AMERICA'S POV

"The Queen's safe!" A guard called as they slid open the safe room door. I stared at him with a look of anger.

"Of course I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be? I was shut in the safe room away from everyone for hours. I had no clue what was going on, there was no way anyone could get in or that I could get out!" I shouted as I pushed him to the side and walked past him. "Now where is my husband?" I snapped, turning to look at him over my shoulder.

"Up in his room, Your Majesty." He said quietly.

I turned back and walked quickly up the stairs, towards the secret exit. The door itself had been ripped from the wall but it was now concealed by a bookcase that had been placed in front of the opening. There was no way that I would be using that entrance again, no matter what happened. It took all of my strength but I managed to push the bookcase forward just enough for me to squeeze between it and the wall. I stood up straight and looked straight in front of me at the bed where my husband lay. He was fast asleep, and for a moment I considered letting him rest. But that moment didn't last long.

"Maxon Calix Schreave!" I yelled. He woke with a start, sitting up so fast he hit his head on the headboard. A guard rushed in from outside the main doors but I quickly shooed him away and turned back to Maxon. "What the hell was that all about?"

"Good morning to you, too, my darling." He smiled, but I didn't return it and instead just scoffed.

"Don't you dare, ever do that again!"

"What, keep you safe." He laughed slightly, I just shook my head again and walked towards him. As soon as I was close enough he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me onto the bed.

"Leave me worrying in a safe room for God knows how long during a rebel attack. At least stay with me."

"You are the future of this country, you and my child that you're looking after for me." He said softly holding me tighter against him.

"This child won't be born for another eight months, at least. I need you now. And whoever this is is going to need their father. I just want us all to be safe."

"We will be; one day our children will run freely in the corridors without need for worrying about where the nearest safe room is. Until then I want to protect you, I need to be able to. It's the only way." We sat in silence for a moment. "I think you need to sleep for a while, I doubt you rested last night." I nodded and rolled over him, moving underneath the covers. I fell asleep the second that I felt Maxon's arms around me again.

MAXON'S POV

I was glad that she hadn't asked me about the attack. I was in no state to explain to her what had happened in the past hours. It was horrific, we lost so many guards (granted not as many as the rebels did) and I was dreading having to write to all of their families explaining. My advisors had told me that I didn't have to worry about it and that one of them would send a letter and some money to them but…I wanted to do it. They weren't there. None of them were out there fighting with us, none of them watched people fall all around them so that they could protect them.

I looked at her sleeping and when I was sure that she was fast asleep, I removed my arms from around her and rolled over. I sat up and reached over for my crutch. Dr Ashlar had told me to come up when I woke up and now seemed as good a time as any. I kept my weight between my left leg and my arms, allowing my right leg in its cast to stay lifted above the ground.

I hobbled towards the door slowly but fell at the last moment, my crutch slipping on a piece of paper and sending me toppling over onto my right side. I let out a gasp of pain as I landed on my bad leg.

"Maxon?" America whispered, I could almost hear the tears in her voice. I hated her seeing me so weak.

In an instant I felt her arms around me as she helped me stand again and led me back over to lie in the bed. It took longer than in should have for the two of us to hobble back over to the bed but it would have taken even longer if I'd tried to get up and do it all myself. She laid me down and pulled the covers back over me before sitting on the pillow next to my head.

"What happened?" She asked after several moments of silence.

"Rebel tried to shoot me and a guard jumped in front of me, accidently pushing me down the stairs and breaking my leg. He was dead before he could even apologise." Suddenly I felt tears falling down my cheeks but I continued, it felt so good to tell someone exactly what had happened. "Other guards came and eventually managed to get the rebels to leave and then I was found at the bottom of the stairs to the safe rooms after it was all over. I could have died if it wasn't for them and I barely know any of them. I didn't even know his name." America began to softly stroke my cheek but I pushed her hand away. I didn't want sympathy right now. "And now what's being done to them? The family of those who died will get nothing more than a letter and a little bit of money, then they'll remain living in poverty, as well as having lost their sons, brothers, fathers, lovers, whatever. And yet here I stay, with the woman I love, who is giving me a child, safely protected by them and I don't even know their names, and barely do anything to reward them. Well not this time. This time next week I want to invite each and every one of the guards' – dead or alive – families and tell them about the amazing sacrifices they make for this country. I need to stop these rebels before they take any more lives." I finished as my tears turned to anger. These rebels weren't just a nuisance, they were threatening my country, my people, my family and something would definitely be done.

"We'll get them, Maxon. And they will pay. I'll work on plans for the event, but I might be able to do next month much easier than next week, we need to give people time as well. I'll go and get the doctor to take a look at your leg." She rose and walked towards the door.

"Wait. Only let him come if he's free. I'm fine, if he's looking after anyone else then tell him just to come when he's looked after everyone else."

"You're the king, Maxon. You will always take priority, but I'll tell him." She smiled at me and then disappeared around the door.

I hated not being able to move properly, how am I supposed to run a country if I'm going to be pretty much bed-bound for the next month at least? I laid back in bed and I must have fallen asleep because the next time I opened my eyes I was looking into bright blue ones that were surrounded by bright red hair.

"Maxon, the doctor's here to have a quick look at your leg. I'm going to help you sit up." She told me and, despite protestations, grabbed me beneath the arms and helped me to sit up with my legs hanging over the bed, both touching the floor. Then America sat beside me and held my hand tightly to remind me that we were in this together, and I was so glad that we were.

There you go! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!