Her Father's Daughter
Title: Her Father's Daughter
Fandom: Firefly
Genre: Genfic
Rating: PG
Summary: A little girl and her mother around town.
Author's Notes: Written for the everyfiveyears challenge. Many thanks to bgeezus for her beta skills.
Her Father's Daughter
She was the youngest of eight daughters, as red-haired and fair-skinned as her family was dark.
Her father loved her with the same detached passion he reserved for his merchant goods - the rare teak, mahogany and blackthorn woods that were in such great demand in the city - as though he couldn’t bear to part and be rid of her soon enough. My little jewel, he always called her, Wo de bâo bèi. She always did stand out.
Though his operations were legal, he and the sheriff’s deputy hated each other on principle. The Deputy was nothing like her father, who was broad and ruddy-skinned and subtle. The lawman was tall, lanky, and reputed to have a better shooting arm than the stern but portly Sheriff himself. His smile, according to her older sisters, drove the society ladies and milkmaids alike to dizzy giddiness.
Her mother never spoke of Deputy Liam Chang. She did, however, made a habit of taking her youngest during her weekly shopping excursions in town. Without fail every Friday, their driver cantered the carriage horses past the Sheriff’s station, always within view of the deputy himself, who was usually prepping some petty criminal for their perp walk.
"Ma'am," the Deputy said one Friday afternoon, after bumping into them as they exited a dress shop. Their driver’s arms were laden with gilt-wrapped packages. “How d'you do.”
His voice twanged and his cornflower eyes crinkled with delight, with a special secret. He tipped his brown Stetson just so, his face peeking around the brim like a handsome sun. His strawberry blond hair was like a nimbus.
Her mother returned his greeting with a demure, close-lipped smile, as beautiful and stoic as the saffron-tinted gorge jaggedly lining the northern border of the family estate. She put a gloved hand on her daughter’s narrow shoulder.
"Deputy," her mother said, bowing her head slightly, black hair shining. “Lovely afternoon. I trust your men will be at the estate tonight?”
“Yes’m. Four of our units have been assigned to security detail for your New Year’s ball. Everything's in order.”
The deputy grinned, and she felt herself smile in return. Her mother coughed disapprovingly behind her handkerchief. “Xin nian kuai le, Deputy. May your New Year be prosperous.” She paused. “My youngest daughter. She is five years old today.”
“Well, now,” the Deputy said, tipping back his hat. “Gāxìng jìan dào nî. Aren’t you lovely, little Miss. Where ever did you get those gorgeous blue eyes?”
“Deputy.” Her mother stiffened behind her, gloved hand a vice.
“- What’s your name, darlin'?” he continued.
Mimicking the special smile she’s seen her mother bestow on her father, she tilted her head, lowering her long lashes, letting one hand touch the silky tiers of her green dress. She ruined the effect by showing her teeth in the smile.
“What do you want it to be?” she answered, surprised by her own boldness. The Deputy laughed, similarly taken aback, and she felt her grin widen.
Her mother nearly fainted.
"Where did you learn such language?" she demanded when they were in safety of the carriage, slapping her daughter across the cheek.
They rode home in frosty silence.
Fandom: Firefly
Genre: Genfic
Rating: PG
Summary: A little girl and her mother around town.
Author's Notes: Written for the everyfiveyears challenge. Many thanks to bgeezus for her beta skills.
Her Father's Daughter
She was the youngest of eight daughters, as red-haired and fair-skinned as her family was dark.
Her father loved her with the same detached passion he reserved for his merchant goods - the rare teak, mahogany and blackthorn woods that were in such great demand in the city - as though he couldn’t bear to part and be rid of her soon enough. My little jewel, he always called her, Wo de bâo bèi. She always did stand out.
Though his operations were legal, he and the sheriff’s deputy hated each other on principle. The Deputy was nothing like her father, who was broad and ruddy-skinned and subtle. The lawman was tall, lanky, and reputed to have a better shooting arm than the stern but portly Sheriff himself. His smile, according to her older sisters, drove the society ladies and milkmaids alike to dizzy giddiness.
Her mother never spoke of Deputy Liam Chang. She did, however, made a habit of taking her youngest during her weekly shopping excursions in town. Without fail every Friday, their driver cantered the carriage horses past the Sheriff’s station, always within view of the deputy himself, who was usually prepping some petty criminal for their perp walk.
"Ma'am," the Deputy said one Friday afternoon, after bumping into them as they exited a dress shop. Their driver’s arms were laden with gilt-wrapped packages. “How d'you do.”
His voice twanged and his cornflower eyes crinkled with delight, with a special secret. He tipped his brown Stetson just so, his face peeking around the brim like a handsome sun. His strawberry blond hair was like a nimbus.
Her mother returned his greeting with a demure, close-lipped smile, as beautiful and stoic as the saffron-tinted gorge jaggedly lining the northern border of the family estate. She put a gloved hand on her daughter’s narrow shoulder.
"Deputy," her mother said, bowing her head slightly, black hair shining. “Lovely afternoon. I trust your men will be at the estate tonight?”
“Yes’m. Four of our units have been assigned to security detail for your New Year’s ball. Everything's in order.”
The deputy grinned, and she felt herself smile in return. Her mother coughed disapprovingly behind her handkerchief. “Xin nian kuai le, Deputy. May your New Year be prosperous.” She paused. “My youngest daughter. She is five years old today.”
“Well, now,” the Deputy said, tipping back his hat. “Gāxìng jìan dào nî. Aren’t you lovely, little Miss. Where ever did you get those gorgeous blue eyes?”
“Deputy.” Her mother stiffened behind her, gloved hand a vice.
“- What’s your name, darlin'?” he continued.
Mimicking the special smile she’s seen her mother bestow on her father, she tilted her head, lowering her long lashes, letting one hand touch the silky tiers of her green dress. She ruined the effect by showing her teeth in the smile.
“What do you want it to be?” she answered, surprised by her own boldness. The Deputy laughed, similarly taken aback, and she felt her grin widen.
Her mother nearly fainted.
"Where did you learn such language?" she demanded when they were in safety of the carriage, slapping her daughter across the cheek.
They rode home in frosty silence.