Hello readers! Please read the replies to reviews below and the next chapter will follow!
bja133 Review:
"I am still assuming that being royals, they would still have body guards around on their honeymoon. So I will imagine that they are frantically running around the caves looking for them."
WriterQueen123 Response:
You are correct that there are always guards stationed in the general area where Maxon and America are at all times. These are standard security measures taken for any important or possibly endangered person. However, it wouldn't really fit for me to explain that in the middle of a tense moment like in the last chapter. The whole point is that the characters as well as the readers are anxious, and it would take away from the scene to reassure you of their safety. Just imagine that guards scouted the tunnels beforehand, and while Maxon and America were touring them inside, were waiting outside at the ready. They had closed off the caves so that nobody would run in and bump into the royals and were sure that everything was secure. You can expect that this is the case for all of their outings. Thank you for taking the time to leave your thoughts!
xoxowb4ever Review:
"This chapter was really good! Keep up the good work! Can't wait for the next chapter!"
WriterQueen123 Response:
Thank you for the positivity!
Guest Review:
"ITS SO CUTE! I LOVE THEIR REALTIONSHIP! YOU ARE A FREAKINING WIZARD OR SOCERESS WHICHEVER YOU PREFER WITH WORDS!"
WriterQueen123 Response:
You don't know how happy it makes me to read these words! Thank you so much for commenting and supporting me!
Guest Review:
"Sooo um I just wanted to say America is a lot stronger than you play her out to be. She would have been a lot braver than all this. Also Anna died at the end of the one sooo there is that also. Finally Maxon does not call America Ames he calls her America or darling. Other than that I love this series. Love you 3"
WriterQueen123 Response:
I can understand how it might look like America is weak, but simply because she is afraid to lose her loved one doesn't mean she isn't strong. America has been through a lot since the end of the Selection, where I took the baton to continue writing her character. She has lost her father, almost gone through rape, and has taken on the stressful role of queen. Maxon is clearly her weakness, and my favorite aspect of their relationship is when they go from worrying about each other to comforting each other. Therefore, I believe her anxiety about losing Maxon in a dark, frightening place makes sense. I've addressed in previous chapters that I know that Anne dies at the end of The One. I have tweaked that detail to turn her departure into a bigger deal for a future chapter. Also, America is called "Ames" by her family, which Maxon is now a part of. (I have answered this before as well.) I have chosen to make that her nickname, and think it sounds kind of sweet when Maxon calls her that :) Thank you for reviewing!
Guest Review:
"Hey! I reviewed you story once before, I'm the one who read all twelve chapters at once if you were curious lol. Anyway, loved these as well! But America had been on a plane more than once, when she went home for her father's funeral. Anyway, your writing is amazing! Can't wait to read more!"
WriterQueen123 Response:
I'm glad you enjoyed the book to read all twelve chapters! It's a good point that America was on a plane for her father's funeral. I said it was her second time, but you're right that it would actually have been her third. I wasn't sure about that detail, but it's still a fresh experience for her either way!
Thank you all so much for commenting! Every time I get notified that I have a new review, I bubble over with joy and excitement. Thank you for gifting me with these wonderful feelings. I hope you enjoy the next chapter - we are still at Maxon and America's honeymoon.
Rectangles of light filtered through the edges of the curtains on our floor-to-ceiling windows as I woke up.
"Good morning, darling," Maxon whispered softly, delicately stroking my tangled, red curls when he saw my eyes blink open.
"Morning, Maxon," I mumbled sleepily, shifting my weight on the bed so I was facing him. "What time is it?"
"Past eight," he chuckled. "We're certainly getting a lot of rest."
"It's much needed," I snorted, snuggling closer to him. He put a strong, safe arm around me and I felt the light scent of his cologne drift around us. I sighed in contentment, feeling secure and loved.
"Do you want to know what the plan is for today?" Maxon asked, his eyes glimmering with excitement.
"How did you manage to plan every day for our two-week honeymoon?" I asked in wonder, placing a gentle kiss below his jaw.
"Anything to make my dear wife happy," he laughed.
"Well, what is it?" I asked cheerfully.
"We're going to fly! I've gotten us tickets to go zip lining. New Zealand has such beautiful views, and it'll all look even better from the air. Of course, the whole park will be closed specially for us."
"That's amazing, Maxon!" I said, a grin lighting up my face.
"I've never gone zip lining either, so this should be good," he said.
"I'd love to see you flopping around in the air any day," I giggled.
"Absolutely not," he defended, but Maxon couldn't hide the smile clearly in his eyes.
"When do we go?" I asked as Maxon rubbed my back, letting me relax into him.
"Essentially, whenever we want," he told me. "The place opens at ten, and it's reserved for us all day."
"Perfect," I sighed as Maxon massaged my shoulders gently, looking forward to an amazing day after a comfortable, late morning.
After a lazy morning, Maxon and I were driven in undercover cars to the zip lining park in the forest, about thirty minutes from our vacation house. We were given brand new harnesses, and my husband helped me pull mine on.
"There you are, America," Maxon said as he gently tugged the final strap into place. I thanked him with a swift, soft kiss.
"Where will we start?" I asked, gazing around the park. In between tall, lush trees were separate zip lines of different heights with all sorts of fun obstacles. The whole area was fresh and verdant mingled with the bright colors of the platforms and hurdles in the air. There were about thirty for us to try.
"Let's start at medium height," Maxon offered. I nodded and he took my hand, leading me forward into the woods. We had already been instructed on proper zip lining techniques and safety measures. We climbed up a shaky rope ladder and made it to the starting platform of the zip line Maxon had in mind.
The two of us stood thirty feet high. We buckled our double carabiners to the thick line. "Ready?" Maxon asked boldly, though I detected a slight quiver in his voice.
"Are you nervous, Maxon?" I teased, hitting his arm playfully.
"Not at all," he gulped quickly, trying to conceal his anxiety.
"Is it fear of heights?" I asked him with a hug.
"Maybe," Maxon admitted. "I'm fine on plane rides and standing on balconies, so I don't know why I'm getting jittery all of a sudden."
"It makes sense; you're all out in the open now. Well, if you can survive long, boring meetings with the advisors you can survive a little height," I joked.
"I know. Let's do it," he said bravely, averting his eyes from the ground.
"You sure you're ready?" I checked, glancing seriously into his eyes.
"Of course. This is just a first, is all," he reassured me.
"I'll go first, okay?"
"Sure," Maxon agreed. I gave him a brave nod and leaped off of the platform, yelping as I took off. My hands clutched the handle tightly, and I felt the wind whip past me. I was flying.
"Woo hoo!" I shouted gleefully as I picked up speed. Finally, the ending platform was approaching. I straightened my legs in front of me like instructed and hit the vertical yellow pad attached to another tree with a thud, though it didn't hurt at all.
Slowly, I caught my breath, a huge grin never leaving my face. "I did it!" I yelled victoriously to Maxon, who was about eight hundred feet away from me.
"Good job, Ames!" he shouted back as I stepped to the side of the platform.
"Your turn!" I replied. Twenty seconds passed, probably Maxon contemplating whether or not he could make it and being more terrified than he wanted to show. "You can do it, Maxon!" I encouraged him. Maxon closed his eyes and leaned off, the line catching him and speeding him forward. He gave a quick shriek before calming down and opening his eyes.
"Amazing!" he hollered, his voice distorted by the wind rushing by.
"Way to go!" I cheered him on as he neared me. At last, Maxon crashed into stand. He wore a smile of relief and excitement. "You made it!" I congratulated him, kissing him passionately when he regained his balance. Admiration for Maxon flashed through me. Yes, he had been nervous, but Maxon had pushed through despite mental obstacles.
"I could only get myself to jump off with the thought of you waiting for me on the other side," Maxon said honestly.
"I always will be," I promised.
After riding a few more zip lines, Maxon and I wanted to try the couples' one. Two zip lines were set up three feet away from each other, stretching across a small lake, so that we could hold hands while we went across.
We climbed up to adjacent platforms. Once our carabiners were safely hooked to the zip line, I leaned to my left and grabbed Maxon's right hand, my outside hand clenching the handle. He gripped mine tightly, as if it was a lifeline.
"On the count of three," Maxon said bravely. "One, two, three!" We jumped off together, soaring across the sparkling lake. It was a magical moment, the breeze ruffling my ponytail and instantly cooling me down. Energy charged through me as I enjoyed our thrilling ride. The lake faded into a field of long, lush grass. Finally, we reached the end. Maxon sharply pulled his hand away from mine to brace himself, and though I was completely safe, I lost my balance a little.
"Maxon!" I shrieked. We both hit the landing pad at the same time, and I felt myself relax. However, as I brushed the hair out of my face, I let out another cry.
"What is it, America?" Maxon called from the other platform.
"My ring!" I told him, my enthusiasm turning to dread. "When you slipped your hand away from mine, it must have slid off," I explained worriedly. "My wedding band is still on, but I suppose the gems on my engagement ring caught on your fingers."
"Oh, no," he muttered. "I'm so sorry, America! I'm going to find it; don't worry." He disengaged his carabiner and climbed down the tree as I did the same. We searched for the ring in the grass, pushing long stalks away and running our fingers through the soil. A few of our guards also offered to help search for the ring, so the five of us were digging around desperately, hoping to find it.
I knew that the ring was simply an object, and I was much luckier to have Maxon with me than any other item. He could easily order another with a similar design, but I still felt attached to the ring he had presented me the day after the rebel attack, when we became engaged.
After fifteen minutes, I didn't want to give up, but I knew it was nearly impossible to find the ring at this point.
"It's alright, Maxon," I said tiredly. "It's an item. We're more fortunate to have each other."
"You'll always deserve more," Maxon replied, holding my ring up triumphantly. A web of thin gold vines crawled up, forming the circle of the ring, holding at the top two gems. One was green and the other purple - our birthstones.
"You got it!" I exclaimed, running over to him. "How did you find it?"
"It was on the ground in between the grass. It's not too dirty, actually." He smiled warmly and got down on one knee. "America, I never actually got to propose to you formally. Well, here it is. I love you more than anything in the universe. You have the power to change my day from dreary to exciting. You are the best thing in my life, and I want to spend every moment of it with you. Will you keep me?"
I smiled lovingly, recalling the evening that Maxon proposed to me. "Every time," I promised, and our eyes locked as he slipped the ring on my finger, a symbol of our lasting love.