Hello! As per the request of one of my readers, I will now be leaving review responses at the end of the chapter, so check them out down below!

Anyway, thank you all so much for being patient and supporting me through everything! I hope that you're staying safe and healthy. Happy Holidays! Remember that I'm always here to talk if you have something on your mind. Also, let me know how you all like the new cover image for this fanfiction.

This chapter jumps a couple years further into Maxon, America, and the twins' lives. I honestly don't really like this chapter - I'm a little out of the zone, but I still hope you enjoy!

"Good morning, lovely," I whispered to Eadlyn, gently pulling her out of the toddler bed and resting her on my hip. My beautiful two-year-old yawned and buried her face in my neck.

"Mama," she murmured sleepily, making me smile.

Maxon, who was waking Ahren up from the adjacent bed, grinned. "Never gets old, does it?"

I shook my head happily, bouncing Eadlyn lightly. "We both have the day off, right, Maxon?"

"It's Sunday?"

"Yes," I replied, raising my eyebrows hopefully.

"Then we do," he resolved, smiling. "What's the plan?"

"I was thinking...maybe we could go out to the city with the kids." I looked down, knowing Maxon wouldn't be pleased with the idea. Being anywhere as a family without ultimate security was risky, especially in the months since Maxon had completely abolished the caste system. Though I was working on bringing people of different classes together with town hall meetings and different integration programs, Illéa was having a difficult time accepting the change.

"Ames, you know what I think about that," Maxon sighed. "I wish more than anything that we were safe outside the palace...but especially all together, I don't think we are."

I took a seat on the sofa in the nursery, bouncing Eady on my lap. With Ahren in his arms, Maxon sat down beside me. "The kids have been outside of the palace, what, four times in their lives?" I wondered aloud. "It isn't right. There's always going to be a threat. There's always going to be danger. But we can make the day trip as secure as possible. I want our babies to see more of the world than this mini bubble."

Maxon breathed out slowly, composing his thoughts.

"Daddy, I'm cold," Ahren mumbled, looking up at him expectantly. My husband kissed his head.

"Okay, I'm sorry, Maxon," I exhaled. "Let's get the twins dressed and fed. We can talk about this later."

"Alright." He leaned over to the right for a brief kiss, conveying peace, and I complied. Maxon and I had our disagreements, but the tension between us could never stay for too long.

"Mommy!" Eadlyn complained, squirming in my arms.

"Sorry, sorry," I laughed, tickling her stomach. Eadlyn immediately squealed with giggles.

Maxon started tickling Ahren too, and suddenly we were all doubled over, laughing. Maxon deposited Ahren on the sofa and quickly stepped away, grabbing his camera from the side table. Before I could register that he was taking a picture, the camera clicked.

Maxon winked at me. "Beautiful."

While Mia, one of the twins' caretakers, got the toddlers ready for the day, Maxon and I discussed our plans in his bedroom.

We sat on the edge of his bed, facing each other.

"Darling, I hope you know that I want to grant every wish you've ever had," Maxon began. "But as much as I want our kids to have the freedom you experienced, they have a vastly different life."

"I know," I smiled wistfully, putting my hand over his. "And I know that we're comfortable with different things. That's okay. I just want a little more of a compromise. Maybe once every few months, we can take a family trip outside? I just want our children to grow up with some sense of the world around them."

"So do I," Maxon added.

"Are we in agreement?" I asked brightly.

"Well...I suppose I hear what you're saying. How about this? I'll speak to security in a moment, asking them if we could make the trip. If they trust that they can ensure our safety outside, we'll head out."

"Perfect," I said, beaming. My smile was infectious, and soon Maxon was grinning too.

I kissed his soft lips, bringing my hands to his hair and running the locks through my fingers. Maxon's hands found my neck, tenderly massaging and holding me.

After a minute, Maxon broke away gently, a crease in his brow. I traced circles with my thumb on the back of his hand. "What's wrong?"

My husband shook his head. "I wish we didn't have to worry...about stepping a foot outside of our home. I wish you didn't have to worry."

"Don't be silly, Maxon. Life can't be perfect every second. You win some; you lose some. But I've won a lot more in my lifetime than I've lost." I held Maxon's gaze unwaveringly, making sure he could see my honesty.

Maxon smiled, flecks of gold sparkling in his beautiful brown eyes. "Thank you."

A half hour and a few kisses later, Maxon stepped out of our room to make the call to our security team, determining whether we could venture out. He returned after a few minutes, biting his lip.

"America..." he began tentatively.

"It's okay," I forced the words out, knowing what was coming. I should have guessed.

"I'm sorry," he grimaced, pulling me into a hug. "I'll make this right. Could we play some games in the garden with the twins?"

"Sounds amazing!" I choked out with false cheer.

I knew that Maxon saw right through me, but he pretended not to. Was I imagining the guilt that simmered in his eyes? "Beautiful!" he exclaimed, also brimming with strained brightness.

Maxon and I led the two-year-olds outside, where a couple nets and a small ball had been set up. The goal of the sport was to kick or throw the ball into the net. We played with the children for a while, enjoying their laughter and excitement with the game. The afternoon was going smoothly until Eadlyn tripped on the ball, face planting into the grass.

"Mama!" she shrieked, immediately gushing with tears. I rushed to her side, picking her up and bouncing her soothingly.

"It's okay, Eady. Just a small scratch, my love," I comforted her gently. Maxon came up behind me, making silly faces at our toddler until she was smiling.

"I'll go get her a bandage," Maxon offered, tousling Ahren's hair.

I frowned slightly. When I was younger, my family couldn't afford bandages for small cuts and injuries. We simply let them heal. On the other side of the spectrum, Eadlyn was a royal. She received the best care in Illéa, even for a minor fall. It made me beyond happy to know that my children would always be taken care of, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't getting enough of me passed on to them.

"Thank you," I said, though my chest felt heavy with disappointment. "Why don't I get some snacks for us while you're retrieving the bandage? The kids can play on their own for a few minutes."

"I can get some food on my way back. Eady and Ahren should be supervised," Maxon suggested.

Again, I felt a tug on my heart. The twins needed to find their independence, like my siblings and I had. Being constantly babysat wouldn't do them any good. A few guards were watching us outside for our safety, anyway.

"I think they'll be okay," I resolved. Maxon nodded and didn't question me, which felt satisfying.

"Mommy and Daddy will be back in a few minutes, okay?" I told Eadlyn and Ahren, who ducked their heads in understanding and went back to kicking the ball.

I slipped my hand in Maxon's as we headed back into the palace. We parted ways when Maxon got to the hospital wing, and I headed toward the dining room; platters of food lay there all day.

Before I reached the dining room, I heard voices drifting down the hall. "...receiving more death threats than ever before..." I frowned, going off course to investigate the situation in the security headquarters of the palace.

"Good day, gentlemen," I announced myself, stepping into the room. Nine highly ranked officers were sitting around the central mahogany table. Their chief was meandering around the room. As soon as I walked in, everybody stood and dropped to a respectful bow. I dipped my head in return, signaling for them to rise.

"How may we assist Your Majesty, Queen America?" the chief asked, seemingly perturbed.

"I was simply strolling down the hall when I overheard your conversation. Something about death threats, I believe? Why is this news to me?" I asked, glancing around the room. The men looked more than uncomfortable.

"Your Majesty, we are not able to disclose that information," the chief responded.

I raised my eyebrows. "Sir, I'm the queen. Please let me know what the predicament is. Does it have something to do with our inability to leave the palace grounds?"

The chief sighed. "I'm afraid I can't say."

I chewed on the inside of the cheek. What was going on? Since when were secrets of the royals kept from me?

Yet, a darker thought nagged at me. Who was the one person with a higher ranking than myself? Someone who could ensure that my own security team would be silent if I asked questions?

The king.

Note:

I've been receiving a lot of short, inconsiderate reviews recently that beg for updates:

Guest Reviews:

"UPDATE NOW"

"updateee plzzzzzz"

"UPDATE PLZPLZPLZPLZPLZPLZPLZPLZ UR SOOO GOOOD UPDATE PLZZZZZ :'("

"GIMME A CHAPTER NOW!"

"ACK UPDATE PLZZZZZZ"

"Please update soon"

Mally Review:

"You know? It's rude to leave people with this kind of cliffhangers"

Here's what I have to say. I'm sorry that I've been updating a lot less recently. I wish I could write weekly like I used to, but I'm now in high school. I have a family to spend time with, friends to catch up with, pets to take care of, household chores to do, homework to complete, books to read, and shows to watch. The truth is, I have a lot more on my plate than I used to. And commenting, "it's rude to leave people with...cliffhangers" just makes me frustrated. I'm not a professional author. I don't get paid to update fanfiction. There is nothing keeping me here but my love for writing, the Selection, and my readers' happiness and gratitude. I never try to leave y'all on cliffhangers, but sometimes that's how it goes. I'm simply not as excited about composing chapters as I used to be; for the effect that has on my upload inconsistency, I am truly sorry. I will always update when I feel ready to and am proud of a chapter. Thank you so much for respecting me.

On to the heartwarming reviews...thank you beautiful people so much. The kindness in this community never ceases to amaze me. Each and every comment makes me beyond happy.

Review Responses:

BlissfulBillie Review:

"I love how you told Maxons feelings and how the touch of him could calm America down so quickly. I can't believe your story is already 42 amazing chapters long! You have written so many great words! Love it!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

This is such a sweet review! Thank you so much for reading, lovely!

Guest Review:

"Wow, I just love it! Your writing is amazing, but please, update! But really, I love your writing, and I look forward to the point in my day when I get to read this!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

That means so much to me! Thank you!

vidhispatel19 Review:

"i love your story so much! feels like i am reading something kiera cass wrote. please update soon!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Wow, that is huge of you to say! Thank you!

Guest Review:

"Ahhhh I need more!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Lady Ellie of Illea Review:

"I liked this chapter very much! I enjoyed all the plot twists and how maxon is her rock that keeps her steady and reasonable."

WriterQueen123 Response:

I absolutely love your pen name! Thank you for your comment.

Virtue01 Review:

"Great chapter I knew he took the violin he had a good reason but he went about it the wrong way. I love how calm Maxon is about the situation and how well he knows America, he certainly can calm her when she is Very annoyed. Thanks for the update and stay safe."

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you very much for the thoughtful message!

Guest Review:

"so i love your story but i have one comment: kenna was going to have leo before she died. it is okay if you changed it and didnt make that part of the story but i just wanted to remind you. anyway i LOVE your story."

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you for you kindness! I do know that Kenna had Leo, but I just tried to focus on the main aspects of Maxon and America's story. Juggling tons of different side characters with different ages, stories, parents, and living situations gets pretty complicated. But thank you so much for letting me know! I hope it's okay that I left his story out :)

Guest Review:

"Are you still writing or are you done? If you are still writing, please update as soon as you are feeling inspired, because I love reading this. And it would also be really nice if you could move the review comments to the bottom of the page, so that people don't have to scroll through them unless they want to."

WriterQueen123 Response:

I'm not quite done with this story yet, but I'll probably end it around 50 chapters. Thank you for being so considerate! I hope moving the comments down helped!

Indiana Review:

"omggg i love this boook soooo much! you go girl and i hope u r staying safe during these unprecedented times!

-Indiana"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you so much, Indiana! I hope you're doing well too! Thanks for reading!

Guest Review:

"plz update soooooon ur doing do wellll"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Sorry for the wait!

Guest Review:

"It was amazing. Just one thing. In The Heir, Eadlyn mentions that the palace does not have a pool, but Marlee mentions one. And, even if that pool isn't in the palace, I don't think the security would allow Marlee and America to go out for a spa day."

WriterQueen123 Response:

That's true! Thank you for noticing! Some details in my fanfiction might not be exactly the same as the book, but I hope you can still enjoy and roll with it. I basically added a pool/spa wing of the palace. I totally get what you mean, though!

Guest Review:

"I love how you went into detail!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Maddie Review:

"OMG! I legit LOVE this series and you are as good as Kiera! I understand that you are busy but an update would be appreciated!"

WriterQueen123 Response:

Thank you! Wow, that means a lot to me! I appreciate your support so much!