In which James first meets Jack
Mar. 22nd, 2004 06:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizzie_omalleyA rather long drabble or short ficlet set in James's young life.
Totally G
Disclaimer: The Mouse owns all except for Van Zyl and the Admiral who exist in my head and now yours.
Pairing Jack and James, kinda.
Warnings none! Safe for the primmest of old ladies.
I hope you like.
Comments please.
Archive; Ask first!
"Come along Jamie," the Admiral barked. "Really you must learn to keep up."
"Yes Sir," James replied, quickening his short, little, eight year old's pace to keep up with his father's long, rapid strides.
James jogged along behind, struggling to keep up with the man who was more "The Admiral" than father in his mind. Taking in deep draughts of the strong salty, fishy, tarry, smells of the docks all the more intense for the summer heat, his green eyes flicked right and left determined not to miss anything: the bustle and color of all the people working on them; the air so full of the noise of sailors cursing, the slap and creak of line, the water lapping at the ships, piers and shore, that it was as if the sound was a substance. James just loved the docks.
In no time at all, they had reached their destination, a little cartographer's shop tucked up on a tiny little close.
"Good day to you Mister Van Zyl" boomed the Admiral opening the bottom of the half-opened dutch door. Piers Van Zyl, its owner, looked up at the greeting
"Good day to you Admiral Norrington, sir" limping over to greet him, and to smile at and shake the Master James's hand.
A Dutch navigator in the navy before a shot had shattered his knee; Van Zyl turned his navigation skills into map making. His knowledge of cartography was prized in the region and the Admiral often relied on him. The two men headed off to an oversized table where the Admiral spread out the sketches and notes he had tucked under his arm and began to explain what he wanted.
James stood forgotten by the door observing the room. Smells of parchment and ink mingled with sea smells filled it. Off in another corner, bent over a large drafting table, was boy of about 16. James stood there watching him for a moment. He was not tall for one of his age, and he was slight. Some would think him frail. His hair was dark, mostly pulled back but a few escaping strands fell around his face. Except for the sparse fringe of a mustache and some fuzz of a beard, the boy almost reminded James of his sisters. James walked over to see what he was working on. Standing primly, hands behind his back, James found a position where he could see what the boy was doing.
"Mind if I look on?" James asked politely.
"No, not at all," the boy smiled. His voice was dark, warm, with a hint of mystery, his smile merry and wicked at once.
On one side of the table was a large fine parchment. The coast of the Caribbe Sea was neatly sketched in. The boy was working on drawing in islands based on the sketches, notes and bearings that lined the other side of the table.
"My name is James, " said James.
"Jack," said the boy, holding out an inky hand.
James reached to shake it.
"Pleased ta meet ya, Jamie lad."
"Is that the West Indies?" James nodded at the map.
"Aye," said Jack returning to his work.
"You ever been there?"
"Naw, never been out of Portsmouth."
"Neither have I," said James. "I want to go someday. I will join the Navy as soon as I am twelve."
"That so?" said Jack without looking up. "Wish you luck then. Hard life that. The Navy."
James tilted his head in thought, "Would that not be true of anything?" he asked seriously.
Jack flashed another smile, "S'pose you're right at that laddy."
"Do you dream of going to the places that you map?"
"Aye, that I do," Jack replied, looking out the half open door and taking a deep breath. Then nodding in the direction of the two other men "Looks like your father is getting ready to leave."
James looked up to see the Admiral shaking hands with Mister Van Zyl. Scurrying back to his place by the door James gave every appearance that he had been standing there all along.
The Admiral nodded to him. "Ah Jamie, good lad. Time to go now," he said as he put a hand on James's shoulder to shepherd him out the door. Reaching into his pocket James realized one of the pennies he had brought to town with him to buy sweets for himself and his sisters was gone. James cast a quick look over his shoulder to catch Jack flash a smile and a wink just before the door closed between them.
Three months later, when James and the Admiral returned to pick up the maps he had ordered, a new boy was sitting at the table.
Totally G
Disclaimer: The Mouse owns all except for Van Zyl and the Admiral who exist in my head and now yours.
Pairing Jack and James, kinda.
Warnings none! Safe for the primmest of old ladies.
I hope you like.
Comments please.
Archive; Ask first!
"Come along Jamie," the Admiral barked. "Really you must learn to keep up."
"Yes Sir," James replied, quickening his short, little, eight year old's pace to keep up with his father's long, rapid strides.
James jogged along behind, struggling to keep up with the man who was more "The Admiral" than father in his mind. Taking in deep draughts of the strong salty, fishy, tarry, smells of the docks all the more intense for the summer heat, his green eyes flicked right and left determined not to miss anything: the bustle and color of all the people working on them; the air so full of the noise of sailors cursing, the slap and creak of line, the water lapping at the ships, piers and shore, that it was as if the sound was a substance. James just loved the docks.
In no time at all, they had reached their destination, a little cartographer's shop tucked up on a tiny little close.
"Good day to you Mister Van Zyl" boomed the Admiral opening the bottom of the half-opened dutch door. Piers Van Zyl, its owner, looked up at the greeting
"Good day to you Admiral Norrington, sir" limping over to greet him, and to smile at and shake the Master James's hand.
A Dutch navigator in the navy before a shot had shattered his knee; Van Zyl turned his navigation skills into map making. His knowledge of cartography was prized in the region and the Admiral often relied on him. The two men headed off to an oversized table where the Admiral spread out the sketches and notes he had tucked under his arm and began to explain what he wanted.
James stood forgotten by the door observing the room. Smells of parchment and ink mingled with sea smells filled it. Off in another corner, bent over a large drafting table, was boy of about 16. James stood there watching him for a moment. He was not tall for one of his age, and he was slight. Some would think him frail. His hair was dark, mostly pulled back but a few escaping strands fell around his face. Except for the sparse fringe of a mustache and some fuzz of a beard, the boy almost reminded James of his sisters. James walked over to see what he was working on. Standing primly, hands behind his back, James found a position where he could see what the boy was doing.
"Mind if I look on?" James asked politely.
"No, not at all," the boy smiled. His voice was dark, warm, with a hint of mystery, his smile merry and wicked at once.
On one side of the table was a large fine parchment. The coast of the Caribbe Sea was neatly sketched in. The boy was working on drawing in islands based on the sketches, notes and bearings that lined the other side of the table.
"My name is James, " said James.
"Jack," said the boy, holding out an inky hand.
James reached to shake it.
"Pleased ta meet ya, Jamie lad."
"Is that the West Indies?" James nodded at the map.
"Aye," said Jack returning to his work.
"You ever been there?"
"Naw, never been out of Portsmouth."
"Neither have I," said James. "I want to go someday. I will join the Navy as soon as I am twelve."
"That so?" said Jack without looking up. "Wish you luck then. Hard life that. The Navy."
James tilted his head in thought, "Would that not be true of anything?" he asked seriously.
Jack flashed another smile, "S'pose you're right at that laddy."
"Do you dream of going to the places that you map?"
"Aye, that I do," Jack replied, looking out the half open door and taking a deep breath. Then nodding in the direction of the two other men "Looks like your father is getting ready to leave."
James looked up to see the Admiral shaking hands with Mister Van Zyl. Scurrying back to his place by the door James gave every appearance that he had been standing there all along.
The Admiral nodded to him. "Ah Jamie, good lad. Time to go now," he said as he put a hand on James's shoulder to shepherd him out the door. Reaching into his pocket James realized one of the pennies he had brought to town with him to buy sweets for himself and his sisters was gone. James cast a quick look over his shoulder to catch Jack flash a smile and a wink just before the door closed between them.
Three months later, when James and the Admiral returned to pick up the maps he had ordered, a new boy was sitting at the table.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 08:59 pm (UTC)Jamie is such a serious little boy. Just adorable.
Hee! The missing penny!
Fantastic vignette.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-23 06:46 am (UTC)I like the irony that it sets up for James spending so much energy hunting down pirates, and yet really not being able to help liking Jack.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 11:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-23 06:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-07 12:59 pm (UTC)Poor James. I wonder if he had any inkling of what his life would become...