Author's Note: Part of a 100 themes oneshot/drabble challenge that I'm doing! Find more Voltage Inc./Otome game fanfics on my website! (Go to my profile for the link0~
At first, it had meant nothing to him. Seeing her shrouded by the undivided attentions of the princes, a genuine, joyful smile lighting up her youthful features as she bathed in their affection. She had been a natural charmer from the start, her sincerity and dedication managing to snag the hearts of all who met her in an effortless sweep. Nothing in the world could shine brighter than the hearts of those who spoke to her - even the detached, sheltered heart of Prince Joshua had been melted away by her touch. That girl had been endowed with a power unlike any other - a power to move others, and paint colors upon other people's hearts.
Zain had never been the type to associate himself with others, much less become emotionally attached to anybody or anything. Upon meeting her, he had felt the same as he did when meeting anybody else - indifference, a sense of obligation to be respectful, but nothing out of the ordinary. Unlike those who had been immediately smitten by her, he had retained his distance, servicing her only when necessary and speaking little whenever she would attempt to initiate a conversation.
At one point, he had even felt perturbed by her presence, becoming irritated whenever he would so much as hear someone mention her name. He didn't understand what it was about her that aggravated him so strongly. It was only when she had begun to invade every crevice of his mind that he finally began to understand his emotions - somewhere along the way, he had fallen in love with her as well and had grown frustrated with himself for not figuring it out sooner.
But by the time he had accepted his own feelings, it was much too late for him. If Zain wouldn't love her, someone else would - Prince Wilfred had been the one to show her the affection and appreciation she had been craving all of her life, whisking her off into his loving arms. In spite of their cultural and social differences, the two had fallen deeply in love with one another, with plans of spending the rest of their lives together in unionized harmony. Though envious of the Prince of Philip for stealing away their beloveds' heart, the other princes had learned to stay away from the jubilant couple, coming to terms with their defeat.
Zain could not do the same. Unlike the princes, who had the liberty to accept their loss in a dignified manner and put it behind them, Zain could not. He could not relinquish himself of his infatuation - his entire being shuddered whenever he so much as laid eyes upon her. He wanted nothing more than for her to take notice of him, the pitiable, miserable shadow of a butler as he was. He yearned for her attention, for her affection, for her to smile at him as she did at Prince Wilfred. His heart sang for her, pleaded her to look in his direction. But to her, he would never be more than just a butler, dwelling within the shadow of the princes he served.