Maxine pulled herself out of the shock she had not meant to find herself stuck in. She bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Greetings. Now that you are here, I think my work is done here." Maxine bowed again but abruptly stiffened when she heard the Prince's next words, "Wait a minute... What is a lady doing in a man's night robe?"
Little Duncan peeked at Maxine, surprised since he had not noticed it earlier. He also peered at her, waiting for answers.
Maxine immediately loosened the ropes around her waist and then pulled out from the red robe, "Your Highness...I was cold and then..."
"Take it," he uttered before walking out of her sight. Before he opened the door, he said, "Your groom would have to pay for it then. It was one of my most cherished night robes."
"If so," Maxine, who was about to wear it back, pulled it off. "I...Your Highness, I would not like if there is any argument between—"
Before she could complete it, he had already walked out of the chamber.
Maxine let out a breath she had no idea she was holding. Now, her attention was fixed on her little brother. She held his wrist and then pulled him to bed so that he could sit next to her. "Duncan, what were you doing having the Prince read the book for you?"
"I was waiting for you, Maxine. I wanted to pass the time with it and I was extremely scared that you would not come back. I saw the maid and...I…" He blinked his eyes and changed the topic as if he didn't want to dive into it. "Prince Grayson said he would read it for me so that—"
"Why, 'The Duke of Ashbourne'? It is no book for someone like you," she insisted. Albeit, feeling sad that her brother had to go through such a horrible scene, she still had to talk some sense into his head.
Her heart was beating out loud as she continuously recounted her encounter with the strange man. She shook her head, "I told you, the book holds gore. It would make you have nightmares and it would not induce you to sleep like you wanted."
Baffled, Duncan retorted, "But I never wanted a sleep-inducing book."
Maxine glared before she swallowed, calming herself down from her nervousness. "Aside, it's disrespectful for you to tell the prince to read a book to you." She drew him nearer, "Look at me, Duncan." Duncan refused to, his eyes were turning teary.
He had never experienced a strict warning from his elder sister before and having thought that seeing her was the only thing that could make him feel better, he realised he was wrong because he was feeling worse instead. Just because of the book about creatures called vampires.
"Duncan...are you about to cry?" Maxine blinked. "I'm sorry Duncan but you should know better."
Duncan still refused to look into the eyes of his sister. He was stubborn despite his angelic look, a trait he took from no other than Maxine.
"I will tell you a story."
"You tell boring stories, Maxine. It is either about how to get chosen or how you—"
"I promise, it's something different now."
Duncan's eyes widened and a smile appeared across his face. He swallowed before saying, "Tell me, Maxine!"
Maxine saw his gloomy expression change into a light one and she couldn't hold her smile, however, she noticed Duncan's itchy neck. She asked, "Heat? Are you hot in here?"
"Yes, Maxine. Ever since I came into this palace. It is as if the weather has seized, different from the carriage back then."
When Maxine noticed the building sweat across Duncan's face, she stood up from the bed and went to the wall on her left. When she opened the window, she felt a huge wave hit her and she immediately felt like she was freezing.
She walked to the bed and then put on the red night robe she had put off.
When she did, Duncan keenly watched her.
"I read the book about ten years ago," she started. "I was around your age at that time and you were just a baby."
"The story..." Duncan insisted. He knew his sister was likely to prolong the story when it wasn't needed and he didn't want that.
"Exercise patience, Duncan, dear." She warned before she proceeded. "In a faraway kingdom, about three fairies were guiding a beautiful palace. The fairies go with different names and those names were associated with their roles in the palace."
Maxine looked at her little brother, her eyes narrowed when she felt him become a bit uncomfortable but she proceeded. "One was called belief, the second was called daydream, and the third, reality."
Hearing the fairies' names, little Duncan already knew what his sister was about to say and he muttered, "Your stories are always boring."
"Duncan? What slipped out from that mouth of yours?" She feigned a glare.
Duncan blinked repeatedly before raising his palms, "Huh... I said nothing."
Maxine raised her brows, doubting. However, she stopped whatever she was doing when the scratching of her little brother's neck became obvious. "Come here," she called him, pulling him to herself and then, her eyes widened when she saw the bright red spot on his neck as a result of his incessant scratching. She looked closely at the red spot. "Did...did something bite you on your neck?"
"Huh..." Duncan pulled away from his little sister before saying, "It's nothing."
"Nothing?"
"I promise, it's nothing!"
Maxine noticed that her little brother was keeping something from her but she didn't want to bother much about it. Perhaps, it was truly not a big deal after all. If it was, Duncan would have consulted her. She sighed dramatically before standing up, "Since you do not want to hear my lovely story, I think I would have to be on my way. The King requests for my presence. I will check on you as soon as I am done speaking with the king."
She stood up and then commanded him to sleep comfortably. She tucked him into the bed and then said, "If you have anything bothering you, do tell me, Duncan. Remember our motto?"
"Families don't hide from one another!" He exclaimed.
Maxine smiled at his cuteness before nodding. "Right, darling. Now that I am here, I hope you dream of me."
Duncan chuckled as he watched his sister head over to the door but then, immediately she dropped her hand on the doorknob, he called her attention, "Sister?"
Maxine blinked, turning back to him. "Do you want anything?"
She sighed on seeing Duncan immediately become serious. He had never been this serious, except he was studying his book. His short brown hair was kept neat, however, Maxine saw a few strands sticking on his forehead as a result of the sweat, making it appear a little curly.
For a moment, Maxine wanted to bring to him a portion of the medicine she had brewed for fever but her eyes slowly widened when she heard him say, "Do people turn into vampires if they get bitten?"