**
"Maximilian?"
I blink at her silently. She just called my name. By my name. Instead of feeling repulsed and detested by that sound I instead can't feel anything anymore. All I can see is her.
My breath stops for a moment again. Just like back i...
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When they get back to the palace, Maximillian walked ahead with Elizabeth following behind, and she only waits for him to speak. But he doesn't. They had gotten to the east wing of the palace, where the glass building was. It was a hall where you could see almost everything outside, with big windows on all the walls. "Say something, your Highness. Actually, please don't say anything. It's not that important, I'm here and that's all that matters." But Maximillian turns abruptly, shaking her place at the change. "Not important?" He says. "Not important?" Now a little more angrier. "Everything about you is important to me. You are my responsibility, I'm trying to protect and take care of you like an older brother would. Your my friends sister." He points out, still not facing her. It's like he didn't have the heart to look at her in his state.
"Your Highness, you don't have to go so far. I appreciate that you take care of me and protect me. I really do, but I was only going out to enjoy because you were out too. I didn't think I wasn't allowed to go. My apologies." He looks at her now, once, furrowing his brows. "First things first, I'm going to change the way you speak to me. I don't want you calling me, your highness all the time. Call me, Maximillian. My proper given name. Second of all, stop apologizing to me all the time, as if you must be polite with me or I will instead lop off your head. I won't. You can be free with me." These new rules and requests were too much for her to take. How could she suddenly call someone of high status, by their first name?
"Let's put that aside for now. I cannot call his Majesty by his name. It's disrespectful." Elizabeth shakes her head. "At least call me by my name when we're alone. If it bothers you that much. I want you to know that you can trust me too, I can also protect you." He moves forward and takes her hand into his, in a promising gesture. "I'm your friend, and I also want you to be safe." He says. "Well, if you care for my safety, then I want you to give me something." And his ears perk up at this. "Yes, what is it that you want?" "I want you to give me Zyran, to be my personal knight. I already asked him about it, and he agreed to it too. So will you give him to me?" Without even taking a second, he answers. "No." He says. "I'm not giving you him. Hes been working for me for over 5 years, I cannot just give him to you like this." But Zyran had told a different story. "But, your Highness, Zyran tells me that you've been making him run on errand after errand, barely giving him time to rest and come back home. He thinks you hate him or something." Maximillian turns his back to her, running his hand through his hair, shaking slightly. "I'm not answer that. Let it go for now, I'm not giving you Zyran, end of discussion."
That only angered Elizabeth. He speaks as if he has some authority over her, and he can do whatever he wants. It sometimes infuriates her, but this conversation was being dragged out too long and her eyes were getting drowsy. Maximillian didn't move, nor look at her, his face was buried deep within his hands, a little uncomfortable. If he even dared to look at her right now, he might just say something stupid. She must be hurt now, he thinks. But before Elizabeth can leave, the doors of the glass hall, burst open and Roman comes tumbling in, panting after having possibly run for a long time.
