"First best is falling in love. Second best is being in love. Least best is falling out of love. But any of it is better than never having been in love."
― Maya Angelou
"Hunting season"? Canary asked. Tearina nodded. "Odd that the emperor would plan your wedding right when hunting season is coming around. You and Agustin will be gone on your honeymoon for the first half of the hunting season". Canary nodded, staring in awe at Agustin who was training his horse. His eyes were shining and his smile was bright like he had finally been in his element. Canary could count all of his teeth with how hard he was smiling. "Carrie are you listening". Tearina nudged her. "Mhmm". she said,still distracted by Agustin.
Tearina followed Canary's eyes to Agustin who was sneaking glances to see if Canary was staring at him also. Canary rested her body on the railing of the balcony they were sitting at. Her arms crossed, staring at Agsutin as she was watching something in the ocean on a ship. Her eyes glossed over thoughts full of how handsome Agustin looked…How happy he seemed to be training his horse. Every now and then he would chuckle at a joke Shimon or someone else would make. Leaving Canary to fall even more into a daze. His smile was beautiful. His teeth white and his dark brown eyes would glitter whenever the sunlight would hit them. He would cover his eyes and squinch at the light hitting his eyes. Whenever he did Canary would just sigh hopelessly seeming to fall more into a daze.
What was this daze? Canary questioned hearself. Was it of admiration of a friend? Perhaps maybe more? she didn't understand..Nor did she want to understand for fear of what it might be. Canary nodded not realizing what she was fully saying. Tearina giggled, taking advantage of Canary's dazed mood. "Falling for him aren't you"? Tearina asked. "I think so". She muttered.. "What"? Tearina said surprised. "What"? Canary said softly. She looked at Tearina whose eyes were huge. She gasped covering her mouth. "You said I think so". Tearina laughed.. "I did"! Canary said, almost shouting. Tearina nodded. Canary groaned and rested her head back on her hands staring at Agustin. "I don't want to fall again Tia". Canary said. "Why"? Tearina asked.
Canary was slow to answer, still staring at Agustin. "I haven't been scared to fall for someone in the past because I knew somewhat deep down they didn't share the same feelings". She finally said. "Even with Stellan"? Tearina asked. "No with him I did think something was there…. but with Agustin it's something different". "How different"? "I don't know-". "Maybe because I'm marrying him that's what's different". "Feelings that I had put down after the threatening situation locked away because what I thought he felt for me was something or somewhat the same as mine now come bubbling up since our friendship and soon to be marriage". Canary watched Agustin somewhat happy and sad that she was marrying him. Happy that she was marrying him and feelings began to develop more than a friendship…Sad because she was sure he wouldn't feel the same as her. "I don't want to fall again Tia-". Tearina didn't have any words to say or any advice to give Canary. Perhaps it was the same with Shimon. Though her and Shimon had been together for a long time now. But she had always felt that her feelings were stronger than Shimon's. It was an arranged marriage but from the very first moment Tearina had laid her eyes on Shimon she knew she would fall for him. And stay with him through anything. Would Shimon do the same for her? She didn't know..Shimon rarely showed the strong emotions that Tearina did.
Tearina sighed and held Canary's hand. "I'm sure everything will be okay". Tearina said. "Emotions, especially those of love are like a flood you either get swept with it or stand firm in it". "I would rather you stand firm in the flood than getting swept by the flood for it shall cause destruction in its path". Canary nodded and comfortable silence came between the two as they watched the men they loved. One falling for her beloved and the other one already deeply in love with hers. Distracted from their conversation, Canary didn't relized how noisy it was. She looked around at all the women cheering and watching their beloved or men that they fancied. "By the way it's not the actual hunt, they're just training their horses. Why are all these people here…us including them". Canary asked.
"I mean look at them". Tearina said. "Its a sense of manliness when the hunting season comes around the women that are married conceive during this period and the women that aren't married are soon married at the end of the season". "Oh". "See". Tearina said pointing at Agustin and Shimon who were looking around for Canary and Tearina. Although Agustin had already knew were Canary was. He just wanted to feign innocence as if he wasn't peeking at Canary to see if she was looking at him. When had confirmed she was looking at him a sense of happiness overcame. Which was the real reason for all his chuckling and smiling. They had found Tearina and Canary(More of Shimon finding them than Agustin). They smiled and waved at them. Tearina waved back energetically and Canary did this awkward wave at Agustin. He chuckled and him and Shimon ran up tot eh balcony they were sitting on.
"Having fun"? Agustin asked. "Yes this will be my first ever hunting season". Canary said leaning over the balcony to talk to Agustin. Others that were in the balcony next tot them or in the lower stands watched in envy,whispering to each other as to why Agustin would choose Canary to wed of all people. Agustin held Canary's hand looking at the engagement ring he had given her. It was a family heirloom that was passed down to the duchess's of house Abarca and Canary would soon be duchess. "Green always looks so nice on you" Agustin grinned at Canary's hand thinking only a few more days and Canary would be his.
This cause people to whisper even more and canary drew her hand back from Agustin. He took notice of Canary's nervousness at all the people staring and whispering around them. "Would you like to come and see Zaikic"? Agustin asked holding out his hand. Agustin knew she wouldn't refuse knowing it was an animal he was asking her about. Canary's eyes light just as he knew they would and she nodded and quickly took his hand as he led her down the stairs on the side of the balcony. She skipped happily along the field as others watched them. Canary smiling and saying something no one could hear as Agustin smiled back at her nodding, staring at her with adoration. The whispers were soon hushed with everyone going back to their own business. Shimon had followed suit and led a pregnant Tearina on the field to look at his horse who she had seen a thousand times.
"Want to ride him"? Agustin asked. Canary nodded and Agustin helped her on Zaikic. "His coat is so soft". Canary said, running her hand over his coat". Agustin and Canary were having a merry time. Conversating, he led her around by the leash. Satisfied by the time they were spending together. "Lord Wolf is here". A mummer went through the crowd. Agustin looked up to Stellan prancing in on a brown and white horse. One that Stellan didn't have at the jousting tournament.
He stopped in his tracks watching as Stellan came up to Canary and Agustin. "Good evening lady Whitewood-". Stellan looked down at Agustin with this sort of contempt in his eyes. "Evening Duke Abarca". Stellan said. "Evening". Canary and Agustin said at the same time. They laughed afterwards that they had overlapped each other which caused a jealous and angry Stellan to become even more angry and jealous. "Riding lord Abarca's horse are we". Stellan said smiling. "Yes". Canary said happily. "Really for I've heard that those breed of horses aren't really docile horses". Stellan frowning with a fake concerned face.
"Really I think Zaikic is a calm horse". Canary said, patting the side of Zaikic's neck. "Hmm". Stellan said. "I've recently gotten a new horse. Would you like to take a ride on him too? I'm sure he's just as calm as Zaikic's". "Calm because you've beaten him or calm because your other prized horse lost to Zaikic". Agustin sneered. "Calm because of the breed of the horse I didn't have to do much breaking in as I'm sure you had to do a lot with Zaikic". Stellan smirked. "Ha"! "So Lady Whitewood-". Stellan turned back to Canary. "Would you like to ride-". "No I think I'm quite fine, in fact I'm going to go join Tearina, she's back at our seats". Canary replied.
"Oh well then-". Stellan said, gripping the rends tightly. "I shall see you some other time then"? He asked. "At the wedding, yes". Agustin interrupted. "You will be coming right wouldn't want to miss your good friend's wedding". Agustin mocked. "Right-". Stellan said, hiding his annoyance. "Wouldn't want to miss that". "Good day then". Agsutin said turning Canary and Zaikic around to walk away. Stellan still stood there watching as they went away.
Anger and jealousy burned within him. But he knew that this wouldn't be here forever. This anger and jealousy would go away soon. Especially from the conversation that he had overheard the other day. The sound of someone hovering around the door of the room they had been in discussing the marriage of Agustin and Canary. How it was arranged and for business. Stellan knew Canary better than Agustin from the conversation that they had. Sooner or later the marriage would end for the pure fact that Canary wanted a marriage of love and not one of an arranged marriage. It is why Canary had rejected him and it would be why their marriage wouldn't last long. He knew and felt it that Canary still held some feelings for him even if they had dwindled from him rejecting her he could easily build those feelings back up. He would sit and wait for Canary to come back to him. Maybe the wedding wouldn't happen at all because of this. Canary would call it off if he was sure of it. He was sure of it…She would call it off and Stellan would swoop in and take her away.
But Stellan was wrong..soon the day of their marriage came and there he was with his father and mother watching as Canary and Agustin were wed. Stellan didn't realize that his feelings weren't of love for Canary. They were underestimating Canary. That he thought Canary was gullible and because he had rejected her Canary would fall into sadness..not falling or marrying anyone else because she had fell for him and Stellan had given her just the right amount of attention and affection.
He was wrong. What worked for his father and mother wouldn't work for Canary. Simply because she was raised by her grandparents..and lived among her uncle who was confident and showed Canary how to be confident. Though Canary wasn't confident in her looks she was confident in her worth and knew that even if she wasn't loved by a man she still had others to love her. Never would Canary stink down into sadness of rejected feelings. What Stellan felt for Canary wasn't feelings of love..nor was it of a friendship. More of an obsession of someone who got away who he didn't think would get away.
Canary Whitewood of all people got away. There she was in a wedding gown rumored to be designed by Agustin Abarca. It annoyingly fit Canary. Lace,jewels, and embroidered work. He designed it to look like it was from the Qaiar kingdom. Canary was beautiful, everyone said so, whispering and smiling as she walked down the isle. Her hair in these braids in the front and the rest unbraided and curly flowed down her back. She smiled under her long veil that flowed behind her feet.
Agustin stood at the alter dressed in white with badges on his wedding attire. Smiling at Agustin, adoring. SOmething that Stellan thought to himself if it was him standing at that altar would he be able to fake adoring Canary. He didn't think he could. He knew deep down that these feelings weren't of love towards Canary. He could never love Canary. He would never be able to fall her. These feelings were of the simple fact that Canary who he thought was insecure, easy to manipulate, shy, awkward, and basically a social outcast would be easy to tame. That she wouldn't be able to move on.
Stellan who was the only son of multiple daughters was never denied anything he wanted up until this point. The spoiled young lord of the Wolf family. The spoiling had begun to turn into something dark. That neither his father nor mother was aware of. Nor could it be fixed. If his eyes could turn red they would and the emperor had perceived this dark spoiled side of Stellan Wolf and he would use it to bring down the Abarca family and bring Thomas Whitewood who he had begun to feel was being weakened by age and warmth of his family over the years. Agustin Abarca was stronger than his father. His uncle had failed to pull Agustin under his control. Thomas had grown soft after the return of Canary Whitewood. Shimon was gaining support from families who used to be neutral. The things that the emperor Bastian had carefully placed were being pulled down. He grew nervous and afraid that what he reaped would come to sow him. That Shimon would do to him what he did to his father and what he did to the Wilter family. What better use to use a spoiled, crazy son of the Wolf family to destroy his enemies once and for all.
If Bastian's eyes could turn red they could too. He sat next to Thomas who he kept side eyeing because of his proud smile at Agustin and Canary. "Soon". He said within himself. "Soon all things will turn into place". "You may now kiss the bride". The pastor said. Agustin lifted up Canary's veil enamored by her. "Beautiful". He said softly and lifted her chin and kissed her.