The Fall of Ember Kingdom: Side story

Maximillion walked into the throne room confused. Elias had called him into the room and his family was there. He noticed his brothers all wore grim faces. 

"Maxi, your grandfather has been arrested and is in Warden Raventree's Dungeon. I know you have no idea what is going on but I went to your family for some answers to why you never go home. I found your brother writing last night. ...I think you need to read his last entry." Elias said before handing him a journal. Max looked at it and smiled. Seth still wrote in cursive.

"Well if you think it'd help with my current family situation." Max flipped to the last entry.

2053AX

Dear Journal,

It has been seven years since our Rightful King and his Royal Guards came back and kick the Holy Hell out of The Red Queen and her lackies. 

My younger brother Max is one of The Royal Guards. He hasn't come by to see us. Normally I would be able to sleep but the chains around my wrist neck and ankles are tightening up around me. They react to when we think of telling Max the truth of what happened with the Contract he was forced to sign stating he would marry Tulip Estine. In all honesty Tulip and my friend from college Richard Diamond are together. They've already gotten their Tatsuki's for each other which breaks the contract freeing her from it and in turn freed Max from the same contract. She and Ric are planning on eloping to The Hunter Kingdom. There Ric has a friend on the Hunter Guard named Nox who will teach Ric how to be a Hunter. There his wife will be protected even if he died, for once a Hunter always a Hunter.

But… Max deserves to know about the girl who introduced herself as Stella Fairy from The Fairyside Orphanage. Stella wasn't her actual name, because she sounds a lot like a girl Max had met in the woods. He had run out on Grandfather one day running away from violin lessons and ended up deep in the forest where he had hidden a guitar. I had followed him into the woods that day and was about to say something when I heard my brother speak.

"Who are you?" He had said. He is my younger brother so I stood by silently behind the tree so he didn't hear me. He was my younger brother, and as his older brother it was my job to keep him safe. I was ready to defend him if needed, but Max's voice spoke again. "No wait, I didn't mean to scare you. I just… never see anyone else out here."

A voice answered him. 

"I uh, I come out here on hard days. I never thought someone else would be here. If you need time alone I can just come back later." The voice was that of a girl. I decided that Max wasn't in any danger so I went home but not after hearing her name. Max had introduced himself to her.

"My name is Maximillion Serving. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss?" He had ended his sentence asking her name.

"Crystal. Crystal Fairy." 

After that I had gone home and slipped into my room when grandfather burst in demanding if I had knowledge of where Max was. I lied to him saying I had hung out with Ric for the day. After he stormed out of the room I sat close to the window. I knew Max would fall in love with her and when he arrived home I saw that goofy look guys got when there was a girl in their life. For days after he would work on his violin lessons without complaint. And he was always done by seven o'clock. I swear I could hear the girlish giggle from him every time he would go to the woods. But then one day Grandfather had asked me into his office. He asked me, who Max was talking to. I of course lied to him and said that I didn't know. But a second after I drank my favorite tea grandfather had for me, he asked again and I blurted out that I had followed him into the woods where he met a girl named Crystal Fairy. 

Grandfather's face was unreadable and he gave me a hug and thanked me for the information. Max hadn't had violin lessons for seven months after that and I had all but forgotten about the deception of the tea… that was until grandfather called me, mom, dad, Ash, Luke and Lilly into the office. There after we all passed the threshold these blue chains appeared on our bodies. They locked quickly and I didn't know what was happening. He demanded that I take him to Max. I didn't want to but my body moved on its own alongside the family.

I didn't want to lead grandfather down Maxi's secret path but my will was not my own. It was grandfather's. I lead them to the clearing where Max was shirtless singing to the girl named Crystal Fairy. He was singing a love song to her. And when he was done he reached into a packed picnic basket and pulled out a little box. Grandfather moved so fast I didn't even see what happened. He had smacked Max for daring to entertain dealing with a Girl from The Fairyside Orphanage. Called her 'Nothing but a Gold Digger Whore' and slapped her. He grabbed the box from Max and indeed it was a beautiful ring for her. He crushed it underneath his expensive boot heel and told her if she ever tried to contact Max he'd have her arrested for harassment and for mixing Noble blood with Orphan blood. The girl was so hurt and scared she ran away tears flowing from her eyes. Max had demanded how he was found out and grandfather puffed up saying that at least his 'other grandkids' still loved him enough to tell him the truth. I had never seen such hate come from my brother. Then Grandfather had pulled out the contract with Estine. The only reason Max had signed it was because the girl he loved ran away from fear of his family. 

A few months of Max not speaking to anyone else in the family I tried to go to his room to tell him, but the chains around my neck tightened so hard I collapsed in front of Max's door. I woke up in my room with those blue eyes looking down at me. 

"What do you want Seth?" He scathed at me.

"Max 8 zid mking la Cha da…" I had no idea what I was saying. I was trying to tell him I didn't want to lead grandfather to him. But the chains tightened up again and I couldn't speak properly. Max looked at me irritated beyond belief. 

"Whatever Seth." He scathed again before he left. For three straight months I tried to tell him and… nothing. It was like the chains intentionally fucked hard with my brain to scramble my words. Then… the Spring Gala came around. Max had eaten with Tulip and actually smiled at her for the first time. Then King Egan had demanded that we dance. Max ended up dancing with a girl and grandfather was livid. I could see the steam coming off his ears. But the girl introduced herself as Stella and not Crystal while in the presence of the King. The girl named Stella Fairy was safe. Soon after Max and Grandfather got into an argument and he left to be a Royal Guard. He hasn't spoken to us since… I miss my brother. I hope he's ok after the disaster that is the Red Queen.

2053AX

I know I just wrote in here but King Elias had come by while I was writing the first entry of the night. He waited of course until I was done writing then ordered me to show him what I wrote. When he finished he grabbed me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes. His green eyes turned a dark silver and I think he was gone for a minute until he pressed invisible buttons above my neck and I could breathe Max's name again. I felt free… so free I started crying. I can tell him the truth now… I can tell him...of grandfather's deception.

Max looked at the pages for a long time. Information flooded his mind, the girl with coco eyes he had met and how he felt that Stella had the same eyes. Then he realized, Crystal Fairy and Stella Fairy had one thing in common… the flower pendant he had given her for her hair. 

Dear God, what had his Grandfather done?!