My teacher (3)

"Yo. Is this a scam?" 

"I- I'm not sure myself. I found her in the alley. Half drunk." 

"Yo. This is too much, man." 

"You took the word out of my mouth." 

They looked at the pretty girl, sank in the bed with fresh gown changed by the female friend, slumped face on the huge pillows around her, steady breath, long brunette hair, small hands and feet, big eyes and a small nose. 

It was a gorgeous face seeping with gentleness and serenity and the features were so harmoniously balanced with rivalry with the piece of art that the artist molded step by step. She had a flawless, sacred beauty that gave the impression she was the loveliest lady of the nation instead of from any other usual noble. 

It was fairly dark last night, he shouted to his friend to help him to settle the kid down as soon as possible to make her comfortable on his clean bed. They did a lot of things but none ever thought of switching on the light, hence they didn't take a close look at the girl. The cloak was discarded and his female friend gave a small bath to the little lady before tuned her in in his bed. Took his bed while he slept outside on the long couch outside the room. 

The friend's eyes bulged as if she recognized the girl. "I think I am right. She's the duke's daughter." She covered her mouth dramatically, leaned back. 

"Not funny, Elijah. Not freaking funny." Max gnashed his inner lip. "Not funny." He repeated alone. Shifted right and left of the room in worries. 

"Oh, she stirs up," Elijah exclaimed out loud. Freak out. 

Max turned towards her. He saw the closed eyes moving around for a moment, her fingers twitched, and was painfully aware the girl took a long inhale before she slowly opened her eyes as exhaling.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

It's like time has stopped for both of them. Frozen at their place. Waiting for the girl to come to her term before either of them interjected for any explanation. 

Elizebeth munched the air, the air felt dir- less fresh than usual. The bed was not as comfy as before, did her father change her bed without her knowledge?

She loved the bed though, this bed was soft yet hard.

She hated it.

She opened her eyes slowly. Blinked to focus her vision. She looked at the ceiling, blankly. The ceiling was oddly simple, different from her own room.

She rubbed her hand on the mattress, the fabric was soft and the softener smell that this bed had was out of her wildest imagination. It felt like home. The usual fragrance smelled expensive but this one smelled home. Clean, nice, neat, and welcoming. She turned around and inhaled the nice fragrance. 

"Are you awake, ah, Meredith?" The calm hoarse voice broke her imagination. 

She opened her eyes and turned towards the voice direction. The morning brain was slowly incorporated with her and connecting the cells. The man's face came into view. He was strangely familiar to her eyes. 

"Do you forget about me, little sister?" Max relaxed and leaned at the wall though he's afraid the girl's mood plummeted. 

'Good. She's not freaking out like the rest.'

"Ah! Brother Max." Instead of having a plummet mood, she was honestly happy to meet him. "Brother Max." She repeated. Crawled like a cat on the bed in a blink. 

Max leaped to her, caught her body, and held her. "Be careful, Meredith." 

"Brother Max." She held his neck. Grin widely. "Brother Max." Her green eyes sparkled. 

'Found you at last.' 

"You love it so much?" He laughed. 

She nodded. 

"What a good girl." He rubbed her head. "That one is sister Elijah." He introduced Elijah, astonished by the sudden fluff between them. 

"Hi!" Elijah waved her hand, awkwardly. 

Elizebeth smiled at her, her big eyes stared at her. "Sister bathed me last night." 

Elijah relief. "Yes. Sister did."

"Can Elizebeth take a bath now?" Asked her in politeness. 

"Eli- Elizebeth?" Max gawked. 

"Elizebeth." She laughed evilly. The eyes told her that Max and Elijah were already aware of her status. It was a waste but she couldn't stay oblivious. She needed to return home soon or the whole kingdom might attack any kingdom around them just to find her. 

"Your name is Elizebeth?" Elijah gulped. 

"Yes." 

Max put her down, let her walk towards Elijah though his face was unreadable. "You are Elizebeth Diana Chandler?" 

"Yes. The duke's daughter." 

His brain is fried, his body is confused, his morality in shambles. What did the little girl say once again? The daughter of the duke? Did she mean the loveliest princess in the kingdom? An unofficial adoptive daughter of the king? Elizebeth Diana Chandler? Her? 

"Shoooooottttttttt!" Both Elijah and Max screamed at top of their lungs. 

"HAHAHAHAHA. Brother Max and sister Elijah are funny. Shooootttttt!!" She copied them, giggling like an innocent. 

'Well, I'm the queen of trouble. huhuhu.' 

&&

"Are you sure everything will be alright?" 

"Yes. Brother Max takes good care, Elizebeth. They will be delighted." 

"Hah~!" Max slumped on the carriage's chair. 

They were on the way to the duke's mansion. The road unusually was packed with humans like a group of disorganized drunken ants. The people are busy with activities on the streets. Didn't realize that the duke's child was lost in the middle of the crowd. 

"Did your father not care?" He asked. The duke's strangely quiet even though his supposed beloved daughter was missing. 

"He cares." She hummed a happy song. Dangled her legs without worries. She wore a new gown bought by Elijah. It was simple, suited her well with ponytail hair. 

"Seems otherwise." He reconnaissance the ground as the carriage moves steadily. Judged by the buzzing people around, they were just right at the corner until they'd arrived. 

"I've been trained. My father trusts me." 

He cocked his brow. What a peculiar word. "Trained?" 

She made a gesture like she's agreed or something. 

"You are so weird." He said absentmindedly. 

"Don't care. You are my teacher now. Father will be happy." She slumped her face toward his hard chest. Feeling the hard body on her cheek. The dreamy body was on her cheek. What a day. 

"Hah. Weirdo." He rubbed her head still before the carriage stopped at the entrance of the mansion. 

"We have arrived." The coach told them. "Ah! The duke's family is here." The man sputtered in a hurry. 

He sat upright. The duke's family is here? Seemed trouble. 

"Brother Max! Hug Elizebeth!" She wrapped her arms around Max's neck. Stood on the chair with shoes on. 

He scrutinized the girl in sheer disbelief. He wasn't interested in the commotion outside nor the sound of the duke's voice at an alarming rate. The family was obviously approaching the carriage yet no one dared to open the door scared of disappointment or seemed so. Max hadn't taken his eyes off the happy kid in front of him, eyeing the girl that had settled down around his neck, the main focus shifting constantly back to the noisy outside. 

'She was the source of the problem around here and yet she was so giddy.' 

He had no heart to scold her. He'd wanted to say something. To advise something like never trust unknown people, never dared trust even women, never… nothing came out from his mouth. 

"Let's go." She was more than ready.

Max could help listen to the cute request. He pushed the door from behind and got to his feet with Elizebeth in his arm. Out from the carriage only to meet with the family members of the ruler of the region. The duke himself. 

The silence was inevitable when they saw the sight of the lovely lady inside the arm of the stranger yet oddly fitting enough. The clothes were different from last night otherwise clean. She was happy and sated inside the arm like she was meant to be there. There's no hostility or any negative vibe they got from the man either.

"He- hello, Duke of the kingdom Duke Brice. I am a traveler from the western continent, sir Max. I live at the Dark alley where I found the young lady alone." He explained briefly. Nervous eating up his whole body. The whole family was here. Watching them with various expressions. 

The awkward silence engulfed them. 

The ducal family stared at them, and Elizebeth and Max stared at the ducal family as well. 

"Elizebeth!" The Duchess was the one who broke the silence between the family. With tears in her eyes, she ran towards them.

"Mother!" Elizebeth beamed, inside the hold of her mother in a split second.

Max gulped his saliva. Rest his hands behind his back, giving the space for the family to reunite. 

"Elizebeth!" The family crowded as they were snapped from the fantasy. Hugged her tightly except for the duke who inspected him rather keenly. 

"Come inside." Offered the duke. His stoic face and cold voice rocked his whole body, the cold sweat forming at his back. He was a respected ruler. Wise and strong. The man who single-handedly killed millions of enemies on the battlefield. And the same person invited him in. 

"Yes, come in, Max. I would like to propose to father." Elizebeth said nonchalantly amid the tight hug from her siblings and her mother. "I want him to be my teacher." 

Max halted his breath. She made it sound simple. Saving her didn't mean much to him. She was in need. He did help her and he did expect a reward but to be a teacher? The scale was too high for him. He had no experience in teaching as well. And surely the duke wouldn't blindly agree. 

"Oh, why not. Come inside Max." Invite Duke for the second time. This time his voice changed slightly. There's a warm feeling inside it. 

'What is going on?'

Max confused.