Chapter Text
Sophia is done! She can't take it anymore!
She has spent so much time and effort in providing chances for her brother Nicol to confess his feelings to Katarina. But every time she tries, the dense girl doesn't understand either of their intentions. And other times she'll faint and forget what Nicol was saying, which still baffles the Ascart siblings. How does that even happen??
One time during summer break, the three of them were out shopping in town. Sophia had planned to get those two alone by excusing herself to buy something she claimed to have forgotten. It was a PERFECT opportunity, but when she came back Katarina was sitting on the floor in a daze. Nicol was holding her while having a cloth on her head, explaining that he declared he would stay by her side before she fainted. Katarina had looked flustered while mumbling about devilish charm, she probably had just needed a break from reading the devilish count books.
And another time, Sophia managed to convince Katarina to fill in a roll for an actress to take part in a play with Nicol. During rehearsal, he spoke his line to her. It sounded more like an actual confession since he had to say 'I love you' to her. Katarina had gotten so flustered that she messed up her lines by saying his name during the reciprocation part and almost collapsed. Then Nicol embraced her, both to keep her from falling and to hold her close to him. He messed up his lines from being overcome by his feelings, and then Katarina passed out so badly she didn't even remember anything that happened. In the end, she ended up backing out of the play.
That moment was a short lived victory that made Nicol decide it was for the best not to try confessing to Katarina again, and continue to suppress his feelings while keeping his distance. She was engaged to his friend Gerald, so he could at least enjoy being by her side as a friend until the day came that he couldn't anymore. Nicol had never wished to get involve in the rivalry, but any chance he had to get some alone time with her had been enough to get him to at least try. Sophia's assistance and enthusiasm helped to bury his guilt when going along with her plans.
Thinking back on the other rivals, Sophia can't count the number of times Keith and Mary would cockblock Gerald so he wouldn't be alone with her. And the dense girl would always misinterpret their actions as them simply being friendly with each other. But despite being direct with their intentions, Gerald, Mary, and now even Maria haven't been able to get the energetic girl to realize their love for her no matter how many times they tried. However Nicol actually got an edge over everyone else! Katarina is aware that he likes somebody because she had asked him when they were dancing during her 15th birthday party. He didn't even deny it, simply answering with a yes. WHICH IS GREAT! However he chose not to specify and confess to her right there due to his deep feelings of guilt, as he feels his love for Katarina is something he shouldn't have towards her at all...
Nicol had probably been the closest out of anyone to winning Katarina's heart. When not fainting or unintentionally mind wiping herself, she manages to listen to what he says with little misunderstandings due to his good choice in wording. As well as having an extra advantage with his cute little sister helping him! And Sophia definitely thinks that the attempts in the past have been good progress, even if they all ended in failure.
Sophia has finally decided that after time and time again of no further progress or succession, she has to take things into her own hands! Nothing will change if Nicol doesn't act, and he will lose his chance for good if Katarina does end up marrying Gerald or one of the others. But above all that, she doesn't want to see her beloved brother suffer anymore!
Nowadays, Nicol is more sad, and distant.
Even if his face and mannerisms may look the same to everyone else when they all hang out, she can tell through the way he stays a bit further away from Katarina. When Sophia looks hard enough, she can see the pain in his eyes that he tries to conceal when he watches her have fun with the others. He used to be able to smile more easily because of her, but now he does very rarely and only in his sister's presence.
Nothing tortures the heart like the way an unrequited loves does, the feeling of wanting to be with the one you love but you can't for any number of reasons. And Sophia can't take seeing her brother trying to hide his pain again, like when they were younger. Nicol had helped her a lot from the bullying and scorns of other nobles and children in their past, he would always keep his own suffering to himself so that he could do his best to support her when she had needed him and their family the most. When Sophia found out about his affection for her friend and the way Katarina lifted some of the pain off his chest, she decided to do all she could as a way to pay back the kindness he had given to his beloved little sister. Nicol deserves to have a chance with the girl he's given his heart and love to as much as the other rivals do. He should be allowed to tell her his feelings regardless of her engagement, instead of viewing it as something forbidden.
Sophia understood that he didn't want to use tactics like his attractive appearance or take advantage of her oblivious nature to make Katarina go along with his whims, he respected her feelings and his place too much to do something so underhanded. It was something Sophia had come to admire about him, but that selflessness has become a disadvantage now. Any of the others could snatch her away with some sweets, or a little convincing to run away from the country without realizing it. Sophia can feel how desperate yet smarter the others have gotten as the years gone by as she's desperate now too, so it's only a matter of time.
Regardless if Nicol wants her to or not, Sophia is gonna get him his girl if it's the last thing she does! She has supported him the whole time despite her own feelings towards her friend, and she won't let him give up or lose his happiness!
If Nicol won't confess, then she will do it for him herself!