The Selection without America?

The Happily Ever After

America's POV

The wedding was already a whole year ago. Our honey moon was a week after the wedding and we went to travel the world. We went to all the countries and met up with their royals and we made new friends and allies. We traveled for a few months at a time. I don't know if you would count it as a honey moon, but it was quite something.

We went away for a few months then stayed a few days then we were off again.

We did spend a week just the two of us on a private island that Maxon arranged. It was paradise, especially because Maxon was there with me sharing the experience. We would take a long moon lit walk on the beach and just talk. It was so nice just the two of us there.

When we got back to the palace everything was in perfect hands, we put Amberly and Clarkson in charge of the country when we were gone. Not to make any rules or anything, just to supervise. they did an excellent job.

They are trying to move past all the horrible things that Clarkson has done when they were in power and try and make their marriage work, it has been.

"Mom, Dad, it's so nice to see you again!" Maxon exclaimed as we walk in through the palace's front doors. Amberly and Clarkson greet us at the top of the grand staircase as usual. This was our last trip and it was perfect just like all the others.

"Right back at you son," Amberly said and held out her arms for a hug. First she hugged me then she hugged Maxon.

"Nice to see you too Maxon," Clarkson gave his son a nod. They were still pretty distant, I wondered if they would ever be close.

"We are exhausted and we just want to sleep for right now, so see you at dinner?" Maxon said to his parents quickly and like that we were off.

Our bedroom smelled weird, not like a bad weird, just a 'I haven't been in here in a long time' weird that you get when you are away for so long.

"It's nice to be back," I sigh and collapse onto the king sized bed that has been here ever since our wedding day and before.

"It truly is," Maxon says and joins me on the bed.

That was it for our conversation because we both just crash as we lay our heads on our pillows.

Maxon's birthday is coming up and I'm holding a big party for it. Amberly and Clarkson have helped me pick out the food and decorations and send out the invites. Clarkson has been more open to me since I've became queen and I can tell Maxon and Amberly are thrilled that Clarkson is behaving himself.

While Amberly and Clarkson are helping set up the party for tonight I distract Maxon. I take him out horse back riding and I bring a picnic along with me to stall. It's around noon and we are laying under a shady tree cloud watching.

"Look that one looks like a snail dancing," Maxon points up at the sky. I look and I see it also. WE laugh at the thought of a dancing snail. "You know when I was a child I always dreaded my birthday, I would always get my hopes up that my father would remember it and throw me like a party or something, I should have known though. He always forgot it, he was always to busy for me. I always told myself that he would remember next year, he would remember and then apologize for forgetting it all the past years, well that never happened."

I was taken back by Maxon's little outburst about his childhood. I thought I knew almost everything about it, I guess I didn't.

"Maxon, I promise you that I will never forget your birthday, I will always remember it and I will try to make up for all the past birthdays that sucked for you." I said calmly and reached for his hand. I squeeze his and he squeezes back.