"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off".
~Joe Klaas, The Twelve Steps to Happiness: A Practical Handbook for Understanding and Working the Twelve Step Programs for Alcoholism, Codependency, Eating Disorders, and Other Addictions
"The child is yours". Alexia said. At first Thaddeus did not love or make a sound he simply stared at Alexia as if he was in a daze. "You've truly gone mad haven't you". Alexia mocked drawing closer to him.
Thaddeus's office could be called more of a small library than it could be called an office simply because of all the books and shelves full of books in his office. His desk was pushed away in a corner also covered in books and he spent most of the time in his office in his chair by the fireplace reading more books discovering more theories and business ventures.
So when Alexia burst into his office his mind was elsewhere into his book studying the very thing Alexia was speaking of. So when she said what she said it took Thaddeus a minute to understand because he was adrift into his mind. "I haven't gone mad". Thaddeus said finally. "You have gone mad making your way into my office to reveal your evil acts"! Thaddeus stood up staring down at the Alexia who did not shrink.
Alexia was short as ever but standing before Thaddeus in her arrogance and evilness she stood just as tall as him. "I heard your wife named the dead child Ilene and you have named your actual child Everleigh how funny". Alexia sneered.
"What of the dead child you put in the crib how sick of you to kill an innocent child"? Thaddeus hissed. "I'm not that evil to kill a child". Alexia said. "But I shall make a deal with you". Alexis said. "Ha! A deal I would sooner have you executed than to strike a deal with you"! Thaddeus glared.
"Oh I beg to differ unless you value your child's life that is". Alexia sneered. "I might have not killed that dead baby I put in the crib but how much do you think it takes to harm Everleigh or is it Ilene which one"! Alexia threatened. "Before you can get to the Marquis she will be dead I just have to say the word".
There was a strong and heavy silence in that room. For a while Alexia didn't come out and when she did Thaddeus was never the same. For the life of his daughter him and Letitia had to leave. No threat to Eddison or Thomas who would take over the Marquis title.
So on the day that they left Thaddeus saw Canary who was first named Ilene and then named Everleigh. She was asleep in her crib, silent and gentle as she was when she was first born.
Thaddeus picked her up with tearful eyes and kissed her forehead. "Goodbye little bird". He whispered. Canary smiled in her sleep which only made Thaddeus's tears flow the more. He had no choice but to set her back down and he left. He left his baby girl and word and letters would come later of how Eldreana Longwood named Everleigh Canary and took her away to Lyikar.
Then when Eldreana and Tunis Longwood had died Thaddeus could still not see Canary. Alexia did not invite him to the funeral and lied saying Thaddeus could not make it.
It wasn't until the great fire that Thaddeus could finally see Canary again. At the request of Thomas, who thought Canary wouldn't make it, he sent word for Thaddeus. Then was Thaddeus first reunited with Canary but he never thought it would be like this. The sight and the sound of his baby girl in agony.
He would never forget those screams. The sight of Lumus who stood outside of the room frozen and traumatized from seeing Canary like that. Only Thaddeus was bold enough to stay by her side with all of her screaming and crying. Thinking and not saying out loud. "Your father is here it's okay". He could never mutter those words out loud.
And when the crying stopped Thaddeus still stayed by her side. For Lumus could not enter the room and see her like that and Thomas was pulled away by the king in a time like this. "She speaks Lyikarian yes". Thaddeus asked Genna. "Yes". Genna said. "I shall read her a book in Lyikarian". Thaddeus said, opening a book.
"Do you think she will hear it"? Genna asked. Thaddeus shrugged. "That's a theory I read about before I want to see if it's true". And he began to read to Canary every night in Lykarian.
Even when she had awoken from her medical induced coma Thaddeus still read to Canary. On the walk he would simply stared at Canary for his saw Letitia in her smile. The way the side of her eye sort of wrinkled was all Letitia. Though many had said Canary looked like him he saw Letitia in all of Canary's mannerisms.
She was quiet like him but her smile and joy fullness was Letitia. Just as she was born Thaddeus had fallen in love with her all over again. Just as his son's Thaddeus had fallen in love with his children. Thaddeus felt he was meant to be a father. A father would do anything for their child. And all this time he had been collecting evidence to reveal what really happened that night Canary had been switched with that dead child.
The child who they named Ilene her mother had died but Ilene had a sibling and rumor was at the cost of burying Ilene's mother and offering a place to stay and work the sibling was among the Whitewood servants. Thaddeus's time had come and all left was for Letitia to be known of this truth.
So Thaddeus laid the pieces of the chest on the board. The meeting of Canary's siblings. Ede had a striking resemblance to both Eddison and Canary. Eamon looked more like Letitia but Ede looked like Canary and Eddison. And Canary looked like Thaddeus.
The situation with the necklace so Letitia would have proof Canary was theirs. All this was done so when all was revealed no one could deny the truth. That isn't normal for an uncle and a niece to look so similar and if that wasn't enough proof then Ede was proof enough.
But Thaddeus was patient; he was always patient even before this. Though it cost him with Canary having to marry Agustin all would end up in the rightful place at the end. He didn't care to be marquis, he didn't care about that. What hurt a little is that he didn't have a hand in raising Canary; she was sent off like some piece of jewelry to the longwoods to raise in Lyikar where he couldn't go due to the deal and threatening of Alexia.
And now she had been marrying someone and he couldn't even walk her down the aisle. But Thaddeus was patient and all would be revealed in the end.