I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you,And then I saw that you weren't perfect,and I loved you even more.
~ Angelita Lim
Canary watched Agustin as he stood there watching the carriage ride away. His last words of "Can I write you letters until we see each other again"? When he was no longer in view she turned her focus to Relina and Nolan who were staring at her, analyzing her. She knew what they were thinking and before they had a chance to say anything she spoke.
"You two knew didn't you". She said, These words broke the silence like a sword. They glanced at each other other before answering her.
"It's for the benefit of the family". Nolan answered, sounding just like his father. "For the benefit of the family"? Canary scoffed "you're selling me away like some animal".
"It won't be that bad". Relina said almost in a scolding tone to Canary. "Not that bad you're not the one being sent in as a spy wondering when you will get caught"!
"You got to marry for love, can't I choose who I want"! Canary shouted. "Marry for love it's been two years since you've debuted and you still haven't found a partner"! Nolan roared.
"And you've just gotten married two years ago and it's been many years since your debutante! What it's okay when the son does it but the daughter does it it's something wrong with her"! This time Canary screamed these words as if they were her last.
The hypocrisy of them all. Shaming her when Nolan had just gotten married two years ago. They weren't the ones getting sold off like cattle she was. They weren't the ones getting abandoned if caught she was. Everything everything everything everything was on Canary.
Why why why why would they do this to me? I want my grandparents! Her voice was screaming in her head.
"We will talk about this with father". Nolan sighed and sat back in his seat. "I will not be going back with you". She said softly but powerfully. "I beg your pardon"? Nolan said as if she was some stranger or business partner.
"Why? So you and father can lock me up until it's time to use me for your plan? I will not be going back with you". Canary banged on the window gaining the coaches attention.
"And where shall you go"?! Nolan said, sitting up in his seat. The carriage stopped and Nolan pulled Canary back from the window. "I don't know, maybe to the villa my grandparents left"! Canary snatched it away from him.
"Yes my lady"? The coach asked. "To Wilter villa". "Yes my lady". "Are you insane"?! "If you go to wilter villa, father will not support you"! Nolan yelled.
"He has no choice but to support me!" Canary glared. "Now you're worried about me"? Canary smiled a hurtful smile. "Of course I care about you, I love you". "We love you"! Nolan said, touching Relina's hand.
"Love me you do not love me if you did you wouldn't have blindsided me like this you nor father nor mother"! They rode in quiet the rest of the way. To Wilter Villa.
Wilter Villa was an inheritance left behind by her grandparents to canary. So was the diamond mind that was left to Canary. Now the Wilters were her grandparents on her mothers side. They had raised Canary up until the age she turned seventeen. When she was born her parents weren't particularly looking for another child. A boy would mean a fight for the title of Marquee.
A girl would mean them struggling to find a right partner for her. Especially for a daughter of house Whitewood. So three years after the birth of their first child Nolan. Came a chubby dark skinned, brown eyed, raven haired Canary. She did not have a name; her mother Alexria couldn't come up with a name for her for months. Canary did not smile and she rarely cried. (perhaps she felt the coldness and no love from her own parents). It was when she was five months that her grandmother Eldreana decided to come visit the babe after learning she still had no name.
She came to the child. It was a stormy day and Canary was crying. Her own mother could not be bothered and tended to her older brother Nolan who she deemed a good child. Eldreana held her in her arms, humming a song to her. The babe stopped crying and opened her golden brown eyes and for the first time in her five months of life she smiled. There on that stormy autumn day Eldreana named her Canary.
"I shall be taking her". Eldreana told her daughter and son in law. Thomas the marquee was opposed. Saying to Alexria how could she give Canary (a child who was now five months old and hadn't had a name until now). Away to her mother.
"It shall be good for her". Alexria replied. And away Eldreana took Canary. She grew and her grandfather Zaiair and Eldreana took her overseas to the very place that Agustin and the crown prince would be sent to. The Qiaiar kingdom where she learned the language (reason why her accent was weird also) traveling back and forth during the social season of the empire. Even then she still lived and was raised by her grandparents until their surprising deaths when she was seventeen.
A terrible mudslide in the north had destroyed the couple's carriage. Even their body leaving to a closed casket for the funeral. Now seventeen year old Canary was living back with her parents, brother, and a new sister whom she barely knew. She barely knew any of them. The once adventurous Canary was now silent. Where the clothing was styled to all shapes and sizes in the Qiaiar kingdom was now frowned upon in the empire.
Even the Wilter villa was designed to mirror the houses in the Qiaiar villa. It was designed to look like a house that was somewhere on a beach or by the sea. Only there was no sea or beach by the Wilter Villa. This was home for Canary and here the servants had welcomed her with open arms.
Her room was the same as if he had been stopped in time her grandparents bedrooms were the same. Everything else her uncle had updated and changed only these two things had remained the same. Her uncle had taken over the title Marquee and Alexria had married into another Marquee title.
Though Canary wasn't draped in the gold colors of house Whitewood her bedroom at her grandparents house was. Gold and crème colors her room was. She was spoiled; her bedroom was more majestic than any royal bedroom in the palace.
Although Canary didn't care for the color gold. She loved green. She preferred emeralds over any other gem. She was simple as was her beauty. Which was admired by only the wisest and gentlest hearts. Some of those being house Wilter.
"How I love your hair the most lady Canary". A maid said brushing her hair. "What happened though there's leaves in your hair". She said pulling some out.
"She had a fall". A soft voice said from the door. It was Amara leaning on the doorpost. "Lady Amara". The maids greeted her. "What are you doing here"? Canary asked.
"My sister is sad and had quite the scene in front of all those people why wouldn't I see you"? Amara sat down in a chair next to Canary holding Canary's bruised hand within hers.
"Did you know"? Canary asked. Amara shook her head. "The only thing father talks to me about is Emilio". The room was quiet as they got ready for bed silently.
Amara had her own bedroom but she decided to sleep in Canary's room. They laid that night talking to each other. Whispering as if they were little girls and their secrets would be found out. Giggling at the stories they told each other. They had prayed to Ahayah their God for strength and to guide them in their marriages. Mostly for what would befall Canary and her situation.
"I shall stay here with you the remainder of us being in the capital". Amara said. "That way father will still support you". Canary nodded and held Amara's hand.
Canary realized something in the hours of her and Amara's conversation. That Amara truly loved her and Canary loved Amara. Amara was Canary's sister though she had only begun to know Amara when she was fifteen. Canary being seventeen and first meeting her at their grandparents funeral.
A young caramel skinned girl, with shady hair and dark brown eyes grabbed Canary's hand who was weeping silently at her funeral. For Amara she had fallen in love with her big sister at first sight. While Canary had realized she judged Amara far too soon.
There they laid Canary and Amara asleep holding each other's hand.
"Will you send him a letter"? Amara said, peering over Canary's shoulder while she held a quill in her hand. "I'm not sure yet". Canary said, staring at the blank paper.
"Write him one". She urged. "Or else he will send it to fathers villa". Amara called over the butler. Mr.Killotin who has been in the Wilter family since he was a young boy. Even staying after the Wilter couple died vowing to take care of Canary or whenever she needed help.
"Mr.Killotin, do you have the address to Duke Abarca's villa"? Amara asked. "I can surely find out my lady". He answered. "Write the letter". Amara said nudging Canary. Canary wrote away only a few simple words. Telling him who she was and her address and to not send anything to the Whitewood estate.
"Huh". Amara said frowning. "I thought it would be more dramatic than that". "Dramatic? ive only just met the man". "Hmmm". Amara said, crossing her arms. Canary closed the the envelope and sealed it with the crest of house Wilter and handed it to Mr.Killotin who smiled and walked out of the office.
The office was her grandfather's office. This too was stuck in time as the bedroom. Canary leaned back in her chair looking at everything around the room. The art on the walls. The old rug that probably needed to be clean but knowing her uncle he had already done that. The fireplace wasn't on anyways it was summer. But Canary remembered those days she would come into her grandfather's office and sit in his lap while he would tell her bedtime stories.
Those days she thought would never end. Eventually they did when she turned thirteen. How she wishes she could now go back.