The Queen

Chapter 8:

"Come with me, Your Majesties." the guard said. "Hurry, they're gaining on us!"

"Maxon, come on!" we couldn't afford to loose more time ;this was the first time in months that the palace was attacked and nobody was prepared.

"I'm coming, America." Maxon said, with an edge to his voice. "Watch out, you're going to tri-"

 Maxon tried to warn me about the big root right in front of me but it was too late. I tripped and hurt my ankle. Those damn shoes.

"Maxon, my ankle." it was throbbing. "I can't get up!" I tried, but my ankle just gave out, so Maxon swept me up in his strong arms. 

I remember his arms were the first thing I noticed about him when we went on our first date all those months ago. I wonder if it is required to be really strong when you're a prince. A bunch of gunshots snapped me out of my daze, and Maxon fell to the ground. He didn't trip on anything, but then I noticed his calf. It was all bloody, and there was a bullet stuck in the wound. 

"Maxon," I flipped him over and shook him. "Maxon, do you hear me?"

"He passed out." said a voice above me. "And so will you."

 I looked just in time to see a man raising a frying pan. The pan connected with my head, and I passed out instantly.

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"America. America, wake up!" my vision was blurry, and it took a while for everything to become clear.

"Maxon? Where are we?"

"We got taken hostage by a new group of rebels. Or so I think. I only woke up a while ago."

We were in a small cell, with some thin blankets on the ground and a toilet in the far corner. Gross.

"How are we going to get out?" I asked. I didn't know why the rebels were keeping us here, and I was going to find out. 

I started hyperventilating. I always feared getting kidnapped.

" Calm down, my dear. Everything is going to be fine. Calm down." Maxon reassured me. He started rubbing my back and I started to calm down.

"I--Am not---Your dear." I said between breaths. Even if I was hyperventilating, Maxon was not going to get away with that.

"See! There's my America. Feisty as always." he gave me a smile. I returned it, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a person walking towards the cell door.

"What do you want?" I shouted. "Why are you keeping us here?" I needed answers and I needed them now.

"Why do you think we're keeping you here?" the man said with anger in his voice.

"She doesn't know!" Maxon said protectively. "And I don't either. So please tell us, and maybe we can work something out."

"Fine. We kidnapped you because we don't like the way the country is ruled. We have nothing against the Royal family, but we want the monarchy to end. In the past, the place America was what is called a democracy. In a democracy, the people vote for who they want to lead the country, it doesn't matter what family you're from."

"And just who is we?" I questioned. Maxon was right. The group of rebels was not Northern or Southern. A whole new group.

" We call ourselves the DFIs. That stands for Democracy For Illéà." the man smiled, as if he were proud of his rebel group.

" So you're not letting us go until we step down from the crown?" Maxon said, with worry in his eyes.

"You got it dude. We're watching your every move with security cameras, so there's no way of escaping." again, he smiled, with that same proudness in his eyes.

 We would not step down from the crown. We had worked so hard to achieve this, and things were finally coming together. I was not letting this go.

"I guess you'll be holding us hostage for a long time then." I said. "We will never step down from the crown if it's the last thing we do!" I tried to put as much force and power into my voice to sound menacing. I was really tired, so I don't think it worked.

"Suit yourselves." was all the man said before he left. 

Minutes passed, then hours, and Maxon and I still hadn't come up with a plan to get out. Then, a banging noise came from the vent, followed by some curse words. 

"Listen to that!" I told Maxon. He lifted his head and heard the sound.

"I think it's someone that's going to save us!" Maxon said in a loud whisper. Just then, the cover of the vent popped off and to our surprise, Aspen followed by five other palace guards came out from that vent.

"Aspen!"

"Me- um, I mean, Queen America! King Maxon!" he said Maxon's name with a little less enthusiasm, but I was too excited to get out of that place to care.

"You've come to save us!" Finally, we were getting out!

"Sure thing, my Lady." said a guard whose nametag I couldn't read.

"Let's go then!" Maxon said. I could tell he was just as excited as I was to get out of here.