Marnie Blackwood

Sweet as can be, **Marnie Blackwood** (Formally *Applewhite* before marriage) is a kind hearted woman who would fight tooth and nail to keep her loved ones happy. She often spends her lonely nights without her husband either painting or in her garden if she's not watching old Western or Elvis movies. Her children are her pride and joy alongside her husband who she often compares to a knight in shining armor. Being as old school as she is, Marnie's only real hobby outside of home is selling her art and bouquets in the farmers market, a business she's had since she was 16 years old.

## Backstory

Born on a sunny July morning, Marnie Applewhite was the second born of a pair of twins. Her brother, **Simon Applewhite**, was born first and because of that he's built a rather protective wall around her. For good reason of course, Marnie and her brother were raised by their mother **Ingrid Applewhite**, a pharisaic woman with her own dark secrets that kept the children homebound with little to no communication with the outside world.

**Pietro Van Der Linde** is the father of Marnie and Simon. He's a German man and a preachers son joined his father for a meeting in a church just a few towns over from his own. That's how he met Ingrid and the two fell head over heels in love. Within the year, they were married and Ingrid was pregnant and moved to the United States. All seemed well until the twins were prematurely born and something within the woman seemed to switch. She was obsessive, protective, and grew insanely paranoid. Both Pietro and Ingrid began to fight and it never stopped until the twins were 5.

Pietro had been struck by Ingrid and for the safety of the children, he packed their things and the three of them left in the middle of the night. It was days before they were found and Pietro was arrested for the kidnapping of the children, their bruises being blamed on him although it was Ingrid who had caused them. Ingrid had called the police when she discovered the kids were gone and played victim which made Pietro wanted and soon wrongfully imprisoned for life while the twins remained in her custody.

When Marnie was 17, she had convinced her mother to let her take up a job as a camp counselor for the summer of 2003. This is where she met her now husband **Bailey Blackwood**. Having spent months writing to one another after camp had ended, Bailey soon came to Marnie in Kansas and as her 18th birthday came around, they had planned to run away together. Simon, rooting for her although he heavily disliked Bailey, was caught in the crossfire between their mother and the couple. In the process of trying to help the two escape, Simon was killed by Ingrid which led to her own arrest and imprisonment. Marnie has never been able to remove that guilt from herself despite Simon's ghost being present but her husband does what he can to make her feel grounded and cared for.

## Family/Friends

Marnie doesn't have many friends outside of her home. Despite her chipper attitude, Marnie is a very lonely woman and often reduces that feeling by watching older movies or spending time with the small family she has. Her eldest son and first of two twins, Brooklyn Blackwood, is someone she wishes she could see more though he's seemingly dropped most contact with the family. Sethen, the second twin, probably has the closest bond with his mother, and Caroline is a very independent mother who visits when she can though sometimes it doesn't feel like enough. Easily, Marnie could leave the home and visit her neighbors but she often struggles with that, falling into the same sheltered ways her mother kept her in when she was young.

When Seth was in his early twenties, he had decided he wanted to live forever with his husband whom had recently taken the role of a **Reaper.** One of the easiest solutions, as recommended by family friend **Elodie Nightingale**, would be to turn to **Vampirism**. Seth accepted this but not without consulting his family. Marnie, distraught she may outlive her son in ways people normally don't, Marnie had asked to be turned as well. This was then done to the rest of the family so they could all live long happy lives with one another.

## Headcanons

- Marnie has loved Elvis Presley ever since she was a baby. Her favorite song of his is *Hot Dog* and her favorite Elvis movie is *King Creole*.

- Marnie has a large collection of pigs. Whether its small porcelain pigs sitting around the kitchen or small stuffed animals in the living room or in their own bed, Marnie has fallen in love with the animal all because of a pet pig she had when she was young named Caesar.

- Every day for 34 years, Marnie has always left a hand written note in Bailey's lunch bag to send with him to work.