The Confession

Chapter Eight

Maxon:
"Meanwhile, I and gotten to the safe room as quickly as possible. The ladies were all taking their time getting to the safe room, and I was getting nervous. Finally, I saw Celeste and Natalie, and soon America come down the stairs, Elise following. I saw Kriss limping, after the rest of the girls were in the room. She had sprained her ankle," I said.

"I saw Maxon carry Kriss in. He spent a lot of time with her that night. It had made me jealous," America said.

"The destruction after the attack was horrible. The rebels had written 'We're coming' in paint, mud, and sometimes, what looked like, blood." I shivered at the memory. I looked at Kerttu, hoping she hadn't heard. I didn't want her to get nightmares in case she understood. Thankfully, she has fallen asleep on Erik's lap, oblivious to our conversation.

"That day, the palace staff had set up some tents for us to do our work in outside, so the rest of the staff could get the hallways and rooms cleaned up. While we were working though, the Northern Rebels attacked us," I said.

"Again? Didn't they attack just the day before?" Osten grumbled.

"Actually, the group before were the Southern Rebels," America explained.

"What was the difference again," Josie asked, "I can't really think straight right now."

I looked at Marlee and Carter to explain. I didn't want to get into this. Even that many years after the Rebel attack that took my parents, it was still a sore subject for me, along with not having any siblings. Well, one that I grew up with. Oh how I wished Mom could see and meet her grandchildren, I thought as I looked around the room.

"The Southern Rebels were more murderous and their main goal was to get rid of the monarchy," Carter answered slowly.

"Oh, I remember now. You can continue, sorry," Josie apologized.

"When I heard the guards yelling to run to safety, I panicked and ran to the forest. Of course, the rebels that were running out of the palace were also heading that way, so I ran faster than I ever did before," America told.

"I saw America run, and I wanted to run after her, but my Father pulled me back. I screamed at her to come back. But she didn't." I said, swallowing. "I was so scared. I thought I would lose her."

"I was injured from the attack the night before, but I insisted on going to help search for America with the other guards, after things calmed down a bit," Aspen explained. "The head guard demanded that we were going to return to the palace with her, alive or dead."

America:
"When I was in the forest, I kept on running, until I couldn't hear or see the rebels. I climbed up a tree, and hid. I was waiting and all of a sudden I heard a pair of voices coming closer to me. A boy and a girl who was wearing a denim jacket around my age, at the time. The girls jacket also had something that looked like flowers embroidered on it. They were both carrying many books, in stacks. The girl dropped her stack near my tree, and told the boy to run ahead. When she brushed her hair from her face after picking up the stack, she saw me in the tree. We stared at each other, and she laughed quietly. The girl then surprised me. She curtsied, and ran off," I said.

Ahren and Eadlyn showed nearly identical confused faces.

I gestured to their expressions. "I was as confused as you are, but it will make sense later. Aspen and his group later found me and brought me back to the palace and into the hospital wing to tend my scratches from branches. I was later awakened by someone sneezing. Maxon was sitting next to me and watching." I smiled.

"Talk about being creepy, Dad," Kaden mumbled under his breath. Overhearing him, Maxon laughed a little.

"A couple days later, we had the German reception, and the next day, the Italian reception. Princess Nicoletta pulled me aside at the Italian reception and told me that if there was anything they could do to help me get the crown, to let her know. She then gave me her personal phone number. The following day, I received a note from Maxon. I met him in the hallway and he led me to a room. The princess suite, to be exact." I smiled at Marlee, Carter, and Maxon. "And there Marlee was waiting for me."

"Maxon kept us here because he thought that we would get hurt as Eights in Panama. Two servants from Panama were sent instead. We took different names and worked in the stables and kitchen. On the day of the German Reception, Carter and I got married." Marlee said, holding Carter's hand and smiling.

"My Father didn't know anything about this. I had do a lot of sneaking around, but it was definitely all worth it," Maxon explained.

"Soon Maxon had to go on a unexpected trip to New Asia. While he was away, I talked with Kriss and found out that her and Maxon's relationship was deeper than I had thought. I knew that they were getting closer, but it still broke my heart," I said.

"Can I break it a thousand times as well?" Maxon whispered into my ear. I smiled at his reference to what he said to me, and leaned into him.