A Twisted Fate

Chapter Thirteen

¨America!¨ She exclaimed, hugging me tightly. I could hardly breathe and I laughed as she removed all the air from my lungs.

¨I missed you so much your majesty,¨ I responded after gasping for breath, and I matched it with a small curtsy that she smiled warmly at.

¨I am so happy to have you back,¨ she hummed, ¨Maxon was so different after you left, and when Aspen said he'd seen you my son was brighter, happier, more desperate to have you return...I think Celeste is pleased too.¨ 

Beaming I nodded, ¨I'm so happy that you enjoy having me back...it's an honor.¨

She pat my back and I took that as a sign to walk away. Nodding respectfully I headed to my room. The white door was cracked open and when I nudged it, to see what was happening I caught Lucy and Aspen in the middle of a kiss.

When they pulled apart Lucy spotted me, ¨my lady!¨ she exclaimed.

¨No need,¨ I said, ¨Aspen, I am pleased to see you've moved on, finally, and Lucy I am just as happy for you.¨

I got a warm smile from one and a goofy grin from another, "thanks," Aspen smirked. I rolled my eyes at him.

Walking to my bed I fell onto the cushioning and fell asleep almost instantly. It was refreshing as I slept and I felt so pleased to be back at the palace.

.   .   .

Me and Maxon were on another date, already. As he took my arm gently and placed it in his we walked down the flights of stairs and towards the door.

The back entrance we normally went through was crowded with guards, spending their off-time flirting with maids and muttering about the selection. Hopefully, it was nothing bad about me.

Turning a corner they collided with a girl.

"Oww!" I moaned, "I think I twisted my ankle."

Maxon used his firm, muscular, arms to pick me up and he placed me on a wooden bench that was surrounded by thin shrubbery and pots of strikingly colorful flowers.

I heard sobs coming from the ground, looking down I realized the crying girl had an expensive purple day dress on. Kriss! One of her heels had flung itself across the room and she stifled a wail as Maxon's back faced her.

"I thought you cared!" She cried. Guilt stuck to my heart as I limped up, trying to soothe her. "Maxon you stole my first kiss from me! It should've been at our wedding...or possibly the wedding I'll have with another."

Sighing Maxon said, "Kriss I care about you, that kiss wasn't intentional on my behalf but who says you can't cherish the memory? I love America even if Illea won't accept her."

"But I wanted to be your wife! I wanted to be the mother of your children! I wanted to tour endless countries with you and save Illean's from poverty and homelessness..." I nearly scoffed at her, this wasn't the mature, ladylike, Kriss I had known. If she was too much of a beggar she didn't deserve Maxon. 

I could also tell Maxon had enough of it when he said, "fine, I'll come to your room tonight after dinner."

By then maids had found them and they ushered Kriss to her room. I sat there, pushing back the pain in my ankle, "I'm still up for that stroll you know," I told Maxon but he shook his head. 

"America, I want you to be safe...even if that means giving up this moment. I want to make sure you're healthy so we can get married and enhance the experience," he explained.

Rolling my eyes I thought about how senseless Maxon could be...but then again isn't that why I liked him?