Meet Emil Volkhart, an entirely ordinary businessman. His graying hair caused from the stress of running his three businesses properly, and the wrinkles disfiguring his face are all too soon earned. Emil has a wife, and three children. He's a good husband, having stayed faithful to his wife throughout the years, supporting the family on his back alone. This was not always the case, for there was a time when Emil lacked not only a family of his own, but also his mediocre success in life. Yes, in fact Emil was never much of a level-headed person before his success, nor did he ever have the head for running an establishment. He still doesn't. Emil merely happened upon things man shouldn't.
In a drunken daze, a cold october night, Emil agreed on various committments and deals to a single, very helpful man. For a long time, he couldn't remember what. It didn't matter, for as early as the next day, when the headache still laid thick over his mind, his estranged grandfather passed away, and as the only Volkhart alive, Emil was left the old man's continental transport service. It made a meagre two gold a year, what with travel costs and repairs. The lack of customers that had plagued it didn't help. But everything seemed to work out. A new assistant asked to work beneath him, and after he took her under his wing, the business came back to Volkart Transports. Customers came in every day with something to send, and the weak old horses proved to have more fight in them then ever before. Business looked good.
A year later, Emil married his assistant, the both of them no longer content with nights of passion in the man's office and home. The workers didn't mind, they'd known them both for a good eleven months, after all. Sierre was as good a wife as she was his assistant, faithful and loving, waiting for him each day with food ready. He gave her larger responsibilities as the offer came to buy out both of his competitors, and suddenly, Volkhart Transports spun over the entire nation.
Emil couldn't stay in one place, always having to go to new cities, look over his offices, and buy out new locales. Still, fate didn't seem to be satisfied, and the offer in his home town came for him to uphold the bank as well. He took to the task with glee. He'd lived his entire life in that city, and the bank was one of it's defining features. His father worked in there, after all.
Business yet again flourished, and his wife looked over the bank whilst Emil was forced out on trip after trip. He returned to find his wife bearing his child, and was ecstatic with the idea.
The world had no intention of slowing down however, and the reputation of this up and coming businessman soon spread to the main city, wherefrom he was soon offered to buy up the the postal delivery, it being in great need of some major aid, a cheap affair for the man. Small change almost. That business too, flourished in short time. His wife finally birthed his child. A son. Emil was a little torn about not being there when it happened, but such are the woes of a travelling man. He came home, nonetheless, and spent more time with his lovely wife.
They named their son Lucien. His wife seemed to love the name, and Emil didn't mind. It was a nice enough name. Years begun to pass, and Emil ever more begun to regret missing large halves of each year, only half getting to see his son grow. Four years later, his wife bore another child, much to Emil's rejoicing. A little daughter. Emil didn't mind a daughter, of course, but he would much rather have another son to grow up strong, and continue his legacy in one of his three businesses, all of them fairly successful.
Another six years, young Lucien was ten, and his sister six, and another sister joined the family. Emil was, again, not all too excited. He still did not mind his daughters, he loved them just like young Lucien, but they were still destined to take another name. It was simple tradition.
At age fourteen, Lucien began helping his mother at the bank, showing an incredible head for numbers and business, his father and mother into the marrow, Emil thought. As the years passed, and Lucien grew to become a fine young Volkhart, Emil began planning for him taking over the bank entirely, his gift for coming of age. When Lucien came of age, however, it was an entirely different story. A man came knocking at the door, a man Emil had met before, but could not place. He met thousands of people every year, how could he hope to remember one man? The man claimed Lucien would come with him.
The night became to come back, for whatever reason Emil could not explain. He had met this man before, his great benefactor. A promise of wealth and love, in the simple exchange for his firstborn son. Emil, who would obviously never have kids, had recklessly agreed. Lucien seemed to accept the idea without much hassle, and his wife said nothing. Emil saw her for what she was that day, and the way she looked at the man who came to his house.
The loss of his son tore at Emil like a knife to the heart. His businesses began to fail, slowly but surely. The bank still ran well, but it alone could not support either of the other two, and they were both sorely lacking customers, or repairs.
Emil hasn't tried for a new son. It isn't in him anymore. Whatever Lucien is doing, he knew this was coming.
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