For now this is a One Shot, but I really like playing with the James character. Nobody writes about him, but I think there's some story there aside from the whole Jacqueline thing.

James awoke with a start.

He had the dream about Jacqueline again. She was being eaten by a large, hairy giant whose breath would hit James's face. The creature crunched down on her bones, blood seeping in between his teeth. It chuckled, and James felt that chuckle in his bones. He'd try to run away, or to not look, but he couldn't. He was frozen in that moment, forced to watch them tear her apart.

Yes, he was selfish.

All he wanted was money and glory, and he had no problem admitting it. The kingdom was beginning to suffer, he had to get that gold back. Jack was a small price to pay for the prosperity of the people.

But he missed her.

No, he didn't love her. He was honestly incapable of loving anyone but himself. Jack had been a friend with exceptionally exciting benefits. At worst, he was sad to see such a wasted opportunity.

James quickly got up and started throwing on his leathers and tunic. He wanted to get in some early practice before his father told him what boring, princely duty he had to go through with today.

The armory was void of any human life save for James himself. The rising sun cast purplish shadows when reflected off the silver of the weapons. James' footsteps were slowly making their way through to the swords, where he picked up a large, golden sword.

"Morning, Goliath." James took a cloth from a nearby table and rubbed it up and down Goliath's blade. The motions were slow and careful, and done with great care. This sword was the one thing James had that he honestly couldn't live without.

Correction: he was incapable of loving anything other than himself and Goliath.

When James was satisfied with his sword, he stood up and held the beauty in his hand before lunging at nothing. Perfectly balanced, as always. He headed outside to where the training dummies lay. They were flour sacks stuffed with hay and mounted on a wooden spike. Five were lined up about twenty feet from the armory entrance. James carefully gripped the blade of his sword and lunged at the sack all the way on the left. He stabbed it through, twirling in a circle and hitting the next one on the side. He slid away as though the sack were an advancing enemy and quickly ran to the opposite side of the dummy, stabbing it in the "heart" from behind.

He continued on like this until his faux enemies were all dead, the morning now fully shining on him and the "guts" he had spilled.

James loved the thrill of battle. Defeating an enemy and showing your one hundred percent authority gave him a thrill only rivaled by sex. He liked to be domineering in that area as well.

A clap sounded from behind James, and he turned around to see his father slowly applauding him.

"You really showed those sacks who's boss, huh?"

James didn't like to admit it, but his father's approval was the one thing he needed. He felt that if his father wasn't happy, whatever he had done was worthless. James knew that it was a horrid way to live, but he couldn't fight the urge to please the man before him.

"You disapprove of my training methods?" James was only half serious. He used the dummies all the time.

"No." the king said, taking a step forward. His silver hair looked white in the morning sun, and his red tunic stood out from the dull browns of the courtyard.

"But you have some very important things to do today. I hope playing around won't interfere with your duties."

Playing around. He never understood his son's joy for battle, and constantly wrote it off as tomfoolery.

"Of course, father." James said it through gritted teeth.

George eyed his son as though making sure he wouldn't change his mind.

"Meet me in the great hall, we're having breakfast with the Evil Queen."

James perked up at that. The Evil Queen was a powerful woman, one James had always been fond of. She was a no-nonsense ruler, and she put peasants in their place.

James started for the stairs so he could take his armor off and freshen up for what he hoped would be the best part of his day.

So what do you think? I never really saw Regina interact with George, and I'm curious as to how that would go.

If you want more, let me know!