Ok, so many apologies. I'm sorry this has been so long but my computer decided to break, then after I had written about 1500 words, it decided to delete it all. So, sorry for the wait. Anyway, here is the chapter, finally.
AMERICA'S POV
"What do you want?" I yelled at the girl locked in the chair. The fact that the rebel was a girl appeared to shock most of the people currently in the room but I wasn't fazed by it. She was still a rebel who had tried to kill me and my husband on the happiest day of our lives, I wouldn't let her off on account of she was a girl.
"And why should I tell you?" She spat back.
"Maybe because I am the one who will decide if you spend your last moments are happy or painful. You have directly attacked myself and my family, and I demand to know why."
"You aren't even Queen. You haven't been coronated, in fact neither has your husband."
"And yet we are still the sovereigns of this country. Now tell me, what do you want?" I moved closer to her face, and she squirmed back slightly in shock before speaking.
"What do you think we want?" She asked, relaxing into her chair.
"The crown." One of the advisors said from behind me. The first time any of them had spoken since we came into the room.
"Ha!" She laughed into my face, I felt Maxon step forwards slightly, ready to jump in to protect me at any moment. "We don't want the crown. We want to get rid of it." She looked past me to Maxon "of your family." She looked back at me. "Here you all are wearing lavish dresses, eating more food in a week than most people have in their lives. How do you cope with it? Especially you. You were one of us, hungry, cold. Now here you are, do you even care anymore?"
"What? You think that killing guards and putting the palace under siege are going to feed people? If you paid attention to the report or had any knowledge of what was going on in this palace you would know that we are working towards removing the castes and setting up food banks and trying to help people." I shook my head at her. "You're lying to us. And I don't have time for time wasters. Or scum like you." I turned to leave, I had gotten all the way to the door before she spoke again.
"I don't know why you're so against us. You want the same things as us, we're practically the same." I whipped my head around and stared her dead in the eye, anger brewing inside me.
"I am nothing like you. I do not kill people, I help them. And if you want to leave this place alive you will not lay a finger on anyone in this palace. Do you understand me?" She stared at me, stunned into silence and nodded once. "Good. Good day to you."
I walked out of the room. How dare she judge me and say I was anything like her, her rebel troupe had hurt so many people, including those I cared about. I thought about Anne, Queen Amberly, Celeste, King Clarkson, all killed at their hands. Then so many more injured and hurt because of them.
I was halfway up the main stairs again when I heard footsteps behind me and then felt two arms around my waist.
"I love you." Maxon whispered into my ear. I felt his hot breath on my neck and smiled.
"I love you, too." I whispered back.
"What are you thinking?" He asked as he removed one arm and moved to the side so we could carry on walking upstairs.
"I think that they're manipulating people, not telling them the full truth, lying to them, to get them on side. I mean, she clearly knew nothing of what had really been going on over the past month or so."
"I agree. In fact, she is going to be educated on what has been going on, with proof, and in two weeks' time we will be back here to see if she can give us any more information on the rebels."
"We'll be back?" I paused, considering the word. "Does that mean that we're going away on honeymoon?" Maxon nodded excitedly and I kissed him fiercely.
"Yep, two weeks of sun, sea and nothing but me and my America." He whispered as he pulled me in and kissed me again. I pulled away quickly and ran up the rest of the stairs towards my room.
"Where are you going?" Maxon yelled after me.
"I have to finish packing."
"We leave in one hour." He said, chuckling and then chased after me. I dove into my room and shut the door with a bang before he could catch me but I could still hear him laughing as he went into his own room.
Mary and Marlee came up after a few minutes but I was already halfway done by that point.
"Ok, what else do I need?" I demanded the moment they walked through the door.
"I doubt you'll need anything for your honeymoon, especially if the rumours of what staff have been interrupting all day are true." Marlee muttered and I threw a pillow at her and glared at her. "So I take it that there true then."
"Ok. I'm supposed to be on my honeymoon right now. I've had a bit of a morning, anyway I'm married now so it's not illegal!" I complained.
Maxon knocked on the door at around five and Mary opened it quickly before dashing back to fold more clothes into my case. I barely even looked up and carried on sorting through my jewellery instead. Soon, I felt his arms around my waist and his hot breath on my neck. He kissed me lightly on the cheek.
"How many necklaces do you think I'll need? Is this one better than this one?" I asked holding up a white pearl necklace in one hand and a string of rubies in the other.
"I'm sure whichever you pick will be just perfect, darling. As soon as you're ready we can leave."
"I'll hurry up then." I whispered, turning round to face him. I kissed him lightly on the lips and then turned back to my box of jewels. I felt Maxon sigh beside me and then walk away, the bed creaked slightly as he sat down on it.
After about five minutes I finally turned away and smiled at him, he raised his eyebrow to ask if I was ready and I nodded back. In a flash he raced over to me and picked me up, one arm under my knees and the other under my neck. I giggled as he raced down the corridors and down the stairs, until he got to the door where he lowered me to a sofa. I sat up and he held out a hand to help me up, which I graciously took.
Maxon led me out into the gardens at the front of the palace and into a white car with a chauffeur leaning against the bonnet. He bowed as we approached and then left to help the butlers carrying cases down the steps at the front door. I leaned my head on Maxon's shoulder and he began softly stroking my hair.
The car purred to a start and I sat up to glimpse the palace one last time for a fortnight. It was a strange feeling, I'd been here just over six months, and yet it was as much of a home to me as my house in Carolina. I'd only known Maxon for those six months, and yet we were closer than any of the people I'd grown up with…including Aspen.
I snuggled back into my husband and felt the car move slightly as we drove down roads, through the city and towards the airport. The windows of the car were blacked out, so no one could see us inside, but I could still see people wave at us as we went past, with huge smiles on their faces. It was hard to believe that we were a beloved king and queen, but we were still attacked more often than anyone wanted to admit.
"Darling, wake up." Maxon whispered, shaking me slightly. I opened my eyes and saw his face melt into a smile.
"Are we here?"
"Yes, my love. We have to get on the plane now." He kissed my forehead and I sat up as he opened the car door and stepped out. He offered his hand and I took it and stood next to him.
A few feet from where we stood was the stairs that led up to a private aeroplane. Gracefully, the two of us ascended the steps, both smiling and holding hands. Maxon nodded to the captain who saluted as we stepped on board and we took our seats at the far left of the plane. I sat first, next to the window, and Maxon sat beside me.
The chairs were utter luxury. I thought that I had become accustomed to the wealth of the crown and the palace, but these seats were white leather and stuffed with something extremely soft. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to sit on a regular chair again. In comparison to this one, the plane I'd come on at the end of August might as well have just been a cardboard box. Everywhere around me there was luxury. From the seats, to the bar that appeared to have several types of wine and spirits underneath it's counter. I could even smell something delicious coming from some form of kitchen that was somewhere on board. I looked back at Maxon who was smiling at me lovingly.
"I love you so much. Thank you for this, for all of this." I whispered as I kissed him firmly.
"For just a plane? You should learn to expect more from the crown." He whispered back as we parted. I began to stroke his cheek with one hand.
"Not just for that. For all of this. For forgiving me when I did the unforgivable. For loving me despite everything. For believing in me even when I don't."
"I love you, I would do anything for you, Ames. I will always believe in you."
"And I will always believe in you." I whispered as I settled into his shoulder again, comfortable by the side of my husband, King of Illèa.
There you go! So sorry about the wait again. I'll try and have the next chapter up a bit quicker, it's Maxon and America's honeymoon! Anyway, see you next time.