AFTER their punishment, the knights, the servants on the training ground and the Duke and his family had a picnic, they all shared the snacks brought by Kathelina and the other maids.
Some knights gathered in the picnic blanket of the Duke to watch their cute and adorable Young Lady as her cheeks puffs whenever she chews. The eyes of the Knights were shining. Their eyes almost shaped and changed into a heart. They looked at Maxine with dreamy eyes as if they were looking at a little angel.
They all surrounded Maxine who was unconscious on what was happening around her, only to be indulged in eating sweet snacks infront of her with a smile on her face.
The Knights did not noticed the fiery stares of the father and sons that they were giving off behind the flock. Moreover, when the Knights covered their little sister and adorable daughter with their ugly broad backs. The bread they were holding were all crumpled and almost turn into pieces because of how hard they gripped but the Knights really seem not to notice the warning and were too focused with admiring the child.
Was their Miss always like this?
“If my daughters were just half of Lady’s cuteness, I would never leave the house.” The Knight who have grown up daughters told his co-Knight.
“Suddenly, I feel like I want to have daughter now instead of a son.” The Knight who badly want to have a son to follow his steps suddenly changed his mind.
“Should I marry already? Get a wife and have a daughter as cute as Milady?” said the Knight who was still a bachelor.
A maid approached Maximillian and gave him a thick coat made of pure wolf’s fur. At last, he had a reason now to approach his sister. He stood up and pushed the Knights to the side who were blocking his way to see Maxine.
“Hey! Watch it -! Y-young Master.” The first Knight who was pushed off to the side was surprise to see the first Young Master of the House he was in service. The Knight immediately bowed and made way for the Young man to pave.
The other Knights heard what the latter had said and one-by-one, they acknowledged Maximillian’s presence. They stepped back with their heads bowed until Maximillian saw Maxine.
Millian made his way to Maxine. Maxine looked up to him with a cookie in her hand while chewing it.
Maximillian’s hard and cold expression softened while Maxine was curious why did his brother approached her.
“Are you cold?” the older brother asked in a cold voice. Maxine was startled and and she just felt the cold of the place by now. It was still winter but the cold was not that felt because of the punishment that made her sweat and thanks to the Knights gathered around her.
“A-ah little. But manageable.” Maxine replied. She almost stuttered infront of him because of nervous. She feels like she have done something wrong and being confronted when her eldest brother talked. Her heart was thumping aloud and she could almost hear it.
Maximillian removed the fold of the coat and kneeled to level his sister. He snaked it around Maxineirah and Maxine stayed still until her Brother Millian made her look like a fur ball. Maxine blinked her eyes many times and tried to move but she could not. She did not expect her Brother Millian to be worried about whether or not she’s cold and how could he dare to turn her into something like this?
When she roamed her eyes around her to seek someone’s help, she jolted in shock after seeing almost all of the Knights, servants and her own brothers were all staring at her with their almost heart shaped eyes. Their eyes were flapping over her, adoring her position right now.
‘’How can Milady look this too cute?!’ All of them thought at the same time. It was as if their minds were connected to each other because of the way they think. The only one who was not happy at the moment was her father. He has this dissatisfied look on his face like he did not want anyone to see his daugther in such a cute state.
Everyone were giggling about how cute his Princess was, adoring her. Maximus tsked on the sight and stood up in irritation. They all throw their heads on Maximus after noticing him sprung up from his seat. Everyone distanced theirselves from the dangerous person.
Maxine could not stand because of what Maximillian standing beside her did. She only tilted her head on the left, wondering why did everyone suddenly backed away from them but then, she remembered how cold his father is. Colder than of an ice.
The Knights and servants gathered a while ago except for Kath were already 20 meters away from the cold Duke. Maxlein, Maximo, Maxillary and Maxwell had the chance to hug the fluff ball -Maxineirah who was overall covered with soft fur.
“So soft!” Maxwell stated as he kept on squeezing Maxine who was only smiling at them. Instead of feeling irritated, she felt happy on the reaction of the people showed around her. The distant people from her past adores her now. She really regrets not opening herself to everyone.
The warmth she was feeling was new but felt nice. She could tell that the boring and cold air around her in the past vanished and was now different, reciprocated with a gentle and felicitous surrounding.
“It is warm…” Brother Lein said gently with his eyes closed and leaned his head on the fur covering Maxine.
“You really seem different, Maxine.” Maximo said bluntly and Brother Lein, Maxillary and Maxwell agreed in unison. Maxineirah halted on the statement she heard and looked at her four brothers infront of her before she lifted her eyes to look at Maximillian who was sitting next to her, drinking his cup of tea. She also looked at his father who settled on their other side.
Maxineirah smiled and closed her eyes, savored the moment she always wanted to happen.
(Maxine’s PoV)
I already recovered after a week of rest. Everyone inside the castle has changed or should I say, I was the one who changed? They now acknowledge me, they were talking to me now with a smile on their faces and they were treating me like a cute innocent child.
I became comfortable around everyone, especially to my Dad and to my brothers, the only problem was…they were being too much.
They did not thought deeply of my sudden change, all I know was they like the what was happening to me I mean, to the way I changed. They did not cared about the cause, the good effect only matters to them.
But I was worried about Kath, she seem quiet as usual, its not that there was something bad about her but should not she be happy? Did she not like the fact that I have changed?
Anyways, Ystradgynlais’ fourth son would be having his first coming-of-age ceremony after 10 days. At weekend, Dad planned us to go out to search for something to wear but before that I should focus on my studies.
I was nervous. My hands were cold and my limbs were shaking. It was like I was in a trauma. I could still remember the old days in the past, my mind could handle the memories but not my frail small body.
I stopped and bowed my head infront of a room, contemplating if I should go in or not. I already know everything my teachers would teach me, do I still need to study?
I am still a 5 years old kid and in their eyes and they all know that I am still illiterate. What if I go to Dad and told him that I already know all of it?
But that would be doubtful.
Should I just told him that I was just pretending illiterate but in truth, I always studied by myself?
Thinking about my teachers, would they beat me again? Whip me? Spank me? The thought were making me shiver. No. It would not happen again. Those things only happened in the past because I lacked knowledge and incompetent.
Maxine was not the same Maxine anymore.
I sighed before I reached for the doorknob and turned it.