Damsel for the Day - for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
blinkidybah
Oct. 9th, 2010 12:43 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
nfe-gremlin.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
narniaexchangeTitle: Damsel for the Day
Author:elenielofnarnia
Recipient:blinkidybah
Rating: G
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: None, except possibly Silver Chair.
Summary: Jill never wants to be seen as a damsel in distress... but when new bullies crop up, she can't help but like the way Eustace defends her.
Damsel for the Day
The book went flying out of her hands in record time. Usually the bullies would come out during lunch to torment her. Not today; today they felt the perfect time to do this, which was while the classes were taking their usual break.
“Look at little miss bookworm. Didn’t know you liked reading Pole.”
This was ridiculous. They knew she loved to read, they just preferred to torment her.
Ever since Experiment House had rid itself of the Head and put the old bullies into juvenile detentions, things had started to look up for the well-behaved students… including Jill. They grew used to not going to school afraid of getting hurt and were able to pay more attention to their studies.
But once the power shifted, somebody else wasn’t able to resist taking hold of it. Now at fifteen, the new bullies were much cleverer than when Jill and her girlfriends were ten. Most of them tormented the well-behaved students (Jill included) when the teachers were looking away or took their breaks. The worst thing about it? Some of them were just as smart as Jill, probably more. It was her word against an ace-student’s.
Sometimes.
The boy smiled his wretched smile down at Jill. She sighed, not looking up as she bent down to pick up the book.
“I guess Pole doesn’t know how to speak, am I right?”
The group laughed at the joke, even though it clearly wasn’t anything funny.
“Look, break is over in a few minutes… can I just read this last chapter while I still have time?” She couldn’t believe she had spoken like this to them, but sometimes Jill was surprised at how she opened her mouth to people when she should really keep to herself.
Of course the boys were unimpressed and their leader only slapped the book right out of her hands again.
“Break is over when we say it’s over.”
Conrad and Chester were the twins who ruled the group. There were seven of them, two of them leaders and only three girls. The girls were definitely there to help the rest get out of trouble because they looked so “innocent”.
Conrad laughed at his brother’s joke. Again, not a very clever one. He stopped quickly and turned to Jill with surprising seriousness.
“Now Pole, enough fun… you know the drill: you give us your money and we leave you alone for the rest of the day.”
Picking up her book for the second time, Jill stopped. She needed to think fast if she planned on keeping her money. She was down to her last few cents and had planned on getting food with Eustace after school.
This was ridiculous. Jill had travelled to another world, for goodness sakes! How could something like this be happening again to her? She thought she was past this.
Trying to be sly, she tried pushing herself through the side of the group, but Pamela Winters only pushed her back. Now things would get worse. Now they would resort to being physical, which was something Jill would have preferred avoiding altogether.
She was getting better at her archery, but a physical fight? With kicking and clawing, punching and hitting? That was far from what Jill Pole was used to.
There was no way out. They would kick her and beat her up for a bit and then they would get bored and take her money. Alternatively she could just give them her money, and they would just shove her back on the bench and maybe slap her book out of her hands for the third time before leaving her alone. But it was the pride in it all… Jill was getting too annoyed with being pushed around. Always being pushed around.
“Oi! Moronic Twins! What do you think you’re doing?”
Their attention quickly averted to the source behind them and Jill found she had room to escape from the group in record time. She too was behind them before they could turn back, walking towards Eustace. All he had to do was distract them for a split second and she was almost… free. Easier said than done.
“What did you just call us, Scrubb?” Chester yelled back, his face turning an odd shade of red.
“I called you the Moronic Twins. And I’m not the only one who does, if you can understand what I mean by that.” Eustace smirked just as Jill approached him with a shy smile. She mouthed out “thank you” before turning to face the rest by his side.
Jill Pole was not one who enjoyed being, “saved” especially by a boy. Of course she read the adventure books with the damsels in distress, but she was also the type to enjoy pretending to be the rescuer… the knight in shining armour. She would rescue the boy in distress.
But sometimes… sometimes she preferred not being in a physical conflict altogether. Especially one that was here in England against some daft idiots like these. Jill preferred it when Eustace jumped in to help her. Years ago he didn’t use to do a thing like this, so at Jill sometimes found it… thrilling.
Well, not thrilling. No she should never use that word. But she did like it. She could always rely on her best friend to stand up for her. Sometimes she wondered how he almost knew to “come to her rescue” when she needed him to but rarely asked.
“You have a problem with the way we work, Scrubb?”
Eustace couldn’t help hiding his smirk. “Taking money from other people is what you call work. I would hate to see how you actually are in class.”
She could also rely on him to figure out the right insults. The twins stood flustered, unable to think of a proper retort in time before Eustace started again. “Pole and I’ll just be going while you think about that then.”
Jill smiled and swung her arm around his; without missing a beat they turned and walked off together. She didn’t want to look him in the eye, but she had a feeling he knew she was grateful.
As they made their way to the doors by the rest of their class, Eustace finally patted her hand, reminding her to let go. “How was that? Do you think they’ll leave you alone for a bit?”
She gave him a side-glance and finally flashed him her winning smile. “That was very helpful.”
“Ever plan on thanking me?”
She rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.” The great thing was… Jill knew he was joking. Eustace knew she was thankful. Always.
Original Prompt:
What I want: the other friends of Narnia: Eustace and/or Jill, or Digory/Polly... alternatively something with Aravis being awesome
Prompt words/objects/quotes/whatever: reliance, first impressions, Englishness
What I definitely don't want in my fic: Heavy focus on the Pevensies, eplicit sex
Author:
elenielofnarniaRecipient:
blinkidybahRating: G
Possible Spoilers/Warnings: None, except possibly Silver Chair.
Summary: Jill never wants to be seen as a damsel in distress... but when new bullies crop up, she can't help but like the way Eustace defends her.
Damsel for the Day
The book went flying out of her hands in record time. Usually the bullies would come out during lunch to torment her. Not today; today they felt the perfect time to do this, which was while the classes were taking their usual break.
“Look at little miss bookworm. Didn’t know you liked reading Pole.”
This was ridiculous. They knew she loved to read, they just preferred to torment her.
Ever since Experiment House had rid itself of the Head and put the old bullies into juvenile detentions, things had started to look up for the well-behaved students… including Jill. They grew used to not going to school afraid of getting hurt and were able to pay more attention to their studies.
But once the power shifted, somebody else wasn’t able to resist taking hold of it. Now at fifteen, the new bullies were much cleverer than when Jill and her girlfriends were ten. Most of them tormented the well-behaved students (Jill included) when the teachers were looking away or took their breaks. The worst thing about it? Some of them were just as smart as Jill, probably more. It was her word against an ace-student’s.
Sometimes.
The boy smiled his wretched smile down at Jill. She sighed, not looking up as she bent down to pick up the book.
“I guess Pole doesn’t know how to speak, am I right?”
The group laughed at the joke, even though it clearly wasn’t anything funny.
“Look, break is over in a few minutes… can I just read this last chapter while I still have time?” She couldn’t believe she had spoken like this to them, but sometimes Jill was surprised at how she opened her mouth to people when she should really keep to herself.
Of course the boys were unimpressed and their leader only slapped the book right out of her hands again.
“Break is over when we say it’s over.”
Conrad and Chester were the twins who ruled the group. There were seven of them, two of them leaders and only three girls. The girls were definitely there to help the rest get out of trouble because they looked so “innocent”.
Conrad laughed at his brother’s joke. Again, not a very clever one. He stopped quickly and turned to Jill with surprising seriousness.
“Now Pole, enough fun… you know the drill: you give us your money and we leave you alone for the rest of the day.”
Picking up her book for the second time, Jill stopped. She needed to think fast if she planned on keeping her money. She was down to her last few cents and had planned on getting food with Eustace after school.
This was ridiculous. Jill had travelled to another world, for goodness sakes! How could something like this be happening again to her? She thought she was past this.
Trying to be sly, she tried pushing herself through the side of the group, but Pamela Winters only pushed her back. Now things would get worse. Now they would resort to being physical, which was something Jill would have preferred avoiding altogether.
She was getting better at her archery, but a physical fight? With kicking and clawing, punching and hitting? That was far from what Jill Pole was used to.
There was no way out. They would kick her and beat her up for a bit and then they would get bored and take her money. Alternatively she could just give them her money, and they would just shove her back on the bench and maybe slap her book out of her hands for the third time before leaving her alone. But it was the pride in it all… Jill was getting too annoyed with being pushed around. Always being pushed around.
“Oi! Moronic Twins! What do you think you’re doing?”
Their attention quickly averted to the source behind them and Jill found she had room to escape from the group in record time. She too was behind them before they could turn back, walking towards Eustace. All he had to do was distract them for a split second and she was almost… free. Easier said than done.
“What did you just call us, Scrubb?” Chester yelled back, his face turning an odd shade of red.
“I called you the Moronic Twins. And I’m not the only one who does, if you can understand what I mean by that.” Eustace smirked just as Jill approached him with a shy smile. She mouthed out “thank you” before turning to face the rest by his side.
Jill Pole was not one who enjoyed being, “saved” especially by a boy. Of course she read the adventure books with the damsels in distress, but she was also the type to enjoy pretending to be the rescuer… the knight in shining armour. She would rescue the boy in distress.
But sometimes… sometimes she preferred not being in a physical conflict altogether. Especially one that was here in England against some daft idiots like these. Jill preferred it when Eustace jumped in to help her. Years ago he didn’t use to do a thing like this, so at Jill sometimes found it… thrilling.
Well, not thrilling. No she should never use that word. But she did like it. She could always rely on her best friend to stand up for her. Sometimes she wondered how he almost knew to “come to her rescue” when she needed him to but rarely asked.
“You have a problem with the way we work, Scrubb?”
Eustace couldn’t help hiding his smirk. “Taking money from other people is what you call work. I would hate to see how you actually are in class.”
She could also rely on him to figure out the right insults. The twins stood flustered, unable to think of a proper retort in time before Eustace started again. “Pole and I’ll just be going while you think about that then.”
Jill smiled and swung her arm around his; without missing a beat they turned and walked off together. She didn’t want to look him in the eye, but she had a feeling he knew she was grateful.
As they made their way to the doors by the rest of their class, Eustace finally patted her hand, reminding her to let go. “How was that? Do you think they’ll leave you alone for a bit?”
She gave him a side-glance and finally flashed him her winning smile. “That was very helpful.”
“Ever plan on thanking me?”
She rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.” The great thing was… Jill knew he was joking. Eustace knew she was thankful. Always.
Original Prompt:
What I want: the other friends of Narnia: Eustace and/or Jill, or Digory/Polly... alternatively something with Aravis being awesome
Prompt words/objects/quotes/whatever: reliance, first impressions, Englishness
What I definitely don't want in my fic: Heavy focus on the Pevensies, eplicit sex
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-09 12:14 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-09 12:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-09 12:52 am (UTC)Also also! Letting Eustace be the hero. That doesn't happen very often, so yay for him!
The ending especially is very cute, with Jill never actually saying thank you but they both know she doesn't have to. It's unsaid and perfect so why bother.
Thank you, kind writer!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-09 01:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-10 01:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-10 06:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-11-30 05:09 am (UTC)