Archibald, the Heroes Companion

The boy from "America"

Archibald woke early, before the sun rose, as he did most days. With so few servants, they each had much work to do. First, Archibald would clean the main corridors, like every day, then make breakfast for the Astaire's and other servants before moving onto gardening.

His first two tasks went without event, aside from Strom berating him for waking up so early again. The breakfast was larger than the meals he ate while living with his family. He never did get used to the portions, barely able to stomach the full meal. But his third task was much more eventful.

Archibald loved gardening. It was a calming task, simple enough, and made him feel in control, creating beauty in a combination of many types of flora. This is why when he saw a dirty, bedraggled teen asleep in the flower beds. Archibald immediately strode toe the flowers and shook the boy awake.

"Listen here you rascal, i spend a lot of time perfecting the Lord Astaire's garden and will not have some ruffian destroying my work!" The boy, tall but not quite Archibald's height, had dirty blond hair and tan skin, with blue eyes not too different from Lady Juliet's. As he woke, he put a hand to his head.

"Where the hell am I... oh yeah. Sorry about the flowers, I got here late and didn't want to wake anyone. I think I'm lost, could you tell me where I am?"

The boys accent was strange, such a relaxed way of speaking didn't fit the nearby country. Archibald's expression softened at the boy. "My apologies, but if you had knocked, I certainly would have let you in. You are in northern Runal, near the sea border, on the estates of the Astaire's, specifically in their carnations, so could you kindly step out."

"Oh, crap, my bad. Uh, I don't think I've ever hear of Runal. Where are we in relation to America?"

"America? I cannot say I know where that is, or that I've ever heard of it either. Maybe Lord Maelstrom could help you, he is much more knowledgeable than I." Archibald had learned a lot while working for the Astaire's, but the Lord had attended the Central High School in his youth, an opportunity few nobles received, and was likely one of the smartest men in the country. 

"Uh, thanks. Do you have any extra food? I haven't eaten more than leaves in two days."

"Yes, and after you eat, you will have a bath and change of clothes. I will not present you to the Lord in your current state." Now that Archibald looked closer, the boy was dressed odd as well. He had on trousers in an unfamiliar, blue fabric and a shirt with short sleeves and an odd painting on the front of it, depicting a devil with an odd instrument, almost like a lute, but longer and sharper. The boys shoes had low tops and seemed to fit more snugly to his foots shape than any boots or dress shoes Archibald had seen, with laces all the way down the front and tied in a messy bow at the shins. "Do you have a name, young sir."

"I'm Jason, and I'm not that young. I'm seventeen. What's your name?"

"I am Archibald, and I am a servant for the Astaire's here. The only other Jason I have met was the heir to House Clemonts, it is a noble name." Archibald noticed the boy was hiding a snicker behind his hand. "What is so funny, boy?" Archibald almost barked.

"Oh, now I'm 'boy' again? It's nothing, just, your name is really Archibald?"

"Yes, my mother gave it to me for my birthday 28 years ago. It is a name fitting of a servant of a noble household."

Jason was practically laughing now, but stopped when he processed the joke completely. "Wait, you're twenty-eight? Looking good my man! I thought you were twenty-two at most."

"Thank you, Sir Jason, my looks were one reason I was chosen to work here. Now, I will take you inside for your meal, and inform Lord Maelstrom of your arrival. Another servant will take you to your baths and rooms to freshen up before meeting him."