Ending Paradise

House of Cortez

Asleep, we all lay spread across the benches in the carriage. With the sudden shaking of the cart, alerting us to wake. We groggily moved from our spots and climbed out of the now-empty carriage.

"Good evening, sleepy heads," Sage greeted us as we filed out in front of her with our things.

I rubbed my eyes, glaring at the midday sun. "Are we here?"

"Yep!" Sage smiled pulled me to her and pointed outwards, "Welcome to the House of Cortez!"

The light of the sun seemed to recede to reveal a grand manor with a large crest on the front of it. The crest alone had a large, golden letter 'C' surrounded by large engraved swirls of gold that feather out towards the end.

The manor itself had a vast amount of untamed shrubbery along a stone walkway and vines that climb up the building. It could make for a great escape or secret entry with how tall they climb up. I wouldn't be surprised if that's happened at some point. Still, its vintage elegance shines through the bunches of brambles.

Aside from all that, we didn't seem to be the only people here to visit. Lines of hundreds of carriages sat across a side yard of dirt and gravel with a stable in the distance.

"It's old and lovely but it's more of a place of business than a home," Sage sighed with a nostalgic grin, "But I can't help but remember how much fun I had here when I was younger. It feels like yesterday or maybe even a little longer than that,"

"It was well over ten years since you came to train under me. To you, it may have felt like no more than a long year, but it still was a amazing time watching you grow," Dad reminiscences as both of them stared up at the Cortez Manor.

"Don't get sentimental on me now. I was always this grown," Sage smirked back to him, wrapping him in a side embrace.

Dad chuckled a bit, "Where was all this maturity when I needed chores done around the house?" He teased back.

Sage only cackled before walking away from him to grab her stuff.

When we entered it was quite busy inside. We stood in a pale stone foyer with pillars that stood taller than anything I've ever seen. Quartz floors, giant oil painting, large windows with thick purple draperies, and vases that cost more than anything I could ever hope to own.

Kendra elbowed me in the side, "Was Sage always this rich?" She asked quietly enough not to be heard, but loud enough for the rest of our friends to lean in for an answer.

"I mean, I knew her family was well off but damn," I replied with just as much shock and awe as her.

Wynter tugged at my cloak and I turned back to look at him, "It's more than well-off. It's lavish enough to make a noble jealous,"

"How would you know, what a noble likes? Are you secretly rich too?" I taunted him and his face goes a steep red.

"N-No! I just have certain friends with certain perks in life," He sputtered along making me laugh a little. "It's not that big of a deal,"

It's way more fun to tease him than I'd ever thought it would be. But besides his awkward flailing, he's hiding something. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was something embarrassing and as his friend, I have a right to know.

However, I'd Sage has this much money, how come Dad has fought so hard for money in his life. Even with his injury he's never recent ever a letter from them. So aren't they family?

"Tempest, everyone, meet Rita," Sage quickly introduced us to a girl maybe a little older than us, she was dressed in well suit butler tux, "She'll help you guys get ready,"