My Hero- A Selection Fanfiction

Chapter 6

It was the day of the funeral and dedication. Mary dressed me in a flowing black dress with long princess sleeves and a boat neck. My hair deeply clashed my dress, bright red curls bouncing off the dark, black dress. When I expressed this dilemma to Mary she pinned my hair up elaborately to make the contrast less visible. Then she pulled an elegant blue box from the bottom drawer of the dresser. It was a little bit smaller than a shoe box and it had a certain sparkle of mystery to it.

"Mary, What is this?" I asked. Mary just smiled and opened it. Inside was a sparkling silver tiara. Drops of sapphires were encrusted on the tips of the crown, and a line of diamonds graced the base. I gasped. "This is the queen's gift to you. She said it was to make up for the 17 years that she couldn't give you a gift because you weren't her daughter. She wants you to wear it today. She's going to announce the adoption on Friday's report." Mary said. My vision became blurred as tears rimmed them. Amberly was so kind. She did not deserve to lose her family, and yet here we are.

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The ceremony dragged on for hours, priests coming up to say some words of blessing, and choirs singing echoey hymns. I sat through the ceremony, trying not to stare at the caskets and think about why they were already closed and locked tight. Then it was time for the speakers.

The first speaker was Amberly's sister, Adele and her children. She told about how great it was when Clarkson chose Amberly and fell in love with her. She told of how much she loved Maxon and of how good he was with his little cousins. "He would have been a great father and husband and king." she said and turned to look at me. I felt tears running down my cheeks, and she smiled encouragingly to me.

May, who was sitting next to me, reached over and took my hand. She looked so beautiful in her palace made dress and royal up-due. She had her own tiara, much like mine, but instead of sapphires it was encrusted with drops of rubies. She was so excited when I told her that Amberly was going to adopt us and that she would be a princess. On my other side, Amberly took my other hand and squeezed it. I keep thinking Amberly, but in reality, I need to start getting used to calling her mom. Nothing is official yet, but it won't be unofficial for long now.

Adele finished speaking and everyone applauded. Then it was my turn. I wrung my hands as I stood up to walk to the podium. This was it. I was going to stand up in front of Illea and express my love for Maxon and tell the world that I would have been the one.

I reached the podium and turned to the crowd. I saw lots of confused faces. They must be wondering why I am wearing a crown, but this day is about Maxon, not me.

"Good Morning Illea. We all know why we're here, and that's to remember the lives of two very influential men who were so important and so loved in Illea. I'll let our beloved Queen Amberly talk about the father, but I'm here to share with you the prince."

"I met Maxon just a few months ago when the selection started. I thought he was a stuck-up, rich boy who couldn't care less about anything but his money and power, but I have never been more wrong."

"On TV Maxon does seem a little distant, but all you had to do is exchange a few words with him and you could tell how much he cared. My first day here the walls of the palace seemed to close in on me, and I tried to run out to the garden which is not allowed, but Maxon saved me and let me outside. After that I screamed at him and told him how much I hated him, but he just smiled and called me his dear. Later, he told me that that was the very moment he fell for me, and I think in a way, I started falling for him then too."

"But I knew by the Halloween Ball that I loved him, and from then on I just knew I had to be the one, but I made a mistake. I committed treason, and I need all of you to know about it..."

The crowd gasped. Everyone looked at me with horrified faces. All but Aspen, who looked at me with encouragement. I had already talked to him about this, and he agreed this needed to be done. I took a deep breath and got ready to tell the world my deepest secret.

"Before the selection I was in love and happy, but it was a secret because my boyfriend was a caste lower than me. I signed up for the selection like every other good little Illean girl after my boyfriend broke up with me out of pride. I got chosen for the selection, but I didn't think I could love again. Little did I know that Maxon was already in love with me, so he let me stay. I soon started to fall for Maxon. I even trusted him and told him about my boyfriend who broke up with me, until my boyfriend came to the palace as a guard, and he apologized. The short story is that I forgave him, and we sort of got back together.I was cheating on Maxon, and honestly, I could never forgive myself for it. I continued to meet with my old boyfriend until Maxon demanded I make a commitment. He knew my heart was still with my other boyfriend in a way, but it was then that I decided I really wanted Maxon."

"The last few weeks of the selection I fought for him. I was ready to tell my old boyfriend that we were done, and then one day, just a few days ago, Maxon came to me. He told me that I was the one, and we were so happy, and I... I told him I loved him."

Tears began to roll down my face. I remembered that last night with him. We were so happy, and then I ruined our happiness. I loved Maxon, and I almost lost him to Kriss, and then I got him back. I was happy again for those last few moments after he kissed me, and then they shot him...

"My old boyfriend was upset. I tried to explain to him what was going on, and Maxon caught me with my hands on his chest. He found us out, and he told me he couldn't do it; he couldn't marry me. My heart shattered. He was still generous to me even then, saying I could just leave, and that I wouldn't be harmed. Then came the proposal ceremony and the rebel attack. Maxon and I were left hiding behind a table. Then he kissed me, and just like that, he forgave me."

"Maxon was the most amazing person I ever met. He was forgiving and loving. He would have made an amazing king. That is the reason I told you my story was because I wanted to share with you just how amazing Maxon was, being able to forgive me for treason! The love we had would have lasted a lifetime, and I guess it did."

"But Maxon has not passed, not really. He was not a man tied to his earthly possessions, but to the people he shared the world with. If you ever want to see that amazing man again, look at his mother, share a meal with his cousins, talk to his aunt, and hopefully, see him in me."

"But if Maxon was tied down to any belongings, it was his photos. None of you could know this, but Maxon loved photography, and he had a wall in his room lined with pictures. They expressed what he was thinking, what he loved. It was very private, and I didn't see it for a long time, but finally he brought me to it. I fell in love with it."

"Maxon's memorial I have planned is dedicated to this wall of pictures. Once it is built, it will be a long wall of photos from Maxon's whole life. Placed in a public park here in Angeles, everyone will be able to see it. I hope that that this will help you see what I saw in him, and that you really know how great a king he could have been."

"I hope you can forgive my fault. Thank you for letting me share my story."

I turn away, feeling complete. Now Maxon can rest in peace. I turn to look at his casket for one final good bye.

"Thank you Maxon. Thank you" and with that, I let my love slip away forever.