The Chosen [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24

I could here King Clarkson's loud voice from down the hall.

"I don't know if I should go in," I said. August stopped outside the door.

"You are going in." He ordered. "You are good at arguing, that is why we need you." August looked deep into my eyes, reassuring that everything was going to be fine. I went into the room and August followed me in.

"Why is she here?" King Clarkson shouted. I felt my face get red. I saw Queen Evelyn behind King Clarkson with red eyes. 

"We have a few concerns," Ellie said forcefully. King Clarkson looked Ellie in the eye.

"We?" King Clarkson repeated. Ellie looked over to August. 

"You too?" King Clarkson said. August did not move. King Clarkson exhaled deeply. 

"Go on." He sighed. Ellie did not hesitate.

"We want change." 

"What?" 

"We want you to step down from the throne," August added. King Clarkson faced him and shook his head. 

"This is insane." King Clarkson yelled. 

"No, it's not," Easton said quietly. King Clarkson looked ready to hit Easton. 

"You are in on this?" the King asked, then he looked over at me. "I'm guessing you are too." I nodded my head and stood up a little straighter. 

"Why should I give up my power?" The king asked. 

"We will keep attacking, and every attack will get more fatal," August said. 

"And I will join them," Easton added. I heard a small cry from the Queen. 

"And if I do step down?" King Clarkson asked. 

"Prince Easton will become a leader and start a new government," August said. The King shook his head. 

"Why are you listening to them? I have done so much for you." 

"I am the one who wants this," Easton said without looking at his father. King Clarkson faced me. 

"It's her fault." He yelled.  

"How is this my fault?" I asked. 

"You are the one that told him I was a dictator." 

"But you are." I retorted. I took a small step closer to him. King Clarkson raised an eyebrow. 

"I knew it was a bad idea to keep you here." He remarked. Easton stood up and stood in between King Clarkson and me. 

"She has done nothing wrong," Easton said in a deep voice. 

"Easton, why are you doing this?" Queen Evelyn asked quietly from behind King Clarkson. 

"I'm sorry mother," Easton said. I didn't know how Easton's relationship with his mother was, but I could see that Easton was truly sorry. 

Easton turned back to his father and started arguing. King Clarkson raised a hand and slapped Easton across the face. I gasped and put my hands over my mouth. I went over to Easton who had his hands on his face. 

"You should go." He said softly. I shook my head.

"No, I want to help." I cried. I knew I wasn't helping much, but I wanted to be there for Easton. I looked up at King Clarkson and shook my head.

"How could you do that?" I asked, holding back tears. "You have never been fit for being King." King Clarkson opened his mouth to speak, but I kept going. 

"You are making innocent people suffer, and you don't even care." August put an arm on my shoulder keeping me from getting closer to King Clarkson. 

"This is outrageous!" King Clarkson yelled. 

"Things will be better if you step down from the throne," I yelled back. King Clarkson looked around at everyone else. 

"I would like to talk to my son alone." He said quietly. 

"Not until you surrender," I said shaking my head. 

"Megan, please," Easton said under his breath. I felt more tears coming. 

"I think we should give them space," August said to me. Ellie nodded her head behind him. I stood there in shock. 

"You did all you could," Easton's eyes were desperate, I could almost see fear. I slowly shook my head and followed August and Ellie out of the room. 

We walked down the long hallway listening to King Clarkson's loud voice. The three of us waited in my room. Ellie went to go tell one of the other rebel's to retreat and allow people to leave their chambers. 

"How are you doing?" August asked me. I stood in silence. This moment felt too familiar and I was unsure how vulnerable I wanted to be. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm sure he is doing anything he can," August assured me. 

"I just hated seeing him get hurt." I cried. 

"I know." I looked at August. There was a moment of silence before Ellie came back. 

"Can I have some time alone?" I asked. August and Ellie nodded and left me alone. 

Once the door shut, I let out a small cry. My mind was racing and I didn't know what to think. I could not stop myself from crying. I could not unsee King Clarkson hitting Easton. I worried that King Clarkson was not done hurting his son. 

I wanted to run back to Easton and save him, but there was nothing I could do. I felt useless. Admitting that to myself made my heart sink. My mind was telling me that I had let Easton down. I should have done better. 

I needed to talk to someone, someone I could trust. I wanted to tell Farley everything. I felt awful keeping this from her. But I did not want to drag her into any of this. If I got into trouble, I wanted her to be safe.

I could not tell my family. My mother would have been distraught. I was sure they wouldn't talk to me for a month. 

I looked at myself in the mirror. I wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face. I figured out how to touch up my make up and opened the door and found August and Ellie. 

"Can I ask you guys something?" I asked inviting them back into my room. 

"How do you handle the stress of keeping secrets?" August and Ellie exchanged a worried glance. 

"Why are you asking?" Ellie asked. 

"I am falling apart keeping this from some people." 

"It's hard," August said quietly. Ellie nodded her head. 

"You learn that you love some people too much to risk them falling as hard as you could." I took in August's words. He looked into my eyes. I was one of those people. 

We stood there looking at each other without saying words. A knock on the door took all of our attention. I went to go open it. 

Easton was standing there with a worried look in his eyes. I examined his face looking for scars or blood.

"How did it go?" I asked. Easton hesitated. 

"Megan," He started. "Will you marry me?"