What's your favorite subject in school? - English, Spanish, Physics and Strength Training. I have the best teachers for English and Spanish; they're like my other mommies at this point. Physics I really like just because I love the challenge of it even though I'm not very good at it. And yes, I'm one of those people where gym is one of my favorite classes. but we have really nice weight room in my school and I love lifting (I just maxed out on my squat the other day with 245!).

Do you have any role models? - My sister and Audrey Hepburn, because they're both the definition of perfection.

"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."

He looked taken aback sat up straight, dazed. "Yes?" he told her, unsure of why she was upset. "What's wrong with that?"

"Maxon! Someone is trying to kill us and you're letting him run around the palace by himself?"

He coughed back a laugh, realizing now that it really wasn't a big deal and that it was just his wife's raging hormones. "Ames, he was just in the conservatory with half a dozen guards watching him."

She let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands up in the air. "I can't deal with this right now," she finally said, holding up a hand to stop him from saying anything from her.

Nodding, he raised his eyebrows and gestured to the door. "Would you like to dramatically stomp out of the room?" he suggested.

"Princesses don't stomp," she snapped but she proceeded to anyway. She could hear his laughter follow her all of the way out of the room. She headed to her bedroom, tears starting to come to her eyes. She was so tired of her erratic emotions and she thanked the Lord to the moon and back for having a husband that found it hilarious if not a little terrifying.

She furiously wiped away the tears and slowly walked into the Princess's Suite. She stroked a hand on the door of the armoire that led to the secret passage Marlee used and wished she could talk to her best friend. But Marlee was busy completing the background checks and security tests that America and Maxon had asked for.

Then she looked over to the doors that led to her balcony and craved the fresh air. She threw them open, letting her curtains billow all around her. She looked up at the sky, starting to darken into golden embers. She walked over to her piano sitting by the doors and lifted the cover on the keys. Her fingers brushed against the ivory and she felt a craving to play that she had not felt in years.

She looked around as if someone was going to stop her and then took a seat on the stool, tying her hair back. With her hands hovering just above the keys, she closed her eyes and listened to her surroundings. Storm clouds were rumbling in the distance, the thunder echoing loudly off of the snow blanketing the city. She could hear the bats chatting in the forest. Some guards were being rowdy in the barracks entrance in the gardens.

The music swelled around her and flowed through her into her fingers. She let it guide her hands over the keys and played what her senses told her to play. She lost track of all time and became lost in the music. As she drew the song to a close with one last, haunting chord, she looked over at the door and saw her husband watching her. She looked away immediately, ashamed of her attitude towards him earlier.

He smiled and walked toward her, standing next to the piano bench. "Can I sit here?" he asked, moving toward the seat to sit in it.

"No," she snapped. He quickly backed away, shoving his hands in his pockets. She sighed and tears instantly gathered in her eyes again. She didn't want to be so waspy with him but she just could not help it. "I'm sorry," she mumbled miserably.

Foregoing her refusal, he took a seat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. He put his fingers under her chin and guided her face up to look at him. "Don't apologize. If I couldn't handle this I probably wouldn't have married you."

"Thanks for the honesty," she muttered.

He chuckled and kissed the top of her hair. "You're starting to show," he commented.

She nodded. "Yep," she sighed. "Are you excited?"

"Words can't describe how excited I am. I missed this part of pregnancy with Christian you know. Now I understand why that architect with the tenements complied with you so easily," he told her.

She leaned her head into his shoulder and kissed his neck. He shifted so that they could be closer and clutched her to his chest as rain just started to patter on the marble of the balcony.

America woke up the next morning, smiling with anticipation for the day. She stretched and turned over to wake up her husband but found the bed empty beside her. Frowning, she sat up and looked around the room. Thunder boomed overhead the palace and she groaned aloud. There was an envelope sitting on Maxon's pillowcase with a yellow tulip and white peony; her favorites and also their wedding flowers. She picked the note up and read it, chewing on her bottom lip.

Ames, my dearest,

I just had to call you my dear and don't worry, this isn't a sonnet. I decided to save you from my horrid attempts at poetry.

Today marks our third year of being together. I wanted to make this day outrageously ceremonious but alas, we seem to have some prior obligations. At least, I do. I would love more than anything to put them off and spend the rest of the day with you but matters are very pressing. So do me a favor, okay?

Put on the dress hanging in the front of your closet and meet me in the throne room at noon. There we will celebrate.

Dax

She smiled and giggled, flattered by his note. It was not a sonnet but it was still cute. She dashed out of bed and ran to her closet, finding a white lace dress hanging inside. It was winter and the day promised to be cold and rainy but she knew the palace would be warm because Maxon told the maids to keep their princess comfortable.

She called for her maids and they informed her that they had specific instructions from Maxon in how she was supposed to look. She grinned and let them dress her up like a doll. Her hair was now hanging loose around her waist and was curled into tiny ringlets. She wore the same pearl necklace and earrings she wore on her wedding day, taking them out of a box she kept under lock and key in her closet for the first time in months.

Her happiness and excitement for the day made her want to skip down the hallway but she knew that it was not appropriate behavior for a princess so she suppressed the urge. The throne room was on the first floor just off of the ballroom. She strolled inside, seeing her husband perched on the armrest of his throne waiting for her.

He had a full bouquet of yellow tulips and white peonies in his hands and she briefly wondered where he had found those flowers in the dead of winter. He smiled as she walked in and approached her. "Hello wife," he greeted, wrapping his arms around her warmly.

"Hello husband. You look very handsome." And he really did. He was wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and a yellow tie with Aegean blue accents on it. The yellow in his tie made his brown eyes pop. "And what do you have planned for this afternoon?"

He sighed. "Well, I have a budget meeting at two but until then I am all yours. I was thinking that this room is pretty private and it does hold a tremendous amount of meaning in my life. Maybe we could, I don't know, take part in certain pleasures?"

"Maxon…" she said in a shocked voice. "You sound like such a teenager. Ruled by your hormones."

He laughed. "You are the pregnant one, my dear. Besides, we have an ever shrinking list of rooms we have yet to take part in such activities in and an ever growing list of children running about the palace, risking discovery."

"Maybe we should save it for some day when we're forty and looking for an adventure," she suggested.

He frowned suddenly and pulled away ever so slightly. "You don't want to?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do. It's just, with the baby and everything…"

"The doctors said it was fine…"

"I'm just scared…" She was cut off by his mouth crushing hers, making her arch back to sink into the kiss. She felt the flowers brush her back and she was reminded that he had actually planned for this.

"Come what may," he whispered against her lips.

She sighed, nodding. "Come what may."

Someone started clapping from behind them, making them pull apart to get a look at their visitor. America saw a young man, probably Maxon's age, standing in the open door with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "How touching cousin," he called to Maxon, stepping inside.

"Liam," Maxon greeted with a cool voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd pay a visit to my dear cousin and his wife. Maybe congratulate them on their blessing." His voice made it clear that he had no intention doing such a thing.

America backed into Maxon. So this was Liam Station. The resemblance between the cousins was subtle but she could see it in Liam's brown eyes. In the way he could not seem to stand still. She could hear Maxon's heart pounding with her head just a couple inches from his chest. "Just tell us what you want Liam," she told him, her voice coming out a lot more steady than she was feeling.

"What do I want?" he asked. "Hmmm, I think your job and country would do just fine. Maybe your little family can get thrown in there for good measure."

Maxon shook his head. "Forget it. Now leave before I call for my guards."

Liam laughed. "You haven't changed one bit, have you? Remember how you'd call for your guards whenever we fought when we were little? Well good luck calling for your guards because they're a little incapacitated at the moment. No thanks to me."

"I'm not fighting you Liam."

The cousin grimaced, pulling a sword out of a sheath on his hip. "I'm not giving you a choice. Fight for your country Maxon. Fight for your country like every good king should."

Maxon didn't need to be told twice. He walked over to the wall where a sword was hanging with a shield and pulled it down, slicing it through the air a few times for good measure. Then he went back to America. "Go upstairs, please," he begged quietly.

"No!" Liam exclaimed. "She stays here. I want her to watch you die."

"She won't be watching me die," Maxon growled, assuming his stance. America had never seen him with a sword. In fact, she'd never really seen him fight. And he had said that Liam always beat him when they were kids. If he ever had to beat his cousin, now was the time.

Liam smirked. "We'll see about that," he sneered, advancing toward Maxon quickly.

Their swords came together with a loud clang, louder than America could imagine. They parried for a few seconds and then jumped when the rebel alarm suddenly rang out through the palace. They only hesitated for a second before they were back at it. They seemed evenly matched but America had no idea what to really look for in this fight.

Amberly ran in and took in the scene before her. She saw America and started to run toward her. America backed up and drew the other sword from the wall, surprised by its weight. She was more comfortable with guns. Amberly drew a dagger out of her dress and charged toward America.

America sliced the sword through the air but Amberly ducked under it, anticipating America's swing. She threw her arms around America's torso and threw her on the ground with the blade pressed against her throat. She squirmed, the weight uncomfortable on her stomach. "Let go of me," she growled, staring into her mother-in-law's eyes.

"I don't think so." Amberly grabbed America's jaw and twisted her head painfully so she had to look at Maxon and Liam fighting.

Maxon now had a deep gash in his arm but Liam had blood trickling from a spot on his side. Maxon suddenly thrust his sword forward, slicing deeply into Liam's wrist. Liam let out an animalistic shout and stumbled back a few steps, clutching his wrist. Liam fell to the ground, crouching and somehow shrinking away from Maxon. "You won't kill me," he stuttered out.

Amberly rose slightly, keeping America trapped firmly on the ground. Maxon shook his head and stalked toward Liam. "It's a shame you'll never get the chance to know."

The siren was still blaring and to her horror, America felt a cramp rising inside her stomach. The guards had to be looking for them, right?

A masked guard ran in and Amberly rose, dropping her dagger in surrender to the guard. The guard looked frightened and confused, not knowing who to help first. "Guard, arrest the queen!" Maxon ordered, not taking his attention off of Liam.

But then the guard ran forward and drew his own sword on Maxon. Surprised by this turn of events, Maxon stumbled back a few steps and was pushed up against his throne so he was seated in it. "How appropriate for the king to die on his throne?" the guard growled and America's heart froze. She recognized that voice. Beckner Leger.

"No, Beckner," she pleaded.

Amberly turned and kicked America in the side, knocking the breath out of her. She gasped for air, black spots appearing in her vision. She blinked, refusing to take her eyes off of Maxon. Liam was flopping on the floor, probably bleeding out from his wound.

With his sword poised at Maxon's throat, Beckner said, "This is for my brother." He withdrew a gun and pointed it at Maxon's forehead.

A single gunshot rang through the room.

oh no oh no oh no...what just happened? yeah, I'm really bad at action scenes so I'm just sending you all waves of apologies right now. anyway, review please!

but first, I really have to speak my mind. I'm not one of those people that complains about not having reviews; I'm cool with it getting two one chapter and ten the next chapter. I understand that some chapters are more reviewable than others. but here's the thing: the majority of you guys seem to want me to give you the long ending and I'm fine with doing that it's just that with an ever more demanding schedule, updating is getting harder and sometimes it's a letdown to carve out this time for so little of a tangible award from you guys, such as reviews. (that was really long sentence, wasn't it?) so, just ponder that and i'll think more on it too.