The ball was perfect. The music was uplifting and beautiful as nobles from everywhere couldn't help but smile at the atmosphere. The scent of white lilies filled the air as the princess danced with her father.

  A beautiful sight to behold as they sparkled neath the light of the chandelier. After the dance the princess was told to mingle with other nobles.

  "My how beautiful the princess is," The Machioness with lovely honey-gold hair and deep vibrant forest eyes, her features soft and demure.

  "Thank you, you also have quite the glow today, Marchioness Annabelle," the Marchioness laughed with a slight redness in her cheeks, flattered by the sweet princess.

  "The princess is so kind and cute, do you know my son George? He's very knowledgeable, cute, and kind just like the princess," remarked Countess Amelia. With the princess rejecting the proposal of Fantasia most nobles knew it would be a chance for them to offer children of lower rank in case the rumors of her succeeding her father was true.

  "Oh, princess, you'd love my son Carson, maybe we should arrange a meeting some time," said Marchioness Anabelle, not to be outdone by the pink haired Countess.

  "My dear ladies, you're flustering our dear princess," interrupted the second duchess of Sterling, a raven haired beauty with blue eyes and caramel colored skin, though the second duchy in Sterling wasn't as famous as the flamboyant Ascot duchy, they were a paragon of kindness, generosity, and bravery, the duchess and her husband both having served in the Sterling military and currently training different brigades to serve and protect the kingdom.

  "Duchess Karina, you look absolutely stunning in that dress, may I ask who made it?" The young princess bowed politely, looking up to the duchess in awe, she was quite tall after all at a good height of 6'1 in her 3 inch heels.

  "Aw, what a sweet talker you are, princess," The duchess bent down to pat her head gently as all the ladies gushed and flocked to the lovely princess.

  In the back of the group, Dean struggled to get a good view of the Snow as he jumped up to try and get her attention. "S-Sister?" He called hesitantly.

  "Oh, please make way, ladies for the litte prince," Countess Thalia laughed slightly, moving aside her dress that seemed bigger than the little prince.

  All the ladies moved aside, greeting him as Dean sat down on the sofa next to Snow shyly, looking around at all the attention on him, he never really had so many people pay attention to him so he wasn't sure how to act.

  "You're prince Dean right? My son has been talking about you non-stop how you're his friend," said Baroness Gail with a slight laugh.

  "Yes, yes, prince Dean is very friendly with my son as well," gushed Viscountess Amarillia.

  Dean did his job well and got along with all of Sterling's noble children, paving a way for Snow as she socialized with their parents who looked upon these children with awe

  "Sister I brought you your favorite," said Dean shyly giving Snow a macaroon.

  "Thank you, that's very sweet of you, Dean," she said gracefully lifting up his hand with her fan and bit from the macaroon as he flustered.

  "Oh, don't you think the prince and princess look adorable? Do you suppose the princess looks better with younger prospects?" whispered Countess Amelia to the other ladies.

  The other ladies nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, yes! Indeed they are! Princess! Forget about my son Carson, I have a younger son named Martin, he's so very cute! And you should have a playdate with him!" Marchioness Annabelle gushed.

  "No, no! She should have a playdate with my younger son Benjamin! They'll look much better!" Commented Countess Amelia.

  "Oh, yes, yes soft brown hair and soft green eyes, my goodness they'll look too adorable!" agreed all the ladies.

  "But what about Liam? He's always so stubborn, and the princess could be the one that he listens too," said Duchess Karina thinking of her stubborn son acting shy in front of the princess.

  "It's perfect!" the ladies screamed.

  The ladies were all too engrossed in their talk about who Snow was going to marry that they hadn't noticed her slip away.

  'Quite a crowd of classic shippers I'd say' Snow laughed to herself as she dragged Dean outside to the gardens. They sat down and looked up at the sky without a word.

  Dean was worried. Was Snow mad at him for leaving? He hadn't seen her since before entering school but he was doing all he can to pave a smooth way just for her.

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  "I will come back a few times a month," He said fiddling nervously with his thumbs.

  "I'm not mad, if that's what you're so worried about. I just wanted some time to spend... With you," she said without glancing at him.

  "Um..." Dean didn't know what to say, his heart was a flutter and all he knew was that he loved Snow but not as his sister.

  When Snow saw the way he turned red, the way he acted, and how over protective he was she realized that he had feelings for her. This was exactly how he acted towards the heroine and she felt uncomfortable.

  He was young but he was extremely smart. He was a capture target so it was given, though she hesitated there was very little chance that Dean didn't know about his own feelings.

  "I'm sorry... But I have to nip this at the bud, I don't want to drag this on because it would hurt you even more than it will now, Dean... I don't see you as anything more than a brother, and you shouldn't expect me to feel more than that for you," she said gently, unable to meet his gaze, fearing she would see his heart break before her.

  That caught him off-guard. He was frozen in shock. As her voice echoed in his mind his eyes swelled with tears. He abruptly stood up and ran off crying.

  Snow watched him run away feeling awful. She didn't want to hurt him but she didn't want to lead him on... For now she figured he'd still have at least a small crush on her but she hoped that he would someday grow out of it...

  After a while, she then rose to follow Dean.

  Back in the ballroom Dean was nowhere to be found. Until she heard small sobs coming from near the exit of the ballroom.

  She took a quick peek and saw that her mother and father were comforting Dean. She was shocked that her own over protective father hugged Dean.

  She sighed and felt like a bad person for making a young boy cry like that but she also felt thankful that she was born with parents like Lilian and Victor Sterling.

  She didn't see Dean the rest of the night. As her birthday came to a close she thanked all her guests for attending and excused herself to rest.

  ~The next morning~

  "My lady, it's time for breakfast," Sierra said waking Snow with a small bell.

  Snow felt groggier than she usually did but got up anyway.

  "You must still be tired from yesterday's events," said Sierra as she changed Snow. "Mhm..." was all Snow could answer as she got changed.

  "My lady... Yesterday... Did you happen to make the young master cry?" Sierra asked as Snow groaned in slight frustration, she didn't want it brought up at all.

  "You sound worried, I thought you didn't like Dean," Snow said with a sleepy sigh.

  "... It's not that I don't like him-- it's just that... his cries were... Concerning to say the least," she said as she braided Snow's hair, this was probably the most worried Snow has ever heard Sierra act for someone other than

  Snow.

  "Was he really so pitiful? I only had his best interests at heart," Snow said simply, refusing to elaborate and hive a detailed explanation on why they found him like that.

  Sierra sensed that Snow didn't want to talk about it and pushed no further.

  "I see, you always do," Sierra sighed slightly then finished her hair, accompanying Snow to the dining room as per usual.

  At breakfast Snow ate feeling the questioning stares of her parents. "Is there something you'd wish to say?" She asked respectfully, clearly uncomfortable by their stares.

  "What ever did you say to Dean to make him cry like that?" Asked her mother straightforwardly with a brow raised in confusion and slight concern.

  "Well what did he say?" Snow asked, also curious what exactly Dean actually understood of what she said and how he understood it.

  "He kept crying about how you hated him," responded her father with a worried glance.

  Snow's fox ears perked up in surprise. "I never said I hated him... I said I'd never return any feelings that he may have for me because I see him as nothing more than a brother..." She said.

  "Don't you think that was a bit harsh, Sweetheart? He's just a child, and it's just a small crush," said her mother with a gentle tone, sympathizing with Dean.

  "Was I supposed to wait until that 'small crush' became a big crush before I turned him down?" Snow asked, her brows knitted with concern. They were silent because they knew I had a point.

  "The earlier he gets over me the better. I don't want him rejecting girls at this age just because I dangled a bit of hope on a hook. He'll be happier this way," I said.

  The two parents looked at each other in slight panic.

  ~The Night Before~

  Lilian and Victor were leisurely talking to their friends when they saw Dean running in tears.

  "Victor," Elbowed Lilian, trying to place his attention on their adopted son.

  "I'm sure it's nothing..." Whispered Victor with a slight sigh as Lilian rolled her eyes and followed Dean.

  Victor sighed again and excused himself to follow Lilian. When Victor heard Dean cry his walk broke into a jog to find Lilian and Dean, wondering if they were in any danger.

  He let out a soft huff in relief when he found them safe. Dean was hugging Lilian, crying as she pat his back in pity.

  "What's wrong?" Victor asked confused, looking at the young boy and kneeling down carefully.

  Who could've made Dean cry like this? Victor thought of Dean as a bright child. Very sharp, determined, and smart, so what could've happened?

  "He won't say... All I can do is comfort him like this..." Lilian answered sadly.

  "Dean? Could you tell us what happened?" Victor asked gently, placing a hand on Dean's shoulder.

  "... She hates me..." Dean mumbled.

  "Who hates you, darling?" Lilian asked with slight agitation. Dean was a sweet boy. What monster would hate him and make him cry like this?

  Dean wouldn't answer as his cries died down.

  "Dean, you have to tell us," Victor said sternly as Lilian glared at him, signaling for him to be gentler. Victor wasn't being stern because he was irritated but he simply couldn't bear it to see Dean like this...He wanted to know who did it and fix the problem immediately.

  "Sister hates me... She hates me..." He repeated over and over.

  Sister? Snow? Their darling Snow? Victor and Lilian looked at each other confused.

  "What are you talking about? Snow adores you," Lilian said, confused.

  Lilian didn't know how else to comfort Dean and looked at him pitifully, looking at me hoping I could do something.

  "Dean... Do perhaps 'like' my daughter?" I asked, uncomfortable. Slightly hoping that he'd deny it.

  Dean stopped crying and looked at me with wide eyes. "Hm... You really do remind me of myself, you know? I fell in love too around your age," I said as Victor ruffled his hair slightly.

  "If you don't give up on my daughter now, Dean, there's no one else I'd have... Stand by my daughter's side if not you," I said, with great difficulty.

  "But... Sister hates me..." He said, sadly.

  I wiped his tears, "Would you really give up on her because of a few harsh words she might have said? A few bumps in the road then you quit? If so, then maybe you're not as worthy of my daughter than I thought you were," I smiled gently.

  He didn't say a thing.

  "If you work hard enough then someday, Snow will feel your sincerity, I see it in you and she does too... That's why, even as just a brother she treasures you," I said as I hugged him.

  "D-Do you really think so?" He asked.

  "I know for a fact," I smiled as a new found determination lit his eyes.

  "Then I won't let you down, father!" He smiled.

  My heart was heavy as Lilian's eyes sparkled with joy. But Dean's happiness was irreplaceable.

  He insisted on going to the castle's library as me and Lilian walked back to the party.

  "So, Victor, you've chosen your own champion now, have you?" Lilian asked me slyly.

  "As much as I would hate anyone for taking her away from me, it's better him than anyone else..." he explained. And it was true, in

  Victor's mind, Dean was kind and intelligent, most of all he's family, Dean respected him, his wife, and his daughter, he's endlessly determined and devoted. If he can maintain that till the day Snow is ready to marry, he'd think of no one better fit for that position than Dean...

  -------------------

  "What now, Victor? Snow is going to hate us," cried Lilian in a panic, seemingly distraught at what Snow said at breakfast.

  "L-Leave it be, honey, and let's hope she doesn't find out we were the ones who encouraged him...Who knows? She might even end up with Dean anyway," I said, feeling a chill run down my spine.

  She reminds me of her grandfather when she's angry after all...

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