Edward Hayes
Name: Edward Jonathan HayesTitles: Ensign Gunner of the HMS Black Prince [administrative discharge]
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Nom de Plume: Jon Kingston
Age: 33
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Play-By: Hugh Jackman
Occupation: Writer with Chiswick Press
Physical Description: Edward is a striking, distinguished gentleman of above-average height, lean musculature, and average coloring. He keeps himself in shape by maintaining a strict regimen despite having been discharged from military service, mainly out of habit and spite. He is always clean-shaven in public though he does disappear from society for extended periods from time to time. His brown hair has grown out somewhat since his discharge though it is in an acceptable style and thus far only a few gray hairs have appeared which he diligently plucks out. He has yet to see two more grow in their place.
Distinguishing Features: The man's missing half his left leg. From above the knee, the leg has been amputated and replaced with a relatively decent prosthetic he's able to disguise with clothing and a fitted shoe. What isn't easily hidden is his limping gait. Though he has gone through pains, quite literally, to adapt to his new leg and has improved his mobility he is still forced to lean more heavily on his right leg. As well, his stump gets sore after a time which further exaggerates the limp throughout the course of a day.
He refuses to use a cane.
Personality Description: Edward was once a charismatic, ambitious, passionate man with every intention of being the best Englishman he could possibly be.
Now, Edward is a charismatic, driven, bitter, cynical man with every intention of fooling everyone into believing that his life is perfectly on track.
The effectiveness of the charade waxes and wanes. Sometimes he seems like his old self, other times just about anything can set him off. If he drinks, which he does his best to avoid, his short fuse turns to no fuse and he'll start a fight without waiting for a trigger.
Beneath the act and the mask of civility, Edward is deeply ashamed of himself for failing to serve his country and coming back home less than what he was.
History: Edward is the eldest son of a politically influential importer/exporter. His father's company had a small fleet of ships, recognizable by the black and white striped band across the hulls, which Edward spent a great deal of his childhood on. When his father left him behind on dry land, his mother gave him reading assignments to keep him occupied with varying results. When he behaved, he greatly enjoyed delving into any book regardless of the topic. Each one provided him new tools to expand his growing interest in writing. When he was restless, he was more than likely found playing around the docks with friends and getting underfoot.
Edward was delayed in his desire to join the Royal Navy thanks to both parents insisting on him focusing on his education. He did exceptionally well in school and he knew his father wished to pass the business on to him in future. First, he wanted proper naval experience. Once through his studies at the University of London, spending a few years apprenticing at his father's business, he eventually went ahead and volunteered his services to the navy.
Unfortunately, fate and the incompetence of a fellow sailor ended his career shortly after it began. On Edward's very first official training mission aboard what was meant to be his permanent post aboard the illustrious HMS Black Prince a cannon on the main deck exploded loose from its mounting and pinned Edward's leg. The bones were crushed beyond repair. The ship's surgeon determined that several bone shards had shredded arteries. With no hope of salvaging the limb and to spare him a great deal of pain, the leg was cut off there on the ship.
It was later found out after investigating that another ensign had improperly overloaded the cannon, thus did not follow naval guidelines. The man was disciplined and dismissed from service.
Since being discharged due to 'incapacity', Edward had struggled with his personal life and social life. His father has expressed his intentions of selling the business to a rival company and retiring instead of entrusting it to his broken son. His peers gossip ceaselessly about his military service or lack thereof, which was particularly biting during wartimes. There have even been suggestions that he paid off the other ensign to blow up the cannon in an effort to get out of serving.
It's a toss-up whether it's worse to hear those rumors or be commended for his service by strangers that do not know the circumstances of his injury. There is little else that makes him feel more ashamed of himself than being thanked for losing a limb in a negligent accident.
Since he can not work in a laboring job and he can not stand to be constantly pitied in a socially interactive job, Edward has fallen back on his hobby of writing. His polished talent quickly found him a place with a respectable publishing company where he's been writing for several years. So long as he keeps pace with other writers, particularly his staunchest rival Ermine Davin, it has been enough to make ends meet and maintain his false front.
Goals: Ultimately, Edward strives to regain stability in his life so the lie he acts out daily can be a reality.
Personally, his greatest mission is to be the better writer in the war against Ermine Davin's fantastical fictions.
Likes: Reading, writing and the sea.
Dislikes: Ensign Lordes (the one that caused his injury), malicious gossip, misguided sympathy, unsolicited advice, his father, and himself.