Rosella’s mouth opened to intercede, multiple times, but closed just as quickly as his rant continued. She didn’t think she ever heard him talk so fast. Tightening her hand around his shoulder, Rosella chewed at her lower lip. It wasn’t as if Alexander didn’t have a good point — a fair point — but…
All her life, Rosella exhibited nothing but fierce protectiveness and love for her family. All her family. It was why she agreed to sacrifice herself to that dragon in the first place, why she journeyed to Tamir without hesitation to save her father, why she glued herself to Alexander’s side day and night. But Graham hadn’t treated Alexander right, and her protectiveness towards each of them were at war with each other.
“Alex, I— I’m not— saying you shouldn’t be upset. You have every right. But— Dad’s made a lot of mistakes. I know that. That doesn’t mean you’re not wanted here, though. That you’ve somehow brought misfortune on any of us. Whatever Dad has said, you are not the cause of any of it.”
Sniffling in irritation, Rosella hurriedly wiped a stray tear from her eye before she continued. “I— I didn’t know he never apologized. I… thought that he did.”
Alexander immediately did feel the pang of guilt when he saw
his twin getting upset. The dark haired twin had pent up this
issue he’d had for a while now, just for this very reason. Alex
knew it would end up making his sister upset or angry with him
for feeling so strongly about their father. After all, Graham had
clearly been the most important person in her world.
He wasn’t sure where he stood on that, honestly, since he got
back, but he wouldn’t question it. Alexander just knew something
like this would happen, and he did feel sorry.
That being said, the prince had felt the weight of his father’s
actions on his mind for months now. Nearly years, if he was
to count the ice palace. Alexander just didn’t feel like he was
continually welcome in this family if he refused to comply with
his father’s wishes.
His expression had softened at the sight of his sister’s tear, and
reached a hand out to gently hold her arm in some form of
comfort. Alex wasn’t nearly as good at is as Rosella was, but...
well, he wasn’t going to just do nothing.
“I’m sorry,” He apologized softly. “I didn’t mean to make you sad,
but I just--...”
Frustration was more accurate than rage, he felt. The frustration
he felt toward his entire relationship with his father was affecting
him greatly, when he truly wished he could just blindly adore him
like Rosella did.
Retreating inward again, Alex took his hand back and scooted
away from his sister slightly.
“I don’t know how much more of him I can take. I feel like I can’t
be myself around him. I don’t hate him, but the way he treats me
just makes me so mad.” Despite his words, his voice trembled
with just about every would he spoke.