Celia
I bade my parents goodbye and left for the Women's Room as Aspen had asked me to do. When I arrived, Aspen, Maxon and America were already there, but Shalom was not.

"Where's Shalom?" I asked them as I made my way across the empty room.

Aspen shrugged, "late?"

"Shalom doesn't do late," America frowned, "I think I'm going to go and look for him."

America swept out of the room and I sighed deeply as I sat down with Maxon and Aspen.

"What's wrong?" Maxon asked me.

"Shalom was being a dick," Aspen told Maxon. Maxon cleared his throat and Aspen rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry, Shalom was being rude."

"What did he do?" Maxon asked me.

"He told me that he doesn't like me and I told him I don't like him either," I shrugged, "I just don't want him to not spent time with you guys because of me."

"It's his choice," Maxon told me, "don't let Shalom push you out because you have just as much of a right to be here as he does."

"He's just being a dick," Aspen said again.

"AJ!" Maxon chided his language again.

Aspen shrugged, "I'm just calling it as I see it."

"Let's all try and be nice to each other please," Maxon gave Aspen a pointed look, "it's Christmas after all. It's a hard time for all of us, let's not make it any harder."

I cast my mind back to the stories that my parents had told me about the royal family. The rebel attack at the palace that ended the lives of King Clarkson and Queen Amberly had happened just after Christmas and America's father had died just before Christmas. I had never considered how hard Christmas time must've been for the King and Queen.

The three of us lapsed into silence and Maxon stood and walked over to the window. 

It was a while before the door opened and America returned with Shalom at her side.

"So nice of you to join us Shal," Aspen said.

"AJ," Maxon said in a warning tone.

Shalom said nothing, but made his way over to us and sat down beside Aspen. America and Maxon both joined us and we began exchanging presents. It was strange to share a day like Christmas with people that I had only known for just over a month, and the hostility between Aspen and Shalom did not help ease my tension. 

I received a key to my own section of the gardens from Maxon and America, a necklace from Shalom and a large box of seeds from Aspen (exactly what I had asked for). 

Aspen sighed heavily when Maxon announced that it was time for us to join the selected girls and the extended family for Christmas Lunch.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, "do you not want to spend several hours alone with all of the women who want to marry you?"

"Of course I don't," Aspen replied as we left the Women's Room together, "they all drive me insane."