~ Cherry Blossoms ~ (2/3) - J/E, J/L&P

[dwgm]

Here's the next little bit of Lian and Park backstory that I'm writing for potcfest. Many thanks to hereswith for editing! The first part is here.




~ Cherry Blossoms, continued...


"Mmm…" Elizabeth smiled. "Briefly, then. What did you do to pay Sao Feng great insult, as he claimed?"

Jack opened his mouth. Then shut it again.

She frowned. "The truth, now!"

"Don't I always tell you the truth? Or mostly? Just tryin' to choose me words. Frame it in the proper light, as it were."

She was tempted to laugh. "I suppose it was either money or women."

"Nearly everything is. Although in this case it was both. Or money and girls, at least. The two of 'em weren't yet sixteen."

"Jack! You took them…"

"Did not! They took me as it turns out. Though it ended up more of a mutual arrangement, in the end." He pouted. "Now don't go passing judgment without hearing the whole of it, missy. It weren't as bad as that."

The corner of her mouth twitched. "I suppose it couldn't have been, or he would've done more than hit you on the nose."

"True enough." He wrinkled said nose, in remembrance. "The lasses were quite intact when I returned 'em. And they were much the better for the experience, too. Really, he owed me thanks, when one considers how untutored—"

"Innocent?"

"Oh, aye. You could put it that way. Innocent." His eyes lost their focus for a moment. "Killed, you say?"

"Yes. Tai Huang told me before I was to go to his master, when I was first taken to the Empress. It seems they were both of them shot. Tai Huang thought Sao Feng might blame me, as one of those who'd led the Company to their lair, and that it might go ill for me if that were so. He loved them?"

"Aye, he did. They'd been his for a good many years, even when I met them. Came to him as little lasses, as alike as two peas in a pod, from the north, clear up around Macao. Their amah brought them, after their mother died. The lady didn't want their feet bound, as her own had been, as is the custom in those parts. But they'd never be able to marry well, there in the north, without it being done. So, when she was dying she told the old amah to take them away south, to Singapore, where she had an uncle who was in trade. Turns out the uncle was a pirate lord – and Sao Feng was as a son to him, and his heir."

"So they were given to Sao Feng? Like chattel!"

He smiled, crookedly. "Not every woman is as fortunate of fate as you, darlin' – or as determined. But they were well enough off with Sao Feng. By the time I met them, they were being educated in all manner of things, including that odd sort of armed combat Sao Feng's lot practice. Good at it, too. I never stood a chance!"

Elizabeth pursed her lips. "Jack! You can't tell me they attacked you!"

"They did! Give you me word! They loved Sao Feng, sure enough, but they were full of mischief, and just as curious as any other lasses of that age. Weren't my fault they found me irresistible."

"I don't suppose you raised any objection, however."

"I did! But not for long, I have to admit. They were most… persuasive. You'll be knowing all about that, of course."

He gave her a pointed look, and she groaned. "All right. I'm willing to believe it wasn't entirely your doing. But how did it happen you were alone with them? Sao Feng can't have been that trusting!"

"Sao Feng wasn't there, though, was he? 'Twas just me and a handful of crew, takin' some valuable but unfortunately very illegal goods up the coast to Panang for 'im, and the lasses, imps that they were, stowed away on me ship!"



On to Part 3

Comments

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

They stowed away on Jack's ship! RAOFL!!! I really hope that image makes it into my dreams tonight because it's just perfect!

It's hard to do Lian and Park backstory because they're so young *says she who needs to push things back to pre-mutiny times*. I like the way you work with that here and make something interesting (and funny) of it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Age is certainly something one has to consider in writing Lian and Park, although it's hard to tell how old they are -- they could be quite a bit older than I am putting them here, 23 when AWE takes place. I was figuring this was about eight years back, and they were fifteen and Jack was thirty (I always put him at 36 during CotBP), so about four years after the mutiny.

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I'm anxious to see what you and justawench come up with.

Hopefully the last bit will be up tomorrow. Thank you for commenting, and so quickly, too!