Amy Cavaliere, character in Two Paradises fantasy/fiction realm

from *The Essential Paradise*, series sourcebook

#### **Amy Leigh Cavaliere** is an occasional character in stories set in the Two Paradises fantasy/fiction realm, as devised by author Jonnie Comet.

She is a first cousin of the Cavaliere siblings and niece of Lord and Lady Paradise, being the eldest daughter of Andrew David Cavaliere, younger brother of Lord Paradise.

## Personal information

* Full name: Amy Leigh Anne Cavaliere
* Nicknames: ‘Ame’ (pronounced ‘*AIM*’)
* Birthdate: 27 June 1982 (Cancer)
* Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, USA
* Parents: Andrew and Michelle Cavaliere
* Nationality: United States citizen
* Residence: Benton-and-Avery, Connecticut
* Height: 150 cm [4 ft 11 in]
* Weight: 41.5 kg [91 lb]
* Figure: slender yet curvy, as for developing adolescent
* Hair: blonde
* Eyes: hazel
* Complexion: medium; easily tanned
* Ethnic background: English, Italian, German
* Religion: Roman Catholic
* School: Our Lady of Grace, Avery, Connecticut; grad. class of 2000
* Story arcs: Paradise One, Paradise Two; 1994-2002

Amy appears in several of the Paradise One episodes taking place in 1994 and 1995, particularly over the seasons during which the Cavaliere family traditionally host numerous guests at Camelot estate. Shy and a reluctant joiner of the Strategy games, she distinguishes herself as a member of her cousin Jonathan’s Silver Knights, befriends several of the more regular players, including Jenny Talbot, Trudy Wells, and Bonnie Watson, and draws amourous attention from both Ken Holmes and Harvey Sawyers.

Amy attends an all-girls Roman Catholic secondary school near Hartford, Connecticut, where she is scheduled to graduate 12th year in June 2000. Though sheltered socially, she is intellectually precocious and artistically gifted and well-admired amongst the family for her ladylike deportment and virtue. As an occasional character in several Two Paradises episodes, she is seen to develop from a naivechild into a self-aware, confident young lady.

## Appearance

Amy appears to favour the English side of her family’s genetic background, due to her blonde hair, but has brown-hazel eyes and a medium-fair complexion that fosters deep sun colour. She is naturally short and slight, but at age 12-13 is blessed with a burgeoning figure that will undoubtedly surpass those of her cousins Lady Caroline and Lady Kimberley. Perhaps due to this, she is a fast favourite of her shapely cousin Lady Susie, whom she admires greatly and who accepts her like a particular friend or natural sister.

Amy is the only lefthander in her immediate family. Her cousin Jonathan, also lefthanded, seems to adopt her as a favourite as well, showing her techniques to holding a pellet-gun and sharing with her his (lefthanded) guitars. She is lefthanded in both shooting and archery, though her dominate eye tends to be her right.

### Modes of attire

Amy seems to prefer typically-feminine frocks, skirts, stockings and hose, and proper shoes, dressing habitually as though for Sunday Mass or for important school, family or parochial events. Most of her shoes are low-heeled, nonetheless elegant for a girl of her age and on which she receives frequently compliments. Entering the the fray of a Strategy game with Jonathan and Christopher in *Rain Game*, she is still dressed from Palm Sunday chapel service and conducts her assigned operation in a frilly frock, white thigh-high hose and ivory-coloured leather shoes, all of which become soiled in the damp. In *All In The Game* she is again caught in a frock and fine shoes; but upon joining his side she is encouraged by Jonathan to change into a swimsuit, in which she becomes comfortable in the company of new acquaintances and adeptly discharges the duties of the game.

### Toplessness

Amy is shy about wearing anything too clingy, dreading any appearance of showing off her breasts, which through puberty develop in advance of those of her peers. However she owns several bikini swimsuits which flatter her attractively; and Kimberley admires her, commending her on her ‘womanliness’. Though encouraged by Susie to sunbathe topless with her, Amy does not adopt the Paradisian habit of remaining barebreasted in the company of others and, often awkwardly, covers herself whenever anyone whom she does not expect draws near.

## Character

As a Cancer, Amy is naturally genteel and reticent, almost shy, but possesses a keen mind and strong powers of perception. She conducts herself with old-fashioned modesty and grace, making her seem like an outcast amongst those of her age at home (even at Catholic school) but an exemplar of ladylike deportment in Paradise, where her connection to Lord Paradise and his family lends her a certain notoriety. She is unfailingly honest, characteristically forthright and exceptionally intelligent, but will defer to those more experienced or otherwise dominant when she expects she may be challenged in a crowd.

She is fond of children and is particularly doting to her siblings and other younger ones, who come to accept her authority as a caring, older protector.

## Relationships

Amy is very dear to the older generations of her family and ever eager to visit her grandparents and uncles and aunts, as well as her cousins, about the Connecticut River valley.

She is also well-liked by her cousins’ friends who frequent Camelot, especially the girls. Trudy, Bonnie, Jenny and Mickey Davies all befriend her as soon as they know who she is, all (save perhaps Jenny, who seems to be jealous of her) eager to include her in whatever the cliques of girls have got going on during Festival and, later, during high season. Darby St Claire tends to shun her, less due to Amy’s own character than to Darby’s own fear of girls who appear both attractively feminine and sexually unavailable.

Amy does not know of, nor would she approve of, Susie’s same-sex interests.

Despite her increasing maturity she prefers the company of her cousin Lord George, her younger cousin Lady Kimberley and Lady Kimberley's friend Nilsa Bonetti, who are more like happy children than socially-conscious young adults, and tends to seek them out when nothing else beckons her attention.

As of Easter 1995 Amy has never dated and in fact her parents, in addition to sending her to an all-girls school, have recommended that she refrain from unchaperoned outings with boys till after her high-school graduation, a policy which Amy accepts as being in her best interests. Once in Paradise, she is blushingly shy around the boys who take an interest in her, including Ken, whom Lord Jonathan, aware of his friend’s typically Machiavellian methods with girls, and without Amy’s knowledge, dissuades from pursuing her. After being teamed with Harvey during several Strategy operations, Amy concedes to attend a street show with him near the end of Festival. Quite uncharacteristically she does not ask her parents beforehand; but whilst surprised they are not disappointed or upset with her for it, actually appearing to approve of Harvey, who is noted as a respectful young gentleman. Amy will continue to correspond with Harvey over the ensuing weeks before high season, when she returns to Camelot for an extended stay (during which they date again).

## Interests

Amy is accomplished in archery, in which she competes at school. She has also shot air rifles at a range in Connecticut with her father and other cousins. She is an accomplished competitive swimmer. Her family keep a Cavaliere 37 cutter in southern Connecticut, on which she sails often, and she is keen on sailing the game boats with Jonathan and his team.

Artistically, she draws and paints, having had several of her works featured in regional youth exhibits in Connecticut. She studies classical piano, plays flute in the school orchestra, and sings in both school and church choirs. She is well-read and exceptionally literate, fond of composing poetry, and corresponds with numerous friends and family members, to whom she writes handwritten letters, a preference which her cousin Kimberley seems to have adopted from her.

## Appearances in the stories

Amy is the first substantive story character of the entire Two Paradises realm who is not a proper Paradisian resident. She appears first in *Twilight Comes Soon*, the initial instalment of the Paradise One domain, a collection of vignettes about the Cavaliere siblings’ life at Camelot. She and her family first visit Paradise over the American Thanksgiving holiday in late November 1994, which the Cavalieres celebrate with turkey dinner, coincident with Lord Paradise’s birthday.

She returns with her family over Festival 1995, appearing in the *All In The Game* episodes, and over high season 1995, during which she appears frequently in numerous segments

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Doc. 6.11.11. b. 2015.1215. Original content ©Jonnie Comet Productions. All rights reserved