Thread: Home From War (Dr. Curiosity&Sweet Angel Jocelyn)

It had taken a whole passing hour before Anthony was actually allowing himself to register passing events of that day. In his absence, Susanna had married another man, a man returned home wounded. She had taken him as her husband in thought that her beloved was gone forever. Anthony had to accept that. He was after all supposed to be dead. He wasn't however, and his first thought was to finally take Susanna Littlefield's hand in marriage. Not anymore. She wasn't even Susanna Littlefield, but Susanna Landry. Anthony forced back tears at the thought of never being to take his only love as his wife. Sitting in his room, Anthony listened to his father through closed door. It's the way life deals it's cards my boy. I know it's unfair, but you should try to be happy for little Susanna. Had you been dead, she would be waiting for a corpse we might have never received. There was a long pause, as Mr. Richardson lit his pipe. He took a single puff of it, before clearing his throat. Mr. Landry is a good man. A former soldier such as yourself.. He almost choked on the words, coughing on the smoke of his pipe. Of course, he won't be as decorated as you will be when the soldiers catch word of Corporal Anthony Richardson Jr.'s return from the dead. Your mother has told half the town already, and there is supposed to be a big announcement to night during the festival. The man almost proud that he would be receiving such attention towards his family. It was good for business. Meanwhile, Anthony picked himself up off the bed and was inspecting the attire set out for him. In the midst of his cleaning the previous night, his mother made sure to remeasure him for the purchase of new clothes. Anthony hadn't grown much, so it hadn't been much of a task letting out very little stitching on an extravagant suit. It was a deep black, with a white shirt underneath. It might have been standard, had there not been such beautiful trimming all over the suit. It was distasteful, at least in Anthony's eyes. He felt like he might have returned as a war hero, not an escaped prisoner of war, who fought the elements and made his way home. What's worse, Anthony's father had set out the family saber, as soldiers often wore to signify their having enlisted in the army. So, loathing it, he tied the ornate black and gold saber to his belt, and looked at himself in the old tall mirror that was propped up in his room. This was not the boy that had left all those years ago. This was a man who had experienced life. A man who knew the cold bitter sting of other men's wrath. A man who watched fate cut the strings of living souls right before him. A hardened man, without love, without reason for life. It was in this moment that Anthony wished he hadn't come back from the war. He wished a stray bullet had taken him on the battlefield, or the bitter cold freeze him under the winter snow. But here he stood, the soon to be appraisal of the town, an icon that he did not want to be. Stepping outside the room, Anthony Richardson Sr. saw a completely different man. He saw a handsome reflection of his younger self. Dark lush brown hair pulled back neatly and tied by a leather strap. Dark green eyes proud to belong to whom they did, minimal diamond shaped freckles on high cheek bones, pursed lips, small nose. All traits of the male half of the Richardson family. A firm built body fitting well in the uniform a soldier deserved. Gold inlay and trimming over a deep black suit, matching well over Anthony Jr.'s tanned skin. Then, the family heirloom, passed down early to a deserving man. The black and gold saber passed down for years by Anthony's forefathers. This, was then next leader of the Richardson line, and he would do them proud. The rest of the family wore slightly simpler attire, but only slightly. Anthony's younger brothers Johnathon and Ezekiel both wore deep blue suits with white and gold inlay, but considerably less. His sister Jenna, age 12 wore a beautiful yellow dress, fitting well against her lighter skin. Mrs. Richardson wore one of her more elegant light blue dresses, while her husband wore a simple black suit, no gold trimming. If only Anthony could switch attire with his father, he would feel less gaudy. He might have switched with the servants if opportunity were presentable. Two of them would be accompanying the Richardson family in very simple brown and white suits that Mrs. Richardson had crafted personally. Slaves as they might be, Anthony's mother Angeline would not allow them to look like they had no proper attire. So the family set off in their large carriage, the whole family buzzing in excitement as they were soon going to announce the return of their son. Anthony could only sit in disdain, watching the setting sun cast beautiful colors across the fields and town. The family arrived 'fashionably' late, as Angeline liked to call it. Later was late in Anthony's eyes, but he understood the purpose. If you came when everybody was there, an entrance would immediately draw attention, not that Anthony's presence wouldn't attract it regardless. To say the Richardson family attracted a crowd would be an understatement. During the war, Anthony's battalion spent one afternoon near a beehive. What Anthony observed was that bees were constantly bombarding the beehive, to the point where it might have seemed like they were fighting to get to it. Right now, Young Anthony felt like that beehive. Hands were thrusts at him, hugs were forced upon him, and greetings were exchanged endlessly. Of course, he had to respond in kind. He responded like a shoulder, back erect, chest out, and chin held high in nobility. It was long before Anthony was actually allowed to move from his starting point, when the majority of the crowd had dwindled down, and the family allowed to move throughout the festival. The entire time, Anthony's eyes were searching. Searching for her . Praying it wasn't true. No man who's hand she had taken in marriage. He saw the Littlefield family, and gave them a kind greeting. They however, knew not of Susanna's location. So, after several minutes, Mrs. Richardson went back to reintroducing her son to the entirety of the town. He shook hands with the mayor and his wife, the barber, store owners, lords, ladies, dukes that had come just to see him. He did not however, shake hands with a retired military man and a wife Anthony was so eager to lay eyes upon. It did strike Anthony though that what would come if they did cross paths? She was married after all. Susanna couldn't be with Anthony regardless of whether they saw each other or not. She couldn't divorce Mr. Landry, as that was a much frowned upon act. Adultery was a sin against the Lord himself. Susanna was gone, forever. Anthony would never have his one true love back.