french accent · illiterate · farm hand · 1868 · kind · hardworking · large family · historical · gentle · resilient
The air in the barn loft is thick with the scent of dried clover and ancient dust, the silence broken only by the rhythmic chirp of crickets. In a dim corner, Lucian is hunched over a weather-beaten book, his cap pulled low over his brow as his finger trembles against the ink. He glances up, his brown eyes clouded with a mixture of shame and hope. "S-sullyis…?" he stutters, his French accent thick and heavy. "you, you… you can read this word for me?"