A/N: What's shakin' Bacon? For starters I just want to say I'm really sorry about the last chapter not matching the summery. I just wanted to give some background on how the introductions went and what happened after F ended. I swear. Now I think you'll like this'un more. I really enjoyed writing it. Without further ado...

While Gaston, Louis and Kim held a privileged existence, others were not so fortunate.

In the rim territory of House Dumont sat a winery, within this winery worked a child, within this child rested a flaming hatred.

You see, this boy was no ordinary commoner, he was the illegitimate child to the head of House Dumont, Duke Dante Jacques le Quid de La Dumont. His mother, a common maid, was cast out by Dante and branded a whore when her pregnancy was found out.

She found work on the Dumont territory with one of the branch families under an alias, for she could not bear to be far from her eternal love, Dante. She raised her child as best she could manage. bringing in extra denier (lowest form of currency) as a prostitute. The boy, Jean loved his mother dearly. He had no idea who his father was but it didn't matter, he only needed his mother.

One cold fall evening when Jean was at the age of seven his mother became bedridden due to a disease she had contracted while "working". Jean came to her bedside that night, softly singing her a melody and holding her fragile hand in his. She awoke and smiled weakly yet warmly at him. She had decided he needed to know of his origins before she died.

She took her sons small hand and weakly began telling him a tale. She told him of her valiant knight who came bearing love and warmth, lighting her cold life. The knight was soft and gentle in a cruel world. But fate ripped them apart.

Jean smiled at his mothers far off gaze"Who was this knight, mother?" Asked Jean hopefully. She smiled weakly and managed a whisper "my... eternal love... Duke Dantes, of course" She then let her head fall and slept.

Jean was taken back, he knew of the Duke. He was a cruel, evil man who beat his servants mercilessly. Men, women, children, it did not matter to the 'Noble' Duke. He knew that the Duke was the one who tossed his mother out, proclaiming her a whore. How could his mother love such a disgusting monster? Was she delusional?

Quiet sobs escaped him as he pondered the evil that was his...his ... Father... Feeling sick he turned to the waste bucket beside the bed and vomited. Jeans hands raked through his messy red hair. That evil is within me, the thing I hate most! thought Jean. He pulled on his fiery locks and sunk to the floor. Tears staining his pale grimy face.

He was filled with so many raw emotions that no boy his age should ever experience. Hatred, unholy fury, confusion, sorrow, lust for revenge. A strange feeling rose up in Jean, his body trembled and all he could think about was the burning rage that rose in him. Burning. Rage. Fire... Fire... Fire whispered a distorted voice in the back of his mind. His body began to heat up uncomfortably. Then it turned progressively painful.

"Agh... What th- Aghh!" Screamed Jean. He ran outside into the rain to cool his seemingly burning flesh. He keeled in the mud grasping his head in between his filthy hands. His screams were drowned out by thunder.

Fire...Fire...Fire Fire FIRE! "GYAAAAH!" The pain increased immensely. When Jean was at his limit, it finally awakened inside his innocent soul. flames burst up around Jean rising into the air. A whirlwind of blazing fire, dancing around the unfortunate boy. The fire changed color as the emotion-fueled heat increased. Orange-red then blue-green and finally a deep furious purple. A barrel six feet from Jean burst into flames and melted.

Jean realized then he was using magic. Him, a commoner, using magic! He could have lived a nobles life, supported his beloved mother if only he had realized before... Jean laughed sickly for a few seconds, but the world started to darken. Jean collapsed to the ground unconscious making the flames die down... One week later Jeans mother passed away in her sleep.

1600 Tristain, Dumont Territory, Winery

So here he was two years later in this slave shop of a wine cellar, cleaning bottles and depositing them onto the rack along with the other children. Today is the day, it all starts here thought Jean. He turned to his partner/friend Esmerelda "ready?" he asked in a reassuring tone. She was a "paid worker" who had been bought with her family of disgraced noble from a prison in the ever fighting country of Espania. Esmerelda nodded, bouncing her dark curls. Earth, earth, earth thought Jean.

"Hey! No talkin' ya miser-hic-ble rats.." Slurred the drunken guard as he staggered towards the door.

Just before he was all the way through the door something tightly grasped his foot "Wha the fu-" Something equally as tight had latched itself around his mouth and neck. He discovered it was some kind of rudimentary chain. He wasn't able to reach for his wand as his hands became bound by the same metal chain.

Before he could utter a muffled scream the chain around his fat neck began to tighten rapidly he couldn't breath, he couldn't move, he couldn't think. Without even a chance to ponder the regrets of his pathetic life he was dead. The chain had snapped or rather crushed his neck. The guard staggered and he fell backwards.

The chains retracted and wrapped around Jeans small arms, snakes ready to pounce again at their masters command. Then they disintegrated into the dirt floor from whence they came. He smirked for a second before becoming serious. He turned to the metal collar around his neck and the chain that attached it to the metal rack in the middle of the room. He took breath and moved his hand over the locked collar. It clicked and snapped open.

Every other child in the room was stone faced and in unison tilted their heads so the lock could be accessed. Their soldier like movements suggested many hours of planning and practice. Esmerelda revealed a hidden wand under her shirt and unlocked herself as well with slightly more difficulty. Her tanned hands made quick work of unlocking her comrades on her side of the cellar while Jean took the other side.

The children all walked calmly to the doorway and hid on either side of the frame. The two closest to the doorway stealthily checked the room. When everything checked out they turned to face their leader and nodded. Jean nodded in response. He looked over at Esmerelda and smiled "Is it almost over? Truly? Will we finally be free?" She asked, giving him a pleading and hopeful gaze. No sweet Esmerelda, we will never be free. Not as long as commoners are disposable. But do not worry, I will change the the world. For you, for our friends... For mother thought Jean. But instead he just held his smile and nodded.

That night, under shroud of darkness ten children escaped from the cruel grip of their retched masters. Their destination, a brighter future, a home.

A/N: So do you like this chapter better? Hmmm? How bout the introduction of our main? As always tell me what I need to improve upon as well as spelling and grammar. I don't know how this betareader stuff works yet so you, the reader will have to do it for me. If you liked it, tell me! I have a huge ego so I'll soak that shit up like a shamwow. I should have the next chapter up within a week. Well until next time, stay classy.

-DF