The Life

vi. (UNEDITED)

America Singer

"Your highness?" a voice called out.

Then another called and then another and another. The search party has finally reached me.

I just wanted to lie there. I didn't have the heart to get up.

"Sir, there's a dead body!" a soldier called out.

"Hurry up! We're going to get the Queen dead or alive. Preferably alive!"

I almost laughed.

I should have called out but I didn't. Well I didn't until I heard a familiar voice.

"America!"

I couldn't help it. It's been a 2 weeks since I heard his voice last and I heard his limp has gone away. The doctor said it would be permanent but he recovered and he hadn't mentioned it to me.

"Aspen, I'm here!" my voice cracked and my throat burned.

"America!" I could hear footsteps running towards me.

I sighed. I guess wanting to see Aspen alone was too much to ask for.

Was it just me or is history repeating itself?

His figure loomed over me and behind him was an entire squad of soldiers.

"We found her!" someone from the back yelled.

Aspen's eyes met mine. Relief flooded his features, he smiled trying to cover it up. Ha, nice try! Wait, so he did care?

"You must be freezing!"

I put my hands on the ground trying to push myself up, with no shoes it stung like hell.

I felt his strong arms go around me, picking me up.

"Scout the grounds for any other bodies. I'll take the Queen to the infirmary," Aspens shouted orders.

I winced. I hated it when Aspen called me a Queen. I wish he would only ever see me as the 5 he always knew, as America Singer.

Aspen started walking towards the palace.

"You weren't hurt by that man, were you? If you were I'd bring him back from the dead just to end him myself!" Aspen's worried face looked down at me.

I shuddered, what would Maxon think of me? My blood ran cold. My hands started to tremble. I had killed someone. I had taken a life.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm a murderer," I whispered, barely audible.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"I'm a murderer!" I said louder.

The louder I said it the reality began to sink in. My hands pulled the trigger. I was the sole cause for the man's death. I didn't even have someone to share the guilt with.

"Wait, you were the one who shot that guy?" Aspen's pace began to slow.

"I didn't know what to do. He was a maniac, Aspen! He looked utterly insane and he started running at me!"

"Are you okay?" he asked for the hundredth time.

"Thanks to your gun training. I'd probably be dead or worse if I didn't know how to use it," I admitted.

"Don't say that," Aspen said his tone turning sharp.

"You can't say a word about shooting that man," Aspen's face turned into stone, dead serious. It was quite terrifying seeing him this way.

"Why? He tried to kill me!"

"This attack wasn't orchestrated by the rebels. The majority of the attackers were Illean higher class citizens and if my guess is right that man must be a 2."

"Why would they want to attack us?"

My mind was racing. Now we had our own citizens to fear. Didn't we already have enough problems.

"You and Maxon want to destroy the caste system. That would bring all the fortune given to them at birth to an end. They don't want to lose their positions. To them the caste system is a gift. For generations they didn't have to prove themselves, they got their money, position and job handed to them on a silver platter."

I nodded and Aspen continued.

"Even if you're their Queen if word gets to the public that you killed a man from the upper caste there would be chaos. Not to mention you're a birth 5, people would instantly claim you always had a hatred for the higher castes."

I got it. I had to lie to everyone, even Maxon. No matter what happens this secret couldn't get out.

"Promise me you'll keep it a secret and stay safe?"

I almost laughed, once again. Aspen will always be Aspen and America will always be America no matter how much our jobs, positions or lives changed.

"I promise, Aspen. I promise."

"Pinky promise?" he asked with a cute puppy face.

This time I did laugh.

"Pink promise," I said hooking my pinky to his.

Aspen always made light in the worst of situations. I felt reassured, no matter what happens, I'll always have Aspen.

We walked to the castle in silence, well more like he did.