"Gossip is just a tool to distract people who have nothing better to do from feeling jealous of those few of us still remaining with noble hearts."
― Anna Godbersen, Splendor
"What about the blessing then"? Shimon whispered to Agustin. I have that all figured out already. "How did you do that when Marquis Whitewood doesn't like you"? "I have my ways just calm down". Agustin said. Truth be told that Wolf boy foreshadowed this calling from the emperor. Just a few days ago the emperor who I had been waiting for to send a letter requesting our audience came sooner than I thought.
I guess the emperor got word of what happened at the art exhibit. I wasn't surprised he wasn't with the people in this society. I was surprised that Canary wasn't nervous and confused. Instead she was immersed in the work of our company. Walking back and forth reading notes and thinking. "Your father is the marquis and I am the Duke of course he would send for one of the highest nobles to appear before him". I told Canary. "Would you like some ceylon tea"? I asked and waved to one of the servants. 'I would rather have Baimudan tea". Canary said. "I had it imported. I thought we should try some together". I answered. "I don't like ceylon tea". She said not looking up from her notes. Sometimes I noticed Canary would have this sort of wall up around her.
No matter how hard she made it seem as if it was a hard wall to break down she often put her walls down herself. Her walls weren't hard to break. In fact sometimes they seemed fragile. Once you would break her fragile wall she would build it up again often putting some of the previous broken pieces back into the newly built wall making the foundation weak. Easy to break down again by those who had previously broken her walls down leaving her defenses and ruining her little castle that was herself. She seemed to never hold a grudge even against her own mother who from rumors didn't like her that much.
A simple conversation with her mother and her walls were broken down again. A few words from Stellan and her walls seemed to shake. How would her walls be with me? I wondered. She had now considered me a friend and now I was soon to marry her. I would watch as she sometimes lost her poised self. Never with me would she lose her poised self. Even now the poised look she once had was n0w gone because she was worried about our meeting with the emperor. The servant brought the tea that I asked for. I began to make only one cup of tea thinking Canary wasn't going to drink any but Canary stopped and looked at my cup of tea that I had yet to take a sip of and took it from my hads.
She seemed to pause in deep thought and that poised self that I always saw of her came back. She nodded taking a sip of the ceylon tea. She made this disgusted expression on her face and put the cup back down. This was one of the things I liked about Canary. The different expressions on her face. When she was lost in deep thought. Her mind wondering around thinking of every little thing. How she would pause in our conversation and think for a moment before answering. I would silently wait for her to reply…my eyes locked onto her waiting for whatever word she would say next. How unlady like of her to lay on the couch,papers all over the room as me and her brainstormed ideas. She was like a nervous or a curious cat. Approaching but keeping her distance all the same. I wanted to be the only one who saw these expressions or looks of hers.
Soon they would mine alone. I wouldn't have to share these expressions with anyone. Outside of these walls Canary didn't have any of these expressions. That is what I at least thought until I saw Canary staring at Stellan with this expression that I never thought I would see on her. I couldn't make out what kind of expression it was. There we were standing in front of the emperor who was proposing making us stand there and was talking to others..ignoring us. I could care less about what the emperor. What I cared about right now is why Canary is staring at Stellan why she was making that expression, one I had never seen.
"Canary". I said quietly grabbing her attention from Stellan. "Yes". She said staring at me. I was once met with her bright brown eyes lost for words. "Fo-focus". I said staring back at the emperor who was now quiet and staring at us. "Duke Abarca". The emperor said suddenly. "Yes your majesty". I answered. "You know the relationship between me and Marquis Whitewood correct". "Yes your majesty". The emperor leaned back in his throne with this smile as though he had known it all and what to do.
"So close in fact that little Canary is my goddaughter in fact". "Goddaughter". People started whispering in the throne room looking at one another confused on what this meant. I knew exactly what this meant. Did the emperor think simply because he was the emperor and that Canary was his goddaughter that meant he had control over who Canary could marry? He never had any interest before but now that I was marrying Canary he had interest. Simply because it was me and he could find a new way to mess with me now. "I had thoughts of Canary marrying Stellan Wolf". The emperor said, looking at the Wolf family.
A few gasps were heard and I followed the emperor's head at a smirking Stellan. His parents however seemed like they were uncomfortable with being put on the spot by all of this. "Did you now your majestys"? I answered. I said looking at him. "Unfortuantly Marquis Whitewood has already given his permission for this marriage". I said with a fake smile that hurt my cheeks. "When a father gives his permission for a marriage it cannot be undone even if you are the emperor". I watched as Stellan's and the emperor's smile slowly faded away as them came to the realization. Doing the whole ordeal of me threatening the Wolf family I had already received Thomas Whitewoods permission to marry his daughter. "In fact the marriage license has already been drawn up the same with our engagement. We are skipping the engagement party and just getting married". Tearina who had been planning this engagement party began to speak up but was stopped by Shimon who had a slight smirk on his face.
"Have you now". The emperor replied with that creepy smirk of his. "I shall do a thing for my goddaughter then since I couldn't choose her marriage partner". He stood up coming down from his throne standing a couple feet from us. "I shall plan your wedding and honeymoon how does that sound"? The emperor grinned. There was an outroar in the throne room. People finding this unbelievable and crazy. Others saying what was he trying to do? Why do all this for Canary Whitewood? My Canary Whitewood. The emperor held up his hand leading to a silence in the room. "Can't I do this for my goddaughter"? The emperor said. "Hmmm"? "How about it duke Abarca? Marquis Whitewood".
"It would be an honor". Lord Whitewood answered. So that meant I had no choice but to say the same thing. The emperor smiled. "Good in a few days I shall call for you again or maybe send someone to you shall we have the wedding next week"? "Next week"? Canary answered. I was surprised by Canary speaking up. She had stayed quiet this whole time with no particular expression on her face. "Yes, next week what's the hold up on getting married"? "The next generation of the Abarca's I shall be pleased and happy to meet them". The emperor said.
Me and Canary both remained quiet being pushed off to the side while other nobles came up and complained or reported things. Canary began to have this look on her face the same look on her face she had when she was in deep thought. It made me wonder whether she was having second thoughts about marrying me. Did Stellan somehow get to her? Was she trying to run away with Stellan next week? Is that why she didn't want to get married to me? She placed her hand on her mine and squeezed it. I was startled by this sudden actions and looked down at her.
She was looking back up at me. "Whatever you're thinking so intensely about is just you overthinking". She whispered. I somehow calmed down by these words. I had wondered whether Canary could read my mind. How did she know I was getting troubled by my thoughts? Had she been watching me just as I was watching her? The morning assembly was over with the nobles flooding out of the throne room.
Sometimes the emperor would have these morning assemblies out of nowhere. I think he had them to distract people from thinking he was a bad emperor..which he was but no one dared to say anything. Shimon and Tearina pulled me and Canary away from the crowd leading us to this sitting lounge that wasn't too far from the throne room.
We all sighed at the same time sitting down on the chairs. "What shall we do now"? Tearina said. "What the emperor wants". I answered . "Isn't it weird to rush the wedding to next week doesn't he realize how long it takes to prepare for a wedding"? Canary said. "He does but he is the emperor what regular nobles need in a week he can get it done in a day or two". Shimon said. He looked at Tearina's stomach that was becoming swollen more and more each day and looked at me and Canary. "Since this is not a marriage of love will you two be-"?
"Be what"? Canary said confused. "Sharing a bed..having children"? Shimon said awkwardly. A noise was heard outside the door before either me or Canary could answer. We looked at the door with Tearina getting up to see who it was. She opened it and peeked outside and when she saw no one she shrugged her shoulders and came and sat back down."Uh I would see why not it's not like we'll be divorcing or marrying anyone else". Canary looked at me. "Correct"? She answered. "Correct". I agreed with her.
"How wonderful"! Tearina squealed. "I hope your first child is a boy so that way our sons will be just like their fathers". Tearina smiled. "Yes". Canary said. "I hope that too". "You wnat children with me"? I whispered to Canary. "Why not"? She whispered back. "Do you not want children with me". "I would love to have children with you, imagine the talents, the beauty of our children". I exclaimed. Canary giggled. "Great, I'm glad you are excited".
Amongst this laughter of ourselves. We had yet to be aware of the foes that were coming out against us. It wasn't just the emperor that we would have to be looking out from now on. Those who I suspected would sooner or later try to point their sword at me.