"I am going to the downtown to buy something. I will be back." he told me.
When he turned around from me, I quickly grabbed the edge of his sleeves that made him flinch but he did not faced me.
"I want to come. Take me with you, Brother." I pleaded. It must be better if I would tag along with him instead of dying out of boredome alone in this four cornered room.
My other brothers would not come looking for me until dawn because they were also busy. Brother Millian, Amo and Maxillary on their school preparations while Brother Maxwell was somewhere doing his things.
My older brothers except Maxwell were going to the academy after this winter so they must be busy right now. Brother Lein must be buying something in the downtown so I could not waste this opportunity to kill the boredome and if I remember correctly, this would be the first time I am going alone with my Brother without his hostility towards me so I am looking forward with this small date with him-
He slightly glanced down to me and I saw how his red eye sharpened and glittered like a blood.
Unconsciously, I retreated my hand from tugging him. I was frozen and surprised by that look.
His expression suddenly changed.
He faced me and smiled. "Of course! Just do not tell anyone that we are going out." Brother said smiling as he put na finger infront of his lips.
He left my room and told me to change clothes myself without any help from the maids since for sure, they would ask a lot of questions before they even dress me up.
I knew it would be hard to change clothes myself so I chose the most comfortable and easy to wear dress but I did not expect that it would be also hard to wear it all by myself.
Brother Lein had to carry me in his arms because our going to downtown was not informed to anybody plus, he just sneaked me out -by my request.
We took the path on the garden behind the house. There was a hidden hole in the wall behind the bushes and there was a rock beside it that serves as a guide.
"Are you fine crawling?" Brother Lein asked worriedly then he look at the visible hole infront of us before returning his gaze to me.
Actually, crawling was not really fine with me since it would only lessen the little pride I bear.
What was this couple of events happening to me since I went back here in time? Embarassment after embarassment.
"I am fine with it as long as Brother's by my side!" I gave him a wide smile. Oh well, might act my age since no one knows other than myself my true age.
I could tellthat he was smitten by me because he stopped midway of drooping in the ground. He kneeled in one knee infront of me but looked in other direction, he did not look that flushed though.
"How did you find this escape route?" I asked as I start crawling first through the hole.
"Just by sheer luck." he replied plainly. Now, I started to wonder, was he not in his mood?
Ever since he went to see me in my room, I noticed that he was acting strangely today. He was usually loud and alive that there would be no time like this to be this quiet.
Was something bothering him? I want to ask but I did not want to pressure him.
I wonder what was going on to that head of him.
Lein hired a carriage to go to the downtown. We were wearing commoner's clothes to avoid attention but just by seeing my Brother's face, he really looks like of a noble blood. I think whatever he wears, he would still look good.
We were still in the entrance but you cold tell that there were many people going in and out in the downtown.
Carriages were in line for check point before entering the market.
While we were on stop, I looked out the window, the whole place was bustling with people. I was fascinated with the view and I could not help but to gap in astonishment. Some were setting up colorful lights and stalls in the streets, children were playing in the sidewalks and most of the noise were coming from the vendors who were calling for buyers.
The line lasted longer than we expected so Brother Lein decided to walk on our feet.
"Hold onto me so you do you get lost." Maxlein warned. I held on his clothes and when he already secured that I would not lost, we started walking on the busy street.
My eyes wandered on my surroundings full of life. The ehole place was so alive that I would not grow bored even I stand in the corner all day, watching the lively street.
We first went in a café to fill our stomach for the long day before going to the department store to buy something for his studies.
While looking at the supplies by myself, I saw two familliar persons from afar.
I immediately hid myself behind the shelves.
"What is better? This one or this one?" one of them asked while holding two different books in his hand. The latter posed, thinking while looking at his brother's choices.
"I think the blue one." the younger one replied.
What were they doing here by theirselves? Wait. Should I even ask that when Lein and I were also here? But how could the Princes buy their stuff by themselves in a buzzing public place?
"What are you doing Maxine?" I jumped in surprise when Brother suddenly popped out behind me. My reaction probably looked like a criminal who was caught in her crime.
"A-ah. Nothing, nothing." I replied nervously. I refrained myself looking behind me so Lein would not suspect anything but really, things were not going my way well these past few days.
Instead, Brother looked behind me where the two Princes were. "Is not that His Highnesses?" he asked blatantly in a normal voice that the Princes would hear for sure.
Brother really!
It was not like I am hiding from the Princes but it I really am. I was ashamed. I know that it was already in the past but I could not just forget it. I could not move on as if I did not do nothing to their deaths.
"Maxlein?" I heard the voice called from behind. I did not know how to face them now that they already found us.
'Maxlein?' were they that close to call my brother with his name?
"Greetings to His Highnesses. May Frite give the Stars a blessing." Maxlein greeted and bowed to show respect for the Stars of the Empire. I heard the two Princes footsteps befhind me.
When Brother Lein stood up properly, he pulled me beside him so ai came face-to-face with the Princes.
"Show some respect, Maxine." Lein whispered beside me.
"Greeting to His Highnesses. May Frite give the Stars a blessing." I greeted. I kept my head low, enough to see them clearly.
"No. No. You need not do that. We were outside of the Palace anyway." Prince Aspall, the second Prince shove our formality. As always, he looks kind and gentle while Prince Caston, the third Prince beside him looks like a freelancer civilian whom both hands were behind his nape while whistling.
"Then, pardon me, Prince." Lein said and approached the Prince Aspall, grabbed his shoulder and locked his head on my Brothers arms befor dishelving his hair.
"Ack! Maxlein, stop it!" Prince Aspall protested while Prince Caston was laughing hard with no Prince like at all.
"Brother!" I reprimanded.
"My Prince!" the two guards said in unison and were about to unsheath their swords when the third Prince raised his hand to stop them.
Lein (9) is two years older than Prince Aspall (7) and three years older than Prince Caston (6). I was not sure when did they met but they surewere close enough to do that in public.
The two Prince was not that known so no one would recognize them now that they were also wearing a commoner's clothes like us. But unlike us, they still have their two guards also wearing commoner's clothes to avoid catching attentions.
"Who were with you? Where is the Duke?" asked Prince Caston with his glittering eyes while talking about my father. Caston really look up to my father just like in the past because he says that my father was so cool for being the Empire's Hero after partaking in the bloody war 15 years ago and renowned as the 'Battlefield Dominator'.
The bloody war or commonly known as the Holy War of the Century is a war when the all the Empire were being wary with each other. In Holy War, using under the table tactics was probihited.
An Empire must fight forward and onward to prove its strength or else, the Empire who used underhand plans would meet its own downfall, decided by Frite.
Frite. An all seeing God who overlooks the world of humans.
"Yes. We just sneaked out while everyone is busy." Lein anwered and realeased Prince Aspall.
The two guards of the Princes sighed in relief because of that. They were too nervous for a guard.
Well, I could not blame anyone since they were Knights assigned as the protectors of the Princes.
Aspall was fixing his wrinkled clothes when his eyes landed on me followed by Prince Caston's gaze.
I was slightly startled when they suddenly jolted backwards that they almost fell. They even clutched their chest as if they were looking at a monster.