Chapter Text
To find Keith in her garden is not the most unusual sight, but usually he's here to drag her off to other appointments, or to escort her when they have other friends visiting. It’s a surprise for Katarina to find him as he is now, crouching with his heels in the dirt as he peers at the flowers. As she comes closer, she notices a wistful air to him as he cups one of the deep red blooms in his hand.
“Keith?”
Her brother startles at her call, cornflower blue eyes wide with surprise as he lets the blossom go.
“Ah! Big sister…”
There’s a strange cant to his expression, one that she hasn’t seen before. Curious, Katarina comes closer, plopping down onto the ground beside her brother.
“What has you out in my garden today? Usually I’m the only one communing with the earth!”
Keith smiles faintly and shrugs.
“I wanted to clear my head a little, and here seemed as good a place as any to do that.” As he trails off, the corners of his lips falter. “No, that’s not quite true.”
Sighing, Keith sits, pulling his legs to his chest. With his hair in his eyes and his chin on his knees, he suddenly looks so very young.
“I have some hard things to think about, and this place always makes me feel better.”
“Hmm” Katarina surveys her garden, which is full of sturdy green life. “Plants really are cheerful, aren’t they?”
“Maybe?” Even with his mouth hidden, Keith’s smile is audible in his tone of voice. “Mostly this place just reminds me of you.”
Even if she wanted to, there’s no way Katarina could hide the smile spreading across her face.
“I’m so flattered! My little brother is so cute!”
She flings herself onto Keith, who grunts a little at the impact, but doesn’t complain until she starts ruffling his hair.
“Stop that!”
“But how could I resist?”
“Your self-control truly could use some work,” Keith sighs, and although his rueful amusement is expected, there’s a melancholy note to his tone that rings off-key to Katarina’s ears. Suddenly, she remembers why Keith said he came out here in the first place.
“So...” She stops teasing, and sits on her knees, although one of her hands stays on Keith’s shoulder. “What hard things were you thinking about?”
“It’s nothing you need to worry about.” Keith says, looking away.
“Hey!” Katarina bumps Keith with her shoulder. “I’m your big sister! If something worries you, it worries me too!”
Keith scrubs at his face, sighing heavily, then settles with his fist over his mouth. It’s truly the pose of someone deep in thought.
“Your friend Sophia has asked me to court her.”
Of all the things Katarina was expecting Keith to say, this was not one of them.
“Oh wow! Sophia’s a heart-stopper, for sure!” She says, bouncing with excitement for a moment before she realizes that this is apparently a bad thing. “But, is there something wrong with her request?”
“I suppose a lot of people would say there isn’t anything wrong. She’s a beautiful girl with a good bloodline, we get along, she’s friends with our family, and as the heir to the Claes line, I’m going to have to have an heir with someone at some point, but...” Suddenly Keith looks so very tired. “It's complicated.”
Katarina frowns, and draws herself up to show just how serious she is about her next words.
“You're my precious only little brother, Keith. No matter what our heritage or society expects of us, your needs are by far the most important to me.” She tightens her fists in her lap, and plaintively says, “I don’t want to bother you, but if there’s anything I can do, please lean on me.”
“I appreciate that, big sister.” For the first time since she found him out here, Keith’s smile regains some of its usual warmth, but it’s still a pained expression. “If I could, I would take your assistance in a heartbeat, but… the person who I like is just not someone who I can marry.”
“Wha-”
As Katarina cocks her head in confusion, Keith coughs and stands up, brushing dirt off of his pants.
“Like I said, it’s complicated. Sophia isn’t the one who I most want to wed, but she’s probably the best option that I have, given my circumstances.”
In an obvious attempt to drop the awkward conversation, he turns back toward the house.
“Thanks for helping me figure that out. I should write a letter to her parents, to formally begin our courtship. So, I’ll be taking my leave.”
His words are phrased like a question, but they sound like a statement. Certainly, there’s no room for Katarina to call him back, since Keith is already waving over his shoulder in dismissal before he’s even finished speaking.
She bites her lip, unable to do anything other than watch him walk away from her. As he strides away, she wonders: When did her little brother’s back become so broad?