Hi Guys and welcome to a new story! So, I'm calling this Class vs Character at the moment, but this may change in the future. So, give this a read and let me know what you think! I would just like to point out that I know very little about this part of history, so I've decided to set this in a different universe to our own, so nothing is wrong :P
Summer always meant one thing for the Diamond Family, and that was money. Well, more money than the family were already making, but money nonetheless. You see, the Diamond Family were easily one of the wealthiest families in California, due to their acres of farmland and vineyards. Since the late 1600's, the family had set up a small vineyard, and over the 100 years since then, the families wealth grew at an exponential rate.
What was once a small vineyard soon became acres, and what started with only grapes soon became a factory of almond, walnut and even strawberry production, each only furthering the families wealth. And this was only on the agricultural side. The family were always quick to accept new inventions, trying to try the most efficient ways to produce and sell more.
Now, in 1917, it had reached the point where none of the Diamond Family even consider working the fields any more. Why would they, when they could pay the peasants to do it for them. Instead, the family reaped the rewards of the inherited land, and live off the vast wealth the family had collected, throwing parties, and involving themselves in the politics of the local area, if only to increase the wealth they possess. Really, the family only had one concern big enough for them to warrant any kind of worry and that was the creation of a lineage, a way for them to secure that the family would continue and their business would only grow further.
And this is where the current Diamond Family has stagnated. You see, in 1896 Henry and Brooke Diamond became the proud parents of their first born child James. Even from a young age, everyone admired James' beauty and intelligence, so the worry for an heir was never an issue. Both parents believed that girls would queue from miles just to witness the beauty of the boy, so the chance of him marrying would be high. Of course, the suitor would need to be evaluated, to see if they were worthy of not only marrying into the family, but also marrying into the wealth and status that it came with.
And so many noble women queued and were evaluated, and every single one of them was shot down by James. Every single woman presented to James was turned down, due to a unique flaw and a different reason. Every time, James managed to pick up on something that was slightly off, something that was enough for him to raise a complaint to his father about, something he knew would get them removed from the long list of suitors.
In reality of course, there was nothing wrong with these girls, but to James they all shared something that he wasn't attracted to. That of course, was their gender. James wasn't attracted to woman, and no amount of make-up or making out would be able to change that. He often found himself staring at the noble woman's guard due to their muscular frame, or even their brothers on many occasions. And on many occasions, he even found himself with some of them, sharing a moment or two, while they offered a 'tour' of their grounds.
Of course, James wasn't really attracted to any of them, and was completely against much more than a quick session, so that kept them apart. The other major factor was that it was illegal to have homosexual relations with another man during this time, with the consequences being up to 15 years in prison, so James knew that the reward wasn't worth the risk, especially if that risk would occur on a regular basis. And so since the age of 16, James had followed the same pattern to avoid getting married. He'd find a flaw in his suitor, one he knew his father would find repulsive, possibly sleep with a bodyguard or brother, and then wait until this father introduced the next girl to repeat the process.
Of course, life wasn't this way for everyone within America, especially for one family in Wichita, Kansas. In 1898, George and Jennifer Knight gave birth to their very own baby boy, who they named Kendall. While the family were nowhere near as prosperous as the Diamonds, they were happy, living off the income George produced. In 1905, Jennifer gave birth to their second born, a small girl named Katie, and for the year following that Kendall's life continued to be superb.
However, in 1906 George accepted a job in one of the local mines, knowing it would provide financial stability for his family from the hazard pay alone. Jennifer wasn't happy about the work, knowing that if George died, she'd be left alone with a 8 and 1 year old to raise, but George managed to persuade her, stating the benefits the income for the family would have.
But as we all know, it's called hazard pay for a reason, and when the mine collapsed, the family was left without a father, but also without an income. Kendall and Jennifer grieved George's loss while trying their best to raise Katie. Kendall worked from a young age, trying to provide any kind of income for his family. For a while the small boy worked as a chimney sweep, but he quickly became too old for that. Kendall then started to work as a stable boy, for one of the local families on the outskirts of the city.
Throughout all these years, the income the boy generated was hardly enough to support both him and his family, meaning he had to choose. Most nights Jennifer and Katie ate, and while their meals weren't by any means extravagant, it was enough for them to survive of off. Kendall always made sure of that, even if it meant he would starve. And any times he did but he was safe in the knowledge that his family would eat.
And while Kendall worked for a wealthy family, he was treated with the least respect possible. They family knew of the position Kendall was in, and even then, they would only provide a meal for him very couple of days, knowing the boy wouldn't argue, out of fear of being fired. They would laugh as Kendall mucked out the stables and would often return with their horses filthy from a ride, knowing that Kendall would have to clean and groom then.
He would often work late into the evening, and when he tried to turn in for bed, the residents of the house would be making noise, only to piss him off further. So what if they stayed up until 1:00am, the next day they would just sleep in. Kendall however would have to be up at six, mucking out and cleaning the horses once again, per the request of his superior.
So when the family revealed they were selling their horses in 1917, Kendall was both relieved and horrified. While he wouldn't have to work for such a horrible family any longer, his main source of income was lost, an act that would soon leave him and his family starving.
And this is where our story begins.