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History:

Mehtab's story starts not with his birth, but what came before it. His father was a Merchant who built much of his wealth on the trade of spices and dyes, and had the ambition and lust to marry the first noblewoman who he could get his hands on. Elizabeth Thorton had her father gamble away her family's riches, and was ready to gamble her away too.
And he did.
Having lost the bet in order to pay Gregory off, Gregory said he would accept the marriage of Elizabeth and consider all debts paid. The threat of utter disgrace, prison, and desperation had Elizabeth's father agree, giving his daughter to the man who's pocket he once lined.

Now married to nobility, Gregory had gained more status, and continued to grow his wealth while enjoying the clout that came with his new title. Together, Elizabeth and Gregory had a fairly acceptable marriage. Except Gregory was not in any sense loyal. He was an ambitious man, and if he wanted something, he'd get it. So on a rare excursion to the outer wall, he saw a pretty young thing and like all things, he wanted. And he paid for it generously. The Merchant paid no mind to the woman and soon after left.

This would not ever be thought of again until 5 years later where he would make yet another trip and discover the woman had died, and her young son was living in poverty at the alehouse she once worked at as a pot cleaner. For all his ambitions, all his sleazy deals, Gregory was in a twisted way, a man of sentimentality- and possessiveness. The child was unmistakably his son, and for Gregory, the idea his son, b*****d or no would live in the outer wall and in poverty did not mesh with the image the merchant had for himself. By this time, his first born son by Elizabeth was 5, and discovering his b*****d, Mehtab to be 4, Gregory made the decision to bring the boy with him back to wall Sina, and to live as his first son's companion.

And that is where Mehtab's true story begins.

Born out of wedlock to his b*****d mother and merchant turned noble father- He was named by his mother, and up until he was 4, lived under her care. With her death, the master of the alehouse his mother worked in allowed him to stay, provided he worked. Which he did. This only lasted a few months until his father's appearance and subsequent relocation to Sina. From there he was welcomed as his half-brother's new companion, though his very existence infuriated his now step-mother. Thus his father struck an accord with Elizabeth. Mehtab would be their son's companion, learn trade as a Merchant, get a proper education, but for all he wanted, he would need to earn his keep.

From kitchen duty to cleaning piss pots, Mehtab grew up working for everything. True, he was raised along side his half brother, (later joined by Gabriel as well), and got more than a standard education, he lived in his father's home, he had food on his plate at every meal- He was never openly accepted as Gregory's son. His last name, Rose, was the mark of his birth, and it would be until later in life.

He was taught by his father and his father's associates the trade of being a Merchant, or being an assistant. By 12, he was aiding his father in minor duties, by 16, he was conducting small business transactions. He also had taken on his father's less pleasant traits. From a lack of having, Mehtab was possessive of what he did have, and the fact he had to earn it even furthering the boy's selfish mindset. From his desire, grew reckless abandon when he had more, or was allowed a fleeting day where he might be dressed in finery to appease his father and not to tarnish his father's image. Mehtab remembers nothing of his mother, and for the better. He considers her memory to be nothing but 'a speck of water in an ocean'. Meaningless as it had no effect on anyone but his existence.

While both his half siblings think of him fondly they are no better, living foolish, selfish lives, but unlike Mehtab, working only as needed. A small rift, but a rift none the less. At 16 it was not just Mehtab's first steps to conducting business on behalf of his father, but living in the house now cost rent, food cost money, and his father paid him the wages on the scale akin to any other man who worked.

Gregory considered his work as provider over- and drove Mahtab to find a new residence as well as additional work to support himself. He was welcomed as a guest and as his assistant to his father's home, but as ever, he would never he recognized formally as Gregory's son. So at 16, to cast off the stigma of his b*****d birth, Mehtab adopted a new last name.

Since then, Mehtab has worked for his father and his father's business partners, and while he might live in wall Sina, he was always reminded of his place as below. A reminder that echoed when his father began to become reckless to the extent that he was becoming his own worst enemy in poor business deals, botched coin counts, and frivolous spending to appease an aging Elizabeth.

Mehtab had grown up education himself past what was expected, knowing and being told that he would not have anything handed to him- and so as his father began to send his own business into a spiral down, Mehtab did what he'd been taught.

Pull out and find other work. However Mehtab's foresight only delayed the inevitable. With his wealth crumbling around him and his two sons both helping with their contributions and yet hampering with their spending and foolish wayward attempts at life, Gregory had to save face.

And what better way to save face then throw his b*****d under the bus and claim he'd been the one to botch the numbers and orders?

Hearing that he was going to be arrested for fraud, Mehtab was furious, hurt, and ultimately devastated. For any merchant, the stigma of being dishonest and a bad partner was worse than death. It would follow him into secretarial work, and if the past of his b*****d origins was bad enough, Gregory's selfish attempt to save face had come at the cost of Mehtab's life.

There are few options for someone, even with an education, as a b*****d, and life on the outer ring wouldn't have a place for someone with his skill. He'd live likely as a pauper. Maybe a teacher? But then he knew his skills and it wasn't in teaching. Plus if he was running from the possibility of being arrested, he needed to cover up and vanish.
Practicality won out, and while it would be short, life in the military under his birth name and not the name he'd gone by for so long- what better place to hide than right under the nose of the ones who'd been tasked to find him.

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