(Back to America's POV)
I didn't sleep that well. I was to ecstatic to get back to the palace. And Maxon. A memory of him showing another girl, one I can only assume to be Natalie seeing she's the only blonde left in the Elite, an engagement ring resurfaced in my mind. Before I could focus on that I push the thought to the back of my mind. No, going back to the palace will be a good thing.
I wake up every two hours or so. It's not that I was uncomfortable. It was actually a small comfort, it felt like I was a Five back in my house. By the fifth time I woke up I just decided to stay up. The sky was just starting to light up in the break of morning. Georgia was asleep at the desk, and I decide not to wake her.
I debate taking a shower again but I'm almost completely positive my ankle has gotten worse. I glanced at my bandages. I need to change them, the blood came through. Looking at it made me light headed so I decide to readjust my head bandage, and sit on the mattress collecting my thoughts.
I had about fifteen minutes with my thoughts before Georgia woke up.
"Morning." I yawn.
"Morning." she said back energetically. It amazes my how chirpy is in the morning while I have half a mind to fall back asleep.
"How are you so chirpy right now?" I ask yawning again.
"Well I didn't get knocked unconscious yesterday. You're probably just exhausted." she said. She has a point. "Anyways, we'll be leaving for the palace in a bit. First we need to renew your bandages."
I couldn't suppress my smile. In an hour or two I'll be at the palace again. I was ecstatic.
"Okay lets rebandage you." she said, grabbing box from the kitchen. She walks over to the mattress and opens the box to reveal brand-new medical supplies. How did she get these?
"Where did these come from?" I asked, gesturing to the box.
"Oh, I stole them from the palace's medical wing." She said so casually that I had to laugh. "Ok this gel is cold, so brace yourself." she said as she squirted a translucent blue gel on her finger.
I sucked in a breath through my teeth. It really was cold. It was freezing. When she was done, we re-rapped my wounds with brand new bandages.
"Okay, I'm sure the palace will take care of you but you'll need to keep the head bandage on for a week or two, as well as the rib bandage, and the ankle bandage." she said matter-of-factly with a curt nod.
"Okay, okay. Can we go now?" I asked like a middle school girl and we both paraded in laughter.
"Hold on, not so fast. We have to practice your walking skills. Your ankle won't do too good." she said.
"Fine." I replied.
We took ten minutes to try to work my ankle, by trying to get me to walk back and forth. It hurt, bad. Kind of like a burning pain. I couldn't put all of my weight on it so we ended up agreeing to have me limp. With that we both ate an apple just to put food in our system for energy, and decided to start our walk back.
"Oh, hold on, let me get my jacket." She ran to the corner to get her denim jacket with the thousands of flowers printed over it that was hanging on the back of the chair. And we head out the door on our way to the palace.
When we leave the shack I can see from here the river she mentioned in the riddle. We walk through tall grass and since limping is what I have to resort to it was hard. After about five minutes of absolute silence I decided to start conversation.
"So how do you think people will react to me being back in the palace?" I ask. The truth was I was a bit nervous.
"Honestly, I think the only person who wouldn't want you back would be the king." she laughed. "If I didn't know better I would think he was the one who got you kidnapped." I laughed with her. That did seem like something 'His Majesty' would do.
"Yeah I can see that happening. Good thing he doesn't know. He'd probably throw a party for my being away or something." We were a fit of laughter.
"This was kind of fun. Besides the part where you got beaten." she said, a smile still on her face.
"Yeah, I should get kidnapped more often." I say jokingly.
"Hey, you got a friend out of it, at least." she nudged me.
"Yeah." I say, smiling. Georgia was a friend I didn't expect to make. She was a good friend though. I realize I'll miss her. She was on of the two only close friends I have.
"Georgia?" I ask.
"Hmm, yeah?" she said.
"Could you possibly stay at the palace for a few days?" I ask. "Your the only person who actually knows what happened to me." I shrugged. "It would be a comfort."
"I wish, but it's not my call to make. I'll make you a deal though," she said," If I'm invited then I'll be there without a moments' hesitation. Though I doubt that'll happen. I'm a rebel, and I also kidnapped you." I laugh.
"Well, first- no one but me knows your a rebel, and two- you also saved me from the Southerners. I'm sure you'll be welcome." She smiles.
I can faintly see the palace. If I had to guess we have about fifteen minutes left of walking. Oh, great. I'll have to put up with my throbbing, burning ankle for at least fifteen more minutes.
"This was nice." Georgia said. "I've never really had any friends."
"Yeah, me either." I said. It was quiet a moment.
"I'll miss you." she said, tears in her eyes. The conversation turned from laughs to tears, but I could see where she's coming from.
"I'll miss you too. I'll write as soon as I get to the palace. Do you even have an address though?" I ask. I figured she wouldn't want letters sent to the Northern rebel bases. That would give away their location.
"I have a number." she said, handing me a slip of paper. "It's a personal line, so don't worry about someone else answering." I had nowhere to put this, so I finally decide to stuff it in my grey ankle boot she lended me.
"Where did you get these clothes?" I ask suddenly curious. I was wearing the same black dress with the bit of exposing hips where you can se part of my bandage. Georgia gave me grey ankle boots. She said it would be easier to limp on my ankle with these. I didn't see many clothes in the shack, more or less clothes this classy.
"I might have....borrowed these from the palace along with the medical supplies." We burst out laughing again. There was just something so funny with her casually mentioning she stole from the palace.
We were so lost in conversation I hadn't noticed we were almost there. I don't know why, but I suddenly felt nerves in my stomach again. I must have shown it on my face because Georgia noticed.
"Why are you so nervous? What do you have to be so nervous about?" she asked. I could tell she was genuinely curious. So I told her about the fight that had happened about two weeks ago. Two weeks already? Wow, time went by fast. I sigh.
"I'm sure it's a misunderstanding." she said.
As approach the palace, we're surprised to find no guards guarding the entrance. That can't be safe. Maybe their hidden in bushes or something?
"Where are the guards? Wouldn't there be doubled security since the rebel attack?"
"You would think. I guess not though." Georgia said with a shrug. We stop in front of the gate and she turned to give me a hug, and I return the favor.
"Goodbye for now." she said, tearing up. "Call me soon okay?"
I nod. "As soon as I can. Visit soon?" I ask, winking. We both laughed at me implying for her to find me during a rebel attack. "Sure." she said smiling.
I turn to open the front castle door.
"Wait!" Georgia said. I spin around, confused, and a little to fast. I get lightheaded and sway but the feeling goes away quickly. She takes off her floral denim jacked and extends it to me.
"Something to remember me by." she says. I take the jacket, putting it on, and then we share one last hug. Before I open the doo,r I look back one more time and she gives a small wave. I returned the wave and opened the door, quietly, trying not to draw attention to myself.
I step into the main hall and it's surprisingly vacant, besides one other figure. As I quietly step closer, recognizing the figure as Queen Amberly's. Without thinking I close the door and say "Your Majesty" bowing, almost falling over in the process.
She quickly perks her head up and spins around. When she see's me she gasps, running to hug me. I was taken aback but return the hug. When she finally pulled back I noticed the tears in her eyes.
"Your alive! Oh your alive!" she whispered. She had the happiest look on her face, and I felt a bit of my nerves leave. It was comforting.
Snapping to her senses she straitened her dress and said "Oh, look at you! We'll need to take you to the hospital wing. But first I'm sure there are some people you want to reunite with." she said, starting to smile and wipe her tears away. I say "Yes, your Majesty." and we waked, or she walked and I limped, down the hall. We finally stopped at the dining room. We creaked the door open and as I walked in the Queen stayed at the door, smiling.
I stood there for a second, trying to balance my feet. After I did my best not to tip over I managed to squeak a quiet "hi." Marlee was the first to look up from what thy were doing. She starred at me, processing that I was actually here, and then she broke into a sprint from across the room to bear hug me, followed by my maids. They tipped me over a bit, but I didn't care.
I missed them so much.
When I finally pulled back I noticed there were tears in all of our eyes and we were all grinning like idiots in a big group towards the center of the room. Marlee was the first one who spoke.
"America your back! Your alive!" she choked.
"Oh I'm so happy!" cried Anne.
Mary followed with a "Thank God!"
"She's here! She's back!" Lucy said, jumping up and down.
They backed away to give me some space. I tried to rebalance myself, the bear hug threw me off. That was when I saw him. He was starring at me like I was a ghost. We stood still for a second, while the room was quiet. Then something unexpected happened.
Then he ran to me, actually I would call it a speed walk, and without a warning grabbed my face gently in his hands and kissed me, tentatively but determined. My head was spinning. I had forgotten how much I missed this. My heart was about to explode with emotion. It was the warmest feeling ever. My aching head and my throbbing ankle and all of the pain I had experienced during the past few days melted away with the kiss. The kiss was everything good in the world. I heard a few people sigh in the room, but I ignored it.
When he finally pulled away we both looked down, both of our breathing was heavy. I opened my mouth to apologize for the past two weeks but before I could speak he said "Please, let me talk before I cower from this, and miss this chance."
I was confused, but nodded my head anyway.
"America," he started, "I love you, it's as simple as that." my breath hitched. "I want to be with you and only you. Any future without you I have no interest in." I swayed a bit. My balance wasn't the best right now. He continued, "It's you. It's always been you. When I tried to give others a chance it never mattered anyway. It was always you."
No, I thought, I need to address something before this goes further. I brace myself, and then I ask " What about you showing Natalie those engagement rings." My voice was small. I couldn't meet his eyes.
But it wasn't him who answered. Before he could, Marlee spoke.
"America you can be so stubborn sometimes," she said, shaking her head, smiling. I whipped my head around, surprised. She continued, "Natalie might be the only blonde in the competition, but she's not the only blonde in the palace." she said winking.
I was confused at first. Then it all clicked. "That was you...?"
She nodded. I turned to Maxon for confirmation.
He cleared his throat. "I... I was showing her engagement rings. I wanted to know if she thought you would like the one I picked out." he said.
I had to let that sink in. Before I had time to process it, he got down on one knee. There, in the dining hall with Marlee, Queen Amberly, and my maids watching, he was on one knee in front of me getting a ring, the ring, out of his coat pocket. This has to be a dream.
"I've had this darn thing on me since you were kidnapped." he said jokingly. "I've already said I love you, and my love goes beyond words, but I'll try. I love you. I would give up anything for you. Hell, I would give up the crown for you. I want a future with you, America. I want to know you'll always be with me, that you love me as much as I love you. I love you with all I am. " Tears were streaming down my face. He went on. "When you didn't show in the safe room, all I could think about was if you were safe. It sounds harsh, but none of the Elite passed my mind during those moments, only you. When you were gone I felt that if you died, I would too. It's always been you. And it always will be."
"There's no other way to say this, so my dear America, will you marry me?" My face was stained with tears, and I couldn't get my mouth to move, so I just kept nodding as a smile spread across my face. He took my left hand in his, slip the ring on, and stood to hug me. There, in his arms, everything felt right. I was home.
We stepped back, I let it sink in and I held onto him for balance, but a second later I was scooped into another hug. A hug from Queen Amberly. It made sense now. Queen Amberly always wanted a daughter, and I was going to be the closest thing to a daughter for her. And she was like a second mother to me, though I would never replace my real mom, I was proud to mean so much to her.
When I finally rebalanced my feet for the second time I noticed Marlee and my maids clapping. I laughed and we all gave another round of hugs.
"As much as I hate to part so soon, my love, we need to get you to the hospital wing and get you re-bandaged. I also have to prepare a surprise for you. Marlee? Can you go with America?" Maxon said.
"Sure, c'mon America." Marlee said, nudging her head to the door.
Maxon gave me a quick kiss and left the room. Me and Marlee headed to the Hospital Wing.
~---~
"Okay, so you'll need to keep the head bandage on and the ankle brace on for a week or two, as well as the bandage around your ribs. The rest of the bandages can be removed in about three days or so." Dr. Ashlar explained.
I nodded. Marlee was sitting in the chair next to me. I was supposed to stay in here overnight, and apparently they want someone to babysit me, but at least its Marlee. It's better than some random guard. We started talking up a bit when Dr. Ashlar left for the night.
"So how does it feel to be engaged?" she asked jokingly.
"Marlee you've been engaged, too!" We burst into a fit of laughter.
"Man, I knew this would happen. Not you being kidnapped. But I knew you and Maxon would end up together. Maybe I'm physic." she said jokingly. We laughed even harder and my head started to hurt. Exhaustion hit me. I yawn.
"Hey, maybe you should sleep. Don't worry, I'll be here."
I wanted to protest, say I was fine. The truth was that I was tired. My eyelids got heavy, and as much as I resisted, in a few seconds I drifted off to sleep.
~---~
I was awoken by a sneeze. Marlee? What time was it? I yawn.
I slowly sit up in my bed cot, it took me a second to realize where I was. I calmed a bit, processing that I was back in the palace. I searched for the source of the sneeze. "Oh shoot, I woke you up. I just meant to check on you" I heard a familiar voice. But it wasn't Marlee's.
As I looked around a person's frame caught my eye leaning against the doorway. I debated whether this was a dream. After a few seconds the figure waved a small wave and spoke again.
"Hi." Georgia said.
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Ahhhh! Long chapter :) I hope you liked it. Just letting anyone curious know that I wont be finishing this anytime soon! I got big plans! :) Comment so I know you exist! Suggest some suggestions maybe. Maybe even vote (wink wink, nudge nudge :)How did you like the chapter? In the next chapter the other Elite find out America is back (and maybe a furry new friend is introduced?) And drama (the good kind, of course) Yay! I hope you liked the chapter! :)
Hugs and Love <3
Mer/woofpaws