The Ever Ater

Chapter 8

The ride to the church was the calm before the strorm. Maxon and I knew what ley ahead after last year. The yelling and heckling done by many citizens during our annual Christmas Eve walk about. I wasn't ready to hear the all the horrid things people has to say about my husband and their monarch. After all he had been working tirelessly this past year to remove the stigma around the former castes and all the problems with lower caste findind jobs. Everyone though knew it wasn't enough and the country was starting to get restless.

Snow was falling this year which was rare, but it made the children happy, so it was good. Though driving on snow filled roads worried Maxon and Aspen, who was in charge of protecting me today during our walkabout. As the church came into view, the children started to squirm. Maxon and I shared a smile as he started briefing the children. We would sit through a short service and then go on a walkabout outside the church. This was a new rule after last year: if anybody, including myself, started to get heckled or objects thrown at us we were to immmediatley find Maxon or Aspen, I had been given specific instruction to go directly to Maxon if I started to get heckled. Osten of course would walk with me with him only being seven and Kaden would be near by in case he got scared.

The car slowed and came to a stop. We all got ready to get out of the car. Aspen opened the door and Eadlyn, then Ahren, and Kaden got out. I slide next to the door and planted both feet firmly on the ground and put a wide smile on as I got out of the car. Osten followed and immediatly reach for my hand upon seeing all the people. Maxon was quick getting out pf the car and waving and smiling to the people, we all followed suit. The cold wind hit me hard even though I had on a read over coat to math my dress on under. I put my gloves on as Maxon reached for my hand. As we were walking inside all we heard where cheers and claps and praises for Maxon's tireless work this year.

The service was wonderful and all the children did wonderful. We all split and went our separate ways to meet the people on the walkabout. Osten seemed a little scared at first and then once he got the hang of it he was doing all the talking. Fifteen minutes in I saw the object come flying at us. I grabbed Osten and moved off to the side as my protection officers and Aspen gathered around me.

Then the yelling started, "Give us jobs," "We want our country back," "King Maxon needs to listen to us," "Learn what its like for us King Maxon," and "Queen America remember your life before the place." Tears welled in my eyes as the last one was yelled and Aspen had us on the move.

Osten looked up at me his bright blue eyes full of worry and fear. "Why you sad Mommy?"

"People were saying mean things about Daddy and me."

Before Osten could answer we reached Maxon and Aspen recapped the events and Maxon's distress became visible. "Get my family and the cars we are done." Maxon grabbed my hand as we started toward the car.

We got in first