anymore' that was my thought when I watched him walk away from me with those three devils that became angels from one blink.
"We have to rush, highness" said the doctor looking even more worried than I did. W e started walking again with Kriss at the front, I don't know how could she be so fast with such a bulky dress she was wearing, it reminded me of our days as selection partners, it looked like nothing had changed at all. Same prince, same palace, same opportunities, same troubles and same girls.
"Not so fast, I can't run!" I begged them, I don't know if it was the stress or something else but I was feeling sick.
"Believe me, you don't want to know what happens once they come for us…" she said, was she trying to calm me or what? If that was the case, she wasn't helping at all!
"Why are they coming for us?" but rather the question was: who is coming for us? The rebels or New Asia's army, it was all confusing.
"I'll give a concrete explanation to you once we get to the shelter" she assured me.
"What about Maxon? Will he be alright?" I asked loudly, there was so much noise outside that I hardly cared who could listen to me or not. I wondered how on earth we would be safe if most of our officers had gone to New Asia…. For nothing. They were all here outside the palace, waiting for us.
"He will, don't worry about him now. You're our priority, ok?" she said as she opened one of the secret entrances of one of the many shelters.
"How can I not worry about him? He's the man I love, Kriss!" I entered first and then they followed me closing the door.
"I know, but we have to protect you, it's you who the emperor wants and he'll do anything to have you" she got closer to me, but she spoke in a nicer and more clam voice tone, she was feeling safe, I felt just shattered.
"What the heck is this? Why is this happening?" it freaked me out not to know anything.
"You don't really have a clue? I think you must've known something the moment you came…" she reminded me, but all that I had was a theory of what was going on. At first I had been too excited about the idea of becoming a mother to see it but then I was feeling far too miserable to even look at it. There was something hidden behind all that happening, and Kriss knew it perfectly.
"Jesus, I'm not that smart, Kriss! I don't see the future of whatever, please answer to me before I…" then I felt a sharp pain on my stomach and I had the urgency of running to a bathroom, but that just would've been nonsense, I just stood alone in front of a corner of the room and let it all out. I fell to the floor when I finally could recover; the doctor and Kriss ran to me.
"Don't be scared, that's normal" she placed a hand on my forehead to confirm that I was ok.
"Normal? Juts spit it out, woman. I can't breathe anymore!" I yelled with all the strength I had left.
"It's not time yet, just take it easy. It'll all be fine" that was the last thing she said.
We were locked in there for hours like always. But when I asked Kriss when were we going out, she said that we would stay there until we got a message from August and Georgia, she didn't even ask me if I knew them, she simply knew it. With every minute that passed I couldn't stop thinking about everyone else, I might've been safe but what about them? The faces of Maxon, Marlee, Carter, Aspen, my Mother, May, Gerad, Mary and everyone else were running around my head and I felt agony. I had never been so terrified in my entire life, I had considered myself brave but that was when I thought I had nothing to lose, as I didn't own anything. Her words were also constantly bothering me, she said that I was the priority, she said that the emperor wanted me, she said that I must've known something, so that whole matter revolved around me, I hated so much mystery, I just wanted answers and that's it!
I somehow knew it was already night when the shootings stopped a bit and Kriss sat next to me.
"You ready for a heart attack?" she said, and when I turned my face to see her she was smiling sadly.
"Not in the mood for jokes" I answered looking at the ground.
"I wasn't joking, you'll probably feel worse when you hear everything, and I don't have the intention of hiding any detail from you "she assured me.
"Please…" I begged "tell me what's going on, ok? I can't stand it anymore" I didn't care of what she was going to say, I just needed to hear something.
"Ok, but don't think badly of me" This time it was me who smiled.
"You know what? You've done so many heartbreaking things to me and I haven't hated you for that. Nothing that you tell me now will be enough to change my mind" I chuckled a bit.
"Alright, here we go. I had been talking to August Illéa for a long time, practically since you married Maxon and I had to go back home, he told me that he had known your father since he was a little kid and that he was glad it was you who would become our Queen, I don't know why the heck didn't I picture that you were Shalom Singer's daughter, I'm sure you know right now that he was an exemplary man, not only as a father or husband but also as a friend… and as a rebel… Me and my people, we all owed so much to your father, America, and I realized that I should've been nicer and more understanding with you, but I never really got the chance as we were both fighting for a man we loved, in different ways I must admit. But then we heard that the southern rebels we're planning to attack in a much bigger way that any other they've done before, we knew they were going to need allies, they needed to built up a powerful army so they could make you disappear forever, but we didn't have a clue of who could it be, after that came the problems with New Asia and all that fuss about the Royal Encounter, that situation increased our suspicions about that the emperor also wanted to wipe you out, and also the fact that many people from New Asia were coming to our country, that's how we knew that Emperor Cho was planning to attack from the inside, we got a warning also; August said that we needed to make something up to protect you from giving your son to the enemy, as we knew that the emperor would ask you to send him to his country and keep him there as a hostage while his people destroyed our country so you couldn't do anything about it, it would've been a terrible mistake, so we had to take rushed decisions too, I knew it was my chance to thank your father for everything he did for us and also try to make up with you, because I really care about you. It was a great help to have Thomas McAffle working with Maxon, that way we had one of us in the palace, he was the one in charge to change your exams with the results of another woman form our town, as her case was something that no one has seen in years, so… yeah, that was the beginning of the plan. August said that we should use my connections with you to try to protect you without giving a clue of what I was doing, that's how McAffle told Maxon to hire a substitute and he knew that your husband wouldn't reject the idea of me being his child's mother as he thought that it would be better for both of you since you trusted me. That's how I got in the palace, and I did my best to take good care of you, I've been doing research and I've talked to my people every night to report everything, actually they're also outside right now, they've been surrounding the palace for weeks but we couldn't tell anything to anyone, especially not to you both, it would've been dangerous. So if you were wondering why did I delayed the insemination for so long, there's your answer, there was truly no reason to try to have a baby, it was only because I had to keep you safe. I know I was a bit harsh and that sometimes I lost focus on my task, but Georgia said: The more she hates you, the best you'll protect her, but I think I crossed the line a bit. I know you deserved to know the truth from the beginning, America. I know you've gone through a lot and I know it was my fault, but danger is at every corner right now, I couldn't think of anything else. And I'm sorry that you have to feel so bad but… you know that solutions come when you least expect them to. You're a very lucky girl, actually…" She ended with a bright smile, I don't remember if I was breathing. Everything made so much sense right now, she was right! She had delayed the conception, I remember that August said something about: Protecting you from the inside, and it was so weird that I couldn't have children with my mother's strong genes, all that situation had been nonsense and I suffered because of that so much that now I felt stupid, I should've known that something was suspicious from the very start of it all. But this was just huge! This meant that a giant group from Illéa was fighting side to side with New Asia against us; this meant that the emperor had been fooling us all along because the baby was just an excuse! This meant that all the people I thought were the bad guys were only trying to help and save me. This meant that Maxon's first child could actually have been mine. This meant that Kriss… only wanted the best for me all along, and I was too blinded by my own sorrow to acknowledge it, guilt was spread through my body as blood itself.
"Oh, my God… I can't believe this" and I felt dizzy again, but it probably would've been just for the shock.
"Just try to process it, I know it's hard but you shouldn't be so pressured right now, it's not good for your health" great! I just got out of one confusing situation and now she's getting me into another one!
"Why the hell should I care about my health when there's so much things going on out there? I have to get out, I have to tell this to Maxon, I have to look for a solution" I tried to stand up from the floor but something made me fall again.
"No, no… that wouldn't be very smart from you, what part of delicate state don't you understand? Well, that's what they always say… I can't imagine how you must feel" what on earth was she talking about? I wasn't in any delicate state! I was just nervous and angry!
"What?" that was all I could say.
"Oh, please… there's no way you don't know about that either! I thought that was the reason why you left to your mother's house!" she seemed even more surprised than me at the moment.
"Oh god! Why do you have to be so dramatic? Just say whatever is going through your mind!" I was about to lose my head.
"C'mon, you should've guessed it by now! All these mood changing, and the fact that you're dizzy all the time, or that sometimes you don't want to eat…" she read my clueless expression very well and continued "or why do you cry so much? What about when you fainted, uh? You think it was just because those things happen?" damn, the woman went so much around the bush, but I wasn't thinking clearly either, there was so much things to care about to try to guess anything.
"Kriss, you're freaking me out! What's so important that's happening to me?" I took her by the arms so she would wake up and simply say it.
"For the love of God, America! You're pregnant, geez!" at least, those words that I had wanted to hear for so long were finally going through my ears, staying a bit in my brain so I could understand it totally and then went down to my warmed heart. I was frozen for a bit until I confirmed myself that it was true, this time… it was for real.
"You… are you sure?" I asked with shivering voice, she smiled gently to me.
"Why do you think that we had to change the exams, fool? Because if everyone knew that you were already going to have a baby there was no reason for me to come here" although that comment of hers should've made me get so angry, I just started laughing crazily in happiness.
"Oh, I can't believe this!" I swear to God that I must've been with a foolish smile, Kriss laughed together with me and she hugged me as the good friend that now I knew she was.
"Congratulations, Highness" she said while tears gathered in my eyes. All this time I thought that she wanted to take my life away from me when all that she was doing was stopping others from doing it, she protected me, even when I had somehow stolen a person who was dear to her.
"Thank you, for everything…" it was hard to get to comprehend everything, but I had an idea of what was going on and that was fine for me.
"It was a pleasure" she assured me.
"I just wish that Maxon would be here to hear all this…" it was so hard to pronounce my husband's name when I knew that he could be in danger, but I tried to trust in Mr. McAffle, after all… he had been teaming up with Kriss from the beginning. Those two crazy and a bit cruel rebels had done the impossible to make sure that we were ok. And that's how things change from a second to another, when you understand why they say that looks are deceiving.
"I'm sure he's perfectly good, but… I really had to come with you, you know because of the baby and everything…" I smiled one last time, outside it must've been the end of the palace but while I was inside the shelter hearing Kriss's confession I felt completely safe and somehow happy; I could at last say that I had my feet on the ground, my doubts were all gone, but still something was missing… or in this case someone.
"Right…. Oh, dear! I'm carrying Maxon's child!" I could finish believing it, I looked at my waist and I put my hand there, feeling what my husband had felt recently, at the end I was not alone in all this time I thought so. My son was there always with me, and I did not know when I was supposed to be the first to know. 'Well done, America. Now you cannot even tell what's going on inside your body! 'My thoughts reproached me, but I was too joyful to care about it.
After that it didn't took too much time for the war sounds to stop, Kriss led the doctor and I both out of the shelter, we walked slowly, and we both knew who we were looking for. I couldn't take my hands away from my belly, I wanted to keep the sensation I had, the feeling of my baby growing inside me, I wanted me to be the one who would keep him safe, not the doctor, not Kriss, not anyone else but me.
The palace was falling to pieces and I begged that the rebels and New Asia's army had only attacked it and not the entire country. I went to my room when I remembered that someone else was living there. It didn't look as bad as the halls did.
"Celeste?" I called my kitty scarily, if they had killed my baby girl they would pay dearly for it. Luckily I heard her meow under my bed and went there, bending carefully so I wouldn't hurt my son. She was shaking and her claws were firmly dug into the floor. "It's ok, come here" I held out my arms and she jumped at them. I smiled while she purred relieved; I wondered if she would get jealous when she knew that we were going to have a new guest in our room. I walked to meet Kriss again.
"America?" I hardly ever had heard Marlee crying; I got nervous and turn around to run to her.
"Oh by the Lord, Marlee! What happened? Are you alright?" I hugged her tight.
"It was horrible… they had never attacked this terribly…. I almost die…" I felt her desperate tears falling to my shoulders.
"It's over now, everything's alright…" I assured her.
"No, no… I don't know where he went! I cannot find him!" she said with a broken voice. She didn't know that we were in the same situation.
"We'll look for them together, ok? Try to keep calm, it'll only be worse if you don't…" even more tears fell down her cheek when she heard that I had said 'them' and not only 'him'. I put my arm around her shoulders and took her with me to follow by Kriss wherever she was looking at the other.
'The palace is giant, they could be anywhere… we just have to look more carefully' that was what I told myself to cheer me up, we had searched for so long and there was no clue of where could they be. I noticed that I just made Marlee get even more nervous so I decided to get us a bit distracted, taking also in consideration that she was as lost as I had been.
"Hey, I have news…" I tried to smile to her.
"You're going to banish Kriss?" she asked hopefully.
"No! Not at all! I'll explain that to you later but… first things first" Celeste meowed like telling me: 'what are you hiding from us?'
"Just tell me that it isn't something bad or I'll hang myself from a tree" she begged, I chuckled a bit.
"It's the complete opposite thing…" I assured her, her shocked expression told me to continue without so much mystery.
"Oh, in this kind of times there can actually be good news? I don't buy that!" she answered.
"Well, don't believe it if you don't want to! But it's a hundred percent real" I said with a smile.
"Alright, tell me!" she gave up at her hurges of some gossiping.
"Prepare yourself, Marlee Woodwork…" I left Celeste in the ground and took Marlee's hands "You're going to be an aunt…" I said finally, she stopped breathing for a moment.
"What?" she said surprised.
"I'm pregnant, Marlee! Wake up!" we both started screaming crazily and she hugged me strongly.
"Really? How is this possible?" she was as euphoric as I had been when I found out.
"You'll have to ask Kriss if you want an answer for that…" I said, she scowled.
"What does the sassy witch in disguise have to deal with this?" she said and I giggle at her angriness.
"Everything, dear, everything…" it was true, I was the one who was pregnant but she was the one who had the entire situation in her hands.
"Why does she have to stick her nose in other people's troubles? Why does she always have to be in the middle?" she protested.
"You shouldn't speak so soon, if it wasn't for her we would all be dead… but I won't tell you the rest of it because we've had enough bad news for now" then we heard the noise of a shelter opening.
"Who is that?" Marlee asked standing in front of me, like also wanting to protect my unborn child.
"Darling?" said Carter coming out, Marlee let out an excited cry and ran to meet her husband. I felt a pain in my heart while watching them kiss as there was no tomorrow, and in that situation there might not have been. I left them alone so they could fix their terrible situation together, she didn't need me anymore, she had that missing part of her heart with her once again, but the question was: where was mine?
"…how could this happen?" Kriss yelled at the insides of another room, I approached her. I looked at the three helpers who were scared and worried.
"We couldn't stop him!" answered Mr. McAffle and I felt a cold sweat down my back, I knew that meant I couldn't believe it, I wouldn't believe it.
"Your task was to watch him and you…!" the doctor came running to us as he stopped Kriss words.
"Excuse me, princess. But we've got a message from Emperor Cho, it seems to be urgent!" she told me, I nodded and followed him to Maxon's office.
You could tell that someone had entered to get something there, and they left a little message for us. The projector was on but the screen was broken at the top. I didn't wait for the other to come and played the video.
Greetings, princess. I think you must've guesses what's happening by now, but let me confirm your suspects: Half of your country has decided to leave your side and fight along with us to end with the unfair monarchy that had ruled them for so long. It's time for a change, highness, and you have decide if you want to live by giving us all what we want or to die trying, as simple as that. I don't reject letting you know what I think about you, but you must know that I'm not the only one who thinks that the life you're living now it's a mistake, or at least… the life you lived once, because we're not planning to give it back to you.
It's true that you were an important part of the royalty, you were needed once, but it should've been someone different, you have to face it! You weren't made to be a princess, and we have to change that, we have to make things right! And, by God I'm going to enjoy it.
So, here's the thing. Your army has been imprisoned in new Asia and there's no way they can come to Illéa to try to defeat us, we're powerful, we're strong and we are firm, we'll do whatever we have to do to put an end to this, and we won't hesitate. The decision is completely in your hands.
I believe that you've tried to fool me, princess, and that was also a mistake. You tried to hide your kid by making another woman give me her child pretending to be the rightful prince? You must've known that it wouldn't work, we also have our people around your palace. So, now the proposal becomes a threat, but I'll be patient, I understand it takes time and I'll wait for it, I trust that the kid will come to New Asia with me as soon as he or she is born and I'll make sure you won't see the child ever again. And why would you have to do it if you don't want to…? Simple! Because your dear husband won't see the light of day ever again if you don't do it.
I'll be waiting for your answer, if it's a yes we might have mercy on you, but if it's a no, Illéa will be gone in less than one second, I'll tell you where you can find me if there's need to.
And the next time, please try to comprehend that New Asia and Illéa will never be allies, especially not if you're pretending to be a leader.
The video ended, but the feeling of my hurt heart wouldn't go away as the tears burned down my cheeks. That man was the devil, but he was right, I should've known that peace would never exist if someone hates another someone.
"Does this mean that…?" asked Marlee. I took a deep breath and tried to reply.
"Yes, they have Maxon… and there's not much we can do to save him" I cried.
"Don't say that! There's always a way! I'll tell August about this…" began Kriss.
"No, we won't tell anything to anyone, it's no use… I can't sacrifice any more people because of this…" I don't know how I was able to talk, I wasn't breathing and my heart didn't seem to be beating anymore.
"And what should we do then?" she asked.
"I don't know…. I don't know anything… we'll end up losing anyways" I didn't care who was watching, I cried out loud. Marlee approached and touched my arm.
"There's always a solution, Mare" she assured me in tears.
"Of course there is, and if there's anyone who can think of solutions, that's you…" said Carter.
"What do you mean?" I said wiping my tears, I felt like drowning in them.
"You have an entire country waiting for you to say something, no matter what he says… you're still the princess, you're the head of Illéa and the people will hear whatever you say…" he reminded me.
"That's right, they trust in you and now we don't have Maxon to try to fix everything… it's time for you to stand still and choose what's best" said Kriss.
"We'll follow you" Marlee assured me "And we'll do whatever you tell us to. Because nobody can do what you do when it comes to braveness and justice".
'The power is in front of you, but it's up to you to decide if you take it or not' that was what I thought when their words entered my mind.
"No more hiding, no more suffering… This time we'll fight" I said. Because now I had many reasons not to surrender.
To be continued…
Dreamer.
Ok, a small comment because if I write too much I'll give too much spoilers! First, sorry for the delay, I've been really busy! Second, I apologize for making you suffer so much haha! And third, there you go! What you all (and America) most wanted! A royal baby will be born! Thank you for following the story and tell me whatever you thought about this shocking chapter! Love you all, bye!