The Girl - A The Selection Fan-Fiction |✔️|

Chapter Fifteen - The Stab

Queen America's POV

"Mom."  Aaron shook my arm.  I blinked and turned to him.  I had been zoning out yet again.  "What do you think of the girls?"  He asked.  I pondered the thought.  Ambree was nice and so was Caspan but there were other girls that I wasn't quite sure of.  Either way one of them was my future daughter.
       "They're lovely, darling."  I said, still not fully devoting myself to the conversation.  My eyes wandered the room for Maxon.  He hadn't shown up for any of the meals today and I was beginning to worry.  I turned to my son and spoke quietly, as if I had a deep secret.  "Have you seen your father recently?"  I asked him worriedly.
       "No but I'm sure he's just busy. Calm down mom."  Aaron said softly, returning my tone.  I took a deep breath then nodded my head.  Aaron was right.  He probably was just busy.  After all, there had been times when he would disappear into his office for days at a time.  I calmed my nerves and began eating my dinner.
~*~*~*~*~*~
       It was after dinner and Maxon was still missing.  I had checked his office but he wasn't there.  My final resort was the garden.  If he was feeling troubled or stressed he would usually travel to the garden to soothe his nerves.  It was likely that he was there now, with all the girls here he would easily get stressed.  He never really liked the idea of having random girls in his home.
       I swiftly walked down the hallways, my elegant, blue dress trailing behind me.  I was the queen now and had been for years but the beautiful palace attire still impressed me, as did Mary's sewing.  Her skill for making dresses had not been lost over the years.  Paige, my newer maid had a thing for doing hair.  She was fantastic at it too.  She had gracefully twisted my hair into a French-twist with French-braids leading into it.  I loved my maids to death.
       As I was walking towards the garden I heard a shuffling noise that I knew wasn't me.  I glanced back and saw a lean figure dart behind a plant.  I shrugged it off.  It was probably just a guard, they were strange at times and loved to play pranks on me.  I had grown close with a few guards through Aspen while I was in the selection but now the guards and I were like family. 
       I laughed a little and kept walking.  When I had reached the stairs by the garden doors I paused.  There were footsteps coming from the floor above.  I watched intently as Maxon frolicked down the steps.  I beamed and embraced him when her reached me.  I was about to ask him where he'd been when he walked away.  He was probably just busy or tired.
       I continued walking towards the garden doors.  The shuffling noise came again and I stopped.  Most of the guards were either at their posts of asleep by now.  Who was following me?
       "Hello?"  I called out, trying not to let my voice waver.  "Hansel?  Rye?  Is that you?"  I asked more confidently.  Nothing.  Of course, when guards were pranking me they wouldn't blow their cover but when I sounded worried they would know and come out.  "Please come out."  I said firmly, hoping it was in fact only a guard.  Still nothing.  I shook it off and turned to continue walking. 
       My ears were just playing tricks on me.  There was no way someone was following me with all the security.  I took in a sharp breath and attempted to reach for the garden doors but was stopped.  A firm hand whipped me around.  My eyes widened and I let out a quiet yelp.  The other hand of the person covered my mouth.  They whispered into my ear.
       "Come with me.  Don't struggle or make a sound or else."  His voice was raspy and hushed.  I obviously was not going with this freak.  I pulled away from his grasp and kneed him in the thigh.  He staggered back and clutched his leg before straightening and grabbing something from his holster. 
       If it wasn't a knife it had to be a gun.  I was praying it wasn't a gun for they were much more lethal than knifes.  I turned to run but felt a sharp pain in my back.  I staggered and crouched on the ground and felt the presence of my attacker disappear.  He had ran and gotten away. 
       I tried to stand but had no prevail.  I attempted to scream for help but my voice was lodged in my throat.  I sunk fully to the floor and stayed there, praying, hoping, wishing for someone to find me.  I could feel the blood spilling onto my dress and back.  I whimpered softly and closed my eyes.  I could not die.  I would not die. 
       I fought off unconsciousness for as long as I could but it eventually grasped me.  The last thing I remembered thinking was about Maxon.  I never got to say 'I love you' one last time.  At least I had seen him though.  At least if I died he would have our hug to remember me by.  I whispered a plea, a cry for help before slipping into who knows where.  I was either dead or simply unconscious.  I was hoping for the second one.