♔Afterwards: Falling For Aspen♔✔️

Chapter 6: Telling Celeste The Truth(2/2)

💔America's Point of View💔

It seems like I've ran around the whole palace. I'm running out of breath. I turn around the corner by the Movie Theater and I bump into someone.

"Are you okay Mer?" the person who I bumped into asked. I knew this voice. It belonged to Aspen.

"I. Need. Your.Help!" I said while trying to catch my breath.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. 

I finally calmed down after a few minutes and explained, " Celeste and I need your help on getting out of the palace tonight. We need to see Georgia and August. It's more like I need to see them."

"Why?" he asked back. I handed him the letter and soon he had an expression of anger upon his face.

"Celeste found the note and I had to tell her the truth. I told her to never tell anyone about tonight. You have to do the same as well." I explained.

He sighed and said, "Okay, but I'll have to bring two people along this time. I don't want what happened last time to you when when left the palace. I'll make sure to tell them not to tell anyone else."

"Good. Meet me in my room at 9:00 after The Report." I said.

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* 

The Report started after dinner at 7:00pm and is supposed to end at 8:30. That only gives me, Celeste, Aspen, and the extra guards only half an hour to get ready. The Report seemed like it took forever and I was getting impatient.

The Report was finally over and I ran out of the Great Room with Celeste walking behind me. I asked my maids if they had any casual clothes and shoes and luckily, Mary and Anne had some. Lucy had some, but she said they would be too small for me.

"Here are the clothes and shoes you requested ma'am." Anne said as she handed me two pairs of clothes.

"Give the larger clothes shoes to Celeste please." I commanded. Celeste is a little bit larger than I am. We're both lean, it's just that she needs the larger ones so they fit over her bust area.

"Yes Miss."she said then walked out of my room. I went in my bathroom to change and to wipe all of my makeup off, plus all of my jewelry. I messed my hair up a bit so I could blend in. I took the note and slipped it into my pocket. About 15 minutes later, I heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked while walking out of the bathroom.

"It's me, Celeste" a voice said. I said she could come in. Once I saw Celeste in clothes that people who were Sixes and Sevens, I burst into laughter and I saw Celeste was not happy about it.

"Hey! I could just leave right now!" she yelled.

"I'm sorry!" I said calming down. Then, I heard a voice.

"May we come in?" the voice said. It made me jump. I almost thought we were caught, but it was Aspen who said this.

"Yes." I replied. He walked in and two guards followed in behind him. I recognized both of them.

"Hello Officer Avery. Hello Officer Woodwork." I greeted.

"Are you ready to go?" Aspen asked.

"Yes." I confirmed.           

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*

"Hey. You guys came come out now." Aspen whispered after opening the doors to the back of the truck. Celeste and I were in the back of the Palace Food truck where they load  produce on and take it back to the palace. Luckily, the Palace Kitchen was running short on milk and eggs for breakfast tomorrow, or else Aspen would have to lie again to get us out of the palace. 

We have to hurry, but there's so much that has to be explained.

We got out of the truck and I walked towards August's house to knock on his door.

"Come in." August said. All of us walked in and Celeste and I sat down at the table.

"So, I see that you brought Celeste Newsome with you." Georgia said.

"How do you know? Who are you guys?" Celeste asked confused.

"Oh. We watch The Report all the time. Let me introduce us. This is my fiance August Ill'ea and I'm Georgia Whitaker. We are Northern Rebels." Georgia explained.

"Wait. Ill'ea. Like the last name of our rulers before Schreave?" Celeste asked with an expression of shock on her face.

"Yes, but we don't have enough time to explain. America will explain when you guys get back to the palace." Georgia answered.

"So, what do you need our help on?" August asked.

"Well, I need you guys to be at the Royal Wedding and maybe bring a friend or two. If you do go, you have to dress nicely so no one suspects anything. The reasons for this is that Kriss Ambers is a Southern Rebel and this..." I explained then handed the note to Georgia.

"So, when did you discover that Kriss was a Southern Rebel?" August asked, rubbing his chin in thought.

"Two days before he choose the winner of The Selection. We were celebrating and I saw an emblem that she was wearing. I may not know much about rebels, but I knew it wasn't a Northern Star. I asked her what it was, and she immediately pulled me out into the hallway and threatened me." I explained once more.

"How did Kriss hide that she was a rebel? When girls enter their form into the Selection Drawing, doesn't the palace do a background check?" Celeste asked.

"Yes. They do." I replied. 

"Kriss must of had someone inside the palace who helped handle the background checks." Aspen explained. "The person who did that must be a Southern Rebel as well. How she got chosen, it must of been luck because it was a random pick from bowls of envelopes."

"So, when do you want us to come to the palace?" Georgia asked.

"I was thinking maybe as soon as possible. I'll send you a letter saying you can come." I replied.

"Will your family be at the wedding?" August asked. I never thought about that, but I had to answer right now.

I took a deep breath and said, "No. For their safety, I don't want them there." That was a difficult decision. I know May would have loved the wedding, the dresses, and definitely the sweets so much.

"Okay." August said. Then, I thought of someone who could somehow help. Someone who helped me last time.

"What if I talk to Nicoletta about this?" I suggested.

"No. She can't come to the wedding. If anything bad happens to her, we may be in war with Italy. If that happens, the Southern Rebels will see that as a chance to attack the palace, or worse." Georgia denied firmly. I didn't know what to say. Just then, Celeste spoke.

"Well, what if America invites her over before the wedding?" Celeste suggested. "We could set up a party as a cover up for what we'll actually be doing."

"That's a great but risky idea Ce-" Georgia said.

"But, it's possible. You may need more protection if you do that." August interjected.

That's it!

"Celeste, inviting her to the palace is a great idea!" I exclaimed.

"We have to be quiet." Georgia commanded.

"Sorry!" I said. " So, here's the plan..." We talked about the plan until Aspen and Officer  said it was time to leave about half an hour later. We arrived at the palace safe and sound.

"So, what actually happened to the real Ill'ea rulers?" Celeste whispered as we walked to our rooms.

"Just request your breakfast in your room tomorrow then come over to mine. I'll tell you then." I explained.

We both said goodbye as we walked into our rooms for the night.