"Maxine!" Maxlein greeted, waving his hand at them when he saw his sister entered the ground, carried by Maximillian.
Maxwell and Maxillary were not in the training ground because they were still not on the right age to hold a sword and it was still early for lunch.
Maxineirah noticed that her maid, Kathelina was nowhere to be found again.
These days, she was starting to notice her maid's absence.
She would suddenly pop like a bubble then next few hour,s, she would suddenly pop out from nowhere like a mushroom.
She did not want to ask Kathelina because she wants to respect her privacy but it was just that it really makes Maxine curious as to why Kathelina always vanishes. An unusual occurence that Kathelina would not ever do.
Maxineirah believed that if something -or someone was bothering Kath, she would tell her right away what was concerning her.
She suddenly remembered the day of their departure when they first go out after her bedridden days. There was a man who kept on staring at her maid, whom Kath seems to be avoiding so much.
Maxineirah already saw him a few times so she remembered well the face of the culprit.
'Do not tell me, Kath is doing something out of her will because of that blackmailer?' Maxineirah was lost in a thought while sitting alone under the shade of the tree, their usual spot.
(Maxine's PoV)
Ah. I badly want to hold a sword. I looked at my little hands. Next year, Brother Maxillary would start learning how to wield a sword together with Brother Maxwell.
It could not be of help, Brother Maxillary already delayed his training this year but I am sure, Dad would push him off forcefully next year. Should I join them?
It was not possible though. I wonder if Dad would agree and let me.
I was wearing too much of winter clothes that it was starting to felt irritating.
I could not even move comfortably. It was already embarassing enough that they still have to carry me all the time so I would not delay their move.
I remember. What happened to my former teachers? I know, Dad would not let that slide so easily, knowing his temperament.
Were they stripped off their titles or were they imprisoned? I was also thinking of the worst case scenario that Dad could do but I immediately discarded the thought.
He would not go to that extent of killing them...right?
"RAAAAAWWWWRRR!"
"BOOOOOOO!"
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" I screamed out of shock when someone grabbed my shoulders from behind.
I heard two persons laughed hard.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Maxwell and Maxillary laughing because of my reaction.
"Stop it!" I told them, pouting while glaring at them. They held their hands up in surrender, grinning.
"Our sister is so cuteee~" Maxwell said and whistled.
"Is she not amusing?" Maxillary teases and was about to pinch my cheeks but I immediately slapped his hands gently and covered my cheeks from them.
"I am not a clown to be amusing." I defended.
Ugh my cheeks. I know that they adored me but it was just too much. There was not a day that I would not feel my cheeks being peeled out from my face because of them.
I was startled when Maxillary picked me up as if I was nothing in weight. Considering his height and strength, he could not carry me if he was just a normal kid who only have a normal strength.
As expected to the child who fully inherited our mother's tribe's abilities.
They both sat so I also did because Brother Maxillary was holding me.
Brother Maxillary placed me on his lap, hugging me from behind that caused the two of them start bickering.
"Do not hug her too much! She might could not breath properly!" Maxwell said. Wait. What? Did I look that frail?
When did they ever start being enemies anyway? I could only remember them being too close to each other that one would think that they have the same stomach.
"I know! I would not do that even if you do not tell me." Maxwell scoffed and I felt him tightened his hug a little.
I wa just listening to their bickerings because I know for sure that they were just starting.
"Smarty pants."
"You are just jealous. Hmph."
"Jealous? Me? Why would I? I do know well that Maxine would end up being with me when we grow up." Maxwell boated.
Our eyes widened while he was looking so smug.
When did Brother Maxwell got interested with me romantically?
"Thicked face brat. In your dreams! Wed her if you can take her away from me." Maxillary too? Do they even know about romantics? It was just out of their whims. Ha.
"You have too much to boast, huh? As if she was ever been yo-" I did not heard what Maxwell said when something -or should I say 'someone' caught my attention.
Who are they? A troupe of Knights with a different uniform showed up. Their uniforms were familiar.
I think I already saw it from somewh-
Wait a second...
Was not that the green-haired Knight back from the garden whom they thought ghost (monster)?
He was standing on the right side of the man who had an eye-patch that seems to be their captain.
"Well, you look like a mushroom!"
"Look whos talki-!"
The green-haired Knight and rest of the troupe stopped and stood up straight outside the training ground except for the man with an eye-patch.
The Knights training in the ground stopped midway even Maxillary and Maxwell who were arguing seconds ago when the man wearing an eye-patch walked towards Daddy who was standing under the shade of an oak tree.
When the Captain was already facing father, he greeted in a Knight's greeting.
We did not heard what father had said but I saw his lips moved.
His Grace looked at our Knights who stopped midway of training. He glared at them and said in a menacing way, "What are you looking at?" Dad asked coldly at them and they quickly went back with their own business but all ears with the other's troupe Captain and my Father.
"What do you think they are talking about?" Maxwell asked tilting his head.
"I wonder." Maxillary shrugged. He placed his chin on my shoulder and leaned his head on mine.
Father signaled the Captain of Notorious Lion -House of Zachrono's Knights- to come at him and the Captain of unknown troupe signaled for his troupes to advance.
The troupe padded their way on the lead of the green-haired Knight. They were wearing black capes, different from the Notorious Lion's blue capes.
"Woah they look so cool!" Maxwell commented.
"Is not that the green monster?" Maxillary asked.
"Where? Where?" Brother Maxwell asked as he brought his hand over his eyes to see them from the distance.
What troupe were they from? I wonder if my brothers knew them in my past. What I am only certain was, they were ours.
The crest of the House of Zachrono in their capes was the proof.
Maxillary and I sat properly when Dad and the Captains suddenly glanced at our direction before going back to their discussion.
The unknown troupes also glanced at our direction and the green head guy smiled at us and waved his hand -greeting us- while the rest of their members gapped at me.
I certainly know those looks. Looks of adoration.
Do all Knights always have the same look on their faces whenever they first see me?
My brothers immediately covered my eyes from looking at them.
"Ha?" I muttered.
"Do not look at them! They might corrupt your eyes!" Maxwell said with annoyance in his voice. I giggled.
"They are pedo." Maxillary barked. That was a little bit harsh to call them.
I shook my head on what they had said and crawled to leave Maxillary's lap.
"Lunch is approaching. Do you want to play?" Maxillary asked. I suddenly thought, did they already know how to play 'normally'?
Ah. I hope so.