An Orphans Girl's Adventures

[evanallmighty]

(I'll put up some basic characters here when I can get back to my laptop)

Atticus Fletcher was sitting in a coach with his father weaving their way down the bumpy London streets to the docks. He had already said goodbye to his mother and older brother, he who would be starting at the university this upcoming semester. Unfortunately for Atticus, his parents didn't have the money to send both of their beloved boys to school... So Atticus was going to be shipped of as ship's boy in the Royal Navey with God knows what kind of street urchins as peers. Atticus was an aristocrat, he deserved a post as Midshipman at the least... But Ship's boy was all his family could afford for him so he will have to work himself up the ranks. And to think, that ship will be picking up five other young boys to be his companions without taking so much as a penny from their families... Of course they probably didn't even have a penny... Or a family.

Atticus' coach rolled up to the docks just as a rather dirty looking band of street rats were being disbanded, it seemed they have already picked the best the streets had to offer of the boys. He and his father emerged from the coach, Atticus with small bag of clean clothing, mess kit and other essentials he knew the other boys probably wouldn't have which was his only advantage right now, went to the clerk on board to sign the young boy into the ships payroll. Ship's boys get half a share of whatever treasure they manage to take. That didn't matter to Atticus though, all his money had to go to his parents to support the family business.

Finally he was signed in after giving his name and age and so shook his father's hand goobye and watched the man leave. Forsakeing his youngest son to a life at sea.

 

[Nad]

Mary felt really strange wearing his clothes. Not only because they were boy's clothes or even more dirty than her previous ones, but mainly because they were Charlie's. Anyway, she couldn't think much about that and needed to focus on the simple task of being a boy. That, of course, wasn't that simple to a 13 years old girl. She was already on the docks, with a silly smile on her face looking at the boat that was taking her in. The idea of a nice place to sleep and regular food was just as amazing as the big wooden thing that was going to carry her. That idea made her believe that Charlie was still looking after her. She snapped out of her thoughts as some man asked her for her name and age. For a second, she was frozen, and the man got a little mad, treating her as if she was stupid enough to not know her name.

"Jack. 13 years old." answered, and smiled seeing she was already officially a ship's boy. Or... ship's girl, maybe even the first one.

She turned around before boarding, knowing that she wouldn't see that land for a long time. Even if she spent a lot of time in there, she wouldn't miss it at all after all that had happened. She couldn't wait until seeing blue all around her and feeling the sea breezes she heard a lot about against her face. As she was appreciating everything she was leaving behind, she spotted someone she wouldn't. Right after her, there was a young boy that would probably be her partner. It didn't seem he was a street rat, actually, he definitely wasn't. She watched him saying goodbye to an older man, his father probably. She would need to ask him why would he leave his family like that, but she would have plenty of time for that. For the moment, she would skip doing questions, and enjoy the feeling of belonging somewhere.

 

[evanallmighty]

(sorry it took me so long something came up. Looks good tho)

Atticus felt disjointed. Like this is all a dream and he was about to wake up at any moment. Like this is a bad dream. He looked about listlessly examining his surroundings in what will be his new home for the time being, seeing nothing worth his high born intrest except maybe one of the lingering boys the ship picked up today just before he arrived.

I truth it wasn't so much that he hadn't agreed to join the service, which he hadn't, that put him in such a weird mood as it was the fact that he couldn't swim, like just about everyone else including the men in the navy.

 

[Nad]

Already in the ship, she was watching everything around her. Every grown up was working on something different to prepare themselves for departing, and she was curious about it. She wondered which would be her tasks in the ship, and if she would be able to do something interesting or they'd just make them clean. Anyway, anything would be worth it to have a home as that one. Everything looked perfect except, maybe, for one thing. The boy she had seen a moment ago, the one who arrived right after her, didn't seem really happy about being in there. Of course, maybe no one would if they had a family to miss, but she wouldn't know that. It bothered her a little to see him like that, as if everyone should be as excited as she was for that new adventure. Just like that, she decided to approach to him, maybe knowing he wasn't alone would make him feel better.

She walked a few steps on his direction but suddenly stopped. What should she say? Or, maybe more importantly, how? Should she change her voice to look more as a boy? How did a boy usually said hello to another boy? Those were a few things she had never paid attention to, and maybe she should. She sighed and kept walking to meet him.
"Hey, I'm Jack." said, lowering her tone a little, but not much. It would probably hurt her throat forcing her voice, and she didn't have a much of feminine voice though, not yet at least. "Another ship's boy, huh? Guess we'll be partners." told him, and found out she didn't have much to say actually.