♔Afterwards: Falling For Aspen♔✔️

Chapter 7: Morning Explanation

💙Celeste's POV💙

What I heard last night about August's last name, Ill'ea, I was shocked. I thought Spencer, the son of Gregory Ill'ea, died? Maybe he didn't. I was also surprised that August and Georgia were Northern Rebels. I thought all rebels were bad, but I guess not. How did America even find the Northern Rebels? 

Hopefully, I'll get answers this morning. My mind was just swarming with questions.

I had my original maids from The Selection. I had apologized to them for everything that I've done to them the day I arrived at the palace. They accepted the apology. Every now and then when I would say something, they would still jump a little. I don't blame them. I practically tortured them since day one of The Selection.

"Amelia?" I asked.

"Yes?" she replied back. Amelia was one of my maids.

"Can you bring my breakfast to Lady America's room? We have some girl talk to do." I requested.

"Yes ma'am." she replied.

"I'll be in her room when you get there." I explained.

"Ye ma'am." she said then left the room. I was already dressed and freshened up so I went to America's room.

I knock on the door and she soon opened it.

"Come in." America said. I walked in and saw that she already had her breakfast on her coffee table in the corner.

We waited about 5 minutes until my maid came in the room with my breakfast and then left.

We started eating when America said, "So, I have to start from the beginning so you understand. You pretty much know everything except one thing.  Spencer does have descendants."

"How? I asked.

"As you know, Gregory had three children: Katherine, Spencer, and Damon. Katherine was married off to a prince, Spencer died, and Damon was the one who inherited the throne. Then when Damon's son, Justin, died, his cousin Porter Schreave became prince, marrying Justin's young widow, who had won the Selection barely three years earlier. And now the Schreaves are the royal family. No more Ill'eas ought to exist, but August and basically most Northern Rebels are related to him."

"I thought you said he died?" I asked feeling confused.

"I did. That was in the story everyone knew except the Northern Rebels, me, Maxon, and the guards who were there that swore to secrecy to never talk about it again." she replied while drinking orange juice.

"Well, if he stayed alive, how did he?" I asked.

America took a breath and said, "Spencer didn't die. He knew what his father had done to take over the country, he knew his older sister had basically been sold into marriage, and he knew the same was expected of him. He couldn't do it, so he ran."

"How do you know?" I asked feeling curious and interested.

"From August and Georgia. It happened a little after the rebel attack before Christmas." she confirmed.

"Oh. So, where did he go exactly?" I asked again.

"Let's just say he went north. He basically formed the Northern Rebels." America explained.

"How did August and Georgia get this information?" I asked feeling even more confused.

"Well...it has to be confidential for now. Maybe when August and Georgia come to the palace or whenever I might invite you to my home for a visit? It'll be soon though." was all America said before we heard a knock at the door. We both froze. We were probably worrying about the same thing. What if this person overheard some of our conversation?

"Who is it?" America said timidly as she walked towards the door.

"It's me. Maxon." Maxon replied. Was it passed breakfast time? When I looked at the clock, it said 10:05. five minutes after breakfast ended. 

Why would he be here now? I thought.

"No!" America started to shout. "Celeste and I are playing dress up! Boys aren't allowed!"

"Wait. You're with Celeste?" he asked.

"Yeah! Is there a problem with that?" I shouted. "Because if it is, I'll kick it where the light of day never touches!" America giggled and I started to also.

"Don't worry!" Maxon said while laughing. "America already took care of that! Goodbye!"

"When did you do that America?" I asked curiously.

"The second night I was here for the Selection." she confessed feeling. embarrassed. I gave her a stern talking about that and we actually soon ended up playing dress up. Who knew it would be so fun?

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some words in the scene where America explains the truth about the Ill'ean rulers came from the book, 'The One', by Kiera Cass. They're the exact same words that came from the book in Chap. 6(pg, 38), where August explains his last name to America & Maxon. There will be lines that Celeste say that aren't in the book while America is explaining.