Chapter Text
It changed somewhere along the way. When he was a child, he would follow Katarina around endlessly. He knew she wasn’t strong, so he became strong. She wasn’t smart, so he became smart. He wanted to be the perfect partner in crime for her. Katarina was always needing someone to mediate between her and their mother. Keith would have done anything for his big sister. Well… except think of her as such.
He remembered seeing her bust down his door to get to him. Keith had hurt her with his magic. He had felt so ashamed and alone. He was a monster. But Katarina didn’t care. She busted down his door anyways. Katarina held him to her and said that she was unwilling to let her ‘cute brother go.’ Keith couldn’t help thinking they weren’t really siblings- they were cousins. If you really wanted to get technical with it, they weren’t even related by blood. His mother had been a prostitute. His father had married into the Claes family. Thus, he was the illegitimate child of some random branch family, and had not a drop of Claes blood.
As Keith grew older, he began feeling more than just gratefulness towards Katarina. He wanted to protect, he wanted to see her smiles, he wanted to hold her close. Keith desperately tried to convince himself that all he felt was a brother’s affection. However, as more and more rivals for Katarina’s love showed up, Keith couldn’t help the bitterness twisting at his heart.
When they went away for school, he prayed that his feelings would disappear. He threw himself into his studies and took up practicing his swordsmanship with the school’s guard. He did anything and everything to try and get his mind off of Katarina. To no avail.
The harder he tried to forget about her, the easier she came into his thoughts. Keith tried not to fall for Katarina- he really did fight tooth and nail, but she was just too charming. His best defenses were always brought down by her charming smile, her beautiful blue eyes. Keith never stood a chance against Katarina.
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Katarina could pinpoint the exact moment when things changed. It was while they were away at school. Katarina has loved and cherished Keith to the best of her abilities. He was an adorable child and a wonderful companion. However, Keith was also a good looking man, something Katarina seemed to have forgotten over the years.
She overheard a group of girls talking in class one day. They talked about Keith’s good looks and gentle nature. They talked about wanting to marry him, spend time with him, sleep with him… Katarina felt a lump grow in her throat. None of their words sat well with her. Katarina’s face turned into a fearsome scowl, and scared those around her.
Katarina’s bad attitude only grew worse as the day grew. She was the only one who got to wake up with Keith, she was the only one who got to feed him, she was the only one who got to embrace him… But he would have a wife one day. Katarina felt her heart drop. She could not be with him for much longer.
It was wrong of her to pine for something so childish. Katarina scolded herself. Her mood grew even more foul. Katarina realized that she would be losing the person closest to her. She was going to lose her best friend. Katarina could not follow Keith into marriage…
Katarina quickly rushed to her room. She spent the rest of her day in bed, scolding herself. Katarina could not marry her step brother. She would not think of him in that way. Katarina would not think about his constant support, or the way his fingers curled around a teacup. She would not think about his cute smile or his uncanny ability to always know when she was in trouble. She felt her heart clench. Katarina would bury all of these thoughts. She could be strong. She could let him go. After all, he was destined to fall for Marie, there was nothing she could do.
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The step siblings did their best to distance themselves from one another. They were only together in groups, never alone. Keith’s accomplishments and studying took him far in school. He joined the student council and was popular amongst the girls. Katarina’s shortcomings brought her further and further from her brother. She acquired extra tutoring from Nicole. She spent even more time around her book club and garden. Katarina did her best to stay out of the way of her brother’s romance.
Keith met Maria. He did not fall in love, but he did like having a friend! He grew close with Maria, the way he and Katarina used to be close. But Maria did not set his skin alight. His heart did not flutter at Maria’s smile. Keith’s affection for Maria never went beyond… brotherly…
Katarina only saw the closeness Maria and Keith shared. She felt the twist of envy, but never acted on it. She told herself that this was what the game wanted. Katarina told herself to focus on not getting the bad end. She forced herself to watch her brother from afar and not interfere. Until one night that changed everything.
Katarina has felt feverish all day but was sure she could make it through the school day. She was mistaken. What started out as a slight fever, grew into a serious heat. Katarina passed out in the middle of the hallway. She was taken to the nurse immediately and sent to her room for the rest of the day.
She had slept the day away, and was unable to return to her slumber. It was dark out and Annie had already left her for the night. Katarina was in a light, white nightgown. She was feeling much better but was still a bit hot. Rolling over to her side, Katarina looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was 1am.
Suddenly, Katarina heard a light knocking at her door. She quickly rose to her feet, and suffered the consequences of getting up too fast. Katarina slowly made her way to the door and unlocked it. Once the door was open, she looked up into deep blue eyes.
“You’re awake,” Keith said in a rather shocked tone.
“Of course I’m awake,” Katarina tried to joke, “Please, come in.” They sat in chairs around a table in her room. Neither spoke for many moments. They were both racking their brains for something to say. “It’s been a rather long time,” Katarina stated, desperate for the silence to end.
Keith was taken aback, “what do you mean?”
“Just that, you and I haven’t been one on one much recently,” Katarina covered quickly. Keith’s eyes drifted to Katarina’s flushed cheeks and chest. Her night gown showed more of her chest than her regular attire did. He caught himself looking and promptly returned his gaze to her eyes.
They had the same blue eyes. It was the only feature they shared. It was enough for people not to question their sibling status.
“Well, I can see you are okay. I will take my leave,” Keith rose and began his exit. Katarina panicked and called for him to wait. He froze with his hand on the door handle. He should just walk out the door. He should have ignored her, but he couldn’t. His feelings for her ran too deep. He couldn’t help the flicker of hope inside him.
Keith remained rigid where he stood. He felt Katarina’s delicate hand on his shoulder. He slowly turned to face her misty eyes.
“Keith…” Katarina looked anywhere but his face. At their closeness, he could make out the freckles dusted around her nose. “Please, don’t go.”
His eyes widened at her boldness. She had never asked something so selfish of him.
“I can’t,” he replied, but made no move to leave.
She gritted her teeth and steeled herself. Katarina straightened herself to her full height, and raised her head to meet his wide eyes.
“If I have done something. Please tell me,” Katarina’s composure began to crumble, “I can’t stand this. I’m sorry. It is all my fault,” tears began falling down her cheeks, “It was me who drove you away. I am disgusting, I am—-“ Keith’s lips suddenly met Katarina’s.
His arms reached around Katarina. He held her body in his arms. Keith’s body rejoiced at the feel of her. He wanted more. His hand snaked up into her loose hair and deepened their kiss. He was in heaven. He was finally kissing her- the woman of his dreams. He was kissing his salvation. He was kissing his sister… his step sister…
And Katarina was… kissing him back.
Her hands gripped his carelessly unbuttoned shirt. She was pulling him even closer to her. Katarina Claes was kissing him back!
Keith broke the kiss and stared down at Katarina’s half lidded eyes. “I shouldn’t have come here,” he began half heartedly looking for a way out. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you—-“ Katarina grabbed his hand and pressed it firmly to her cheek.
“Don’t stop,” she said simply. He was gone; lost in the bliss of Katarina’s body. Keith was hoping that no one would wake him from this dream. Her body was soft and surprisingly lean (looks like the sweets never made much of a dent on her physique). He took an unabashed exploration of her body. He swallowed her sweet sighs and moans. Keith found himself in heaven.
They ended up falling asleep in her bed together.
He woke up in hell. Keith left school immediately. He went straight home to their parents. Keith met with them and asked to be removed from their family. They were shocked and pained. They thought they had done something. But Keith explained that it was him who was in the wrong. He told the duke and duchess over his love for their daughter. He apologized for his impure thoughts and thanked them for their generosity over the years. He braced himself for his parents’ anger.
None came. It wasn’t completely unexpected. The duke and duchess saw how Keith doted on their daughter. They watched their daughter’s admiration for him. They understood.
“You will be Duke one day,” His father said.
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Keith returned to school the next week. Katarina had been in a state over his sudden absence. She felt guilty for ruining their relationship and ashamed at her disgusting love. He probably wanted nothing to do with her- his perverted step sister. Katarina’s friends noticed her sadness and did their best to cheer her up. However, it became clear that her pain was something they could not share in.
He found her sitting on a bench by her fields. Her beautiful hair had been let down and was freely being tossed by the wind. She was in her gardening attire- the one that hugged her body.
Katarina’s thoughts were in the clouds.
“Katarina,” Keith said gently. She was startled, many emotions flitted across her face. She was happy he was okay, mad at him for leaving, and fearful of what he might do.
“I- I’m—“ Katarina felt tears prick her eyes. She bitterly fought to keep them from falling. Keith’s hands were suddenly holding her shaking shoulders. Katarina looked up into familiar blue. Keith was kneeling in front of her, peering into her eyes with unfiltered love and admiration.
“Katarina,” Keith took a deep breath, “I am no longer a member of the Claes family. I have been removed from my position as heir and son to the Claes’.” Katarina stared, terrified at what Keith was saying. Her recklessness had ruined not only their relationship, but his life. “The only way for me to rejoin, is to marry the daughter of Duke Claes.”
Katarina blinked in confusion. Marry the daughter…
“I have received your father’s blessing on the matter. And the crown Prince has stated that he would annul the engagement should his fiancée wish to marry another,” Keith loosened his grip on her shoulders. It was hard to tell which one of them was shaking at this point.
“Katarina Claes, will you marry me?” Keith’s voice was strong and sure. A smile bloomed on Katarina’s face. Tears began to fall from sheer joy this time.
“Yes. Yes. Yes!” Katarina sang as she kissed him.
Their love for one another was not dirty, or wrong. They could have one another, as man and wife.
Keith and Katarina Claes.