I can't believe that we're already on chapter twenty! I thought I would make a cover to celebrate but then I remembered that I am rubbish at anything like that so we're sticking with the no cover option, sorry! Enjoy this chapter (which is about a week or so after the last one).

MAXON'S POV

I got up at one in the morning most mornings, unable to lie there, trying to sleep any longer. Instead I decided to wander the halls of the palace, but everything just made me think of her and the decision I'd made. I turned down a corridor on the second floor and heard faint crying coming from the other end. I considered leaving again but then thought that whoever it was needed some comfort tonight, as did I.

"Marlee?" I asked when I got closer to her. "Marlee, what's wrong?" She looked up at me and wiped her eyes in a failing attempt to stop crying.

"I'm fine." She said and stood up, turning away from me.

"Marlee…"

"She thinks I hate her." She whispered. "The last real thing that I said to her was me telling her that I thought that she was a bitch, essentially. She apologised to me but I never did to her. I just thought that she wanted me to go so that I would see my family again, and I know that she meant well by it, but I just can't face them. I haven't spoken to them since Hallowe'en. I just wish I'd told her that, rather than just pretending to be angry with her. At least we could've come to some sort of agreement and we wouldn't have left it like that."

"Ok. I don't know if this is going to make this better or worse but the reason she wanted you to come is we were planning on getting married when we were in Carolina. But however bad you feel remember that I'm the reason that that is no longer going to happen. It's my fault." I sat down on the seat. "America will always love you, you guys are best friends. But I don't see how she's ever going to forgive me." Marlee sat beside me and put an arm around me in an attempt to comfort me.

"You're right, she won't forgive you. Because there's nothing to forgive. She understands what happened, and I know that she wouldn't blame you."

"You didn't see her after it all went down with you. She wouldn't talk to me for over a week because she though I hadn't done enough to help you."

"Yeah, but she didn't understand. She thought that you'd forced me to be caned, she didn't know that you'd saved my life. This time she knows the full story and it's what she wanted you to do. When we get her back home, everything will be fine. You two will get married and I'll live here forever because we'll be best friends again and she won't want to let me go."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now go and get some sleep, your majesty. I'm told you've got a meeting with Officer Ledger in the morning." She stood to leave.

"Marlee, do you want to come along?" She turned and smiled at me.

"I'd love to. See you at nine." She walked away.

"Wait how did-"

"I have my spies." She laughed as she turned around a corner.

I sat for a moment longer before heading back to my room. I still ended up just lying on my bed, not sleeping, just lying there. Still it was better than it was before I spoke to Marlee, I seemed to get some rest.

AMERICA'S POV

My brain isn't working anymore. I'm fairly sure it's only been a few days that I've been in this room but I have no idea what time it is. Whether it's day or night, whether I'm hungry or I just ate. I honestly have no idea what's going on. There's times where I'm not even sure who I am.

"Good morning, America." The man from last time greeted me, opening the door of my cell.

"Is it?" I asked and he laughed. He led me back to the room of chairs and I sat willingly.

"So, have you thought more about the locations of the safe rooms?" The man asked again.

"I don't even know what time it is, it's not as if my head's in the right place to think right now." I said, he sighed.

"Well, get your head in the right place, or else you'll never see your Maxon again. Or your family. How are they going to cope when they don't get any money coming in from you?"

"Maxon will take care of my family as best he can and, anyway, they're talented enough for them to look after themselves. We managed for years, with two more mouths to feed. I'm sure that my sister will help where she can and my mother can look after two children easy."

"And what about when he forgets and moves on and your family has to move back to Carolina and live in the tiny house you grew up in and struggle on like you used to."

"Maxon would never do that!"

"And what if Maxon doesn't love you as much as you think?" He stared at me and I just stared back, trying to not take what he was saying to heart. "Take her away, I've had enough of her for today." I happily stood and walked towards the door but was escorted back to my cell.

"You know, he would be a lot easier on you if you would just tell him the truth." He said.

"I do. I told him more than I want to. I'm here to protect my family and fiancé and I'll die before I'll fail in that mission."

"I'm not sure you can call him your fiancé anymore. He announced this morning that he was proposing to that Kriss." He shut the door hard on my face. And left me to wonder if he was telling the truth in the lonely, yellowish glow from the flickering light.

MARLEE'S POV

I was sat in the meeting with Maxon and Aspen, and I was bored. The two of them were just yelling at each other about something. It was probably to do with rescuing America but, I'd stopped listening an hour ago. They both just kept yelling! They had the same ideas as they had two hours ago and neither were listening. I'm fairly sure that they both blamed Maxon. I still hadn't had the full story of what happened. I mean, how had their driver been a rebel without anyone noticing? How had the car behind not noticed when it disappeared? I mean, the maids and everyone got back to the palace. Wait… they just appeared back at the palace with no idea, they didn't even go to whatever province it was that was their first stop.

"Hold that thought." I shouted as I ran from the room. I ran straight down from the entrance to the servant's quarters and prayed that Douglas would be in the staff room. Or if not someone who would know where he would be. Thankfully, I saw him as soon as I opened the door.

"Douglas." I said, running out of breath. "Douglas, you were driving the maids' car, right?" He looked at me and then silently nodded. "Can you come with me?"

"Ok…" He agreed and I led him back up the stairs and towards the room where we were having the meeting. When we entered the room they both looked surprised to see me and then even more surprised by the sight of Douglas bowing as he came in.

"Douglas, this is Officer Aspen Ledger and, of course, King Maxon. Guys, this is Douglas, one of the chauffeurs who was driving the maids' car the other night."

"Good morning Douglas." Maxon smiled for the first time in days, I could tell that he thought we may now be onto something. "Are you ok to answer some questions about the drive?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Ok, when did you notice the car was missing?" Maxon asked, Douglas looked scared and tense, I couldn't decide if it was because he was in the presence of the King or because he knew something.

"Um. Well, by the time we left the city I was quite a few cars behind him but I could still see the car. Then all of a sudden, I couldn't. I thought maybe he was just more in front than before so I stopped at the petrol station, where we had pre-arranged to meet up, and when he never showed I called the palace and when they couldn't get in touch with anyone, I came back here."

"Are there any turn offs into the woods around there?"

"One. That I know of anyway. It's pretty much just a disused dirt track, I've only ever seen tractors go up there." Maxon shot up and reached for the road map that he and Aspen had been looking at.

"Where?" he asked desperately. Douglas pointed to a spot and it was marked by Aspen with a pen.

"This is great. Thank you so much. Why didn't we think to speak to you earlier?" Maxon muttered before going back to a conversation with Aspen. I just laughed and turned to Douglas.

"They've been like this for almost a week, every day. I have no idea what they're talking about most the time. Thank you so much!" I smiled at him. "You can get back to your break now if you want." He turned to leave.

"Douglas?" Maxon called, Douglas stopped and I could almost see the fear rising in him. "Thank you for your help today, you may have just helped find the future Queen." Douglas bowed, smiling and walked out the room again. "And thank you, Marlee. That was a stroke of genius from you. I smiled and took my seat again, half listening to their chat. Though they still hadn't found her yet, I felt like they were now somewhere near the right page now. Maybe it wouldn't be too much longer before she came home.

Thanks for reading! Did you enjoy Marlee in this chapter? I thought she was great to write about. See you all next time and don't forget to review!