"Mom, you're back" said Annie while smiling as Lisa walked into she and Maddie's room.
"That I am, sorry we took so long, I bought some things from the market, I didn't know that there were any markets nearby" said Lisa as she laughed and Annie laughed.
"It just feels so good to be able to walk around freely with no fear at all, no several bodyguards, just us alone" said Lisa as she sighed in happiness.
"It's wonderful not to have to worry about Azazel anymore, If I feel this relieved I can only imagine how you feel" said Lisa as she smiled.
"I feel glad mom, very glad" replied Annie as she smiled and Lisa gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Where's Maddie?" asked Lisa as she looked around the room and smiled.
"Oh well she went out, she should be back soon, I think she's in the garden" said Annie.
"From the way you sound I can tell that something's up, what's wrong? Are you and Maddie fighting?" asked Lisa with a frown.
"No it's not me and Maddie, it's Ollie and Maddie, he said something he shouldn't have about her mom and now she's upset, they both are" said Annie with a frown.
"Oh that's a shame, but I don't think Ollie meant it, he's a nice boy, he wouldn't say something unkind on purpose" said Lisa.
"I know, it's just that Maddie's really upset this time, and she won't admit it" said Annie.
"Oh love, you know how Maddie is, everyone is different, we all have different ways of coping, and not admitting to it might be Maddie's way, just give her time to cool down, she's not unreasonable" said Lisa as Annie nodded.
"Good, so I am going to get started on dinner now, you can join me if you want, or Maddie can come and taste" said Lisa as she laughed and Annie smiled as she left her room.
...
Maddie sighed as she walked through the hedge maze, she was sure that she was already lost, but she didn't care, she had magic after all, she would easily be able to find her way back.
In fact the reason Maddie decided to come here in the first place was because she wanted to be alone, with no distractions at all, she didn't want anyone to find her.
Maddie stopped walking as she waved her hand and designed a nice bench against the wall of the hedge maze out of the leaves as she sat down on it and sighed.
Maddie brought out her phone from her pocket as she unlocked it and muttered a spell under her breath as she enchanted her phone.
"Call mom" said Maddie as her phone made a beeping sound as the screen turned completely white before being overtaken by a dark screen with three dots continuously moving on it as it made a ringing sound until the ringing finally stopped and the image on her phone screen was changed from dark into Clove's image.
"Oh hi dear, I didn't expect you to call at this time" said Clove with a bright smile on her face as she held a clear rectangular piece of white crystal in which she could see Maddie's reflection.
"Hi mom, I didn't think I would be calling either..." said Maddie.
"Are you too busy to talk?" asked Maddie as she could hear some cluttering sounds coming from Clove's end.
"Oh nonsense, I'm never too busy for you dear, you should know that" said Clove as she smiled and she didn't know how much her words affected Maddie as she didn't show it.
"So dear, what's wrong? I can see that you are troubled" said Clove with a gentle smile on her face that made Maddie sigh, she always felt better when she saw the ever gentle smile on Clove's face.
"It's that stupid blondie!! He's so annoying, such an idiot!" said Maddie as she didn't bother holding back, after all Clove already knew how she could be.
Clove's eyes went wide when she heard all the words Maddie said, she didn't need anyone to tell her that Maddie was extremely angry right now.
"Alright, alright, Maddie, calm down and breath okay" said Clove as she needed Maddie to be calm, she couldn't help her if she was this agitated.
"But I can't calm down!" said Maddie.
"Maddie, breath please honey, calm down" said Clove as Maddie sighed and shook her head.
"That's it, long, calming breaths" said Clove as she smiled and Maddie took a deep breath.
"Good now tell me what's making you so agitated?" asked Clove.
"It's the stupid idiotic blondie" said Maddie but this time in a more calm tone, but it still sounded quite agitated.
"Prince Ollie? What did he do?" asked Clove.
"What didn't he do?" asked Maddie with a scoff.
"He came over speaking some nonsense" said Maddie.
"What nonsense?" asked Clove in confusion.
"He said... he said that they sent you away because they thought you would try to defend Azazel during his final trial" said Maddie as she sighed and looked at Clove who had a calm look on her face.
"I know..." replied Clove.
"But it's unfair, he and all of them to think of you that way, you are loyal to your realm, not to that stupid man Azazel!" said Maddie.
"Maddie calm down, you are getting agitated again" said Clove as she sighed.
"Look Maddie, I don't blame them, not at all, it's normal for them to think that way, after all, I am... I mean was his wife for a long time..." said Clove.
"I don't blame them for sending me away, I even think it was for the best" said Clove.
"But the only thing is that I disagree with them... I love Aza, there's no doubt about that... but I also love him enough to see that his ways were wrong, he truly does need to pay for all his crimes, and I won't say otherwise" said Clove.
"I know you won't mom" said Maddie as she sighed.
"Azazel's final trial was today" said Maddie.
"I know, Mira told me, his sentence is life imprisonment in the holds, he will be stripped of all his magic, and for three months of his sentence in the holds he will be locked up in the chamber of dolor" said Clove.
"It's not even up to half of what he deserves for all the things he did" said Maddie as Clove looked at her in worry but she decided not to question that.
"So tell me, what makes you so upset even though you know it's only normal for everyone to think that?" asked Clove.
"It might be everyone who thinks that, but I didn't expect that blondie to think like that as well..." said Maddie.
"He always claims to be our friend, but he's nothing but a liar" said Maddie as this time she didn't sound angry, but rather sad.
"Oh Maddie, you know he didn't mean it that way, he would never deliberately hurt you" said Clove with a smile as Maddie scoffed.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?? Why does everyone keep on defending him as if he's a saint??!" asked Maddie in annoyance.
"Maddison Martha Wolf, be honest with me and be completely honest, do you really think that Ollie would hurt anyone, much more less you his friend?" asked Clove.
"And don't you dare lie, because I am your mother I can tell when you are lying" said Clove as Maddie sighed.
"Fine, fine, he's a bright goody two shoes, is that what you want to hear?" asked Maddie with a scoff.
"That's close enough, try again" said Clove with a knowing look on her face.
"No... he wouldn't" admitted Maddie reluctantly.
"You see, so you need to apologize to him" said Clove.
"Why do I have to apologize?" asked Maddie in confusion.
"Well because I know you sweetie, and you are not a gentle person, you were probably the one who forced him to say what he did to you" said Clove as Maddie scoffed.
"That's still no excuse for offending both me and you" said Maddie.
"Maddie be nice, Ollie is a nice person, he won't be upset with you" said Clove.
"I thought you would be on my side" said Maddie.
"Oh I'm always on your side Maddie, but that won't stop me from telling you the truth, because if I don't, who will?" asked Clove as Maddie sighed.
"So be the good girl I know you are and do the right thing, I know you can" said Clove with a loving smile on her face.
"Fine... I'll see what I can do" said Maddie as Clove just smiled.
"I love you mom..." said Maddie.
"I love you too Maddie, never doubt that okay?" asked Clove with a smile as Maddie nodded, no one could know how much she loved her mother, considering that they didn't start off having the best relationship.
But it just felt good to have someone to lean on, someone to rant to, someone to listen to you and just pamper you, sure Aunt Stella and Lisa were nice, but nothing could compare to the presence of a mother, and Maddie knew that first hand.
"Good, I have to go now, have a wonderful evening and say hi to everyone for me" said Clove as she smiled.
"I will mom, take care" said Maddie as she smiled brightly and ended the call as she sighed and stood up, it was getting dark, well she felt better now, she would probably try to talk to Ollie later... or maybe never... it would depend on how she felt tomorrow.
Maddie shook her head as she turned around and walked away, making her way back to the Palace.