#Solveig Liv Årud/Sylvia Hall

[acesandocs]

Before I post the short story I've been working on, I wanted to introduce some of Ace’s family, since they're going to be featured. I tried to edit it down to the important stuff but if anyone wants to know more just ask.

Solveig Liv Årud/Sylvia Hall, Ace's Mother

Ace's mom Solveig was born in Kapp along with her two brothers, One of her neighbors was a music teacher and taught her to play the Hardanger fiddle. When she was seventeen she became pregnant by one of her neighbor's students but was urged by her neighbor to never tell him or anyone else of the child's parentage. Having had Ace outside of wedlock Solveig faced a lot of social ostracisation. Her sister in law, who was deeply religious judged Solveig for having a child without marrying. A rumor amongst the townspeople was that Ace's father was actually a fossegrim, that Solveig agreed to have a child with in exchange for teaching her to play the fiddle so well. (there is actually a lot to say on how this affected Ace and his view of himself but we don't have time to get into it rn). After a flood made her and her family homeless they emigrated to America in 1920 at the advice of some friends.

Once they arrived in New York Ace became very ill and bedridden causing them to be left behind as the rest of their family continued further up to Minnesota. While Ace was sick Solveig met and later fell in love with a Swedish immigrant named Eric Hall. She married Eric after knowing him for half a year. Solveig had kept Ace close all her life and not really letting her grow up or stand on her own. So he reacted badly to Solveig marrying. Being jealous and being unable to deal with not being her mothers center of attention, making him lash out. After an argument where Solveig slapped Ace for being disrespectful to her stepfather Ace ran away from home. Ace and Solveig have been estranged ever since, both being too stubborn to try to reconcile. After Solveig married Eric she tried very hard to adapt to American culture, Americanizing her name to Sylvia and trying her best to learn English and not speak with an accent. She currently has two children with Eric. Neither them nor Ace know of each other's existence.

Torbjørn Olaug Årud and Lena Årud, Ace's Grandparents

Lena was born in Kapp and Torbjørn was born in the Lofoten area. He traveled down to Toten to live with a family friend after he became orphaned. He later met Lena and they eventually married. They later had 2 sons, the youngest of them dying after moving away as an adult, later they had a daughter they named Solveig. When Solveig became pregnant at seventeen they decided to support her and help her take care of their granddaughter. In the years immediately after Ace was born she and Solveig lived with them before moving into a smaller house on their property. By this time their oldest had married and taken over the main house on the farm and Torbjørn and Lena moved into another small house on the property.

They emigrated to America with the rest of their family in 1920 and went with the rest to Minnesota leaving Solveig and Ace behind. Lena later died in 1922 after becoming sick. Ace does not know this happened.

Info on the art:

Ace is supposed to be a tortoiseshell cat, witch is something that can be seen in her mother and grandmother as well. this is a reference to the fact that tortoiseshells are mostly female. (source)

Her grandfather is supposed to be a Norwegian forest cat.

The implement Solveig is holding is called a Lyster and it is used to fish. Lyster fishing was usually done when it was dark out, using the Lyster to stab the fish. it was banned in the 1860 but was most likely still practiced afterwards. Today it has become completely illegal. The fish in the bucket are trout, a fish that was commonly caught with a Lyster. (source) Here is a painting depicting it.

I apologize for any spelling mistakes or weird wording, i try my best to read though these before i post them but some mistakes often slip through.

[acesandocs]

Another question answered. thank you again for asking @rudnitskaia!

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Most of Ace's best memories are from his young childhood when he and his mom lived with his grandparents. Fairy tales and folk stories have been a big part of his upbringing, but usually only one person had enough time to sit down with him and tell stories. But there was this one evening in summer...

Here is a post that gives some background info on Aces family for those interested.

Answer under the cut

Åse fought against mom’s constrictive grasp as she cleaned the jam and breadcrumbs off her face with a wet rag. The water was uncomfortable and almost stung, since Åse didn't like having water on her face. When she’d  go swimming she’d always make sure to keep her head above the surface, in the summer when the water was warmer it didn't bother her as much though. Her cousin would often push her head below the water. He knew she hated it, which is why she’d started swimming by herself. She shook her head to get the icky feeling off. 

“I don't understand why she gets like that,’’ Mom said as she sat down with grandpa at the kitchen table. 

Grandma grabbed a cup from the cupboard as she said, “When they're her age they tend to be fussy, she'll grow out of it.’’ 

Åse didn’t like it when adults spoke like she wasn't in the room. Grandma took a can of sweetened condensed milk from the window sill and poured it into a cup. She was already standing with her hands out, waiting impatiently. It was her favorite. Grandpa and uncle Vetle would sometimes bring some from the factory¹ .Åse thought it must be fun working there if you got to make something that tasted so great. She asked mom once if she could work there when she grew up but got a very discouraging answer. 

Mom looked out the window and saw that the sun was still above the horizon but steadily declining. “Åse dear, when you finish we need to get ready for bed.’’ 

Åse sat down on the kitchen floor defiantly. Mom sighed, knowing bedtime was going to be a struggle again, she didn't know why but she had been avoiding sleeping lately, making a fuss when it got dark.² Grandpa thought for a moment and sat up. He knelt down to his granddaughter and whispered something in her ear. She grumbled but after a nudge she finished her milk in one hasty  gulp. The pitter patter of bare feet could be heard stumbling up the stairs to the bedroom. She came down with a blue book in one hand and a small doll the size of her palm in the other. Gnomes in red hats were drawn on the cover along with the title ‘’fairytale book for children.’’ She sat down on the floor in front of grandpa as they flipped through the book looking for a story, angling her dolls head so she could read as well. 

Mom leaned over their shoulders. ‘’It can't be a long one.’’ 

Grandpa grunted absentmindedly. He stopped at a page and smiled. ‘’Once upon a time there was a man with only one son, and this boy was weak-’’³

‘’No! NOT that one.’’ Mom said sternly as grandma snickered behind her.

Åse peaked up from behind the top of the book. ‘’I like this one…’’ she mumbled. 

Crossing her arms, mom sighed and eventually relented sitting down with them, motioning for grandpa to continue. 

‘’His name was Frikk, and he was small as well.’’ 

Grandma joined the rest on the floor leaning on grandpa's shoulder

‘’And so it was that his father took him and they traveled to find him work. No one would take him until he came to the sheriff.’’ Mom tried her best to relax despite herself ‘’When the boy had worked for three years he decided to leave, and the sheriff paid his salary for the three years. He was given three shillings for his three years of work.’’ 

grandma piped up. ‘’You have been given more than you ought to.’’ 

grandpa responded ‘’Won’t I get anything for clothing then?’’. 

They kept going like so, both seeming quite dedicated to their roles. ‘’When he came up to the highest point of the mountain, he sat down to count his shillings. But before he knew it a poorman had come up to him. And he was so large and long that the boy began to scream when he truly saw how tall the beggar was.’’ 

The group paused for a bit and looked at mom. She was sitting next to the fireplace tending it. She looked at her family exasperated. Mom motioned to the doll sitting on Åse's lap. She hesitated for a moment but gingerly handed the little felt kitten to her mom. Mom sat the doll up close to the wall so that the shadow was clearly visible. She angled her hands so that it  seemed a big hunched figure was standing opposite the doll's shadow. 

‘’Do not be not afraid boy, I will do you no harm’’ Åse descended into fits of giggles at mom's attempt at a low gruff voice. 

A weight seems to have been lifted at mom’s participation and the story played out with shadow puppets and silly voices. Åse joined in puppeteering her doll to react to mom’s shadow figures. 

There was only one slight hiccup. ‘’And so I wish for a fiddle, one that makes it  so that every living thing will dance when I play it. Said Frikk’’ 

mom slumped at the mention of the fiddle. Åse knew mom had a fiddle case in the shed but she'd never heard her play. She once heard uncle Vetle say she'd stopped after she had Åse. Whenever she’d think about it too long she'd get this feeling in her throat like something was stuck in it and poking around. She got the same feeling anytime aunt Marie looked at her. Like she wanted to scold her but Åse never knew what she could have done wrong.

Mom shook her head trying her best to get back into the story. ‘’You shall have your fiddle but it is a poor wish.’’ 

Åse liked Frikk. He was small and weak but he did many cool things and he escaped getting hanged by making everyone dance till they died. She liked him more than the other boy who seemed to be in every fairy tale. The one who played around in  the fireplace. She never really paid attention to those so she couldn't remember. She wished there were more stories about Frikk. 

When the story was well and done, only then did Solveig realize how dark it had gotten. ‘’Damn its way past Åse's bedtime!’’ 

Åse was almost nodding off in grandpa's lap. He bundled her up in his arms and handed her over before she headed up to their bedroom. The door creaked as she opened it with her shoulder. She looked down to see her daughter stirring slightly but quickly settling again.

Solveig tucked the four year old into their bed⁴, resting her hand on the little one's cheek. smiling as she nuzzled her hand back. Anyone who saw them next to each other could see that she was her mothers daughter except for her eyes. What were the chances she'd get eyes like his… Solveig looked out the window willing herself not to think about him. She wanted to protect her daughter from the world, from men like him. She silently promised her that as long as she kept Åse close no one would hurt her. 

Solveig lent down and kissed her daughter's forehead and slowly left the room making sure not to let the door creak again. That night Åse slept better than she had in months.

Footnotes:

¹The Kapp milk factory operated from 1891 to 1928. Its main product was a condensed milk brand called ‘Viking Melk’. It is still Åse’s favorite comfort food. The brand was bought by nestle in 1892 and i believe they distributed it in America so it something she still is able to enjoy today. The factory is today used as a cultural center (i think that's how you use that word). (source)

²Åse’s sleep paralysis started manifesting when she was around 4 years old because of stress and anxiety about how people outside of her mom and grandparents started to treat as she grew older. Especially her aunt and cousin.

³The story being told is ‘Veslefrikk med fela’ (English translation: 'Little Freddy With his Fiddle') I wrote it very abridged and the translation is probably not perfect but the point was to get the gist of the story across effectively. (original fairytale and i got a little help from this to figure out some words)

⁴Åse slept in her moms bed during her early childhood, it was normal for families to share beds during the time period starting with kids sleeping in their parents or grandparents bed and later sharing with their siblings. When they moved into their own place she would sleep in the attic in a small room during summer but she would go back to sharing during winter. The bed in the attic was pretty small so she'd have to curl up in it which got increasingly difficult as she got taller. (my primary source for this is: my teacher told me and its something i passively picked up on while visiting a folk museum, so i wont claim this is 100% accurate)

finally done and posted. It was fun being able to expand on the Ace lore. I used exclusively female pronouns for ace in this because its was way before he realized she was gender fluid. it only something she started noticing when he became a teenager. Other that that i hope it was an enjoyable read and thank you again Heldig for the Question❤️‍🩹😸

[rudnitskaia]

I'm speechless, that's so interesting to read! Thank you for the links and so deep description, it is a pleasure to investigate. Solveig had a very difficult fate, but at least she found peace with her husband.

But poor Åse. :c I can't understand why Torbjørn and Lena left Solveig and Åse behind, especially after reading the story you made about them... it's upsetting.

*wraps Åse into the blanket and gives him a cup of coffee with sweetened condensed milk*

Before I post the short story I've been working on, I wanted to introduce some of Ace’s family, since they're going to be featured. I tried to edit it down to the important stuff but if anyone wants to know more just ask.

Solveig Liv Årud/Sylvia Hall, Ace's Mother

Ace's mom Solveig was born in Kapp along with her two brothers, One of her neighbors was a music teacher and taught her to play the Hardanger fiddle. When she was seventeen she became pregnant by one of her neighbor's students but was urged by her neighbor to never tell him or anyone else of the child's parentage. Having had Ace outside of wedlock Solveig faced a lot of social ostracisation. Her sister in law, who was deeply religious and judged Solveig for having a child without marrying. A rumor amongst the townspeople was that Ace's father was actually a fossegrim, that Solveig agreed to have a child with in exchange for teaching her to play the fiddle so well. (there is actually a lot to say on how this affected Ace and his view of himself but we don't have time to get into it rn). After a flood made her and her family homeless they emigrated to America in 1920 at the advice of some friends.

Once they arrived in New York Ace became very ill and bedridden causing them to be left behind as the rest of their family continued further up to Minnesota. While Ace was sick Solveig met and later fell in love with a Swedish immigrant named Eric Hall. She married Eric after knowing him for half a year. Solveig had kept Ace close all her life and not really letting her grow up or stand on her own. So he reacted badly to Solveig marrying. Being jealous and being unable to deal with not being her mothers center of attention, thus made him lash out. After an argument where Solveig slapped Ace for being disrespectful to her stepfather Ace ran away from home. Ace and Solveig have been estranged ever since, both being too stubborn to try to reconcile. After Solveig married Eric she tried very hard to adapt to American culture, Americanizing her name to Sylvia and trying her best to learn English and not speak with an accent. She currently has two children with Eric. Neither them nor Ace know of each other's existence.

Torbjørn Olaug Årud and Lena Årud, Ace's Grandparents

Lena was born in Kapp and Torbjørn was born in the Lofoten area. He traveled down to Toten to live with a family friend after he became orphaned. He later met Lena and they eventually married. They later had 2 sons, the youngest of them dying as a child, five years later they had a daughter and three years after that another daughter they named Solveig. When Solveig became pregnant at seventeen they decided to support her and help her take care of their granddaughter. In the years immediately after Ace was born she and Solveig lived with them before moving into a smaller house on their property. By this time their oldest had married and taken over the main house on the farm and Torbjørn and Lena moved into another small house on the property.

They emigrated to America with the rest of their family in 1920 and went with the rest to Minnesota leaving Solveig and Ace behind. Lena later died in 1922 after becoming sick. Ace does not know this happened.

Info on the art:

Ace is supposed to be a tortoiseshell cat, witch is something that can be seen in her mother and grandmother as well. this is a reference to the fact that tortoiseshells are mostly female. (source)

Her grandfather is supposed to be a Norwegian forest cat.

The implement Solveig is holding is called a Lyster and it is used to fish. Lyster fishing was usually done when it was dark out, using the Lyster to stab the fish. it was banned in the 1860 but was most likely still practiced afterwards. Today it has become completely illegal. The fish in the bucket are trout, a fish that was commonly caught with a Lyster. (source) Here is a painting depicting it.

I apologize for any spelling mistakes or weird wording, i try my best to read though these before i post them but some mistakes often slip through.

Edit: fixed up a bunch of spelling mistakes and weird sentences. I promise im good at English😭

i think i should look into getting a dyslexia diagnosis

[rudnitskaia]

I'm very impressed by the story, and it breaks my heart to know that their family divided after being so warm together. I genuinely hope Åse finds or rather builds her own safe haven one day. And I also hope she saved in her heart that spirit of the folk stories. I guess Åse would be the best storyteller on story nights, it must be really magical to listen to her.

Again, thank you for the historical references in footnotes, I'm very much into such things. ✨💖✨

Another question answered. thank you again for asking @rudnitskaia!

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Most of Ace's best memories are from his young childhood when he and his mom lived with his grandparents. Fairy tales and folk stories have been a big part of his upbringing, but usually only one person had enough time to sit down with him and tell stories. But there was this one evening in summer...

Here is a post that gives some background info on Aces family for those interested.

Answer under the cut

Åse fought against mom’s constrictive grasp as she cleaned the jam and breadcrumbs off her face with a wet rag. The water was uncomfortable and almost stung, since Åse didn't like having water on her face. When she’d  go swimming she’d always make sure to keep her head above the surface, in the summer when the water was warmer it didn't bother her as much though. Her cousin would often push her head below the water. He knew she hated it, which is why she’d started swimming by herself. She shook her head to get the icky feeling off. 

“I don't understand why she gets like that,’’ Mom said as she sat down with grandpa at the kitchen table. 

Grandma grabbed a cup from the cupboard as she said, “When they're her age they tend to be fussy, she'll grow out of it.’’ 

Åse didn’t like it when adults spoke like she wasn't in the room. Grandma took a can of sweetened condensed milk from the window sill and poured it into a cup. She was already standing with her hands out, waiting impatiently. It was her favorite. Grandpa and uncle Vetle would sometimes bring some from the factory¹ .Åse thought it must be fun working there if you got to make something that tasted so great. She asked mom once if she could work there when she grew up but got a very discouraging answer. 

Mom looked out the window and saw that the sun was still above the horizon but steadily declining. “Åse dear, when you finish we need to get ready for bed.’’ 

Åse sat down on the kitchen floor defiantly. Mom sighed, knowing bedtime was going to be a struggle again, she didn't know why but she had been avoiding sleeping lately, making a fuss when it got dark.² Grandpa thought for a moment and sat up. He knelt down to his granddaughter and whispered something in her ear. She grumbled but after a nudge she finished her milk in one hasty  gulp. The pitter patter of bare feet could be heard stumbling up the stairs to the bedroom. She came down with a blue book in one hand and a small doll the size of her palm in the other. Gnomes in red hats were drawn on the cover along with the title ‘’fairytale book for children.’’ She sat down on the floor in front of grandpa as they flipped through the book looking for a story, angling her dolls head so she could read as well. 

Mom leaned over their shoulders. ‘’It can't be a long one.’’ 

Grandpa grunted absentmindedly. He stopped at a page and smiled. ‘’Once upon a time there was a man with only one son, and this boy was weak-’’³

‘’No! NOT that one.’’ Mom said sternly as grandma snickered behind her.

Åse peaked up from behind the top of the book. ‘’I like this one…’’ she mumbled. 

Crossing her arms, mom sighed and eventually relented sitting down with them, motioning for grandpa to continue. 

‘’His name was Frikk, and he was small as well.’’ 

Grandma joined the rest on the floor leaning on grandpa's shoulder

‘’And so it was that his father took him and they traveled to find him work. No one would take him until he came to the sheriff.’’ Mom tried her best to relax despite herself ‘’When the boy had worked for three years he decided to leave, and the sheriff paid his salary for the three years. He was given three shillings for his three years of work.’’ 

grandma piped up. ‘’You have been given more than you ought to.’’ 

grandpa responded ‘’Won’t I get anything for clothing then?’’. 

They kept going like so, both seeming quite dedicated to their roles. ‘’When he came up to the highest point of the mountain, he sat down to count his shillings. But before he knew it a poorman had come up to him. And he was so large and long that the boy began to scream when he truly saw how tall the beggar was.’’ 

The group paused for a bit and looked at mom. She was sitting next to the fireplace tending it. She looked at her family exasperated. Mom motioned to the doll sitting on Åse's lap. She hesitated for a moment but gingerly handed the little felt kitten to her mom. Mom sat the doll up close to the wall so that the shadow was clearly visible. She angled her hands so that it  seemed a big hunched figure was standing opposite the doll's shadow. 

‘’Do not be not afraid boy, I will do you no harm’’ Åse descended into fits of giggles at mom's attempt at a low gruff voice. 

A weight seems to have been lifted at mom’s participation and the story played out with shadow puppets and silly voices. Åse joined in puppeteering her doll to react to mom’s shadow figures. 

There was only one slight hiccup. ‘’And so I wish for a fiddle, one that makes it  so that every living thing will dance when I play it. Said Frikk’’ 

mom slumped at the mention of the fiddle. Åse knew mom had a fiddle case in the shed but she'd never heard her play. She once heard uncle Vetle say she'd stopped after she had Åse. Whenever she’d think about it too long she'd get this feeling in her throat like something was stuck in it and poking around. She got the same feeling anytime aunt Marie looked at her. Like she wanted to scold her but Åse never knew what she could have done wrong.

Mom shook her head trying her best to get back into the story. ‘’You shall have your fiddle but it is a poor wish.’’ 

Åse liked Frikk. He was small and weak but he did many cool things and he escaped getting hanged by making everyone dance till they died. She liked him more than the other boy who seemed to be in every fairy tale. The one who played around in  the fireplace. She never really paid attention to those so she couldn't remember. She wished there were more stories about Frikk. 

When the story was well and done, only then did Solveig realize how dark it had gotten. ‘’Damn its way past Åse's bedtime!’’ 

Åse was almost nodding off in grandpa's lap. He bundled her up in his arms and handed her over before she headed up to their bedroom. The door creaked as she opened it with her shoulder. She looked down to see her daughter stirring slightly but quickly settling again.

Solveig tucked the four year old into their bed⁴, resting her hand on the little one's cheek. smiling as she nuzzled her hand back. Anyone who saw them next to each other could see that she was her mothers daughter except for her eyes. What were the chances she'd get eyes like his… Solveig looked out the window willing herself not to think about him. She wanted to protect her daughter from the world, from men like him. She silently promised her that as long as she kept Åse close no one would hurt her. 

Solveig lent down and kissed her daughter's forehead and slowly left the room making sure not to let the door creak again. That night Åse slept better than she had in months.

Footnotes:

¹The Kapp milk factory operated from 1891 to 1928. Its main product was a condensed milk brand called ‘Viking Melk’. It is still Åse’s favorite comfort food. The brand was bought by nestle in 1892 and i believe they distributed it in America so it something she still is able to enjoy today. The factory is today used as a cultural center (i think that's how you use that word). (source)

²Åse’s sleep paralysis started manifesting when she was around 4 years old because of stress and anxiety about how people outside of her mom and grandparents started to treat as she grew older. Especially her aunt and cousin.

³The story being told is ‘Veslefrikk med fela’ (English translation: 'Little Freddy With his Fiddle') I wrote it very abridged and the translation is probably not perfect but the point was to get the gist of the story across effectively. (original fairytale and i got a little help from this to figure out some words)

⁴Åse slept in her moms bed during her early childhood, it was normal for families to share beds during the time period starting with kids sleeping in their parents or grandparents bed and later sharing with their siblings. When they moved into their own place she would sleep in the attic in a small room during summer but she would go back to sharing during winter. The bed in the attic was pretty small so she'd have to curl up in it which got increasingly difficult as she got taller. (my primary source for this is: my teacher told me and its something i passively picked up on while visiting a folk museum, so i wont claim this is 100% accurate)

finally done and posted. It was fun being able to expand on the Ace lore. I used exclusively female pronouns for ace in this because its was way before he realized she was gender fluid. it only something she started noticing when he became a teenager. Other that that i hope it was an enjoyable read and thank you again Heldig for the Question❤️‍🩹😸

[acesandocs]

Thank you for reading and rebloging! Åse accepts the milk and blanket but is not used to this kind of affection. It's fun to get to info dump about Norwegian cultural and historical details. I don't know what to do with all this knowledge i have rattling around in my brain, so might as well cram as much of it as i can into Åse's backstory.

I started writing a response to your tags and stuff but it ended up pretty long so here's some extra info under the cut.

The disconnect between Ace’s grandparents during her childhood and after they came to America is intentional. When Ace was little things were stable. They had a home, stable jobs and enough money to get by. But after they came to America things were uncertain. They were already kind of dragged in two directions between Ace and Solveig and their other son and his family who were determined to keep going. They didn't know what would happen if they stayed in New York but they knew that in Minnesota they had friends, possible job's and a house waiting for them. When the future is uncertain it's difficult to make that kind of decision. It was something that was difficult to do but in the end they chose to go. 

I didn't use Per Gynt as a specific inspiration but more just general Norwegian folk stories and culture. I grew up on these stories and wanted to include them here. (I definitely believed there was a nøkk in the lake near my house who would drown me if i went there at night when i was a kid) Fossegrimen is especially a interesting figure i think. They were often said to seduce young girls so it was a way to explain away pregnancies where the parentage was unclear. I felt that and its connection to fiddle music kind of fit very nicely into the story. Ace's story in general is about how people who are different are usually compared to the inhuman and often pushed away until they don't feel like they can't relate to being human anymore. Especially in a time when people didn't understand things like mental illness and such. (Ace is supposed to be written as neurodivergent).

Before I post the short story I've been working on, I wanted to introduce some of Ace’s family, since they're going to be featured. I tried to edit it down to the important stuff but if anyone wants to know more just ask.

Solveig Liv Årud/Sylvia Hall, Ace's Mother

Ace's mom Solveig was born in Kapp along with her two brothers, One of her neighbors was a music teacher and taught her to play the Hardanger fiddle. When she was seventeen she became pregnant by one of her neighbor's students but was urged by her neighbor to never tell him or anyone else of the child's parentage. Having had Ace outside of wedlock Solveig faced a lot of social ostracisation. Her sister in law, who was deeply religious and judged Solveig for having a child without marrying. A rumor amongst the townspeople was that Ace's father was actually a fossegrim, that Solveig agreed to have a child with in exchange for teaching her to play the fiddle so well. (there is actually a lot to say on how this affected Ace and his view of himself but we don't have time to get into it rn). After a flood made her and her family homeless they emigrated to America in 1920 at the advice of some friends.

Once they arrived in New York Ace became very ill and bedridden causing them to be left behind as the rest of their family continued further up to Minnesota. While Ace was sick Solveig met and later fell in love with a Swedish immigrant named Eric Hall. She married Eric after knowing him for half a year. Solveig had kept Ace close all her life and not really letting her grow up or stand on her own. So he reacted badly to Solveig marrying. Being jealous and being unable to deal with not being her mothers center of attention, thus made him lash out. After an argument where Solveig slapped Ace for being disrespectful to her stepfather Ace ran away from home. Ace and Solveig have been estranged ever since, both being too stubborn to try to reconcile. After Solveig married Eric she tried very hard to adapt to American culture, Americanizing her name to Sylvia and trying her best to learn English and not speak with an accent. She currently has two children with Eric. Neither them nor Ace know of each other's existence.

Torbjørn Olaug Årud and Lena Årud, Ace's Grandparents

Lena was born in Kapp and Torbjørn was born in the Lofoten area. He traveled down to Toten to live with a family friend after he became orphaned. He later met Lena and they eventually married. They later had 2 sons, the youngest of them dying as a child, five years later they had a daughter and three years after that another daughter they named Solveig. When Solveig became pregnant at seventeen they decided to support her and help her take care of their granddaughter. In the years immediately after Ace was born she and Solveig lived with them before moving into a smaller house on their property. By this time their oldest had married and taken over the main house on the farm and Torbjørn and Lena moved into another small house on the property.

They emigrated to America with the rest of their family in 1920 and went with the rest to Minnesota leaving Solveig and Ace behind. Lena later died in 1922 after becoming sick. Ace does not know this happened.

Info on the art:

Ace is supposed to be a tortoiseshell cat, witch is something that can be seen in her mother and grandmother as well. this is a reference to the fact that tortoiseshells are mostly female. (source)

Her grandfather is supposed to be a Norwegian forest cat.

The implement Solveig is holding is called a Lyster and it is used to fish. Lyster fishing was usually done when it was dark out, using the Lyster to stab the fish. it was banned in the 1860 but was most likely still practiced afterwards. Today it has become completely illegal. The fish in the bucket are trout, a fish that was commonly caught with a Lyster. (source) Here is a painting depicting it.

I apologize for any spelling mistakes or weird wording, i try my best to read though these before i post them but some mistakes often slip through.

Edit: fixed up a bunch of spelling mistakes and weird sentences. I promise im good at English😭

i think i should look into getting a dyslexia diagnosis