Rules meant to keep balance between the competing siblings were simple and had been in place since the beginning of the formation of the Rosewood family. 

“This is too annoying…” He murmured under his breath as he arrived at Belle's room with a tray of food and drink.

“I apologize, young master.” Belle sat in bed looking down at the blanket with shame, he sighed and she flinched at the sound setting the food on the bedside table he poked her forehead, “Man, shut up. There’s nothing to apologize for, it’s not like you're the only one who couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t even keep my loyal maid safe, you have any idea how bad that makes me look.”

She rubbed her forehead and her eyes watered and lips wobbled as she spoke with a whiny tone, “But master! I was right there and then-”

“Then nothing… Neither of us are prepared for a magical fight with Thalia or her staff, hell honestly we’d do better fighting against Tiberius… not like that bastard would even deem me worthy of it… but we all have talents and we are firmly not on the magical side. Besides she wouldn’t have killed me, the old man is firmly on the side against fratricide, if she had she would be kicked out of the family and where would she go, the tower? She hates that place.”

She still had a frown on her face and he sighed, “Eat, drink, rest, being held in stasis fucks with you bad, I have to go.”

“Go?”

He grinned, it was a rotten expression, “Yeah, the old man has called all of us.”

Belle reached for him, but he was already gone and she had no strength to follow, once again she couldn't help him when it counted. She turned to the food and drink and felt tears roll down her face, “I hate this… this place that is so deeply unfair…”

She refused it. Refused to let things continue on, if Aster was to be alone with only her for help she would have to become better, she had to get better, stronger, more competent. She refused to be caught unawares again.

She fell asleep immediately after.

.

.

.

“Tiberius, I trust in your judgement and in your ability to discern those who are talented and those who are not… still this does not excuse the lines your boy has crossed. I suspect though, that you understand this.”

Tiberius was as stoic as ever even in the face of his fathers disapproving stare, Thalia was looking down shamefaced and small, and Aster, he has donned the expression he has recently worn placid and blank.

“I understand father… This was because of my own indiscretion. Any words I may have are excuses. The responsibility of taking care of the boy falls to me, I ask for mercy so that I may teach him the ways of our home.”

The older man looked over at him with cold eyes, but he nodded, “I see… if this were a minor case this would be enough, but that boy, a commoner who has earned nothing, has harmed a daughter of the Rosewood family.”

Tiberius stiffened, head still bowed.

“This is no simple thing, the very minimum sentencing for a commoner harming a noble would be the cutting off of one’s hands… So how do you wish to proceed?”

Tiberius eyes closed his heart was stone, but he was still the child's teacher, he had brought him here, because of his own ignorance now he would be faced with-

“Unfortunately father, the boy is not at fault.”

Aster spoke up.

Face as bland as ever and Thalia looked to him as if he were insane, you don’t get in the middle of things in Rosewood, especially when father wasn’t talking to you.

The man's hawk-like eyes turned to him.

“Aster.”

“Father.”

The older man released a breath, “You have something to say I see.”

“Of course, after I was the one who made him do what he did.”

His eyes sharpened, “Explain.”

“I simply went too far with my teasing, had I shown proper restraint little sister would have never gone that far, it’s a shame that she did a girl with her power should show proper control, it must be the air these days.”

The boy looked bored, but the old man knew exactly what he was referring to, “The rest of you leave, this is a discussion that will happen with us alone.”

Tiberius was stiff as he bowed, he looked to the boy with confusion, and worry, and Thalia looked ready to yell again, but a look from the old man made her move out, though she did so with a grumble.

The doors closed behind them.

The old man leaned back, “So, you wish to take the boy's punishment, what could he have done to earn such a favor, not that I have made my decision yet of course.”

‘Ha, trying to bleed me dry old man, well it doesn’t matter, I don’t have anything for you to bleed…’

“A favor… hardly father, this one is simply trying to be responsible, I pushed too far, forgot my place, someone else should hardly pay for my own misdeeds. Besides you said it yourself my lord. Tiberius knows talent, he wouldn’t have tried protecting the boy had he not been worth it, to throw away someone of use who could grow to prestige would be wasteful and Rosewoods are never wasteful.”

The old man looked over the boy's bowed form and Aster felt the sweat trickle down his spine; he nearly shivered, but held utterly still.

“Fine. His hands will stay intact, but because of this you will be under house arrest for the foreseeable future, any letters in and out of the manor will be restricted, you are banned from family meals and your allowance shall be cut in half.”

Aster grimaced, but nodded, “Of course father.”

“Good be gone from my sight… oh, and if you ever interrupt me again I’ll have your title stripped and you on the street along with your little starling.”

Aster hadn’t even raised from his bow, but nodded again, “Understood, my lord.”

.

.

.

“Hah~... that kid better be careful I can’t have someone that important getting taken out this early in the game, too many things would go horribly wrong without him here. But shit, half… the old man is a fucking tyrant.”

He sighed, dragging a hand down his face, he felt tired.

“I need to get out of here… maybe I should leave the country…”

He definitely didn’t see them as his family, he definitely didn’t love them, but being here again felt like being home. Suffocating, controlling, the feeling of being dragged down to your worst parts because they kept reminding you of all the things you do wrong.

He hated these people.

He hated that they likely treated Aster even worse, kid was an anxious, head bowing mess, with burgeoning anger issues that he knew would have shown up at the worst of times, he had no self confidence, and got into the mess with Thalia because she was the only one who would even pay him attention.

If he had to trade his dignity and self-respect to gain even an iota of affection he would.

He remembered now, where this kid's place in the story was.

It was not pretty.

‘God I wanna cry…’

.

.

.

Well the days went on.

And soon he was turning sixteen, Joshua had tried multiple times to stop him, to talk to him and every time Belle had interfered, she had looked more and more tired these days and then, “I wish to visit my family for a few months master.”

She stood before him bowing and Aster he felt panic.

Panic because what if she finally got tired, logically the part of him that was old and understood people better than he knew how to deal with them scoffed at the idea, but the young part dominated by old emotions left behind by the old Aster wanted to tie her to him tighter and tighter till she could never leave.

He sighed as he rubbed his temples holding up a hand as he calmed himself forcefully, “Of course Belle, you have allotted days for vacation and visitation for your family-”

“I would like to use them all then… I- I have something I must ask my father and he is the only one that can help me.”

She looked determined and Aster, he softened under the stare like butter, “Right, I’ll be here then. Bring back a souvenir for me… and stay safe. You are… my friend, regardless of strength or intelligence I’d rather just have you alive and healthy…”

Belle looked close to tears, “Master is so kind! So kind and dramatic!”

“Hey! I’m trying to be sentimental!”

“Please don’t, it’s giving me hives!”

He threw his pen at her and she left laughing all the way.

.

“Young master Aster.”

Joshua stood over him hands barring him from leaving, ‘The fuck is this shitty fucking kabedon… Belle I miss you already, my perfect shield!’

Belle on a carriage has nearly arrived home, “I hope the young master will be alright without me… he’ll be fine!” she shook such thoughts from her mind, “He’s smart and resourceful, don’t doubt him Belle!” 

Aster was not alright, Aster in fact was in a rather annoying situation straight out of a sappy romance soap opera.

Looking up into blue eyes he nearly poked them out, in the end though he sighed.

Joshua flinched realizing the position they were in he burned red and stuttered out words that didn’t make sense as he stepped back, he was just so…

He didn’t know quite what he was feeling but it was a lot of something.

“You have been avoiding me.”

Aster looked at him with nearly glaring eyes, he was tired and he could hardly be faulted for not being able to control his expressions.

“Yeah. That was kind of the point.”

“Why?!”

Aster looked at him like he was dumb and he felt frustration building in the bottom of his gut, and shame in his throat, “D-did I do something wrong? I understand that overstepped my bounds and caused a lot of problems, but Master Tiberius said things had been handled-”

“Hah!”

Aster’s laugh was so unexpected that Joshua flinched back at the sound of it.

“Wha-”

“Of course he wouldn’t tell you… well I don’t blame him, it doesn’t put him in the best light… still, you understand now though right. You can’t get in the middle of things, stay out of the way, and finish your work under my elder brother.”

Aster patted the blonde's shoulder, but a hand stopped him, blues eyes peered at him pleadingly, he had dark circles under his eyes and he couldn’t help but wince in pity for the kid.

He sighed rubbing the back of his head, “Seriously… Sir Wilson you have to understand that things in noble households are run differently, it’s in your best interest to stay by Elder brothers side-”

“I don’t care. I don’t care, I can take care of myself if worse comes to worse I’ll run, I just need to know what happened… please.”

He was giving the best puppy dog eyes he had ever seen, floppy blonde hair and blue eyes, and Aster felt his heart squeeze, ‘Holy fuck this kid is adorable… stay strong look… away… I… CAN’T!’

“Fine.”

“Thank-”

“If I tell you, you have to promise to not approach me for the rest of your stay here at Rosewood. Stay away from me, stay away from Belle this is for both our benefits.”

Aster looked at him seriously, green eyes burning nearly glowing in the dimly lit hallway, and Joshua felt at war inside, he didn’t know him much, had only really approached him in the beginning because he was the same age and looked lonely. But… after nearly a year of being around, of walks in the courtyards and gardens, of laughing with Belle, of volunteering to take them to the market…

They were his friends…

Aster was…

But, if he only had suppositions and lies in his mind how would he know how to act righteously.

He had to know…

Besides it was only two more years…

After that…

He felt his face burn, but his lips fell into a hard line as he nodded and looked at him with solemn and serious eyes, “Please.”

Aster, he wasn’t gonna lie he had hoped he wouldn’t not only because he didn’t want to tell him, but also because he’d likely never have a proper conversation with the guy again. If he remembered the timeline well enough, which he probably didn’t, Joshua Wilson would be properly learnt by his coming of age ceremony, after that he would go to the capital and become a guardsmen and rise through the ranks wowing everyone with his skill and expertise.

‘Damn, I’m gonna miss the little booger… he’ll do great, I just know it.’

Aster gave the boy a soft smile. 

A breath escaped Joshua eyes wavering as he nearly took back his need for understanding, he ached because he knew after this he would only be able to see him from a distance. Still he hardened his heart and he listened, ‘Two years I need to master this in two years… less… I can do less with enough spirit and hard work!’

Aster removed his hand from the others grip as he explained what happened and likely why, with an almost detached and clinical tone and view.

He refused to make him biased. He really was needed in the future and having beef with your instructor and master would really dampen his ability to learn.

Wilson had a frown and had fallen silent, Aster nearly reached for the boy for what he didn’t know, but he wished…

“I will go now… please, don’t return here.”

He turned and he left.

“Thank you! For being honest…”

Aster barely even paused before moving on, silence fell across the hall, and Joshua Wilson stood alone in the dying day's light.

He turned to leave, “Two years or less. Two years or less…”

He clenched his fist determination burning even brighter now that it had been before, he would surpass his limits and he would be great, he would do it because now… now he had a goal that was here and now, that was solid and made his heart yearn.

He would do it for a walk through sunlit gardens.

He would do it for friendship.

And as he thought of the small tired, but truly there smile that Aster had, the soft warmth of his hand, his steady voice, his face burned in embarrassment, and fuel his heart even more…

He would do it for even the slightest chance of more.