Hi All!

So its kind of late, but I hope you enjoy this update!

I'm considering changing my pen name, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! I'll make an announcement when I do :)

I crept through the hallways, being extra careful not to be seen. I knew that the King had eyes and ears everywhere, but thankfully, even the servant's passages seemed deserted. I suspected that was Maxon's doing.

I gently knocked on Celeste's door, and it slowly creaked open.

"Looks like you do know how to knock on doors," Celeste murmured playfully as she opened the door just far enough for me to slide in. "Good thing I don't have scandalous company this time."

I stepped inside, and before I even had time to lower my hood on my cloak, I was wrapped in his arms. Even though it'd only been a little over a day since he held me like this, it felt like a lifetime. Everything about Maxon, from his smell to the gentle pressure on my back from his hands, called to something deep inside me. I could feel his pain and anguish in every touch, the need he had for me that matched my own.

"America," he whispered softly. His lips brushed my neck, and I had to remember to breathe. "I'm so sorry."

I wrapped my arms around his waist, content to hold him this close forever. I knew I was right when I saw the letter, but to feel him, to feel the truth against my skin, to hear his voice, made it more real.

"I almost believed it," I whispered. "You were so convincing, Maxon."

"I know I was, and I had to be," he murmured. He pulled away, cradling my face in his hands. My hood had long fallen. "I couldn't let anything happen to you."

I leaned up on my tiptoes, brushing my lips to his. Maxon held me there, his taste sating every hunger or thirst I had. Love was so consuming, so enveloping. When Maxon kissed me like this, the whole world was blocked away.

"Um," Celeste said after clearing her throat. "I don't mean to bust up the reunion, but the only person allowed to have intrigues in this room is me."

"Celeste," Maxon sighed before his lips gently sucked the skin just above my collar bone. "How many times have I covered for you?"

"Plenty, but unlike you, I am not a gentleman. If I bring a guest to my room, they aren't going back with their breath. You however, have our darling America turned into putty already. Keep going, and we'll have a scandal on our hands."

Maxon looked up, but he wrapped his arms tighter around me. I buried my face into his chest, aware of how fantastically good he smelled.

"I can control myself," Maxon scoffed. I felt a soft kiss in my hair, and I looked up into Maxon's smiling face. "If anyone is being turned into putty, it would be me."

"Charming," Celeste drawled. "But as we have to plan how to thwart your demented father, I suggest you stop kissing her so you can continue to have her around."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned. I looked to Celeste, who just eyed Maxon. Maxon took my hand, leading me to a trunk in the middle of the room.

"America, I wasn't lying when I said my father came to me last night," he began. Maxon explained everything that had happened with his father last night. Fear crept up in me. The King was willing to go far enough to have my reputation ruined, to have me killed? I sat on the chest as he talked. Once he was finished, I couldn't look at him. I just stared at the floor as the enormity of the situation washed through me.

"He'll hurt you if we continue with this," I whispered sadly. "Maybe …maybe we should-

"Don't even finish that thought, America. He cannot kill me, but there are plenty of things that are worse than death. He could torture me, take away my crown, kill me, but none, none of those things would hurt as much than if something were to happen to you. It's you he wants dead, and I will not let him take you from me. He's taken enough."

Maxon sat beside me and wrapped a loving arm around my shoulders. I thought of the scars on his back, and anger surged through me. My fingers brushed just under his eye, where I noticed a slight bruise at the top of his cheek. If he was willing to fight for me, to keep me despite all the trials against us, then I would not let him down.

"What can we do?" I whispered.

"That's where I come in," Celeste announced. "We are going to give him a rouse."

"A rouse?" I questioned.

"I didn't tell you what was going on when I saw you earlier. One, we needed your reaction to be convincing to the King, and two, I was busy with other matters. The King wants the two of you apart, so that is exactly what we are going to give him."

"My father wants me to get you to marry Count Leger," Maxon supplied. "He thinks that once you are married, that will be the end of his problems with me."

"So you want me to let him court me?"

"As much as I hate it, yes. We'll give the impression that each of us has moved on. We won't be able to interact much in public, but we will work out ways to see each other, I promise."

"I can't do that," I stuttered.

"And why not?" Celeste scoffed.

"To lead Aspen on like that…it's wrong. He's a good man, Maxon. I can't do that to him. If you want me to do this, then I'd have to tell him."

"America, how can we trust him?"

"I know that we can," I promised. "I can tell him."

Maxon eyed me for a moment like he could read my thoughts. He finally sighed, eyeing me thoughtfully. "No, you are going to let me tell him," he murmured. "This is the plan. You will leave for a few days to visit Sir Woodwork's new home with your Cousin, Marlee. I'm supposedly going on a hunt with Celeste's brother. We'll meet up then. It will look like you are getting away from the Castle, to collect yourself. At least it will to my father. Then, when we come back, the talks of the engagement between you and Count Leger will become public. I'll speak to him shortly after your departure."

"Shouldn't I be with you? I'm afraid he'll take offense," I worried.

"How can he take offense to a request by his Prince?" Maxon proclaimed. "If he's your friend, then I will treat him as such, America. I just hope he's as good of a man as you say he is." He turned to Celeste, a gentle look on his features. "Cousin, could you give us a moment alone?"

Celeste nodded her head, heading into the bedroom part of her suite.

"I assume this plan has another side. You will continue to act like you are pursuing Kriss?"

Maxon nodded his head. "Her father is pushing for a marriage to raise their station. He'd pay a lot of gold to my father for approving of the arrangement. Honestly, she's just looking for an advantageous marriage, someone decent and kind to spend her life with. I haven't told her about you, and I have no intention to. She'd be disappointed she didn't snare me, but she and her father would move on quickly enough."

"I understand," I murmured lowly. The thought of seeing Maxon wrapped around Kriss, whispering lightly in her ear, made me want to scream. How was I going to fake it? Maxon must have noticed because he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder, content with never moving.

"I hate this plan, America. I hate it, despise it, and every moment I'm with Kriss, I wish I was with you. I have to imagine that it's you I'm talking about, or I'd sound completely insincere. But it will only be for a short while."

"This is the only way?"

"For the time being, yes. I will not let my father harm you. I have to get the right people on my side, and that will take some time. However, I have another idea in mind. With us having to fake our distaste for one another, I was hoping that you'd be amenable to something to bring us closer. "

"What's that?"

"I was hoping that you would consent to being my wife."

I looked at Maxon with wide eyes. "You mean get married?"

"That's the only way it can be done, America."

"But, my father, your mother, what-"

Maxon placed his fingers against my lips, silencing my protests. "We won't have the big wedding ceremony. We can do that later. I was thinking that we have the betrothal ceremony. We can have it just me and you, along with our witnesses. I just want to be to know that I belong to you completely. I never want you to have the doubt that I saw for a moment today. I want you to know that you own me, body and soul. I was lost to you the moment that you smiled, the moment I heard you laugh. When your lips touch mine, I know, without a shadow of doubt, that I am the lucky one to have you. You are the light of my life, the reason I keep going. Without you, I'd be useless, my darling. Every day would be a struggle to move, to act like a human being. I want a few precious days with you, just the two of us, so we can get through the hard times ahead. I want to give you some kind of happiness before we enter the inferno."

Maxon got down on his knees, taking both of my hands into his own. "Lady America Singer. I want to give you the world. I want to make you the happiest woman on this earth. I want to love you, cherish you, and remind you every single day how you make me a stronger, better man. If I am to be King, I need you by my side. Love is enough, and you are everything that I have every wanted. You are good and kind, so smart and objective, and you will make an amazing Queen for Illea. Stay by my side, be my wife. Will you marry me?"

There were no words. There were a thousand reasons that I should say no. My father would be furious, the King would kill me if he ever found out, but it was worth the risk. I loved Maxon will every bit of my heart and soul, and I wanted this with him. I wanted to be his wife, to know that we belonged to each other.

"Yes," I whispered. "I will marry you."

I looked at myself in the mirror, pleased with how I looked.

I'd worn a simple blue satin dress. It would have looked suspicious if I'd taken my best gowns, especially if it was simply for a quick visit to the country. But I'd taken my time doing my hair. I wanted to feel pretty today, and I did.

Sir Woodwork's new home was absolutely massive. I'd found out that Marlee and Carter's engagement had been set. Marlee was over the moon about it, and once she and Maxon explained the situation to Carter, he was happy to help.

"You look wonderful, America," Marlee beamed. She was going to be my witness.

"Thank you. I just wish that it didn't have to be a secret, that our families could be here."

Marlee walked over, wrapping her arms through mine. "They'd understand, America. And they will get that wedding. This is just for the two of you."

Everything had been set for the betrothal ceremony. We'd be promised for marriage under God, and a ceremony for the public was meant to follow. Some didn't have one at all if the marriage was already consummated. I blushed, thinking of what Maxon had planned. We'd been so close a couple of times. I did want him. All these desires and feelings coursed through me, lust, they called it, and I was curious. I'd heard some married women talk about how awful it was with their husbands and lovers, while others raved at how addicting and wonderful it was. With Maxon, I wasn't worried. It would happen whenever it did.

We walked down the stairs, and I stopped once I saw who was at the door.

"Aspen?"

He smiled, giving Marlee and me a bow. "I hope I'm not late to the party."

"What are you doing here?" I questioned wonderingly. Maxon said he was going to talk to him after Marlee and I left with Carter. Marlee gave my hand a quick squeeze before joining Carter in the sitting room.

"Prince Maxon spoke to me of your plight. I had suspicions that your heart belonged to another, but I never imagined that it would be him. I told him that I would be happy to witness, and I'll do whatever I can to help. I just wanted to ask you something first."

"Certainly."

"I know that this may be untoward, but I care for you, America, as a friend. I don't want to see you get hurt. Are you… are you positive about this?"

Aspen didn't mean anything cruel or judgmental by his question. That was easy enough to see. He was being the gentleman I knew he was.

"I am," I responded with a smile.

"He loves you, truly. That is easy enough to see, and when you have something that special, you fight for it, no matter what. Love is so rare, and it should be protected at all costs. I hope that maybe I will be as lucky to find my match."

I took Aspen's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "That's all I ever hope for you."

At that moment, Maxon walked in with the priest from the local church. He was an old friend of Sir Woodwork's, who happily consented to preside over the betrothal. Aspen took his leave, going to the room where Marlee and Carter were waiting. Maxon's eyes caught mine, their beautifully warm brown color causing me to melt. How did I manage to get here?

"Lady Singer, it is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you," the preacher murmured as he took my hand. "Prince Schreave is a lucky man."

"Yes, I am," he proclaimed as he wrapped a hand around my waist. "Are you ready, darling?" His voice was so soft and warm, saturated with love and admiration.

"Yes."

Hahahahaha do you hate me?

I looked up medieval and renaissance weddings, and I found some interesting things! Basically, a betrothal ceremony is like a marriage contract. You are pretty much married, you just have to make it public, i.e. have a wedding.

Idk if I'm going to do the ceremony or not, because I feel like you guys would appreciate the wedding a lot more...if it comes to that.

DUNN DUNN DUNNNN

Please leave a review! Love you guys!