Tin Man: Quick, Painless and Easy (13/?)
Title: High Ground
Series: Quick, Painless and Easy
Author: Vashti (tvashti)
Fandom: Tin Man
Character(s): Wyatt Cain, Jeb Cain
Rating: PG
Summary: Cain goes about implementing the Royals' plan for bodyguards, but his next recruit might be a hard sell.
Length: ~650 words
tm_challenge Prompt: market (circa 2009)
Disclaimer: Only the words are mine, and that’s probably up for philosophical debate.Series title inspired by the song of the same name by Ivy.
Dedication: You. For reading. You're amazing, did you know that?
Notes: Written for 2009's Big Prompt Table seasonal challenge at tm_challenge. If you want to follow along, my prompt table is here. Although if you do, that is some serious dedication on your part, dude, and I feel honored.
Notes2: After this story, I have 2 more ready to go so that's at least another two weeks of actual content before I fall off again. But better than my year+ silence last time, right? Right? Guys...?
§§§
High Ground
by Vashti
“Do you know what you’re asking me to do?” Jeb said, eyeing his father critically as flies buzzed around their heads in the palace stables.
Cain nodded. “But it’s nothing more than what I’m asking anyone else to do.”
“I can’t believe you can just forget-“
“I haven’t forgotten anything.” Cain was glad that they were managing a civil conversation, but it wouldn’t stay that way if they kept going the way they were. “But they aren’t the same person.”
“The hell they are.”
“Jeb, I’ve been attached to the Princess for over a year. You think I wouldn’t know by now? Besides, I’ve got her detail fixed already-“
“But that’s going to rotate. Right? You mentioned it before.”
Cain frowned. He was hoping that his son would have forgotten that early conversation.
“It will.”
“And I’ll be forced to watch her back.”
“I’ve been managing it for a while now.”
“Not quite sure how you did that either.”
Cain sighed. “If you’re not going to actually think about this, then just say so and be done so I can stop wasting both our time. You know we’re not the only ones hurt by the Sorceress. And we weren’t the worst, either.”
“Yeah. A lot of those guys used to be under my command.”
It was a near thing, but Cain managed not to roll his eyes. “You know Clayton Tayborne?”
Jeb frowned, thinking. “Wasn’t he… Wasn’t he a Tin Man? I think he was a rookie when the war started.”
Cain nodded. “Had a young family by the time he got out of the Academy. Three kids under 13 annuals. Good man. All’s he’s got now is the oldest, and he’s in the Academy. The rest, his wife and the other two kids, were killed in the war. Almost all directly because of the Sorceress’ orders.”
Jeb swore. “You talking to him, too?”
“Talked. I got him on first rotation with the Princess.”
“Hell you do.”
“I wish you’d stop swearing so much, Jeb. Your mother wouldn’t like it.”
Unexpectedly, that got a smile out of his son. “Mom was no saint.”
Grinning in return, Cain could only nod. “No, but she tried to keep her past as a wind-sailor under wraps. So the neighbors wouldn’t ask too many questions.”
It was an old joke, but Jeb laughed anyway.
“So you’ll think about it at least? I mean, give it real, serious consideration?”
“I’d be leaving a good post with the Army.”
“I know. But I’m only recruiting the best, and you’re one of the best. You’ll only be with the Princess 3 months out of 12,” Cain added. “Everyone rotates through the entire royal family. Including me.”
“So there’s three captains and you?”
“Four lieutenants and me. But it’ll hold the same rank as a captain in the army.”
Jeb considered that for a moment, before asking, “Who else are you talking to?”
“I got a couple of names, but nothing’s certain. I’m just going down the list I’ve got in my head.”
Jeb thought on that for a minute. Then he nodded.
Cain’s eyebrows drew together. “You’ll do it?”
“I’ll think about it, like you asked, but since taking this position means that I might some day be called upon to give my life up for the Princess Azkadellia I need to know who else I’ll be serving with first.”
“Fair enough. So you’ll think about it and I’ll get back to you. That ‘bout sum it up?”
“Yes, sir, it does.”
Smiling, Cain extended his hand.
Jeb shook it. “What’re you so happy about.”
“Honestly? That went a lot better than I thought it would.”
Fin[ite]
Series: Quick, Painless and Easy
Author: Vashti (tvashti)
Fandom: Tin Man
Character(s): Wyatt Cain, Jeb Cain
Rating: PG
Summary: Cain goes about implementing the Royals' plan for bodyguards, but his next recruit might be a hard sell.
Length: ~650 words
tm_challenge Prompt: market (circa 2009)
Disclaimer: Only the words are mine, and that’s probably up for philosophical debate.Series title inspired by the song of the same name by Ivy.
Dedication: You. For reading. You're amazing, did you know that?
Notes: Written for 2009's Big Prompt Table seasonal challenge at tm_challenge. If you want to follow along, my prompt table is here. Although if you do, that is some serious dedication on your part, dude, and I feel honored.
Notes2: After this story, I have 2 more ready to go so that's at least another two weeks of actual content before I fall off again. But better than my year+ silence last time, right? Right? Guys...?
§§§
High Ground
by Vashti
“Do you know what you’re asking me to do?” Jeb said, eyeing his father critically as flies buzzed around their heads in the palace stables.
Cain nodded. “But it’s nothing more than what I’m asking anyone else to do.”
“I can’t believe you can just forget-“
“I haven’t forgotten anything.” Cain was glad that they were managing a civil conversation, but it wouldn’t stay that way if they kept going the way they were. “But they aren’t the same person.”
“The hell they are.”
“Jeb, I’ve been attached to the Princess for over a year. You think I wouldn’t know by now? Besides, I’ve got her detail fixed already-“
“But that’s going to rotate. Right? You mentioned it before.”
Cain frowned. He was hoping that his son would have forgotten that early conversation.
“It will.”
“And I’ll be forced to watch her back.”
“I’ve been managing it for a while now.”
“Not quite sure how you did that either.”
Cain sighed. “If you’re not going to actually think about this, then just say so and be done so I can stop wasting both our time. You know we’re not the only ones hurt by the Sorceress. And we weren’t the worst, either.”
“Yeah. A lot of those guys used to be under my command.”
It was a near thing, but Cain managed not to roll his eyes. “You know Clayton Tayborne?”
Jeb frowned, thinking. “Wasn’t he… Wasn’t he a Tin Man? I think he was a rookie when the war started.”
Cain nodded. “Had a young family by the time he got out of the Academy. Three kids under 13 annuals. Good man. All’s he’s got now is the oldest, and he’s in the Academy. The rest, his wife and the other two kids, were killed in the war. Almost all directly because of the Sorceress’ orders.”
Jeb swore. “You talking to him, too?”
“Talked. I got him on first rotation with the Princess.”
“Hell you do.”
“I wish you’d stop swearing so much, Jeb. Your mother wouldn’t like it.”
Unexpectedly, that got a smile out of his son. “Mom was no saint.”
Grinning in return, Cain could only nod. “No, but she tried to keep her past as a wind-sailor under wraps. So the neighbors wouldn’t ask too many questions.”
It was an old joke, but Jeb laughed anyway.
“So you’ll think about it at least? I mean, give it real, serious consideration?”
“I’d be leaving a good post with the Army.”
“I know. But I’m only recruiting the best, and you’re one of the best. You’ll only be with the Princess 3 months out of 12,” Cain added. “Everyone rotates through the entire royal family. Including me.”
“So there’s three captains and you?”
“Four lieutenants and me. But it’ll hold the same rank as a captain in the army.”
Jeb considered that for a moment, before asking, “Who else are you talking to?”
“I got a couple of names, but nothing’s certain. I’m just going down the list I’ve got in my head.”
Jeb thought on that for a minute. Then he nodded.
Cain’s eyebrows drew together. “You’ll do it?”
“I’ll think about it, like you asked, but since taking this position means that I might some day be called upon to give my life up for the Princess Azkadellia I need to know who else I’ll be serving with first.”
“Fair enough. So you’ll think about it and I’ll get back to you. That ‘bout sum it up?”
“Yes, sir, it does.”
Smiling, Cain extended his hand.
Jeb shook it. “What’re you so happy about.”
“Honestly? That went a lot better than I thought it would.”
Fin[ite]