[M] 1x1 (Delicross & Delta) #2

[Delta8O8]

Jake was expecting a slap to the face. Though a real one, and not with a thick ass paper rolled up into a bludgeoning weapon.
But he didn't flinch, after all...it's just paper.
When the guards took her away he called up to her as she ascended the stairs. "I was expecting a real slap from a real woman!" Knowing for a fact that the words would get to her.

The Sergeant gave an amused chuckle and then turned to the Russian Ambassador, "вас есть прекрасная дочь" He bent down and picked up the Papers she had dropped and looked them over. He absent mindedly followed the older man, ignoring the remark about the letter opener, reading the paper as if he had just woken up and was eager to learn of the news of England and the world.

Jake Defi set his pack down in a corner of the room before sitting across from the Ambassador, unslung his Rifle and leaned it against the table next to him, the barrel pointing up towards the ceiling. He then helped himself to some cake and water, his eyes never leaving the words on the paper, and turning pages when he needed to.
When he was done with one paper he moved onto the next, but his eyes were no longer on the words. His fingers no longer caressed the sides of the pages.
His eyes were looking over each printed word, how some bled down and others darker than some.
Mistakes and misprints, misspellings and grammar problems made that "we're not in Kansas anymore" feeling grow larger and larger.
His fingers felt and rubbed at the paper. This wasn't normal newspaper, it was thicker, much thicker than what he was used to.
And the grainy feeling of the paper itself felt foreign to him.

The Sergeant took another piece of Cake and washed it down with a whole glass of water before neatly folding up the newspaper and stacking them by date, the most recent on top. He brought his hands together in front of him, leaned on forward on his elbows and gave the Russian Ambassador a nice long stare, trying to read through the former Spy to no avail.
He sighed and averted his eyes away first, looking around the Sun Room. "Fine...So it seems I'm not in Kansas anymore." He gave a short pause then added, "It's a saying from...my time. Um..." Jake gave another short pause. Yes he was an orphan. No he did not have anyone waiting for him at home. So what made him feel so sick? So worried? So...afraid of the world of the now he found himself in?

Unfamiliar surroundings.
England was a new place to him, even in the year 2012.
Even more so now that it's the 1800s.
That unfamiliar feeling.
The same feeling he felt when enlisting.
The same feeling he felt on his first tour in Iraq, clearing a small hut by himself with more rooms than expected.
That feeling of coming to the last room that was so dark it seemed like a portal to darkness.
That feeling of a lingering danger just past the door.
The "fuck it" attitude he had when he swallowed his fears and stepped into the doorway, the room lighting up with AK47 muzzle flashes combined with the muzzle flashes from his M16A4, the darkness of the room, the feel of his own blood on his chest and shirt.
That same feeling returning as he refused to walk towards the light.

Jake cleared his throat as he felt his mind wander. "Where to start?"

[Delicross]

Afansi blatantly ignored the remark about his daughter. He knew his daughter was beautiful, half of the men in Great Britain thought so as well. He'd be damned if he let any of the weak bastards take his daughter's hand in marriage though.

As Jake read the newspaper like it was something new Afansi waited patiently for him to come to terms with what he was clearly finding hard to swallow. He had heard rumors amongst the Russian spy networks back home about people who occasionally claimed to be from the "future". He didn't think any of it real until now. At first it seemed the man was just mentally ill but that was clearly not the case. Now that Jake was calm, he was clearly a reasonable man with a head on his shoulders.

Slowly, Afansi leaned forward and took a sip of his lemon water. This wasn't strong enough to start his day off right... not after this. "We start from the beginning." Afansi said to the rhetorical question Jake had mumbled to himself. "You apologize for your intrusion of my home. You then apologize to me and my daughter for putting hands on her. Then, we'll get you a room, clothes, a bath, and see about getting you a job." Afansi took another sip of his water and arched a black eyebrow at the young man before him. "A man who does not work is not a man in my opinion. I offer this more than modest opportunity to you for the simple fact that I do not think you will be returning to your America in the near future." Afansi also offered it because he had never seen a man react that way to his daughter's spurts of rage either.

Dominique was his youngest and wildest daughter. Pure Russian in his opinion. If he could take her back to Russia, he'd find a good match for her. Sadly, he did not have the time it took to set up a proper arranged marriage.
His other daughters had been more like his wife. A tame subtle English woman who would rather play with words than talk like she had any sense. They had not been hard to place with well to do English men or Russian connection. His sons were off doing what sons did and eventually, when he became old enough, his oldest would come back and take over his position if he wished.
For now, however, he'd see how this Jake Defi would do.

[Delta8O8]

As Afansi spoke Jake tried not to make a face at the apology part. He was never one to apologize for anything, because when he did, he did so with as much respect as a Rat eating a corpse.
But he remained tentative, though one could see right through his general disinterest.

The Sergeant couldn't help but have his eyes wander.
And where they wandered to made him stare in...wonder.
He snapped his head back to Afansi, then pointed to what he was looking at. "Are those your guards?" Jake asked with a perplexed "are you joking?" look.
He was pointing to a small formation of four by four Soldiers marching around the field next to the sun room. They had their Muzzle Loaders at right shoulder-arms, marching about in Golden bordered Red uniforms that made them look more like the British Redcoats than anything.

The man leading them, a Sergeant? No. Not with that giant plume of feathers on his hat.
An officer definately, and with a saber no less.
The Officer shouted something indistinct to him, the marching formation stopped. Every other line staggered, the first two rows kneeled, and the last two remained standing.
At another order, they dropped their rifles out of Right Shoulder-arms, and took aim into the forest.
The last word was short, and very understandable. The line of Soldiers let loose one gigantic explosion of gunfire...all at once.

Jake shook his head and mumbled to himself, as if taking notes, before turning back to the Russian Ambassador. "Alright, I'm sorry to you and your house, but not to your daughter because she deserves it. As for Room and board, and Job. I have a job." He waved his hand towards the mockery of soldiers who were jumbling and messing up their reloads, the Officer was looking rather furious. "I'll retrain your men in..Futuristic Warfare, which will save their lives, as well as yours and triple the security of your Manor with half the men currently at post. All I ask, is a set of clothes, room and board, and a small amount of money, however much is small nowadays."

[Delicross]

Afansi looked out the window when Jake seemed to have a staring contest with it. Ahhh, yes. The soldiers supplied to him by the British where often new green recruits that couldn't load a gun correctly much less pull their pants up without help. Stubborn young man, Jake was. But one simply didn't become an officer in the military by being a meek man who took ALL his orders without question.

Afansi stood up and held his hand out towards Jake. "We have an agreement then. It's a pleasure to have you in my service."

-----

Dominique was up in her room stripping out of her gown. She was going for a damn ride. She couldn't stand being locked up in her room when she was angry. Who did her father think she was? He had raised her to have a temper, raised to be blunt and straight forward. Yet, when she used the very skills he had teased and strengthened in her, she was yanked up from the ground and sent to her room like she was a little girl?

To the Devil with that! She snatched her riding breeches out from the dresser and pulled them on quickly before opening a window in her room. The one thing she loved about her room was that she was close to a tree and the stables all in one. She grabbed her haversack as well and tossed some bread and cheese in the sack. She filled up a water skin as well and hopped out of the window into the tree. A couple years of dance had worked wonders on her ability to get places. She just loved it.

Climbing down the tree was easy. leaped the last few feet to the ground and stood up. Brushing the bark dust off her clothes she marched her way across the grounds towards the stables.

[Delta8O8]

"The pleasure is mine." Jake said as he too stood up and took the older man's hand, giving it a firm shake.
Movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. On the other side of the Sun Room looked to be some kind of stable, and a large tree.
The Sergeant watched Dominique climb down the tree before waltzing towards the Stables. He gave a nod in that direction, motioning for Afansi to look as well. "This one's on the house." Jake Defi said, as if the information was something to be paid for.

The Sergeant took up his Rifle and stepped outside, even in this casual state he still looked menacing.
He walked towards the group of soldiers with confidence.

When the group of soldiers noticed Jake they all stood up straight to meet the foreigner with the might of the British Army.
However...even in a big group, the Sergeant alone looked bigger than them all put together.
It was the way he held himself, with confidence, and that evil grin.
That grin alone made them shiver with fear.

[Delicross]

Dominique walked into the stables and dropped her pack on a bale of hay. Her horse should be in the fields today. This week had been rather dry for a British spring, so the fields were open game for grazing. The stable boy looked up from mending a torn piece of leather and smiled warmly at Dominique. The two of them had been friends since they where both small. "Hello James."
"Good afternoon Lady Dominique." James smiled his best smile at his friend. Since puberty the guy had had a raging crush on Dominique. He knew he couldn't have her but that didn't stop him from flirting with her playfully.
"Don't even call me that James. You know I'm not a Lady."
"Not dressed like that you're not." He confirmed with a sly smile. Most of the women in the town a day's ride from the estate would swoon at the sight of his smiles. Dominique however, just punched him in the shoulder and kept walking.
It was true, if she wasn't at the estate she would never be in breeches and a blouse for riding. She would be in a riding dress and all fancy. She couldn't stand some of the things she had to put up with just because her father was an ambassador. As Dominique pushed open the barn doors, she let the sunlight in to show off the hay covered floorboards, the swirling eddies of dust caused by her walking the aisles, the wooden doors of the stalls for the horses and their chewed on tops.

Once the door was open, the herd of twelve horses was in Dominique's view. Brown, red, spotted, black, and white coats stood out in stark contrast to the rolling green fields. The one she wanted though was her Friesian mare. This horse was bigger compared to the more slender framed horses her father favored for riding parties. However, it wasn't as big as the field working horses that farmers sometimes put in the fields.
Letting out a shrill whistle caused the heads of the entire herd to jerk up from their grazing. One horse in particular, however, tossed it's head and let out a loud whinny before it broke out into a gallop across the field.

The Friesian mare was jet black with a wavy mane and tail. The mane and tail where cropped short for summer grazing. The shorter hair was less tedious to maintain compared to the show length that was often favored by Dominique. The big horse pranced right up to Dom and pushed her muzzle into the chest of the young woman. "Oh, how have you been today hmmm?" Dom laughed and stroked the horse's cheek before she cupped the underside of her muzzle and lead her into the barn.

Once in the barn, Dominique did a quick grooming of her mare Rada. She didn't bother with a saddle or a bridle. She simply jumped up and leaned forward.

That's all it took before Rada was galloping through the open barn doors, and taking off across the fields with Dominique on her back.

------

Afansi watched his youngest daughter climb down the tree when Jake mentioned it. He knew she would do that. She always did when she was angry. A smile crossed his face and he shook his head. His daughter was just like him when he was younger. If she had been born a boy, she would of had a brighter future but, Dominique was a girl and was destined to become a mother. Silently, the older man poured himself another glass of water and sipped it as he relaxed against his armchair.

What a way to start a day.

[Delta8O8]

"WHAT the fuck is this?" Jake suddenly barked out that made the soldiers, as well as the numerous amounts of handyman nearby, jump in shock. "What kind of pansy assed Military am I looking at?"

The Officer straightened himself from his initial shock and sheathed his Saber, approaching this...new comer, to meet him head-on before he reached his men. "We...are the Soldiers of Her Majesty's Royal Army." The man said with pride, his chest puffed out, thrusting the numerous medals on his chest at Jake. The sunlight reflected off of the shiny Medals and hit Jake in the eyes with a glare.

Jake narrowed his eyes, but did not flinch at the sudden pain.
He simply looked away and put on his Oakley shades that made everything look like the sun was just now setting, rather than in its early morning state.

The Soldiers glanced at each other in wonder of the glasses Jake now wore.
They have seen Glasses before, even the covering above them to decrease sunlight, but straight black?
It was like staring into the eyes of the Devil.

"I see a defeated Army. Which would make sense considering I'm from America. And as I recall...the Royal British Army, Her Majesty's Redcoat Infantry, was beaten by a group of Farmers armed with Muskets." Jake saw the Officer roll his eyes, but it was to hide the flinch, which Jake saw without even trying. The Sergeant took a step to the side and began to walk around the Soldier's formation. "Outmanned, and outgunned...they defeated the Mighty British Army and gained their freedom." He walked in front of the Soldiers, and they did not move, only their eyes. Jake let it slide. They didn't know.

Then he walked to the side of them. All of the Soldiers suddenly shifted in a random order to face their speaker, poorly following protocol and procedure of the now.
Not anymore. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?" Jake suddenly snapped. His hands had been at the small of his back, but they snapped to his sides as he screamed and menacingly approached the group of Soldiers.

The Soldiers had never known such language or yelling, or the amount of rage put into such a short time. They staggered back in fear, being able to see the white in Jake's eyes through the dark colored glasses, and only so because of his rage.
They tumbled over each other trying to scramble away from Jake.
Even the Officer jumped back a few feet, swearing later that he could feel the heat off of Jake's breath, he had so much rage.

"GET BACK INTO FORMATION! GET THE FUCK BACK INTO FORMATION!" He screamed. The Sergeant danced around the cowering group of soldiers. They hid from his rage, and by doing so, Jake had to quickly side step in their way to keep them from running.
It was like herding chickens.

Jake heard a small chuckle from the side. He suddenly stopped chasing the exhausted men, and his head turned slowly to look at the Officer. Their eyes met, and the British man's chuckle suddenly ceased. The American Soldier started towards the Officer, in a quick walk that made any running man look like they weren't trying.
The Officer suddenly found himself scrambling away from the menacing man, much to the enjoyment of the enlisted.
"WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?" Jake snapped as he chased the Officer.

The British Officer tried to cut across and make a break for the Treeline, but found the American Soldier in his way. He then turned around and went for the house, but again, found the American in his way. Every direction he tried to scramble to was met with this man in Camouflage that matched the trees surrounding the Manor.
Suddenly, he felt a bump to his back and he saw sky as he tumbled over the group of soldiers who were not quick enough to move away.

After about five-minutes of chicken herding, Jake had finally gotten everyone into place, including the Officer in the last row. He had snatched off the man's hat and stomped on it when the Officer made remarks to voice a complaint to the Ambassador. Jake stood in front of the group with his hands behind his back, shifting his Rifle so it stayed in place still on his shoulder. "Now..that's better." He let his rage slowly filter down before speaking again. "We're going to be changing things around here. You may be part of the British Army, but here, at this assigned post, you will be under my command. Which makes you, unofficially part of the United States of America Army."

"And what, pray tell, Ambassador authorized this?" The Officer suddenly asked aloud.

Jake exploded again. The Soldiers were getting tired of this, and now hated the Officer more than ever. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY!?" Jake quickly approached the Officer who backed up into the man next to him. But instead of falling down again, the man stood his ground, holding up the Officer as if offering the man to the God of Rage. Jake Defi got into the Officers face and started screaming. "YOU DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS SPOKEN TO! DO YOU GET ME!? IF ANY MAN HERE SPEAKS WITHOUT BEING SPOKEN TO THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY! DO YOU GET ME!?" His spittle covered the Man's visibly shaken face.

"Yes sir!" They all replied in unison. Except the Officer who was still in shock.

Jake stepped back and stood in front of the group again. "What was that? I can't hear you!"

"Yes, sir!"

"LOUDER!"

"Yes, si-!"

"LOUDER!"

"Yes, s-!"

"LOUDER!"

"YES, Si-!"

"LOUDER!"

"YES, SIR!"

"LOOOOUUUDDEEERR!"

"YES, SIR!"

"LIKE YOU GOT A PAIR!"

"YES, SIR!"

"And don't call me "sir"! I work for a living..." Jake finished off as he paced in front of them, like a hungry lion choosing his next meal. Suddenly he stopped and looked at them all, especially the Officer. "Repeat after me: Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno."

They repeated him, though not all at once. Some mumbled, others said half of it. All knowing what it meant.

"As I can imagine, most of you know the Latin language. The Language of God some may call it. Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno. One for all, all for one." Jake gave them a keen eye and locked eyes with the Officer who shrunk just a little. "Remember this well, because if one of you fucks up...all of you get punished." His eyes unlocked from the Officers and he looked around, "Officers included."
With that Jake began to walk away. He stopped, and turned around. "Let's see how well you follow orders...Stay here...in formation. Don't move."

Nobody moved.

Jake continued to walk until he turned the corner at the end of the Manor and disappeared.

No one still moved.

[Delicross]

Dominique sat on the back of Rada watching the spectacle of the British soldiers being harassed by Jake. She rolled her eyes and flipped her braid back over her shoulder before kicking Rada into a trot to the other side of the fields. Apparently her father had enlisted the idiot to train the soldiers. All his yelling was spooking the horses and the people who had to do work.

Now that she was far enough away from the fence, Dominique spun Rada around easily and kicked her into a gallop. Shifting her weight back, the riding guided the horse into a jumping mind frame. The last few strides to the fence where cleared with a powerful jump. Clearing the fence was followed by Rada doing an antsy prance as if showing off to an invisible crowd. Quickly, Dominique turned her horse and pushed her towards the direction Jake had walked off towards. She wanted to talk to him.

Around the corner she followed him and once she saw him she pushed her horse into a trot to catch up with him. "Sir. I wish to talk to you." Dominique's long brown hair was done back into a simple braid. Her blouse was open at the neck and dipped down between her breast. Sweat from the unusually warm spring day made the thin material of her slip and shirt cling to her back.

Rada was fascinated by Jake however, she pushed her muzzle forward and sniffed the soldier curiously. The people friendly horse moved closer to him and peered at him with her big black eyes. "What in the name of the queen are you doing to my father's men? I have never seen such harsh treatment of soldiers."

[Delta8O8]

Jake had started to quickly make his way back towards the Soldiers, but from the other side of the building and was promptly stopped by Dominique.
Defi rolled his eyes as she spoke to him, having the need to talk to him. "Ma'am, I wish you wouldn't." He replied quickly at her first sentence, the sarcastic remark falling on deaf ears as the Young woman continued to speak.

Fine.
He let her speak.
When she was done with her very short question he replied, "I'm whipping them into shape with discipline. Not only that, I'm going to do it with Moder-...Futuristic ways. Likewise their uniform will be changing." Jake looked up at the horse and began to rub his muzzle, as well as its mane and behind its ears. Then he took a step back and gave a very low bow to Dominique. "Now is there anything else you would like Princess Royal-pain-in-my-ass?"

[Delicross]

Dominique's eyes narrowed at Jake when he bowed so low to her. His sarcasm was horrible! She could handle him not wanting to talk to her. That didn't bother her. She didn't care that he was petting her horse. The sarcasm, the sarcasm made her want to slap his head off his shoulders!
Taking a slight breath to calm herself before she ripped into him, Dominique gave him the brightest smile she could muster. "It's very flattering that you think I'm a princess Mr. Defi but, there is something I'd like from you."
The young woman slid down off of Rada's back and came closer to Jake. Her deep blue eyes held flecks of gold in their depths as she let her eyes hold Jake's. "My name is Dominique and I'm QUEEN Royal Pain-In-Your-Ass." She pushed one of her fingers under his chin and pushed his head back as she leaned forward. "You should do well to remember that Mr. Defi. You will rue the day you forget it." Her hand snapped away from Jake's chin and shoved him in the chest. "Do I make myself fucking clear?" She asked using the F word she had heard him use earlier. It rolled off her tongue with a more Russian accent than she intended but it was understandable.
She turned her back on Jake and effortlessly jumped back onto Rada's back. It was clear that Dominique knew how to ride. "You are free to go play war with the other boys Mr. Defi." Effortlessly, the young woman turned the horse around and kicked it into a trot the way Jake was heading. She wanted to watch him 'train' the idiots the British called an army.