I meant it when I said I didn't believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In that moment, you don't belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can't take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try.
-Claudia Gray, A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1)
"Married"? I asked. "Yes, married". Canary said, sitting up from her laying position. "It works out just fine". "In order for me to operate fully in the business and to take over A.W company I have to be married". "For you to operate in A.W company you have to marry me, it's not like we're getting married to anyone else". "You realize what you're saying"? I said sitting down next to her on the couch.
"Yes, what's the problem?". Canary looked genuinely confused on why I was questioning her. Out of all the years Canary didn't get married because it wasn't of love she would choose to marry me for a business deal. How could she marry me when she still had feelings for Stellan. "You like Stellan"? "No, my feelings for him have passed". She said,
"I don't believe you". "Once I've gotten rejected there's no reason to dwell on the feelings for what"? "If I keep dwelling on the feelings, are they going to reciprocate them? Nooo therefore get married to me". I looked at Tearina for backup but she was of no use. She was egging the situation on waiting and wanting my approval for this request. "We can go to Qiaiar for a honeymoon and a business trip". Canary squealed. "Just think of it! Our wolf symbol as our company seal on our stores and merchandise"!
"Agustin and Canary Abarca owners of A.W company who opened the trading route for the Qiaiar kingdom". "Hmm Canary Abarca does have a good ring to it". I replied. "Right right"? Canary said showing these puppy dog eyes. I began to weigh the pros or cons of doing this.
Me and Canary had just become friends and I cherished our friendship dearly. As I did our business deal. She would make a good wife as she would a business partner. "You're taking too long to say yes". Tearina said. "I am deeply thinking about this". I replied. "Deeply thinking about what Canary would make an amazing wife".
"And she's beautiful, just imagine your children". Tearina genes and squeezed Canary's face showcasing her off to me. Indeed I thought we would make beautiful and smart babies. But that was beside the point. What about our friendship? "Say yes". Tearina said glaring. "Uhhhh Yes". I said, worried.
"Wohooo!" Tearina said cheering. "Oh a wedding, why I haven't been to a wedding in such a long time I shall help you plan it,your dress , your hair, oh your engagement party"! "Engagement party"? We both said.
"Yes engagement party you just have one of a long while unknown feelings they've finally agreed to get married"! Tearina began to dance around holding an imaginary person and humming. "But we aren't in love" ? "Yes you are"! Tearina said, sitting down. "To the masses you are, you don't want anyone to judge you on why you're getting married". Me and Canary looked at each other.
Us both stunned by this. We had never really thought of being judged on why we were getting married. I mean who were the masses to us? No one at least from what I see it seem like Canary was all that fazed about what people had to say about her….at least not anymore. "Come on, at least let me go out for my own pleasure"! "You two won't spoil each other for your own wedding, at least let me have fun". Canary shrugged her shoulders and I guess I followed suit.
"I could use a bit of pampering". Canary said. "I'm always groomed". I shrugged "it would be another day for me". "But I have one demand"! I said. "Sure what is it"? Canary said.
"I will pick out your wedding and engagement dress". "Why"? "I have my own reasons". I said not wanting to reveal what I had in mind. "I don't understand but fine".
The truth is before Canary had requested we get married when all of the threatening letters and such had gone on. I had already imagined Canary as my bride. What she would wear at our engagement banquet,at the wedding, I had designed sketches of my own. How her hair and makeup would be. Every time I had managed to see Canary just with my very eyes I tried to make out her measurements and would put it into my design.
I could imagine her raven colored hair again the dark green colors of house Abarca. Gold in her ears and around her neck almost matching her light brown eyes. I admired Canary…not just because of her beauty but because of what was inside of her head and she had inspired me to make my own designs for our company and for our wedding that I didn't know was gonna happen but now I could use them. "I have to go". I said rushing off to find a seamstress from who knows where.
I didn't know who was more excited, me or Tearina. Though it wouldn't be a marriage of love I was nonetheless excited. Me and Canary were friends and that meant we would stay together for a long time. What better marriage than this than to be with someone you whole heartily like..Love? Would you use the word love for a friendship? Some people love their friends..in a platonic way I guess. That's what me and a Canary were in love but in a platonic way… or maybe I was the only person that felt this way.
It was okay that I was the only person that felt this way. If Canary wanted a marriage that had a love like her grandparents then I would give it to her. Or a successful love like her mothers then I would give her that also. Whatever Canary wanted she would have it.
The word of me and Canary's engagement spread like wildfire. Thanks to Tearina of course. It spread through the empire from house to house even the commoners heard of me and Canary's engagement. And I knew if they heard of our engagement the emperor would too.Sooner or later the emperor would call for me and Canary's presence. We wouldn't be able to reject it either.
Maybe I thought it wouldn't be that bad. Since Whitewood was a part of the emperor's faction. Which led me to my next question. Which faction was Canary apart of. Yes she was raised by her grandparents who were neutral. But her family was the emperor's faction. Which would Canary choose? Shimon's or the emperor's? Or would she be neutral just as her grandparents? If so I wished she would be neutral like her grandparents.
Neutral would be better than being a part of any factions. That way she would stay out of the fighting of the nobles. Little did anyone know the Wolf family who used to be neutral was beginning to side with the emperor's faction. Small changings the Wolf family was making. A small but large change like changing your product distributors to one that the emperor uses changes like this. There were reasons for these types of changes. Of course the distributors that the emperor used were amazing who wouldn't want to use it for their company. But sudden meanings were behind these types of changes.
Showing a little glimmer of who's side you truly were on. If you were neutral you would use an independent distributor. Or someone who you knew another noble family or company was using. company didn't use. If you were on the crown prince's side you would use one of his distributors. Same for the emperor's side.
In the empire no action was for no reason even if it was for no reason. The citizens would find a reason for an action that you did.
"A charity event"? I said side eyeing Canary and the invitation. She nodded happily. "Its been a while since I've been to an art exhibit". "A while"? I asked. "Yes, the last time I went was with my grandparents". She said sitting down on the couch next to me. I looked at Shimon who was looking at Tearina who was eagerly happy about this art exhibit. "Why don't you girls just go by yourself"? Shimon asked. "Because I wish to go with you Shimon and show off Canary and Auggy's engagement"!
I nodded in agreement. "It would be good for a untied front right Shimon"? I said looking at Shimon. If Tearina was dragging me into this because of Canary I would be dragging him in as well. I never had a thing for the arts. Especially for the recent arts. Something was wrong with these artists (Excluding Canary of course). Eyes hallowed like they had been up for weeks straight. Maybe they were up for weeks straight. I've never seen someone with deeper dark circles than Shimon's secretary.
Some of them were too cheerful. Why are you like a ball of sunshine and your voice is chirpy like a birds. I didn't want to go. I hated the fact of thinking of going but Canary was excited so I agreed but if I had to go that meant Shimon would have to suffer with me.
"I shall go". "Yay"! Tearina and Canary cheered."But before that I have a dress for you to wear to the Art exhibit"? "A dress"? Canary said, intrigued. I nodded and waved for a servant to come over. He brought over the dress box, laying it down on the table and opening it. Everyone was eager to see what was in the box. Even Shimon, who had already seen the dress. The dress was a traditional Qiaiar dress. I had begun to notice that Canary was wearing more Qiaiar clothing.
She herself had said she was wearing her grandmothers old dresses that she had tailored to fit her.Her dresses were back in Qiaiar. So I decided to give her her very own in the empire. She smiled holding the dress up looking at it like it was a child of some sort. "It's not authentic Qiaiar clothing, the seamstress did the best she could". Canary shook her head. "I love it, I think I'lk wear it to the art exhibit". She said smiling at me.
"You had to choose the color green huh". She said laying it gently back in the box. "Will I figured". I said shrugging. "Will you be wearing green also"? Tearina asked. I nodded. "Yeah why not". Tearina rolled her eyes, seemingly annoyed by me for some reason. I glanced at Shimon wondering if he knew what was wrong with her wife and he shrugged with a I don't know expression.
"I can't wait to see you in it". I said.