The Wrong Choice

Chapter 3

I rocked back and forth on my feet, butterflies filling my stomach. I here the cars coming towards the front gate, and I wait for the signal to open the doors. Before I could get the signal though, I was interrupted.

"Maxon Calix Schreave, what in Hells name do you think your doing?" Father screamed at me as he clonked down the stairs in his dress shoes.

"Oh, me? I'm fixing this country so it's not under the complete and utter tyranny that you have placed it under." I hissed.

He looked taken aback.

"How dare you speak to me like that I am the-"

"The what father? The father to the king is what you are, and that is it." I said raising my voice.

"Dad! Grandad- oh never mind. Sorry dad I tried to warn you." Charlie said, racing down the stairs, realizing half way down that it was too late.

"It's alright princess, come here." I said, and she came over to me. I tucked her into my side. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I hung my arm around her shoulder.

Her honey colored hair hung in a simple French braid down her back. She had cut off all her hair once, like short short. I had laughed, but Kriss wasn't completely happy. After a while though she did get used to it. That's the most at peace I've ever seen the two of them. Kriss would run her hands through Charlie's hair. She told me that she had always secretly wanted short hair, but didn't like the way she thought it would look in her. She did do a bangs a few times though. She always was annoyed with them, but would end up getting them again

Now Charlie's hair was long, almost to her waist.

She also wore a silky blue night gown, that was like water, silky and flow through your fingers. It was her favorite, I knew that, it was the only form of a dress she would wear without bribery.

"It's a shame that she's so much like you Maxon, she would have made a beautiful queen. Shame. At least your wife made the right choice. She was my favorite after that whore got herself kicked-"

"Marlee Tames was no whore. She was a brave woman that stood up against your tyranny." An oh-so familiar voice said behind me.

"Ms. Singer. You don't know how unpleasant it is for me to meet your acquaintance again. Our last encounter was not the best for you, I was hoping we wouldn't have to do it again." And he made a pouty face.

"Ahh. That's where your wrong Clarkson. We will not be doing last time over again. This time I'm not afraid of you. Why? Because I have nothing to loose anymore." She said coldly. My stomach sank as I realized that was partly my fault. I was important to her, she couldn't loose me know.

"Your America Singer." Charlie said, her mouth slightly agape.

"And you are Princess Charlotte Schreave. I know all about you darling." America replied, her tone changing completely. It was sweet and warm instead of hurtful and cold like before.

Charlie smiled, the type of smile she gave me. I don't know how much she knows about America, but now I was curious.

America's eyes flitted to me, "Marlee Woodwork is still working in the kitchen, correct?" She asked, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Yes." Was all I could answer. Father was drilling wholes in the back of my head as I answered.

"Whoops. Well, that's where I'll be. Princess Charlie, sweetheart. Would you mind escorting my friends to some empty rooms." Charlie nodded enthusiastically. It was odd. "Thank you." She said and everyone started moving.

Father huffed up the front stairs, probably off to complain to mother. Her ears would probably hurt when it was over.

Charlie was leading all the rebels up the back stairs when I saw a flash of red hair going down them. I raced after her, my dress shoes making it uncomfortable.

The door that hides the kitchen stairs closed behind her, and I had to open it and rush to catch up to her.

When I did, I lightly toughed her shoulder.

"You can't just come in here like that. Cold and heartless." I said. She didn't turn around, she just kept walking down the damp hallway.

"Well, when you've lost everything, all your passion in the world has to go to something. Mine just happened to be fighting for the cause, which I have to be a little cold to do."

"I don't think that losing the selection counts as everything, you just lost me America." I argued.

She stopped dead in her tracks, causing me to knock into her.

"You think this is about you, you selfish human being. They killed my whole family Maxon. Every. Last. One. Of. Them. Even Gerad." She said, her eyes tearing up. I missed those eyes, my eyes. The ones like the ocean, or the sky. They were beautiful, even when they were filled with tears of dread and heartbreak. It didn't even matter to me that she called me selfish.

"Who? Who killed your whole family?" I asked.

"The southern rebels Maxon. They killed everyone. We were sleeping in that stupid yellow house, because we were sleeping there until I could sell it. And they came and killed my whole family in their sleep. Even my niece. Yeah they killed a baby. Why? Because they thought it would hurt the monarchy. Jokes on them, I never told you." She said, the tears pooling over.

"I'm so sorry." Was all I could say. I wanted to cry for her. I wanted to hold her like I used to when she was sad, but I couldn't, because of what I did.

"Yeah well, sorry doesn't bring them back does it." She said, staring at her boots.

"You were going to sell the house?" I asked, trying to get her to stop crying.

"Yeah. I mean I did. I couldn't look at it. I think they built like a coffee shop over it or something. I don't know, I asked them to bulldoze the house, I couldn't look at it. It's all I had of you. What I wanted was those damn letters. At every single funeral, that's all I wanted. But I couldn't figure out if it would make me happy or sad. I just wanted them. Maybe I'd be like you were there to hold my hand as I buried my mom and my brothers and sisters, and my niece." Her face crumbled even more, the tears streaming faster now.

I walked forward just a little bit and gave her an awkward hug.

"A hug is good." I whispered in her ear.

"A hug is good." She whispered back to me.

She pulled away a bit to quickly for my liking but I let her go and I watched her as she wiped the tears from her face.

"Well, I'm going to go see Marlee. Sorry I blabbed to your dad. Hope it doesn't get you hurt, or Marlee. Oh I'm gonna throw up, what have I done." She put a hand to to her forehead in worry.

"America. What haven't you done?" I asked playfully.

"Shut up." She murmurs, although a smile creases her face.

"She still goes by Mallory, so call out for that. And if nobody brings you to her, say the King sent you." I said, winking at her before I walked back the way I came.

"Maxon!" She shouted. I turned to her and raising my eyebrows. "Thank you." She said.

"No problem my dear." I said

"I am not your dear." I hear her whisper as she walks in the opposite direction. And I smile.

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Okie dokie. The next chapter will be Marlee and America meeting up again. Okay um bye I guess. I'm tired and I'm awkward when I'm tired. So yeah. Bye hope you liked it

"We have this Hope as an anchor for the soul. Sure and Strong."- Hebrews 6:19