“I really can’t stand you,” Faira mutters under her breath.

It’s loud enough that Nova can clearly hear her which is probably the goal. She can’t help but notice that it lacks the edge Faira’s voice normally has.

“Then why are you still listening to me?” Nova points out.

Nova expects a sharp retort. Sharper than their weapons. But she’s met with silence.

As if Faira is actually contemplating what she said, which is different. Normally, Faira doesn’t need any time to ignore Nova or make a snappy comeback.

She’s used to words slicing into her insecurities and then she has to pretend to let them roll off her back when they actually make more scars.

What she isn’t accustomed to is Faira being quiet.

“I don’t know,” Faira finally lets out.

The expression on her face is off to Nova. Faira is always so confident, head held high and eyes focused on what’s ahead. Now her eyes are downcast, never even meeting Nova’s gaze. Her regular attitude that Nova usually gets annoyed by is gone. Her shoulders slouch and arms are crossed.

She’s nervous?

“Is everything ok?” Nova carefully asks, eying her warily. Just because Faira isn’t preparing for a fight, doesn’t mean Nova has to let her guard down.

Faira frowns, “Do you seriously care?” To Nova’s own dismay, she finds that she actually does. The person who has been opposed to both her and Haze since the beginning is nervous and Nova cares. “Surprisingly, I do.”

They’re not friends. At least not yet. But she feels the need to know if she’s alright.

Some of Haze’s kindness must have rubbed off on her.

“I just….how do you just do that with your sister?” Faira questions.

Nova just raises her eyebrow, asking for an explanation without verbalizing it. They both are aware of how vague it was.

“I mean, be ok with everything that she does. Accept her?” Faira amends.

Narrowing her eyes, Nova says, “Because she’s a witch.”

Just when she thought they were making progress. It’s either a poorly worded question or she’s just ignorant.

Her eyes widen and she quickly corrects herself, “No! That’s not what I meant! I mean her with Princess Aziza.”

That does take her off guard. This took a turn towards something she hadn’t thought it would.

It’s better than what Nova jumped to before the clarification. It’s just way more confusing than the judgment she thought Faira casted onto her sister.

Why is she asking her about this? Why her of all people?

“You mean because she’s into girls or because it’s a witch and a princess?” She carefully words. She has to ensure which thing they’re talking about.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious it’s the former, but defending Haze is always her priority.

“The girl part,” Faira whispers in the quietest tone that Nova has ever heard her use.

She refuses to meet Nova’s eyes. It’s strange to see her like this. She almost prefers the unbearable, borderline mean version.

“Well…” Nova trails off, unsure how to express her thoughts. This topic isn’t necessarily something she thought she would ever have to voice to someone else. People don’t usually care for her opinion. “I just treat her how I had done for our whole lives. She’s not any different than she was before I knew she liked girls.”

Castle people are genuinely baffling to Nova. Is it not obvious? This is why she likes living in the Wild Thicket. No one cares there. But that might be because the life forms are almost entirely plants and animals.

“How did she tell you? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Nova thinks back to a different time. When she wasn’t explicitly aware of this part of Haze.

“It isn’t this big dramatic story. Our mother used to tell us these tales to help us sleep. After she was gone, Haze would continue to do that. On a really quiet night, she created this story of two girls that liked one another and lived happily ever after. She never had to tell me out right. I knew that was her way of saying it,” Nova is almost out of breath. This is probably the longest consecutive string of words she’s said to Faira. Haze is the talker. Not Nova.

“Oh,” is all Faira utters, her face turning contemplative.

It’s the intensity behind her eyes that actually has Nova sympathizing.

“I won’t ask you how you’re feeling, so if you want to say something, you’re going to have to say it yourself,” Nova says, blunt as she always is. Haze and Ward tell her how she isn’t great as cushioning her sharp words.

They just don’t get that it’s ingrained in her nature. It matches her prickly personality. It keeps people away. Just the way Nova likes.

“I think I’m figuring it out,” Faira answers.

Nova simply nods. But somehow that doesn’t feel sufficient enough. Normally, she doesn’t think words mean that much, especially depending on who is saying them.

But she feels the weight in the air. It’s heavier. There’s more meaning in this conversation than in any other exchanges they’ve had. Which is not saying much considering most of them time they are fighting. Verbally and physically.

She should say something. If only Haze were next to her. She always comes out with the right things.

Nova plants herself squarely in front of Faira’s gaze. She needs her full attention. Faira needs to really hear her. “I don’t know how things work here in the castle, but you’re still you. You’re still the Faira who challenges me to duels and stands by every decision she makes. The person you like or don’t like doesn’t change that.”

After a moment of what feels awkward to Nova (but hopefully not to Faira), she smiles.

The first genuine one since they’ve started this conversation.

Maybe the first one she’s ever had with Nova.