Maddie took a deep calming breath and breathed out slowly as she closed her eyes and opened them as her eyes were fixed on Ollie who was intently looking at her with worry.
"Look, I more than anyone else know that you can't earn respect with fear. Fear and respect don't mix at all. People won't respect you because they fear you, I know that very well." said Maddie as her words were spoken slowly and calmly.
"I have been insulted all my life, I have been looked down on, I have been hurt, but I'm not telling you all this to make you feel sorry for me. No, I am telling you this so that you know that I've been through a lot and it's not new for me to have to defend myself against ill-speaking people. I have grown and I have developed thick skin over the years, so a few disdainful looks and insults won't kill me." said Maddie as Ollie wanted to say something but her gaze was enough to shut him up.
"I don't care if people talk bad about me, they are allowed to say whatever they want. What I can't stand though is people avoiding me like the plague." said Maddie.
"No one is avoiding you like the plag—" said Ollie as Maddie cut him off.
"Be quiet blondie, they are and you know it." said Maddie.
"You have never cared how they treated me before, so you suddenly declaring that they all have to respect me out of the blue is definitely weird." said Maddie.
"You are their beloved prince who suddenly threatened them all simply because of the daughter of Azazel, if that doesn't sound crazy then you need some help because I am sure they think that of you." she said.
"What am I even saying? They probably think that I bewitched you!" said Maddie in anger.
"So you must get by now why this is such a big deal to me." said Maddie.
"I get it, but at the same time I don't see this as such a big deal." he replied.
"You are not okay, what isn't a big deal? Is literally everyone who works here avoiding me not a big deal? Is me not being able to ask a simple question with no fear of an answer not a big deal? Is being ignored by everyone not a big deal??" asked Maddie in frustration.
"I don't need you to fight for me, I can fight for myself." she said.
"That's wrong Maddie, you don't have to fight for yourself all the time." he replied.
"Shut up!" she replied.
"I won't because it's the truth, I'm your friend and that's what friend's do. They fight for each other don't they? They help each other don't they? And that's exactly what I've done and let me be honest with you, I don't regret fighting for you, I never will." he said.
"You can't just keep on pretending that this doesn't affect you when it does. You don't have to face things on your own. My only regret is not noticing that they were avoiding and ignoring you. When I asked for their respect I meant in every aspect and not just in speaking bad about you." he said.
"Next time I will definitely make it more specific because you are my friend and I care about you and they should too." he said as Maddie sighed, she did not even try to argue with him, she just looked tired more than anything else.
"You don't have to pretend Maddie, you never have to pretend with me." he said as Maddie looked at him.
"What does it matter what they do to me? It shouldn't matter to you, people are just like that." she said.
"Well it does matter to me, and these are my people, they have sworn their loyalty to me, so under my roof and as long as I am present they will never and I repeat never speak badly of you again." he said with so much surety that Maddie felt herself unable to not believe him.
"You have done more good than your father has done bad. You are not him and he is not you. You have proven time and time again your loyalty to the best interests of this realm. You are my very good friend, you even saved my life once." said Ollie as he smiled and Maddie scoffed remembering what he was talking about.
"If that isn't a clear indication of the kind of person you are, then I don't know what is." he said with a smile as Maddie looked at him.
"You really have been rehearsing this speech for a while haven't you?" she asked him.
"Well I've had enough practice with speeches, and besides, I kind of had a feeling that we would be having this conversation sooner rather than later." he said as he laughed.
"I will let you off the hook this time blondie, but let this be the last time you go behind my back to do something for me that you believe will help me." she said warning him seriously but Ollie did not seem to be taking her seriously at all, he just had this very annoying smile on his face.
"I can't promise you that Maddie, if the situation arises when I have to defend you, I will." he said as if that was something to be happy about.
"*Ugh*, you are so stubborn blondie!" complained Maddie in annoyance.
"Well I learn from the best." he replied as she glared at him.
"No, no you don't, this is all you and your swelling, annoying princely head." said Maddie as Ollie laughed.
"Well I won't argue with that, anyway, that was a good, nice, respectful talk between friends." he said with a smile that Maddie wished she could wipe off his face.
"Now, we should go eat, I'm sure you're hungry from all the arguing." he said smugly as he walked past Maddie.
"Don't push me blondie, don't push me, because if you do, I might as well bring into reality my imaginations." said Maddie.
"Oh please don't, knowing you, you're probably thinking of ways to try to kill me." he replied as Maddie followed after him.
"Yes, and you should be scared, I might actually do it." she replied.
"If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it long before now, so, I am assured that you won't." he replied as Maddie scoffed at him.
...
"Where in the world are Ollie and Maddie?" asked Annie in worry as she and Matt were already seated for breakfast waiting for them to show up.
"What are they even talking about?" she asked in concern.
"It beats me." replied Matt with a careless shrug as he plopped a piece of toast into his mouth as Annie frowned at him.
"What??" he asked confused as to why.
"We should wait for them before we start eating." she replied.
"I don't think so... you know how Maddie is, they might be 'talking' for the next thirty minutes." he replied as Annie's frown deepened.
"But we are guests here and we should wait for our host regardless of how late he is." she replied.
"Okay, okay fine you're right, sorry, I'm just really hungry this morning." said Matt.
"And why is that?" asked Annie.
"Ollie and I got in some late night and early morning training, so I'm really, really hungry." said Matt.
"Well that sounds nice." said Annie as she smiled.
"It's nice to hear that you and Ollie do things together on your own." said Annie as she smiled.
"Yes... I like that too, but don't just tell Maddie, she seems really concerned whenever she hears that we spend time together." said Matt in annoyance.
"Oh don't mind her, you know how she is, it really isn't her business whether you guys hang out on your own or not. It's not like you always ask us if we do, and trust me, we certainly do." said Annie as Matt smiled.
"Thanks for agreeing with me." he said as he smiled.
"Of course, you don't have to thank me, you and I know Maddie most and she's just really... nosy sometimes." said Annie as she and Matt laughed.
"What's so funny?" asked Maddie as she and Ollie walked into the room.
"Nothing." replied Annie and Matt in a chorus as they looked at each other and laughed again.
"Yeah right... from your reaction that tells me that it's something, you better not be talking about me behind my back." said Maddie as she sat down beside Annie.
"No, no, of course not, and even if we were it would only be good things." said Annie as she smiled sweetly at Maddie.
"You're lying, I use that same smile all the time, I don't even care what you both are hiding, I just want to eat." said Maddie as she ate her eggs and Annie giggled.