War and Ruin

Of Dirt and Gold

"Get back here! You have to stop in the name of the king!" Two bobbies were dashing down Regent Street in the West End of London. "Stop, thief!"

"Ha! You guys gotta be faster than that if you expect to catch me!" A young woman of 17 years of age continues running with a scrap-fabric sown bag slung across her body over one shoulder. Her shoes are 2 sizes too big for her and scuffed from running and caked with mud. Her clothes are tattered slacks with mis-matched fabric patches sown into them. Her blouse is a dark brown long sleeve shirt with buttons down the middle. A loosely synched tie drapes around her neck and a black village hat sits on her head as it gathers the rest of her long hair off her neck. Her sex is easily hidden under the baggy and ill-fitting manly clothes. She quickens her step and turns a corner into one of the largest markets in the West End. Once there, she discards the village hat, allowing her hair to fall to her shoulders and then backs up next to a small crevice where she previously stashed a skirt and clean-ish blouse. Now her gender is obvious.

"I saw him run in this direction." The bobbies stop at the market place and stare defeatedly into the sea of people realizing they will not be locating the thief anytime soon. "Um, excuse me ma'am, have you seen a young boy running through here with a bag of stolen produce?"

The 17 year old turns with a polite grin, "Why no sir, I've not seen anyone matching your description." The two bobbies take off running in the other direction.

"Evie, you really are asking to get caught." A young boy emerged from the side of the center monument in the market. His eyes were dark and grey with a hint of green in them. His face had spots of dirt and poverty grime covering his sun-tanned skin.

"And you're really asking to get swept up into the orphanage." Evie retorted with sass and a sly grin. "You're lucky I stole some food this morning. You would be starving without me." Evie hands over the fabric-made bag filled with bread loaves, cheeses, apples, and carrots.

"Carrots? You stole carrots?" The young boy asked with disgust painting his countenance. "Yuck! You know I hate carrots!"

Evie rolled her eyes and sighed, "Jack, you know carrots are good for you. You should eat them every week."

"Awe come on Evie, you know my heart isn't going to get any better with carrots. I want to enjoy my life and eat what I want!"

"Well, we aren't rich enough to do that. We can only eat what we snag from unawares shop-owners." Evie sat down next to Jack. "You shouldn't be cleaning the streets like that either." Evie nudged him with her elbow. "I told you, I'd do the odd jobs to earn some wages for us. You just stick to assisting Ms. Jenkins with flower selling."

Jack shrugged his shoulders. "But you're gone for days at a time, and you have to cover up your identity in order to get jobs. For me, its easy!"

"Not for someone who's sick!" Evie raised her voice in concern and saw Jack's face sour into a frown and shameful disposition. "Look," she sighs, "I'm sorry. I just worry about you. You're all I got." Evie slung an arm around Jack's shoulders and pulled him closer to her person. "We have to stick together. Ever since we found each other, I've become quite dependent on you."

"On me?!" Jack exclaimed as he looked up at Evie. She was all about 17 years and he was just 10 years old. "How can you depend on me?" Jack questioned. "You're the one who does all the hard jobs around West end and travels into central London for us to have pence to our names. I'm barely able to bring in more than a brass farthing!"

Evie smiled softly, her blue eyes were usually cold and piercing, but with Jack, they were gentle and kind. Her face crinkled into a laugh, "Jack, you're more than money to me!" she slapped him on the back with a jovial smack. "Never you mind about the money. I will make sure we can save the rest of the month to get you to a doctor."

Jack frowned, "No doctor will treat us for as little as we have."

"No worries, I think I've got some ideas on how to get some larger sums to get us the right amount for a doctor's visit." Evie winked with confidence. She stood and helped Jack to his feet. "Now, go help Ms. Jenkins with her flower selling. I'll be back." Evie and Jack parted ways. She strode over to the nearest alley with coverage and changed into her old boyish attire and pulled out a crumpled paper from her pants pocket. It read:
Wanted: cabin boy willing to clean merchant galleon for 1 month. Compensation: 20 pounds. Sail under the stewardship of Captain Jameson O'Riley aboard the Immortal Voyager.

Evie filed behind other men as they lined up at a local tavern to sign on for the merchant ships. There were several. She located the table with a small sign denoting the captain and ship's name that matched the flyer. Nervously, Evie cleared her throat and found a male-enough voice, "Aye there sir. S'pose yer still lookin' fer a cabin boy?"

The man sitting at the table with the sheet of paper and ink pen smiled, "Aye, that be so. How old are ye anyhow?" The man didn't look much younger than 40. His eyes were dark like city mud and his skin was sun-weathered and his hair was a deep earthly brown. He smelled of beer and saltwater.

"I'm 17, sir." Evie responded.

The man looked at Evie in disbelief, but not sure exactly what made him distrust the person in front of him..."Got a name?"

"Evan." Evie responded with her rehearsed name. "Evan Grant."

"Well Evan, you'll make a fine addition to our crew! I'm First Mate Seamus Collins." Seamus extended his hand toward Evie and shook it briskly. "Sign yer name here and write the job position yer signin' fer." Evie signed the paper and handed the pen back to Seamus. "You report tomorrow morning at 7'o clock on the southern docks to the ship called Immortal Voyager."

"Roger that, sir." Evie said with a coy smile and two fingered salute off the side of her cap.