Welcome one and all to my first (in a very very long time) fanfiction :) Any suggestions and constructive criticism is most definitely welcome :D I'm not a hundred percent sure if i'm going to keep the story going yet, that will entirely depend on the reader (or myself).
I do not own American Horror Story :( But I do own Gwendolyn "Spinneret" Mark :)
I hope you enjoy :)
- ParadoxPoet
Chapter 1
The day was bright and warm, a perfect day for the normal family but ideally not for Gwendolyn Mark.
The young adult had more on her mind then some bright object that made her eye hurt or caused a rash to break out onto her skin. Like how in the world was she going to get an order of eight bridesmaids dresses done by tomorrow afternoon. It would be another all night project but Gwen didn't mind at all.
She was the best and fastest seamstress in her little town but as far as everyone new it was the Madam, shop owner and sales women who could pull of such fine, detailed needle work, and lace finishing on the gowns. It ranged everywhere from bridal gowns to baby baptism dresses, all sizes all colors. Occasionally she would get the odd repair job but most of the time her talent was put to a better use.
In the cool basement where the dresses where made Gwen watched as she added the finishing touches on her latest project before the brides maid dresses. Her hands work carefully and quickly as they moved with the needles and the silk fabric. Pulling and twisting the baby blue thread she added the final touches to a row of elegant little blue birds flying through a white cotton sky. The little girl's church dress was complete and just in time as high heels clicked down wooden steps.
Carefully Gwen folded the little dress into a light blue box, as she saw Madam come into view. She clicked her tough at the state of the room. Walls filled with fabrics and boxes containing gems, beads, and other trinkets. Different colors, and styles of ribbons, and lace draped over chairs. A table in the middle of the room had an old sewing machine on it along with different threads and little needles in small piles. Decorative boxes where in a pile going up the stairs, making them easily assailable. A few full body mannequins and display bodies here and there. It was nothing fancy, but it was usable.
A dim light bulb in the middle of the room and a lamp on the work table cased an awful shadow of the Madame descending the stairs. "Gwendolyn! do you have the order finished?!" Came a raspy voice, one from years of smoking. Gwen didn't like it, she tried it as all young teens would but it caused her to be sick. Smelly perfume filled her nose, making her scrunch up her face in disgust.
"Yes Madam" Gwen said softly, handing her the light blue box, putting her hands behind and in front of her.
The Madam was always quick to judge her work, apparently the more hands you have the better your work should be. Opening the box, she eyed the child's dress and the little detail before rolling her eyes "It will do" she said with a tone that made Gwen cringe "Where are the brides maids dresses?" She asked looking around.
Gwen froze "I only got the order this morning!" she said her voice in a small panic.
Madam glared at the young women, who looked away from her hardened stare "I don't want excuses! I don't pay you for being lazy!"
"Maybe it you hired more staff"
"And risk people seeing you! HA!" Madam laughed her voice rigged "Just you being here puts my business at risk, oh god if people found out" She gasped at the thought of people finding out that the true seamstress was a freak "It would ruin me" She hissed.
Gwen nodded 'yep that would be bad' she admitted "Just get to work" Madam waved her hand in dismissal at Gwen who nodded, and watched the Madam climb up the stairs before stopping "And for heavens sacks get rid of these spiders!" she complained. Leaving the shy girl to herself again.
Gwen looked at the spiders on the pipping and wood planks that came down from the ceiling and smiled "Don't worry, I won't get rid of you" she reassured watching her little friends work away. She felt she could relate to the tiny creatures in more way then one, they were in fact the true seamstresses of the world.
Gwen moved to the long mirror leaning against one of the walls, and gazed at her reflection. Her dirty blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail for when she worked. Honey colored eyes stared back at her making her smile a little. Her lips where thin and when she smiled her canine teeth showed proudly showing off the elongated and sharpened teeth. She was careful when talking so she didn't bit down on her already thin bottom lip.
She wasn't thin, but she wasn't thick. She was a happy medium with a fair bit of strength to her. Her chest was fair and on the small side but her hips where wide which attached to long legs. She would look normal if it wasn't for a few issues ….
Her problems could have been fixed when she was born! Well the more noticeable ones but without the money her parents couldn't afford to do it. Which was part of the reason she kept her existence a secret when working. She had normal pair shoulders which came to normal arms which lead to a normal pair of hands, nothing to get work up about right? However under her first set was a fully functional second set which were set back a little farther then the first set. Yep, four arms, and four hands.
It also didn't help that she was allergic to the sun, giving her a little bit of a gray complexion over the years. As a child she was kept away from the other children because it could be seen as the devils work, but Gwen just didn't want to frighten anyone. It was her Aunt who taught her how to sew to pass the time, but the time came when her Aunts second husband found a better living solution for Gwen.
It didn't bother Gwen, people move on and like a spider she had to find a new place to make a home. Her parting gift was a light brown knitted poncho that went past her knees as a child, even as an adult it ended about mid thigh. For such long legs she wasn't very tall.
Sighing Gwen straightened herself and pulled on the shoulders of her tank top and straightened the makeshift holes she had cut out for her second pair of arms. Looking over the order for the bride's maids dresses, she squinted at the messy writing. 'Penmanship is everything' as she puffed out her cheeks in distaste at the Madams writing. She was naturally a left handed gal, but taught herself to write with her right. On her second set it was reversed, she was natural right handed and had a bit of trouble with the left but no matter the hand her penmanship was always perfect.
Gwen glared at the little word "Pastel pink" scribbled down. She knew for a fact that they didn't have pastel pink nor have they ever carried it! The closest to was a weird blush pink, which wasn't the same. Endless they wanted to go for the off white pink or rose pink but again totally different!
If there was one thing Gwen would strongly suggest was that the Madam was color blind. Gwen moaned in frustration as she would probably have to do the dresses over again. It wasn't the sewing she hated, she just wasn't sure how much pink she could handle.
Gwen smiled as she cut the fabric until she heard a loud creek of the door upstairs. "Hello?" a voice called down. Gwen froze in place for a moment, it definitely didn't sound like the Madam. The accent was completely off! "I'm looking for the seamstress of this fine establishment" The voice called as heels hit wood steps.
"Ah yes, yes! Sorry Miss, one moment it you don't mind" Gwen calmed herself grabbing her poncho which hid her second set, and smoothed out her green skirt. She finished making herself seem more presentable when the stranger hit the final few steps.
Gwen noticed that she was a beautiful women. Hair up and neatly curled, not a wrinkle in her clothes. She carried a jacket under her arm, and a clutch in the other. "Hello my dear, you are the seamstress I presume" She said each word flowed like poetry from her lips.
"Yes I am miss" Gwen said softly
"Good my dear, I am in need of some talented hands to fix an awful rip in the lining of my jacket" She said sweetly "Can you?"
"Uh, yes of course miss…?" Gwen froze realizing she didn't know the women's name.
"Elsa, Elsa Mars" She politely said sitting cross legged on a nearby chair watching closely. No one ever watched Gwen work and it made her a little nervous, especially since she was only using two hands.
"It's nice to meet you miss Mars. I – I am Gwendolyn Mark" she smiled "but just Gwen is fine" Gwen flushed in embarrassment before looking down and started to work.
He fingers looked for the rip in the lining expecting something big before she found a small rip, and smiled. She could tell Miss Mars was watching her closely. Gwen couldn't tell if she was looking at the jacket or her.
Gwen let out a little breath, she could feel the sweat starting to form from nerves or maybe it was the poncho.
"My dear you look like your cooking" Gwen looked at Elsa "Perhaps taking off the …. Poncho would make you feel better" she stated
Gwen turned flush, yes it would be smart but she was a total stranger "NO!" Gwen quickly said earning a raised eye brow from Miss Mars "I mean I'm fine! Uh, thank you for your concern"
Elsa smiled the rest of the time was spent silent. When Gwen was finished she healed up the jacket and showed it off. Elsa smiled and examined the work "My dear it was like it was never damaged, truly talented"
"Thank you miss mars" Gwen said happily. It was rarely that someone complimented her for her own work.
Elsa smiled "You know Gwendolyn, I didn't come just for the jacket" she said, Gwen raised a brow "I came for you"
Gwen was a little taken back. 'For me … What?!' she thought. She admitted the Miss mars was attractive yes but she wasn't her type. "I'm afraid I don't understand" Gwen's voice laced in a slight worry.
Elsa just smiled like it happened a thousands of times before "My dear Gwen" She started sitting back down and motioned for Gwen to take the empty chair across, which she did "I run Fraulein Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities" she said making it sound grand.
"A … freak … show" Gwen said slowly
"Of sorts yes" she said "I want you to come and join us, to join our family"
"A family" Gwen smiled a bit
"Yes! A family" Elsa repeated again "We need a young women such as yourself!"
Gwen's smile faded "Even with my … um … issues"
"My dear Gwen that is what makes you the best seamstress in all of this little dirty town!" Elsa said standing up and held out her hand. Gwen gently took it and stood up "Now let's see"
Gwen gulped some air and carefully lifted her arm holding all four out in front of her. Elsa looked them over before giving Gwen a comforting smile "My dear, you are a sight to see. You know longer have to stay locked away my Spinneret. Will you let me take you home?" She asked.
Gwen felt her eyes burn with tears and nodded "Let me pack my things" she said taking out an old typewriter bag and filled it. Her sewing supplies outnumbered the amount of things she actually owned. She was using all four arms in a hurry, she didn't even need to look to know where everything was. To say the least Elsa was impressed "That has to have been the fastest packing I've seen yet" she laughed as they made it up the stairs. Gwen grabbed her umbrella on the way up, the sun was such a bothersome thing.
Gwen tucked in her second set of arms in out of habit. Her umbrella and case held close to her chest by her first set. She smiled as they reached the main floor, everything was so shiny and clean.
"Come alone dear" Elsa said but only stopped out a moment when they heard a ragged voice from behind them.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Gwen turned to see a streaming mad Madam "You know you're not allowed up here! Get back in the basement where you belong!" She whispered harshly trying not to draw the attention of the other customers.
"N – NO!" Gwen said "I'm leaving with Miss Mars!"
"Like. Hell. YOU. Are!" She hissed. Reaching for Gwen who took a step back "No one will ever hire a freak like you"
"Well someone just did!" Gwen snapped "Good luck trying to replace your only and the best seamstress around!" Gwen said turning her head and walking out the door, a few women stared "oh and by the way!" Gwen said turning around and pulling out the order form for the eight dresses with her right hand on her second set and setting the left on her hip. A few women gasped in fear and one screamed making the act more dramatic then necessary "We've never carried Pastel Pink you blind bat!" She said tossing order form to Madam before pausing "uh, I – I have nothing else to say … GOOD DAY!" Gwen said turning around dramatically before strutting out of the store.
It wasn't till she was beside Elsa again, hiding under the dark umbrella did she feel the heat rising in her face "I can't believe I just did that" She squeaked.
Elsa chuckled "Yes, my dear but let's save it for the stage"
Gwen laughed at the comment. Excitement filled her as she entered the car and made their way down the street. Finally she was going to a place that would accept her for who she was!
She was going home.