The one who got away: A Selection fanfic

Chapter 4

****Hi! So this chapter is dedicated to mortal_selection_fan, because she (or he) was my first (ever) comment!!! I just wanted to tell you that your comment really made my day :). By the way, I really love when I get commented on because that tells me that someone other than me actually likes my story. If I could get more comments, that would be great! One more thing (I'm really sorry for the long author's note but oh well) it might take me a bit longer to update since I'm writing on my phone, so be patient!!!! On with the story!****

Maxon's POV

I can't believe she's here. I mean, part of me had never stopped hoping that, one day, we would find each other and we would somehow get married. But now that she was here, I didn't know how I felt about it.

Of course I still loved her, I had loved her since the very first day. But now

that I was married with two kids, I wasn't sure that I was going to get my fairy- tale ending.

Oh, who was I kidding, how could I possibly end up with America, and the children, without Kriss hating me and there being a huge scandal?

"Your Highness?" An advisor's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Yes, Geoffrey?" I said, collecting myself. "I was asking you wanted to start pulling men from the lower castes." I furrowed my brow. "For what?" "The military draft, sir."

He responded, sounding a little irritated that I hadn't been listening to him. "No, of course not. A draft is supposed to be random."

Geoffrey raised his eyebrows a fraction of an inch, surprised by my answer.

We continued discuss other issues until a maid named Hannah- I knew because she always poured my coffee during meetings- told me that it was time for dinner. I bid my advisors goodbye and swiftly exited the room. When I came in to sit down for dinner, Kriss was already there. America came late, holding each child by a hand. No wonder they had become so close in such a short amount of time. Kriss cleared her throat. "America?" It sounded like an accusation. "She's our new tutor!" Anna sang. Kriss glared at her. "Anna, how many times do I have to tell you that princesses use quiet voices?" She asked sharply. "Or do you need to be taught a lesson?" Anna stared back at her, genuine fear in her eyes. "No, Mother." She responded with a quiver in her voice, letting go of America's hand to shakily curtsy. Despite being the cheerful, carefree little girl Anna usually is, she always acted this way around Kriss. I never knew the exact reason why, but I suspected that it was because of how Kriss was always so strict with her. "And, America, why would you be a tutor? You're a Five!" She said with obvious disgust. I very nearly elbowed her. "Kriss." I hissed under my breath. Fortunately, America had a response prepared. "Because of the Selection, my caste status was changed to three, and since I cannot play music, I decided to focus on teaching." She said confidently. That's my America. My America. How wonderful that still sounded, even after seven years. "I still don't understand. You have no experience teaching royalty." Kriss was still going at it, her tone haughty. Why wouldn't she just stop? "And yet, here I am." America said simply. My mother used to say that. It was then that I realized what a perfect queen America would have been. "But-" I cut my wife off with a look. Kriss always wanted to have the last word, and America was so stubborn. Chances were that if I didn't intervene now, they would have kept it up for the rest of dinner. Daniel spoke up. "Mother, why do you hate Miss America?" He asked softly. Kriss's head whipped over to look at him. I was surprised that he spoke in front of her, usually he was very timid around the Queen. "Because she does not deserve to be here, and I do." And with that she gave America one last glance, sharp as a needle, and sauntered out of the Great Room. I marched after her, my balled fists plastered to my sides. I found her in the hallway, facing an ornate tapestry. I came up behind her. "What were you thinking?" She turned slowly, her hands on her hips. "Why in the world is she here?" Kriss demanded. "Lady America is here to tutor our children, Kriss." She scoffed. "Don't you remember? She's the one who betrayed you? Do you recall how you caught her with a guard? Does that ring a bell?" It was my turn to glare. "I forgave her for that a long time ago." My voice dropped to a whisper. "When I realized how much I love her." "What was that?" She questioned. "Nothing of your concern." She started to walk off. "Oh, and Kriss?" She faced me once again. "Learn to respect America, because she isn't going anywhere." Kriss stared at me, shocked. "Good day. I have work to finish."

America POV

After the King and Queen left the Great Room, the children and I sat in silence, finishing our meals. Finally, Princess Anna said "Did you already know Daddy and Mother?" I was surprised at the contrast between the casual name she had for her father and the very formal one she had for her mother. They looked at me curiously and I remembered her question. "Uh, why don't we talk about it in the classroom." They followed me down the hall and we sat down on one of the window seats. I cleared my throat. "To answer your question, Princess-" she interrupted me before I could continue. "Call me and Danny by our real names, please. Not Princess or Prince." I raised my eyebrows. She was extremely intelligent for a six year old. "Uh, okay. To answer your question, Anna, yes. Your parents and I knew each other before I came to the palace today." Prince -no, not Prince- Daniel tugged on my blue tulle skirt. "But, Miss America, how?" I sighed. I had really wanted to refrain from telling them about the Selection. "Many, many years ago, before you were even born, I was a Five. I sang for a living. When I was seventeen, your daddy turned nineteen. When a Prince is nineteen, all the girls in Illèa from ages sixteen to twenty entered a Selection." Anna gasped. "Miss Silvia told me about that!" I smiled. That's exactly the kind of thing Silvia would do. "Did you enter, Miss?" Daniel asked. "Well, my family was very poor, and we needed the Selection money, but I didn't want to enter." Anna was confused. "But why not?" I bit my lip, wondering how to explain it to them. "Um, I was in love with someone else, but we, uh, broke up." Anna gasped, excited by all the 'drama'. "But, I ended up entering. And I was chosen." "Oh. Did Daddy not like you or something?" Danny wondered. "Actually, when your father and I met, I wasn't very nice at all. But we grew to be friends. Then one day, the guy from home showed up and became a guard." "Were you still in love?" Anna asked. "No, not really." "Then why didn't you tell Daddy?" "Because we were still friends, and I didn't want him to get fired." "Oh." She said, apparently satisfied with my reasoning. "Your father and I fell in love. I loved him more than anything. He told me that he was going to propose to me. Then, right before the planned proposal, he found out about the guard. He was mad at me for not telling him, so he chose your mother instead of me." I looked out at the garden, not bothering to wipe away the lone tear sliding down my face.