Esme Darling

The Story

• Esme was born into a prominent family. Her mother and father had blood that was as blue as the Hope Diamond, but far more hereditarily wealthy. Surprisingly, for a baby that literally had been supplied with a silver spoon, Esmeralda Darling would grow up to be the black sheep of her family in that… she took no happiness from the old family bloodline that opened doors to posh society gatherings. She had absolutely no inclination to be the social darling her mother craved, nor could she ever be the son her father wished for.
  
  It seemed the only thing that she ever did right, was that she danced. Catalina Darling, Esme’s mother, had been a Prima Ballerina in her day. The talent, it seemed, had passed to her only child. So it had to be carefully cultivated. From the age of six to eighteen, Esme was placed in premier ballet schools. When she wasn’t being taught by world renowned dancers… she was being taught by her mother. No private teacher could have possibly been more strict.
  
  Everything was controlled. Her every waking moment from the time her eyes opened to the time they closed. Her diet. Her exercise. Her appearance. Every. Last. Little. Thing. Was controlled by her mother. Catalina would try to form her into the dancer she had lost the chance to be. She would eventually fail. Though, not through any defect on her own behalf… to be assured.
  
  Esme, forced for so long into a mold that did not fit, eventually began seeing possibilities in the world around her. There was nothing she couldn’t do with her family’s influence. What she really wanted, more than anything… was to be a teacher. She loved children. When her mother forced her to attend church, her only consolation was that she was allowed to teach Sunday school. Though she generally took more of an ‘arts and crafts’ approach to distracting the children, instead of the boring book route.
  
  Oddly enough, and not odd at all really, was that church was where her problems began. As mass was held for the wealthy New York families, the restless children found different ways to amuse themselves. Those that were old enough to know better, but still young enough to get away with it, often used their parents weekly show of piousness to slink away and entertain themselves. The back halls of the cathedral turned into corridors full of the latest gossip as the young and reckless traded family secrets. The only one who perpetually refused to join in, was Esme… and it made her stand out. To one boy in particular. Nicholas Devin.
  
  As the saying goes, it wasn’t long before he was finding excuses to see her. Sitting in on her Sunday school classes, then visiting with her during actual school when he learned her classes, eventually he showed up at her ballet practices and recitals. Outside of her family, her cousins only… she’d never had a friend like Nicholas. She’d never felt liked for herself, or that someone wanted to be around her because they wanted to be. There was no familial obligation for him, and it was like a flame she could not escape… and at first, her mother was pleased with the idea. Nicholas came from a wealthy family, close to their own station in society. Her father approved, for he was acquainted with Carew Devin and believed the man’s son to be the right type for his daughter.
  
  Then he began to interfere. It was a slow slide, first being late coming home from classes. Which made her late for ballet. Then it was little things about her appearance that began to change without Catalina’s permission. Arguing with her mother was next… something that, up until months before she had met Nicholas, would have been unthinkable. Catalina, who’s authority had never been questioned, began to tighten her iron grip… but this boldness, that had begun with stolen moments and later stolen kisses, would only grow stronger.
  
  Esme thought she knew what was right and what was wrong, she believes Nick when he told her that her mother was controlling her for an ends to her own means. She believed him when he whispered promises that he couldn’t keep. She believed him when he told her she was stronger than she looked… and she gave him everything. Despite her mother’s strong rule, their relationship lasted for over two years… the first went well, the second… less so. In the midst of their relationship, she was accepted into Julliard for dance. She of course, accepted. It was the only thing she believed she could do well… and her mother threatened her with all manner of things if she refused.
  
  Nicholas did not approve of her going away from him. Though the distance was not a great one, it was further than he liked. Like her mother… Nicholas had an interest in control as well. Esme, would not see it until it was too late… and he would all but literally destroy her. Against her better judgment, and because she’d already given in to him before, Esme didn’t find anything strange with the idea that every time he came to see her… he insisted on sex. She had always been careful, dreading what her mother might do if she ever found out. However, carefulness is usually trumped by resourcefulness, and almost definitely defeated by determination. After her first year in college, she found herself pregnant, and she was terrified.
  
  The only person she had gotten close to in the time she’d been there was Lilith. An incredibly talented pianist whom, eventually, would turn into one of Esme’s most loyal friends. At that point in time, she was the one who would catch Esme as she fell apart. There were not many options, less when Esme realized she could not consider some of them at all. Though she did not believe in her parent’s religion… she believed in life, and the absoluteness of it. So when that was decided… she could only do one thing. Confess.
  
  All-in-all, Catalina took it better than Esme gave her credit for. The blame had been shoved on Nicholas, and while Andrew Darling was ready to marry his daughter off after the first mention of a child, her mother was far more conniving than that. She was also far more vindictive. She would not give Nicholas the pleasure of knowing what was happening, she orchestrated the situation so perfectly… even her closest society friends were none the wiser that her daughter had become so damaged. When her condition could be hidden no further, Esme was whisked away to her parents European home for the remainder of her pregnancy. She had expected it to be torture, imprisonment in the French countryside. It had, however, been more relaxing than she had imagined.
  
  The birth had been terrifying. She’d never felt such pain in her life. Unfortunately, she’d had the same condition as her mother… and when all was said and done, she was informed that she would not be having children again, unless she wanted to seriously risk her life. The baby though, a little girl, was for one moment the brightest spot in her life. Holding the squalling infant in her arms, Esme cried. Tired, hurting, and ready to collapse… she let the tears fall as she kissed the small fingers curled around her own. “Her name is Milla… Milla Rose…” Catalina, who had been deceptively reassuring until then, responded with a crushing revelation, “Her mother will name her. Not you.” Just like that, what should have been hers by right was taken away without consent.
  
  There was no controlling her after that. No drug her mother could force-feed her that would make her compliant. No threat harsh enough to coerce her into returning to how it had been. Not even physical violence, though it had at first shocked her into submission… became ineffective. The only person who seemed capable of reigning Esme in, much to Catalina’s extreme displeasure, was Esme’s common friend Lilith. For a moments piece though… Catalina let her daughter mark time with the young woman, who if nothing else, at least had decent manners, a sterling reputation, and a shining talent.
  
  Of course, rumors began to spread like wildfire. If high society loves anything… it is good gossip. Once the Darling women had left New York for their extended vacation, there was speculation of why. When the vacation was repeatedly extended… the rumors grew hotter. No matter how adept Catalina was at manipulating the truth, she was not good enough to stop the rumor mill once it gained speed. Then her daughter threw accelerant on the entire situation when she up and moved out of their house to an apartment complex controlled by Julliard.
  
  A deal had been struck between father and daughter… that should she return to school, finish her training, and no longer tarnish the name of their family… she could live apart from her family. Her mother, however… chose to opt out of the situation entirely, and denounced her daughter. Andrew could deal with her from then on. The culmination of all these choices, would prove to be almost fatal in the end. Nicholas, though he’d been cut from the picture… was not entirely gone. The rumors of a child finally reached the top tears of their society, Nicholas… though the rumors could never pin down who the father was… knew it had to be his. The idea that this had been kept from him, that he had failed to control Esme to the point that this could be hidden, enraged him. Needless to say, the ensuing drama left a lot broken, but paved the way for a new start.
  
  Disowned by her mother and graduated from Julliard, as per her agreement, Esme suddenly cut ties with her family. Their handling of her had been so terrible, that she could no longer consider them to be anything more that terrible acquaintances. She would spend the next couple years… struggling to get by, and struggling even harder to track down her daughter. She would eventually succeed, around the same time that she gave in to Lilith and took a job at The DollHouse. Sabine’s contacts would make it possible to find Milla, and have her safely returned. Though, by now, Esme was so torn about the entire situation. She could not entirely admit that Milla was hers… instead referring to her as her niece… though slowly, she is coming to grips with the fact that she has always been a mother. Distantly, but never wavering.
  
  Milla, now five, has settled into life with Esme and the other girls in their house. She grows more aware of Esme as her mum… and remembers less of the old parents she’d once possessed. While she feels guilty, not knowing what has become of Milla’s former guardians… Esme elects not to question the circumstances or events that brought the little girl back to her. Knowing all that she does now… it is quite possible, that she would not like the answers she got back.

• Connections

  Friends

  	Dr Evelyn Via-Cabrera (played anonymously)
  Friend through Iz and Z

  	Braeden Donnelly (played by f0x1nth3b0x)
  The nice guy who works at the comic shop.

  	Lavinia Lynn (played by Loki)
  Friend from work

  	Dahlia Leighton (played anonymously)
  Roommate and friend who has more to her than she lets on.

  	Lilith Anwen (played anonymously)
  Roommate and sweet friend.

  	Sabine Reine (played anonymously)
  Boss and friend through Lilith

  	Ayami (played anonymously)
  Roommate and sweet friend.

  	The DollHouse (played anonymously)
  Work

  	Izabet (played anonymously)
  Friend through Sabine

  Family

  	Emmett Darling (played by TornBySanity)
  Cousin

  	Milla Darling (played anonymously)
  Daughter

  Acquaintances

  	Namas (played by Loki)
  Acquantance through work

  	Briseis Castellano-Orcini (played anonymously)
  Society Acquaintance

  	Maalik-Majid (played anonymously)
  Acquaintance through Z