The Promise of the Dawn

Chapter Thirty-Two: A Compilation of Displeasure

It was an excruciating time, waiting to receive word from Aurora that I'd finally been chosen for a mission.

I knew there were others, who also deserved opportunities, but it seemed to me I was in a much more dire situation, in need of escaping from, because whenever I walked down the halls of the Estate to go to training or even simply go for a stroll in the garden, it seemed everywhere I turned, Cael and Brianna were there, happier than ever.

This morning, I stepped into the hall outside of my room, and Brianna was there, awaiting Cael, who's room was within the same hallway. I was half scared to death when I turned around from closing my door and she was standing almost directly behind me.

"Oh my lord!" I exclaim with a jump as I lay eyes on Brianna.

"Oh, good morning to you Amaris. Will you be joining us is the parlor for tea?" She asks me.

Since my sudden rebellion, they'd moved the afternoon tea to the parlor, which I, personally, thought was much more suitable for tea than the drawing room.

"You know, I was actually-"

"Ah! Amaris! Joining us for tea this afternoon?" Cael says as he exits his room and sees the two of us.

Were these two exact copies of each other?

"I don't believe tea is for me. But thank you for the invite" I finally respond, shocked at how Cael can just go on pretending like nothing happened between the two of us and live happily ever after with Brianna.

How was he not bored yet?

Cael shrugs at my response, then offers his arm to Brianna, who takes it, and they begin strolling down the hallway together, making small talk and laughing at each others stupid jokes. I'd never met anyone in my life, more dull than these two. There had been a time when I could've believed Cael was adventurous, walking around in the woods late at night only to escape his duties, but now it seemed that Cael was gone.

The Cael that just walked past me and offered his arm to his fiance only to walk her down to some nobile tea party was not the one I met in the forest that night. The Cael that was laughing along with the dainty Ms. Blades was not the one that had rolled around freely within a field of Primroses alongside me. This Cael was willingly giving himself up for the happiness of others. Sacrificing his happiness for their own. He probably believed he was happy. Or at least wanted to, but how could the real Cael ever be happy with such a suffocating life, that's basically been planned out for him since the day he was born? He loved adventure. The Outdoors. Drawing. At one point, it seemed, me. He could never love tea parties. Balls. His duties.

Brianna.

So why was he lying to himself?

Later in the day, I had convinced myself he was unhappy, but unwilling to show it. But when I entered the gardens for my daily intake of fresh air, I wasn't so certain. 

What I saw, was the two of them walking arm in arm, in a graceful stroll across the garden paths, much like they had that night, when I watched them from the balcony. What I saw, was them sit side by side on a ceramic bench set underneath a beautiful willow tree. I saw him take her hand from its previous position folded on her lap. I saw him kiss the top gently, as he used to my own, and I saw her look at him like that was the first time someone had ever showed her affection. And the way they looked into each other's eyes made me wonder. But what I didn't see, was Arthur lurking in the shadows, witnessing it all for himself, and experiencing his first heartbreak. Much like I had at the ball that night.

 I didn't know until he arrived to training the next day, seemingly angrier than normal as he stormed past me, heading straight towards the punching bags and hitting one forcefully, so it swings dangerously close to the end of its hook. I watch him at the punching bags for a second, not wanting to get involved, until on of the bags almost falls off the hook and I decide to intervene.