Originally published in Dangerous Women edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozios, and then republished in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall, Virgins by Diana Gabaldon is our next short story to read in our Outlander Book Club. It’s time to head back to 1740, and we get to see a much younger Jamie Fraser and Ian Murray.
The entire story takes place in Paris, and it’s in between Jamie being at Fort William and meeting Claire. There is a weight to his shoulders, especially due to the death of his father. So what is it that sends him to France with his best friend, and what does this mean for who he ends up becoming?
What is Virgins about?
This short story picks up in France 1740. A 19-year-old Jamie and a 20-year-old Ian head to France to become mercenaries. This is a chance for them to become men, as they have never killed or slept with a woman, and all of that could change as they go through a dangerous journey.
Jamie has just managed to get out of Fort William, with wounds on his back still raw and painful. At the same time, he’s grieving the loss of his father, who died of a stroke. This is something Jamie blames himself for, even though we all know that Jamie didn’t cause his father’s death, and there’s no way Brian would have blamed him.
It’s Murtagh who gets Jamie to leave Scotland for France, joining Ian who is already over there. Oh yes, Ian Murray has both legs, and it’s time to see how the two fight together and why Ian has always had Jamie’s back.
Where in the Outlander timeline does Virgins take place?
This is a prequel to Outlander, taking place three years before Claire goes through the stones. The short story only takes place during on year, so it doesn’t catch us up to what happened to Ian’s leg, but it does give us a look at some of the weight that Jamie holds onto.
It’s just after he gets out of Fort William, so the wounds on his back are still raw. He’s grieving and he’s angry. All he wants is to be able to kill Black Jack Randall for everything that happened. However, not everyone understands Jamie’s full hatred for Black Jack, as he doesn’t tell anyone of the proposition Black Jack offered.
This is one of those short stories that is great to see just how smart Jamie is, but it also shows how far he came throughout the years in developing his fighting and planning skills. I do believe that this is a catalyst for Jamie becoming the warrior that we know of him as in the main Outlander novels.
Stay up to date with the Outlander Book Club with Claire and Jamie.