edenfalling: headshot of a raccoon, looking left (raccoon)
[personal profile] edenfalling
Summary: Jane plans to study archaeology. She'll explain about the 'underwater' part some other day. (200 words exactly)

Note: This ficlet was written for [livejournal.com profile] rosaxx50 as part of a three-sentence meme, in response to the prompt: TDIR, Jane Drew. I failed the structural restriction yet again, though I did wrangle it down to four sentences which is at least movement in the right direction. It's also another double drabble, just because. [Tumblr crosspost]

[ETA: The AO3 crosspost is now up!]

---------------------------------------------
I Have a Secret
---------------------------------------------

"I suppose we'll have to call you Indiana Jane now," Barney said when Jane announced her university plans at supper.

"Archaeology is mostly dusty books and hot summers grubbing about in thousand-year-old latrines," Jane said in a deliberately deflating tone, "and no, before you ask, I refuse to waste my life haring around trying to unearth evidence of a historical Arthur; I'll already be spending enough time trying to live down that melodramatic grail business we stumbled into with Gumerry, not to mention the trouble of living up to the less ridiculous parts of his reputation."

This both neatly diverted the conversation into a discussion of their much-missed great uncle and the more unlikely aspects of his life, and provided a plausible source of Jane's career inspiration that had nothing to do with her recurring dream of underwater ruins and a vast, green presence that called her to come and share a secret.

Jane touched the charm she wore around her neck -- a tiny, delicate wreath of hawthorn and rowan, all wrought in gold as a birthday gift (and apology) from Will -- and renewed her silent promise to the Greenwitch: I remembered you, and nothing will make me forget again.

---------------------------------------------

End of Ficlet

---------------------------------------------

I think oceanography would be an equally sensible response under the circumstances, but I went with archeology because of the Drews' connection to Merriman, and also because Britain's deep history is a running theme in canon.

Timeline note: Jane and Bran seem to be Will's age, give or take a few months. So far as I can tell, Will is twelve and a half (maybe thirteen and a half, but certainly no older) during Silver on the Tree, which takes place in 1977 at the absolute earliest. Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981. Barney's joke is historically possible. (Yes, I did actually take five minutes to verify that. *headdesk*)

Profile

edenfalling: stylized black-and-white line art of a sunset over water (Default)
Elizabeth Culmer

May 2025

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314 151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Tags

Page Summary

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags