Maxerica: That One Bullet

Roses

"Oh, Maxon! I didn't expect to see you here!" I said.

"What do you mean? I live here." He said. 

"Ugh. I hate you. I meant here in the gardens."

"Right" He laughed. 

I bent down to look at the roses and daisies that brought such a beautiful aroma. 

"Woah there, you shouldn't be bending down to smell all the flowers. Wouldn't that do some sort of damage to the babies?" 

"It's fine, my mom worked all the time when she was pregnant with May and Gerad, I'm sure nothing bad can happen," I said, Exposing my scar from yesterday. 

"What happened here?" He asked pointing to my lash.

"Oh nothing, I was bending down and a thorn cut my leg. I didn't want to go upstairs and get it checked out though. Guess I should have since it's infected." I quickly made up a lie.

"America...You have to be more careful. Alright?" He said picking me up. "Now let's get it checked out, it sucks having an infection by the way. It hurts like hell"

"Maxon! Put me down! I don't want to go!"

"Honey, you should like a five-year-old right now, just check it out, for me?" 

"Maxon! Put. Me. Down!" 

"Not after you get it checked out!"

"It's just something that was infected." I lied. "I'll manage."

"At least have Doctor Ashlar give you some sort of cream or medication to help."

"Fine."

I walked up the stairs and shared a glance with the King. He saw that Maxon seemed happy so he must think that I didn't tell him. He was right, I didn't plan on talking to him about it.

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"So America, what kind of trouble did you stir up now?"

"Actually I was bending down to smell so roses, then a thorn cut me. I didn't treat it and now I got this infected thing."

"America. You can be honest with me."

"I am being honest!"

"America. These are clearly canned marks. No rose could have done this to you. I don't want to know who it was, I have my suspicions, but please. Take care of yourself. Your taking care of 3 people now. Please."

"Yes. These are canned marks. Ones on my back too." 

"Your back!?!" He yelled. "Turn around. Now!"

"Oh god...."

"What? Is it bad?!" 

"It's not bad...but it's not good.

"What happened?!"

"Your back.....When you were canned, might have caused quite a scare to the children. That can damage their brain and body development."  (Don't know if that's true. I just LOVE drama)

"What?...." 

"I'm sorry, but in a couple of weeks they should be fine."

"In a couple of weeks, they're due!"

"Not to worry." He said. "Shall I tell Maxon?"

"Please. No. He already has so much going on, this will be too much for him to take. Just please, leave it between us."

"Alright. But tell him within the next week or so. He deserves the right to know about this."

I nodded and left the room. Hoping Maxon wasn't there.

"America," Maxon said.

"Yep! That's me!" I replied trying to seem as happy as possible.

"So what's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just infected like I told you."

"So what should we do?"

I looked at Maxon like "We don't need to do this. This is so extra."

"Put it on your infection 5 times a week, this way, you can air it out, and still treat it."

"Hear that darling? I'll come to your room 7 times a week to make sure you're using it."

"Don't you already do that?" 

Maxon glared at me but like a childish glare. I had nothing to do but laugh and try and get out as soon as possible. 

"Fine. I'll do it, only if you stop worrying. Deal?"

"No promises." He said.

"Maxon..."

"Honey, you know I can't do that!"

"Fine then. Just take it down a notch, can you do that?"

"I'll try my best" 

"Ugh, you're annoying." 

"I try."  He said smiling.

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I walked up to my room to see a paper. With the King's seal, and a note.

America, 

Sign this. Now. Or else your children won't be hurt. Let alone you. You defied me one too many times. Stole everything from me, you must pay. Give Maxon all legal rights to your children. I'll let you leave the place and I won't tell anyone about your scandal with that one guard Leger. Don't worry. He's in a safe place.

No! He wouldn't. But then again he is the King. I couldn't do this to everyone I loved. Do I give him what he wanted? And lose my everything? 

I clutched the pen in my hand, starting to write A-M-E-R-I-C-A  S-I-N-G-E-R. All in cursive. I placed the sheet of paper under a pillow and started to pack my suitcase.