Object, Matrimony

Author's Note

Hello!

Thank you for reading the first chapter of Object, Matrimony! I did not expect to start another fanfiction about Aaron and, my original character, Victoria (or, as you may be more used to hearing her called, Tor), but here we are, about to start another adventure! A few notes before we continue:

1. This story is not a historically accurate depiction of life in the 1870s, nor will I attempt to make it one. Racism, sexism, ableism, bigotry, and xenophobia permeated life during this time. Anyone who tries to claim otherwise is either ignorant or a liar. I have included the articles below to provide more information about the historic injustices endured by Indigenous tribes, Black people, other people of color, and women during this time. Please take the time to educate yourself on these issues.

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/concepts-african-american-history/black-women-and-the-wyoming-womens-suffrage-act-1869/

https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/wind-river-carlisle-indian-boarding-schools-wyoming-and-nation

https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/chinese/

https://teachingamericanhistory.org/blog/uncovering-the-lost-stories-of-frontier-settlement/

That being said, if I can choose to write a story in which everyone has their teeth, and no one gets dysentery because it makes for a more enjoyable experience, then I can choose to do the same with not writing racism, ableism, bigotry, xenophobia, and violent sexism. There will still be firm gender norms and courtship practices stemming from patriarchal society. But there will be no instances of racism, systemic subjugation and abuse of women, or hatred for groups of people in my story. The characters themselves will say that Sapíia is the exception, not the norm. Please research for yourself what life was like in the 1870s, and do not believe that a fanfiction will be accurate.

2. While this story has many painful elements, I promise you there will be a happy ending. Those of you who have read my previous works, The Hurt And The Healing and Shadows and Light, know that I might put my characters through hell, but I will always show them piecing themselves back together again. We cannot appreciate the light if we do not know the dark.

3. This fanfiction deals with many dark themes, including but not limited to child abuse, sexual assault, violence, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, suicide, disease, references to incest, systemic abuse of groups of people, domestic violence, and murder. There will also be discussions of religion and Bible stories, but these parts are not meant to be dark or triggering. I will provide a trigger warning ahead of any especially intense chapters, but otherwise, assume that the story you are about to read may contain these themes and more. If you are uncomfortable reading a chapter, please let me know, and I will be happy to provide a summary in the comments. Please let me know if I missed a trigger warning for the work or any chapters, and I will correct my mistake immediately. Tags are subject to change as the story progresses.

4. I plan to upload 1 or 2 chapters every Sunday. How many I upload will depend on several factors, such as length and content. I may have to skip and upload due to unforeseen circumstances. Follow me on TikTok @the_grey_lady_weeps or join my discord (https://discord.gg/VufYcqzySw) for updates on the next chapter's release.

5. There is an official Spotify playlist, which you can find here! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OUfaXqN1sJEJSmoukE8zz?si=LjBjOdmoT-qnH_Dt2kpsfg

6. Please comment, even if the comment is a jumble of words or an emoji. I want to hear from you and will respond when I can. I enjoy fandoms because of the communities that come from them. I want to hear your thoughts, ideas, reactions, and polite critiques. You can also follow me on TikTok to get sneak peeks of what's to come and interact with me more directly. All I ask is that you treat me and each other respectfully.

7. A huge thank you to sainthannibal from AO3 for being my editor on this project! If you enjoy excellently written fanfictions that may or may not send you into the fetal position, check out their works at https://archiveofourown.org/users/sainthannibal.

And a huge thank you to you, Dear Reader, for giving this story a chance! I hope you enjoy it!

Yours,

Grey