"Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess
When did you feel your
most euphoric kiss?
Was I the source
of your greatest bliss?"
~Roman Payne
Slowly did they walk the path to go out to the garden. With Eddison,Shayan, and Canary having a conversation. They led the front of the group talking and smiling as though they hadn't seen each other in a while and meeting up for the first time. For Canary and Shayan this was true.
They seemed as if they were in bliss having their conversation. In their own little world. While Numa just stayed quiet and listened in. Never had Numa seen Shayan this comfortable and happy. Since the time Shayan had come into the royal palace he had never seemed comfortable. He was on high alert everyday and every night not sleeping well and when Eddison and Canary had come no matter if it was these couple of minutes for a moment it seemed to Numa that Shayan had peace.
"It seems the tide is turning in our favor". Shimon said smiling at Canary,Eddison, and Shayan talking. "What do you mean"? Agustin said frowning. "Canary is friends with the foreign prince". Shimon said looking at Agustin confused. "Do you know how well this will work for the mission my father gave us". "I feel we do well with canary and her mine". Agustin scoffed. "A single line versus the crown prince who can offer us more mines and even more opportunities". Shimon said.
"He has a point". Tearina said. "Over the last couple of days I feel as though I've been getting ganged up on by the three of you". Agustin said, stopping in his tracks. This led the rest of them to stop in their tracks. Even Numa who alerted Shayan. In that moment of Shayan looking at Agustin in all the rumors he had heard of Agustin of how he was the black Wolf bachelor of Grania in that moment he looked like an angry wet child.
This is who was marrying Canary? A wolf could never marry a bird. Nevertheless a golden bird like Canary. "Is everything alright"? Shayan asked. Half stopping himself from laughing at Agustin. "No there isn't". Shimon said, snatching Agustin by the arm for him to move. "Seriously grow up Agustin". Shimon whispered.
"We haven't been in this part of the palace". Eddison said, looking at everything in the garden. "I haven't either". Shayan joked. They all laughed at Shayan's joke except Agustin who was still frowned up hovering in the back of the group. "I did, however see the greenhouse they put plants from Lyikar in there". Shayan eyed Canary who was looking in that direction. "Carrie, would you like to go see it"? Eddison asked. "Carrie"? Shayan asked. "Her nickname". Eddison said.
"Many nicknames for one girl". Shayan chuckled. "Lord Abarca calls her Istella princess Tearina calls her Carrie also". "Did you two not have nicknames for each other when you were younger"? Eddison asked. "No, we simply called each other by our regular name". Shayan answered, opening the greenhouse door for them.
"Thank you, maybe it's a Grania thing". Eddison said. "Maybe so". Shayan said. "Do you wish to look around with us"? Simon asked. "No enjoy it, I've had enough of it". Shayan said, smiling down at him, for he was taller than all of them. In fact Numa also towered over them.
Shayan and Numa stood as two towers watching them stare at the plants in the greenhouse. Their bronze skin showed warmth as the sun shined on it and when Shayan moved his head to speak to Numa his eyes lit up like a fire. Only once had Agustin seen this brilliant light brown before in the eyes of Canary.
But Canary's eyes were gentle and kind and Shayan's eyes were sharp like a hawk. He stood strong,tall, and handsome. He looked like a sculpture had come to life. Numa was not that far behind Shayan; they both looked exactly like their title. Shayan the crown prince and Numa as his hand.
No one was watching Shayan but Agustin. He watched as Shayan stared and studied each and every one of them the same with Numa. They watched and studied seemingly saying something to each other that wasn't in Grania nor Lyikarian. But their eyes mostly went to Eddison and Canary and an unease began to rise up in Agustin. From the moment he knew that Shayan and Canary were childhood friends to the second that he and Eddison had clicked so easily.
"Your highness". Agustin said, stepping to Shayan and Numa. They both moved in sync to stare at Agustin. He made sure not to flinch on the outside. But made a chuckle to brush it off. Shayan did a polite smile but his sharp eyes only made Agustin feel more uneasy. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior in the hallway". Agustin said finally speaking up.
"Ah it's fine sometimes we can't control our emotions". Shayan said his deep and accent were as deep and thick as Nina's but Numa's had a sense of gentleness to it. Whereas Shayan's was a tone of authority and his gentleness was hidden somewhere under there. "But I've heard you are twenty six". Shayan said.
"Yes"? Agustin said, confused. "I am twenty three. Once we get older I feel as though we should act more mature no matter how upset we are. We are to handle our business temperate in all manner". Shayan said. "Hah". Agustin scoffed. "Eh". Shayan said both surprised and amused by his reaction. "I mean thank you for your advice". Agustin said.
"Hmm sure you do," Shayan said, looking back at the group. "Your accent is very unique". Shayan said. "You were raised in Grania no"? "Ah yes I do but my family still speaks Lyikarian even after moving from Lyikar it was then named Supour". Agustin answered. "Ah so you must speak Plyeres then"? Numa asked.
"Uh no we speak an old form of Lyikarian". Agustin answered. "Did you know Canary speaks Plyeres"? Shayan said, looking at her. "No I didn't". Agustin said, clenching his jaw. "Is that what you two were speaking earlier"? "Ah you've been watching us why yes it was what we were speaking". Shayan said, looking at Agustin.
"I have to admit though you and Istella have the same eye color yours is as shape as a hawk". Agustin said. With that Shayan and Numa looked at each other and began to laugh leaving Agustin stunned. "I'm sorry have I said something funny". "No". Shayan said grinning.
"My nickname as a general used to be Hawkeye due to my good sight. Whatever target I would get I'd hit it without a miss". "General huh". Agustin said. "How did you become crown prince? Are you illegitimate"? Agustin asked. "How dare-". Numa began but Shayan held him back with the raise of his hand.
He turned his body and faced Agustin staring directly at him with those sharp eyes of his. Though Agustin wasn't that much shorter than Shayan he still had to stare up at him and Shayan still had to stare down. "Rather the opposite actually you see my fathers very great aunt was a princess and she married into a noble Josie that had fell long before my parents and my grandparents and probably their grandparents were even thought of".
"I am a legitimate child whose parents passed away and was raised by my lovely grandfather . My grandfather then sold without receiving money to a knight who took me under his wing and helped me become a general". "You however". Shayan said.
"A Duke yes who's parents passed away and seems to be spoiled by his friends to make their passing everyone's problem it seems". "I beg your pardon". Agustin said. "You don't even know me". Shayan chuckled along with Numa. "Me and Numa have seen enough to know exactly what type of person you are". "A black wolf? More like a runt pup who needs to grow up".
"Beware of a runt for some underestimate how they grow wolves eat birds". Agustin said. "A threat"? Shayan said walking back next to Numa. "Hawks are known to scratch the eyes out of their enemies lord Abarca I fear a wolf shouldn't be so hard to counter".
Numa and Shayna showed a statue of pride and strength. Of elegance a type of elegance and strength that Tunis had once told him of and it dawned on Agustin that Shayan too had also been around Tunis Longwood. That the things that Tunis Longwood had once told him to carry himself as Shayan Tsosie had done it.
It grieved him to be outwitted by a commoner turned royalty and what dawned on him even more was the fact that Shayan was never even a commoner. He was some royal child that simply had been forgotten. That wasn't the beginning of his feelings toward Shayan no much more deeper than that more so within himself.
He had never thought someone else could compete with him over Canary. It found it would be a down deal. Although he sensed the type of man Shayan was that he wouldn't go after another man's betrothed, it still stirred something in him. The fact that he stared at Canary with admiration and happiness. A happiness that someone that you loved was happy.
Agustin, as low and terrible he could get over the years, began to form a plan in his mind how he could make Shayan let go of all these feelings of Canary. No admiration, no happiness because she was happy….no nothing.
"I'm finished with this conversation". Shayan said. "Why don't we join the others"? Agustin shook his head. "I'm going to finish myself". Agustin said bowing and leaving out of the greenhouse.
Numa and Shayan watched as Agustin left out of the greenhouse. They were utterly speechless at Agustin's behavior for they weren't expecting that sort of behavior from him. "And I thought we get that sort of behavior from crown prince Shimon". Numa said. Shayan nodded his head. "I truly wanted to become friends with the one who married Canary". Shayan said, sighing. "Maybe you two can make up later. We have time". Numa said, trying to cheer him up. Shayan nodded and they joined the others.