Sachio Arnault was a boy who had everything. He was at the top of his game. Top student at Kingston's academy as well as head boy, captain of the fencing team, and the most popular kid at the academy. His family runs a successful business making and selling clothes and shoes to the local aristocrats, making them almost as wealthy as their customers. But Sachio soon got bored of his perfect life, sure he had everything, but it took away the element of challenge in it. School was no longer interesting because he had learned everything in advance, fencing wasn't fun anymore, even the big parties his family was often invited to had lost their glamour.
Sachio started spending more and more time looking outside a window and daydreaming about unrealistic adventures he would go on after school. He even considered a scenario where he was poor once, god, he was probably drunk that day. But deep down he knew that his daydreams were chimerical. His family would never let the only heir to the family business run around risking his life like some kind of peasant.
"Sachio? Sachio!" his professor's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Uh...yeah?"
"Why don't you explain to the class about today's topic?" Sachio's eyes drifted to the board where the words 'Dragon's and Wyvern's' had been written. No sweat, he thought, there were many books in the library at home that explained about the differences between a dragon and a wyvern, all of which he had read out of sheer boredom. He stood up, took a deep breath, and as he spoke, he couldn't help but wish that his family would teach him to do something else other than running a multi-billion gold business. It really gets tiring.
After the bell signaling the end of school rang, Sachio sat in his family carriage watching the scenery go by. He saw a gang of young boys run by as another boy chased after them waving a wooden toy sword and despite being barefoot and dressed in rags, they were laughing happily. Sachio wondered how it would feel like to be one of those boys, living life without being able to enjoy the privilege of eating roasted salmon or being able to tell your butler to go out and buy you a store. He's even heard that poor people don't even eat dessert. Man, being poor must stink.
Unlike the tudor houses in the village, the Arnault family home was a beautiful three story mansion. The bay windows combined with the faded white walls and dark grey roofs formed a view made to stun even the most fastidious of guests.
But to Sachio? They could've done better. The second floor should've had wider windows, the great hall should've had a chandelier in the middle of it, they could've made the gardener make a white rose fence instead of the boring red one and can they PLEASE add toilets in the second and third floors? It's not even that hard, they just need a better pipe system.
"Welcome home sir." greeted a middle aged man wearing a black waistcoat over a white linen shirt and a cravat.
"Good to be back, Jaxen." Sachio replied as one of the servants rushed past to get his bags.
"The mistress wishes to see you, she requests you meet her in the garden immediately. "
Sachio groaned, of course his mom wanted to see him "Can't you tell her I'm busy? I've got a lot of uh... homework, yeah, that's right, tell her I've got an assignment for next week's hero day."
"I'm afraid not sir, your mother knows that you never do an assignment until the last minute and hero day was two days ago"
Sachio sighed, dammit...as smart as he was, somehow he could never win an argument with his family butler. He sulked a little as he made his way through the mansion's main hallway.
If the Arnault Mansion looked impressive outside, the inside was even more so. The mansion's great hall itself was a sight to behold, a red carpet stretched from the front door to the garden's entrance. In the center of the right wing was a large dining table made of dark oak that could sit 40 people, lining against the right wall were cupboards filled with plates, glasses, as well as other dining utensils. A grand piano, a cello, and some violins had been neatly arranged in front of the bay windows.
On the left wing, across the dining table was a large fireplace complete with it's own stock of firewood in an orderly pile next to it. On the wall above the fireplace hung paintings of the Arnault family's most important members, like a wall of fame. Currently there were three paintings on it. There was Pierre Arnault, the man who started the family business, next to him was Victoire Arnault, the woman who brought the family business on to the road of fame and fortune, and last but certainly not least, Benjamin Arnault, his father, wearing the same suit he wore on the day he became the royal tailor. Sachio had a love hate relationship with this particular part of the wall, he loved the fact that maybe one day he can have his own painting on that wall but hated the fact that his father used that painting and his royal tailor status as his ace-in-the-hole in almost every argument.
He walked past as quickly as he could and went up the grand staircase to the second floor. Compared to the ground floor, the second floor looked much simpler. The center area had another grand piano and was where Sachio learned how to dance. The left and right wings of the second floor were mostly bedrooms with the exception of the family's private room. The left wing was for the guests bedroom's while the right was where he and his family slept plus a few extra features such as the private library, his father's study, his mother's dressing room, and the solar. Sachio ran into his room (farthest door on the right) and quickly changed from his school uniform into a white linen shirt, blue sleeveless waist coat, and some breeches before quickly rushing back downstairs. Wouldn't wanna keep dear old mom waiting.
Before entering the garden Sachio took a moment to straighten his waistcoat, smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes and grab his sandals. His mom tends to get a little fussy about clothes.
He found his mom in the gazebo with a cup of tea and some cakes,
"Hello mother."
Rebecca Arnault was a beautiful woman in her forties, she smiled warmly at her son as she gestured to the empty seat in front of her, "Have a seat dear, I'd like to talk to you about the newest addition to our garden."
Oh yeah... his mother's been talking about this great new plant they're going to get, apparently it's a magical plant. Sounds like a load of horse shit to him, "Yeah what about it?"
"Well, your father and I plan to showcase said plant at our company's 105th anniversary. Now the current owner of said plant lives more or less a few miles outside the nearby town, I need you to go over there tomorrow and persuade the owner to sell it."
Sachio's stopped mid sip "Wait, you promised the public a plant you don't even have? That's stupid mom. Secondly, why do I have to go buy it? Can't you send Jaxen out like you always do?"
Mrs. Arnault narrowed her gaze, "Don't get sassy with me young man. It's Jaxen's day off tomorrow. Besides, I think you'll learn quiet a few things about deal making and you really need some exercise, don't think I don't know that you've been skipping your fencing class."
Sachio cursed under his breath, when he finds the servant who told on him, he'll make sure that they're fired.
"So I can't even take the carriage?" he asked.
"Correct, your father is using it to go to the royal data palace, the king needs a new suit tailored."
Sachio wanted to argue but his mom shot him a disapproving look and shook her head. The conversation was clearly over. "Yes ma'am..." he mumbled in defeat.
Her face instantly brightened up, she smiled and kissed her son's forehead "Thank you Sachio, you're very kind."
After that, Sachio went back to his room, took off his waistcoat and threw himself on the bed. "Merde! She's always like that! Why do I have to buy the stupid plant? If she wants it so much she can get it herself!" he shouted.
"Is there a problem sir?" the sudden voice made him jump. He lifted his head and saw Jaxen standing in the doorway holding a cup of hot chocolate.
"Oh, hey Jaxen, nah it's fine. Just a little pissed off. Thanks for the drink by the way."
He took the cup of chocolatey goodness and sat down on the bed. Jaxen bowed politely and closed the door. Sachio took a sip and sighed, really though, sometimes his butler felt closer to him than his own parents.
