- It was no secret to anyone the passion that Hilarius Heavensbee had for Eyana Astrea; it was a passion that had been going on for years and that burned in the boy's veins, so when he saw an opening for the opportunity that he had been waiting for...
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Six months before the reaping.
THE FOG AND RAIN settled outside, and Eyana believed the weather couldn't have been any more perfect. She could hardly see the opposite side of the street, but she could feel the cold on her face as she leaned to open the window. Eyana slumped back on the padded parapet, her red uniform sleeves wet from pushing the window glass outside.
When she was ready to grab the astronomy book on her lap, she felt Haakon settle next to her, and her gaze shifted to the younger boy's brown, curious eyes. She didn't know why, but he was constantly following her and using her like she was some kind of role model, and despite being nine years younger than her, he knew how to cause headaches and embarrass older people with his strong opinions.
"I'm curious." He began to chanted with a provocative tone of voice towards Eyana, who looked at him with her eyebrows raised in question. "Shouldn't you be at the academy?" The boy asked, and Eyana had to breathe deeply when she heard his feet hit the wooden part of the parapet, which caused him to release an innocent smile towards her.
She landed the book that was on her lap and crossed her arms as she looked towards Haakon, who mimicked her action with a silly smile. "And you shouldn't be with your tutor?" The girl rebounded, and Haakon's smile faded, and he pulled his head back as he dropped a loud protest, which caused her to chuckle in amusement.
"She's boring; and I'm tired!" He protested with a small pout, leaning his body towards the window like he had done before with his head. "I want to go play out there!" He wailed as he banged his feet against the wood, and the girl stared at him tiredly, as if she was used to such behavior.
"You should be grateful for still having a tutor!" Eyana resigned alongside the younger boy, who promptly gave more resignations after being reprimanded. "Only in the last year did you chase away three of the tutors that dad got you!" She spoke while giving a slight shove to the small body next to her, which appeared displeased with the sermon.
However, Eyana did not blame her brother for acting in such a way; since their mother had disappeared in the middle of the war, their father sank into work, and although he gave more attention to Haakon than he gave to Eyana, it was still not enough, not for a 9-year-old boy who had never known a mother's love, and although Eyana gave him as much attention as she could, she knew that her attention was not what he needed.
Sometimes she wonders what it would be like if Arpina was still there; maybe the little boy wouldn't throw tantrums; maybe her father wouldn't ignore them as much; there were so many options that her mind began to wander around the wheel.
But Eyana was certain that if the woman had not disappeared, the house would not be so gloomy and empty. After she left, the previously colored walls were changed with cold and dark colors, and the paintings she had made were pulled off the wall and hidden from everyone's eyes in a ridiculous attempt to erase the memory of the woman, which unfortunately for Eyana, was working.
