Shadow_Twisted
Royal Member of BonBon
Joined: 30 Aug 2008
Posts: 1521
|
 Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:25 am Post subject: |
 |
|
(The following is a fairly detailed account of Samuel's past, including an "extended" section that would follow up on Mr. DuLacc being a Clan member)
((WARNING: LONG POST))
Samuel's mother died giving birth, and so Samuel was left to be raised by his father. For as long as he can remember, he has always either played or worked within his father's tailor shop. That was until around the time he was 19. He was slowly taking his father's place at the shop, his father's health deteriorating from Consumption (Tuberculosis). Samuel began to grow angrier at the customers of the shop, as the constantly seemed to try and ignore the coughs and moans from the apartment above, where Samuel knew his father lay suffering and dying. Samuel had stopped sleeping in his bed in the apartment above the shop shortly after his father had taken ill, and often slept in the shop, if at all.
Finally, one day Samuel awoke to silence. Silence was almost welcome to Samuel, except he knew what that had meant, that his father was no longer with them. Samuel did not open the shop that day, but sat in a corner weeping over the loss of his father and the only family he had ever known. The shop around him felt alien and distant, filled with sorrowful memories and the garments of the wealthy who would most likely not pause or consider for more than a moment that anything within the shop had changed.
It wasn't until late into the night that Samuel had finally worked up the courage to enter the apartment upstairs. Even when he did, Samuel wore a kerchief over his face and a pair of white gloves, as he had always done when delivering his father's meals. The room was dim, lit with only the slight flicker of the street lamps that managed to find their way through the window. It was an eery and unsettling feeling as Samuel approached his father's corpse, the hand still clasping his pocketwatch. Almost automatically, Samuel wrenched the watch from his father's dead hand and pocketed it, the only token that would remain of his father's existence. Then, with an almost suddent and impulsive start, Samuel made for the cellar that had laid mostly unused beneath the workshop at the back of the shop.
It was on that night that Samuel departed the shop pushing a tarp-covered wheelbarrow, a shovel poking out from underneath, bound for the cemetery. It was always one of Samuel's greatest regrets that he had never given his father the proper burial he had deserved, but a hastily dug grave in the dark of night was all that Samuel could think to do, for there was only one thing the young tiger could think of at that point: Get out of London and as far away as possible.
When Samuel returned to the shop, he immediately set to packing and gathering whatever he had saved for starting his own shop and began to make his way for the docks.
It was a rough few days, waiting for the luxury liner departing London for New York. Samuel had not slept and had taken on wondering the city, as he could not stand the thought of returning to the cold and empty shop that had come to feel like home. Finally, the day came when Samuel was able to board the ship and begin his journey to find a new life in the new world.
The toll of sleepless days and nights finally caught up to him and for the first day or so of the voyage, Samuel did nothing but sleep. When he finally awoke, it took him a short while to remember boarding the ship. He finally got dressed and freshened up and headed for the upper deck to get his first view of the ocean.
Samuel was mildly shocked to find that it was night time as he made his way out to the deck. The starlit sky was gorgeous, far away from the buildings and street lamps to restrain their view from the London streets. Out here, everything seemed gorgeous and endless and best of all, reminded him in no way of the life he was leaving behind.
Leaning on the rail, Samuel let out a deep breath as he drank in the sight of the vast ocean, reflecting the moonlight and the twinkling canvas of stars that hung above. The scenic beauty of the quiet beauty was broken by a voice from behind him, "Beautiful isn't it?"
Samuel turned slowly to see who had interrupted the tranquil moment and beheld one of the most beautiful young women he had ever seen. She was a snow-white panthress with light bubblegum-pink hair and lustrous deep blue eyes. Her dress suddenly elicited a gasp as he realized the workmanship of his father. "Breath taking" Samuel said, still pondering how his father's work could have made its way onto someone so young when his last pieces were made almost a year previously. "My name is Samuel Dunn, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Vivienna DuLaac, charmed." Then noticing the look on his face, she asked, "Is everything alright?"
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help noticing your dress. I could swear that my father had made it." Samuel replied.
A look of sudden happiness flashed across her face, "Could I meet him? This dress was my mother's and I'd be ever so gracious if I could meet someone that knew her."
With that, Samuel's sorrow washed across his face. "I'm sorry, but he has recently passed."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know." She replied, and the awkward silence fell about the two for what felt like an eternity.
Samuel finally spoke, the words almost seeming to pour from his mouth automatically, "Holding onto the past blurs your vision of the future." After a moment, Samuel truly appreciated the meaning of these words and nodded, taking a moment to ponder where he remembered it from. In truth, it was actually something his father used to tell him when he was a child, asking about his mother. It had been a long time since Samuel had really reflected on his youthful search for information about his mother. Perhaps this young woman's own search had sparked the memories in some recess of Samuel's mind.
"And what future are you looking towards?" Vivienna asked.
Samuel was caught off guard a bit. He knew he wanted to try and make a new start in America, but he began to realize how impulsive he had been in embarking on this journey without any real forethought or planning. "I..." he couldn't stand to lie, "honestly don't know."
"Well I should think one doesn't abscond himself to America without some plan of what he wishes to do there." Vivienna commented.
"I had planned to try and open my own tailor shop. It is by far what I am most skilled at. However, I never really thought about all the details for setting one up in America." Samuel answered. "I'm sorry, but this has given me a lot to think about, I feel I must adjourn to my quarters."
"Well then, I bid you farewell for now, Mr. Dunn" Vivienna said as the two parted ways.
It was the first of many encounters the two would share. Progressively, the two were growing closer. It was on a routine stroll about the deck about a week after their initial encounter when Vivienna nearly tackled Samuel.
"Well something certainly has you riled up this afternoon." Samuel said as the panthress nearly knocked him over with a jumping hug.
"Samuel, you'll never believe it, daddy has said he should be able to work out some shipments for your shop, if you can get a property sorted." Vivienna practically screamed in excitement.
"Ah, well that should at least be one less worry then." Samuel said calmly. "Although, I'm beginning to wonder when I'm finally going to meet your father."
"Daddy was hoping you'd meet him for dinner this evening, so he can talk with you about the details. I hope that's alright with you."
"It should be perfect, there was something I was meaning to ask him."
"I'm sure he'll love you as much as I do." Vivienna replied, giving Samuel a kiss and telling him where and when to meet her father before heading back to her duties.
Samuel was a bit nervous about the meeting, he was growing closer to Vivienna and was actually considering asking Mr. DuLacc for his daughter's hand in marriage. However, he was hoping it could wait until after he was fully established with his shop. Samuel tried to prepare himself as best as he could for the meeting. Sadly, there was little he could have done to fully prepare himself for what would happen.
Samuel knocked on the cabin door, 5 minutes early for the meeting.
"Come in." The voice was deep and authoritative, and it made Samuel uneasy about what he was getting into. When Samuel entered the room, it was not set for dinner, but merely resembled an upper class study with a pair of fine leather chairs. Seated before him was a sagely male mountain lion, except the golden portion of the coat was an ash-like color. He had a silvery beard and sleek hair. His suit resembled something that Samuel could produce only at his best, sleek black with a deep blue vest and a black cravat not unlike the one Samuel wore on formal occasions.
Laid out upon the other chair was a very elegant dress Samuel recognized instantly, it was a dress he had just recently finished for Vivienna. It was one of the greatest pieces Samuel had ever made, and its presence here meant Samuel had severely underestimated what Mr. DuLacc's plans were.
"You're talented, Dunn. This dress you made for my daughter may be even better than the one your father had made for her mother. Your father was a man torn between 2 loves, one was a marriage that had been arranged for him, the other was a woman he loved. In the end, the woman he loved became my wife, and he married the woman to whose hand was promised to him. It is the way of the world that our elders set before us the path we are to follow. Now I can understand it being a coincidence that you just so happened to come across my daughter on this ship. What I cannot allow, however, is someone getting in the way of the plans that I have taken great care to arrange for her. She is to be engaged and married when we reach New York, and you are in a poor position to provide for anyone, including yourself." Mr. DuLacc explained.
"I understand, sir. I'll resign myself to my cabin for the duration of this trip, and will make no more contact with your daughter, but I would appreciate that she still receive the dress."
"I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to cooperate this well, Dunn."
"I understand the position that I am in, sir. I made my leap before I looked, and have been trying to figure out how to make sure I land safely ever since."
"I am not without sympathy for your situation, Dunn. In exchange for your cooperation in the matter of my daughter, I will arrange the necessary measures for your travel to the town of Bon Bon, where I had once planned to set up a trade shop. I had since abandoned the prospect, but maintained possession of the property, in case I ever decided to rethink the matter or take up residence there. Take it, and I will send along a shipment of supplies to get you through the first month. Beyond that, I will expect payment for the services."
"And the dress?" Samuel asked.
"It will serve the same purpose her mother's dress served, a parting gift from a love."
That was the decision that sealed Samuel's fate, the one that would carry him into Bon Bon.
("Extended" Section)
Numbness was all that Samuel felt. Nothing felt right, and time just seemed to flow by him without presenting a feeling of meaning. Bound for Bon Bon, as far as he knew, and more confused by the day.
"Ah, you've arrived. I was beginning to think my request had gone unheard." Samuel heard someone speaking to the carriage driver when they had come to a stop.
"Have we arrived in Bon Bon?" samuel asked from the carriage, his tone doubtful and glum.
"I'm afraid not, young sir." The voice answered, opening the carriage door. The voice belonged to a golden-furred canine, though Samuel couldn't discern the exact species. "My apologies, but I had asked you be brought to my estate before continuing the journey to Bon Bon. Dorian Grain, at your service." Dorian finished, extending his hand.
Samuel shook Dorian's hand and began to wonder exactly what this was all about. "Samuel Dunn, although I'm sure you already knew that. May I ask why it is you have asked for me to be brought here?"
"Not an unreasonable request, but I'm afraid the answer to that is best reserved until after we have you settled in."
It seemed to take far longer to setup a temporary workplace and room for Samuel, as his curiosity was burning away at him, dying to understand what was really going on. Once all was done, Dorian sat down with Samuel over some tea.
"I can accept that I have very little to look forward to on the horizon, but I must admit the effort Mr. DuLacc has gone through to be rid of me seems rather extreme." Samuel confessed to Dorian.
"I am inclined to agree with you about Vincent. That is part of why I asked that you be brought to me. There is a story behind his actions you are likely to not know. I think it is important for you to know the truth before you are forced into Bon Bon." Dorian explained.
"Forced?" Samuel asked curiously. The sentiment wasn't exactly a comforting thought for the situation.
"Perhaps not the best choice of words, but Bon Bon is a town where secrets can be kept and questions aren't always answered. I believe in your case, it was meant as a security measure, lest you were to uncover the truth of why you were sent to Bon Bon."
"To keep me from Vivienna, of course." Samuel answered. The expression on Dorian's face immediately alerted him that something about what he had just said was far more important than he realized.
"The other reason I had you brought here is for a suit. This suit will be an alibi for our meeting, because the information I provide to you could put the both of us in harm's way. The better the suit you craft for me, the less suspicion we will bring from the Clan."
"The Clan?" Samuel asked, worried he may have wound up involved with some form of cult.
"I won't go into a full account of the clan, but simply that it is a brotherhood and has been linked to many accomplishments used to further the studies of art and medicine. However, some members may have used their ties within the clan for personal benefit." Dorian explained.
Realization dawned on Samuel "So my journey to the town of Bon Bon was arranged through this clan so as to extensively remove me from the DuLacc's lives?"
"Indeed, but there is more to it than that. I'll explain more to you later into your work as we wouldn't want to be unprepared in case I were to have company." Dorian explained.
Samuel knew he needed these answers if he were to ever accept his situation and be able to put it behind him. With that in mind, he put forth his best effort to ensure that every detail of Dorian's suit would be absolutely perfect. The passion with which Samuel worked was something he had felt only once before, when working on the dress for Vivienna. He missed her, but the information he was getting from Dorian seemed to be related to the very core of Samuel's being.
It was at one of their usual tea-time conversations that Dorian revealed to Samuel the most devastating blow about his past.
"You seem to be missing Vivienna an awful lot, Samuel. However, I think it's time I told you the truth about Vincent's disapproval of your relationship with her." Dorian's expression was very serious, and Samuel knew that this would not be good news.
"Something tells me it has nothing to do with my class." Samuel said, apprehensive of what news was to come.
"Not entirely, in fact it would be a miniscule detail by comparison to the darker truth. Did you ever know your mother, Samuel?"
"She died giving birth to me and my father would never speak of her to me." Samuel replied, curious what his mother would possibly have to do with Vivienna.
"Then your father held to his word. You were never to know the truth, but I see now that destiny has crossed your path with someone you were never expected to meet. Your mother died while giving birth, that much turns out to be true. However, it was not your birth that caused it. Your mother and father had a romantic tryst, but she was betrothed to a clan member's son." Dorian explained.
"Vincent?"
"Yes. She was sent to London for studies and met your father. The whole affair would likely have gone forgotten and unnoticed until she was found pregnant. She gave birth, you were left with your father and she was forced home. A handful of clan members were involved with keeping the secret and the arranged marriage went forward as planned. She bore Vincent a daughter, but did not survive the process."
"Vivienna and I are...?"
"Half brother and sister."
Silence. Samuel felt as though somehow everything he had ever known was a lie, as though he had been deeply violated and somehow betrayed. It took awhile before he was able to accept that his life was not as changed by this information as he had thought, but he still felt slightly sick for falling in love with his half-sister.
"I'm sorry I told you, but I felt you should know." Dorian apologized.
Samuel slowly shook his head. "No, I'm glad you told me." He let out a deep sigh, "It's just a bit much to think about."
"I understand. Sadly, I know that the suit is nearly finished and that you will soon be making your way to Bon Bon. I felt this was perhaps my last opportunity to tell you." Dorian explained.
Samuel grabbed Dorian and pulled him into a firm hug. "Thank you for your hospitality and for the information."
"You're welcome. I simply felt I had to extend some warmth and comfort when I had heard of your situation."
That night, Samuel finished with the final touches and was bound for Bon Bon the following day. The time with Dorian had given him much to think about. Of all the events that occurred to bring Samuel to Bon Bon, the time with Dorian was definitely the one Samuel would always remember most fondly.
Sadly, Samuel was not met with the same kindness in Bon Bon. Shortly after moving everything into his shop, he was summoned to the Blue Manor. Simon presented Samuel with a contract. Simply put, in order to maintain his stay in Bon Bon, he would give Simon the highest priority and would answer to any summons to the manor without question or delay. Furthermore, if asked to make a dress for Simon's daughter Mary, the punishment would be severe.
Samuel had no choice but to sign, for if he didn't he would be exiled from Bon Bon penniless and alone. For the most part, Samuel adjusted well to life in Bon Bon, but any summons to the manor was a reminder of his situation and his "imprisonment" in Bon Bon. His appearance had terrified Mary the first time, but he had never appeared at the manor with the look of anything but a man defeated. To Mary, he seemed always cold and distant. However, with what he had already endured, it would be idiocy to risk any more damage. |
|
FAQ
Search
Register
Profile
Log in
