Chapter 23- Chaotic Happiness
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So without further ado…
Chapter 23- Chaotic Happiness
Light hit my eyes. I scrunched them together and tried to roll over, aching to sleep just a little bit longer. The day could wait. I rolled into something. My eyes flicked open. Someone. Maxon was still asleep. I smiled softly, brushing my left hand down his chest. It served a dual purpose: I could admire my ring and my fiancé. Maxon leaned into my hand.
I bit back a laugh and tucked myself into his side. He pulled me closer. "Good morning, my America," he whispered, placing a kiss on my shoulder.
I hummed. "I like that, my America. I like being yours."
Maxon smiled, "and I'm all yours. And everyone knows it."
I bit my lip and leaned into his chest. "That one's even better."
Maxon ran a hand down my side. I squirmed, trying to hold back a giggle. He pressed a kiss to my jaw, and I shivered. "Maxon, don't make me laugh." I whispered with a smile. "Your guards are outside!"
He kept tickling me. I swatted away his hands.
"Who cares? We're engaged," Maxon murmured against my neck. His lips trailed down the column of my neck and pressed kisses on my collarbone.
I bit my lip. I knew much more of this from Maxon and I would melt-guards and laws be damned. "But what if they think we broke the law?"
Maxon chuckled, "then we tell them that we didn't."
I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to retort that that's not always how it worked. There was a knock on the door. For all his swaggering confidence, Maxon's eyes widened. I shook my head with a smile and ducked under the covers.
He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on the hand still holding mine. His thumb traced patterns on the back of my hand. "Come in."
The door clicked open. "Good morning, Your Highness," Maxon's butler, Ben, said. I heard footsteps and then there was a sound like he set down a tray on Maxon's table.
"You wouldn't have happened to see Lady America this morning." Even I heard the laughter in Ben's tone. "It appears that she never returned to her rooms last night."
Maxon froze for a moment. "Uh, I-I… I'm sure she's around here somewhere."
He didn't sound convincing. I bit my lip to hold back a giggle. Ben hummed his agreement and his footsteps receded towards Maxon's closet.
"I can do that today, Ben." Maxon said hurriedly. "It's really no problem."
Ben laughed. "If you insist, sir. You have a meeting with your father in half an hour. There's another meeting with Silvia after that. Then you're scheduled for lunch with your mother and the Singers. After lunch you have a budget meeting with the advisors."
Maxon groaned at the seemingly endless list. I suspected that much of his discontent over the list was the budget meeting at the end of the day.
"The advisors are under strict orders not to keep to time today so you will have time to get ready for tonight." Ben reassured him.
My brows knit together. I didn't remember another engagement after Maxon's budget meeting. We were going to have dinner together. I frowned.
"Thank you, Ben." Maxon said stiffly. "Anything else?"
I heard Ben walk to the door. "You can tell Lady America that she can come out. Her maids are waiting for her in the Princess Suite whenever she is ready."
I couldn't hold back my laugh this time. Of course they knew. I crawled out from under the covers. "Thank you, Ben!" I called to the closing door.
Maxon still looked slightly frazzled. My eyes softened. I laid a soft hand on his cheek. "Max, what's wrong?"
His eyes snapped to mine. "I just…" He shook his head, "I'm fine, America. I just thought I was a better liar than that.
I laughed, "I could have told you that, Maxon. The only time I can't read you almost completely is when you put on your prince face."
He barked a laugh. "My prince face?" He asked incredulously.
I scrunched my nose, remembering all the Capital Reports I watched in Carolina. Maxon could be 100% expressionless if he wanted to. It scared me a little now-how easily he could make himself seem like an unfeeling shell. "You know, when you look all serious and royal. You used to do it on the Report every week."
Maxon smiled softly and pulled me back to him. "Until I met you," he whispered and placed a kiss on my forehead. I extracted myself from his arms. Maxon grumbled.
"We have to meet your father for our meeting," I stood. "And I need to get dressed."
"Fine," Maxon sighed, flopping back onto the bed. He threw an arm over his shut eyes. I snorted. He cracked an eye open. "I love you?"
I smiled and leaned down to kiss him softly. "I love you too."
Maxon was waiting for me when I arrived outside of King Clarkson's study. His eyes swept down my body before meeting my eyes. He kissed my cheek, "You look beautiful, darling."
I blushed and murmured my thanks. I loved the flowy blue day dress that my maids put me in this morning, but I still never really felt deserving of Maxon's compliments. At this rate though, I would get used to them. He called me beautiful or lovely or stunning at least once a day-if not more. And that was never even the end. There was kind and brilliant and courageous. It often seemed like he needed a thesaurus for all the words he used to describe me. I smiled at the thought. He really did love me-I could rarely find a fault in him either.
Maxon knocked on the door. King Clarkson's voice echoed a "come in," from inside. He reached for my hand and twined his fingers with mine. I squeezed back. Maxon opened the door and we walked in.
King Clarkson looked up, gesturing to the two chairs before him. I flashed a smile at him. He nodded graciously. Maxon and I sat, still holding hands.
The king cleared his throat. "We have two matters of business today. Firstly, I owe you both an apology-and a thank you, Lady America. I have acted so atrociously to you both and especially to you, Lady America. I am sincerely sorry for the way I have treated you. And I realize I never thanked you for what you did for me: jumping in front of that bullet. You saved my life even when you had no cause. In fact, you had a better chance at happiness with me gone… and yet you would have sacrificed yourself anyway. Thank you."
Maxon had stiffened next to me. I swallowed hard, nodding. "Thank you, your Majesty. I appreciate that. Hopefully we can get to know each other better in the future."
King Clarkson smiled quietly, "I would like that."
Maxon didn't say anything. Didn't accept his apology. Didn't smile. Didn't nod. He just sat there like he had forgotten how to speak. I squeezed his hand. There was something odd about his reaction. He's probably just remembering the attack. Remembering almost losing me.
"And the second piece of business?" I prompted. It seemed to break Maxon out of his trance-at least slightly. His eyes were still achingly hollow though. I bit my lip.
"Ah, yes," King Clarkson reached for a small stack of papers across his desk. "You both signed the official betrothal forms and the statements officially announcing your engagement yesterday. As I hope was explained to you, you are expected to marry within three to seven months of your engagement."
He paused. I nodded and he continued. "You will iron out the actual wedding details with Silvia and I believe my wife wanted to be involved. In any case, we need to discuss coronations. Traditionally, you would be crowned Illea's princess either immediately after the wedding ceremony, or the next day. The choice is yours."
I glanced at Maxon. "What do you think?"
Maxon shrugged, "Both of them work. It would be smaller if it's rolled into our wedding day. Silvia would make it a whole separate affair with the big party after. And we would leave for our honeymoon later."
I grinned, "We get a honeymoon?"
Maxon chuckled, raising our intertwined hands to his lips. "Of course, darling. The coronation would just push it back a few hours."
He looked to his father for confirmation. King Clarkson nodded slightly. "The coronation ceremony would begin around eleven in the morning. I'm sure that Silvia would have a luncheon prepared with the guests afterward. Likely, you would be able to leave around two or three in the afternoon."
I nodded and looked back at Maxon. "As long as you're okay with it after the wedding, I'd rather do it on the same day."
Maxon smiled softly, "I was hoping you'd choose that one."
He moved to stand. King Clarkson waved a hand for him to remain seated. "That isn't the only coronation we must discuss."
Maxon paled slightly. "You mean mine."
The king nodded. "You are eligible to assume the throne once you turn twenty. You don't have to decide when right now. In fact, I think it would be best if you discussed it before you get back to me. But I would like to step down within the next few years, Maxon. Your mother especially, has felt the strain in recent years. Please tell me what you decide."
King Clarkson pulled another stack of papers in front of him and began reading-a clear dismissal. I swallowed hard and stood slowly. Maxon couldn't seem to leave fast enough.
The meeting with Silvia was long and my mind wandered as she spoke. Maxon had to elbow me after Silvia directed a question towards me more than once. I barely remembered what happened. But it finally ended and I practically skipped to the private dining room where we were eating lunch with my family. I couldn't wait to see them.
Maxon had a broad grin on his face. It seemed he had formed something of a bond with May and Gerad when they were here after my injury. I pushed those memories out of my mind. Maxon and I were engaged and my family was here and I was so painfully happy I thought I would burst.
A guard opened the doors and noise spilled out. I grinned, dragging Maxon in.
My parents and Queen Amberly were seated on one side of the table talking animatedly. Maxon squeezed my hand. I met his eyes and he nodded-it made him happy too. I pulled Maxon over to where my siblings sat. I dropped into the chair beside Kenna and Maxon sat across from me sandwiched between his two biggest fans.
"How are you, Kenna?" I turned to my older sister. "I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever."
"That's because you haven't, Ames," Kenna said with a laugh. "I talked to the Queen more than my own sister."
I looked at my empty plate. I had ignored my own family.
"Hey, don't look like that," Kenna scolded with a small smile, "I'm so happy for you, Ames. It's not your fault you've been busy with Princess lessons and seducing the Prince."
I blushed, wrinkling my nose. "It wasn't seduction, Kenna! Or was that how you got James to marry you?"
Kenna laughed and grabbed my hand. "Either way, I am so proud to be your big sister. It's still kind of hard to believe that my baby sister is going to be the Queen. But you're going to be amazing, Ames. I know it."
I smiled. "Thank you, Kenna. Can I still call you for advice when I'm queen? Or do you think that would be against the rules? Fraternizing with commoners?"
Kenna laughed again and let go of my hand. "You're going to be queen, shouldn't you know the rules?"
"That's why I need your advice!" I laughed too. "Now, how are you really, Ken?"
She placed a hand on her belly. "I'm good. I'm always tired now because of the baby and I'm really nervous, but I'm also so excited to be a mom."
"And I get to be an aunt!" I squealed. "You're going to be the best mom. I can't wait to meet them."
The food came then. We ate quietly with loud bursts of enthusiastic conversation. Maxon talked to Gerad about soccer and I don't think I had ever seen him so happy. He was so surrounded by girls and arts at home that no one wanted to talk sports with him. Maxon was good for him-for us. It made me smile. Though, I wondered if I had ever stopped smiling since Maxon slipped the ring on my finger.