An Audience with King James -- 3rd Installment
Title: An Audience With King James (a series of vignettes set at the court of James II of England)
Author: Tiamary
Rating: Mild R
Disclaimer: Characters pirated from Disney
Genre: Ranging from broad farce to mildly serious drama. This chapter is comedic and UST-y.
Pairing: J/E UST now coming into the picture.
General Summary: Elizabeth has nabbed a job as the king's Fool; Jack is her "guardian."
Summary of installment 3: Our heroes ward off the King's advances and deal with the nuisance of a cold chamber and too few blankets.
***
Jack had noticed King James’ stolen, lustful glances at the court’s new fool, thus it was no surprise to him when there was a midnight knock at the door of their wee chamber. He affected a humble bow before the King’s emissary.
“His Royal Majesty requests the presence of Miss Baru. She must rise with all haste and come with me.”
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Elizabeth’s voice.
“Oy, Dinky! I shit meself again an’ I itch somethin’ awful!”
“Ah…she appears to have the runs, sir. Please allow me to clean her up before sending her with you. I will have her to in a quarter hour.”
The King’s man had already taken several steps back. “Pardon me. Let me just confirm with His Majesty that it is truly this night that he requires her company and not tomorrow night or mayhap Tuesday next.” He bowed and hastened away.
Jack returned to his spot on the hard floor, killing a bug before pulling his thin blanket around his shoulders. “Clever thinking, love.
“’Twasn’t hard. Talk of bodily functions has become quite second nature to me.”
“Were you me own daughter, I could scarce be more proud at this moment.”
As Jack spoke, Elizabeth noticed a slight shiver in his voice. “Are you cold, Jack?”
“Love, I’m insulted. Captain Jack Sparrow is never cold. His own searing body heat warms him in the chilliest climes.”
“Well, I am, a bit.”
“Sorry to hear that. I’ll request warmer clothes for you on the morrow.” In the dark, Elizabeth heard Jack shift a bit and she imagined him pulling his blanket tighter around him. Searing body heat. Jack could generate that in others, as she knew from personal experience, but she doubted he could do that for himself. She gathered herself and spoke.
“Why don’t we share blankets? I think there’s room for you to squeeze in.”
Jack considered this. When they concocted their plan to hide from the Spanish Armada by infiltrating the royal court of the king of England, they had agreed to keep their relationship platonic. In fact, it was Jack himself who had insisted on it with great vehemence, as though he half-expected Elizabeth to ravish him the moment they were alone together. He had pontificated about his loyalty to Will and his concern for her chastity, not to mention the inconvenience he would cause her if he saddled her with another child. (His train of thought having taken him to William, Jr., Jack recalled Elizabeth’s aunt. He hoped she could keep her mouth shut as to baby Will’s parentage when curious neighbors asked whose toddler she was minding.) At any rate…ah yes, his speech to Elizabeth. At the time, he had made a point of ignoring how the corner of her mouth had twitched at his protestations, as though she were holding back a laugh, as though she guessed that his reasons for not bedding her had more to do with protecting his heart and their renewed friendship than with what sense of honor he possessed.
A whisper brought him back to the moment. “Jack…are you asleep?”
“Nay, love. I’m thinking.”
“I promise I won’t…um…try anything on you.” Elizabeth stifled a giggle, to Jack’s great annoyance. So she thought he was the one who lacked self-control, did she? Well, the vain chit would find out otherwise.
“All right then, Elizabeth. Scooch over.”
“I think I’ve scooched as much as a body can scooch.”
Jack snickered. “I doubt it.” He spread his blanket over her then climbed in next to her. She turned on her side to make room, and they lay in the spoon position. Jack felt the pressure of her bottom against his groin and retaliated by “accidentally” nuzzling the top of her head. “Are you warmer now?” he muttered into her hair. She shivered a little. He hoped he’d given her goose bumps.
“Yes, thank you. Are you?”
“Mmm.”
Silence.
“Comfortable?” Jack asked.
“Most comfortable,” Elizabeth replied sleepily.
“All snug like a bug in a rug?”
“I’m a bug and you’re my rug. A soft, cuddly rug.”
“What?!”
“What, what?”
“I am not soft and cuddly. I am hard and dangerous and…and thorny.”
“I’ll concede that you’re not soft. But you are cuddly, Jack. You must either learn to live with it or cease being cuddly.”
“Grrrrrr.”
“Meow.”
They both began to chortle uncontrollably. Jack shifted away from her bottom. He had changed his mind since the day he announced to Elizabeth that they must eschew a physical relationship. He would tempt Elizabeth into succumbing to his infinite charms in the near future. But not tonight. Tonight was a night to keep warm and be children again.
Meanwhile, Mr. Not-So-Dinky, hardening in his breeches, would just have to be patient.
Author: Tiamary
Rating: Mild R
Disclaimer: Characters pirated from Disney
Genre: Ranging from broad farce to mildly serious drama. This chapter is comedic and UST-y.
Pairing: J/E UST now coming into the picture.
General Summary: Elizabeth has nabbed a job as the king's Fool; Jack is her "guardian."
Summary of installment 3: Our heroes ward off the King's advances and deal with the nuisance of a cold chamber and too few blankets.
***
Jack had noticed King James’ stolen, lustful glances at the court’s new fool, thus it was no surprise to him when there was a midnight knock at the door of their wee chamber. He affected a humble bow before the King’s emissary.
“His Royal Majesty requests the presence of Miss Baru. She must rise with all haste and come with me.”
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Elizabeth’s voice.
“Oy, Dinky! I shit meself again an’ I itch somethin’ awful!”
“Ah…she appears to have the runs, sir. Please allow me to clean her up before sending her with you. I will have her to in a quarter hour.”
The King’s man had already taken several steps back. “Pardon me. Let me just confirm with His Majesty that it is truly this night that he requires her company and not tomorrow night or mayhap Tuesday next.” He bowed and hastened away.
Jack returned to his spot on the hard floor, killing a bug before pulling his thin blanket around his shoulders. “Clever thinking, love.
“’Twasn’t hard. Talk of bodily functions has become quite second nature to me.”
“Were you me own daughter, I could scarce be more proud at this moment.”
As Jack spoke, Elizabeth noticed a slight shiver in his voice. “Are you cold, Jack?”
“Love, I’m insulted. Captain Jack Sparrow is never cold. His own searing body heat warms him in the chilliest climes.”
“Well, I am, a bit.”
“Sorry to hear that. I’ll request warmer clothes for you on the morrow.” In the dark, Elizabeth heard Jack shift a bit and she imagined him pulling his blanket tighter around him. Searing body heat. Jack could generate that in others, as she knew from personal experience, but she doubted he could do that for himself. She gathered herself and spoke.
“Why don’t we share blankets? I think there’s room for you to squeeze in.”
Jack considered this. When they concocted their plan to hide from the Spanish Armada by infiltrating the royal court of the king of England, they had agreed to keep their relationship platonic. In fact, it was Jack himself who had insisted on it with great vehemence, as though he half-expected Elizabeth to ravish him the moment they were alone together. He had pontificated about his loyalty to Will and his concern for her chastity, not to mention the inconvenience he would cause her if he saddled her with another child. (His train of thought having taken him to William, Jr., Jack recalled Elizabeth’s aunt. He hoped she could keep her mouth shut as to baby Will’s parentage when curious neighbors asked whose toddler she was minding.) At any rate…ah yes, his speech to Elizabeth. At the time, he had made a point of ignoring how the corner of her mouth had twitched at his protestations, as though she were holding back a laugh, as though she guessed that his reasons for not bedding her had more to do with protecting his heart and their renewed friendship than with what sense of honor he possessed.
A whisper brought him back to the moment. “Jack…are you asleep?”
“Nay, love. I’m thinking.”
“I promise I won’t…um…try anything on you.” Elizabeth stifled a giggle, to Jack’s great annoyance. So she thought he was the one who lacked self-control, did she? Well, the vain chit would find out otherwise.
“All right then, Elizabeth. Scooch over.”
“I think I’ve scooched as much as a body can scooch.”
Jack snickered. “I doubt it.” He spread his blanket over her then climbed in next to her. She turned on her side to make room, and they lay in the spoon position. Jack felt the pressure of her bottom against his groin and retaliated by “accidentally” nuzzling the top of her head. “Are you warmer now?” he muttered into her hair. She shivered a little. He hoped he’d given her goose bumps.
“Yes, thank you. Are you?”
“Mmm.”
Silence.
“Comfortable?” Jack asked.
“Most comfortable,” Elizabeth replied sleepily.
“All snug like a bug in a rug?”
“I’m a bug and you’re my rug. A soft, cuddly rug.”
“What?!”
“What, what?”
“I am not soft and cuddly. I am hard and dangerous and…and thorny.”
“I’ll concede that you’re not soft. But you are cuddly, Jack. You must either learn to live with it or cease being cuddly.”
“Grrrrrr.”
“Meow.”
They both began to chortle uncontrollably. Jack shifted away from her bottom. He had changed his mind since the day he announced to Elizabeth that they must eschew a physical relationship. He would tempt Elizabeth into succumbing to his infinite charms in the near future. But not tonight. Tonight was a night to keep warm and be children again.
Meanwhile, Mr. Not-So-Dinky, hardening in his breeches, would just have to be patient.