Sorry it's been so long, I kind of got into writing my own novel but I'll try and make time to write more for this one too!
AMERICA'S POV
"Mom, I'm fine, I swear nothing has happened." I was trying to comfort my mother who was convinced that someone was sending me some serious hate-mail. Yes, it was kind of true, but I hated it when she worried.
"Are you sure? Do you need me to come stay for a week or so?" I smiled, my mother was very protective of me, more so now than when I was just a five. Before I could say anything to her, there was a piercing alarm.
"Mom, I've got to go, but I'll call you later, I promise." I rushed.
"America wait-"I quickly put down the phone despite her protestations, I wasn't sure if she had heard the alarm but, either way, she probably knew what was going on.
Since Maxon addressed the people about the letters two months ago we had had an attack a few times a week. It was awful, I practically lived down in the safe room; I was actually thinking about putting all of my stuff down there and moving in. I ran to my bookshelf in my study and pushed the book entitled 'how to stay calm in a crisis' and the bookshelf moved forward. I fell through the gap, closed the door and pressed a button that sealed the door with a metal sheet. Since the rebels had managed to get through the doors last time, some had been moved and all had been reinforced with these metal sheets that were supposed to make them impossible to get through, though I was unsure if that was true and I sure as hell didn't want to find out. I ran down a short corridor and then down the stairs. Before I knew it, I was in the safe room once more.
This part was the worst part, Maxon was probably up in the meeting room, which was much further than my bedroom, and so I always had to wait for him. I felt tense and couldn't settle anywhere so I always ended up pacing around the room. After what felt like an hour, but had probably only been a few minutes I heard footsteps and saw a flash of blond hair as the door opened and I ran into my husband's arms.
He held me tight as the door closed and I felt his breathing slow slightly, though I could still feel his heart beating fast on top of my own, clearly he'd been just as worried about me as I had about him.
"Thank Goodness you're safe. I practically ran down here." He whispered into my hair.
"You always make me wait, I wish you didn't." We both sighed as I pulled away and moved over to sit on the couch that against the wall next to the door. "So what's it about this time, do you think?" I asked in an exasperated manner. I was so fed up of these attacks, I wished they'd just leave us alone and get on with their lives, don't they have their own families and things to do other than attacking us.
"They want us to stop removing the castes as that would mean that there would be too much fluidity between people for when they take over." He said, clearly thinking that it was as idiotic as I did. "Any ideas on what to do?" He looked hopeful.
"Remove the castes." I said immediately. "I'm not giving in to some rebels."
"And let them keep attacking us in the meantime." He looked longingly into my eyes for a few seconds and then looked away, putting his head in his hands. "I don't like the idea that you're not safe in your own home. This isn't how it should be." He shook his head, I rubbed his back as a form of comfort.
"America, we need to discuss something, and I want you to listen to me before you say anything." He told me looking up and begging me with his eyes. I nodded. "I'm joining the army. Just for a few months" he quickly added when he saw my look of annoyance and disapproval. "I need to help end one of these wars and I can't do that from in here. I need to be out there, how can they follow me if I can't do it myself?" He was looking at his hands that he had in his lap. I reached over and took one.
"I understand. I can't say that I want you to go and I would certainly rather you stayed here with me but…I understand that this is something you need to do. But, you would have to promise me you would stay safe and write to me every day." I begged him.
"Only if you promise to write back." He whispered as he put his other hand on top of mine.
We stayed in the safe room for hours, chatting, working, doing anything to stay sane while the palace is probably ripped to shreds. Every time either of us thought we heard the tiniest noise, we would both instantly turn to the door, pleading that it would be a guard that would tell us that the palace was once again safe. Finally, that moment came when I spotted dark hair and green eyes appearing around the doorframe as the metal door swung open.
"Aspen?" I asked, smiling. I hugged him quickly. "When did you get here?"
"Just a few moments before they attacked, I did the best I could but it's difficult with a cane." He said softly, twisting his cane in his hand, looking down at it ashamedly.
"If the rebels are gone and my wife is safe, then you've done your job." Maxon said, placing an arm around my waist. Aspen smiled and nodded his head at him before leading us out down the dark tunnels that surrounded the main safe room.
"So how are things going, I hear that there's been a lot of pressure for a royal birth by the end of the year." He said. I looked at Maxon who was looking back at me, I would tell him, I thought, but I still wished he hadn't brought it up.
"Well, there's nothing on that front at the moment, but I plan to change that." Maxon winked at me and I felt myself blush, so I elbowed him in the ribs.
Finally, we came out into the bright entrance hall of the palace, I had to blink a few times before my eyes readjusted.
"So, where's Lucy?" I asked, it seemed strange that they'd been separated.
"Oh, she's still at home."
"As in Carolina? With your mum and brothers and sisters." Aspen nodded, beaming proudly.
"She said she wanted to get to know them without me and knew that I needed to be here, she sends her love and hopes to come at the end of the week, if that's ok?" He added at the last minute, like there was a chance it wouldn't be.
"Of course, you and Lucy are welcome here any time." I looked over and saw Maxon nodding as well. Their relationship still baffled me slightly but I was glad that they could have a good friendship as well. "I hate to go but I'd better go ring my mother back, she'll be beside herself." I hugged Aspen one more time, kissed Maxon on the cheek and then hurried off back to my study.
It was a mess. There were still a couple of maids trying to move the worst of the rubbish that the rebels had left behind, books had been thrown off the shelf, pages torn out. When I entered, the maids quickly curtsied but then got straight back to work. I picked my way through the mess towards the desk and sat down. I reached for the phone and was extremely grateful to discover that it was still working. I quickly dialled my mother who answered on the first ring.
"Hello, America? Are you ok?" She said very quickly.
"Mom, I'm fine. I'm perfectly safe here." I tried to sound calm, but I wasn't sure if I was totally managing as I was still a little bit shaken up by the sheer number of these attacks.
"And May? Did you find her?"
"What?" I almost screamed down the phone. Since when was May here, was she ok?
"She came to see you, I tried to tell you but you left. Oh, America do you think she's ok?" I shook my head out of shock. How could this be happening?
"I'll go do some investigating and ring you back. I'll be back as soon as possible. I'm almost certain she's fine." I said calmly, trying to reassure both my mother and myself.
"Ok, stay safe and I'll speak to you both later." I nodded.
"I love you, mom."
"I love you, too." I put the phone down again and sped back through the corridor upstairs towards the hospital wing. I had to find her, and surely she would have been brought here if she'd managed to get into one of the safe rooms.
"May?" I called out as I entered the busy hospital wing. A couple of maids looked up but no one said anything. After a quick scout that didn't reveal my sister's fiery hair I turned and exited the way I came. I raced down the stairs towards the entrance hall, praying that Maxon and Aspen would still be there, scanning the faces of everyone I passed.
"Maxon, Aspen?" I called out when I got to the top of the stairs that would lead towards the floor but neither replied. I sighed and headed towards Maxon's study, praying they'd be there.
When I finally reached the door, I pushed it open and saw a two shocked faces look up from the desk. I noticed Maxon quickly put something under a book before he stood to embrace me.
"Darling, what's wrong?" He asked as I sobbed slightly into his shoulder, gently stroking my hair.
"I can't find May." Through my tear filled eyes I saw Aspen stand and approach us. "Mom said that she came to say hi, but then the rebels attacked. I've checked the hospital wing, but she's not there." I started to sob again, Maxon held me tighter.
"I'm sure that they just haven't found her in the safe rooms yet. We'll find her, I promise." He kissed the top of my head and I let myself believe him, even if my mind was jumping to the worst conclusions possible.
Sorry again that it's been so long but I'll try not to be so long next time. I have loads of ideas for another fic, so keep your eyes peeled for me posting that one, if I get round to it. Either way, I'll try to neglect this one less. Please review! X