☆cronzel☆

亞美利佳現入熱戀時，瑪琳的故事......

I PULLED THE TOP LAYERS of my dress a little tighter over my shoulders.Cater was quiet now, and his silence sent deeper chills through my body than the lack of heat in the palace cells did. It had been horrific to hear his grunts of pain as the guards beat the hope out of him, but at least then I knew he was breathing.

I shivered as I drew my knees closer to my chest. Another tear slid down my cheek, and I was grateful for it if only because it was warm on my skin. We knew. We knew it could end this way. And still we met. How could we have stopped?

I wondered how we would die. A noose? A bullet? Something much more elaborate and painful?

I couldn’t help wishing that Carter’s silence meant he was already gone. Or if not, that he would go first. I’d rather have my last memory be of his death than suffer knowing that his last memory was of mine. Even now, alone in this cell, all I wanted was for his pain to stop.

Something stirred in the hallway, and my heart started racing. Was this it? Was this the end? I shut my eyes quickly, trying to hold back my tears. How had this happened? How had I gone from being one of the beloved members of the Selection to being labeled a traitor, awaiting my punishment? Oh, Carter . . . Carter, what have we done?

I didn’t think I was a vain person. Still, nearly every day after breakfast, I felt like I had to go back to my room and touch up my makeup before heading to the Women’s Room. I knew it was silly—Maxon wouldn’t even see me again until the evening. And at that point, of course, I’d reapply all my makeup and change my outfit anyway.

Not that anything I was doing seemed to be having much of an effect. Maxon was polite and friendly, but I didn’t think I had a connection with him the way some of the other girls did. Was there something wrong with me?

While I was certainly having a wonderful time in the palace, I kept feeling like there was something the other girls—well, some of them at least—understood that I didn’t. Before being Selected, I had thought that I was funny and pretty and smart. But now that I was in the middle of a bunch of other girls whose daily mission was to impress one particular boy, I felt dim and dull and less. I realized I should have paid much more attention to my friends back home who had always seemed to be in a rush when it came to finding a husband and settling down. They had spent their time talking about clothes, and makeup, and boys—while I had paid more mind to my tutors’ lectures. I felt like I had missed some important lesson, and now I was woefully behind.

No. I merely needed to keep trying, that was all. I’d memorized everything from Silvia’s history lesson earlier this week. I’d even written some of it down to keep handy if I forgot something. I wanted Maxon to think that I was smart and well-rounded. I also wanted him to think I was beautiful, so it felt like these trips to my room were necessary.

Did Queen Amberly do this? She seemed effortlessly stunning all the time.

I paused on the stairs to look at my shoe. One of the heels seemed to be snagging on the carpet. I didn’t see anything, so I moved on, eager to get to the Women’s Room.

I flicked my hair over my shoulder as I approached the first floor and went back to focusing on whether there was more that I was supposed to be doing. I really wanted to win. I hadn’t spent much time with Maxon, but he seemed kind and funny and—

“Ahh!” My heel snagged on the edge of the stair, and I fell with a smack onto the marble floor. “Ow,” I muttered.

“Miss!” I looked up to see a guard running toward me. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Nothing injured but my pride,” I said, blushing.

“I don’t know how ladies walk in those shoes. It’s a miracle the whole lot of you don’t have broken ankles all the time.”

I giggled as he offered me his hand.

“Thank you.” I started brushing my hair back and smoothing out my dress.

“Any time. You’re sure you aren’t hurt?” He looked me over anxiously, searching for scrapes or cuts.

“My hip hurts a little where I fell, but otherwise I feel perfect.” Which was true.

“Maybe we should take you to the hospital wing, just to be safe.”

“No, really,” I insisted. “I’m fine.”

He sighed. “Would you do me a favor and go anyway? If you were hurt and I didn’t do something to help, I’d feel awful about it.” His blue eyes were terribly convincing. “And I’d be willing to bet the prince would want you to go.”

He made a fair point. “All right,” I ceded. “I’ll go.”

He grinned, his smile ever so slightly crooked. “Okay then.” He scooped me up, and I gasped in shock.

“I don’t think I need this,” I protested.

“All the same.” He started walking, so I couldn’t get down. “Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re Miss Marlee, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

He kept grinning, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “I’ve been working hard to keep all of you straight. Honestly, I don’t think I was the best in training, and I have no idea how I ended up in the palace. But I want to make sure they don’t regret their decision, so I’m trying to at least learn names. That way if someone needs something, I’ll know who they’re talking about.”

I liked the way he spoke. It was as if he was telling a story, even though he was simply stating a fact about himself. His face was animated and his voice alight.

“Well, you’re already going above and beyond,” I encouraged. “And don’t be so down on yourself. I’m sure you were an excellent trainee if you were placed here. Your commanders must have seen great potential in you.”

“You’re too kind. Will you remind me where you’re from?”

Kent.”

“Oh, I’m from Allens.”

“Really?” Allens was just east of

Kent, above Carolina. We were neighbors in a way.

He nodded as he walked. “Yes, ma’am. This is the first time I’ve ever been out of my province. Well, second if you count training.”

“Same here. It’s kind of hard getting used to the weather.”

“It is! I’m waiting for fall to kick in, but I’m not sure they even have fall here.”

“I know what you mean. Summer’s nice, but not every day.”

“Exactly,” he said firmly. “Can you imagine how sillyChristmas must look?”

I sighed. “It can’t possibly be as good without snow.” I meant that. I dreamed about winter all year. It was my favorite season.

“Nowhere close,” he agreed.

I didn’t know why I was smiling so much. Maybe it was because this conversation felt so easy. I’d never had an easy time speaking to a boy. Admittedly, I hadn’t had a lot of practice, but it was nice to think that maybe I didn’t need as much work as I had thought.

As we approached the entrance of the hospital wing he slowed.

“Would you mind putting me down?” I asked. “I don’t want them thinking I’ve broken a leg or something.”

He chuckled. “Not at all.”

He set me down and opened the door for me. Inside, a nurse was sitting at a desk.

the officer spoke for me. “Lady Marlee took a little tumble in the hall. Probably nothing, but we just wanted to be safe.”

The nurse stood right up, looking happy to have something to do. “Oh, Lady Marlee, I hope you’re not too hurt.”

“No, just a little sore here,” I said, touching my hip.

“I’ll check you out right away. Thank you so much, officer. You can go back to your post.”

The guard tipped his head to her and started to leave. Just before the doors closed, he gave me a wink and a crooked smile, and I was left there, grinning like an idiot.

I was pulled back to the present as the voices in the hallway grew louder. I heard the guards’ greetings overlapping one another as they all said one word: Highness .

Maxon was here.

我稍微拉緊了洋裝的衣領，此時此刻的卡特是安靜的，即使皇宮小的小囚房是溫暖的，我還是打了個冷顫。聽他痛苦的訴說著當侍衛是如何讓他漸漸失去希望這件事很可怕，但至少現在我知道他還在呼吸。

我顫抖著把我的膝蓋移到胸前。另一滴眼淚沿著我的臉頰流下，我很感激-----只因為它在我的肌膚上是溫暖的。我們知道，我們都知道這可能會有這種結果。但我們還是偷偷的幽會。我們怎麼可能不見面?

我在想我們有沒有可能會喪失性命?絞刑?一枚穿心的子彈?某種更複雜也更痛苦的求刑?

我不禁希望卡特的沉默表示他已經走了。如果沒有，他應該也會事先走的那個人。我寧願我的最後一幕是他的死亡也不願意因為他讓最後一幕是我生命的逝去-----這會讓我痛苦萬分。即便是現在，但單獨身在這個小房間裡，我所想要的是不再讓他痛苦下去。

有聲響從走廊傳來，我的心跳開始加速，這就是了嗎?這就是一切的結束嗎?我閉上雙眼，試著不讓淚水流下來。這怎麼會發生?我是怎麼從最受寵愛的參賽者之一淪落到成了一個被貼標籤的叛徒，等待著我的懲罰?喔，卡特......卡特，我們做了甚麼?

我不認為我是一個愛慕虛榮的人，但在每天吃完早餐後，我總覺得我必須要回房間檢查我的妝容後才能前往女仕室。我知道這是愚蠢的----麥克森在晚上之前跟本不會見到我。但即便在那種情況下，我還是會重新上裝還有換衣服。

我做的任何事好像都沒有影響。麥克森很親切人也很好，但是我想我跟他的關係沒有他和其他女生的關係一樣好。我有哪裡做錯了嗎?

當我很確定我再皇宮裡渡過了很美好的時光，我一直覺得其他女生-----嗯，至少有些女生----知道一些我不知道的事。在被選中之前，我以會我很幽默又漂亮。但我現在在一大堆整天只想讓麥克森印樣深刻的女生中，跟她們比起來我覺得我顯得遲鈍。我明白我應該更注意那些在家鄉很急著找老公，安頓下來的朋友們。她們花時間談論衣服、化妝跟男生----而我總是把心思放在老師的講課上。我覺得我錯過了一些重要的課程，而現在我悲哀的被那些女生拋在後頭。

不，我需要的只不過是繼續努力罷了，這是我能做的。我還記住了這禮拜希薇亞(Silvia)的歷史課上的所有內容。我還做了筆記，方便以免我忘了甚麼。我想要麥克森覺得我很聰明又多才多藝，我同時也想要他覺得我很漂亮，所以回到房間的這個程序我想是不可或缺的。

安柏莉女王也做過這種事嗎?她不論何時何地都看起還毫不費力地美極了。

我在樓梯間停下來看了看我的鞋跟。其中一個鞋跟好像被地毯絆住了。但我沒看到任合東西，所以我繼續走，急著想要到女仕室。

當我到了一樓時我吧把頭髮撥到肩後，專心再我應該做的事上。我真的很想贏。

我跟麥克森相處的時間不多，但他人看起來人很好又風趣還有-----

「阿!」我的鞋跟被階梯的邊緣絆住了，我摔倒在大理石的同時還伴隨著生想。「噢，」我咕噥。

「小姐!」我看像一位正向我跑來的侍衛。「妳還好嗎?」

「我很好，除了我的傲氣之外我沒有受傷，」我在我說的同時臉紅了。

「我不知道女們穿著這些鞋子要怎麼走路。你們沒有時常讓腳骨折就已經是奇蹟了。

我在他向我伸出手時咯咯的笑了。

「謝謝你。」我把頭髮往後撩，把禮服撫平。

「任您差遣。你確定你沒受傷?」他用擔心的寶晴看著我，同時尋找著任何傷口或擦傷的蹤跡。

「我的屁股在我跌倒的時候首當其衝所以有點痛，除外之外，我好極了。」這是事實。

「我們應該去一趟保健室，為了安全。」

「真的不用，」我堅持。「我很好。」

他嘆了口氣。「你就當我做事幫我的一個忙，去好嗎?如果你受傷而我卻甚麼也沒做，我會有罪惡感。」他那雙湛藍的雙眼難以置信的有說服力。「我敢跟你說王子一定會要求你去的。

他說的很有道理。「好吧，」我妥協了。「我會去。」。

他笑了，他的笑容有那麼一點是竊笑的感覺在裡頭。「那就好。」他抱起我，我驚訝的到抽了口氣。

「我覺得我不需要這樣。」我抗議道，

「有差嗎?」他開始走，所以我無法下來。「現在開始，如果我說錯了請糾正我。但你是瑪林(Marlee)小姐對吧?」

「是的。」

他一直露出那種笑容，我卻'無法克制的也對他微笑。「我一直很努力的確保你們遵守秩序。坦白說我覺得我在接受訓練中不是最好，我也不知道我是怎麼來到皇宮的，但我不想要他們後悔他們所做的選擇。我正在試著記住一些人的名字。這樣任何人需要任何東西。我就知道他們說的人是誰。」

我喜歡他說話的方式，就有如再說故事一樣，即便他只是在簡單的說著有關自己的事。他的臉和聲音都充滿了熱情。

「這個嘛，你已經做的很好了，」我鼓勵他。「別對自己那麼沒信心。我很確定如果你被指派到這個工作是因為你是個優秀的新乒。你的上司一定看到了你的潛力。

「你真是太親切了。你可以提醒我你來自哪裡嗎?」

「肯特郡。」

「喔。我來自艾倫斯。」

「真的嗎?」艾倫斯其實就在肯特郡的東邊，在卡洛琳娜的下面。我們可以稱得上是鄰居。

他邊走邊點頭。「是的，夫人。這是我第一次走出我的家鄉。嗯，如果你連訓練都算進去，這是第二次。」

「我也是。要適應這裡的天氣有點困難。」

「真的!我正等待著秋天的到來，但我不卻定這裡有沒有秋天。」

「我懂你的意思。夏天很好，但如果每天都是，那可就那麼討人喜歡了。」

「沒錯，」他同意我的話，「你可以想像這裡要是有聖誕節會顯得愚蠢嗎?」

我嘆氣。「如果沒有下雪就不可能是完美的。」這是我想表達的。我整年都在會想著冬天。冬天是我最喜歡的季節。

「會完全不像。」他同意道。

我不知道是甚麼促使我不停的微笑。可能是因為這段對話是多麼的輕鬆愉快。我從來沒有跟一個男生相處的這麼愉快過。我承認，我從來沒有練習過很多次，但我不需要花跟我預期比起來這麼多心力這件事令人高興。

當我們離保健室不遠時，他慢了下來。

「你會介意把我放下來嗎?」我問。「我不想要他們以為我摔斷腿或甚麼的。」

他輕笑著。「一點也不會。」

他把我放下來然後幫我把門打開。裡頭，一位護士坐在書桌後。

那個侍衛先開了口。「瑪林小姐在大廳跌了一跤。應該沒事，但我們只是要確保沒事。

那個護士起身，看起來因為終於有事做而開心。「喔，瑪琳小姐，我希望你沒有受傷。」

「沒事，只是這裡有點酸痛。」我邊說邊把手放在臀部上。

「我馬上就幫妳檢查。很感謝你，長官。你可以回到你的崗位上了。」

那名侍衛對她點了點頭後準備離開。在門關上前，他對我眨了眨眼還加上一個竊笑，然後我就像一個白痴一樣的站著微笑。

我從回憶中被走廊傳來的吵雜聲拉回現實。我聽到此起彼落的問候聲，都說著同一個詞:王子殿下。

麥克森在這兒。

所以我想這個就是瑪琳邂逅的故事吧跟亞美利佳真的很不一樣，還會也誰在遇見王子的那一刻攻擊人家?(欸

希望大家喜歡，有錯字請下方留言=)