The Heart of The Heir | completed

1 : Friendship

~Before~

Even from a young age, a friendship can mean the world.

A lot of times, that friend becomes family.

Their family treats you as their own. You treat them as such.

It's almost an instinct.

Other cases, friendship does not always mean family. It can develop into hatred.

A lot of times it does.

But the rarest case, is when friendship turns into love.

Maybe that's what I felt for him. Love.

My mother tells me often that I am too young to understand that word, but I do understand what it means.

I love my mother and father and brother, so I don't understand why I wouldn't love him.

"Adalia!" The voice rings through the hall. Echoing as if coming from a distance, but loud enough that I know it's not.

"Adalia! Your mother is waiting!" That would be Ms. Maisel. "Come on dear! It's time for your bed!" She still yells but not as loud.

I hear the sounds of her thick pattens clicking on the stone. Her breathing deep and her aprons wooshing against a draft of wind.

I hug my knees to my chest even tighter. I can't help the smile that plasters to my face. My chin sits in the dip of both my knee caps and I hurriedly hide the tips of my feet with my dress even though she cannot see them.

"Adalia I will not call you again." I can tell she's not serious, because I can hear the smile on her face as well.

She moves in front of the console that I'm sitting squished in. I watch her move through the cracks in the cabinet.

I try my best to hold in my laugh, even as she stops right in front of my cabinet.

But I can't help it. A laugh escapes, coming from deep in me, so much that it hurts to breathe.

She pulls open the cabinet and I tumble out.

"Oh!" She seems startled at my body on the ground, rolling in my night skirts. "Come on child. Your mother will not be happy that you kept her waiting." She helps me stand and brushes off any dust I might have rolled in.

I'm still giggling as she takes my hand and pulls me down the hallway.

Conversation erupts from my parents chambers. I can hear the sweet tone of my mother and husky one of my father.

Ms. Maisel opens the door to reveal them sipping goblets of wine and eating from a tray of cheeses and crackers.

I let go of Ms. Maisel's hand and run up to my parents bed. My mother gets me under my arms and pulls me up into her lap.

"My little princess." She coos and hugs me to her chest.

I squirm, "Just because we're friends, it does not make me a princess mother." I pinch her nose for her to let go of me.

"You may not be the princess, but you are our princess." She kisses my head.

My father is glowing from his side of the bed. As soon as my mother lets go of me, I crawl to him and give him a hug as well.

He holds me tight, "You'll be 10 tomorrow." He says softly, "You're growing so fast my child."

"Will you tell me my gift this year?" I hold my hands together, pleading.