The creation of the personification of Nova Scotia
I looked at the grave before me, my old name was written across the stone with my date of birth and date of end. Or, the date of end for Sandra. I was still alive, this Sandra who was believed to be dead at the bottom of this grave. Though I was no longer Sandra, no, my name now was Nova Scotia or for those who know me very well Faye Lee Williams. Wind scattered the leaves around me and ruffled my hair up and into my face. I sighed letting out a breath of white air. It had been so long since I had been in the States, several decades now I do believe. It was strange to be here knowing it was no longer my country, that now Canada was my country, the country I belonged to, the country I was a part of.
I am the personification of Nova Scotia and this is how I came to be called that.
It was several decades ago that I was given this name, this duty to my mother's country. I was still young in this world and very sick of it already. The people around me meant nothing, the scenery meant nothing and the world meant nothing. It was all just a blur of repetition day in and day out. It bored me for the longest of times. Then I met Matthew Williams, the personification of Canada. I had no clue at the time how this meeting would change my life and how much I would both lose and gain in it.
"I'm so sorry." I exclaimed reaching out to help the man I had knocked into up. He had dark blonde hair with an odd little curl and violet and blue eyes like the Aurora Borealis. He looked up at me and smiled.
"No, no, i-it's my fault for not watching where I was going. I'm so sorry miss." The man said. Though he took my hand after a second of hesitating. I pulled him up and began to collect the paper's we had both scattered around. He made a worried sound and began to collect them as well. My trousers splattered with paint pressed against the hard floor as I crouched down to reach a far flung paper. The black shirt I wore shifted against me as I stretched and settled papers against my chest. I wore not corset as was popular these days and had a very boyish figure that I adored. My hair was short as was also the style, but more boyishly than most would dare. It helped with my schooling and occupation of being an artist and journalist in these times.
"Ah, these papers are yours sir." I said pulling his papers out of my pile and handing them to him. He nodded his thanks and exchanged them for the papers of mine he had collected. A quick glance at his pocket watch made his face go pale and he jumped up to run off.
"Thank you very much miss, but I must be going now." The man called dashing away. I watched him go clutching my reports in hand tempted to go after him to figure out just what was going on with him. I looked down at my own pocket watch and ran to the news room to hand in my reports. If I was late the boss would kill me or worse fire me for simply being late and being a woman.
A few hours later I walked out of the news offices and onto the busy streets of Washington D.C. It was around 5 or 6 now and I needed to be getting home to my little brother and sister, plus my mother who would be worried by now. It was getting darker and darker and I knew if I didn't hurry it'd be too dark to see and it would take me forever to make my way home.
"M-Miss!" A voice called. I spun around to see the man from earlier waving at me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up to me. "Ah, you seem to be a little worried miss. I-Is something wrong?" The man asked. I was puzzled as to why he was asking me such a questioned when we did not know each other than that collision from earlier. He must have noticed my hesitation and held out a hand.
"My name is Matthew Williams, what's your miss?" He asked smiling. His smile was sincere unlike others and I couldn't help but to smile back at him.
"Hello Mister Williams, my name is Sandra Payzant. How may I help you this fine evening?" I questioned taking his hand and shaking it. Another man walked up behind Mr. Williams smiling at us.
"Hey Mattie! You made a new friend." Mr. Williams flinched at the sound and released my hand turning to the man who looked similar to him.
"Sh-she….. I-I…" He looked flustered as his brother or some other relative peered at him.
"I'm his new acquaintance Sandra Payzant, it's nice to meet you Mister….?" I trailed off not knowing this new man's name. The man grinned at me and grabbed my hand to shake it. This was the first time I noticed how they were dressed. Both in suits with an air of importance around them. The military stamp I could faintly make it also fueled that air. They also appeared to have money.
"I'm Alfred F. Jones Miss Payzant. It's nice to meet you." Mr. Jones said still grinning at me.
"It is very nice to meet you too Mr. Jones, but I must be going. I have to get home before the sun sets. Good bye." I said getting my hand back and spinning on my heal to walk away.
"Wait Miss Payzant! We could give you a ride home if you would like!" Mr. Jones called after me. I paused thinking over this preposition while chewing on my lip. If I took the ride I would be home before dark, but I would be in the car with two men I did not know very well at all. "We promise to just give ya a ride home Miss Payzant and nothin' else." Mr. Jones said smiling at me. Mr. Williams beside him nodded seeming worried about my wandering around in the dark.
"C'mon, it'll only be a few minutes Miss Payzant." Mr. Jones said flinging his arm over my shoulders and leading me towards an automobile. I assumed it was his and tried to protest against him but it was useless as he continued to drag me towards the automobile. He opened the passenger's door for me and smiled. I blinked owlishly before slowly climbing in making sure my bag was safe. He shut the door and Mr. Williams climbed into the back with Mr. Jones driving.
"Well Miss, what's your address?" Mr. Jones asked still smiling. I blinked and pulled myself out of my stupor to respond. I gave him my address and he was off. I stayed silent and Mr. Jones babbled on about different things and such. Mr. Williams I noticed was also quiet. I watched as Mr. Jones talked as if unaware that neither of us was paying attention. He seemed an upbeat man full of spunk and happiness. But that air of importance made me want to question him about what he was doing here. It was Washington D.C. after all; it wouldn't surprise me if he were a delegate or government officer. The question that plagued me though was why was he here? Who were he and Mr. Williams? Why did he have that military stamp on his jacket?
"So what do you think about women being given the right to vote Miss Payzant?" His questioned startled me and I dug around for an answer.
"It is interesting that we're now being given this right even though some women want to keep the lives of women and men separate from each other. I am for having the right to vote of course, I think it's necessary for us." I said nearly letting out a sigh of relief at my answer. Mr. Jones hummed thinking about my answer and Mr. Williams smiled. I blinked in confusion, but didn't questioned it was we came to my home.
"Thank you very much for the ride here Mr. Jones, Mr. Williams." I said opening the door of the automobile and stepping out.
"You're very welcome Miss Payzant. I hope we meet each other again soon." Mr. Jones said smiling.
"I hope we meet again soon as well Miss Payzant. Have a lovely night." Mr. Williams said from the back. I nodded and shut the door waiting for them to leave before opened the front door. I closed the door with a sigh and set my bag down. Those two, I could only hope our next meeting, if there was one, would not end in such a way.
"Mother! I'm home from the office!" I called into the hallway. Two pairs of feet came running towards me and my two little siblings flung themselves at me. Mary's light brown hair was pulled back into two braids and her bangs hung in front of her eyes. John's light brown hair was messy as usual covering his forehead and ears.
"Big sister! You're home!" They shouted in unison hugging my legs. I crouched down hugging them both as they laughed as I was finally home.
"Hello dear, how was work?" My mother asked from the doorway leading into the kitchen. I looked up and smiled wearily. My boss had been hard on me for nearly being late and had assigned me a lot of work to be done. I could only be thankful that my coworkers liked me so much as to help me with the work.
"It was…. Good I guess would be the word." I responded standing up. The twins moved out of the way as I walked down the hallway and into the kitchen. Two pots sat on the stove containing tonight's dinner and I smiled. I loved how mother always knew when I would be home.
"Faye! Dude, what are you doing here!" A voice yelled shattering my thoughts of the first meeting. I looked over my shoulder to find Alfred running towards me. His dark blonde hair with that one odd hair that stuck straight up had not changed in the however many decades I had known him.
"Oh, just visiting my past is all. After, I'm supposed to be laying here dead Alfred. It's hard not to visit your own grave from time to time." I responded turning to face the loud American. He smiled sadly at me and threw his arm around my shoulder.
"Well, think about it this way. If Mattie hadn't bumped into you all those years ago you would be laying there dead. But instead you're here, with us Faye. Now let's go get some food, the hero needs some nourishment." Alfred said punching the air above his head. I shook my head at him and sighed.
"I didn't even know you knew that word Alfred." I said playfully. He whined at me, but I just laughed as we began to walk away from my grave. I looked over my shoulder back at it remembering just what had led from that first meeting to this meeting here. Just what had led to this.
Author's Notes:
I'm not sure why I'm publishing this. It's something new I'm starting, but might not finish. It's mainly for when I can't think of what to write for Chasing a Flying Mint Bunny and another fan fiction I have on my laptop I work on periodically. This started from my English class starting the book Water for Elephants and having to watch a movie about the Great Depression. Then it shifted to my routes in Canada and how I love to say I'm from Nova Scotia because that is where my family is right now. Then it became this.
This probably will only be updated when I've already updated Chasing a Flying Mint Bunny and feel like updating this or when I don't feel like updating the main fan fiction. Or when I'm bored. This may or may not have pairing that is still up for debate, but it will be sad and have character death in it. I will not tell you what time period this is because you need to guess. It's honestly not that hard and I'll probably announce it after this chapter. I hope you enjoy this and I hope I can keep up two stories at a time.