Jasper (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
keptherwaiting) wrote2020-06-19 12:55 pm
keptherwaiting) wrote2020-06-19 12:55 pm
[Origins] 1863 Texas - "Ain't no mercy in my smilin'. Only fangs and sweet beguiling."
"Major, Sir - "
"Stay, Davis."
Jasper sounds older than he truly was as he snaps at the young man, as he shoves the hat upon his head, hiding his golden curls once more.
He was tired, and he could barely do more than take a drink and splash his face with water before he was calling for a fresh horse.
Still. Worried he'd hurt his fellow compatriot with a terse tone, he turns to Davis and his heart softens at the look on Davis' face.
Jasper understands how much the young man wanted to help. He'd been the same, after all.
And now, Jasper was going to do the same as his father had when he'd gone off before Jasper could. Before Jasper had lied to follow.
He puts a hand to Davis' shoulder, squeezing. Davis is a couple of years older than him by all accounts, but Jasper had been lying about his age since he'd joined and he couldn't let on, even now.
"I need you stay 'ere. Look after 'em," he murmurs softly.
Them, being the first of the woman and children they'd evacuated to Houston, away from Galveston and what awaited there. It'd seemed wrong to abandon them in a strange city without so much a personal comfort, but he couldn't stay himself.
Jasper had work to do.
Because tonight was the night that the Confederates were going to recapture Galveston by Major General Magruder's orders. It seemed fitting too that it'd be a new years' night, Jasper had reckoned when he'd first heard of the plan, when they'd be taking back the port.
Beneath his hand, Davis wavers and Jasper know how much he wants to argue. He'd been there. In every meeting house, in every tent, arguing and showing his worth.
Davis relents, unlike him, nodding: "Yes, sir."
"Good." It's better this way, is what he wants to say. But Jasper merely squeezes the young man's shoulder once more before stepping away. "Now where's that damn horse?"
Jasper rides, by way of the ol' Galveston Road. Along the bay's coast.
He'd seen others along the way, stragglers making their way to Houston still, some with riders at their side and others not, heading as far from the battle that was about to erupt as they could.
News had passed quickly enough between those still close to the coast, despite the Union's current control, and the whole night seemed alive with the tension of the looming battle.
Jasper had found himself on the edge of his saddle, more than once. He's not the type to spook easily, yet the tension'd made the night seem darker. Disturbing.
He'd been using the moonlight to guide his way, though he knows the road well. He'd traveled it many-a-times even before the war.
He's not far from Galveston, when he see them.
Down by the water's edge, their pale skin and gowns of white reflecting in the moonlight, a beacon.
He's looking toward them, moving toward them, even as his horse protests the change of course.
"C'mon now," he murmurs, as she neighs and pulls at her reins. "We can't be leavin' them here. What's with you, girl?"
She pulls at her reins again, hoofs pounding and digging in the dirt. If he'd have
Jasper tugs sharply once more. "C'mon."
She listens. Reluctangtly.
Her hoofs drags as he directs them toward the three until he finally gives up on trying to control her. He sighs, dismounting. "Stay," he murmurs, petting the horses neck before he removes his, letting it rest on the horn.
They're talking quietly among themselves. Whispering. They don't seem too concerned by his prsence, though he approaches with his hands up in surrender to show he's not a threat.
It's not until he's closer that he's struck by how young they look. And by how beautiful they were.
He doesn't remember them from any of the groups or families they'd been convincing to move on toward Houston. He should have. He would have, he reprimands himself. Both for this not being a place for woman-folk and he'd been careful to ensure that anyone on his route were set to go and these three were too striking not to be noticed.
And it's a God-awful thing to think, isn't it? In a time like this. He opens his mouth to speak, maybe to even apologize for the thoughts they're not even party to, but the words stuck in his throat as the tallest looks directly at him then, head askance.
"He's speechless," she murmurs and her voice is delicate. Possibly the sweetest sound he's heard in awhile. The thoughts of her beauty spring up unbidden again and he flushes under her gaze.
And he's too struck to even notice another had moved closer, until she's in his space, her nose flaring as she breathes him in. "Mm, lovely."
Both of them were tall, both blonde. Beautiful. He'd almost think them sisters but they didn't look it enough.
The last darts forward in a blink and she's there, putting her hand on the other's arm, whispering softly. "Concentrate, Nettie."
She's petite, this one. Much more so, especially in comparison to the other two who still fell short of Jasper's height. Despite it, he could feel something.
This one was much more petite, especially in comparison to the other two who fell a few inches short of Jasper. But he could tell, despite her small statue, she was in charge, somehow.
"He looks right. Strong, young, an officer."
Her gaze roves across him, and Jasper flushes again under it. He's not ignorant to the looks that woman have given him, especially when he'd donned the uniform, but this - There's hunger in her gaze. "I - Ma'am - " His throat works, dry and the words die on his lips.
"And there's something more. Do you sense it?"
She's still talking, even as she moves Nettie away, or Nettie'd stepped away, allowing this petite girl to address Jasper with her full attention.
"He's - " She smiles softly at him. " - compelling."
Jasper meets her gaze. She's much shorter than him, by the two heads at least, but she holds his gaze, and her eyes are a red, unlike he'd ever seen.
Beautiful. Seductive.
He doesn't realize Nettie has moved again until -
"Oh, yes," Nettie breathes. He can feel the words against his neck, and he shivers. He realizes now they've circled him and he tries to take a step away.
"Patience," the petite girl hisses at Nettie, clearly annoyed with her. "I want to keep this one."
She locks her gaze with him again, and he barely hears what else is said.
Except for her name.
Maria.
His heart skips a beat at the words as she continues to hold his gaze, grabbing him and rooting him to the ground.
He feels charged, like a storm is brewing. He could feel it in the way the hair on his arms stood, the shiver that shakes him, and his heart races.
Maria.
He opens his mouth -
"What is your name, soldier?" she asks, interrupting whatever question he may have had. Whatever thought that had so fleetingly crossed his mind.
It's only then he feels he could finally speak. A stammer, words almost a jumble.
"Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am."
Maria presses a palm to his cheek and he's shocked by how cold it is.
"I truly hope you survive, Jasper. I have a good feeling about you."
"Stay, Davis."
Jasper sounds older than he truly was as he snaps at the young man, as he shoves the hat upon his head, hiding his golden curls once more.
He was tired, and he could barely do more than take a drink and splash his face with water before he was calling for a fresh horse.
Still. Worried he'd hurt his fellow compatriot with a terse tone, he turns to Davis and his heart softens at the look on Davis' face.
Jasper understands how much the young man wanted to help. He'd been the same, after all.
And now, Jasper was going to do the same as his father had when he'd gone off before Jasper could. Before Jasper had lied to follow.
He puts a hand to Davis' shoulder, squeezing. Davis is a couple of years older than him by all accounts, but Jasper had been lying about his age since he'd joined and he couldn't let on, even now.
"I need you stay 'ere. Look after 'em," he murmurs softly.
Them, being the first of the woman and children they'd evacuated to Houston, away from Galveston and what awaited there. It'd seemed wrong to abandon them in a strange city without so much a personal comfort, but he couldn't stay himself.
Jasper had work to do.
Because tonight was the night that the Confederates were going to recapture Galveston by Major General Magruder's orders. It seemed fitting too that it'd be a new years' night, Jasper had reckoned when he'd first heard of the plan, when they'd be taking back the port.
Beneath his hand, Davis wavers and Jasper know how much he wants to argue. He'd been there. In every meeting house, in every tent, arguing and showing his worth.
Davis relents, unlike him, nodding: "Yes, sir."
"Good." It's better this way, is what he wants to say. But Jasper merely squeezes the young man's shoulder once more before stepping away. "Now where's that damn horse?"
Jasper rides, by way of the ol' Galveston Road. Along the bay's coast.
He'd seen others along the way, stragglers making their way to Houston still, some with riders at their side and others not, heading as far from the battle that was about to erupt as they could.
News had passed quickly enough between those still close to the coast, despite the Union's current control, and the whole night seemed alive with the tension of the looming battle.
Jasper had found himself on the edge of his saddle, more than once. He's not the type to spook easily, yet the tension'd made the night seem darker. Disturbing.
He'd been using the moonlight to guide his way, though he knows the road well. He'd traveled it many-a-times even before the war.
He's not far from Galveston, when he see them.
Down by the water's edge, their pale skin and gowns of white reflecting in the moonlight, a beacon.
He's looking toward them, moving toward them, even as his horse protests the change of course.
"C'mon now," he murmurs, as she neighs and pulls at her reins. "We can't be leavin' them here. What's with you, girl?"
She pulls at her reins again, hoofs pounding and digging in the dirt. If he'd have
Jasper tugs sharply once more. "C'mon."
She listens. Reluctangtly.
Her hoofs drags as he directs them toward the three until he finally gives up on trying to control her. He sighs, dismounting. "Stay," he murmurs, petting the horses neck before he removes his, letting it rest on the horn.
They're talking quietly among themselves. Whispering. They don't seem too concerned by his prsence, though he approaches with his hands up in surrender to show he's not a threat.
It's not until he's closer that he's struck by how young they look. And by how beautiful they were.
He doesn't remember them from any of the groups or families they'd been convincing to move on toward Houston. He should have. He would have, he reprimands himself. Both for this not being a place for woman-folk and he'd been careful to ensure that anyone on his route were set to go and these three were too striking not to be noticed.
And it's a God-awful thing to think, isn't it? In a time like this. He opens his mouth to speak, maybe to even apologize for the thoughts they're not even party to, but the words stuck in his throat as the tallest looks directly at him then, head askance.
"He's speechless," she murmurs and her voice is delicate. Possibly the sweetest sound he's heard in awhile. The thoughts of her beauty spring up unbidden again and he flushes under her gaze.
And he's too struck to even notice another had moved closer, until she's in his space, her nose flaring as she breathes him in. "Mm, lovely."
Both of them were tall, both blonde. Beautiful. He'd almost think them sisters but they didn't look it enough.
The last darts forward in a blink and she's there, putting her hand on the other's arm, whispering softly. "Concentrate, Nettie."
She's petite, this one. Much more so, especially in comparison to the other two who still fell short of Jasper's height. Despite it, he could feel something.
This one was much more petite, especially in comparison to the other two who fell a few inches short of Jasper. But he could tell, despite her small statue, she was in charge, somehow.
"He looks right. Strong, young, an officer."
Her gaze roves across him, and Jasper flushes again under it. He's not ignorant to the looks that woman have given him, especially when he'd donned the uniform, but this - There's hunger in her gaze. "I - Ma'am - " His throat works, dry and the words die on his lips.
"And there's something more. Do you sense it?"
She's still talking, even as she moves Nettie away, or Nettie'd stepped away, allowing this petite girl to address Jasper with her full attention.
"He's - " She smiles softly at him. " - compelling."
Jasper meets her gaze. She's much shorter than him, by the two heads at least, but she holds his gaze, and her eyes are a red, unlike he'd ever seen.
Beautiful. Seductive.
He doesn't realize Nettie has moved again until -
"Oh, yes," Nettie breathes. He can feel the words against his neck, and he shivers. He realizes now they've circled him and he tries to take a step away.
"Patience," the petite girl hisses at Nettie, clearly annoyed with her. "I want to keep this one."
She locks her gaze with him again, and he barely hears what else is said.
Except for her name.
"You'd better do it, Maria. If he's important to you. I kill them twice as often as I keep them."
"Yes, I'll do this one. Take Nettie away, will you? I don't want to have to protect my back while I'm trying to focus."
Maria.
His heart skips a beat at the words as she continues to hold his gaze, grabbing him and rooting him to the ground.
He feels charged, like a storm is brewing. He could feel it in the way the hair on his arms stood, the shiver that shakes him, and his heart races.
Maria.
He opens his mouth -
"What is your name, soldier?" she asks, interrupting whatever question he may have had. Whatever thought that had so fleetingly crossed his mind.
It's only then he feels he could finally speak. A stammer, words almost a jumble.
"Major Jasper Whitlock, ma'am."
Maria presses a palm to his cheek and he's shocked by how cold it is.
"I truly hope you survive, Jasper. I have a good feeling about you."