Following Hearts

More than Friends

"Okay, so what exactly did you do this time?" Ferdinand asked, his eyes fixated on his little sister.

    "Just watch, it's really good, I promise." Valentine smiled and crouched behind the flowerpot. As Ferdinand scanned her face, he noticed something different about the young Princess. Instead of her usual hard set jaw and menacing scowl, she was radiant. Her eyes were brighter, her eyebrows softer, and Ferdinand couldn't remember the last time he saw Valentine smile with her teeth. The best he ever saw was a cocky smirk, but here his sister was, grinning ear to ear.

    "You look... different," Ferdinand commented, his voice kept low while they hid.

    "What?" Valentine asked, eyes still locked on the door ahead of them.

    "You look-" Ferdinand raised his voice slightly louder and was met by an immediate shush. "Different," he finished, lowering his voice to a whisper. Valentine slowly swiveled her head towards her brother, her face holding an unreadable expression.

    "What's that supposed to mean?" She responded, her tone both curious and bored.

    "I don't know, you just seem, happier? I guess? Not so... intimidating."

    "You take that back right now," Valentine threatened, but her smile revealed she was only joking.

    "I'm just saying, it's nice. You know, to see you happy." Ferdinand cleared his throat awkwardly. "The whole edgy, mean thing was getting old."

    "Thanks." Valentine replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

    The two sat in silence for a moment.

    "Can I ask why you're so happy all of a sudden?"

    "Nope," Valentine answered, popping the "p".

    "Come on! Tell me, I-"

    "Shhhhhh!" Valentine shushed Ferdinand as the door creaked open. Both siblings ducked their heads completely behind the flowerpot as to not be seen.

    Nestor Noble sauntered out, his confident strut appearing more like a waddle. After a few steps, he stopped, his eyes blinking rapidly.

    "Achoo!" His sneeze echoed along the palace halls. Valentine started to silently giggle.

    Nestor took a few more steps, and sneezed, then took a few more steps, and sneezed. This continued until Nestor made it about halfway down the hall and angrily stomped back to his room, sneezing the whole way there.

    "What did you-" Ferdinand began to ask once Nestor had slammed the door to his room shut.

    "Pepper in his moustache wax." Valentine grinned.

    "You're evil." Ferdinand jokingly wagged his finger at his sister.

"Alright, well, that was all I needed to show you. Go back to Balthazar." Valentine stood and brushed off her grey slacks. She started down the hall.

    "Wait!" Ferdinand jogged up to her and started walking by her side. "You never told me why you were so different." Valentine sighed.

    "You're not going to give this up, are you?" Ferdinand smiled and shook his head. "It's Dove."

    "What about her?" Ferdinand cocked his head.

    "We kissed," Valentine stated matter-of-factly.

    "Really? That's amazing Val!" Ferdinand elbowed his sister in the side. "I knew you had a thing for her."

    "No you didn't. You're completely oblivious."

    "Alright, no I didn't, but still. Congratulations!" He patted her on the shoulder.

    "Thanks." Valentine smiled genuinely. "I'm just glad Henrietta didn't like her back."

    "She really didn't?"

    "No, she rejected Dove the night of the Coronation Ball." Valentine examined her nails, which were painted with a jet black polish.

    "Then who is the person Henrietta has feelings for? I mean, I'm her best friend and I don't know."

    "Isn't it obvious?" Valentine furrowed her brows, wondering if Ferdinand was just playing dumb. She glanced down the hall. "Speak of the devil." Valentine pointed ahead, where Henrietta appeared walking briskly down the hall. "Bye Ferdinand." His sister departed, leaving Henrietta and Ferdinand alone in the large hallway.

    "Hey, Henrietta, wait up!" Ferdinand quickly caught up with his friend. "How have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."

    "Good, same old same old." Henrietta forced a smile and sped up her pace. Ferdinand kept up with her.

    "I've been meaning to ask, Henrietta, if you don't like Dove, who do you have a crush on?" Henrietta glanced at Ferdinand with wide eyes but quickly turned her gaze back to the hallway ahead.

    "It's... really not important." She shrugged and abruptly turned the corner.

    "That's not true. It clearly matters to you, and I'm your friend, so it matters to me too."

    "Really, Ferdinand, just let it go." Henrietta shot Ferdinand a warning glance.

    "Why? Come on, just let me. You know you can trust me right?" Ferdinand stopped and Henrietta leaned against the wall.

    "Of course I know that." She sighed. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's that I... I can't."

    "Of course you can." Ferdinand took a step closer, reassuringly reaching out to take Henrietta's hand.

"No. I can't." Henrietta glared at Ferdinand.

"Why not?"

    "Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because it's you!" Henrietta shouted, aggravated. "Because... I have feelings for you." She looked down at the ground. Ferdinand was left speechless. Never in a thousand years would he think that his best friend would have feelings for him. Although, now that he thought about it, all the signs were there.

How she hated when Joplin or Delphine flirted with him, how she'd sometimes blush for no reason when he was around, even the way she looked at him made all the sense in the world. I was wondering if you'd maybe want to be more than... Ferdinand remembered their conversation and finally realized what she truly intended to say. More than friends.

"Henrietta, I-"

"I have to go." She hurriedly raced down the hall and disappeared behind a corner, and for once in his life, Ferdinand didn't follow her.