“The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.” ― C. JoyBell C.
0 years old / June 20, 1823 :
Emma-Rose is born to Carter Hartfield ( the only heir to Hartfield Trading Co. ) and Josephina Flores in Manila, Philippines.
She is born lucky ( on a sugar plantation mansion belonging to her father’s family ) and loved ( with all the affections and devotion of two parents who adored each other and her ).
3 years old / 1826 :
Children of other plantation owners are being kidnapped and held for ransom. Worrying for the safety of their only child, Emma-Rose is taken to France to live a safer and better life. Only her father accompanies her as her mother is expressly forbidden by Elias Hartfield—the reining patriarch and her paternal grandfather.
3-17 years old / 1826-1840:
With one hand firmly grasping her father’s, she arrives in France—afraid and with minimal knowledge of French.
She is sent to live on a lesser Hartfield estate just outside of Paris. And despite Elias’ extreme distaste of his grandchild, she is given an education like any other male successor would be. Tutors and professors are brought in to educate her in all areas of art, literature, science, and mathematics. And she takes to it quickly and hungrily. She learns piano and singing. She studies classical art and painting. She pours over philosophical works and rhetoric. She fascinates over natural history and the study of flora. There is never a moment where she does not have ink on her sleeves or a book in her hand.
Eventually, at only 15 years old, she discovers Naturalism. It marries so much of her loves together that it is only natural for her to be hooked instantly.
For a time, she has almost everything for a happy life: a passion to live for, a comfortable home, and close friendships ( Albeit with only two people. But do you really need any more than that? ).
The only blemish in her paradise is her grandfather, whose indignant disapproval persists even into young adulthood. She can be an artistic talent and an academic prodigy but in his eyes, she is forever affixed as the ‘filthy child’. The half-Oriental bastard who holds his legacy hostage.
It should embitter her. And it does. ( What has she ever done to him besides exist? ) But Carter pleads with his daughter to instead turn the other cheek. To meet Elias’ racism and bigotry with grace and forgiveness. If she can love crawling, creeping, insects and slimy slugs surely she can love her own grandfather.
So her anger morphs into ambition. If she cannot spit his poison back in his face, she will ingest it, purify it, and make it fuel.
She will make herself undeniable—the best heir he could have ever imagined. Intelligent, accomplished, kind, graceful. She may even push herself to be bold, even if it is wholly against her nature.
But she knows this for certain. She will garner his praise, even if it is against his will.
18 years old / July 1841 :
Her first encounter with tragedy occurs as the death of a dear friend.
Quentin Ross: A prolific painter who was so often the life of the party. He was born into old money but he never sneered at her less than perfect pedigree. He saw her for so much more than that. He had always felt restless for most of his life but when he met her…it was if the world settled to a comfortable and happy stillness. ( She had that affect on most of the people she was close to. ) And whenever Emma was fearing that her life ( and her in turn ) was becoming too boring, too simple, too meaningless, Quentin would spin her around and make her dance with him. He was enthusiasm and joy personified. He loved life to the point of fearlessness.
When he is arrested and jailed for sodomy, she quickly makes plans to get him out. However, she is foiled when Elias hears of her association with the newly disgraced painter. She hurries to work around this new obstacle, but all too soon, her plans lose their purpose. Quentin dies in jail and grief renders her inconsolable for weeks.
She crawls into herself deeper, reaching for her work as distraction. She uses it as a reminder of all the beauty that is still left in the world, even if that world is now without him.
18 years old / December 1841:
Despite being in pain, the months following his death are quite productive for her academic career. Naturalism is the only thing that she does not lose desire for. Instead, she finds a renewed hope in it. Quentin’s beauty is gone but perhaps she can preserve the rest of the world in her writing. The universe seems to pity her and— in exchange for her suffering—is rewarded with a few notable publications of her work.
Still, she does not escape the unexplainable effects of grief. Losing a loved one, it changes your insides and turns you unrecognizable. It makes you half-crazed with loss, urging you to actions you never dared to do before.
When she hears of a scientific exploration set to embark into the China Sea and Indian Ocean, she knows—deep in her soul—that she cannot let the opportunity pass. Or more accurately, the opportunity will not let her pass. The idea of discovery grips her, possesses her.
In an act of pure rebellion, she boards La Favorite with no permission from her family.
18-20 years old / December 1841- January 1844:
It is a reckless thing, to join an expedition on a whim. It doesn’t even occur to her that her safety is not guaranteed. However, whatever higher being that exists seems to smile down on her. The expedition is blessed with minimal conflicts and good sailing conditions for most of the trip. On this endeavor, she works under the tutelage of another more seasoned naturalist and she learns a great deal from them. Being away from France, from the place of her grief, seems to heal her. And the open salt air and new locations, gives her the drink of freedom she never even knew she wanted. Once again, she is a blooming sunflower. She finds even more importance in being a kind and gentle force in the world.
There is already so much pain in existence. Why add to it?
20 years old / February 1844:
All dreams, no matter how good, must end. She returns to Paris to meet the ire of her father and, more significantly, her grandfather. She had left with only a letter, telling them vague details of the expedition as so to keep them from thwarting her plans once again.
She knows she will meet some sort of punishment, but she underestimates her grandfather’s anger.
Marriage to Louis François Barbineaux. A man she doesn’t know. A widower in search of a new wife to act as mother for his four young children.
Elias holds the threat over her head like a guillotine.
Marriage would be the end of her and he knows it. Her freedom, her work, her accomplishments, her birthright and inheritances, would all fall into her husband’s possession. She would turn into nothing once again.
With haste, she finds it in herself to propose a deal. If they want her to go down the aisle, they will have to drag her—kicking and screaming. She will disgrace their good name to all of France if she must. Or they can allow her one more expedition. One that is mutually beneficial.
She has heard of the Agathe—which is set to sail into the Arctic to find a passage to China. It would give Hartfield Trading a great advantage to know of such a thing, she claims. And when I return, I will gladly and calmly marry whoever you choose. Just let me have this last one.
In truth, she has little care for trade routes. The Arctic is unexplored, ripe for a naturalist to discover. If she could get there first, her name would go down in history. With the uniqueness of her research, a publication of this content wouldn’t just make her famous. It would make her rich. Rich enough to leave her family’s control and live her life as she wishes.
With her father’s convincing, Elias allows Emma-Rose her deal.
21 years old / March 1845:
She sets sail once again. On her first expedition, she was running away from grief. Now, she is sailing towards freedom. Hope courses through her and she truly believes that all her dreams will come true in the tundra.
22 years old / June 20, 1845:
Her birthday is a joyous occasion as she celebrates with found friends on the Agathe.
22 years old / June 21, 1845:
The universe delivers the worst birthday present ever.
