Little innocence

(Quick reminder: I do NOT own the character of Arno Victor Dorian, and Charles Dorian, credit goes to Ubisoft. I do NOT own the music; credit goes to J.S. Bach)

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Paris, France

April 1776

From the window of the chariot, a young boy watches in fascination the immensity of the palace, a medieval château belonging to the wealthy Vicomte de Duplessis, of such vast and recognized figure whose ancestry was immaculate of any wrongdoing, the de Duplessis were equally respected as, if not more, than the monarchs. History bound to the legacy, their riches came as a reward for their effort to protect not only the kings, but also the citizens, keeping their oath to forever be at the mercy of anyone who can request help whether from the richest of France to the poorest of France. For centuries, the de Duplessis family made their living as landowners, mercenaries, merchants, for their main goal is to hold their power but never to belittle those who are below them. One such corrupted relative was Xavier, the older brother of the current Vicomte, whose ideals were in opposition, almost threatening their legacy to the shambles when his ways of being a drunkard, a libertine, and a criminal for almost plummeting a cleric to his death at the top of a church tower, the patriarch of the family, Vicomte Guillaume, had no choice but to remove him from the title as the heir after his death and give it to his youngest son Gastién.

As a gentleman descended the chariot, the little boy by the name of Arno, was helped by his father to descend the chariot and his eyes looked about the immense garden that looked beyond any land anyone can see, the long ride from their house to the château was not as far, yet the longest road came once the gates to the château were opened. A secluded building away from the maddening ruckus of the Parisian streets, even Palace Versailles was not as peaceful as the Monarchs wished it to be.

The chariot galloped away, as the little boy turns and watches the massive staircase entrance from the main courtyard, the stairs for such a height in the little boy, might be the closest he could swear to ever reach the heavens, from the mural in the middle of the double staircases, Arno looked up, the stairs and the heavens are not too far from where he can see. The imagination of his innocence at only 7 years old.

"Arno?" Hears the call from his father, Monsieur Charles Dorian. "Come, my boy."

The boy rushes to hold his father's hand, he went still when his father stepped one foot in the bottom stair.

"Come, my son, what's the matter?"

"Are we going to heaven, papa?"

"Quoi? (What?)"

"The stairs, they are long, and there're clouds. We are going to heaven now, papa?"

"Arno. No, my son, not yet." Charles chuckled at his son's question. "This is the stairs to the château. Indeed, it is a long walk from here to there. We are going to visit one of my oldest friends here, the Vicomte de Duplessis. Do not fret, Arno, we are still here alive."

It took a few moments for Arno to hold his father's hand to continue towards the top of the courtyard. Arno counted each step in silence "14, 15, 16...32, 33..."