I awoke to the sight of yellow sunlight. I was in the hospital wing, again. Seriously, why couldn't I keep out of this place?
"Mer?" Maxon's sweet, soothing voice made me smile as he grabbed my hand. He was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "What the hell happened last night?"
"They ruined my dress. The last one Anne will ever design for me." I whispered and had to blink back tears as they threatened to resurface. Maxon shook his head slowly.
"Not that, I get that. I saw that. Mer, you were bleeding on the back of your head, that's why you passed out."
"What?" I asked, rolling over so I could see him better. As I did I felt a searing pain in the back of my head and had to bite my lip to stop from screaming. Maxon squeezed my hand.
"I was hoping you could enlighten me but, Kriss said you ripped up your dress and told her you would tell me it was her and then attacked her, she said one of the girls hit you with a bit of mirror to stop you from killing her and then you ran out the room."
"No, no, no. That's not what happened, you have to believe me Maxon!" I tried to sit up again and Maxon simply squeezed my hand even harder.
"I do. In fact, I asked all the girls to leave after they said that, I knew they were lying. I knew how much that dress meant to you and you would not ruin it because you wanted to 'lessen Kriss's chances'. I might not be able to cook as well as you, but I'm not that stupid." He chuckled at his last remark. And I smiled up into his eyes.
"What about the choosing ceremony?" I asked.
"I went myself and announced that I would be marrying you and that you had been forced into the hospital last night but assured them that you had already accepted my proposal. That is still true, right? Kriss hasn't scared you off?" He looked slightly worried.
"Maxon, are you sure you aren't an idiot? Of course I still want to marry you, and everything that comes with it." He leaned forward and kissed me on the lips, as he pulled away he held my head and stared into my eyes.
"I love you so much America, only you could go through all this and still make jokes and, even more importantly, still want to marry me!"
"I love you too, King Maxon." I smiled as he released my face from his hold.
"I'm afraid I have to leave, being King is an important job you know! I'll be back later for dinner." He kissed me again, lighter this time and then left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I played with the ring that had been inconspicuously been placed on my finger. It sparkled beautifully, even in the dark light of the hospital.
"Ames!" A small voice shouted from the other end of the hospital. I briefly saw Maxon wave as May, Mom, Kenna and Gerad came running to my side.
"Hi guys." I said, still mostly unable to move my head. "What time did you get in?"
"We got to the airport about an hour ago but we've only been in the palace for about twenty minutes. The King said that he wanted to talk to you alone before you saw us." It was strange hearing my mother calling my fiancée 'The King', but something told me I'd just have to get used to it.
May sat herself on the end of my bed and pulled Gerad up next to her. Mom chose the seat next to my bed where Maxon had just been sitting and Kenna sat on my bed on the other side.
"I'm sorry that this is probably not what you were expecting when you were invited to the chosen ceremony." I said, I really did feel bad, it was the sort of time when May would be able to feel like a princess, as I knew she longed to do.
"Dear, it's not your fault. Honestly, we're just happy you're alive and well enough to talk. When the guards told us that the ceremony had been cancelled and that you were in the hospital, I feared the worst. I thought that something may have happened that was caused by the rebel attack. We love you Darling, we're just happy you're safe." My mother said stroking my hair and pushing it from my face. We all talked for a long time, in fact before I knew it, Maxon was back.
When mom noticed him at the bottom of the hospital she quickly stood and encouraged Kenna, Gerad and May to do the same. As Maxon approached, he shook his head and laughed at my family.
"Sit, please. I am not the king with you, you are America's family, and we will soon be joined. Please stop all this formality." He sat on a chair that he pulled next to my bed on Kenna's side.
"When do I get to move?" I asked Maxon. I hadn't seen Dr Ashlar all day, and I was feeling much better now, anyway.
"Dr Ashlar wants to keep you in tonight and then, if all is well, you can leave in the morning." Maxon said, patting my hand. I groaned at the thought, I hated being fawned over in hospital.
"Please, order him to let me go." He shook his head, smiling. "What if I promise to be really good and come back every morning and every evening?"
"It's only one night, it won't kill you." I rolled onto my back. I hated lying in bed. "Could I have a few moments alone with America?" Maxon asked my family. "Dinner is being served in the dining room in a few minutes, please go and enjoy. You must be hungry." Gerad nodded and the four of them left to enjoy the food. I knew for a fact that they would love it just as much as I did.
Finally, Maxon and I were alone. He looked into my eyes and leaned in and kissed me passionately. I put my hands behind his neck and pulled him closer into me. Eventually, Maxon pulled away but put his head on my pillow, next to mine.
"So what happened last night?" He asked
"Um, I woke up, Kriss threw my torn dress at me as they all had me surrounded. Devastated, I left the room, Tuesday hit me and someone threw something at me. I ran to my room, called my maids, you came and then I woke up in the hospital." He was stunned into silence. I knew he had liked Kriss and I was fairly sure he didn't think she would ever do that.
"Clearly Kriss had a side to her that was so dark she never showed it until she wanted to punish you for winning." He paused and looked at me. "Why did I ever think she could be better for me than you?" I shook my head.
"Why did I ever consider giving up and leaving?" He kissed me again.
Finally, the food came, tonight it was beef stew. I smiled at one of my favourite dishes.
"You know, we used to eat this fairly regularly at the Singer household, obviously not as fancy but still…it reminds me of that time." Maxon smiled as if he knew all along, which he probably did. We talked all through dinner and until about ten at night when he decided he had to let me rest.
"Please, stay." I begged, but he wouldn't and kissed me as he left for the night. "Goodnight King Maxon." I called.
"Goodnight my Dear." He laughed as he said that, knowing I would be scowling at him. I settled down for the night, remembering the promise that I could leave in the morning.