Hi guys! Happy New Year! First chapter of 2014. Sorry this took so long to update, but I have family visiting and you know how that goes. Anyways, hope you enjoy, and don't worry you Maxerica lovers.

When I am almost asleep, I hear a knock. I stand up and open the door. The person I was least expecting to see stares back at me.

"King Clarkson." I say, curtsying quickly in my thin nightgown. This is a bit embarrassing. "Can I help you, your majesty?" The king smiles, a small tight one, and replies, "Lady America, will you please accompany me to my office? There are some matters I would like to discuss with you." I nod and quickly get my robe, sliding it on while walking and slip on some flats. What is going to happen? Will he hurt me? No, I am a member of the Selection. If anyone hurt me, even the king, they would be in big trouble. Well, besides Celeste. She gets away with everything.

We continue walking down the hall, our heels clicking against the floor. The silence is awkward, should I say anything? Will he say anything? What is going to happen?

We finally reach his office. The king opens a tall wooden door with a key, and pushes it open. I step into the room. It is magnificent, shelves upon shelves full of books in towering dark mahogany bookcases. I count five couches, three armchairs, and seven coffee tables. A huge desk fills up the center if the room, and behind it, a large fireplace. To top it all off, eight glass windows take up the entire back wall, letting in the moonlight. The king walks over to them, and with difficulty, closes the curtains. Why is he closing them? There is only one good explanation.

He is going to do something that no one else should see. That includes hurting me in some way. I slowly inch backwards, hoping to make it to the door before he notices. That's when I see it. In the corner, a faint red stain covered up halfway by a rug. I want to vomit. Blood. Maxon's blood. That's where Maxon is whipped. I need fresh air. The world starts to spin, and I take a step back, trying to escape.

"Not so fast, America." I hear a familiar voice say. "I've been wanting this for a long time." The chair in front of the desk swivels around, and I see Celeste. Could this night get any worse? I am seriously about to faint. Pull yourself together, America.

"Celeste? What are you doing here?" I manage to get out.

"Oh, just hanging out at the king's office." she sneers. "I'm about to watch you suffer, suffer like you never have before." The king walks over to me and sighs.

"Such a pretty face, I'm sorry to see it ruined. Actually, I'm not." he laughs at his own joke. "You were in the way from the beginning. Maxon isn't supposed to love you, let alone marry you. He made a mistake in eliminating Celeste. Now I am going to make him pay, or should I say make you pay. For I know that hurting you would hurt him more than anything." Sweat gathers in my palms and on my forehead. What am I going to do? The king and Celeste are practically threatening my life right now. Please, someone help me.

"How are you going to hurt me?" Is all I can ask. The king smiles, a small evil one. "Well, we can start with the whip, then move on from there." I lose my composure.

"You monster! Whipping your own son, then not caring if he's hurt or not! Whipping his loved ones just so you get what you want! How could you be so cruel?!" I scream.

"Cruel? I like to think of it as...keeping you in your place. When I'm done with you, you'll beg to return home. And you will, my dear. But in such bad condition you can't tell anyone what happened." He grabs my arm, dragging me over to the corner with the blood stain. I start shouting Maxon's name, but the king gags and ties me up. Celeste saunters over and drags a long red nail across my cheek. She pulls my face towards hers and whispers, "You know how I got to be here and enjoy this night? Well, I told you earlier that there is more than one way to get something you want. And I did exactly that." She watches my face as I register her words. That is gross. And despicable. Poor Queen Amberly. King Clarkson doesn't deserve a woman like her.

The king gets a long whip and brings it over. "Ready?" he asks. No, I think. He is bringing it down when I hear a voice. "Father, I heard some commotion in here. Are you all right?" Maxon! The king looks worried and quickly answers, "Everything's fine in here, Maxon. Just go to bed." I am about to give up hope until I hear the doorknob rattling. "I'm coming in, Father." Maxon says. The king and Celeste barely have time to do anything before Maxon bursts in. He takes in me tied up on the floor, and Celeste and the king standing by me, looking like deer stuck in headlights.

Maxon makes a sound that is angry yet unbelieving. "What do you think you're doing? Hurting a member of the Selection is punishable by death!" he rushes over to me and quickly looks for injuries after calling the guards. "Are you alright?" he asks after taking the gag off. I smile assuredly. "I'm better now that you're here. They didn't hurt me, but were going to." I tell him. The guards pour in and take Celeste and the king. He looks relieved, yet still angry. "We'll figure this out. Together. They won't get away with this." he assures me. I smile. "Together."

I'm worry this is so short, and crappy. As I said, family. But I hope this satisfied your thirst, and I will try to update soon!

Love,

Sara 3