THOU wast all that to me, love,
For which my soul did pine:
A green isle in the sea, love,
A fountain and a shrine
All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers,
And all the flowers were mine.
Ah, dream too bright to last!
Ah, starry Hope, that didst arise
But to be overcast!
A voice from out the Future cries,
"On! on!"—but o'er the Past
(Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
Mute, motionless, aghast.
For, alas! alas! with me
The light of Life is o'er!
No more—no more—no more—
(Such language holds the solemn sea
To the sands upon the shore)
Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree,
Or the stricken eagle soar.
And all my days are trances,
And all my nightly dreams
Are where thy gray eye glances,
And where thy footstep gleams—
In what ethereal dances,
By what eternal streams."
― Edgar Allan Poe To One in Paradise
I didn't know my parents growing up. My father had died in some tragic accident that no one in my family talks about and my mother who had heard of his passing went into labor and died from a broken heart. I was raised by my nanny. My uncle did not like me and I could see it every time we had met. He had taken over the household until I came to age.
But the way he would talk and the way he would act towards me it didn't seem like he wanted to give up the position of the head. That's when I finally met the Wilters and Canary for the first time. I was thirteen it was a rainy day and one of the only balls that children our age could go to. My aunt from my mother's side had introduced me to the Wilters. They were tall and all smiles looking down at me while Marquees Wilter was holding a sleeping Canary.
"It's only so much the nanny can do for Auggy and his uncle well-". My aunt leaned in and whispered something in Marchoness Wilter's ear. She nodded and crouched down smiling at me. "Hello Agustin may I call you Auggy". She said in this soothing and calm voice. I nodded amazed by her beauty and elegance. "Good Auggy me and my husband shall be your sponsors for the time being even though you should not need a sponsor you are the soon to be duke". She looked me in the eye making sure I understood what she meant and when I didn't she eyed Lord Wilter who handed Canary to Lady Wilter and kneeled down to me.
"You are a duke". Lord Wolter said fixing my clothes on me. "That means you must walk with your head held high your appearance must be of most importance". Lord wilter said. "My uncle is duke". I said. Lord.Wilter shook his head. "No you are duke and when you become of age you walk to your annual meetings with the heads of Abarca and demand your title as your Duke". He looked me in the eye and held my shoulders. "Your father was a great man who earned the Duke title this is what he left behind for you not for anyone else YOU are duke not your uncle…not your great uncles…. No one but you".
"Confidence is key my boy". He stood up and ruffled my head. "You are duke Abarca, you must command it every time you walk in a room". These words were engraved in my mind. So just as lord Wilter said I commanded it every time I walked in a room. The servants who treated me like I was a guest because of my uncle now treated me as the true lord of the house. Me who had been once scared to punish them for their disrespect had been throwing out punishments everywhere. I had replaced the disrespectful servants some had received a lashing and stayed. But for the ones that were headstrong I didn't see any use to them.
All I had to deal with was my uncle who had called me to my office and asked me why I had gotten rid of the servants. At first I was scared of this huge adult who towered over me. Using my fathers title that he didn't seem to want to let go of. I took a deep swallow and stared him back into his eyes. "What use is it to keep a servant who won't obey their master". I answered. "I want to be there when you're hiring the new servants". "It seems as if you're telling me not asking". My uncle roared. "Yes uncles, these are my servants". I said. "The Wilter will send me to the academy and I shall assume the duke title early. I should be sixteen when I come home uncle. I shall send notice to the heads so that they may know".
"Under whose orders"! My uncle roared once more. "Mine". I answered. "Under my orders uncle". "You are acting duke you aren't the true duke as acting duke you were supposed to prepare me to take the duke title me being the child I am did not know that I was supposed to be receiving lesson befitting of an heir or even going to the academy the Wilter's are the ones sending me to the academy getting me my heir lesson while you have been hiding me away in the corner of this castle".
"You forget I am your uncle". "You being my uncle does not mean you covet my title"! My uncle raised his hand to slap me but stopped upon the look in my eyes and the soldier that was next to me. "I shall let you hit me this once Uncle but you won't ever get the chance to hit me again". He let his hand down. I stood there seeing if he had any rebuttal..anything else that he wanted to say. He didn't and I walked away the next day enrolling into the academy and that's where I met Shimon.
Shimon was my only friend and since I didn't have anyone growing up to talk to I didn't really know how to interact with people my age, I was surrounded by adults all day. My actions would sometimes come off as childish or rash and when I made these type of actions Shimon would simply shake his head and give me advice like I was some type of child.
I did not know Shimon was the crown prince. It wasn't until we both graduated early would I know that he was crown prince. He left to do his duties and I left to do my own. I took the duke title and it went with a fuss from my uncle and the heads of course. But me growing into the person I was and the letters of advice from the Wilters. With a couple of threats I took over the duke title and my uncle left to his land in the countryside. The heads who had once seen a small and weak boy were now intimidated by me rarely said any complaints to me.
I thought this would be the end of fighting over titles. That wasn't until I met the Emperor. Who stared down at me with his green narrow eyes. Me only being sixteen and not able to read the room of the adult nobles stupidly and excitedly waved and said hello to Shimon who was standing next to me. "Just like your father". They said in this cold voice. It was colder than my uncle's voice. He just watched me not moving an inch from his throne staring at me like he could see my soul like he wanted to devour me like he was some beast. I knew then that the emperor didn't like me. But what made it worse is that I started to realize that the emperor didn't like his own son either.
Shimon stood there with this look that I had never seen on him before. It wasn't a look of destain or anger for his father that stared down on him like he was some type of bug. It was a look of pity and sadness. I could not understand these feelings because my parents were dead. I did not have that parent relationship to truly understand what was going on with the emperor and Shimon. But soon after our brief meeting the Emperor would send me and Shimon on one of the many quests that he sent us on. Deliberating,trying to find common ground with Kingdoms that we weren't on good terms with.
I was only home sometimes. Not knowing what It even felt like to sleep in my own bed. I only received letters from my aunt on my mothers side and Wilters. But I could never see the Wilters because they were always in Qiaiar. No, I would not see the Wilters and Canary again until the Wilters funeral. There stood Canary and her family and she was the only one not crying. She seemed more annoyed by the fact that her sister was wailing loudly instead.
But she stood there, her long hair on this seemingly beautiful day for a funeral. Quiet and unmoved. Poised just as her grandmother was on the day that she and lord Wilter took me as their sponsor. Cracking a smile here and there as many gave their condolences. I wasn't able to so I wrote a note instead and soon left to Qiaiar where I wouldn't come back until I was twenty six and would meet Canary again at the debutante ball. It took me a minute to realize who Canary was.
When she was younger she looked like her grandmother but now she looked like a person of the Whitewood family. She had grown into a fine woman still holding the poise of her grandmother. She was hidden away in the crowd of people but I somehow was still able to find her among the many of people coming to talk to me.
I would find a way to speak with Canary and tell her of her grandparents and what they did for me but every chance kept slipping through my hands until a disturbance from her and her father erupted through the ball leaving Canary fleeing from the ballroom and her father saying everything was alright. Certainly it was alright for him but probably not for Canary and so I took this chance to finally talk to Canary. Asking for ointment from one of the servants for Canary's nasty fall she had to be hurt. As soon as the servant gave me the ointment I began to follow her footsteps and a shoe that was left on the ground.
I made my way to the garden where a crying Canary was. Her shoulders trembling and she sighed, throwing her head back to look up at the moon. She had finally stopped crying and began to hum this song. Playing with her hair rubbing her arms as if she was mimicking something. She stopped humming and sat there still staring. "Father must be trying to get his hands on it and slit the profits with that old man". She said.
I chuckled deciding to reveal myself. "Is that part of the song you were singing"? I joked. From then on my friendship with Canary started. With me realizing who she truly was from the appearance of her uncle whom I had met on my travels to Qiaiar how he had a niece who designed the things at A.W Company. She shared that warmth that I had felt from her grandparents. Whether it was a random person or people she knew, She always showed warmth. And I thought to myself this warmth wouldn't be so bad to keep around.
Her warmth and the connections of A.W company what better person to marry but me? Yes, what better person than me? I thought I was a pretty good man. I couldn't send her anything openly but I managed to send her something. Even with all this Canary's eyes drifted to the Wolf boy. I admit I am a rash person but I couldn't understand why she would go after the Wolf boy over me. I couldn't understand so after a few threatening letters and words that I didn't truly mean to Canary I alienated her from me.
Her warmth was gone and it only appeared when she met eyes with the Wolf boy. For the first time I began to examine my actions and decided that I would let Canary go to Stellan. That even though her warmth wouldn't be close to me I would still be able to feel it. That of some sort of relationship would come to fruit with the business we would do together.
Even when she was rejected by Stellan she still showed her warmth. She was as poised as she was when I met her again at the ball. Working together to make this business come to fruit I began to discover new sides of Canary. She was smart and somewhat funny, She was an artist and very creative in everything she did.
"This"? She asked even though I gave her the same answer every time. "It's beautiful". I answered. She nodded, agreeing. "I think so too". "I created new cuff links for you". Canary said, showing me a drawing. "From what you told me you and the emperor don't get along very much. I don't doubt you want anything that matches with the emperor". The cuff links were gold.green,and ruby with a wolf emblem on the cuff links. "Why the wolf"? I asked. She giggled. "You remind me of a lone wolf sometimes". She answered.
"A lone wolf? I have three friends". I protested. "I have three friends as well". She protested back, "Look the lone wolves aren't really lone wolves, it's our friendship. Your house colors and though ruby and gold aren't my house colors I grew up in Qiaiar so in a way they are my house colors". She grinned explaining the reason behind the designs. "To our friendship". She squealed.
"I love them". I said holding up the design. "I'll cherish them and probably wear them with every outfit". I chuckled. "To our business also". She said I nodded, staring at her excitement.
I was also excited about our business. But our excitement was soon over with the many of problems that came with having a business mostly on Canary's side. Through much brainstorming we came up with nothing. We sat in the office of the Wilter villa. Canary Sighing and Tearina pacing back and forth. "Will you stop pacing". Canary groaned. "I come here to gain some peace". Tearina said. "Let me pace". "Peace you are here everyday seeking refuge from your husband who adores you because you are pregnant". Canary said. Tearina shook her head with tears coming into her eyes,
Tearina was so dramatic much more dramatic than me and I knew I was dramatic because everyone had told me. I personally thought I was an eccentric person. But It did seem like we were always at the Wilter villa. I should've been at my own villa in the capitol but as soon as I woke up and did my work I was back over at Canary's. It seemed like that for Shimon and Tearina also. What confused me more was the fact that the emperor hadn't called for me or Shimon or sent us off to some strange land.
It made me restless. "That's it". Canary said over Tearina's rambling. "What's it"? We both said. "Agustin we shall marry". But this made me more restless.