"You know," Marlee said, juggling Kile on her hip, "When I said that you and Maxon needed to take a trip, this is not what I had in mind." She looked around at the mass of Singers, Legers, and guards boarding the private jet plane.
"I know."
"I was thinking tropical island or secluded cottage, I was not thinking family drama and taking half the Palace with you on the plane."
"Maybe someday we'll do a real trip." America didn't really hold out much hope. She was starting to think that their honeymoon had been a once in a lifetime opportunity at a vacation. As much as she'd appreciated it at the time, it wasn't really possible to appreciate one's last vacation with one's husband enough.
It had been a week since they'd received Kota's letter, but once they'd decided that they were going to Carolina, it really didn't take long for the arrangements to be made. Aspen was insistent that if the trip be made at all, it be made with very little notice ahead of time so that the details wouldn't have time to leak to the rebels. By the time the rebels could get an effective attack organized, Maxon and America would already be back in Angeles.
So, with a little bit of schedule juggling, America and Maxon were standing on the tarmac, and for the first time since her wedding, America was headed back to the province of Carolina.
"Try to have some fun, okay?" Marlee ordered.
"Yes, boss." America smiled, pressing a kiss to Kile's cheek.
"Astra!" he squealed in Marlee's arms, and from across the tarmac America could see Astra putting up a similar fight with Kenna.
Marlee and Kenna's eyes met and they agreed at the same moment to set their children on the ground and let them say their goodbyes.
Kile and Astra ran for each other and met somewhere between their mothers in a big toddler hug. "Where you going?" America heard Kile ask, his eyes wide.
"I don't know!" Astra said, eyes just as wide.
"When you comin back?" Kile asked.
"I don't know!" Astra cried.
America hurried over to them and knelt down so that she could look them in the eye. "Kile, we're going on an airplane and it's going to take us to a different town."
"Why?" he asked, bottom lip trembling.
"To visit our family. Astra has an Uncle in Carolina, and we're going to see him."
"No, I don't!" Astra insisted.
"Astra, we talked about this." Kenna said soothingly, as she and Marlee made their way towards their upset children. "You have an uncle, but you haven't seen him since you were a baby."
"I don't want him! I only want Mackin!" Astra argued. Kenna sighed, heavily. It was hard to argue with that. Who needed Kota when they had an uncle like Maxon around?
"We'll be back in four days, Kile. Then Astra will be back at the Palace and you can play all day long. Four sleeps from now." America said, as the boy tightened his hold on Astra's hand.
Kile didn't say anything, just shook his head. He was not happy about this.
Marlee said, "It's alright, sweetheart, maybe we can make Astra some special cookies when she gets back?"
Kenna nodded at this, emphatically, "And we can bring back a present for Kile, can't we, Astra?"
"I want to go." Kile insisted.
"Not this time, buddy." Maxon's voice said from behind them. America felt a warm hand on her back.
"Um... Please?" Kile appealed, using his best possible manners to get what he was after.
"I'm sorry. You need to stay with your Mommy and Daddy and take care of the Palace." Maxon reminded him.
"I don't want to take care of the Palace." Kile complained.
"Alright." Marlee sighed. "This isn't going to be pretty. Kile, say goodbye to Astra, we need to get back to the Palace."
"NO!" Kile yelled at his mother, and Astra burst into inconsolable tears.
"Give him a hug and let's get on the plane, Astra." Kenna said, softly. Astra listened about the hug, but when it came time to get on the plane, her body went limp and she made her mother pick her up and carry her, screaming and crying, aboard.
"Try to have some fun." Marlee reminded America one more time before carting her tantrum-throwing child back to the car.
Maxon came around and offered America both of his hands, which she relied on heavily to help hoist herself back up to standing. She teetered for a moment, and then leant her head on his chest as she was swept with a dizzy spell.
"Why do I feel like we just separated true love?" America laughed, waiting to get her balance and breath back.
Maxon chuckled, "Maybe we did."
"They've been attached at the hip ever since Astra came to live at the Palace."
"Maybe once Meri gets older, and our little one joins in, they'll have more friends to play with and they won't be so devoted to each other." Maxon suggested.
America laughed, "Or maybe we'll be standing together fifteen years from now at their wedding."
"That would be alright, too." Maxon kissed America's forehead. "Ready to go, my love?"
"Yes."
"Gavril wants a few pictures of us boarding the plane."
"That's why Mary dressed me up so specially." America smiled. "Are you allowed to help me up the steps to the plane?"
"I can't imagine Silvia objecting." Maxon pressed a kiss to her lips and then offered her his arm. "It would make a poor visual to have my visibly pregnant queen topple backward down the stairs onto the tarmac whilst I stood by and watched."
They stood together at the bottom of the steps leading to the airplane, posed, then the cameramen moved to the side of the steps to capture their profiles as they walked up. Maxon did keep an arm around America's waist, much to her relief. This baby was throwing off all semblance of balance she'd once possessed, not that she'd ever been the most graceful of creatures, even in good times.
They paused at the top of the steps, turned for a few more photographs, and then they were on the plane and the crew sealed the door behind them.
America sighed with relief. Somewhere farther into the plane, Astra was still wailing. "I'm going to take my seat." Maxon said.
"See what you can do for your niece." America said and Maxon nodded.
Mary was waiting right next to America with a spare outfit, a comfortable pair of cotton sweatpants and one of Maxon's white v-necks. America smiled at her gratefully and immediately stepped out of her high heeled shoes. "Mary, I'm starting to think I married the wrong Palace resident. You are far more valuable to me than Maxon ever will be."
Mary giggled and gestured for America to follow. "Let's get you out of those tights, ma'am."
America nodded emphatically. Pregnant women did not deserve the additional torture of nylon tights.
America emerged from the small bedroom at the back of the airplane, leaving Mary to tidy up behind her, and crossed the length of the long, luxury jet plane past the rows of plush seats full of Palace employees and guards who all stood and bowed or curtseyed as she passed, all the way to the front of the plane where her family and the Legers were getting comfortable.
She found Maxon seated in a front-facing window seat with Astra curled up against his chest, while Kenna, James, and May were getting situated on an adjacent sofa, and Magda and Gerad were buckling into rear-facing seats across the plane. Aspen, Lucy, and Meri were still juggling all of the accouterments that come with traveling with an infant, and while Lucy stowed the diaper bag, Aspen stood by in full uniform, Baby Meri asleep on his chest, her little head falling softly on his heavily decorated shoulder.
"Oh, my God." America sighed, drinking in the sight of the Legers. Aspen peeked up at this and smirked at America's awe-struck expression. America clutched her stomach with both hands and peeked down at her own belly. "Hurry up, baby. Come out! I want to put you on Uncle Aspen's shoulder." Aspen stifled a chuckle at this to avoid awakening his daughter, and next to her, America heard a throaty, "Ahem." America looked down to find Maxon with his blond eyebrows raised high. "Or Daddy's. Daddy's shoulder is good, too." She informed her belly before sinking down into the seat next to Maxon's.
"Very good." Maxon boasted. "And with a lot more medals than Uncle Aspen's."
"Well, not everyone can be born fully-decorated. Some of us have to earn our medals." Aspen jabbed.
"Not us, though, baby." Maxon winked at America's midriff and America rolled her eyes.
"I really don't know how I put up with you two." she shook her head.
Astra wiggled a little in Maxon's lap, the lapel of his jacket fisted tightly in one hand, the other gripping a bag of pretzels given by one of the flight attendants, and she wasn't loudly crying anymore, but there were fat teardrops occasionally escaping her eyes as she stared, dazed and entranced, out the airplane window next to Maxon.
"Astra, honey, do you want me to open those pretzels for you?" America asked.
"No, they for Kile." she said in a thick voice.
America met Maxon's eyes questioningly and he nodded. Apparently they'd already discussed this while America was changing.
"You're going to save them and give them to Kile when we get back?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Do you want me to bring you another bag of pretzels?"
"Yes, please." Astra sighed, forlornly.
America laughed as quietly as she could and went quickly to the plane's snack pantry, pulling out another little bag of pretzels.
"Here you go, sweetheart." America said. "Should I open them for you?"
"No." Astra said, taking the bag and adding it to her collection. "It for Kile."
"They're both for Kile?" America blinked.
Astra nodded against Maxon's chest, a wet spot where her cheek rested, and America turned to Kenna and James. Was this kid really going to waste away, saving every possible thing for a time when she could share it with Kile Woodwork?
Kenna sighed and got up, digging through an overhead compartment until she pulled out a large, empty blue bag. "Okay. This is Kile's bag, alright, Astra? We're going to keep everything that we're saving for Kile in this bag so we don't lose it."
"Okay." Astra held the pretzels out for her mother to collect.
"But Astra, I know if Kile was on the plane right now, he'd want you to eat some pretzels, too. He'd share one of his bags of pretzels with you, wouldn't he?"
"…Yeah." she agreed, reluctantly.
"Okay, so when you're ready, I think you should eat some pretzels. Okay?"
"Kay." Astra sniffled.
Maxon was absolutely enamored with the whole thing. He pressed a firm kiss to Astra's red head and beamed down at the heartbroken little girl.
Aspen and Lucy were seated now and working out who would hold the baby for the first part of the flight. "I'll do it." America volunteered.
"You want to hold her?" Lucy asked.
"If you don't mind. I'll take all the time with my goddaughter that I can get." America grinned. She made to get up again but Aspen gestured that she should stay down. He came to her and gently deposited the sleeping girl in her arms.
"She'll be hungry when she wakes up. That'll be Lucy's cue." He said.
"Okay." America breathed, hardly daring to blink as the baby got re-situated and snuggled in with an unconscious sigh. Aspen pressed a kiss to Queen America's forehead, then baby America's, then he returned to his wife.
There was a little bit of a scuffle with the kids when it came time for the plane to take off. Astra started whimpering and Meri started crying, which only spurred Astra on. Meri was much easier to pacify than her older counterpart, however. Literally, Aspen passed a small pacifier back to America and the moment it was popped in the baby's mouth, she fell silent. A few moments longer, and she was back to sleep. America settled in, relaxing into her seat and turning to watch her husband.
Maxon was flawless with Astra, speaking in soothing tones to her, asking her simple questions to keep her engaged. As overwhelming as this morning was for Astra, that's how comforting Maxon was being in return.
"How fast do you think we're going?"
"I don't know! Fast!" Astra looked worried, and a little exhilarated.
"Wow, look how high we are. Do you see how little the houses are down there?"
"Um, yeah…" There was trepidation in her little voice.
"My ears are popping, are your ears popping?"
"Yes! Ouch-"
"Here, have some apple juice. Apple juice really helps."
"Okay." Implicit trust. America could feel her heart melting into a puddle at the sight of them.
And pretty soon, Astra was too busy soaking up Maxon's attention to worry about her misgivings about flight. By the time they reached their cruising altitude, it seemed like Astra was well occupied by Maxon and everything else was gone from her mind, until she suddenly pressed a finger to the window and said, "I want Kile."
"You do?" Maxon asked.
"Yeah."
"He'd probably like it up here in the sky, wouldn't he?" Maxon said, sympathetically.
"Yeah."
"I wish he could have come." Maxon said. "I know I'd be really, really sad if I had to leave your Aunt America behind at the Palace."
Astra nodded and moved her hand from the window to Maxon's cheek. "She your friend?"
"Oh, yes. She's my very, very best friend." Maxon grinned over at America.
"No, I your best friend!" Astra reminded him, eyes wide with panic.
Maxon glanced at America, amusement all over his face, then looked back at Astra, "Oh, you're much better than my best friend, Astra. You're my Pumpkin head. I have a lot of friends, but only one Pumpkin head."
"Me?" she asked, coyly.
"Yes, you." Maxon pressed a loud kiss to her little cheek and she giggled.
America felt a solid thump in her stomach and grinned. "The baby's awake. Astra, do you want to feel the baby kick?"
Astra looked down at Meri with supreme mistrust. "That baby not kicking." she said, seriously.
America laughed. "No, not this baby. The one in my belly. You remember the baby in my belly, don't you?"
"Oh, yeah." She grinned.
"Here, Maxon, you take this one." America said, passing Meri's unconscious form to Maxon, who eagerly wrapped her up in his strong arms. "And Astra, come here for a second."
Astra climbed into America's lap with only one jealous look back at Maxon, but he winked at her and she remembered that she was his only Pumpkin head, and she returned her attention to America's belly. America placed Astra's hand on her stomach and they both waited a few moments, Astra frowning intensely, focusing deeply on her task. Then, out of nowhere, they were rewarded with a good, hard kick. Astra gasped and pulled her hand back, "What were that?"
"That's the baby giving you a high five." America grinned.
"Why?"
"Hm. I think it wants to be your friend." America said, brushing a hand through Astra's copper tresses.
Astra giggled at this, "Okay!"
"Astra, honey, why don't you come over here and work on your coloring book?" Kenna called.
"Coloring?" Astra asked, considering it. She was, after all, right in the middle of making a new friend.
"Sure, we got you those new crayons before we left-"
"Oh, yeah, I remember those." Astra bubbled, leaping down from America's lap, but she paused and turned back. She leant her head down, "I'll see you later, baby." Then she leant up, "I'll see you later, Mackin." And she dashed across the plane to her mother and father.
Maxon sighed, an utterly contented sound, and wrapped an arm around his wife. "Do you really think I'll love our baby more than her? I don't see how that's possible."
"I don't know." America shrugged. "But if there's one person on this earth capable of giving so much love away, it's you."
He grinned at this and leant over, kissing her to demonstrate just how capable of loving he was. "So, how many of these are we having?" he asked America, peering down at Meri in his arms. "A dozen? Two dozen?"
America laughed, "Two dozen sounds like too many, don't you think?"
"You're probably right. Wise queen." He complimented her. "Let's start with seven boys and seven girls and see how we feel."
"Maxon." America pleaded, rubbing her stomach to placate the kicking, fussing baby inside.
"Right. You're right, as usual. Six boys and seven girls, that's much more reasonable."
"I never saw myself having more than five." America shook her head, thinking back to her own childhood. "Five was more than enough for my parents to be getting on with."
"Oh, come now." Maxon said, grinning mischievously. "Are you telling me that you're going to be outdone by your mother? Sure you can handle a few more than she had."
"My mother didn't have a country to run, you know." America reminded him, chuckling at his cheekiness.
"Fine. I see your point. Three boys and seven girls, that's my final offer, Ames."
America laughed, throwing her head back in mirth. "You and your girls, Maxon. I should have known this would be a problem during the Selection."
"Can you blame me, Ames?" he peered down adoringly at the sleeping bundle in his arms and America honestly knew that she could not.
When Meri woke up and started fussing, Lucy took over and America showed her to the bedroom in the back so that she could have a little privacy while she fed the baby. It didn't take long, and Lucy was back at the front of the plane.
"Hey, Ames, where was Lucy just now?" May asked, coming over and giving America's belly a little rub in greeting. "Some place private?"
"There's a bedroom at the back of the plane."
"You royals really do travel in style." May grinned. "Do you think I could steal you for a minute?" she asked, importantly.
"Of course." America said, curiously. She extracted her hand from Maxon's and stood, arching and stretching her back, which protested against the flight by cracking and popping loudly.
"Ouch." Maxon winced at the sound, examining America carefully. "Are you alright?"
"Fine. Doesn't hurt." America promised. "It might by tonight, but I'm fine for now."
He reached up and rubbed her lower back sympathetically with his warm hand. "Let me know what I can do." he said.
America smiled down at him, "I will." and then she followed her younger sister's tugging hand.
"Where's this bedroom?" May asked.
"All the way at the back." America said, and her sister dashed anxiously ahead, dragging America behind by the hand.
"This door?"
"Yeah."
May slid in, pulled America through, and then closed the door behind them.
"May, what is going on?" America asked, folding her arms and finding, to her surprise, that her baby bump made a little arm rest right beneath her crossed forearms.
"I want to talk about Kenna."
"Kenna?"
"I think this is going to be weird for her."
America blinked, "What, you mean-"
"I mean Kota. Kenna and Kota were all each other had until you came along, and even then, they spent all their time playing together... they were best friends like you and me."
America hadn't thought of this. "And you think this will be hard on her?"
"Yeah, I do." May sighed and collapsed on the bed, then she paused, staring down at the blankets in mistrust. "You and Maxon haven't... you know... on here, have you?"
America laughed, feeling her cheeks turn pink at the memories that question evoked, "May, this is the plane we took on our honeymoon."
"Oh, gross." May leapt up, disgusted.
America laughed, "They changed the blankets, May, it's clean."
She sighed heavily and then collapsed back down. "Fine. But I protest this."
"How did you think this baby was made?" America giggled, rubbing a hand over her belly to make her point.
"Stork." May sulked.
There was a firm knock at the door as America laughed and then Gerad poked his head inside. "Aspen sent me to check on you both. You rushed off."
"We're fine. He worries too much." America said.
"We're just trying to figure out what to do about Kenna."
"Why?" Gerad asked, confused, and slipping in to close the door behind him.
"You know how, ever since Ames left for the Palace, you and I are all we have left?"
"Yeah." Gerad leant against the door. "And Astra."
"Well, before any of us were born, Kenna and Kota were all each other had. They were really close. We're about to see Kota for the first time in years, and he's... he's been horrible...well..." May faltered.
"Just since he got famous." America said, realizing that she was the only one in the room who could remember a time before Kota was horrible. "He used to be normal, I swear. He was never happy being a Five, but he wasn't awful until he got famous and had a real chance for a different caste."
"But... he's a sculptor." Gerad frowned. "I don't understand. He's a really talented artist, why wouldn't he want to be a Five? It's not like me, I'm not good at any art."
"You were pretty good at Maxon's photography class." America reminded him, smiling.
Gerad shrugged, thinking about it. "I guess... yeah, it was fun. I don't think I'm good enough to make money from it, though. I'm not like the rest of you."
America winced, saddened for her little brother, and she rubbed a hand through his hair affectionately. He immediately worked to rectify the mess she'd made of his locks. There was a soft knock at the door.
Kenna poked her head in, "Ah hah." she said. "So I was right. There's a Singer kid meeting happening without me."
"About you." May corrected, confessing all. "And Kota."
Kenna nodded with a heavy sigh and came into the room, closing the door behind her. "It'll be nice to see him again."
"Will it?" May asked, rolling her eyes.
"Yes." Kenna said, pointedly, wrapping an arm around America and guiding her over to the bed. It was a gentle reminder for America to stay off her feet as much as possible while her body was undergoing the stress of traveling. America leant against the headboard and crossed her legs, and May turned around to face her. Kenna sat on one side of the bed, and Gerad followed to sit on the other side. They formed a little circle, their knees all touching, their faces somewhat strained at the thought of facing their long-lost brother.
"Why didn't he ever come visit?" Gerad asked, trying to hide the vulnerability in his voice. It was easy to forget that, in the time before Maxon, Gerad had a different hero to worship. His older brother, Kota.
"Some of that is my fault." America said. "I needed some time away from him. It took a long time for me to invite him to the Palace. Well after my wedding—"
"He didn't need an invitation to come to our house, though." May said. "You can't blame yourself."
"It wounded his pride." America shrugged. "That's all I meant."
Kenna studied the faces of her younger siblings closely, then frowned a little. "You'd think that when he and I were kids, there would have been more money to go around. Fewer mouths to feed."
"Is that not true?" May asked.
"Dad wasn't as established back then. He and Mom were so young, the same age I am now. They couldn't get as much for his paintings, and Mom wasn't able to go out and work as often because she needed to stay home with the two small, incessantly hungry children. Those were the hardest times, I think. We went hungry a lot, more than any of you ever did. Sometimes we went to bed with nothing but dreams of the upper castes to fill us. That's where Kota comes from. It's not the same place you three know."
"You come from there, too." America reminded her. "But you're not like him."
Kenna shrugged, "I have James. I had James as a friend for years before we married, that made a big difference, and I had no real chance at fame or fortune on my own. If I'd had talent like Kota's and no dream of a life with someone I loved, I might have turned out more like him. I don't know." Kenna shrugged. "But I don't blame him."
"I do." America frowned. "He was such an ass after Dad died, I'll never forgive him for that. We'd never needed our big brother more, and he utterly failed us. God, he's so selfish—"
"He blamed Dad for a lot of our problems. Said Dad wasn't ambitious enough, and that was why we were struggling." Kenna explained and America stared coldly at the bed between them. "Ames," Kenna said, placing a hand on her knee, "They didn't have the same relationship you and Dad had."
"Dad was proud of Kota." America argued. "When Kota's sculpture sold, and even before that, when Kota was devoting day and night to the stupid thing, spending all his money on more metal, Dad was so proud! And Kota—"
"Sold his sculpture and built himself the life he felt we all should have been leading all along." Kenna said, patiently. "He blamed Dad for keeping us hungry and poor—"
"Dad gave us everything he had!" America insisted angrily, and Kenna made the same soothing noise she made for Astra whenever the girl got too tired and cranky to fall asleep. A hushing, lulling, compassionate sound that sucked the spark right out of America's anger.
"I'm not saying Kota was right." Kenna shook her head. "In fact, he and I have had our own words on the topic. I'm just saying that I can see things from his perspective, not entirely but enough to know that he's still my baby brother, and he's doing the best he can. He's not the type to do anything other than the best he can."
May sighed and rested her cheek on her hand and her elbow on her knee. "I wonder if he's been lonely."
"He's probably had girls." America rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, but even Kota's bound to miss us around Christmas and his birthday and stuff." May reasoned.
"The way you feel about Kota, that's how Kota felt about Dad, Ames." Kenna said. "The major difference, I think, was that Kota was still seeking some kind of apology or acceptance… Kota was still missing something from Dad when Dad up and died, and he wasn't at his best when he realized he'd never have it."
America sighed, scanning the eyes of her siblings carefully. "You're going to take Astra to see him?" America asked.
"Of course." Kenna said. "Astra will love his sculptures. Maybe he'll even let her make one of her own."
"Don't hold your breath, he'll be too worried about her messing up his furniture." America huffed.
"Ames." Kenna said, reproachfully.
"Fine! I mean, I was going to be mostly civil to him anyway."
"Good." Kenna said.
"We'll invite him over for dinner tonight or something, but I don't think he'll come." America said.
"It'll still mean something that we asked. You might not think it'll mean anything to him, but it will." Kenna promised.
"I'll invite him to the Palace when we leave." America concluded, grumpily, and Kenna and May sprouted identical smiles at her petulant tone. The family resemblance was uncanny.
"Do you think I can still 'accidentally' kick my soccer ball at his head?" Gerad asked, thoughtfully. "Or 'accidentally' lose some of my bug collection in his bed?"
The girls looked at each other, smirking, and May said, "Ger, I think those are both excellent ideas. He's definitely earned a slug or two on his pillow."
There was a knock at the door and then Maxon poked his head in, eyes widening in surprise. "What have I walked in on here?" he asked.
"A Singer kid meeting." May said.
"Oh, dear, I don't want to intrude on that." he smiled.
"Don't be silly." Kenna smiled. "You're a Singer kid, too. Come on in."
Maxon flashed a megawatt smile, lighting up the whole world at Kenna's accepting words, but he shook his head, "I'm here on a mission for my Pumpkin head. James is asleep and Astra's asking for something, I just can't quite understand what she's saying. It sounds like 'beanie'?"
Kenna chuckled, "Blinky. It's her stuffed animal. I know where it's packed, I'll go get it. I think we're done here?" She looked around at her siblings, questioningly. They all gave a little nod in agreement. Kenna nodded, too, and then stood, pressing a kiss to Maxon's cheek as she passed him.
"What was that for?" Maxon asked, taken aback.
For the first time since the Singer kid meeting began, Kenna's voice faltered. "For being such a wonderful brother and uncle."
When May slipped past him, she too pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We love you, Maxon." she said, and then she left.
Gerad followed May, looking very shy and awkward standing in front of Maxon. But finally, he wrapped his arms around Maxon's waist and leant in for a big hug, before walking away without saying a word.
"What was that about?" Maxon asked, his eyes wide with surprise, his body frozen and stunned.
America sighed heavily and stretched her legs out, sinking down onto the mattress with a frown. "Kota."
"Oh." Maxon nodded, stepping in and closing the door behind him. "I see."
"It's going to be really hard to be nice to him, Maxon." America said, watching him as he slid his shoes and jacket off, then slipped into bed with her. She curled up on her side next to him.
"I know that." Maxon said. "I don't think I realized how stressful this would be for all of you. I definitely didn't think about the kind of stress it would put you through when I wrote that letter."
"You didn't know he'd respond." America reasoned.
"I'm the King of Illéa, Ames, I was pretty damn sure he'd respond." Maxon grinned, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb in a comforting gesture.
"Well… I think the really good news is that they're all going to be okay." America said. "Kenna, May, and Gerad are going to get through this just fine."
"What about you?"
"What are the laws about Queens of Illéa murdering their brothers?"
"You're definitely eligible for a pardon from the King." Maxon grinned.
"Good. It's good that I have that option as a last resort."
Maxon pressed a kiss to her forehead and she tucked herself in against him, her soft belly pressing into his rock solid abdomen.
"Just remember, Kota is not the enemy." Maxon said, lips tickling the top of her head. "You and I have too many enemies in this world to lose sight of that."
"Yeah, Kota's no super-villain." America agreed. "He's not nearly smart enough." She listened for a moment to Maxon's beating heart and felt the baby fluttering around inside her, and then she spoke a few dark thoughts she'd only barely dared to let herself think. "I wonder if he's ever really cared for anyone other than himself. I mean, I definitely felt close to him as a kid, but I wonder if that wasn't just manipulation. Was he just using me because I'd help him with chores and cheer him on, make him feel good about himself? Was I just his minion or something?"
"You can't think that way." Maxon shook his head. "He's your big brother, the relationship you had with him was real. Besides, if all he ever wanted was to use you, surely he'd be making use of you now that you're the Queen?"
The baby kicked Maxon in the naval and Maxon laughed. "I think the baby agrees with me." he grinned.
"Your baby has been entirely too active this week, sir. Ever since it learned to kick, it's been beating me up." America complained.
Maxon laughed and made an amused attempt at a scolding tone, "Baby, I'm surprised at you. You should know better than to beat up your mother." It swiftly kicked him again in response. "Well, it's an active little heir, one way or another." Maxon smiled.
"Rebellious, too, apparently." America mumbled into Maxon's chest. His smell was doing all kinds of wonderful things to calm her.
There was a little, light, unsteady knock at the door this time, and the Kenna reappeared with Astra on her hip. In one hand, Astra was clutching a well-used teddy bear by the arm, and sucking the thumb of her other hand. She was the one who had knocked.
"Oh, look, Maxon and Aunt America think it's nap time, too." Kenna said to Astra, brushing a hand through her daughter's strawberry hair but casting an apologetic look at Maxon and America.
Astra just blinked at them, blearily.
"Is it nap time, Astra?" Maxon asked.
Astra shook her head 'no'.
"It is for me, I'm sleepy." America said, lips tickling Maxon's collarbone over his shirt.
"Yes, we have just enough time for a good nap before snack time." Maxon agreed, eyeing Astra at these words.
"We havin' snack time?" Astra asked, surprised.
"Of course we are! Don't we always?" Maxon asked. Astra shrugged. Apparently she'd been under the impression that being so far away from the Palace meant the end of such comforts as 'snack time'.
"What we havin?" Astra asked, interestedly.
"Cheese and crackers and milk and juice and cookies and brownies and pretzels." Maxon announced, and by the end of his rambling list, Astra's eyes were wide with wonder.
"All that?" she asked.
"All that." Maxon chuckled, knowing beyond a doubt that this was definitely America's niece. Food was the direct way to Astra's heart. "Do you want to take a nap with Aunt Ames and me?"
"No…"
Maxon winked at Kenna, "Okay, see you in an hour, then."
Astra frowned. "What you mean, Mackin?"
"We'll just be in here sleeping for an hour. You go on back to the front of the plane, I'll see you later."
Astra didn't like this. "I can stay here. I can be quiet."
"Oh, no, my dear." Maxon said. "This is the napping room. See the bed?" Astra nodded. "You can only be here if you're napping."
"Oh." Astra weighed the options in her mind. "I'm not tired, Mackin." she despaired.
"Maybe if you lay still and quiet and close your eyes, you can stay." Kenna offered.
Astra nodded, eyes on Maxon. "I can try." she said.
"Good girl." Kenna pressed a kiss to her forehead, then set her down on the bed. "You two don't mind?"
"Not at all." America assured her.
"Maxon, can you hold all three of them?" Kenna asked, peeking between America, the baby bump, and Astra.
"A skill I'll need to learn if I'm to convince America to have three boys and seven girls with me."
Kenna raised her eyebrows high at this but did not say anything about it. "If she can't settle down, send her back to me and we'll have nap time on the couch at the front of the plane."
"Alright." Maxon said, slipping over so that Astra could fit in between America and him.
Kenna closed the door softly behind her as she left, and Astra sighed as if in relief. She'd been really worried she'd have to spend an hour on the plane without Maxon.
Now that America was in her fifth month of pregnancy, she was no longer allowed to sleep on her back. Dr. Ashlar had been very clear that the baby was now heavy enough to cause oxygen deficiency problems for the both of them if she slept on her back. So America curled on her side around Astra to rest her head on Maxon's shoulder, and Maxon wrapped an arm over Astra and the baby bump, making a bridge to America's hip.
Astra, teddy bear clutched tightly, was the first one asleep, followed quickly by America. Maxon must have drifted off sometime afterward.
When America awoke, it was more like an hour and a half later, and she felt tiny kisses on the baby bump and heard little giggles and shifting in the bed.
"Time to wake up, Ames." Maxon chuckled, and America opened her eyes to find Astra pecking kisses on the baby bump and giggling as she got kicked in return. "The baby woke up before you did." Maxon explained.
"That baby kicked me!" Astra laughed, suddenly loud and boisterous now that America was awake.
"I think it just wants to play with you." America smiled leaning up in her elbows to get a better look at her niece.
"Yeah, we friends." Astra explained, then turned her attention back to the baby. She skated her little fingers over the bump and cooed happily until she got a thump for her troubles and collapsed into giggles.
This time, Maxon swept her into his arms and tickled her, "Alright, let's give the baby a break." Maxon said. "I think it's snack time."
"Snack time!" Astra cheered as Maxon stood, tossed her into the air and let her fall onto the mattress with a soft thud. More laughs, louder this time.
America took her time getting out of bed, careful to avoid a head rush or a strain on her round ligament. By the time she was up, Maxon had Astra by both ankles and the little girl hung upside down, her red hair falling straight past her head, swaying a little with laughter as she peeked up, or maybe it was down, at America.
"Ready to go?" Maxon asked.
"Yep." America laughed, grabbing Blinky the bear from the bed and allowing Maxon and upside-down Astra to lead the way back to the front of the plane. The guards and staff, including Mary, stood at the sight of Maxon and America, and laughed at the sight of Astra as Maxon walked past. He nodded to them as if nothing unusual was happening at all.
By the time they made it to the front of the plane, Astra was red in the face from laughing so hard and being upside down for so long.
"Here you are, Madam." Maxon said, dropping one of Astra's feet and holding her out to Kenna by the ankle. "One fully-napped three-year-old, as requested."
Kenna laughed and swept her daughter into her arms, righting her. "Thank you, kind sir." she said as she gently corrected Astra's messy hair with her hands. America handed Blinky to James with a wink, and James returned the bear to its place in their luggage.
"Mommy, it snack time!" Astra said, lolling back on her mother's shoulder as all the blood went rushing out of her head.
"Is it really, baby girl?" Kenna giggled at her daughter.
"Mackin says!" Astra nodded.
"Well, he is the King. If Maxon says, then it must be true."
Astra nodded, thoughtfully, while Maxon asked Gerad to go and have Mary rally the flight attendants for snack time. When Gerad was off to the middle of the plane and Maxon's attention was back on the family, Astra asked, "Mackin, where your crown?"
Sometimes she forgot that Maxon was the King, and then when she remembered she'd have new questions for him about all of that.
"I didn't bring it with me this time." he grinned.
"Why?"
"It's too heavy to wear too often." he reported, returning to his seat next to America.
"I make you one." she said, nodding at his predicament and working to find a solution. She dug out her crayons and got to work on a spare piece of paper while Mary and the two flight attendants appeared and got to work laying out the snacks.
By the time the food was ready, Maxon had a brand new crown, hand crafted with two sheets of paper taped together, and decorated with bright yellow to represent gold, along with several pink, green, purple, and brown shapes to represent jewels.
It was the silliest thing America had ever seen Maxon wear, but she knew, once Astra crawled into his lap and crowned him herself, that Maxon would be wearing it for the rest of the flight.
She was almost right.
Mary had just appeared to help America back into her real clothes. They were a half an hour from landing, and there would be a line of people waiting for autographs, as well as paparazzi waiting for pictures, when they landed.
A guard appeared just behind Mary, a heavy frown on his lips, and he made a beeline for Aspen. He leant down to whisper in Aspen's ear, and Aspen's face grew incredibly grave. He nodded, and the guard disappeared.
Aspen was holding Meri in his arms, entertaining her with a brightly colored soft plastic toy, but he turned to Lucy and pecked her on the lips before shuffling the baby into her arms.
"Are you alright?" America heard Lucy ask.
"We'll see." Aspen said, hurrying off to the middle of the plane.
Maxon and America shared a grave look.
"That looks like something you need to get involved in, Maxon." America frowned.
"I agree." he reluctantly removed his paper crown and bestowed it upon America, along with a quick kiss, and then he followed after Aspen. Lucy turned in her seat to look over at America, a questioning look on her beautiful face. America just shrugged in response. Neither of them knew what was going on.
"Ma'am." Mary said, concern on her face. "Let's get you dressed and touch up your hair and makeup."
"Of course."
America took the hand Mary offered to help her stand, and noticed that this time her back really did ache a little. As the walked down the middle of the plane, a startling number of the seats were empty. It seemed all of the guards were with Aspen and Maxon behind a closed door to America's right, a mini-security room like the ones at the Palace.
"Something's going on." America mused as Mary opened the door and led her in to the bedroom at the back. The blankets were still rumpled from where she, Maxon, and Astra had shared that wonderful nap, that preview of America's and Maxon's future as parents. Was that really only a couple of hours ago?
"Whatever it is, you won't want to face it in sweatpants, your Majesty." Mary said, with a bracing, encouraging smile.
"I really would be lost without you." America agreed.
"Let's get you ready." Mary smiled.
America's lips were freshly painted, her hair neatly arranged in a twist, and her dress draped over her body in crisp, straight curtains. She had her queen face on, and it was time to take her place beside her king.
America knocked on the security room door but did not enter. She wanted to give Aspen and Maxon the opportunity to refuse her, to tell her later, in their own way. Avery was the guard who answered the knock, and he bowed to the Queen before turning to his superiors. "Your Majesty, the Queen is here."
Maxon appeared behind Avery and muttered his thanks, but he did not invite America in. Instead, they returned to the bedroom where Mary was still tidying up and repacking all of the makeup and hair supplies.
"Mary, we need a minute. Leave the makeup out." he instructed.
Leave the makeup out? Why?
"Yes, your Majesty."
He stopped Mary before she could leave the room and whispered something in her ear. Mary blanched, leaning back to look at him questioningly before curtseying and closing the door behind her.
"Ames…" he stopped. He simply had no idea how to continue.
"What is it?" America asked, sinking onto the bed, heart thrumming in her chest. Something was wrong.
"It's about Kota."
Oh, God, no. America somehow knew what he was going to say before he could say it, knew what was wrong but prayed she was mistaken.
"What…" she couldn't even ask the question. She didn't want to know. And yet, she desperately needed to know.
Maxon failed again, shaking his head at himself as he peered down at her. "Kota…"
Kota's been in an accident, he's very ill, he's run away, he's moving to Angeles?
He's changed his mind about letting them into the house? He was never going to do it anyway, it was all a cruel joke?
He's personally demolished the house so none of them could ever visit again?
Kota's secretly married, secretly a murderer, secretly sorry for all of the terrible things he's said and done to the rest of the family?
America's mind raced, trying to make this anything other than what it was, but before she could find something remotely plausible to explain the commotion on the plane, Maxon found the courage to finish his sentence.
"Kota is dead."