Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore —
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —
Only this and nothing more.
~Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven
"Carrie". Edison's gentle voice and light tapping came from behind Canary's bedroom door. She was up early that night for her sleep routine had changed from the events of the fire. Everyday early morning they would wake her up by applying ointment and giving her medicine. She had grown used to waking up this early and even after the ointment and medicine had gone away she still woke up at the crack of dawn. While everyone else slept.
This no one else knew but Eddison if it wasn't him sitting by her side in those dark moments it was Thaddeus or Thomas(when he could). Even afterwards Eddison knew that Canary would be up. "I'm always you can come in". She answered him. Eddison walked in with a gentle smile as always looking at Canary with proud eyes. "Come to say goodbye". Canary grinned. "Yes". Eddison chuckled.
"Do give my nephew a kiss for me". Canary said hugging him. They hugged for a while tightly like as if Eddison didn't want to let go of him. His heart was beating somewhat fast and he let go of her and just stared at her. Canary was worried for nervousness was in his eyes. "What is it"? She asked. "Agustin". Eddison said letting go of her. "As your brother I only want what's best of you". Eddison said.
"Do not marry Agustin". He said flatly. "What Shimon and Agustin are planning and the things going on with them and the king smells trouble and I do not wish for you to be involved in it". "Even with your ruby mine and the clothing company I do not want you to collaborate with them". "I want you to have no business at all with them". Eddison said letting out a deep breath.
It had seemed a weight had been lifted off of Canary and thus she could see as he pondered and worried about what she would say next. Though Canary had no words to tell Eddison. "You like him"? Eddison asked. "I like him". Canary replied. "Enough to marry him"? "Maybe those feelings will grow stronger after we are married". Canary answered. "If you do not like him enough now to marry him what makes you think you will like him even more after you marry him". Eddison said.
"He's worried about the mission the king has put him on and the fact that he almost lost the key to the ruby mine which is you this is why he wants to marry you Carrie". "Do not marry him". "I know this" Canary said. "Who else will marry me now no one else is asking for my hand in marriage no matter how much Shayan jokes". "There is someone out that who will love you". Eddison said. "That is easy for you to say when you were the bachelor of the ton". Canary said.
There was a heavy silence between the two of them. A mix of rage and sadness on Eddison part the rage on Canary's part. The rage because she herself knew she was settling that Agustin no matter how sentimental and romantic his proposal had come off as Canary knew that him liking her was only at a surface level. As was hers and the words that Agustin had told her in the hallway of the Whitewood country home hit her everymore.
The sadness on Edison's part was because it was true. Canary's words stung like a bee. In reality it was easy for him or anyone else to tells her that some other man would love her. Some of the people who probably told her this half believed it themselves. Although Eddison was not one of them it made him wonder just how many times she had heard these words? Nevertheless he didn't want her to marry Agustin thus he stood firm on. He stood firm on believing that a man who truly loved her would marry her. "I have upset you and for that I am sorry". Eddison said.
Canary simply nodded and Eddison hugged her again. "I do not wish to upset but I also do not want to see the light dim within you". Eddison said patting her head. "I hope that when that ship comes back to shores of Whitehill I hope to see you getting off of that ship". Eddison said. He kiss edged head and bided her farewell.
Leaving Canary in deep thought. Now with the words of both Eddison and Shayan Canary was in even more of a deep thought. She sat amongst everyone in the garden pondering on the words that Shayan had just told her and the words that Eddison had told her earlier.
Though she knew these words to be true that her and Agustin did not hold feelings deep enough for them to get married she had made up her mind a long time ago in that hallway that she would forgive Agustin over whatever he did. Even now these words rang true. Agustin was just using her and her mood towards Agustin he began to see.
So he clung closer to Canary not giving her the chance to change her mind or escape him. Maybe even fall deeply for her. Agustin's feelings towards Canary were indeed true. He did like Canary. But his ambition to win over the king were stronger than his feelings for Canary. So much stronger that he dragged Canary into this feud and house Whitewood.
So much stronger that he not only realizing that her reputation was already down from the talks of her having burns scars on her body wanted to bring it down even more so that she have no choice but to cleave to him. This particular day Agustin wasn't only here to see Canary but a rumor it was that the dead child that Alcoa had put in that curb had a siblings a witness to the rumor of Canary being Letitia and Thaddeus's daughter.
He came to sniff it out and he wasn't the only person sniffing it out for Thaddeus was paying close attention to Alexia's handmaiden. Josie Reinabar had been with Alexia since she as a child. She and Alexia were the same age and what better person to hide your secrets with. That was Josie Reinabar.
"Excuse me for a moment, I have to use the bathroom," Agustin said. Everyone nodded and continued on with their conversations not knowing Agustin went to go seeing if he could find any evidence of the sibling. For Alexia and Amara had come to visit Thomas today and sure enough Josie would be there.
He walked around the hallway smiling and waving at the servants as if nothing was happening not an inch of suspicion had come on Agustin. "Do you have any ideal where I can find the Marquis and marchioness"? Agustin asked a servant. They nodded and told him they were in the drawing room.
Agustin nodded but instead of making his way there himself he went to where the servants were his only personal servant Ikar. His whispered something in his ear. Ikar nodded and Agustin left him and made his way back to the garden.
Meanwhile Agustin and Ikar were doing groundwork Thaddeus was doing the paper side of investigating. Looking up women who had children that died around the same time as Canary's birth. This investigation had been going on for a while and when they had finally found the women who gave birth apron the same time as Canary she had died when she gave birth to the child. This is how Thaddeus had found out about the sibling and somehow this information had spread through whispered rumors.
The location of the sibling was causing a stall in their investigation. Thaddeus was worn out as were the servants he had hired to track the child. The day had drawn on long Shayan and Numa had left. Leaving just Agustin there.
For the life of Ede he could not understand why Agustin wasn't leaving and began to annoy him. A guest overstaying their welcome no matter if he was the fiancée of Canary.
"Ede you're you're than Canary yes". Agustin asked. Ede nodded. "Just by a year". He smiled. Agustin nodded and the room was awkward. He was stalling until Ikar and came back with any sort of information. Ede and Eamon began to converse among each other while Agustin stayed quiet. They asked Agustin questions but he would give them a dry and simple answer. Leading them to believe he did not want to talk to them.
For canary was not there. Time went on and suddenly a knock at the door made them freeze. "Canary if it is you you certainly do not need to knock at the door in your own uncles house". Eamon said opening the door. But Canary was not at the door. It was Ikar instead with this eerie smile on his face that made Eamon jump backwards literally. "Who are you"? Eamon shrieked. "That is my servant Ikar". Agustin said.
"My lord might I have a word". Ikar said. Agustin nodded and said goodbye to the two. "We have found the child". Ikar whispered when they were far away from the door.
Somewhere in another part of the manor Thaddeus had also gotten the same news. Early the next morning he sprung in actions taking a few servants with him to the rumored address the child was at. When they had gotten to the small tucked away village in the capitol. The servants could not help but to cover their noses from the smell. The village was not a place fit for people to live. It was a run down village. The servants had more of a problem walking through the mud then Thaddeus did. For he was determined to get the evidence he needed.
He looked at the note in his hand and kept staring at the numbers on the binding and finally the last building in the village that wasn't near the mud and grim of the village was in a meadow that was cut off by fences. "That's the head house". A dirty child said. "Heads house"? Thaddeus asked. "Yesum but she ain't here not more" the child said. Thaddeus eyes grew more and more huge as the child spoke on.
"Last night a group of men came and took her away".