Unicorn Academy - Honorary Siblings

Chapter 31 - The Case of Parker

November 13, 2023

Maxwell bit his lip and looked up at the royal family with a mix of fear and anger. Now seeing the looks of grief mixed in with their anger, Maxwell felt sick to his stomach when the realization something had happened to Talulah had hit him. Looking up at Christopher, Maxwell tried his hardest to keep himself from throwing up as tears welled up in his eyes. Christopher only gave him the same hateful eyes he'd received since the moment he'd returned to the city, and Maxwell could barely contain the tears in his eyes.

Maxwell - "Wh—Where is Talulah? Where is the princess?!"

Christopher - "Don't you dare act innocent! You're the one who's behind this! All of this!"

Maxwell - "All of what?! Chris—"

Stephanie - "You don't have the right to use my husband's name! You'll address him with his royal title, and that's it, you scumbag!"

Maxwell - "...Your majesty, why would I ask you where the princess is if I knew for myself?! Where is the princess?!"

Damian - "We know you're guilty, Parker! Just admit it! All the evidence leads to you!"

Maxwell - "Evidence?! I don't understand! How can I admit to something if I don't even know what I did?!"

Jeremiah - "You know exactly what you did!"

Christopher - "You've taken my daughter, the princess of Eqeoneian, and you're holding her hostage!"

Maxwell felt himself blink in shock before tears welled up in his eyes again. Feeling like he was about to throw up, Maxwell tried to keep the bile in his stomach, but almost failed when Damian came over and roughly grabbed his shoulder to get him to look up. At Damian's hateful glare, Maxwell didn't feel fear exactly, but a sense of dread. Michael, still wearing a troubled expression, pulls Damian back before he could do any more damage to Maxwell, who gasped for breath after almost throwing up in the middle of the courtroom.

Maxwell - "W...What do you mean Talulah's been taken? Where is she?! And why do you think I have something to do with this?! I was gone for almost two months taking care of my sister's family!"

Damian - "You're lying! We know you kidnapped our sister, just admit it!"

Maxwell - "You've got to be kidding me. This kingdom has the highest and most professional guards, unbeatable against any military outside of the country! How would somebody be able to kidnap the princess?! And why would you think it was me?!"

Jeremiah - "You're the only one close enough to her to pull something like that off! Talulah was like a lost puppy when it came to you, she would've followed you anywhere!"

Maxwell - "...Let me get this straight...The princess is missing, and I'm the prime suspect because I am close with her? I'm the suspected kidnapper because I've acknowledged and took an interest in her life?! I'm the one you think took your daughter because I have given her the light of day?!"

Stephanie - "Don't you dare try to make us out to be the bad guys!"

Maxwell - "No! This is ridiculous! You're accusing me of kidnapping Talulah simply because I've treated her better than you ever have! Since the day I've gotten here, I've been more of a role model and parent for Talulah than you've ever been! I care for that girl as if she was my own daughter, so why in the great Sylvia's name would I ever want to hurt her?!"

Without warning, Christopher had stormed his way up to Maxwell and slapped him across the face, the sound echoing through the courtroom. Turning his head back to the king in front of him, Maxwell ignored the stinging pain in his failed as tears fell from his eyes. Michael eventually had to look away as the guilt started eating him alive for Maxwell's sake, while the rest of the royals gave their former family friend a hateful glare. Everyone in the court fell silent as Christopher breathed an angry sigh, before he grabbed the cuff of Maxwell's shirt to pull him up from the ground. Still nauseous, Maxwell swallowed the bile down his throat as Christopher started speaking.