20 Years ago, Paige Residence
As quiet as a mouse, Ion Paige threw the matress covers tied together out of his window. He then check every items inside his bag nothing much pairs of clothes, 10 new socks, a loaf of bread, strawberry jam, Stock of honey, Biscuits, apples, Bananas, Cherries, to be honest, his bag is full with his favorite snacks.
Last but not least, a sachet of 10 Gold coins. "Do I need more? Will I be back for a while?" Ion Paige slopped on the couch near the window planning how many days he will run away from home this time, no this is not running away. Consider it as adventuring.
"My bag would not be heavy if I bring to much coins, since this sachet is a magic item, then" Ion Paige open his treasuse chest where he put his allowance,
"Mmm" Ion Paige grab the entire coins in the treasure chest. After the 5th time he went out for a 'stroll' he noticed he will overspend on things that he saw random while walking.
The first day he out adventuring, he got scammed by a a boy whose younger than him. The second time, a girl whose six times older than him was hitting on him. Ion paige who was still young was assuming she was lovely and will be a good partner, turns out to be a gypsy and he was stripped on street.
Not that he's mad he run out of money, he hated it when they funds reached zero. So now, calculate the amount he spend, everytime he is having fun became his habits.
Clang,
A ceramic cup he used to scoup the coins dropped, The galloping of horses feets telling Ion that his father and elder brother Asterion had reached the front gate.They return from long working hours.
"Gosh! They're early today! Weren't they supposed to come home next week?" Unsatisfied, he mumbled.
Ion Paige open the Primrose sachet as wide as possible. Lay it on to those pile of gold coins, 10 scops from both of his palm,
"forget it! I count It later on! I must leave right now" Ion secure the Primrose sachet and threw it into his bag. His hands were shaking.
There is three things he is afraid of in this world, third a bird, second being broke, first Iris Paige. And right now the first of his fear is getting closer to him through the main gate.
"Father is going to whip my butt!" Ion Paige sealed his primrose sachet. There were five different sachets with the same amount that Ion Paige assigned randomly on his body.
Unfortunately today, the snacks their nanny brought into his room was good that he ended up asleep just as he thought it was a great idea to lay down on a furry carpet while reading a book regarding his next expedition. The tea made him sleepy.
°°°
"He's going at it again father" Asterion Paige with his back leaned on the back of the carriage couch smile bitterly before looking at the partriah of Paige Household (family).
Iris paige, fixed his gaze toward the right side of the residence and sighed. He did smile a bif, then he frowned.
"Look at the time, it's night and chilly won't he catch a cold?" Asterion peeked at his pocket watch, it was 9:30.
"Where is he? Did he change his mind?" Asterion Paige put his head on the carriage window when Ion suddenly go back to the room.
"Let him be, I won't fix him, that kid is just as stubborn as you, I know what you teaches him Aster," Asterion Paige closes his eyes as he chuckles.
"So you knew" Once Asterion put a six year old Ion into his bagpack, Crossing a border into their enemy's country for an autmn festivel.
"If he fall in a deep dark pit, he will learn a lot in his life, now let's pretend not to know what is going on and meet your mother" Asterion nodded to Iris suggestion.
"He is indeed merciful for a Paige, but it mind it if someone made him angry Father, so I doubt he will make trouble this time" Iris Paige did not give much expressions. But that's just how he is. Iris rarely show his affection to his loved one even so, he care for them.
...
"Ion? What are you doing? You're going to hurt if you do that" His sister came out of nowhere. His legs were coming down already when Daisy was approaching him quietly.
"What is that!" Ion Paige rushed to Daisy and covers her mouth. He pull her on the waist and hugged the 5 year old girl and sit on the flower hiding their body from whoever's coming upstairs.
"Shoot! The door" Ion Paige pushed Daisy aside and run to the door. Someone open the door before he could lock the door.
"Ion? Is Daisy here?"
"Yes!" He answered briefly. Ion Paige leaned on thr door to avoid the new Nanny coming to his room. Frok his pointbof view, this young lady which was only seven years older than him is quitr a blabber mouth. Ashley is pretty good in her job, putting that aside she always gets anyone in trouble.
"But I don't see her-" Ashley push the door.
"Yes, she is here so go away Me and my little sister need a time together" Ashley refused to listen to him. So she raised her skirt and kick the door causing it to be wide open.
"Arghh!" She is aware she hit Ion since he was pressing on the door in his body judging from the weight.
Even so, she pretended not to see him and purposely stepped on his leg.
"Watch it! You are hurting my brother" Ion Paige let it be not Daisy. Grunting she pick Ashley's hem, dragging her outside of the room,
"I'm sorry Ashley, but you are too rude for a mere maid" Ashley was not the one whose stunned by her word, but it was Ion Paige.
"Woa woa, sweetheart manner" Ion Paige get up and pulled Daisy away from confronting the 24th year old woman.
He chuckles, "My apologize Ashley, she don't know what she says you are a good worker" Ashley smirk.
"A feminime girl shall not raise her voice Daisy, boys not going to like you if you acted like that" Ashley addjuster her body on the same heigt as Daisy and smile,
That is when she saw the mattres covers Ion Paige tried to hide from her view.
No wonder he does not want me to enter his room, he is up to something. I must tell the partriach about this
Ashley grinned. Whenever she tells something fishy to Iris Paige, the Partriach will reward her something. She was running out of ideas this month,
This idiot boy will get me something huge, I assumed this family to be strict and tyrant like they said, but they are a bunch of idiots,
Ashley stand up slowly never letting go of her gaze from Daisy,
"Are you in the middle of something this late at night Ion?"
"Hmm? Pardon? What do you mean?" It was obviously a lie since the bag is still on his shoulder.
"Really?" Before he could react, Ashley snagged Paige family crest which was tied to paige family member if they wishes to go out,
"Then you won't need this" she put it inside her pocket
"Hey! An outsider cannot touch that crest give it to my brother this instance" She grit her teeth out of embarrassment.
"Ehem" Ion paige looked to the left, nodding to himself so he won't laugh but deep down he is proud of Daisy because that girl can defend herself if she is defending him from a slight humiliation.
"Well, I am in charge of taking care of your sibling's so you must listen to me" Ashley put a pressure in Daisy's pulse to hurt her so she will stop talking.
Right after that she picked Ion's sister wrist and drag her away.
Ion Paige knew she was up to something, only a stupid person would not realized she was inspecting their room along with a stupid gaze.
It has been 2 years since Ashley was assigned into Paige Household, since the first day he dislike her.
"Tsk" clicking his tongue had become his habit whenever he is iritated about something.
"If she touhces mother, I swear I will torture her alive" Ion Paige slammed the door. For a minute he stood there calming himself.
He is angry because he saw a bruise on Daisy nape when he was hiding her a while ago, seeing how Ashley walking away by pulling Daisy on her wrist but not her palm or fingers, that woman is trying to dominate his little sister.
"I think I need to tell that slut my father is not into a young girl, especially- someone that abusing his daughter" Said Ion Paige.
Without that crest, I can still leave this place, I can protect myself from bad guys, if I failed to do so, I will haunt Ashley to death If I die because she took the crest away from me!
That night, Ion Paige left his household exactly at 10 and did not return for couple of days, normally he would return after a month, 5 months entered the calender and his whereabout is unknown. The only hint left in his room was a doodle of a safest paths in a country that is well known for injustice. People can kill or killed.