He did not wait Prince Caleidon's response and quickly grabbed his sister’s cold hand and took her away from the place. Maximo regretted dragging his sister infront of the Prince.
'I will not let her get near the Prince again.' Maximo thought with a blank expression while pulling Maxine.
Maxlein followed his two siblings but he dropped a deadly glare to the Prince to warn him but His Highness only replied him with a cold look.
The Prince followed them with his scanning eyes while the Duke infront of him was throwing him cold stares until the three of them reached Maxwell and Maxillary's spot.
The fear Maxine was feeling lessened a little, more so when she saw her brothers waiting for them. Still, she did not expect that she would see the Prince this early.
"Maxineee!" Maxwell's voice swayed out while biting the handkerchief in irritation. Maxine could not help but to chuckle on her brother's childishness.
She felt like the wrath she was feeling ago towards the Prince had vanished and even forgot Caleidon for a moment.
"Maxine, do not ever go near that brat!" Maxillary forbade, sounded more like a demand. Maximo immediately hushed him. How could they just call a Royal -a brat? They could be improsened for calling him that!
Luckily, seems like no one heard them because there was only few people inside the shop and they were all busy with their own businesses.
Maxillary did not have to say that because she did not have a plan to meet the Prince willingly.
"What? Brother Amo, are you not mad-?" Maxwell's words hanged when they all turned their heads towards Maximo in unison. They were startled and had goosebumps after seeing Maximo smiling innocently.
What feared them was they could feel his fury behind his smile. He was like a burning entity in the middle of a fire or a devil fresh from hell.
Amo tilted his head to left and right with a crack on his neck visibly heard. "What were you saying?" Maximo was smiling but his tone was menacingly cold and at the same, hot. It was full of resentment and danger towards the Prince.
Maxlein, Maxwell and Maxillary stood there like a stone after hearing their older brother's voice filled with displeasure.
They swear, he was too frightening!
Maxine's smile was distorted hearing her brother. She could not believe that her kindest brother knows how to be at rage. Lloks like the saying -'Kind people are scarier then devil when mad.'- were true and Maximo was their living proof.
Maxine did not know what to do anymore back then but when her father and brothers came to her aid, the tension she felt slowly disappeared. Maxine smiled brightfully, thinking that her family really loved her even in the past. She was glad she did changed her family and they finally showed her true love except for one person.
"Where is Brother Millian?" Maxlein asked while glancing around them to find their oldest brother. Maxine's expression immediately changed and Maximo noticed it.
"You still thinking about 'that'?" Maximo asked as he leaned forward to her to whisper. Maxine shook her head as an answer.
"No, I am just wondering why do he spend so much effort just to avoid me." replied Maxine and Maxlein who was standing beside her heard it.
"What was it?" Maxlein asked curiously out loud that even Maxwell and Maxrill heard it.
"What are you talking about?" the two asked in unison.
"Brother Millian always avoids her." Maximo told them without hesitance.
"Brother!" Maxine warned but he already said it.
The three of them could not believe what they heard from Maximo because...
"Are you sure, Brother? But Millian was asking us on what gift should he give to Maxine last time." Maxillary asked confused and Maxwell nodded to support his claims. "Right. Right."
Was it that the time she planned to surprise Maxwell and Maxillary but Brother Millian was with them who did not looked surprised but ran away as if scared by her?
"Hmm... If I would think about it more carefully, yeah. I remember Brother Millian also approached me to teach him how to talk with little girls on your age. I thought he was talking about his fiance." Maxlein blurted out while looking above him as if trying to remember something. Remembering the time Maximillian talked to him.
"I see. So, it is you." Maxlein said in realization then looked at Maxine, nodding as he came to the truth.
"Maybe, Brother Millian is just shy towards you?" Maxwell came up with the most obvious reason which they could not really accept because it was too shallow for their brother's behavior.
But sometimes, what was the most simple amd obvious reason was really the reason.
Maximillianlian was really just being shy with Maxine around because their youngest sibling was too cute for him to handle that was why, he always end up turning around and walking away from her.
"Why do we not help Brother to be closer with Maxine?" Maxillary suggested that Maxine's brothers nodded as an agreement.
"Let's set up Brother Millian with Maxine." Maxlein added.
"But it would be more easier if Brother have found his own way to be closer with Maxine."
Her four brothers planned on how would they help to build her relationship with his oldest brother if Maximillian refuses to do something. She was just listening, tilting her head from time to time and smiling awkwardly on their exaggerated plans on the side.
"Let me escort you back." Duke Zachrono offered that His Highness, the Prince declined.
"No need. I will be on my way with my little brothers." the Prince refused and turned his back from the Duke without a say. How rude this little Prince was.
The Duke did not mind His Highness rudeness and bowed at the Prince's walking back. When the Prince had vanished from the sight, he stood up properly and could not hide the anger in his eyes anymore.
He was not angry for the Prince's rudeness rather for aiming for his precious daughter!
How could His Highness hit with his daughter infront of him?!
How bold!
Even if the prophecy said something so significant, they stil could not be sure of that it was talking about Maxineirah.
He composed his self before turning around to look at his sons and lovely daughter. His children were having fun, Maximo fuming mad, the three boys with frightened expressions and his daughter on her awkward smile.
The Duke unconsciously smiled as he focused his attention to his daughter. Maxine did not acquired her mother’s color of hair and eyes but she got her mother’s beautiful face.
The more Duke Zachrono look at her beautiful and cute daughter, the more his heart melts. Maximus was already contented once he saw his daughter’s cold face even for just for a minute since she was born but ever since Maxine woke up from that accident, he could not help but to watch how her daughter’s expression change more so, her smiling angelic face.
He could see his dead wife to her daughter.
Maximus’ love for his dead partner only deepened and he was more determined now to protect his one and only daughter’s precious smile.
Graces, he might already have favoritisms! But no, his sons were still his and her wife’s children. He promised Brittania -his dead wife- on her grave that he would love their children equally and protect them with all his life.
Come what may, he would do everything for their safety. He would use whatever resort and he had in disposal.
He left his children for a while to come find his oldest son whom he surely staying in the lobby. He knew his son very well and so, he knows what Maximillian was going through.
When he arrived at the lobby, he saw his son, Maximillian, sitting on the couch infront of the botique’s entrance. He was holding his sword and looking at its every angle, searching for some dirt.
Maximus walked infront of his son and sat beside him without any noise. His son lifted his head to look at his father.
“Dad.” Maximillian called surprise. Maximillian slid his sword back in its scabbard and placed it on his waist.
“Still cannot face her without walking away?” the Duke asked even he already knew the answer. Maximillian looked at him innocently.
“Of course not. I talked to her just fine Dad. Heramia is simple-.” He was cut midway immediately by his father.
“You know that I am not talking about your fiance. I am talking about your sister.” Duke Zachono said bluntly that made Maximillian shut his mouth up and fell on silence for a minute.
Maximus did not say anything after that and waited for his son to talk.
“You already know that, Dad. Do not you? You do not have to ask me anymore.” Maximillian said in a matter-of-fact tone. Maximus glanced at his son’s swaying feet that Maximillian unconsciously doing.
‘He looks matured but he is still a child, as expected.’ Maximus thought, referring to his son’s behaviour that made him flash a small smile.
“Then, why do you not cope up with her?”
“I am trying, Dad. It is just that I really cannot. Her smile is melting me.” Maximillian replied with a blush as he put his hand on his pounding chest and clasped his expensive suit. Maximillian diverted his eyes away from his father
Everytime he thinks about her sister’s smiling face, his chest immediately tightens. What was more if he sees her in real? He was not even entirely sure if the change to his sister was a good or bad thing for him.
“Then let her melt your heart. Your brothers are also melting, I am also melting, the maids, the Knights and all the servants are melting, even some of the Vassals, so why do you not let her melt you?” Maximus told his son to knock some senses on him but the boy seem not to be encouraged.
“But Dad, I am not like you or any other that could withstand melting. I am not strong against her smile. I might also…harm her again.” Maximillian reasoned out and remembered how he almost killed his sisted while training with his sword.
Maximillian’s mood drooped so the Duke patted his back, coaxing him.
‘I think, he was somehow coping with Maxine but got really traumatized in that incident and worsened his thoughts in regards of approaching her.’
The Duke was speechless and shut his mouth in order not to say anymore depressing words to his son. He then stood up from his seat and patted the boy’s head.
“I will fetch them.” Maximus said and walked back to the waiting area. He even encountered his co-Duke, Duke Gabriela with his three children on the hallway. Duke Gabriela has three children, first two daughters and the youngest child, a son.
Grent gave Duke Zachrono a side glance, thinking something childish inside his little mind.
The Dukes just nodded and passed each other.