Clementine looked up. The man, no. Being in front of him, containing power he wished he could have, wished he could obtain, but life would not grant him this gift.
Born the 3rd son of a baron, any potential advantages were stripped at birth. With no land to eventually inherit, the firstborn took that. No ally families to marry into—that right was given to his 2nd brother. So what was the 3rd born given? A life of simplicity, a life where simply maintaining the family image was all he needed. So, how?
'How dare he ignore me?' Clementine gritted his teeth as he stared forward; in front of him was a mage from the Marion family. Talking to his elder brothers as if he didn't exist. Even as a mere baron, commoners had to give respect to avoid him as he walked by, but this?
Clementine swallowed the anger bubbling in his throat. The Marion family, a viscount family, is only a single rank higher, but being a mage? It was far beyond just rank. The mage could wipe out his own family, and no one would bat an eye. But this, insolence?
'I can't stand for it.'
"I understand your worry, but it's unfounded; simple goblins wouldn't make it within 5 miles of the walls, let alone here." Sigurd, Clementine's eldest brother, spoke; the privilege of being first gave him all rights to speak as the head of the house.
"Alas, it is more than just goblins coming." The mage's hand moved to his robe, taking out a piece of parchment.
The sound of a paper being unrolled echoed in Clementine's ears. His eyes drifted over, locking on to the mage's hands. The diagram was being completely hidden from his sight; only his brothers were allowed to see the contents.
"Even then, a few hobgoblins don't justify a full-scale retreat; our knights are fairly capable," Grant, his 2nd brother, said. The mage crumpled the parchment before placing it back in his robes, Clementine straining his eyes to see the paper, only catching a glimpse of his contents. Sigurd, seeing Clementine's strained gaze, spoke.
"Clem? What do you think we should do?" Clementine gaze moved towards his brother. A simple smile plastered on his face, one of understanding. One of, 'Pity, he takes pity on me?' Before Clementine could start the mage spoke first. "No need, your stance has been made clear as the sky, I'll take my leave."
The 3 brothers watched as Wind started gathering around the mage, slowly lifting him up and carrying him towards the open balcony. The mage's head dipped in a nod before another, heavier gust of wind pushed him completely out of the baron's manor, carrying him away.
Watching the mage's retreating figure Sigurd shook his head, turning towards clementine.
"Clem i promise its not that-"
"NO, IT IS THAT SERIOUS."
Clementines voice cut off Sigurd, standing up he begin stomping down from his raised pedestal called a throne. Sigurd raised his brow before turning towards Grant for help, The second eldest shrugging his arms as if to say "not my problem" before also stepping down.
As he reached the bottom he side stepped Clementine, currently pacing in circles and yelling something he didn't care to find out.
"I SWEAR ITS EVERY TIME, EVEN COMMONERS SHOW RESPE-" Hearing the shut of a door Sigurd finally stood up, drifting down the stairs before placing a hand on Clementine's shoulder. "Clem."
"What."
"It's not that serious, have the maids get you dressed, we have a family dinner to attend later." Before another word could be said Sigurd walked out from the meeting room, leaving clementine alone. Clem's head dropped into his hands, the next moments consisting of breaking that could be heard throughout the manor.
Outside of the door unsurprisingly Grant was waiting, already talking to a butler to have whatever was broken replaced.Sigurd came up behind them, Grant turning around to greet him. "You should really stop trying to coddle him," Grant said, dismissing the butler.
"And let him deal with his problems himself? Heavens no, id rather fight on the front lines then let him be left to his own devices."
"Well your coddling has led to him destroying the meeting room for the, 3rd time this month? It gets to a point." Sigurd only shook his head in response. "You know its not that simple, he's… special."
"No, you tell him he's special and when he gets treated normally, like he is, he acts out."
Their conversation ended hearing the doors behind them open. Clementine stepping out while wiping dust from his clothes. Behind him several smashed vases lay broken, along with a torn down curtain. Grant looked over Clem's shoulder before back at Sigurd. "Have fun with that." He said before starting down the hall. Sigurd gave clementine a wiry smile before making his way down the hall.
Clementine looked at his older brother's retreating figure before making his way to his own room.
"Its not that serious Clem. just chill out Clem, How about YOU chill out." Clementine ranted on in a mocking voice in his room. A pat on his lower arm hardly stopped him. Lifting his arm up he continued. "Sigurd always trying 'be adult' and grant acting like 'its no big deal' they don't have to deal with what i have to."
"Of course Master Clementine." A maid stood up, pulling Clementines arm into a white sleeve. "Like, don't they know I'm special? Commoners bow when I walk in a room but a mage doesn't even let me respond? That's just total disrespect." The maid leaned down, doing clementines belt buckle in before patting out the creases in his pants. "Of course Master Clementine, he must've not known who he was speaking too."
Clementine finally let his arms fall to his sides, looking in a mirror as his maid fixed his cuffs. "see you understand." Clementine looked down at the maid for a second before asking. "Lily was it?" The maid stopped for a moment, "No, I am Rhea, lily was your last maid." she said before continuing to smooth his clothes. "Huh, OK." Clementine stepped off the platform, Rhea moving out of the way as he made his way towards the mirror.
He stopped for a moment before looking at her. "You, you see my greatness don't you? My supremeness?" The maid, Rhea, stared back at Clementine. Several thoughts running through her head before setting on one, "Of course master clementine," She lowered her eyes. "you're perfect."
"Perfect, Perfect." The word circled through Clementines mouth several times before his faced turned to that of a grin. "Perfect answer." Clementine said while moving towards the door, Rhea trailing behind him.
A sigh of relief flowed from Rheas mouth. Though clementine did not have a cruel nature as to torture anyone he didn't like he was not known for his goodness either. Either he cared or he didn't, and if he didn't then you had no place inside the Manor.