Flashback 5 years ago at Oxford
Harrison Flashback #1
Harrison Davis was many things, but OK was not one of them. How could he say ‘ok’ when his father was dead on the ground? While he had fled to an Oxford boarding school to deal with the anguish, he was not poised to ascend the ladder of aristocracy; becoming a titled man, an earl. He was ill-prepared for the weight of obligations that clung to such a station, but the inevitability of responsibilities weighed upon him with a leaden hand; he knew that trying to escape it was futile.
It was not possible and the small escape he had right now was nothing but a fantasy, he would have to return– take his rightful position as Earl Davis and deal with the responsibilities. He would no longer be a freed man.
What a shame, losing his freedom when he was nothing but a boy-a mere 19 winters had graced him- a season caught between the last gasp of innocence (then again Harrison was anything but innocent) and the initial breath of experience. He was a boy, a boy who needed to take responsibilities.
Responsibilities
Such a dull word. He disliked it, but he needed it- it was what he was born for. He was born an heir and he will be the heir. There was no stepping down, he could not let his brothers deal with the responsibility. He could give it to Angelina, though she was a lady and such a thing would be frowned upon. He would support her and speak against anyone who speaks against her- though he also could not do that because he could push his sister to the dogs like that.
High society was everything but favorable.
He delved into his pockets and drew forth a cigar. His friend drew out fire and with a flick brought his cig to life as it sparked. Fun.
“Smoking is an affront,” said his companion- the second son to a baron family, Ethan Filish, as they both smoked. Ethan was right- smoking was forbidden here, strictly forbidding, after all this was a school to groom men into becoming proper lords of society, not for behaviors such as this.
“Indeed,” Harrison agreed, exhaling tendrils of smoke as if freeing the weight of convention from his chest. “Most undoubtedly should not.”
“We shall invite the storm,” the friend mused as he blew out a puff in the air.
“Let it unfurl,” Harrison’s response was a chuckle, puffing into the air as well. “I plan on leaving the school,”
“Another escapade?” The words dripped with obvious amusement. “Did you not escape from here mere days ago? Yet again, my friend, you seek the embrace of darkness?”
“Aye,” Harrison laughed, his eyes smiling with him. “I met a woman, she’s quite easy on the eyes.”
“You’re sneaking out for a woman?” Harrison nodded with a puff, “Of course you are, Harrison Davis, of course you are. Go on, define her beauty then, I wish to know the lady of today’s fascination.”
“Her skin, hardened by labor, her eyes haunting, the type of eyes that would scare a child, but her lips – her lips are of silk.” Harrison described, “I’m fascinated by her.”
"She’s a beauty and yet all you list are affiliations, except for the lips.” The friend jested, his cigarette relinquished to the couch near him.
“Those are not afflictions,” Harrison asserted, as he dropped his cigarette lightly to sit up and stare at his dear friend. “It is in the imperfections, that beauty is found, that its essence is unearthed. Beauty is frightening, it can be horrific, but the point is beauty should frighten you in a way.” He continued, “A beauty that holds terror with its allure is the kind that demands to be praised. You see, my dear friend, you are still a boy so you don’t understand but her beauty was harsh- it was all up in my face, unpredictable at first but when I looked closer I saw how horrific it was. If you would have seen her, you would have thought the same.”
Ethan rolled his eyes at the boy’s comment, “And you, are you a man?”
“I’m a boy with experience, a boy with an eye for beauty.” Harrison chuckled as he exhaled his cig once more. “Though I’ve seen 19 winters and you have only seen 17, so that is probably why I know a lot more than you.”
Ethan rolled his eyes once more but did not disagree, “Then her lips,” Ethan inquired, “Are they truly that soft?”
“I would not know,” Harrison admitted, “We are yet to kiss because my reputation precedes me.”
“Pardon?”
“The lady, she thinks of me as wicked-perhaps I agree with her, perhaps I don’t- but she says that I am the devil in the bible. She shall not kiss a devil as she is quite holy, she says.” Harrison tone was amused as he described the girl’s opinions of him.
"Why persist then? Why go meeting her like a little kid?”
“Ah, she had a change of heart.” Harrison laughter was a synonym of audacity and enjoyment. “I am no devil, I am more like a fallen angel, and she wishes to be kissed by a fallen angel to see how it is in order for her heart to be guarded in the future. She also wishes to kiss a noble.”
“And you will kiss her?”
“I will.”
The smoke filled the air, as they exhaled in. Done, they threw it out the window and opened it to let fresh air enter and take the smoke out. As Harrison laid on the bed- he could not help but to think of his family, how were they? He should have written a note and so he did. He stood up as his friend gave him a question look as he took out a quill.
“Dearest of the Dearest, the Davis family,
I thought of you guys throughout school,
Are you guys ok? Do you perhaps need me back?
And dear mother, please do not let my sister’s debut yet,
I wish to be there for their debut and spend more time with them
Before they are married off, I hope my brothers are doing well with their studies.
Tell them, if not, I will strike them with my sword upon returning.
Tell them too that I miss them, and my sisters say the same.
With love,
Harrison Davis.”
“I miss my family,” He told his friend, “I always miss them when I am far away from them.”
“Then why do you go far away from them?”
Harrison stiffened at that, “I have responsibilities, let’s say, things to do and I want to see the world before it’s late.”
“Yet you say you don’t like responsibilities, my dear friend you are a contradictor.”
If there was a drink, they would cheer for that. But they had finished the wine another young gentleman had sneaked in days ago, to celebrate… to celebrate? What were they celebrating again Harrison could not remember but they celebrated something.
"Am I a contradictor? Perhaps, after all, I am a canvas painted with conflicting shades- not a single shade or color, and each color drastically different from the other, none the same. I am vast, wide, and unpredictable. I contain a lot of things.”
“Indeed you are growing wide,” His friend jested,
“It is muscle I put on.”
“I know but are muscles not also wide?” His friend retorted with a smile.
“True but how would you know when all you are bones?”
“Ouch my friend, you wound me. You have striked me with your sword, Harrison! Humors! Cruel! Demon! A fallen angel, My family should be truly sad at my injury.”
Harrison chuckled at that but he could not help but to sigh as well. He missed his father, gone too soon- his father was only 40 seasons old, and sure men die younger but his father was perfectly healthy, he should have been alive a little more, seen Leonarada grow up to be a beautiful lady Harrison is sure she will grow into. He should have been here too, to walk his daughters through the aisle- it should not be Harrison, who would bear the responsibility of walking them through the aisle, it should have been his father.
His father had always talked about how he would love to do that and now he could not. Life was truly a joke, a joke that Harrison was tired of. Maybe, he should make his return home soon. He wishes to visit his father’s grave and leave some flowers. In a week maybe.
“We should throw a party,” Harrison said, “Wine and all sorts of alcohol and pastries.”
“What would be the occasion.”
“My friend, the joys of friendship is our occasion. The joys of freedom,” He laughed patting his friend on his back, “Our occasion is the reason we are here no? Freedom, we shall cheer for freedom.”
Using their hands to create fake wine glasses, they raised it up and clicked their hands together with laughter. Ah the joys of freedom, what a shame it could not last only a little more. What a shame, especially since he had to do things.