[color=lightgray][table][row][/row][row][cell][right][h3][color=7ea7d8][i][b]Océane Sylvie La'Barbe[/b][/i][/color][/h3][sup]"Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.”[sup] - Little by little, a bird makes its nest.[/sup][/sup][/right] [b][color=7ea7d8]⚘ Looking Inside[/color][/b] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Océane walks through life like a caged bird freed but refusing to leave the bars which contained her. When she was younger she had a voice of her own and will that seemed unending but her will has left her. Not entirely but only the vaguest traces remain for survival, as if what will she had had been spent on a single last hurrah, or perhaps buried for now. There is a strange weight on her limbs and an unnatural timidness and an anxious nature to her. Always seeming to be looking over her shoulder as if she is the prey and she senses a predator on her heels she must protect herself from. Not that she could protect herself if she were to come under attack, flight instead of fight is more this little birds nature. While ever seeming as if she is looking out for the worst, Océane is perhaps a tad naive as she looks for the silver lining or best in most all situations. Hopeful. Wanting to please and do well, she works hard and tirelessly, as if seeking approval or acceptance. Perhaps this is her fight. Quick to smile and grateful of kindness, Océane strives to be kind and understanding. Not well versed in enough common womanly duties, she is eager to learn and has an unending dedication and loyalty to those that have shown her kindness and understanding. Oddly enough, there is a deep devotion to even those that have mistreated her if she feels she owes them a debt. [color=7ea7d8][b]⚘ A Brief History[/b][/color] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [hider=Before Entering RP] [color=7ea7d8][b]Before The War:[/b][/color] Océane was born in 1855 in Atlanta Georgia to Saint and Chantilly (Marseille) La'Barbe. Her father and mother both French Immigrants and naturalized citizens, making Océane the first born of her family in the United States. Both her parents were Clothiers and did well, amassing a comfortable living tending to the Southern Elites with their French Inspired fashions. Her mother and father tutoring her in various subjects. [color=7ea7d8][b]During The War:[/b][/color] When the Civil War broke out, her father was 'recruited' and went off to fight. Océane and her mother were in Atlanta during Sherman's march and it was then that Océane was struck and her leg was damaged by a burning runaway carriage. Two months after Sherman's March, she and her mother received word that her father had been killed. Her mother passed of a broken heart some weeks later, leaving Océane an orphan in a war torn South. [color=7ea7d8][b]After The War:[/b][/color] Océane was sent to live with her Aunt Camille and new husband on a farm in Kentucky. Life was strict on the farm. Each day Océane rising early to tend to chores on the farm and in the house. Chores started out small as she was still healing: mending clothing, cleaning floors. The chores became more over the years but Océane's leg never fully healed and she carries a small limp because of it. While on the farm she learned about crops, her aunt continuing her tutoring. [color=7ea7d8][b]Adulting:[/b][/color] Continuing to live with her Aunt and 'Uncle', working on their farm and helping tend to the house, Océane left after she turned twenty and set out on her own with what little she had. Finding a home in St. Louis Missouri after seeing an ad in the newspaper for Hearst House For Women. There she cultivated her skills and started to learn more in trade for teaching other women in the house how to read and write so they could start to self educate. When presented with a chance to find a husband far out west, Océane agreed and had her picture taken to be placed in an ad. [/hider] [hider=Special Delivery: Wyoming Territory RP] [color=7ea7d8][b]Hearst House For Women:[/b][/color] Océane continued her work around the house as she waited to see if she would get any replies from the ad. Mostly working in the greenhouse and tending to a new beehive she had managed to purchase. She did, many. Most of which turned her stomach. One stood out to her, a Mr. Cypress Holloway. Though she was taunted about his picture, she wrote back nonetheless and from there a courtship bloomed. Between working in the house and corresponding with Mr. Holloway, Océane remained very busy though not without issue. More than a handful of requests for Océane came through, none of which she responded to other than Mr. Holloway. One from Kentucky she out right burned. Ms. Hearst took care of responding to the others. The attention from would be suitors did not go unnoticed and became a catalyst for problems in the house. Girls lashing out towards Océane. They always had, this escalated to physical violence once Océane accepted Mr. Holloway's proposal of marriage. Océane had to assist the Pinkerton's with information on Mr. Holloway so that a background check could be run. After which Océane continued to deal with problems at the house as best she could while preparing to travel by train from St. Louis to Wyoming. Cleaning and cooking within the home, trading mending and sewing for horsemanship lessons, tending to her beehive, and in the dark hours of the night working on what she hoped would be her wedding dress. Several days before Océane left for Wyoming, things came to a head in the Hearst House. Océane attacked another girl for ripping a dress she was sewing and clawed her face, leaving deep enough wounds to most likely scar. After this the girls in the house avoided Océane until she moved out: some because they didn't want to get in the middle of it, others because they sided with the girl who was clawed. [color=7ea7d8][b]Transcontinental Railroad:[/b][/color] Between the days of August 7th and August 14th 1876 Océane was onboard two different trains. The Number 8 between St. Louis and Omaha, and the Number 3 between Omaha and Laramie. A week long journey that was calm for the most part despite the rising tensions and war between the United States and Sioux Nations. During this time Océane mostly stayed in her private sleeping quarters and worked on finishing up sewing a dress. When she was not in the Sleeping Car she was either in the Dining Car or in the Baggage Car. The Baggage Car was where her Beehive was being held and she needed to check periodically to see how they were holding up as transport of such things could be delicate. The Dining Car was for eating and stretching her legs, as well as getting to know the Chef some and learning a few new recipes. Océane watched out the window often during the seven days of travel, seeing how the landscape changed and thinking on how her life was going to change once she reach Laramie and finally met Cypress face to face. [color=7ea7d8][b]Laramie, Wyoming Territory:[/b][/color] Océane's time in Laramie was short as far as time spent there went but in terms of things done it was rather eventful. After arriving and disembarking from the train, Océane finally met her fiancé face to face for the first time. He proposed in a sense and gave her an engagement ring. After accepting it, Océane turned her attention to her bees to ensure they were taken care of and safe. They had to be stored in a netted beehive in the hotel suite until Océane left town. Once this was taken care of, Océane needed to change out of her travel wear that she had been in for the last week, freshen up as best she could, and dress for the wedding that was to take place within the hour. Once changed, it was off to the chapel where Océane nearly fainted in the church but managed to stay upright, mostly. The wedding was quick but orderly enough. Océane acquired not only a new husband at the church but flowers. After the wedding, Agent Hamilton left the two and they were off back to their hotel quarters. The rest of the day was spent in enjoyment and preparation for the trek back to what would become their home. Time in the shops and eating, Océane was able to try many things she hadn't remembered doing before: ice cream, new boots, champagne, a hip bath, and most importantly a hat that looked very much like her new husbands. The next day they set out from Laramie to home. [color=7ea7d8][b]Wagon Ride Home:[/b][/color] [/hider] [color=7ea7d8][b]⚘ Relations[/b][/color] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [hider=Major][right][sub][h3][b][color=7ea7d8]Charles Franklin[/color][/b][/h3][/sub] [sup]"Spit and polish, quite order" [sup]- Everyday at breakfast[/sup][/sup][/right] Charles married Océane's Aunt Camille shortly before the end of the Civil War. When Océane's mother passed away she was sent to live with the two of them until she came of age and could be married. 'Uncle' Charles put Océane to work almost immediately on arrival to his families farm in Tennessee. Being a city child and still recovering from a carriage accident Océane had a hard time adjusting. Charles did not make things easy for the young girl, pushing her constantly in both her chores and her studies, among other things. [right][sub][h3][b][color=7ea7d8]Cypress Holloway[/color][/b][/h3][/sub] [sup]"Would you be my puzzle piece, come out to Wyoming Territory, and cleave to me in matrimony?" [sup]- Letter to Océane, June 1876[/sup][/sup][/right] Océane had never met Mr. Holloway to begin with. Seeing an advertisement for a Picture Bride, Mr. Holloway wrote the Hearst House about the girl known as Anne. He was not the only one but he was the only one that Océane returned a response. Over the next months more letters were written between the two until Cypress proposed marriage. Océane had not been expecting it so soon but she accepted nonetheless and began the complicated and long list of tasks to complete so that she could travel to Wyoming from St. Louis to be with Cypress and wed him. On arrival in Laramie, Océane was introduced to Mr. Holloway where he presented her with a wedding ring set on bended-knee: officially and publicly cementing an engagement. After accepting, ensuring her few possessions were secure, and changing it was time to leave for the church. (Not an hour after arriving in Laramie.) The two headed to the church and were wed without much incident. Océane found that her new husband was gentle and sweet to her. He had a mustache that tickled and a kindness to let her get flowers. After the wedding they spent time together and Cypress lavished on Océane gifts and moments she had never had before. All of which were overwhelming, none of which set her perfectly at ease. Yet, she did get up the courage to ask for a particular hat, one that became a favorite possession of hers rather quickly. The evening was spent enjoying each others company, at least that much she remembered after drinking that evening. The next morning they took care of a few things, enjoyed more of each others time together and set off for home. Their home, something that Océane took some time to get used to the idea. During the first part of the journey back to their home, Océane opened up a little about the time she spent in Kentucky and some of the things she endured. Confused by her husbands reaction, she didn't speak about it anymore and ended up changing subjects. Talking about different things until they stopped for lunch. At lunch she got her husband some honey and enjoyed olives that her husband offered her. On the journey back, she talked about flowers: one in particular she picked at where they had their picnic. Cypress suggested them starting a flower garden back at their home and asked her what she would need. Never having seen the land and not knowing what her husband had on hand she couldn't answer. She was very moved by the offer and looked forward to starting one. [/hider] [hider=Minor] [right][sub][h3][b][color=7ea7d8]Ms. Hearst[/color][/b][/h3][/sub] [sup]"I don't think you understand my dear. All of these are asking for you" [sup]- Said to Océane about the stack of mail[/sup][/sup][/right] Océane discovered the Hearst House for Women thanks to an ad in a local paper. Ms. Hearst welcomed the little thing in a smile and gave her a warm bed in which to sleep in. The woman has been a guide to her in both the home and how to deal with the outside world as Océane does not have much experience. She has helped Océane grow but knows the girl has a long way to go. She was the one that ask Océane to allow her photo to be used in their national ad for Picture Brides, in hopes it would help many of the girls in the house find a good home to make their own. She has been a protector for Océane for many a scuffle girls in the house would start with Océane and helped the little one prepare for her trip from St. Louis to Wyoming as well as responding to others that have written to Océane in hopes the men would be happy to marry another one of the girls instead after Océane turned her attention to Mr. Holloway alone. [right][sub][h3][b][color=7ea7d8]Angeline[/color][/b][/h3][/sub] [sup] "Aww, little mouse went and fell. Perhaps we should help her up girls." [sup]- After pinning Océane to the ground[/sup][/sup][/right] Since the day that Océane stepped into Hearst House, Angeline has had a thorn in her hand about Océane for reasons unknown to anyone other than she seems to enjoy causing pain to weaker girls in the house. It started out as simple jabs and verbal sticks over the months but once Océane was chosen for a national add for Picture Brides by the Hearst House and started getting attention this quickly escalated. Once Océane accepted a proposal from Mr. Holloway it turned physical and came to a head when Océane finally struck back and clawed Angeline's face after Angeline ripped Océane's wedding dress. [right][sub][h3][b][color=7ea7d8]Agent Hamilton[/color][/b][/h3][/sub] [sup]"Not what I was expecting." [sup]- On seeing Cypress Holloway's photograph[/sup][/sup][/right] Agent Hamilton has long worked with the Hearst House. Meeting each girl as she becomes a resident so that she can vet the young woman. For the girls that become engaged her duties increase, having to run background checks on the men actively pursuing matrimony and even so far as to escort the ladies to their prospective husband when the time comes. She has worked closely with Océane in both vetting the girl herself and running background checks on Mr. Holloway for Ms. Hearst. Océane is a special interest for Agent Hamilton and she has been the one to set the date in which Océane would travel to Wyoming as she must be the one to escort her so that she can ensure the girls reputation during travels. She stayed by Océane's side during the 7 day journey from St. Louis to Laramie, keeping her reputation in tact and acting as a buffer from undesirables. After which she remained still at Océane's side until after she was wed. [/hider] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [/cell][cell][center][img]https://i.ibb.co/W6DkDBc/Oceane.jpg[/img] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Female [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] 21 [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] French-American ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 5'2" [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] 98lbs [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] Lissome ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Teal [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] Coffee [color=7ea7d8][b]↕[/b][/color] Milky ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Psychology[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [b][color=39b54a]Positive Traits:[/color][/b][list][*] Loyal [*] Hardworking [*] Gentle[/list][color=c0392b][b]Negative Traits:[/b][/color][list][*] Anxious [*] Meek [*] Naive[/list][color=2F4F4F][b]Fear:[/b][/color][list][*] Wildfires [/list] [/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Abilities[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [list][*] [color=7ea7d8]Strength:[/color] 13 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Dexterity:[/color] 29 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Fitness:[/color] 19 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Intellect:[/color] 25 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Will Power:[/color] 23 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Perception:[/color] 17 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Attractiveness:[/color] 24 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Luck:[/color] 16 [/list][/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Languages[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [list][*] [color=7ea7d8]English (Native):[/color] 30 [*] [color=7ea7d8]French:[/color] 25 [/list][/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Skills[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [list][*] [color=7ea7d8]Farming:[/color] 50 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Food Preservation:[/color] 30 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Horsemanship:[/color] 14 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Art (Drawing):[/color] 30 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Cook:[/color] 55 [*] [color=7ea7d8]First Aide:[/color] 36 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Memory Training:[/color] 40 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Musical Instrument (Piano):[/color] 30 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Science (Botany):[/color] 40 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Science (Entomology):[/color] 35 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Singing:[/color] 30 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Trade (Beekeeper):[/color] 50 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Trade (Seamstress):[/color] 35 [/list][/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Family[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [list][*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/zWdgr0d/Crossfire-19d350-Mark-Harmon-as-Barkow1.jpg]Saint La'Barbe[/url][list][*] Father[*] Deceased[/list] [*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/XzGX4LR/2f70350e456bba1a63442e0162546e84.jpg]Chantilly La'Barbe[/url][list][*] Mother[*] Deceased[*] Maiden Name: Marseille[/list] [*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/1Tdgpf4/350px-Cc41.jpg]Camille Franklin[/url][list][*] Aunt[*] Deceased[*] Maiden Name: Marseille[/list] [/list][/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ [color=7ea7d8][b]Character Trivia[/b][/color] [/center][hider=] [list][*] [color=7ea7d8]Sexuality:[/color] Heterosexual [*] [color=7ea7d8]Likes:[/color][list][*] Gardening[*] Collecting Flowers[*] Insects[*] Singing[*] Trains[/list] [*] [color=7ea7d8]Dislikes:[/color][list][*] Fire[*] Carriages[*] Snakes[/list] [*] [color=7ea7d8]Scars:[/color] Left Thigh: Burns [*] [color=7ea7d8]Religion:[/color] Methodist [*] [color=7ea7d8]Birthday:[/color] March 6th, 1855 [*] [color=7ea7d8]Nickname:[/color] Anne [*] [color=7ea7d8]Items Of Note:[/color] [list][*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/4ZMMQ0f/ac1153b.jpg]Framed[/url] Picture Of Parents[*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/NWBMbqK/8d0b266f1387f9b79d1f7f5b5abaed43.jpg]Pressed Flower Journal[/url][*] [url=https://cdn0.rubylane.com/_pod/item/574500/4329/Antique-Wooden-Patent-Beehive-Folk-Art-full-1A-700%3A10.10-845-f.png]Beehive[/url] [*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/PjmPdWz/Cypress.jpg]Picture of Cypress[/url][*] Letters from Cypress [*] [url=https://i.ibb.co/hZjm7j2/il-fullxfull-1252751121-5o9c.jpg]Wedding Set[/url][/list] [/list][/hider] [CENTER]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━[/center][/cell][/row][/table][/color]