The most beautiful people are most beautifully scarred.

Sorry it took me so long for updating. I'm on holiday for two weeks so I will not be posting very often, but I'll try. This is a longer chapter and I hope you will like it!

The next day I woke up from my maids, who opened the curtains and let the bath run full. I smiled and got up. After I went in bad, Paige did my make up and Mary my hair, a loose bun. I put on a pants with a blue blouse and some matching flats. At ten thirty they were smiling like idiots.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Oh you're gonna love this!" Mary exclaimed while I needed to sit on the bed.

"I'm gonna love what? You guys know I hate surprises." I said back.

"Oh, so now you suddenly hate me?" a familiar voice said.

"Marlee!" I yelled and shoot up from the bed and pulled her into a tight hug. I better shouldn't have done that because my stomach was on fire. I ignored the pain and we went to sit on bed.

"How are you doing?" Marlee asked. I sighed.

"It's getting better every day, but it still hurts. How about you?"

"I'm doing fine," she ensured me with a smile.

"So how did you get here?" I asked.

"The secret passage way. Maxon came up with the idea and discussed it with me, Mary and Paige so they could get you ready on time."

"You guys really did this?" I asked them all. They nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"So, how is the married life?" Marlee asked while my maids went away. I needed to call them once Marlee was gone.

"Good," I said.

"Have you two done it yet?" she asked. I blushed and laughed.

"No, we haven't. Wit me being shot and recovering and still in pain we didn't do it, yet."

"I get that."

"How is you're married life going?"

"Good. Carter and I are still hidden, you know. But I'm happy, and so is he. I was sorry I couldn't be at you're wedding," she said disappointed.

"Me to. I really wished you could be there with me." I looked at my hands.

"Hey," she yelled. "No need to be disappointed, okay? I'm just happy you're oke." I hugged her. We talked for another thirty minutes when it was time for her to leave.

"I'm going to ask Maxon if you could be legally here in the palace so you and Carter don't need to be so worried all the time and we can meet whenever we want." she smiled.

"I know you want that, we want that to, but, you know it can't be that way when Clarkson is still king," I sighed.

"I know."

"Well, I need to go. I see you soon, okay? And if you need to talk to me just ask."

"I will," I said while I gave her one last hug and she disappeared in the secret passage way.

I called for my maids and together we walked to the Woman's room. Amberly was working and looked up from her work when we entered. She smiled at us. Mary and Paige curtsied for the queen and left.

"How are you doing?" She asked.

"Fine, thank you. How are you doing?" She laughed.

"Good. I need you're help." She announced. "Today in three weeks the Italians and the Royal Family of Spain will come. Will you help me prepare?"

"I'd love to, although I know nothing about Spain," I said enthusiastic.

"That's alright. If I didn't know any better I would say that you and Princess Nicoletta can get along pretty well with each other." I smiled at that, because it was true.

"There is something I wanted to ask a long time," I began. My hands were shaking.

"Go ahead. There is no need to be afraid of asking me something," she said smiling.

"Well, as princess you need to have a charity project, you know what you're doing for people who are disabled, but anyway, I was thinking I could help with a school program and visit them so everybody is able to go to school. Something Kriss conceived in the Selection because it was a good idea she came with. I was also thinking that we can help the people who don't have a home can shelter somewhere and that the food program's can stay as long as possible if we can find the money for it."

Amberly looked thoughtful and if it were bad ideas I came with.

"Never mind, it were bad ideas," I replied.

"No!" She interjected. "No, no, not at all, it are wonderful ideas. Why don't we discuss them later with Clarkson and Maxon?" I smiled.

"I would like that. Maybe Kriss can help me with the school program's. I wouldn't like it to do her project without her since it was her idea."

"I understand that. Now," she looked at her watch. "I see it's lunch time, are you coming with me?" I nodded and got up. A moan of pain escaped my mouth. My stomach was on fire and I really needed to go to see Dr. Ashlar. I would do that after dinner I told myself, I didn't want to burden any more people with my pain.

"Here, let me help you," Amberly said while she put an arm around my waist to support me. We got to the Dining Room later than King Clarkson and Maxon. When he saw me he got up and helped me sit down in my chair.

"Are you alright darling?" He asked concerned.

"Yes, I'm alright," I lied. I didn't want him to worry even more. Lunch was served, but I had the feeling I had to throw up and put the back of my hand against my mouth. I was sweating. Maxon noticed and put his food down and looked at me.

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, I'm just not hungry, that's all," I replied. It wasn't really a lie. Maxon looked at me during lunch but had to go to a meeting. I said I was tired and went to bed, instead I went to the infirmary to see Dr. Ashlar.

Once I got there I leaned against the wall. Dr. Ashlar noticed me and rushed over to me.

"Princess, what is wrong?" He asked while he let me to a room were I could lie on bed.

"My stomach hurts like hell. I made a too fast move, I think."

"Can you do your blouse up, please?" I nodded and did what he asked. My stomach was covered in blood and I was surprised I hadn't seen it before. Dr. Ashlar made my stomach clean from all the blood and went stray to work. He was finished quickly.

"Your lucky the wound didn't reopened. I have to bandage you again and you need to be really careful. Does anyone know that you're here?"

"No, I told them I was tired and went to bed. I don't want to burden anyone anymore with my pain."

"You know, sometimes you need to put yourself in the first place, even when you don't like it." I sighed.

"I know. I want to help the people in the country and put them before me. But it feels like it's all about me these days, first the engagement, than the wedding, than me being shot and tons of other things. Other people need to come before me." He was talking while he bandaged me. It was nice to talk to someone who isn't so concerned about me all the time, well, at least not like my family and friends worry about me.

"I get you, but you're not helping people if you're in pain and not able to do things you want to do because you're so tired and in pain. I'm getting the feeling that you're not really liking it to be the centerpiece."

"No, I don't, that's why I don't want to burden people even more because I'm in pain. I don't want anyone's pity."

"You don't burden people, you want to help them. It makes you a great princess that you want to help people and don't want to be the centerpiece of everything. But this time you need to put yourself first." He said. "Okay, I'm done, you can put you're blouse back on again. I want to see you back tomorrow so I can check on you again. Here are some painkillers."

"Thank you."

"Anytime," he said while he helped me out of bed. I walked back to the Woman's Room. Nobody was there and I went to sit on a couch. I needed a distraction. Then I saw the piano in the corner of the room and walked over to play on it. I played a song I heard somewhere, but can't remember were. I just gave it my own version and text. I called it; dancing on my own.

I played another song until I heard applause, I turned around and saw Amberly clapping in her hands with tons of other people I didn't know. I blushed.

"That was lovely princess!" Someone exclaimed. I really needed to learn everyone's name.

"Thank you. I was just playing what, nothing special, really," I said while I slowly stood up. Amberly came to me and held my hands. I looked into those warm eyes of her.

"Please, you play and sing wonderful. Would you like to play another song for us? Besides, we weren't doing anything," she looked at the people behind her. I finally gave in.

"Alright," I went back to the piano and played a song were you don't need to use you're voice. Once I was finished I looked up and they applauded again. I went to sit next to Amberly and we worked until it was time for dinner. We walked to the Dining Room and it was just me and Amberly. I assume King Clarkson and Maxon are still working or in a meeting or something.

I played with the food that laid in front of me and only drunk some water.

"America, sweetie, you need to eat." Amberly said.

I sighed. "I know, I just don't have any appetite."

"But you really need to eat something, or you'll starve."

"I know," I said. I put some food in my mouth, but after that one bite I couldn't eat anything more.

"Listen, I'm just concerned, that's all," she took my hand in her and forced me to look at her.

"Why don't you go to bed? You look tired."

I nodded and stood up, walking to my room. Mary and Paige helped me into my nightgown and didn't ask any questions about the bandage, I was glad they didn't. Once they were gone I led the tears come I was holding all day long. I was crying because of the pain, because of Marlee, because Maxon wasn't with me, because the rebellions were threatening the people of Illea and me in person and tons of other things. In the end, I cried myself asleep.

The next day I woke up from kisses. I opened my eyes and smiled. Maxon was kissing my shoulders and face. He was still in his underwear while the sun is shining bright.

"Good morning, darling."

"Good morning. Don't you need to work?"

"No, it's Sunday, remember." I remembered. On Sunday's we didn't need to work unless there were some things that needed to be done and couldn't wait. I wanted to get up but fell back on bed, my hands reaching for my stomach.

"America, are you alright?" I shook my head, silence tears were streaming down my face.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"It's my stomach," I say while I got up with Maxon's help. "It sort if reopened yesterday. I needed to go see Dr. Ashlar and he told me to come back today." Maxon quickly put on some pants and a shirt, picking me up and walking out of the room with me I his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want to burden all of you."

"You would never be a burden to us, you know that." I lean my head against his chest.

"I'm sorry." He kisses my lips. We got to the infirmary and Maxon laid me on a bed in a separate room. Dr. Ashlar looked at me and then at Maxon.

"It's better when you're not here, it isn't a nice face to look how I treat her wounds," he looked like he was about to argue but he didn't, probably because Dr. Ashlar is right. Maxon leaves the room and I put my nightgown out.

"Thank you," I whisper to Dr. Ashlar. He nod. He takes off the bandage and looks at my wounds. After a while I can put my nightgown back on.

"There is nothing wrong, I think you just made a bad move. You can do everything you want, just be careful that you don't reopen you're wounds."

"I will, thank you."

"You're welcome." He brings Maxon back into the room and he scoops me in his arms and walks back to my room. He puts me on bed, takes off his clothes, only wearing his underwear again and sit besides me.

"Maxon, there is something I want to tell you and show you," my hands are shaking and my hart is beating very fast. I'm really nervous.

"What is it?"

"Will you help me out of my nightgown?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." His hands are on the end of my nightgown and he pulls it off. He takes in what he sees. I'm only wearing underpants. I blush and then he looks back at my eyes.

"You're beautiful," he says while he kisses my lips. His hands are on my upper back. He moves them down and I quickly pull away.

"Maxon, stop." He looks at me with those warm brown eyes.

"Darling, what's wrong? Am I hurting you?"

"No, I need to tell you something." He looks confused.

"What is it?" I shake.

"Um…"

"America?" I don't answer. "America tell me, please, you're scaring me." I can't say it so I turn around, my back facing Maxon. He breaths in sharply and his hands are on my lower back. It's full of scars, like on Maxon's back.

"What happened? Who did this?" I turn around to face him again and don't answer.

"It was my father, wasn't it?" I nod.

"Why?"

"He wanted to teach me some lessons, wasn't happy that you choose me. He always found a reason. He took his anger out on me. He only cut my lower back so I was able to wear low cut dresses and stuff and nobody would notice a thing."

"So this happened several times?" I nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, if I told you before our wedding night, he would hurt my maids, or other people that are importuned to me, he will still hurt them if you confront him with it. He wouldn't hurt my family, he is smarter than that, but, I don't know about you're mother. I took some of those lashes for you because I didn't want to bring you any more pain." He didn't say anything and I looked at my hands.

"Then I got shot and was scared how you would react once you found out."

"You know you can tell me everything," he said. "I get why you didn't tell me this earlier, I would've done the same, but, don't you ever dare to take lashes for me again, okay?"

I nodded. He didn't sound angry at all. "I'm really mad at my father for hurting you, but it's better if I don't say a thing, even if I want to." I still looked at my hands.

He lifted my chin and I looked in his brown eyes. His hand was now resting on my check.

"I don't blame you, I love you. Do you know the quote: the most beautiful people are beautifully scared." I shook my head.

"This quote fits you, you're the most beautiful, scared person I've ever seen and that's one of the reasons I love you so much." He placed a kiss on my arm, where I was hit during my time in the Selection. He looked at me and I nodded. Then he placed a gentle kiss under my breast, were I was hit on our wedding day and moved to my stomach and also placed a gentle kiss on my scar.

He turned me around and placed kisses on the scars on my back. I stiffened and than relaxed.

He worked his way up to my shoulder, my neck, my ears, my cheeks and finally my lips.

"Maxon, I want to do it, if you want it too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," and I kissed him.

I laid on his chest and listened to his heartbeat, it was steady and calm. "Maxon?"

"Yes?"

"Is there any way that Marlee could be legally in the castle?" he sighed.

"I would wish it, but you know it can't. He will hurt them again and this time I don't think I can do anything about it. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. All that matters is that they're safe," I say, thinking about them and my wonderful husband who does everything in his power to keep the once he loves safe.

"What is it?" Maxon asked.

"Nothing. Just that I love you." He kisses my lips and pulls me closer.

"I love you too, more than words can describe."

So why do you guys think of this? Please let me know!