America

Being in Baffin was like being on an alternate planet. It was as if the world outside this island didn't exist. It was so isolated from everything that I found myself wondering why they had chosen this location to attack.

It was one of the island provinces of Illea and had once been part of the country Canada before the third world war. Shortly after Maxon and I arrived we realised the immediate threat had past and the only help we could provide was reassurance to the people that despite the tragedy that occurred their rulers were still there to protect them. We would stand against this threat together. The loss was tragic but initial reports of terror and panicked anger by the people were false. They were understanding despite their time of mourning. There was something very different about the people up here. The province had so few that I knew the destruction of three schools was an immense loss for them and had shaken the people to their very core but they were resilient. Fighters, just like me.

'America?' Maxon called, entering our room with a worried expression on his face and immediately I felt fear fill my heart.

'What's happened?' I asked getting up from the window I had been watching the Baffin Mountains from. They were tall and majestic almost like walls blocking out the skyline, keeping the rest of the world from invading this isolated island. Capped with fresh snow, lost in the sky of white clouds. There was a storm coming, darkness rolling over the area, threateningly.

'I just spoke with Adam,' he said cautiously.

'Is everything okay? I knew we shouldn't have left him. We need to get back now. There's nothing more we can do here anyway,' I rambled, hurrying up to Maxon.

'America, I need you to be calm,' he pleaded, placing his hands on both of my shoulders but my eyes wouldn't settle on him. I needed to know my children were safe.

'Maxon, just tell me,' I demanded anxiously.

'There was another attack on the palace,' He answered, watching me closely, waiting for my reaction.

'No,' I breathed, finally allowing my eyes to rest on his. 'Was…was anyone hurt?'

'Our children are fine, but several of the guards were killed in the attack and Harmonia was almost shot,' he continued, shifting his hands so they were holding mine. 'Justin was with her and got her out of harms way but he was injured.'

'How badly?' I asked, barely holding the tears which were threatening to flow down my cheeks.

'He'll make it,' he answered simply.

'Marlee, how's Marlee taking the news?' I questioned breathlessly.

'She's with him now, as well as Harmonia, she refuses to leave his side,' he replied and I nodded in response, processing all that he had told me.

'Why are they doing this?' I demanded, my eyes locking with his.

'I don't know America, I don't know,' he sighed, pulling me in close and I clung to his suit jacket, burying my teary face in his chest.

'We need to go back,' I said desperately.

'I've already organised a flight but they can't get us in the air until tomorrow,' he answered sadly.

'Tomorrow? That's too far away,' I said outraged, pulling away from him and swiping at the tears in my eyes. 'I want to be on a flight home now. Isn't there anything they can do?'

'America, if they could get us home now they would but they don't control the weather,' he said pleadingly, realising I was on the verge of a melt down.

'No, I need to see my children now,' I answered adamantly, moving to our door, eager to talk with the people who were keeping me from them.

'America,' Maxon said warningly but I was past the point of being reasonable.

'I'm getting us on a flight Maxon, you can sit there and wait while our children suffer. I can't,' I declared storming out of the room. The last thing I heard was his muttering and an exasperated sigh as he fell on our bed.

'How'd you go my love?' Maxon asked with a knowing smirk as I entered our room two hours later. The sun had well and truly set and there was no hope of us getting back to Angeles tonight.

'We will be in the air first thing in the morning,' I grumbled, pulling my hair out of it's tight bun. The whole ordeal had given me a headache.

'I'm sorry my darling, I was so certain you would be able to change their minds,' he mocked and I shot him an angry glare.

'Don't you want to get back to our children?' I demanded, fiercely.

'Of course,' he smiled, crossing to my fuming body. 'However, I understand that I have no control over the weather and neither do you.'

'I hate this,' I grumbled and he wrapped my reluctant body in a tight embrace.

'I don't like it either America, but we need to be patient,' he sighed, running a soothing hand through my wild hair.

'You know I'm not good at patient, where do you think Amberly gets it from?' I asked frustratedly.

'I know but it's only one night,' he soothed, placing a sweet kiss on my forehead. 'Why don't we try and get some sleep, so we have the energy to deal with all of this tomorrow?'

'I can't sleep right now,' I answered impatiently, pulling from his arms and moving aimlessly around the room, trying to keep my mind busy. If I stopped, my mind had time to think and that was dangerous.

'America, you need to rest,' Maxon scolded, grabbing my wrist to stop me from moving. 'You don't think I'm worried as well. I'm terrified. They nearly got Harmonia,' he said, taking a deep breath.

'I don't want to go through this again,' I answered in a quiet voice. 'It nearly broke me last time. I still have nightmares.'

'I know America, I sleep beside you every night. Do you really think this is what I want for my children?' He asked earnestly and I knew I was being selfish, but I needed to see them safe. To me they would always be my helpless children who needed my protection, no matter how big they grew.

'I'm sorry Maxon, I'm just scared,' I sighed, my shoulders slumping with the weight of my worry.

'I am too, my love, but there is nothing we can do tonight.'

'I know, I just feel so helpless and I hate feeling this way.' I answered in annoyance.

'I feel the same but we are no use to anyone if we faint from exhaustion when we get there. So why don't you and I get some rest and tomorrow we'll see our children, and deal with everything that has happened.' He suggested rationally. I don't know how he did it sometimes. Even after all these years I still didn't know how to be rational, despite having five children. How they managed to survive at all with me as their mother would always be a mystery. I guess Maxon made up for any short comings I possessed and had managed to keep me relatively calm most of the time.

'Maxon, I need them to be safe,' I whispered.

'They will be, I promise,' he answered with certainty but my heart wasn't as sure.

Maxon

I knew she wasn't asleep and it was for the same reason I couldn't sleep. I needed to physically see my children to know that they were truly safe. I hadn't told America about Adam almost being poisoned because I didn't need her to worry about another thing but it didn't stop my mind from running the millions of possibilities of how they could kill my children. I couldn't lose any of them and I knew America couldn't either. You weren't meant to outlive your children.

Rolling over again I felt America shift beside me and then she was out of bed, leaving me cold and alone. It was a place I never wanted to be. I opened my eyes to see her cross to the window and look out at the darkness, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm.

'America,' I said, pushing up in the bed, looking at the worry lines on her face which were illuminated by the moonlight.

'Maxon, I can't sleep. If I close my eyes all I see is my children's lifeless bodies and I never want to see that, not even in my dreams.'

I knew exactly what she meant but I couldn't let her be like this, we needed to be strong when we got back to the palace not only for our children but for the rest of Illea. They needed to know we weren't worried about the attack. They needed to believe we were strong when faced with this challenge.

I threw the covers off me and move over to her, feeling the chill hit my bare chest before I pulled her against me, tucking her head perfectly under my chin.

'Maxon, what if they go after Amberly?' She asked, wrapping her arms tightly around me. I had thought the same thing after I got off the phone with Adam. He told me the message they had left suggested that they were going to go after the rest of our children once they killed him but what was to stop them from doing it now?

Amberly would be the perfect target. She was away from him and in a country that had never suffered from the threat of rebels. They would be unprepared for the attack. I knew Anthony would protect her and so would my father but how did they protect against something they didn't know was coming. I wanted to bring her home but I knew she wouldn't be any safer here.

'I'll call Frederick when we return and warn him,' I assured America but it did little to quell the fear in my heart. All I wanted to do was protect her but I couldn't. 'It's going to be fine America, we will make it through this.' She didn't answer me, instead she held me tighter and I returned the favour. We stood beside the window for a long time, until finally I could convince her to come back to bed with me. I held her close under the covers, wishing I could protect her from all her fears just by holding her in my arms, but I knew I couldn't.

At some point she drifted into an uneasy sleep but I couldn't bring myself to close my eyes or slow my racing mind. Often America would stir in my arms and I knew she was dreaming of all the horrific ways our children could die. Throughout our entire lives she had suffered from nightmares. I felt responsible for every bad dream and every sleepless night she had since becoming my wife and before. My life had traumatised her and yet still she remained by my side and every day I wondered why, but was forever grateful that she did. I could never have made it through this life without America. With anyone else I would have easily become my father and I might not have even realised it. It would always be my greatest fear, after losing America or my children.

Finally, the sun rose above the mountains, casting a warm glow across the room and I was relieved to see the skies were clear to travel, not a dark cloud in sight. Looking down at my beautiful wife, I realised she had finally, drifted into a calmer sleep and I begrudged waking her, afraid this might be the last time she could get any. She was always so peaceful and vulnerable when she slept, when she wasn't having nightmares it was the one time in her life I knew she wasn't fighting. I didn't know how she did it. She had been fighting her whole life, for survival, for me and now for our children. I just wished there would be a time when she didn't need to fight anymore. I wanted to give her that life but I knew with who we were we would never have that life.

'Maxon,' she mumbled, stirring in my arms which still held her tightly. Her head was resting on my chest, her red hair fanned out over me and it was the only way I ever wanted to wake up.

'America, we should probably get ready to leave,' I said reluctantly, watching as she pried her eyes open, still red from the lack of calming sleep she had last night. I had no idea what I looked like but it couldn't be much better.

'Hmm,' she mumbled, before trying to push up and away from me but I kept my arms encircling her, not ready to give her up yet. 'Maxon.'

'Five more minutes,' I whispered, closing my eyes and pretending I had been asleep as well.

'Fine, but only because I'm too tired to fight you on it. Then we need to go,' she answered trying to be playful but I could hear the heaviness in her words.

'Whatever you want my love,' I smiled, placing a soft kiss in her hair and nestling back in the pillows for five more minutes with my wife. I felt like our entire life had been a collection of five minute moments. Ever since our wedding we'd barely had time to breathe. Immediately, our shoulders bore the responsibility of a country and raising children. We were so young and the mountain we needed to climb was so tall, even now I didn't think we had made it any farther then the base. It seemed every time we got close the mountain only became larger until the peak was hidden in the clouds and it seemed impossible to ever find the top let alone reach it.

Adam

I stood outside the dining room doors where the girls were having breakfast. Scents from the meal and light conversation drifted to me through the slightly open door and I ran through the list in my head. Ten girls, that was all that would remain after today. I was still deciding who it would be, so I couldn't enter yet. I wished my mother was here so I could discuss it with her but she and father were still flying back from Baffin. I still resented my father for his inability to protect my mother from grandfather but I knew I needed his help as well. I was just too proud to admit it to him.

I wanted to call Amberly but I didn't have time and I had dropped a lot on her yesterday and I knew she wouldn't be dealing with it well. I just hoped the prince knew how to deal with my sister when her world started to crumble around her. I couldn't even think about my grandfather without anger burning up my veins. Instead I thought about my decision.

Melody, Aurora, Tiana were all lovely girls and I knew they wouldn't be my future wife but I hadn't really spent enough time with them. Piper was different from the others and so was Alice but she was a different kind of unique. Medea, was my only serious option. She shared so many of my interests and she was intelligent. The perfect candidate for a princess and future ruler of Illea.

Aisling. After yesterday, I wanted to send her away, far away. This life, my life, was dangerous and if I kept her here I knew I wouldn't be able to protect her from everything. It was impossible, there were just too many threats. Every threat to my life would become a threat to hers and I wasn't sure it was a risk I was willing to take. I couldn't lose her, but could I bear to send her away just to keep her safe?

She was the one who saved me yesterday. If she hadn't been there I would have died. I was still no closer to determining who had contaminated my food, even after yesterdays extensive interviews. There was a common link between everyone I had talked to and that was a person who no one had known had somehow immersed themselves in the kitchen yesterday and no one had questioned it because they believe the story the person had spun them. They were there as a replacement for Marlee and Georgia who couldn't make it but they had mysteriously disappeared after breakfast. No one could give me a definitive answer on their appearance so I was left with no answers to the mystery.

Now, I needed to make my final decision before sending the other girls home. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the doors open and prepared to informed the girls of the decision that would change my life and theirs and there was still one girl's name rolling around my head moving between staying and going but never settling on one place.

Aisling

I watched Adam from the second he entered the dinning room. His shoulders were tense and his brow was etched with concentration. He sat alone amongst the royal chairs with his parents still away and his brother and sisters not here. He barely touched his food and ignored all attempts at conversation from the other girls. As the plates were being cleared, I watched as he took a deep breath and stood, looking straight ahead not making eye contact with anyone, but staring intently at the back wall, his face emotionless.

'Due to recent events I have come to a very difficult decision,' he announced, his voice as devoid of emotion as his expression. 'The palace isn't a safe place anymore. Therefore, I will be narrowing the competition down to the elite.' Several of the girls gasped in surprise and others shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, already knowing their fate. I was just confused.

'I will announce the girls who will stay with me here at the palace whilst those girls who don't hear their names will be asked to leave and return to their homes. I know it seems rash but I don't want to put any of you in unnecessary danger.' He sighed, his hand twitching at his side and I knew he wanted to run it through his hair but was holding back.

'Anastasia Keeper and Rai Johnston,' he announced and my heart began to beat faster. He continued listing the girls, and with every name that wasn't mine I felt my heart squeeze a little tighter in my chest. I didn't know how much I wanted to stay until I thought I was leaving. As much as I had fought Adam, I realised, finally, that I didn't want to leave him. Quickly thinking about our time together I knew I wasn't ready to be eliminated yet. I wanted to stay, for Adam and for me.

He had done so much for me and I had been nothing but ungrateful towards him. If he was a lesser man he would have given up on me. He would have sent me away, but he didn't. He had wanted me and it was a feeling I had rarely felt in my life.

My mother may have wanted me but she died before I knew. My father didn't have the courage to fight for me and Malvolia only wanted me gone. Flora had been the only person who had loved me in my life but she wasn't here anymore.

I recalled Adam's words that first night when I woke up. I was yelling at him and treating him with nothing but contempt and still he stayed beside me. I didn't know what the feeling was swelling in my chest but I knew I needed to stay to find out. I needed to stay for Adam, but he hadn't said my name yet and there were only two places left.

'Corabella Westminster,' he continued and then there was only one spot left. Girls all around me were crying whilst others were still looking at him hopefully. I sat in my seat, my stomach a bundle of jangling nerves, my hands twisted tightly in my lap. I needed to stay. I never let my eyes leave Adam and finally his blue ones found mine, just like that night at the ball only this time I was the one watching him. I don't know how long he stared at me as he stood there in front of the other girls but to me it felt like an eternity. I was pleading with him to keep me. I wanted this chance, the one I had thrown in his face several times before. I just hoped it wasn't too late.

'And,' he drew out the word tearing his eyes away from me to look at the back wall again and I held my breath, afraid for his next words. It had to me, it just had to be.

'Aisling Zander,' he said. 'I apologise to those who didn't make it and I wish you all the best with the rest of your lives. Thank you for giving me the chance to meet you all.' With that he spun and left the room.

It was silent for a moment before the room erupted into joy and misery. Those who were staying clung to each other and those who were leaving tried to console one another whilst I sat motionless in the madness. What had just happened? When had my feelings changed? Or had they always been this way?

I didn't notice, that the others had begun to clear out until Alice squeezed my shoulder smiling down at me knowingly before following the others out of the room, leaving me alone at the empty table.

Slowly, I got to my feel and left but I didn't know where I was going. I walked around the place in a daze and suddenly I found myself outside Adam's office. I didn't even know I knew how to get to Adam's office until I heard his voice from within speaking with someone. I guessed he was on the phone because it was only his voice I heard and he sounded stressed. Finally, the room fell silent and I heard him let out an exhausted sigh. I had never thought about Adam this way. I knew he was a prince but I had never wondered what that meant. I had been so selfish, my problems were nothing compared to what he was dealing with. Why had he even bothered with me?

'Aisling?' Adam's sudden voice startled me and when I looked up I managed to slam my head against the wall.

'Ouch,' I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head as my cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

'What are you doing here?' He asked, not bothering to hide his amused smile.

'I…well,' what was I doing here?

'Actually, I wanted to talk to you,' he said motioning for me to enter his office. I hesitated for a moment before going in ahead of him, still rubbing my head. I stood awkwardly in his office, not sure where to go. I clasped my hands in front of me as I heard the door shut behind me and Adam's footsteps coming closer. The silence was frightening and it wasn't something I was used to with Adam. I wanted to fill it but I had no idea what to say.

'Aisling, come over here and sit with me,' he laughed and I looked over to find him by the couch in his office, waiting for me.

'Okay,' I mumbled, shuffling over and perching myself on the edge of the couch. I felt Adam sit beside me and my muscles tensed. Why was everything so weird now?

Again, there was silence. I needed to be the one to fill it. I had been so selfish and he had been nothing but kind and understanding.

'Adam,' I finally said turning to face him but immediately I regretted it because it was hard to look in his eyes. Ducking my head I forced myself to continue. 'I'm so sorry for everything. I've been horrible to you and you've been nothing but understanding.'

'I know this has been hard for you Aisling,' he answered reasonably and I hated that he was being reasonable about this.

'That doesn't matter, you didn't deserved to be treated the way I treated you,' I said firmly, angry at myself for how I had acted.

'Its fine Aisling,' he smiled.

'No, it's not, you're under so much stress already and I was just making it worse. Why did you let me stay?' I demanded, finally bringing my eyes back to his.

'Honestly, I was going to send you away,' he said guiltily.

'I know, I could tell,' I answered in a small voice, thinking back to breakfast.

'It's not for the reasons you think,' he replied reaching for my hand and for once I didn't fight him. Instead, I welcomed the warmth and familiarity of his touch. Why had I never seen this before?

'I don't want to leave anymore Adam. You were right, all this time you were right,' I whispered, looking at his hand that easily covered my own.

'You have no idea how happy that makes me,' I could almost hear the smile in his voice as he squeezed my hand. 'This morning, I had no idea if I was going to send you away or not. I wanted to keep you safe and I thought the only way I could do that was to keep you as far away from me as possible. My life, it's dangerous and I never really noticed before. I didn't want to put your life in danger. I thought that if I could keep you safe it didn't matter whether I was with you or not. I thought your safety would come before my heart,' he sighed. 'But I was wrong, as soon as I looked in your eyes I knew I couldn't let you go. Everything seems to make perfect sense until I look in your eyes.'

'I want to stay with you,' I whispered, not daring to look up at him. 'You really scared me this morning. I realised I wanted to stay more than anything and it was a little frightening.'

'Well, I'm glad you've finally realised what I've known all along,' he chuckled.

'I'm sorry it took me so long,' I apologised

'I'm just glad you figured it out in the end.' He said squeezing my hand and resting his other under my chin, forcing my eyes to look into his.

'Adam,' I said in a small voice. 'I'm not going to be a good princess.'

'Aisling, we have time. We don't need to rush this,' he smiled, moving his hand to cup my cheek and I instinctively leant in closer.

'What if I'm terrible? What if I ruin everything?' I asked and I could hear the dread and uncertainty in my own voice.

'It's lucky you'll have me then, isn't it,' he answered arrogantly. 'All you need to do is be you. That's all I'll ever want you to be.'

'Who's me?' I asked, confusion lighting my voice. What was so special about me?

'You'll figure it out,' he whispered, brushing his lips across my forehead.

'What do you see Adam?'

'I see everything in you Aisling, you hold my world.'

'How can you say that? You're the prince, future ruler of Illea. How can I mean so much?'

'Aisling, I could own all the treasures in the world but I would still be the poorest man alive,' he answered and I could only look at him in confusion. 'Without you, none of it is worth it. You're the most valuable thing in my life.' He was so confident and intense, I had no choice but to believe him but his words were terrifying. How could one person have that much passion? Yet, despite my fear, I also felt excited.

'Aisling?' Adam asked, a little hesitantly. 'If I kiss you now, would that be okay?' I didn't even take a second to think his words over, instead I pushed up on my knees releasing his hand and resting both of mine on his shoulders.

'Is that a yes?' Adam asked with a confident smirk, resting both of his hands on my waist.

'Adam,' I answered warningly, moving my head closer to his until our noses were touching.

'I have just one question,' he whispered and my eyes were trained on the movement of his lips. 'What dream do you see now?'

'You,' I murmured, wishing he would just shut up and kiss me.

'Finally,' he breathed and I felt it ghost across my lips but he still refused to close the distance.

'Do you really want to kiss me Adam?' I asked impatiently, shifting the weight on my knees.

'Little dreamer that's all I've ever wanted to do,' he smiled, moving a hand to the back of my neck, wrapping the other around my back pulling me flush against his chest and finally his soft lips gently met my own. I instinctively moved my hands from his shoulders to his soft sandy hair, tangling my fingers in it. He shifted me, trying to move me on his lap but my dress got tangled and the world tilted. Suddenly, I wasn't on the couch beside him anymore.

'Oomph,' I grunted as his body landed on top of me, his chest crushing mine.

'Aisling, you okay?' He asked worriedly, pushing up and brushing the hair from my face.

'That was smooth,' I chuckled, looking up into his steel blue eyes.

'Could use some practice,' he smiled mischievously.

'Oh really?'

'Yes.'

'They do say practice makes perfect,' I muttered as he lowered his head back to mine.

'You're already perfect,' he murmured before capturing my lips again.

Anthony

Amberly was in my room. Not only was she in my room but she was in my bed. I hadn't stopped thinking about it since last night when she fell asleep in my arms. I didn't even sleep because I didn't want to miss a moment. I didn't care if she woke up and yelled at me for hours, this moment would get me through anything.

She was lying back against my pillows, under the blankets, lost in her dreams and I couldn't tear my eyes away. I was now lying beside her, just watching her sleep. It was getting pretty late and I knew I needed to get up but I just couldn't. I was beginning to think that anything between us might be impossible, yet there she was.

Suddenly, she shifted and her eyes fluttered open, still red and puffy from the night before but she was as breathtaking as ever.

'Anthony?' She mumbled, her voice weighed down by sleep. If this was how we woke up everyday for the rest of our lives I would be the happiest man in the world.

'Yes, love?' I murmured, not hiding the smile that spread across my lips.

'Have you been watching me all night?' She asked. I could hear the accusation in her tone and it only made me smile wider.

'Yes,' I answered simply.

'Why?' she demanded, sitting up so she was glaring down at me, all remnants of sleep disappearing as she set herself to scold me.

'Because you're beautiful,' I answered, staring up at her as the sun streaming through the window glinted off her tousled hair. Immediately, her face relaxed and she looked down at me curiously.

'Anthony, we need to talk,' she said seriously, but I wasn't ready to give up my bliss yet.

'We have plenty of time to talk, later,' I smiled, reaching over and taking her hand, rubbing my thumb in soothing circles over her palm.

'Anthony,' she muttered weakly, shifting closer to me without even realising it.

'Yes love?' I smirked.

'That's not fair,' she whined in a small voice her wonderful blue eyes never leaving mine.

'You made me face off with your grandfather, this is definitely fair,' I answered, pulling her closer. However, at the mention of her grandfather her body stiffened and I saw a wall fall down across her eyes.

'Amberly?' I asked worriedly, sitting up and facing her.

'What am I going to do?' She asked hopelessly.

'I don't know,' I whispered, pulling her tentatively into my arms wishing I had all the answers to her problems.

'I want to go home,' she whispered into my chest and my heart stopped, my hands tightened around her. I couldn't let her leave.

'No,' I answered firmly.

'Please Anthony, my family's in danger, I want to be there for them,' she pleaded but I only held her closer. Believing if I held her tight enough she could never leave me.

'All the more reason for you to stay here. I'm not going to let you go home so you can put your own life in danger,' I answered with finality.

'Anthony, you don't make my decisions,' she answered angrily trying to push out of my arms.

'You're not going Amberly, you're staying here where I can keep you safe.'

'I need to do something,' she growled, still attempting to wriggle out of my arms.

'You're staying here, please Amberly I can't lose you,' I begged, fear lacing my words. She was silent for a long time, giving up on her attempts to get out of my vice grip.

'I'm scared Anthony, I don't want to lose my family and now everything with grandfather,' she trailed off, sadness settling over her.

'We're going to get through this Amberly, I promise,' I whispered into her hair.

'How?' She asked in a soft voice.

'Together, always together,' I murmured, placing a gentle kiss in her hair. She nodded her head and then we fell into a comfortable silence where I was just content to have her in my arms.

'Love?' I asked after what seemed like hours.

'Hmm?' she mumbled, lifting her head off my chest to look at me with her beautiful eyes.

'Does this mean you're willing to give me a chance?' I asked nervously, desperately waiting for her answer.

'Hmm,' evilly she pulled away from me, pretending to think my words over as my heart skipped several beats in anticipation. 'I don't know.' She smiled mischievously and I wondered how much I had truly rubbed off on her. 'You need to answer one question for me first.'

'Anything,' I answered eagerly and if I had any dignity left I would have been embarrassed by my desperation. Luckily, when it came to Amberly I had already kissed my dignity goodbye. Wearing a diaper in front of your love's grandfather would probably do that to a man.

'What is this?' She asked dangling the ring box that had been hidden under my pillow since I was sixteen. She must have found it when she was sleeping on my side of the bed.

'Umm, well…' I stuttered rubbing my hand up and down my neck nervously.

'How long have you had this?' She asked, twirling it in her hand thoughtfully.

'Seven or eight years,' I admitted reluctantly. How did she know just how to ruin me?

'Really?' she asked, surprised by my answer.

'I've known I've wanted to marry you for a long time Amberly,' I replied and I watched as her eyes went wide looking accusingly at the ring box.

'When were you going to give it to me?' She asked her brow furrowing in confusion before turning her piercing eyes on me.

'Well, I wanted to give it to you when you first arrived and then when I couldn't I wanted to give it to you at the ball. I even took it with me to the ruins of Buckingham palace but you were so intimidating. I was afraid you would reject me,' I admitted in a soft voice.

'I already agreed to marry you Anthony,' she answered as if that was the most absurd excuse she had ever heard.

'If I recall you have told me serval times that you could never be married to such an arrogant, childish prince like me,' I smirked and I watched as her face flushed pink.

'Well, you pulled all those pranks and I thought I was going to be saddled with a child for the rest of my life.' She answered sheepishly.

'And what do you think now?' I asked, shuffling closer so I could take the box from her.

'You're okay, I guess,' she shrugged, hiding her smile.

'Just okay?' I prodded with a smile of my own.

'Definitely room for improvement,' she answered, keeping her eyes from my own.

'Oh really?' I chuckled, taking her hand in mine and her eyes quickly snapped up to my own.

'Are you going to proposed to me Anthony?' She challenged, looking at me with determined eyes.

'Are you going to say yes?' I countered, holding the ring box firmly in my other hand.

'Why don't you ask me?'

'Amberly Magda Schreave, you are the only girl who has ever been able to reduce me to a bumbling fool. You have held my heart since you were young and mercilessly kept it from me for all these years,' I smiled and watched as I finally saw the look in her eyes that had been staring back at me all these years in the mirror. 'You're demanding, stubborn and most of the time, impossible.'

'Wow, tell me what you really think,' she deadpanned.

'Are you going to let me finish?' I asked teasingly and she gestured for me to continue.

'You never let me get a word in and scold me relentlessly when I try to make you laugh.'

'Anthony,' she warned and I felt my smile consume my entire face.

'But, you are everything I will ever need in this world. You're beautiful beyond compare, more intelligent than anyone I have ever met and have a kind and compassionate heart. You make me what I need to be. You're the half of me that makes me a man. Please Amberly do me the honour of spending the rest of your life with me?' I asked pulling my hand from hers and opening the ring box to reveal the ring I had picked out so many years ago. On the red cushion sat a heart shaped diamond ring, simple but elegant. Everything that Amberly was but more importantly I picked it so she would always know she held my heart.

I sat in front of her completely exposed and every second which ticked by made my heart beat a little faster.

'Amberly, will you marry me?' I asked, afraid she had maybe misunderstood me, but she continued to sit motionless in front of me staring down at the ring. Maybe she hated the ring.

'If you don't like the ring, we can change it. I'll get you anything you want,' I rushed out.

'No,' she answered finally. 'Its perfect, everything's perfect. Of course I'll marry you Anthony.' Finally, I was able to release the breath I had been holding in anticipation of her answer.

'Really?' I asked dumbly as she reached for the ring, watching as the light played off it, rainbows of colour dancing on the walls.

'Don't sound so surprised,' she laughed, and I knew that was a sound I would never tire of. 'Sometimes, even you are capable of being charming.'

'I thought you said you'd never fall for my charm,' I smirked taking the ring from her.

'I've been known to be wrong,' she replied as I slipped the ring on her left ring finger. 'It doesn't happen often but this time I'm glad I was.' My heart soared as I looked down at my ring finally sitting on her finger.

'You can never take this off,' I said, keeping a tight hold on her left hand.

'I love you Anthony,' she whispered and my eyes quickly flicked to hers.

'I think you know I love you too Amberly,' I answered, unable to control the smile that spread across my face.

'Everyone knows, you weren't really quiet about it,' she teased.

'When am I ever quiet?'

'When you're planning something, it's the silence you need to fear,' she answered knowingly.

'Glad to see your catching on,' I whispered, pulling her in so her lips were centimetres from my own.

'It took me a while to understand,' she muttered, her eyes focused on my lips.

'You were a little slow,' I mocked, earning me an elbow to the ribs. 'I love you Amberly.'

'You said that,' she muttered, her breathing shallow.

'Get used to it, I'll be saying it for the rest of our lives.' I quickly captured her lips with mine, silencing any further comments from her. I was never going to let her go again.

So everyone is getting a little love in this chapter, even Maxon and America :) Hope you enjoyed it.

Thil, no more waiting for some Amberly and Anthony, I hope this has satisfied you for the moment :) I hope this was soon enough for you.

Maxamerica love, hope you enjoyed the Antherly scene, that boy appears to have finally won our princess's heart. At least he has finally put his ring on her finger. You know you read my mind, I had planned on a Maxon and America POV for this chapter, I hope you liked it :) Thank you for your wonderful review :)

To the wonderful guest, who just wants a happily ever after for Amberly and Anthony, I hope you enjoyed his proposal, even though they were already technically engaged :) I guess it's better late than never. I suppose some might say we're at their happily ever after but I'd say we're not quite there, yet.

lola5147, I love that you have fallen in love with my story and I hope you continue to enjoy it, you're wonderful :)

Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing my story, you're all amazing. Happy reading wonderful people :)