After the One: A Connected Selection Series

Preparing

In less than a week, I'd thrown together the most illustrious party I had seen in my time at the palace. Showing off our wealth to the French was not seen as gauche, but it put us on a pedestal in their eyes. Although my style was not as expensive as the French, I needed to pull out all the stops to prove that Illea was still a worthy ally, especially in this new age of King Maxon.

May and Mom had come to stay in the palace for the past couple of days, as they were in training with Silvia reviewing French customs. Kenna and James were watching Gerad and Astra back at the house. Disappointed as I was that they couldn't come, I saw it as a blessing. I'm not sure how well a 7 year old would have fared with French royalty.

I was discussing floral arrangements with butlers when Maxon entered the Great Room. He had been disheveled the last couple of days due to the pressure of absorbing the Eights into the Sevens, as well as preparing to welcome the French. While his suit was crisp, his hair wasn't as slicked as it normally was. I didn't mind, though.

"Good afternoon, darling," he said, approaching me. He kissed my forehead and pulled me into him with one arm, rubbing my forearm with his hand. I wrapped my arm around him. We looked around the Great Room, marveling at how different this room could look depending on the event.

"Good afternoon," I replied. "How's work?"

"Stressful, as per usual. Nothing I'm not used to," he said with a smile. "How about you?"

I sighed. "I'm nervous. I hope everything looks okay," I said, my eyes meeting the vases of irises and orange blossoms. The floral arrangements filled the Great Room with the sweet aromas of France, and everyone seemed to be buzzing with excitement.

"America, it looks wonderful. I'm sure the king and queen will love it."

"What about Daphne?" I mumbled. Maxon squeezed my arm.

"Do not worry about her. She can be prone to hysterics, but it's nothing I haven't handled before," he finished with a grin. I playfully nudged him before walking away to examine the navy tablecloths being laid out by the maids.

"Are the colors okay, Maxon?" I asked, running my hand across the fabric. There was no response. I turned around and caught Maxon staring at me with a smirk on his face.

"Is that a new dress?" he asked, nodding his head in my direction. It was a new dress, and I knew he would love it. It was deep purple, and although not very tight, it had a deep back and a very low front. I smiled back and ran my hands down my hips.

"Why yes, Your Majesty. Is it to your liking?" He gave me a once over again and nodded. My lips lifted into a smile. I began to walk towards the edge of the Great Room. From there I shouted, "Is there anything else I need to be here for?" A chorus of "no, Your Majesty" confirmed that my job was done for the day. I playfully looked behind me as I exited the Great Room to see Maxon following behind me. I danced up the stairs to the third floor, and Maxon was still a few steps behind me.

I looked to my right, quickly deciding the Princess Suite would suit my needs. No one ever came to this corner of the palace, now that Maxon and I shared a different set of suites. Without looking, I entered the room quietly, holding the door open in front of me. A second later, Maxon walked in, already unbuttoning his suit coat. I closed it as soon as his body had fully entered the room. When I turned to him, he pushed me against the door, locking it with the hand that wasn't holding my face. My excitement made my breath come faster, forcing me to take breaks between kisses. I didn't mind so much when Maxon began moving us closer to the enormous bed. With his suit coat already on the floor, unbuttoning his shirt came quicker. The kissing slowed when Maxon chose to break us apart.