- Text Size +
Story Notes:

 

 

Author's Chapter Notes:

Heyo, still kicking somehow. This is a story set in ETZ's Aristocracy universe. It seems like fun so I figured I'd do a quick story and see how it goes in the hopes it makes me stop being a hermit who posts once a year. Posting the intro right now in the hopes it will motivate me to speed up and finish the last third of it up so I can post it all. Enjoy!

 

----

 

“You’re free to come in now Mr. Hanson.”

 

In the lobby of the Charlottesville Bank a young man of mixed-race appearance looked up, eyes widening slightly. “A-Ah yes thank you.” His hand nervously reached to adjust the wavy brown hair over his brow before entering a nearby office.

 

What first caught his attention was how pristine and organized the room looked. Even by office standards it was something to behold. Framed along the wall were a series of doctorates and awards meticulously placed in perfect symmetry. Seated behind a dark mahogany desk was a brunette in a tight-fitting business skirt and blouse. Her wealth was immediately apparent by the fact she was over ten feet tall. The rest of the room was sized to suit women like her he noted.

 

Marcus Hanson couldn’t help but stare as he took a seat. Taller women always fascinated him. In a world where height was the ultimate status symbol it was something of a basic turn on to have to look up at them, to know that they held the power both financially and literally. He was by no means little. In fact Marcus was of average height and wealth. Not important enough to be a wealthy giant, nor pathetic enough to be a tiny bug.

 

“How can I help you Mr. Hanson?” The woman from behind the desk asked with a professional smile, looking down slightly at the young man who was barely taller than her desk.

 

“Well you see Miss…” Marcus blinked and realized he didn’t know the woman’s name. His eyes scanned her tidy desk for a name of some sort.

 

The woman laughed, tucking a thick lock of hair behind an ear. “Lockhart. Victoria Lockhart. You can just call me Victoria though.” Her welcoming smile seemed to encourage Marcus despite the small hiccup.

 

The young man nodded, now smiling himself. “Ah I see, thank you Victoria.  As I was saying, I came here because I wanted to take out a loan.”

 

Victoria arched an eyebrow. “A loan? Let me check your records.” She turned to the desktop situated at the corner of her desk, her fingers running like little bolts of lightning across the keyboard. If her tone was any indication she seemed to find the notion of a loan rather absurd.

 

Marcus slinked back into her seat, shrugging slightly. The banker’s reaction was totally normal. If your height was determined by money then a loan was one of the riskiest things you could do to yourself. If even a single thing went wrong and your debt turned against you then that was it. You’d start to lose your height and it would all go downhill from there. But Marcus was relatively unconcerned, he knew that when he decided to walk in. While Victoria went through his records he took the opportunity to size up the woman.

 

She was by no stretch of the imagination unattractive. Mid to late twenties, long flowing black hair held neatly in place with a ponytail, thin with a slight hourglass figure, the whole package. There was a mature yet still distinctly youthful look to Victoria, a look he very much appreciated.

 

Victoria’s eyes squinted slightly as she read from the screen. “It says here that you already have a loan Mr. Hanson. For…”

 

“For school. Yeah.” The young man nodded. “My student loan.”

 

Victoria turned back to Marcus, eyes widening. “Yet you still wish to take out another loan? That is quite…bold of you.”

 

Once more he shrugged. “You have to spend money to make money as they say.”

 

“True, but usually you spend money you have.”

 

Marcus laughed. “True enough. But my mind is made up. Am I eligible for a loan?”

 

After a long pause and a glance back to the screen Victoria nodded. “Your bank record is impeccable and your credit score is looking good. I wouldn’t advise it but we could give you a loan if need be, what was the amount you were considering?” Her fingers hovered over the number pad of her keyboard, ready to go at a moment’s notice.

 

“20,000 should do it.” Came an immediate reply.

 

“That is quite a lot of money. What could you possibly need that much for?” Even as she asked Victoria’s fingers did their magic on the computer once again and began very quickly filling out the appropriate forms.

 

Now the young man’s eyes lit up, he leaned forward in his seat. “I want to start my own company.  Me and some other graduates have an idea and we think we can pull it off. We just need the money for startup costs. You know how it is.”

 

Victoria shot him a curious look, pausing in her work. “A bunch of college graduates getting together to form their own startup company? I’m required to inform you that historically that has not boded well.”

 

“I know the odds.” Marcus said, unconcerned. His eyes gleamed with youthful optimism. “Even if it doesn’t work out I intend on getting a job so I can safely pay my loans off anyway.”

 

After a long examining look Victoria nodded. “Alright then. I can tell you’re dead set on this so I won’t try to stop you. You know what’s at stake if you fail to pay it off.” The brunette sighed slightly and reached for a nearby printer where a form slid cleanly from the machine. She placed it on the edge of the desk near Marcus with a pen quickly following suit. “Just sign at the bottom there and you’ll be all done. There will be a six month grace period before you need to worry about starting to pay it back with a five percent interest rate. I hope that’s fine.”

 

“That should be okay. Thank you very much Victoria.” Marcus took the pen into his hand and signed, grinning.

 

“Anytime Mr. Hanson. You take care.”

 

Marcus nodded, not even caring how rehearsed the last line seemed to come off.  As he exited the bank he had a thick envelope in his hands and a wide grin on his face. The world was his oyster.

You must login (register) to review.