Name: Nikolaus Windsor
Age: Nineteen
Gender: Male
Facial expression: Confident smile
Hair: His hair is a rich brown and is styled in a short and unruly way, sweeping down into his face. x x
Height: 6'2"
Eye color: His eyes are gray x
Skin color: He is a healthy, light tan that denotes time in the sun but not to the extent of burning.
Outfit: Standard
Personality:
To Nikolaus, ‘Nik’ for short, the walls surrounding him were just another piece of scenery one sees outside of their window upon waking up in the morning. They held no special significance or meaning to him because they remained blissfully in his peripherals while he went about his charmed day to day life. Of course, he knew what they were there for, how could anyone not know with the Wallists roaming the streets preaching about the bloodthirsty behemoths lying in wait just outside. This he considered nothing more than the mewling of deranged minds, especially because he was tucked safely away behind wall Sina where no Titan could ever possibly venture. He did not consider himself the least bit arrogant or ignorant when voicing his opinion on the matter, as it was a shared opinion with many living in Mitras.
Having been born into wealth and privilege Nik had plenty of time to waste on whatever he wanted to do, and a well bought education. As a boy he spent time lounging in lush gardens with his friends and eating extravagant meals, never wondering where they came from or giving a second thought to districts outside of his own. He attended multiple lavish parties chalked full of the best food and wine money could buy, and with an array of people all as wealthy as himself. To him the world was contained to only the people he knew and the place he lived, it was as though anything outside of it did not exist. He had the leisure to chase girls, pull pranks with the boys or do absolutely nothing but stay in bed all day. Such is the life of a noble.
His life would have gone on in this manner if not for a game of “challenge” with his friends one day that would force him to peer outside of his own world. The boys he had called his friends since childhood challenged him to journey into one of the poorest districts within the walls. They made a game of the entire affair as they told stories the entire way there and joked and jibed about everything they saw that did not meet with their standards. It did not take much prompting to make the confident young noble dismount his horse and wander straight into one of the dirtiest alleys he could find. It was in his brief time there that a c***k appeared in his glamorous worldview. The stench was nothing compared to the horde of human suffering occurring right before his eyes, and though he brushed it off as nothing upon reuniting with his companions, he could never turn a blind eye to the outside world again.
Despite the earthshattering revelation resulting from that experience he went about his life as though nothing had happened. The reason being that, to a noble, reputation is everything. It was because of this fact that Nik became a social chameleon, changing his colors entirely depending upon the ambiance of the room or the people he was around. If the people he encountered abhorred a certain kind of dress he would immediately agree with them, if only to turn around a moment later to compliment the person they had only moments before been insulting. He did this with just about every aspect of his life, taking on the opinions of others rather than stating his own, changing himself so that they would be impressed and accept him. As a result of this habit it is very hard to discern the true Nik from the façade, and there are even occasions where he is not even certain he knows his true self. That is why, when it came to talks concerning poverty he refrained from sharing his newly formed opinions after witnessing their struggles first hand.
Even though his thoughts remain internalized he can no longer look at a loaf of bread without wondering where it came from and why it is so readily available to some and not others. It is a silent battle being waged within him, one that on most occasions, he can thwart by adorning himself with the veil of ignorance that served him so well in the past.
When he is not meditating upon a loaf of bread or attempting to meld into a crowd, Nik enjoys living his life to the fullest. He is not one to turn down an opportunity should it catch his interest, or to back down from a challenge. He loves the sensation a rush of adrenaline can inspire and as such can be somewhat of a risk taker. It is for that reason alone that he has any interested in becoming a trainee, though not one strong enough to actually enlist. Witnessing the use of the 3D maneuvering gear made him desperately wish to gear up and try it himself, but having no reason aside from that to do so he has remained an eager observer.
He is also a very amiable person, if the people he is talking to don’t mind that they may be conversing with a well-placed façade. His desire to fit in, to be accepted or to impress others is what drives him in the majority of his social endeavors. Subconsciously it could have something to do with his parents who used wealth as an excuse to leave the rearing and care of their child to someone else entirely. They do not ignore him, but there is very little to inspire their interest enough to where they hold an actual conversation with him. Though this doesn’t seem to bother him, it may be that he has once again adorned the veil of ignorance in order to avoid how he truly feels about it.
Wealth didn’t only afford him free-time and an education most would only dream of, it also allowed for him to learn some useful skills. He took an interest in swordsmanship when he was a preteen and in response his parents hired him a tutor. Since then he has been training with a sword, making him quite a capable opponent should anyone wish to test him. Similarly he is an experienced horseback rider and hunter due to the hunts he attended with the nobles as a source of enjoyment. However, he is better at carving up the animal once it is dead than shooting it with a bow and arrow. His accuracy leaves much to be desired, but because he didn’t take the activity seriously it wasn’t something he ever attempted to improve.
In truth, little of the Nik beneath the mask is known, not even to himself. He has been sheltered within a solid gold structure his entire life and had few formative experiences. The day he accepted the challenge that allowed him a glimpse of poverty has removed him from his ivory tower somewhat, whispering to him that there is more he is unaware of. It is likely that this small voice in his mind will one day push him into joining the trainees in an attempt to embark on a journey of self-realization. Even if he hasn’t quite thought of this himself yet.
History:
Nikolaus is the only heir to the Windsor fortune which was earned through his father’s position in politics. Konrad Windsor gained a position as a political figure, after his father left the seat open for him. The wealth and political prestige of the Windsor family can traced back over decades, to the point that one of his relatives was a member of the courts when the attack occurred one hundred years prior. It was upon Konrad’s taking up of the mantle that he met his wife to be, a woman much younger than himself, Erika. A lady intent on expanding her own wealth, Erika pursued Konrad most ardently and did not hesitate to agree to a marriage proposal that following year. The two were united in a most glorious affair, one pleased at having a fresh young bride, and the other at having gotten her hands on the money she set out to obtain.
Little more than a year and a half later Erika gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Gisela, much to her mother’s chagrin. Erika was far from cut out to be a mother as she valued her appearance far too much and became despondent when her figure expanded to allow for the child to grow within her. She remained bitter even when the child lay nestled comfortably in her crib, and some speculate to this day that it was that bitterness which led her to smother the infant girl. Being the clever woman that she was, she easily played it off as a most unfortunate accident caused by her desperate urge to stop Gisela from crying.
The incident was mostly swept under the rug aside from the rash of gossip that broke out behind Erika’s back and life went on as usual. That was, until she became pregnant once more and again mourned the loss of her trim figure. This second pregnancy resulted in the birth of Nikolaus Windsor, only this time a wet-nurse was hired to care for him as his mother was ‘too afraid’ to care for another infant.
Apart from the occasional, superficial conversation between he and his parents, Nikolaus was raised by an elderly woman named Liane. She saw to his upbringing like one preparing cadets for the Scout regiment; having his days planned out weeks in advance and beginning each one with some lesson in the manners or etiquette nobles were known for. This did not last long however, as the woman who likely would have made him a much better man than he is today passed away when he was eight. Another nurse was hired in her place but she took much less of an active role; she simply catered to his needs and made sure that he made it to each of his lessons on time. Aside from that she avoided instilling him with anything not bought by his family.
It is Konrad’s wish that his son continue on in the family business, but he does little more than voice his desire every once in a great while. Other than seeing Nik as an heir to keep the seat warm for future generations of Windsors, Konrad takes little interest in what happens in his son’s life. He is far too busy drinking with the other members in his field or chasing around his young, and reluctant, wife.
