Max continued to pat her back her consolingly.He knew she needed warmth to calm not only words.
The moment she started to control her sobbing,she heard Max's longing heartbeats which gave her room to rest her solidary soul.The more she listened the more she yearned for.She could not stop her eyes to stop getting damp.
"Merry." Max calling her name while gently stroking her. Sounded as if he just wanted to remind her that he's going to stay as long as she wants; there was no hurry.He wanted her to ease herself in her own pace,no need to rush.
Merry nuzzled against his chest to hide her face.
"I-I tried..Max...I g-gave my a-all to get out of-" Without lifting her head, Merry attempted to express her thoughts and feelings but her heart hurted to admit that she failed in many ways.
Max paused at her words.
"B-Believe me..I tried...I f-feel so h-helpless at these t-times.. I used e-everything that I learnt to fight back..I couldn't save Robert nor myself ...I couldn't...I h-hate this..I hate myself..."Continuing her resentment towards ownself while biting her lower lips, she struggled to keep her words away from hatred for herself.The stuttering got worse with her troubled mind.
Merry's physical attempts were futile but even when she tried to use her enchantment traits she got, also didn't work for her at that time.She despised this fact but those traits she got from her mother,never been helpful at times of necessity.
Max lifted her chin to look into her moist eyes which she bade to hide from him.His eyes gave undoubtly devilish impression.He was furious not with her but his own self.
Staring into darkish blue ocean in his orb,it gave her an unknown pain.Pressing her lower lips with more force,she tore the one to the point it split and got red as the blood choked near her soft tubercles.
"I only believe in you....I know Merry,every time.. every single time..you gave your best...I admire your every single effort.So please don't .." Max words flourished into her ears, causing her goosebumps.Max lightly rubbed his thumb on the cut on her lips.
' It's really pains me to watch you feeling this way princess.....' Thinking while carefully caressing her lips..
'you are more hurt by the fact that you couldn't protect anyone than your injuries.... I'm glad that you tried to fight back...' He couldn't help the lingering thoughts arising in his.
Staring at her with more affection and love, Max leaned with an incommunicative face, attained to her.To Merry's nonplusment, Max licked her lower lip reverently. She grasped his tunic in surprise and embarrassment attacking at same time.
" I make a solemn promise My princess that I will never let you feel this helpless.I will give my all to make you even more stronger, so whenever I leave this earth, you don't feel powerless." Max's eyes were keen filled with determination and an untold devotion.
Hearing those words for her was not easy, her eyes widened at his hearsay.
For her, it's for the first time ,she wanted to remind herself of these words everyday, every moment to keep this feeling alive in her heart for a long time.
Merry heart ached when he talked about leaving. Struggling to calm her heart at his oath, Merry spoke.
"I d-don't even w-want to imagine m-my life without you Max..." Merry wrapped her slander arms around his abdomen.
"Th-Thank you."
********
"Merry..." Laying on the bed, keeping her head on his chest, Max called her with low tone to check if she'd finally fallen asleep or not.Max tried to remove her hair strands from her cheek.
Elevating a little, kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her back warmly.
************
Next day early morning, as soon as Max sat on the chair in the council hall.
"What are you talking about?! " Head priest exclaimed with anger.
"How dare you go against the rules?! Kenin's father Emperor Qenn couldn't digest the situation.
"Don't make me open my mouth lord Qenn, I'm showing enough mercy.Moreover, it was you at the first place who used illegal ways to get out of justice yourself." Max remarked with an impassive look.
"Is it not enough for you to make my son close to death and I can't even say when he would...and now you are." Lord Qenn rebuked without any delay while slamming his hands on the giant table.
Max smirked and rested his back against the chair frame.
"The territory was under the Kingdom of Pearls for centuries and it was you who played around and annexed it with these criminals." Max spoke with no rush.
The Contour riverine villages which Max demanded for were signed in his name yesterday.Contour riverine villages were under the name of Emperor Qenn in present.So, the priest persuaded Lord Qenn to give up on those to get Max support in the war. But Max planned to take them from Qenn with legally justifying documents that those were under Pearls kingdom.
"Lord Maximilian mind your words..how can you call us criminals?" Priest exclaimed back.
"So, you agree that those criminals were among your ministers and you....as many people are present over here and they would've been offended by my words but it seems you're hurt because you were involved" Max roared at them with no hesitation. The silence hovered over the room.
Every single noble who was present there looked with bewilderment.
"But now you have already taken it from us, so why are you not ready to negotiate and participate in this war?" Head priest asked patiently trying to maintain his reputation as a volunteer of God.
"How strange, offering something to someone which was already theirs..I never planned to negotiate with you and I had warned you multiple times that there is no use to persuade me to attend this.But you thought I would simply forget what you all have done in the past and protect you from danger while risking my life to fulfill your greediness." Maximilian put forward his deadly affirmation, rising up from his seat .
Walking closer to Lord Qenn. Maintaining his eye contact with Lord Qenn, Max spoke in lethal voice.
"And lord Qenn, remember that if your son still survives, I will make sure to put him under bars..he has not only harmed my subordinate nearly to death but also dared to put his filthy on my wife..If you can't correct your pervert son,then don't come in my way."
Clenching his jaw,Qenn looked into Max eyes with anger boiling but that anger replaced with guilt as he reminded of his son who had bought shame to his name.
*******