"Good morning, dear," Maxon said to me as I rolled over in bed.

"I'm not your dear," I laughed back at him.

He smiled.

"I figured. Well, since it's your first fall here at the palace with just me, I think we need to do something together."

"What is it?"

"Have you ever been apple picking?" he asked.

"Once or twice, maybe. Apples were one of those things that were a really special treat, so it was rare that we got them. One time we had an apple pie, and it was the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. Not counting the strawberry tarts," I added.

"Well, perfect. The cooks had mentioned that they needed to order some more apples, and I told them that I would much rather go out and pick apples with my darling wife and make a date out of it. We'll leave whenever you're ready."

I threw on a pair of jeans and ran a brush through my hair, which was suffering from major bedhead. Just as I was putting on my shoes, a knock came on the door. It was Lucy.

"Mer! You look amazing!"
 "I'm just going apple picking with Maxon, Lucy. I don't need to look amazing," I joked.

"Well, I'm sure it'll be fun. I've been apple picking before, and the apples taste amazing. Better than normal."

"That's good to know. I don't think I've ever been apple picking, but if I have, I don't remember anything about it."

"Well, I'm sure you two will have fun."

As Maxon and I walked out the door, he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I can't imagine my life without you," he said.

"Well, it would be pretty hard," I joked. "I'm sure you wouldn't know what to do with yourself if you didn't have me."

He grinned.

"Mer, I really, really love you."

Instead of replying to him, I kissed him. As we pulled apart, he kept his arm around me, holding me tight in a warm embrace.

"You're perfect."

When we reached the orchard, which was over by the stables, Maxon led me to the tallest apple tree in the grove. Gazing up at the top of it, I could see what felt like endless bright red spheres.

"Oh look, there's one on the ground!" I exclaimed, going to pick it up.

"Don't eat those. Nobody knows how long they've been there, and they could be dangerous."

I laughed.

"It's a good thing I've got you here with me, or knowing me, I'd probably get sick from eating an apple."

"You know it!"

After wandering around for a few moments, we finally came upon a sturdy wooden ladder.

"We can use this to reach the taller apples," Maxon explained.

After moving it over to our first target, I climbed up it and began finding the apples that had the brightest red color. Finding a couple that looked good to me, I grabbed them and climbed back down the ladder to Maxon.

"We forgot a bucket! I knew I was missing something," he groaned.

"It's okay. We can stick them in my scarf, and then carry them back." I pulled the orange cloth off my neck and handed it to him. "Here. It might not be a bucket, but it works just as well, for now."

"You're a genius, America."

When we got back to the palace, I sat my scarf down in the kitchen, still filled to the brim with apples.

"Thank you so much, your Highness," our head chef said.

"It was no problem at all," I smiled. "Please, you can call me America."

After dropping off the apples, we went back up to our suite, where I sat down on our bed. Maxon sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around me.

"I'm so lucky to have you. You're the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen."

"I'm only here for the strawberry tarts," I joked. "In all seriousness, I really, really love you, Maxon Calix Schreave. You complete me."

"I love you, dear."

With that, he leaned over and kissed me. It was delicate, like the feeling of a butterfly when it spreads its wings for the first time, ready to head off into the aquamarine sky. It was perfect. It was actually better than perfect. It was us.