2016 - Edward Gaunt is 11, Richie Gaunt is 9. (Ellie Cornwall is 9, Rachel Cooper is 8.)
It isn't easy growing up in Arcadia, especially if you're Edward Gaunt. He's the oldest child in Arcadia, which means there aren't any other children his age. And with both of his parents working all of the time (doing not-quite-legitimate business), he ends up spending most of his time at home with his little brother.
He and Richie actually get along pretty well. But Richie has a best friend, Ellie Cornwall. She lives in New Athens, but because her parents went to college with their father, they frequently drop her off at their house.
That leaves Edward alone with their dog Orion. He begged his parents for a dog, and his mother finally came home with one. Orion is completely Edward's dog. He's already trained her to come and roll over, and they're working on playing dead. He named her Orion after the hunter in Greek mythology before he realized she was a girl.
His only friend is Rachel Cooper, who's a year younger than his little brother. But she's a smart kid, and they both love to play chess. She's also the middle child, and her older brother and younger sister like playing together and leaving Rachel out. Edward and Rachel both know what it's like to be lonely.
As Laura describes it, the Gaunts' dog would be an example of gameplay influencing the story. I didn't plan for them to have a pet, but Edward really wanted a dog. And then when I sent his mother to get one, I thought she was getting a male dog, but after she got the dog home I realized Orion was female. Oops.
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