The One: Maxon

Chapter 24

"Your father has requested you," said Hunter as he walked into my parlor. I rolled my eyes as I swiveled my chair around to face him.

"Again?"

"Again," he replied. I sighed and stood up, buttoning my shirt back up. Hunter helped me put on my suit jacket.

"My hair looks a mess," I groaned.

"You look fine, Your Highness," said Hunter, helping my comb it back. Whenever my father requested me, it was best to get to him as soon as possible. I didn't have any time to gel my hair back so combed would have to do. I head straight for his office. The guard outside told me to wait for the other person leaving me quite confused until America appeared next to me.

"What is all this about?" she whispered as she leaned closer to me.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Knowing that my father had called America and I both worried me slightly.

"Cute glasses," she said as the guard signaled for us to enter and escorted us in. My hand instinctively went up to my face, realizing I hadn't taken them off before I came here. As we entered, my father's back straightened. He looked at us with the same flat face he usually had.

"What exactly have you done with the Italian Princess?" he asked America, finally. I gulped and America stilled.

"I'm not sure what you mean," she said flatly, trying to mask the fear in her voice.

"We've been trying to make an alliance with the Italians for years and have been unsuccessful. Yet, all of a sudden they have insisted upon a visit from us, specifically asking for you." He lifted the paper that was on his desk and began to read.

"'While it would be an honor to have your majesty and your family grace us with your company, we hope that Lady America will also be able to visit with you. After meeting the Elite we can't imagine anyone to follow the footsteps of the queen quite like her'." He raised his eyebrows at America. "Well?" I saw her shoulder release the tension they were holding. My guess was that it was due to what she thought the King was insinuating.

"All I've done is try to be polite to the Princess and her mother. I had no idea that they liked me that much," she said slowly.

The king rolled his eyes. "You're subversive; I've been watching you since you came to the palace. You're here for something and it sure as hell isn't him." I looked to America looking for confirmation that what my father was saying was just to get under my skin and that there was no truth to it.

"Hey, that isn't true!" America exclaimed. 

"No? Then how did a poor little five like yourself, with no connections and no money just waltz herself into the favour of the Italian court? Something that we, an entire Kingdom, have been trying to achieve for years. How?"

America took a shallow breath before answering. "You were the ones who put us on this assignment: to entertain the foreign guests. I would never had met those women otherwise and she is the one who wrote about me. Not the other way around. It's not like I begged for a trip to Italy."

I could sense the change in America's tone and she was stepping dangerously close to the line. My father flared his nostrils, seeming to notice the same thing.

"Maybe if you had simply been more welcoming, you would have been able to form this alliance ages ago." And there goes the line. The king stood suddenly, his chair making a sharp screech as his stood. 

"Watch. Your. Mouth." America opened her mouth again, ready to fully submerge herself beneath the ice she was tap dancing on moments ago.

"America, perhaps it's best if you left now," I said wrapping an arm around her to escort her from the room.