Maxwell Adopts a Merm

Chapter 2

It was dusk when Maxwell returned to camp, the feel of grass under his shoes turning abruptly to the solid ground checkered turf provided.

No one was outside at the moment, probably preparing for sleep or working elsewhere on other projects he wouldn't be told about until they really, truly needed him to know. All except of course for his sardonic 12 year old niece, Wendy. He was almost surprised to see her out at this time of the day, Wilson seemed to try his best to make sure she had a healthy sleep schedule, although it wasn't unlikely that the 'Gentlemen Scientist' had collapsed out of exhaustion next to one of his ridiculous experiments again.

Casting the so-called scientist out of his thoughts, he didn't want to afford himself anymore worrying about something he had no control over, he focused on what he could control instead. Sneaking past Wendy in order to spare himself the truly depressing conversations the two frequently shared. That was the unfortunate cost of having two people like themselves in the same proximity to eachother, the conversations of things most adults wouldn't dare even think of saying to your average 12 year old, but then again, Wendy wasn't your average 12 year old.

Shifting his bag's weight from one shoulder to another as he began the nearly impossible task of sneaking around, he found that he had, almost immediately, failed. Although being as tall as he was did have its perks, being able to sneak past depressed twelve year-old nieces with a tendency for suicidal thoughts was, unfortunately, not one of them. Curse him and his genetics!

"Welcome back, Uncle" Wendy said, not bothering to look up at him from her sister's flower.

Maxwell inwardly cringed, both at being called uncle and being spotted so quickly. Sneaking around had never been his strong suit anyway, to tall and gangly with a old habit of falling flat on his face. Straightening his posture, he responded in his usual detached tone, executing the perfect plan to convince her to let him pass, free of to much conversation.

"Why thank you, niece"

His plan seemed to be working. Wendy looked as though she was suppressing a snort at the word niece. She gestured towards a spot on the ground. "Why not sit and talk with me?"

He stared at her for a moment before coming to the conclusion that there was no real way around this. Suppressing a sigh of defeat, he Dropped  his bag to the ground, plopping down next to Wendy. There goes his brilliant plan.

"How your Trip? See anything odd?"

Maxwell snorted "It wasn't a trip. It was more of an errand" He retorted, he hated when they did this. When they made everything he did sound like he was being more lazy than he actually was by carefully swapping out words-

"Right, my apologies, it appears I have spent to much time with Willow. I did not mean for my poorly thought out words to affect you as they did." As if sensing his anger, she was quick to put a stop to it, using the fact that he couldn't really stay mad at her to her advantage. She was smart that way.

"Hmph. I suppose Willow has that affect on people" He huffed slightly "Shouldn't Wilson have put you to bed by now?"

She made a vaguely dismissive gesture with her left hand "Yes, but I have snuck away from his feeble attempt to cage me into the cloth prison the others call a tent"

Maxwell nodded sadly, as if pitying the other survivors "I agree with your adversity towards the concept of sleep, I was also forced into the tent for a time out of Wilson's treacherous insistence that I sleep"

Wendy looked at him curiously "And how did you manage to convince him to allow you to choose your sleep schedule? I personally find such a feat impossible to do myself"

Maxwell glanced around to see if anyone else was in camp, then he put his hand to his mouth as if he was sharing a life-changing secret "I threw tantrum"

Wendy eyes went wide before covering her mouth in an attempt to muffle her laughter "You did?"

Maxwell felt a burst of pride seeing the normally emotionless Wendy have to contain laughter "I did!" He said proudly. "He never bothered me again after that"

"I might have to-" She snorted "Try that"

"Perhaps you should" Maxwell said "It worked for me"

"That It did. Now, how did it go? See anything odd?" She said, abruptly changing the subject back.

"Not really, why?" He was lying through his teeth and she knew it, he only hoped she would feign belief.

"I thought I saw something last time I was there, is all. Perhaps I was merely hallucinating"

"Perhaps you were..." Maxwell mumbled, though he felt as though he was a thousand miles away. What if she saw Wurt? No wait, of course she saw Wurt, what else would she have seen? Anything else would have been recognized immediately, she knew very well what lived in the swamp.

Wendy looked at him curiously "Perhaps I ate something foul and was simply experiencing the consequences"

"That could be it" He shifted uncomfortably, he really had no idea why the thought of Wendy knowing about Wurt worried him as as it did.

Because if Wendy knows, Wilson will know too. And if Wilson knows, so will everyone else. And if everyone else knows, they might tell Wurt about the throne.

Maxwell cringed internally at the thought.

He realized that Wendy staring at him "Yes?"

She shook her head, as if clearing her own head "I addressed you, but you did not respond. I thought for a that you had gone comatose"

He shook his head slightly "That is a big conclusion to make"

Wendy just shrugged "If not that, then what?"

"I was thinking, is all. Now, what was it you were to ask me?"

"I was only thinking, you never outright answered my original question of how your errand went"

Maxwell felt slightly grateful that she actually used the word he had supplied to her "It was ok. Nothing special"

Wendy had an odd look in her eyes "No trouble with tentacles?" Maxwell only shook his head.

"Not really I-"

"MAXWELL! YÖU HAVE RETURNED FRÖM YÖUR EPIC CÖNQUEST!" A high pitched voice interrupted. Maxwell felt a wave of relief for the distraction. Thank whatever gods there are for Wigfrid.

The ginger warrior bonded over to him.

"Cöme and tell us!" At us, she swept her hand over dramatically towards where Wormwood sat, waving happily at the other side of camp.

"Why, I couldn't"

"Ple-"

"Well I suppose if you insist!" Maxwell agreed quickly, letting his excitable friend drag him off.

Wendy huffed slightly. Abigail materialized beside her. "You saw it, didn't you?" She whispered.

Abigail nodded, making a noise that sounded concerned. "He's definitely hiding something"
Wendy informed her.

"And I know just how to find out what it is"

She planning something 👀

Chapters might come out sooner because nothing motivates me more then not doing my homework!

Thx for readin' :)