The Princess- A selection story

Chapter 15- Adeline

A couple days have gone by, with little action. Silvia's lessons are dull as ever, the company in the castle acting as a beam of light whenever the clouds darken. I see Marlee less frequenly, as I can never seem to find her anymore. I'm sure she has her reasons, and places to be.

One morning, I am frantically awoken by Anne. "You must get dressed Miss. It's urgent." Alarms ring inside my head. "Who's dead?" I gasp. "Nobody but you must come, a guard will escort you." I get dressed in silence, feeling incredibly nervous and curious at the same time. Don't let it show.

As the guard and I arrive at our destination, my heart sinks as I gain my answer to where Marlee has been all this time. A stage is set up, on it? Marlee and the guard she was friendly with, too friendly it seems, as this is most certainly a punishment and a deterrent, hence why myself and the remaining elite are seated on the front row.

Their crimes are described. Oh Marlee, how long have you done this? And I dread the description of what she and her lover now face to follow. They become eights. But more, they're getting caned. By Maxon's mercy. If this is merciful by Illea's standards then no wonder the people rebel against the monarchy.

The whip soars through the air and crashes down on Marlee and Carter in turn. I cannot be sad, or fearful, like the rest of the elite. I am angry. I stand up from my chair, sending Maxon a piercing glare as I look over at him. Then my focus is on Marlee. As she suffers more and more beatings, the pain becomes excruciating. "Marlee! Look at me! LOOK AT ME!" I scream desperately, as she tries to meet me eyes. When she finally meets them, I hope I can provide her with comfort, as little as it may be, to show her that I am here, and I am with her. She sniffles and chokes back her sobs upon seeing my gesture, and I have to suppress my desire to run up to that stage and free them, or take her beatings myself.

When they are finally dragged off the stage, skin hanging off, utterly destroyed and humiliated, I seize my chance. I run over to her, evading the guard which tries to pull me back. "Marlee! It's going to be okay. I promise you. Be strong." She looks at me again weakly, as the guard is dragging her away she musters the smallest smile of gratitude.

I walk out of the room there and then. I am not waiting for dismissal. I am Adeline Reyes, I might be a two here in Illea, but I am a princess at heart. And I wouldn't stand for this in Spain.

I pace my room, head in my hands. How can I stay here any longer if this is how they treat their people? Now it is my turn to hold back tears. Tears of anger, tears of distress, but also tears of sadness as I think of Marlee.

I hear a knock on my door. "Go away." I yell, not caring who it is at this moment. Maxon lets himself in and I shake my head at him. "How." I choke "How could you do that to someone? To anyone? To them?" He looks ashamed, filled with regret. "Adeline I had no choice, I saved them from their deaths, and trust me I did not want this to happen at all. It was my father. I couldn't do anything more, I swear."

I feel my heart shatter "Could you at least have looked like you care?" I think this hurt him, but he responds "I have to play the part of a prince. You understand that, I know you do, and part of this job is pretending you're fine when you're really not. Imagine you were in Spain, in my position, what could you have done?" This enrages me "Maxon you are the crown prince of Illea and nobody is quite as powerful as you. you could have done something. You chose to watch. Those are two very different things. In Spain, we do not practice the public humiliation and harming of our subjects but I assure you if I was stood on the side of that stage as princess I would've done something to stop it."

"Even if you had to suffer the consequences?" I look him in the eye "Maxon, I know I appear to many as a perfect princess but I'm not. Although they tried to mould me into that in Spain, they never controlled my mind. Of course I was punished often, in secret, because a headstrong princess who will do what she thinks is right and refuses to be submissive is quite difficult for them to control." He chuckles a little, though there is sadness in his eyes.

"Adeline... please stay. Please. You told me that you would try, you would fight, for me." His heart sounds broken, and I question everything. Now could be my chance to leave. I made it to the elite, so the deal stands, and I made a scene at the caning, so that could be reason for him to send me home. So why don't I want to go?

I look at Maxon and nod silently. He takes me in his arms, and I bury my head in his shoulder. We stay like that for a little while, before pulling back. "When you find out where Marlee is going, tell me. I intend to send a Spanish guard out to collect her and Carter and help them start a new life." Maxon's eyes widen, and he nods at my request "They're going to Panama, tomorrow." My mouth drops open "Panama...I've heard about that province. Oh Maxon, they kill eights for fun there." He freezes "What?" I sniffle, "I have distant relatives in Illea, when I was young I visited them in Panama with my parents. I distinctly remember watching an eight get killed, begging on the street, at the age of seven." He gasps and I place my head in my hands, he pulls me into him again. "It's okay... Adeline... it's gonna be fine." He soothes "Just stay with me." I look at him, and I whisper "I will."