The Selection (Where the King is Nice)

Chapter 20

A/N:
8 chapters left!

(Maxon's POV)
I stare at the wall, thinking about America like I always do these days. Will our soldiers ever find her? And even if they do, will she want to stay at the castle? This question worries me the most. She's been kidnapped by rebels twice. Why her, and nobody else? Because they know that America is my favorite. The first time they took her they only had her for a day. However, they were the Northerners. Now, she's with the Southerners and it's been almost 2 weeks.
"Maxon?" It's my mother.
"Yes?"
"Your father wants you." I groan inwardly. If he wants to do business stuff or scold me, I'm going to walk away.
"Do you know what it's for?" I ask my mom.
"No, he didn't tell me." I slowly get out of my bed and go where my mother said dad is. I cringe when I get there. It's the same room that we've watched all the 'torture videos' from the rebels in.
"Dad?"
"Maxon, listen. This is going too far. We have to stop this." I glare at my father.
"You realize that now?" He looks ashamed but turns on the video. This one is a lot shorter than the others but a lot worse. America tries to fight the rebel back, but, oh, no... He stabs her!
"Dad, we have to find America now or she is going to die!"
"Maxo-"
"No. I'm not waiting any longer. I'm so sick of this. All you care about is yourself. You're a selfish brat!" I yell at him and run through the halls back to my room. I hear him yelling my name but I don't care. I'm so tired of him saying, oh yeah, we'll find her, but we'll do it as slow as possible. Cause really, I don't really care about this issue but I don't want upset you. He doesn't actually say that but I can tell he uses euphemisms to say it indirectly. I stare at the ceiling and tears come to my eyes. I remember a conversation I had with my mother the other day.
"Maxon, how come you look a lot skinnier than usual?"
"What are you talking about, mom?" I'd asked.
"Ever since America disappeared, it seems you have been eating less and less. You are slowly losing weight, Maxon."
"Are you like dad now? You don't even care about America now? Since she's been gone for almost 2 weeks now? You-"
"Maxon, I care a lot. You have no idea how much I care. I know she is your favorite, and I'm overjoyed that she makes you happy. She is practically like a daughter to me." I'd stared at her, dumbfounded at her words.
"I-"
"Maxon, we are trying as hard as we can to get America back. We can't just send out all of our troops and have no one protecting the castle. That would be putting even more lives on danger." I sighed as more tears trickled down my face. My father wasn't the selfish one. I was. I'd been willing to put everyone's lives at risk just to see America one more time. That's when there's a knock at my door.
"Prince Maxon, there's a letter for you." At first, I thought it was from my father. But I took the letter from my maid anyway. In fact, the letter is from Kriss.
"I hope you feel better, Maxon," it said. I decided I would go thank her. Why not? There was nothing else better to do. I find her in her room.
"Come in!" She said,
"Oh,um, hi!"
"Thank you for your letter, Kriss. I appreciate it. It made me feel a little better." She smiled.
"Here, stay for dinner. I'm having it in my room today." Her maid delivers dinner and we talk about the attack and America.
"I hope America comes back. She was a great friend,"Kriss tells me.
"Yes," I say painfully. It's hard to talk about America when she's away.
"She was so easy to talk to. To relate to...." She trails off.
"Look, I have to go. But I'll see you around." She smiles and says,
"See you." When I'm in the hallway, a guard yells,
"Prince Maxon! Sire! The captain has important news!"
"Where is he?" I demand.
"In the hospital." I gasp and run over to the hospital. He's standing outside of the room.
"Maxon! We found America!" I want to yell in glee. But wait-
"Can I see her? Is she well enough?"
"I'm not sure, sir." I decide to head inside anyway. The head nurse tells me,
"She is undergoing a lot of surgery right now. You might be able to see her tomorrow, though." I nod and head back to my room. My mother is there, and says,
"You're in a good mood."
"TheysavedAmericaandI'msohappymomIcoulddoanything!!!" She laughs hard and says,
"Your father has planned this Halloween party for a week from today. He's already sent out all the invites to the families."
"Yes! Thank you mom!" She walks out of the room and I read my books for the rest of the night while thinking, the first thing I do tomorrow is go see America. And, for the first time in forever, I fall asleep with the biggest smile on my face.

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