Questions from S

Who's your favorite superhero? - Um, God first and foremost. Then it's a toss-up between Thor, Batman and Iron Man.

What is your favorite type of smartphone? - Not an iPhone, I know that! I have one because it's practical and easy to use but when I'm older I'll probably switch to a Droid or something. iPhones are just more practical for where I am in life right now.

"We cannot start over, but we can begin now and make a new ending." - Zig Ziglar

Lena Leger wrapped her hands around her mug of tea and looked around the room, her eyes resting on everything except for America and Maxon. They sat together on a loveseat across from her and her next oldest son, Beckner.

"We will give you full discloser, Mrs. Leger," Maxon promised. He had an arm wrapped around America's shoulders.

Mrs. Leger finally met his eyes sharply. "I think this is a conversation I must be having with America. With all due respect, Your Majesty." She glanced over at Beckner. "That means you should go as well. Go join your siblings in the other room."

America had arranged for maids to lay out a small feast for them in the parlor adjacent to the room they were in. Both boys stood, Maxon bending to give America a light kiss. "I'll meet you in the stables later, okay?"

She nodded and watched him walk out, dreading the conversation to come. "Mrs. Leger, I…" she began but she was cut off quickly.

"America, I am no fool. I know that he died a spiteful death and it probably had something to do with you and your husband gallivanting around the country when you should have been here, controlling everything and keeping everything in order." Lena's voice was clipped and sharp, showing America that she did indeed have some residual resignation against her.

America nodded and cleared her throat. "And you are correct. My husband and I are prepared to own up to all of the mistakes we made in these past several months. But if it were Aspen and you were in a similar position as us, I am sure you would have done little differently from what Maxon and I did."

"Is it true you killed a man? Just shot him, in cold blood?" she asked suddenly. "These are the rumors circulating about the country and I would like to know just who this girl was that my eldest son loved."

With a great sigh, America admitted, "Yes, it is true. But again…"

"How did my son die, America?"

"In a fire," she answered simply.

Lena shook her head. "I don't believe that. There is more to that story. Aspen was in excellent shape physically. How could he have died in a fire?"

"We weren't able to rescue him. It came down to rescuing Maxon or Aspen and I made my choice."

"And you chose Maxon."

Anger started to boil within America. "I chose my husband, the father of my children. I know that without Maxon I cannot survive. Obviously the same can't be said about my relationship with Aspen."

"He loved you and you just turned around and stabbed him in the back!" she suddenly exclaimed.

"Yes, Aspen loved me but that doesn't excuse him from anything he's done to me in the past."

"And what about what you had done to him?"

America took a deep, calming breath. "We didn't deserve each other. I'll be the first person to say that. Do you think it was easy for me to leave him in that house? I'll admit, if it weren't for Christian, I would have had a much more difficult decision to make but the fact is, Aspen isn't coming back. And nothing we say or do will bring him back. We'll send you the money he'd be earning still but I can't give you what you really want."

"That's not enough," she shouted, pulling a gun out of her purse and pointing it straight at America.

America stood and started backing away. She was about to yell but then Lena said, "You alert the guards and I will shoot you instantly."

"Aren't you going to shoot me anyway? You know I can't give you Aspen."

Lena shook her head. "I guess I just want to enjoy this moment."

America saw one of the guards step out from the hidden passage they'd been hiding in and he took in the scene displayed in front of him. She believed his name was Tanner. She stood up tall, lifting her chin in defiance. "Go ahead then," she challenged bravely.

Lena locked the bullet into its chamber as the guard rushed forward to tackle her. She shot the gun and America immediately crouched on the floor behind the loveseat she had been sitting on. Wood splintered above her head and bits of mahogany fell on the floor around her. More guards rushed in the room to help contain Mrs. Leger.

A guard found America and gave her his hand but Maxon was right behind him. He crouched on the floor next to her, putting his arm around her. "Ames, you okay?" he asked, looking her up and down to find any injury.

She nodded numbly. "I'm fine. She didn't hit me."

Maxon pulled her up and held her against his tall frame. She watched Lena get dragged out of the room. She was yelling obscenities at both Maxon and America and they could hear her yelling from down the hallway.

"I'm so sorry Your Majesty. We did check for weapons; she must've had it hidden on her body," a guard apologized to them both as Carter ran in.

"What happened?" he demanded. Marlee ran in right behind him, her cheeks pink from the run. She ran forward to hug her friend as Maxon bent to pick up the bullet lying on the floor across the room.

"Someone just tried to assassinate the queen," he informed him. He looked up at Carter. "This is a Mason's bullet," he whispered in a horrified voice. "The inscription is on the bottom." He tossed it lightly to his friend.

"Maxon, what do we do?" Marlee asked quietly. Guards were rushing around the room but they stopped when they heard Marlee's question. They looked to Maxon for direction.

He put his hands on his hips and thought for a few seconds. He was already dressed for riding and America noted how good he looked in his riding pants. "I want every guest in this palace checked multiple times. I want another round of background checks done on every guard. Carter, put extra guards on duty. If America, Christian or myself are in a room, I want guards stationed at every entrance and exit, including the hidden passageways and inside the room. Is that clear?"

The guards answered with an abounding "Yes Sir" and then set to work cleaning up the mess of wood and tea that had spilt.

Maxon went back to America and Marlee and hugged his wife again. His heart was still pounding from when he had first heard the gunshot ring through the first floor of the palace. "I think it would be best if we stayed in here for the afternoon."

She shook her head. "No, Maxon, I need the fresh air. I'll meet you in the stables in a half hour, okay? I just need to change into my riding clothes."

He looked at her for several moments, about to say no but he finally conceded because he knew he wouldn't win that battle against her. Or any battle really. "Fine. But please, have guards with you. In fact, Tanner, Avery, can you please escort her back to our rooms and guard the door?"

"Maxon, there are already guards there…"

"Ames, someone just tried to kill you. Please, just this once, let me be overprotective." He put his hands on her slim shoulders and kissed her, not caring who saw his passion for her.

Maxon whistled as America approached him in the stables. She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. He shook his head as he grasped her hands and held them between their bodies. "How did I ever find the idea of you wearing pants so appalling?" he joked, looking her up and down.

She shook her head at him as he pulled her closer roughly, tugging on the front of her jacket. "Hey now, I thought you wanted to go for a ride."

His lips touched her neck as he mumbled, "I'm starting to think a much different ride is in order."

She snorted and pushed him away playfully. "We are in public, you know."

"I'm just still calming down from earlier. I was so scared." He looked at her with wide, terrified eyes as he ran a hand through her loose hair.

She nodded. "Better me than you though," she whispered.

"What?" he exclaimed. "No, Ames, don't you ever think that! We are both equals in everything, okay? I don't know how I could live without you."

She looked down in shame. A stable boy brought her horse forward. "Let's not talk about this morning for the rest of the day, okay? Let's go have fun."

"Fun? What is this idea of fun?" he asked sarcastically.

She laughed and kissed the back of his hand. "I love you, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He looked down at her and kissed her gently. "I love you too."

I am so sorry I haven't updated in over a week! I went to Penn State last weekend and this weekend I'm going to Maryland so I figured I'd update and because I'm so awesome and just finished writing two chapters, i'll give you guys another one in like, twenty minutes! Thanks guys for sticking with me, senior year has been absolutely crazy!

P.S. Anyone watch last night's episode of Reign? Shit got real! (But lets be honest, shit is always getting real on that show)