.

.

"You really are pregnant," Keith said. He walked out onto the balcony where Katarina was standing; he could see the stars and a thin sliver of moon hanging above them, and through the french doors, a rectangle of yellow light fell on the darkened balcony, making shadows against the marble filigree and decorative plants adorning it. It was the same color as the dots of yellow light emanating from the courtyard below.

"Keith!" Katarina turned, beaming at him. She held out her arms. "It's been so long!"

They embraced. Keith could feel the bump of her belly against his stomach. He pulled back, startled. Katarina laughed.

"For once it's not because of all the yummy treats I've been eating," Katarina said, and she patted her belly happily.

He leaned against the balcony next to her. "When are you due?" he asked.

"In a few months. I'm due in the spring."

"You weren't this big the last time I saw you."

Katarina laughed. "I haven't seen you since the wedding!" she said, and Keith's face darkened.

The wedding. They all vied for her affection, but in the end, Prince Geordo won. It was simple inertia - Katarina was already engaged, marrying him was expected. And even though she insisted they break off the engagement if he met anyone else, Geordo obviously didn't meet anyone else. Keith remembered how Geordo preened, sparkling and superior, looking out at her other would-be suitors with a smug look on his face.

Nicol and Alan accepted their defeat gracefully. Keith inherited his dukedom, and subsequently kept himself too busy to see her after her wedding.

The wind rose, and Keith watched as Katarina pushed back a strand of hair that fluttered by her nape. His eyes traced the pads of her fingers, the slight curve of her neck and the hollows by her collarbones. Once, he imagined what it would be like to let his lips graze against the soft skin of her throat, but since her marriage he refused to give in to that indulgence. It just made him feel sadder and lonelier.

"I can't believe it," Keith said. He carefully touched her belly. "You really made love to him."

Katarina blinked. Keith straightened, reddening. He hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Keith?"

"I'm sorry," Keith said. "It's just, I never could imagine it." Katarina frowned at him for a moment. Her face brightened.

"Ah, I see!" Katarina said. "You're worried when it's your turn, you won't know what you're doing! And so you're asking your big sister to help you out and give you tips!"

"What? No! What are you-" Keith ran his hand through his hair, exasperated. "Even if that were the case, Sister, that's not something I could ask you!"

"Oh c'mon," Katarina said, smiling. "You're my little brother! We don't have any secrets - you can ask me anything!"

"Sister I think you're getting ahead of yourself," Keith said. His face was red. He couldn't look at her.

Katarina rubbed her belly, smiling guilelessly.

"Is it..." Keith's eyes darted upward, lowering into shadow. "...is it good?" He crossed his arms, not looking at her. "Do you love him?" His arms tightened around himself. "Are you happy?"

"Oh, yes!" Katarina said. "I'm so happy my little brother was worried about me!"

"Of course I was worried about you! You're my sister, I've been worried sick."

"But you haven't come and visited me." Katarina's face darkened. "I see Maria and Mary and Sophia all the time. And Alan and Nicol too. But I haven't seen you in almost a year-"

"It's been busy since father bequeathed me the dukedom."

"I know."

They lapsed into silence again, Katarina holding her belly while Keith hugged himself, crossing his arms.

"Keith. I think I know what this is about." Keith looked up. Katarina smiled. "You're worried about me," she said. She smiled at him again, tucking back a piece of hair. "It's a shame. Geordo-sama has a strong sense of duty, and he feels responsible for me. I feel bad he and I had to get married."

"What do you mean?" Keith said. Katarina shook her head.

"I kept telling him, if he met someone that caught his fancy, if he fell in love with someone, I would be okay with breaking the engagement. But he feels so bad about my scar, even though it's already faded. And I suppose, he knew me well enough, it was better than marrying some unknown noblewoman. Remember all those girls at the academy, Keith? They kept throwing themselves at him, he needed me to be his shield."

"What are you saying?" Keith said. Katarina tilted her head upward, looking out at the moon and stars.

"I'm saying, there are so many marriages where they don't even know each other, at least my husband and I are good friends." She rubbed her belly, wistfully. "I was born a villainess. I could never expect anyone to actually love me."

Keith's eyes widened. "What are you saying? Of course people love you-"

"It's okay, Keith. Geordo-sama is good to me."

"Sister, Geordo loves you," Keith said.

"Keith! Don't be ridiculous! He's my husband, he's supposed to-"

"No, Sister. Geordo truly, genuinely loves you." Keith searched her eyes quietly. "My sister knows not how she affects people," Keith said. He stepped close, clasping her hands. "Sister," Keith said, and he let his thumb run across her knuckles. "If you weren't my sister - if I wasn't taken into your home - I would have done my utmost to marry you."

"Keith?" Katarina looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes.

"I love you," Keith said. "I've always loved you. All I want is your happiness. I would give the world for you.

"I'm just happy that you're in my life," Keith said. He squeezed her hand. "It's enough for me that we two are family. And as your family I must tell you that Geordo is in love with you."

Katarina blinked. Her eyes filled with tears.

"H-he's in love with me?" Katarina sniffled and wiped her eyes, beaming. "G-Geordo-sama is in love with me?!"

"Sister, why are you crying?!"

"Because I've never been so happy!" Katarina swiped the back of her hand across her eyes and laughed, happily. "Keith!" She threw her arms around him. "The father of my baby actually loves me!"

Keith sighed and patted her on the head. "My sister has always been really dense," Keith said.

Her servants saw him out the door. Stepping out into the courtyard, Keith looked up a moment at the ink-blue sky and the yellow light leaking out from the balcony. Above him, Katarina opened the balcony doors and waved happily at him, and Keith smiled and waved back at her, waiting for his carriage.

He will always love her. Even if he couldn't have her, he wanted nothing but her happiness. Even if that meant convincing her of Geordo's love for her.