The Royalty

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

When night finally came, America and I left our hiding spot in the tree. We held hands as we headed in the direction of the palace. No words were spoken to ensure that if there were any rebels nearby, they wouldn't hear us. The only sounds to be heard were the sounds of crickets singing their songs and our soft footsteps on the mossy ground. The sky was clear and I could see all the different colors of the stars, in varying colors like white, blue, and red. The wild flowers that were scattered around the woods produced a fragrant smell that I found to be a little comforting. A gentle wind blew my hair from my forehead and kept it out of my eyes. Walking through the woods, I noticed how tranquil it seemed.

America walked beside me and I glanced over at her. Her eyelids were drooping and there were dark shadows under her eyes from sleep deprivation. She seemed to be about to fall asleep right then and there. I decided that America and I needed to rest for a bit. How were we supposed to keep walking for hours, if we had no energy? "How about we rest for a while?" I asked her quietly. She nodded gratefully.

We went over to a nearby maple tree and settled at the base of it. America snuggled up next to me and I wrapped my arms around her. Her eyelids fluttered closed almost instantly. She rested her hand over mine and drifted off to sleep. I tried to keep my own eyes open, but my body was demanding rest. Soon enough, I fell asleep too.

I woke up from my dreamless sleep hours later, the sun had probably risen no more than an hour ago. America was still cuddled up beside me. Her hair was in tangles and was spread out over my chest. I smiled and moved her hair off of me because the ends tickled my face.

Suddenly, America's brow furrowed in her sleep and a frown shaped on her lips. A pit of concern immediately bloomed inside of my gut. I ran my fingers lightly over her cheek, trying to help her relax, but she remained in her unsettled state. I whispered comforting words in her ear, which usually helped, but it didn't seem to be working as it should've.

I was just about to wake her, when her eyes shot open. America gasped and her breathing set off at an unsteady pace. She looked around frantically and her gaze fell on me. America closed her eyes and kissed me. My heart skipped a beat and I didn't even have time to register what was happening before she pulled away. She breathed a sigh of relief. All I could do was stare at her, still in shock by her sudden show of affection. My pulse was doing funny things in my chest and I continued feeling disoriented from America's abruptness.

"What was that for?" I managed to get out. She blushed deep red and smiled.

"Just checking something," she replied, not providing any more details. I resisted the urge to ask another question. It didn't seem like what'd just happened was that important to her and it probably wasn't too big of a deal, so I kept my mouth shut. Without another word, I helped her to her feet. We kept holding each other's hands as we walked in the direction of the palace.
Considering how far the palace had looked from up in the tree and how far we'd already walked, America and I were about twenty miles away. It would take about five hours to walk there. My feet ached at the thought of walking so far all at once, but I pushed on. There was no way in hell I would let a little bit of walking keep me from my home.

My mind wandered to thoughts of Father and Mom. Father, knowing him, probably had hardly missed me. I couldn't be sure though because America hadn't informed me of how he was and I hadn't asked. It wasn't like I hated the man, I just wished he knew how to show more compassion and empathy to others. Mom, on the other hand, had probably missed me a lot. I loved her so much and I'd missed her terribly. I was a little bit of a Momma's Boy, and I wasn't afraid to admit it. She'd been my rock throughout my life. Mom had been there when I felt too pressured and stressed. She'd done everything from holding my hand when I was a child, to having a conversation and treating me like an equal during the Selection.