Heather's Adventures: The Search for Maxamus

Chapter 65. Max

"You should change out of those shabby clothes and get a new bag." The thinner man told me.

"I like these fine, thanks." I responded.

The thinner man shook his head, "you must change before you meet the council."

I denied it, "There is no way I'm going to dress up. I won't let Heather see me like I'm just some pampered rich kid waiting to become the head of some family."

"You're going to do it for the honor in this family."

"So I'm not supposed to care about my own honor, just this family?" I questioned him. I realized I was acting out just like Heather now. I had lost all my respect for those with power ever since I saw how power was corrupting people. Here in my own family. They were trying to change me.

"You've been hanging out with that little fire girl for too long. Now get dressed." The husky man threw me and some clothes into a room. I had no choice but to change from what I was wearing to what I was given. I even had a new bag. It was a messenger bag like Heather's, only 'nicer' and 'cleaner' so to say.

I was exactly what she hated.

So if I was supposed to be exactly what she hated, why did she still want to be friends? Was I different?

...or was she trying to change me before it was too late and I became one like them?

Was that the only reason we were friends? So I could become her own personal lapdog?

"No I'm not her lapdog. And I'm not their lapdog either. I'm not just some heir. I'm Max. Maxamus. Maxamus Merrywell. I belong to nobody, just like my sister. Heather Mellissa is my friend and she'd never try to use me. Actually that's exactly what she'd do. She'd use me because I'm her friend and she'd expect me to do the same with her, but only as friends. Nothing more than that. We're friends. Oh great and now I'm talking to myself. I must sound like a crazy lunatic." I put my face in my hands as I left the room and rejoined the men outside. They marched me up to the grand hall and the large room to the throne I was to be sitting on in only a few short years. As for now the "fill-in" family head was there, some great uncle of mine or something.

"Ah Maxamus, thank you for finally arriving, although I must say your timing is rather later than to be expected."

"Then you've set the wrong expectations for me. I'll present myself how and when I feel like it. No 'higher power' is going to tell me what to do when this higher power doesn't even know me."

My great uncle or whatever of mine just shook his head at me, "if that's what you make of it so be it, however your reckless behavior seems to be influenced by this bratty rebel girl from Isola that you seem to be hanging out with."

"I'm not hanging out with her, I'm protecting her since she's my leader and I promised to protect her. It's my duty and job and I will fulfill this job and promise with my honor. And I'll let you know Heather Mellissa is not a bratty girl. She may be a bit of a rebel but she has a cause to her rebellion."

"She is a fire wielder; there is no honor in protecting her. She's just a bratty girl trying to steal your heart and perhaps you believe she's your petty little girlfriend."

"I don't care about honor and she is not my girlfriend, she's my leader!" I drew my sword and pointed it at the fill-in. "My heart is made out of frozen ice. No one is allowed to steal it. I refuse to let you say such nasty things about her!"

He just mocked me, "What's next, you'll give up your whole family heritage?"

"No, you will. This is not the way to lead the Merrywell family. There is no honor in putting down the others of other families. As soon as I am old enough, I'm taking over and I'll lead this family the proper way."

"Good thing you can't claim that until the day after you turn sixteen."

"Good thing I'll be here bright and early on that day exactly to reclaim the honor that the Merrywell name deserves and not your sick and twisted ideas of honor. I'm sorry that I'm not your perfect Merrywell heir and you have every right to disown me until that day for my 'terrible deeds' but on that day I'll be back here to reclaim what is mine to restore what honor this family actually needs. We deserve to respect those around us here and nothing less. Who cares what power they have? It doesn't matter here we're all equal and I'll prove to you just that when I come back here."

"Well then you better have your chosen wife with you as well."

"I'll choose my wife and marry when I feel like it. You cannot dictate on how I should live my life. After all, I'm the heir, you're a fill in. I'll choose how I want to run this family." I put my sword away at my side instead of as my watch on my wrist and walked out. I kept my head held high as I made my way back to my friends. At least I didn't have an honor code or anything there.

But before I could leave the room, the fill-in shouted, "you are a disgrace and disowned as Merrywell for the time being. Your sister is disowned as well."

"Heh, disowning the heir is impossible, but do as you like. Just know I'll be back soon enough to fix all of this." I didn't even turn around when I spoke. I just kept walking. Some of my aunts and uncles just looked at me in shock. My cousins did the same.

The fill-in shouted once more, "you're just like your father. Too obsessed with some girl to care about the family."

"Don't you dare compare me to that man!" I shouted as I created a ball of ice and threw it at the fill-in. I actually turned around to scream that, "Let that be known. I will not tolerate being compared to a man that left me when I was down."

"And let it be known using your powers against your elders—"

"Save your breath. If you think my powers are something, then you certainly haven't met Heather. Heather Mellissa. You know that name? Well now you do. And you better learn it well. Don't forget it, because one day she'll be the one setting this world back the right way. And I'll be standing right next to her when she does. If you just so happen to get in the way, well I'm not stopping her. I'm just going to protect her." I started walking back out. I threw my powers out like a mage. I didn't use my sword. Mage abilities weren't an honor through this family. But they strong and powerful. That's what Heather taught me. And honor among those who do not honor those not like them...that's not something I want.

I guess I was just as much of a bad boy as she was a rebel girl.