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Archive 20 / the-yensid-tales
NSFW | Death, Possible Sexual Content, Mild Violence, TBD
As luck would have it, the noise of the woodpeckers and the mischievous nature of the birds that took a liking to Mrs. Tweeds hanging laundry roused the woman from her chair. A large, frumpy, old woman opened the front door to see the birds pulling at her clothes, but not before she noticed the basket at the bottom of her front steps. Her wrinkled hands jerked to her face as a small gasp left her lips. Someone had abandoned a baby at her residence with no sign of remorse and while she had no kids of her own, there was absolutely no way she could leave him out there all alone. Beady eyes that looked through an even smaller set of glasses looked up at the birds to see they had lost interest in her garments, allowing her to slowly pick up the basket and carry the little one inside.
"Oh, I wonder where your mother is. We can't have you out there all alone, now... I know just the thing!"
Mrs. Tweed had sat the basket down on the table while she found one of the bottle she used to feed her newborn animals with when they were too small. It needed a good clean and after she was satisfied, she poured it full with the milk from her fridge. The baby boy simply laid in the basket and cooed until the bottle was warm and the woman returned to retrieve him from the basket. Holding him close, she sat in an old rocking chair while she fed him, smiling down at the miracle that she couldn't explain. He was happy and full of life, not having a clue in the world that the woman that held him wasn't his actual mother. He slurped the milk down and held her hand as he did so, looking up at her with big green eyes.
"Easy, little one, easy... My, you're such a toddler!... That's it... I'll call you Tod."
As the boy grew, he became no stranger to mischief. He was always causing a fuss around the farm, much to Mrs. Tweed's dismay. He always delayed her chores with his clumsiness; breaking eggs, spilling milk or aggravating the animals in the barn. He never was any good at helping her out when it came to work, which was why she was so thankful when he found Copper. Copper was the neighbor girl and their friendship bloomed almost immediately. Mrs. Tweed never knew that they played together nearly everyday; playing hide-and-seek, going swimming and chasing each other through the woods. Their childhood was filled with secret games and hidden rendezvous that would only last until their eighteenth birthdays.
That was around the time Amos Slade found Tod sneaking onto their property one day. He had simply wanted to spend some time with Copper, but the old man didn't appreciate the trespasser, firing a few shots at him that only missed the lad by luck. Slade had demanded that Mrs. Tweed keep her son under her watchful eye or else he would wind up on the other end of his barrel again and next time he wouldn't miss. It put a severe strain on Tod and Copper's relationship, the two having not seen each other in so long. That was two years ago and as the memories of that night seeped in, the sounds of phantom gunshots made Tod's spine go rigid.
It was with a start that the young man sat upright in his bed. The fear that Amos Slade had instilled in the poor boy took it's toll even to this day and when his shaking hand came up to run through his thick red hair, he felt the prickle of sweat sting at his skin. It was nearly dawn on the day of Copper's fated return and while the crotchety old man kept him at bay, he couldn't help but feel a pang of excitement at knowing she was coming back. Every winter Slade and his daughters went for a hunting trip that took all winter, but this time they were bringing her along to actually hunt instead of take care of the cabin. He had told himself that this would be the year that he tried to rekindle what they had lost and knew somewhere in his bones that she would be glad to see him. Rising from his slumber to get dressed and go about helping Mrs. Tweed with her chores, he decided he would sneak onto the Slade property in the night this time. Surely he could get close enough to have a few words with Copper before Amos Slade noticed he was there.
@Fiory
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He whispered the words to her as he slowly approached the house, careful not to wake up her sleeping sister. Chief scared him back in the day and while he thought he outgrew that fear, seeing her up close only solidified how terrified he truly was of her. His eyes only stayed on Chief long enough to notice his whisper was quiet enough not to disturb her, then they turned back towards Copper who was rising from her seated position. She was stunning, but all he saw was the strong and capable woman she had grown into with the influences around her. It wasn't until she spoke though that he wished he had been a part of her development, even if only a little.
@Fiory
The next noise that broke the calm night was the sound of Amos' rifle firing at the fence in an attempt to hit Tod. The splintered wood from the fence fell on the backs of Tod's legs as he narrowly avoided the promised shot from the old hunter. He said he wouldn't miss and if the fence hadn't been there, he wouldn't have. Tripping, leaping and sprinting as fast as the boy could, he ran through the overgrown fields and into the trees where he hoped to lose his persuers. What he didn't know was that the shots fired was enough to wake up old Mrs. Tweed. The lights at the Tweed farm illuminated the yard as the old widow stumbled out of her house with a blanket covering her head and shoulders for warmth and a lantern to light her way. She peered out over towards the Slade ranch and knew exactly who Amos had been shooting at. Tod hadn't been in his bed as she ran by his room and with the Slade sisters returning from their winter hunt, she knew where the boy had snuck off to.
'Oh, no! No! They're after Tod!'
'Get after 'im!'
Tod heard the shout in the distance, followed by the blades of grass moving as Chief stuck right on his tail. Through another fence and over a fallen log, Tod continued to widen the gap between him and Chief. A loud bang followed by the shatter of the log told him Amos was still close by and that he needed to be faster. He needed to make a few turns and break the line of sight. Turning sharply though some tall grass, he found a large patch by a tree that would hide him nicely if he could manage to slip in before they saw him. Chief wasn't as good of a tracker as Copper and Copper took longer in her process. The hiding spot would at least give him a moment to catch his breath if Chief didn't find him immediately.
Ducking into the grass and laying flat on his chest, he watched carefully through the blades as Chief rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. She took a moment to look around, likely looking for movement, and while he knew she wouldn't find him with her back turned to him, he knew the longer he waited the closer Amos and Copper would be. He pushed himself up until he got his feet beneath him, but as he did the bottoms of his shoes loudly shifted the dirt beneath. It was enough to cause Chief to spin around and hone in right on him. He had never bolted as fast as he did in that moment, rushing through the grass and deeper into the forest.
He could tell they were getting close to the river by the way the dirt mounded and dropped off at odd angles. He hoped it would be terrain the Chief wasn't used to and give him a slight advantage as he jumped, ducked and slid through the woods. Using a fallen tree to cross a small ravine to the other side, he sprinted across it's unsteady foundation and suddenly found himself facing rocks. He had to climb a few times to gain some distance, once even kicking some rocks towards Chief to give him a few seconds of a lead. She was much quicker than he thought she'd be, but not quick enough to catch him. The train tracks were in the distance, but he paid them no mind as he finally found dirt beneath his shoes again.
An old, abandoned woodshed sat at the top of the hill and luckily for Tod, a pile of unused logs towered next to the building. He ran around them to see if he could simply walk around them to lose Chief, but he noticed a burrow below it deep enough to fit his skinny build. He quickly dove beneath them, deciding that a handful of animals decided to make this their home at one point and he was glad that they were no longer there. It only took a few seconds once he had bended himself in an odd position beneath the wet wood that he heard Chief's footfalls just outside of his hole. He could see just under the logs through a small gap and watched as she bounced right passed him and the building.
The noises her shoes made against the earth became more distant by the second and it allowed Tod to let out a relieved exhale. He needed a moment to catch his breath, but the thought came to him that if he started making his way back home, Chief would really lose track of where he went. He started to crawl out of the hollow beneath the logs when he heard Copper and Amos coming up the hill. He froze for a split second before he shoved himself back down, only letting his eyes peer out of the small crack. Copper's feet walked by him once, his heart pounding out of his chest as she did. He'd never known her not to get her mark and with her so close, he was sure she would find him. Before he could even finish the thought he watched as Copper lowered herself down to look under the logs, their eyes locking onto each other's. Tod's were full of fear, regret and worry as he knew his life laid in her hands. What scared him was the stern and focused look she had had when she first spotted him. She had really been tracking him and she had found him.
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âGet in the water and hide! We donât need to wait long, just long enough!â
Heâd usher her towards the water and shush her every time she made the water ripple. She needed to trust him. He had been very good at hiding and making himself go unnoticed when he tried; he knew this would fool the old man and once they were gone Cooper and himself could go where they pleased. He waited until she was mostly submerged before he started making his way in as well, trying his best not to splash the water when he saw the tip of Amosâ gun appear over the edge of the hill.
âOh no! There he is! On the count of three, go under and hold your breath as long as you can! Okay?! One⌠Two⌠Three!â
Tod took a deep breath and sank below the surface of the cold water right as Amos crested the hill. His eyes were closed as he dug his fingers into the muck beneath him in order to keep his position steady. He didnât dare open his eyes or search for Copper, no she would be fine. He counted in his head as high as he could, as long as he could hold his breath.
âfifteenâŚ. Twenty-two⌠thirty-six⌠forty-t-twoâŚâ
It was less than a minute and he knew that, but his lungs burned without the oxygen and he knew if he didnât come up soon he would come up with an audible gasp. Bracing himself, he gently pushed his face above the water to take a quick breath before slowly easing his head out to see if Amos had gone. To his surprise, he heard bells, seagulls and men clattering around and when he opened his bright blue eyes, all he saw was ocean in front of him and a large ship behind him.
@Fiory
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'Fight Indians?' Tod was perplexed as he got closer and closer to the men lollygagging around the ship. 'Did they say Captain?' The worry spread through his chest instead of across his face as he gathered up every ounce of confidence he could manage. They seemed to think he was important and that he knew what he was doing, so he was going to try and convince them they were correct.
"That's right. I'm not about to let you boys have all the fun."
He had successfully boarded the ship and no one looked as if they thought him out of place. He was even escorted below deck to show where he could put his things, a small knapsack of items in his hand that he didn't realize he had been carrying. Once left to his own devices, he sat the bag down and looked out the small, circular window in his room that showed the vast ocean at their side. Was he really about to set sail to some place to fight people? Tod had never wounded anyone in his life and he didn't plan to start now, not in this new world he found himself in. As the boat began to rock as if they were moving, he ran back up to the deck to watch as a huge crowd waved goodbye to their loved ones. He made his way to the helm and stared off at the ocean, side-eyeing all the saddened faces of the people these men were leaving behind. He could only hope Copper wasn't among them, but something deep in his gut told him he was on his way to her.
@Fiory 1
Leaning against the side of the ship, Tod listened to the melody being sung behind him and had more information to pick apart. The New World? What could that mean? He was in a new world, but something told him that the folks around him didn't feel as out of place as he did. They had a mission and knew the demands of the ship like the back of their hand while some even looked to him for leadership part of the time. He had to be the only one that was 'new' to the place he found himself in, but that didn't explain how they knew him. He then moved on to the lyrics: ârich and freeâ. Were they chasing money or were they waging a war? One of the crewmates had talked of killing people, something that still weighed heavy on Tod's mind. Were they planning to kill these people for the money they had?
The day seemed to drag on for poor Tod, all the incessant questions and the small confines of the ship didn't allow him near enough room to run. He realized then how much he loved Tweed's Farm and would do anything to chase small critters into the woods one last time. Hopefully, once he found Copper, they could make their way back to their humble abodes. As dusk began to set in, Tod excused himself to his quarters for the night in hopes of getting some much needed rest. The night would not be kind to him though.
In the dead of the blackness, a storm erupted around them and tossed the boat aggressively side to side. He would leap from his bed and run up the deck to see nearly every crew member sprinting around to âbatten down the hatchesâ as it were. Sideways rain was pelting them hard enough to feel a lingering sting, the thunder in the sky boomed into each person's core and the lightning was striking bits of the ocean around them. Wind whipped so hard across the deck that if one wasnât careful, one misstep could lead to the wind carrying them off directly into the ice cold water. The flashes were their only source of light and the yells coming from the men had to be timed between the rebellion of the sky or go unheard.
âFull anchor release!â
âCome on, lads! Come on!â
âGive me a hand, someone!â
âWatch out!â
The crew were trying to pull up the sails, so as to not allow them to be damaged by the hazardous weather, when a wave lapped directly over the edge of the ship and soak every man onboard. Even without the wave, the wind was carrying large gusts of water onto the ship and coating everything with a thick layer. Ropes were slick and the deck, while flat, was a death trap waiting to knock a poor, unsuspecting soul off balance.
âFaster! Sheâs taking on more water!â
Tod looked around in trembling fear at the sight in front of him before he was grabbed by a big, burly man. He told him they needed help with tying up the sail while the others went about fastening the cannons. Tod instinctively nodded and ran towards the mast to find something to help him climb up. He did not like heights, especially on unstable ground, but he would much rather help than be tossed out into the ocean. Grabbing a rope and pulling himself up, he climbed onto the top of the mast to assist those who needed it. With the help of eight other men, Tod was successful in pulling in the ropes that held the sail, following the lead of the other men beside him so as to not look like a fool. It was when he heard the cry from a man below that all his focus was pulled to the deck as he tied the rope in his hand.
âJohn! Get down here! The cannons are breaking loose!â
From Todâs small amount of time on the ship had gathered a few bits of information. When the crewmates refer to âsheâ they are talking about the ship more often than not, idle hands were not something anyone wanted to see and his name, was not Tod Tweed, but John Smith. Therefore, when the name âJohnâ was called, his head swiveled around to see a small red-head that reminded him a lot of himself. His name was Thomas and he sort of looked up to Tod. He felt almost responsible for him in a way as the young man fought with trying to keep a cannon from sliding clear across the deck and into the water. Instinct took over as Tod grabbed the rope he had used to climb atop the mast and slid down to land hard onto the deck with a splash.
âReef the topsails!â
Tod shouted as he ran by another deckhand that had won his own fight with a cannon. It was a command he had read in a book once and he could only hope that it meant what he thought it did. The characters in his story had also been going through a storm, but he wasnât sure what the words exactly meant. The man gave an âAye, sir!â, letting a wave of relief wash over him, as he took off towards the sails Tod had just been at while Tod himself made his way to Thomas. Having a full on ego boost from someone obeying his orders, he shouted again as he came to hug the cannon Thomas was struggling with.
âSteady on your course!â
The cannon was heavy, heavier than any movie or book could accurately describe. The metal was a bone-chilling temperature that seemed to seep right past his clothes and freeze his entire being into place. He grabbed the back end of the steel contraption and pulled with all his might as he reassured the man next to him.
âItâs all right, Thomas! Weâll get her tied off.â
Thomas had already done a wonderful job on the ropes that fastened the cannon to the ship, albeit a little loose. Tod grabbed the rope and pulled, using the cannon as leverage to make sure it was as tight as it could be. Just when he thought he would have a moment to catch his breath and congratulate the man that reminded him of himself, he heard the crewmates shout from above.
âSay your prayers, lads!â
The waves that had been bouncing the ship to and fro hand started to culminate. Water came together below them to raise the ship up higher than it had been since port before it dumped them back into the sea. A typhoon of sharp, cold ocean shot through the ship; it knocked over anyone standing and drenched everyone that was able to see the raging sky above. Tod saw the wave coming straight for himself and Thomas, causing him to throw and arm around the man defensively. The rush of the wave was so powerful it caused Tod to lose his grip on everything until he snatched the rope out of the air. It carried him over the cannon and almost into the dark watery abyss below, however the rope sling-shot him back against that cold steel he did not miss.
Pulling himself up to his feet, the next sound sent all of his blood straight to his head. The loud splintering of wood ricocheted throughout the ship before a cry for help fell until it was absorbed by nothing but a splash. If only to confirm his fears, a man up in the crows nest shouted down to those below him with a boisterous voice.
âMan overboard!â
âHELP!â
Another cry rang out from below the ship, although it was much fainter now that they had drifted farther into the ocean. Tod looked around frantically to see no sign of Thomas and when another voice instructed to stay the course because the man was lost, he refused. Tod was not going to let the red-head be consumed by the storm and he was not going to lose another friend. Faster than anything he had ever done in his life, he ran to one of the life-line ropes and began tying it around his waist. He knew they were pinned on the rail of the ship and without the slack, he wouldnât be able to adequately reach Thomas.
âPull the pin!â
âAye, sir!â
A crewmate ran over to the pin that kept the life-line shortened and tried to loosen it, but the entire metal piece flew off the ship and into the water. Another rope that had been holding a smaller sail down went flying in the wind and Tod was now only held to the ship by a small pulley. It didnât matter to him at that moment though. Breaking away from his position, he bolted across the deck of the ship until he reached the helm, diving off the highest point and into the raging waters below. The murky depths that engulfed him made him see Copper for a moment. Behind closed eyes he saw her face riddled with angst as they both took a full breath and submerged themselves for protection against Amos Slade.. Instead of seeing her when he kicked his way to the surface, he spotted Thomas gasping for air as small waves threatened to pull him down.
âHang on, Thomas. Iâve got you!â
If he couldnât save Copper, he was going to save everyone else he could. Part of him had hoped that diving below the icy ocean would bring him back to his beloved farmland, but the other part of him knew it wouldnât. He couldnât go back, not without Copper. Since he couldnât take her hand and bring her back home, he would have to settle for wrapping his arm around Thomas and trying to make his way back to the ship. Suddenly, the rope became taught as the men on the ship pulled the pair to safety. What Tod didnât know was that the pulley that couldâve been used to reel him back in had snapped and they all had almost lost them both to poseidon's wrath. The waves lapped at both men as the fortitude of their crewmates prevailed, pulling them both over the edge of the ship as they hit the deck with a heavy thud.
âAye, my lucky lad!â
A man said as he grabbed a blanket to drape over Thomas who was coughing up water next to him. Tod couldnât help but smile as the crew that surrounded them seemed to be giddy with adrenaline. On his back, he chuckled as he rolled on his side to grab the small beret that Thomas wore. He picked it up and wringed it out, chuckling with the other men as he addressed Thomas.
âWell, that was refreshing.â
âWell done, Smith.â
He looked towards a rather gruff looking gentleman, a big red beard and mustache explaining the bit of muffle in his voice. Tod had done a good job! He was quite proud of himself and if Copper could see him now, why she would give him one of her best pats on the back and if he was lucky, an âatta boy as well!
âOf course⌠Youâd all do the same for me.â
Tod was a very generous man and not knowing any better he thought that extended to everyone, that everyone would be willing to lay their life on the line for a friend. The sideways looks and the small groans from the men beside him seemed to disprove that though. Before he could linger on their faces too long, he listened to them all pipe up in agreement!
âYes, yes. Of course we would!â
âSure, sure. Absolutely!â
âYeah, we would.â
It was then another bolt of lightning struck from the heavens into the water in front of them, illuminating a large man that none of them had noticed was standing there. He wore an elegant purple suit with a blueish-purple shirt beneath it, only shown by his cuffs and lapel. His shoulder-length black hair hung off either side of his face and was tied at the ends with little red bows. He had a pencil thin soul patch and mustache that made his face seem longer than it was and if his size seemed gargantuan alone, it was only exacerbated by the fact that his small pug fit almost entirely in one hand. Everyone had made a big deal about him boarding the boat back at port, even going so far as to roll out a red carpet for him, so Tod knew he was important.
âTrouble on deck?â
His voice was low, unamused and seemingly unconcerned with the events that had taken place moments before as he stared at the five soaked men before him. His eyes were hooded and he seemed to expect an answer. Tod and Thomas both rose to their feet immediately, Thomas sputtering out the manâs name as he did so. Something Tod was immensely grateful for.
âGovernor Ratcliffe!â
âThomas fell overboard, sir.â
Tod explained, trying to give the utmost of respect even though the man seemed to not give an ounce back. Not wanting Thomas to feel too ashamed, Tod reached out a hand to place on his shoulder. He wasnât trying to toss him to the wolves, but he had been asked a question and responded to the best of his knowledge.
âThank heavens heâs been successfully retrieved. Well done, Smith.â
âThank you, sir.â
Ratcliffeâs eyes never fully opened as he spoke to the pair of them, nor did his look of disdain ever really change. It was that lack of emotion that told Tod he couldnât have cared less if either of them made it back to the ship. Ratcliffe did manage to make eye contact with Tod as he was turning away and as he did, a cold chill shot up his spine. It couldâve been the wind or the realization there was someone behind Ratcliffe that he hadnât seen, but he definitely felt it. He didnât like that man. The gangly man behind Ratcliffe was dressed in a tight-fitting orange suit with black shoes; his caramel colored hair was tied into a low ponytail that flapped behind him as he ran to keep Ratcliffe shielded with an umbrella overhead. The pair made their way down to the rest of the crew while Tod and Thomas remained at the helm, leaning against the rail to hear everything he had to say as he paced around.
âDonât lose your heart, men. It wonât be long before we reach the New World, and remember what awaits us there⌠Freedom⌠Prosperity⌠The adventure of our lives. Youâre the finest crew England has to offer, and nothing, not wind nor rain, nor a thousand bloodthirsty savages shall stand in our way. Carry on, men!â
The crew seemed to love his âinspiringâ speech, but it only turned Todâs stomach. âSavagesâ was another term he constantly heard whilst aboard the ship. It was a derogatory term for the Indians or âinjunsâ as some people said. It didnât matter to Tod what they were called because to him, they were people and people didnât deserve to be killed for any reason, let alone any of the reasons Ratcliffe mentioned. Cheers flooded the deck while Tod pushed himself away from the railing in disbelief, trying not to let anyone else see the emotions splayed across his face.
He made his way down the steps to finish tying the cannon down that had given him and Thomas a hard time before. The wind and rain had lightened exponentially since their near-death experience and with that came a rise in Thomasâ mood. He spoke to Tod while happily tying rope around the cannon with almost a new outlook on life in his step.
âThis New Worldâs going to be great, John. Iâm going to get a pile of gold, build me a big house, and if any Indian tries to stop me, Iâll blast him.â
The way Thomas spoke of the people they were sailing towards made a grimace form on Todâs face, he quickly grabbed the end of the rope and began pulling it across the deck back to its station before he responded to him. He didnât want to have to kill anyone, but he couldnât bear to see these men rush in and annihilate everyone they saw. And what for? Gold? Obviously Thomas had not listened to the words in the song the crew was singing. Whomever the Virginia Company was, they were the ones getting rich from this escapade, not him. Money was a useless object and before he could stop the words from leaving his lips, he spoke his mind to Thomas.
âJust worry about that fortune of yours, Thomas. Leave the savages to me.â
He didnât want to use that word, but as he was pulling the cannon he caught sight of another crewmate. He couldnât let them all know he wasnât on their side and he seemed to have made a good choice as the man he passed asked him a question. He had been listening and had Tod said anything other than the common lingo, he may have been questioned on it.
âYou think theyâll give us trouble?â
âNot as much trouble as Smithâll give them!â
Another crewmen shouted. All the men around them started to laugh and sing as they went about their tasks. Apparently the speech from Ratcliffe had given them all a second wind as they belted another verse from the same song, one that Tod had not heard before.
âWeâll kill ourselves an injun
Or maybe two or threeâ
The last man that had shouted at him had a mop turned upside down and stuck a feather in its dirty rags. He was imitating an Indian by the looks of it and it angered Tod to his wits end. He withdrew his sword and sliced the top of the mop off in one fell swoop as they all sang, watching it fall to land on the crewmateâs head. Unfortunately, it did not give Tod the satisfaction he was hoping for as the mop was a fragile piece of wood. Instead, he jammed the tip of his sword in a keg plug and pulled it out, spewing forth a bright liquid that all the crew seemed to be thankful for. They all grabbed cups and began drinking the vile smelling stuff as they sang, what they considered, their jolly tune.
âWeâre stalwart men and bold
Of the Virginia Companyâ
The happiness among the men shouldâve inspired Tod as well, but it didnât. He retreated from the group and made his way to the crows nest to get away from all the hoopla. He wished Copper was there, she would know what to do or say. Just as he started to climb the ropes, he heard boots behind him as Thomas jogged up to join him. He smiled at the man and started his ascent, listening to Thomas as they scaled the mast.
âWhat do you suppose the New World will look like?â
âLike all the others, I suppose.â
Climbing onto the small landing above, Tod helped Thomas up and looked out across the ocean that had just tried to kill them. He had no idea what was awaiting them at the end of their voyage, all he knew was that he hoped his best friend was there. Thomas went quiet then and Tod suspected that he hadnât like his answer. He was supposed to be the famous âJohn Smithâ after all. Taking a deep breath, Tod leaned over the railing of the crows nest and turned to Thomas.
âIâve seen hundreds of New Worldâs, Thomas. What could possibly be different about this one?â
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He shot up from the table while Thomas did the same. The crew immediately began bustling about, readying the ship to hit shallower water. After checking to make sure the long boats were ready, he scurried up into the crows nest with no trouble at all. He had been practicing. The wind against his face brought the smell of pine with it and he couldnât be happier to smell anything other than sweat and gruel. The closer the ship came, the easier it was to pick out singular trees from each other. The wildlife bounced around the shore and it made him yearn to be on flat ground. He wanted to run and climb the trees, to feel his boots against the rocks and through the fresh leaves, and once they started sailing through small patches of earthen islands he scaled down the mast and made his way to the captain's quarters. Busting through the door, he immediately began speaking to Governor Ratcliffe.
âItâs perfect, the waterâs deep enough. We can pull right up to shore.â
It was hard to keep the excitement from his voice. He shouldnât have been as happy as he was to reach land and perhaps the look in his eyes gave him away, but it was lucky for him that Ratcliffe never really cared what any of them had to say. Tod didnât expect he would be happy until they found gold. Just in case Ratcliffe was inspecting his every move, he turned to the governorâs dog and gave him a rough toss of his hair.
âHey, there, Percy.â
He didnât realize how roughly he had patted the dog until the growl emanated from his throat. When Ratcliffe spoke up, he turned back to him and listened for his new orders. Tod had become very good at taking orders and even handing them out! He was amazed at his progress and felt he had learned so much that he couldnât wait to tell Mrs. Tweed!
âVery well, then. Give the order.â
âAlready done, sir.â
A smug smile took over his much too confident face. He might have been getting a little big for his britches. Putting his knuckles on his hip with one hand and leaning against Ratcliffeâs desk with the other, he continued.
âIâve got a crew assembled, and theyâre ready to go.â
Ratcliffe didnât even seem impressed! Of course, why would he? John Smith had done this countless times and was hired to do it again, but gosh darn it; Tod was proud of himself! Wagging a scroll of parchment his way, the Governor spoke with a deep voice that reeked of seriousness.
âAbout the natives⌠Iâm counting on you to make sure those filthy heathens donât disrupt our mission.â
Tod really hated how everyone spoke about the native people. His face contorted a bit as if he knew the portly man wasnât going to like what he had to say. His voice eked out at first before he felt more comfortable with his lie.
âWell, if theyâre anything like the savages Iâve fought before, itâs nothing I canât handle.â
The way the man before him didnât even smile had that familiar smirk of Todâs turning downwards. Ratcliffe couldâve been a little more grateful. He waited until the man responded before he straightened his posture and prepared himself to leave the small room.
âRight. Thatâll be all, Smith. Thatâs a good man.â
That would have to do. He could feel his eyes threaten to roll in the back of his head, so again, he turned quickly to the dog that was sitting on a very elegant pillow at the end of Ratcliffeâs desk.
âSee ya, Percy.â
Another rough pat left his hand as he turned to leave. He couldnât be happier to be out of that cramped room. The shore awaited and he was going to be on that boat to hit the earth first. Rushing around and gathering his men, he gathered his own things as well. As he came out from below deck, his bright eyes fell on the men dropping the long boat into the water.
âWake up! Shake a leg!â
â*Two of you up on
Thomas was standing alongside another crew mate as everyone gathered their essentials and they were both captivated by the sights before them. Tod thought for a second that they had never seen a forest before. Maybe they had grown up in the town they left and never known anything else? Well! Tod was going to be the first to show them, at least young Thomas, what they were missing. The amount of trees that they were passing was likely the cause of the astounded look on the maleâs faces. Everywhere they looked there were either trees, bushes or rocks.
âItâs incredible.â The older man breathed.
âAnd itâs all ours. Iâve never seen anything like it.â
Thomas was stunned and as the third man walked over to join them, he pitched in his two cents as well.
âIt can look like Ratcliffeâs knickers for all I care, just as long as I get off this stinking boat!â
The dark-haired man tossed a ladder over the edge for them all to climb down just as Tod was making his way to them at last. Without even a second's pause, Tod slung his leg over the railing to get a footing on the ladder as he tossed his true feelings to the rest of them. He had his metal helmet in one hand, carefully sliding it over his blonde head as he spoke.
âCome on, men! We didnât come all this way just to look at it.â
Before the words were even all the way out, Tod had climbed three rungs down the ladder and nearly made it into the long boat. He could see the shore, taste the dirt and smell the pine needles with such intensity that his mouth was watering. He couldnât remember what it was like to not constantly feel the ground moving beneath his feet. Impatiently, he waited until all three men entered the boat before making his way to the end to place one foot up on the ledge. He wanted to be the first one off the long boat, but it also gave him a great view of the land coming into sight.
The call of the wild was all around them. Birds chirped, owls hooted and the sound of skittering creatures could be heard through the leaves of the trees and bushes. It felt like home to Tod and while all the other men stared in amazement, he felt a little out of place. He was comforted and couldnât wait to explore while all three of the other men seemed to be wanting to go back to the ship out of fear. To settle their nerves, Tod put on a brave face. His eyes narrowed and he looked at the trees passing him by as if one of them had made a snarky comment at him. He glared at most of the foliage until the height of the trees caught his eye and he couldnât help but stare in wonder. âHow fun it would be to climb one of those.â
Just as their carriage hit soft dirt, Tod leapt out of the boat and stared around at the trees as if he had truly never seen them before. They were HUGE and they covered the entirety of what he could see. Thick forestry was condensed before them and as the wind blew towards him, he removed his hat to feel it whip through his hair. The remaining three men, including Thomas, grabbed the rope that had been brought with them to pull the ship close enough to dock, but Tod couldnât be bothered with that. He wanted to find the biggest tree he could find and climb it.
âKeep it taut, lads! Keep it taut! Steady! Steady!â
âHold up! Thatâs far enough!â
âAlright now, tie her off!â
Thomas gave one more good pull and tossed the slack of the rope behind him for Tod to tie. None of them had been looking behind them, but as Thomas spoke:
âHere, John, tie off this end.â
The rope fell to the ground with a thud and no response was given. The young man turned to look behind him then, but there was no John, no Tod. No, Tod was off!
âJohn? John!â
The second call for his name told Tod he had been spotted, which was a shame. He was nearly to the top of the tallest tree he saw with footholds and he was not coming down now. His hands were moving with expert speed as he scaled the tree on the side of a mountain. The ledge was covered in moss and foliage, but it had a small landing near the top and that was Todâs goal. He ignored Thomasâ calls until he heard him again.
âWhat are you doing up there?â
âGetting a better look!â
Tod placed his infernal boot into a small crevice in the tree and finally pulled himself up to where the branches split and the landing was near. The sight was incredible. The ocean was just as vast as he remembered, but now it was surrounded by trees, mist and woodland for miles. The English ship looked so out of place, but Tod felt completely content in his core. The mountains looked like small hills of green powder from his height and the ones that were closer were filled to the brim with more trees. Pausing in his enchantment for a moment, he wondered if Tweedâs farm was in a forest like this. A part of him felt how foreign the woods he currently stood in were, but it was not so different that he felt alienated.
Before he could be amazed further, something hard plunged into the back of his feet and gave him a right good scare. Out of instinct, he drew his survival knife that had been holstered at his hip. He drew the blade swiftly, the blade exiting with a bit of a âshhriinngâ, as he spun around to look at the landing of rock behind him. There was no one standing before him like he had expected and thank all that was holy for that! âWhat would I have done if there was someone standing there?! The savaââ He cut his thoughts off there as he felt his heart sink. Heâd been around the men so long that the lingo they used was cementing itself in his head. Looking down at his feet with a bit of shame, it was then he saw what had charged at him. A plump, fluffy raccoon laid between his feet and he couldâve sworn for a second it smiled at him. Moving to sit on the tree branch he had been standing on, he chuckled a bit as he stuffed the knife into his boot.
âWell⌠youâre a strange looking fellow.â
The animal chittered away at him, scratching its nose with its small paws and it warmed Todâs heart. Living in the woods all his life, he knew the best way to get wild animals to like you was to give them food. Remembering all the biscuits he had in his pouch, he quickly asked the critter if it was hungry. He couldnât even think about eating himself and when he removed the small cracker-like disc from his satchel, he broke it in half before offering it to the raccoon.
âHere ya go. Itâs a biscuit.â The animal seemed to hesitate for a moment as Tod extended his arm. âItâs food. Well, sort of.â
The place he had left from would be lucky if he EVER ate another one of those again after the voyage. He didnât consider it food in the slightest, but as the raccoon sniffed his hand, took the half cracker and began chowing down, he couldnât help but laugh. It must have tasted great to something that hadnât eaten them every day.
âYou like it, eh? Well, try eating it for four months straight.â
As Tod spoke, he pulled another biscuit from his pouch and offered this one to the raccoon whole. The critter seemed to love his generosity, completely annihilating every crumb as it shoved it into its mouth. He was perfectly content with his new friend when he heard a rustling in the bushes behind the black and gray animal. At the back of the rocky ledge were a small patch of leaves that seemed to be hiding something inside.
âYou got a friend back there?â
For the first time, Tod stood up from his crouched position and jumped towards the ledge. Without a doubt he wouldnât in his mind, he landed flat on his feet and made his way to the bushes with a bit of a saunter. He still had it! With all the rest he had had, he knew Chief wouldnât ever be able to catch him in these woods! He made it all the way to the bushes before a hummingbird flew out of them, chirping and almost yelling at him before it flew off. Tod had swiped in front of his face and tried to shield himself from the onslaught, terrified he was going to lose an eye before he heard a manâs voice from down below.
âJohn, you better get down here! The Governorâs coming ashore!â
âAlright, alright, Iâm leaving.â
A bit embarrassed that he was mortified by a small hummingbird, he slipped his helmet back on for defensive measures as he began to climb the tree back down to the shore. The entirety of the shipâs crew had been on land when he finally made it down, Ratcliffe walking down the wooden board with a giant flag in his hand. The blues, whites and reds fluttered in the wind and as he drove the staff end into the ground, he reminded Tod of a king. He seemed very royal in that moment, even though Tod did not like throwing positive adjectives his way.
âI hereby claim this land and all its riches in the name of His Majesty, King James the First, and do so name this settlement: Jamestown.â
âHow original.â Tod thought. Everyone around him cheered, whooped and hollered for the declaration, but Tod couldnât be bothered with legalities and diplomacy. He made his way to a nearby boulder and placed one foot atop it as he scanned the woods around them. If the men were to be believed, there were dangers in the woods beyond and he was expected to protect them against those dangers. Withdrawing his gun from its place on his back, he leaned against it with trepidation until he heard a gruff voice at his back.
âCaptain Smith, it appears Iâve selected the perfect location. Not a savage in sightââ
âHE selected the perfect location?!â That man really boiled Todâs blood and before he could stop himself, he just HAD to prove Ratcliffe wrong. Maybe it was all those weeks piled into a cramped space with smelly, gross men, but he could feel his temper was on edge. He spat back at the man in an effort to prove he was worth his salt.
âJust because we donât see them doesnât mean theyâre not out there.â
It seemed without Copper, he would have to pat his own back for his growing confidence until he found her again. It was then he realized that it was the first time he had thought about her since he hit land. An excitement inside him started to grow, hoping beyond all else that THIS is where she would be. His optimistic thoughts were broken though, yet again by Ratcliffeâs incessant voice.
âThen perhaps you should venture forth and determine their whereabouts, hm?â
âGLADLYâ Is what Tod wanted to say. Instead, he leapt off the rock and started to make his way into the woods as he shouted back.
âIf there are any Indians out there, Iâll find them.â
âGood riddance!â He turned his back to the rest of the crew and made his way into the woods as he faintly heard Ratcliffe give the remaining men their orders. From the very beginning Tod had never cared about the gold. He didnât even mean to be on the ship, but now that he was finally on solid ground, he wanted to explore every nook and cranny of the new woods. There was no way he was getting back on that ship and if that meant living in the forest under whatever fort he could manage, he would. Gun at the ready, he made his way deep into the forest, trying not to inspect every tree, rock and river he came across. Eventually, he came to a mountain ridge that overlooked more of the land than he had seen before. Ecstasy coursing through his veins, he grinned brightly as he looked out over the greenery.
âAll my life Iâve searched for a land like this one.â A huge waterfall caught his eye as he scanned and it wasnât that far away from him! âA wild or more challenging country I couldnât design.â
Sure, he was talking to himself, but who else was he going to talk to? He ran for the waterfall and immediately started scaling the rocky side. It seemed he had lost all of his marbles on the ship and decided dying was better than going back.
âHundreds of dangers await and I donât plan to miss one.â
In seconds, Tod got his wish. Those confounded boots found a bit of rock that was unsteady and sent him falling back down to the bottom. If he hadnât been so quick on his feet, he might have missed the vine that was hanging in front of his face. He hastily grabbed it and stopped his sudden fall, gently plopping down next to the raging water. A large tree trunk jutted out from the rocks behind it and the mischievous man couldnât stop himself from running onto it.
âIn a land I can claim, a land I can tame!â The log fell across the water as he finished his sentence, forming a bridge that he now stood at the end of and he couldnât have felt more alive. âThe greatest adventure is mine!â
Walking across the log, he saw a cliff that once again offered another grand few of the land they had conquered. He walked out to the edge and stared out over the vast earth before him, likening it to the ocean only green. There was so much to explore and he couldnât wait to get started.
Climbing down from the cliff, he made his way to the base of the waterfall he had nearly killed himself on. The way the water splashed and misted at its base was beautiful, but Tod had worked up a sweat. He walked down to the last layer of rock that was visible in the water, knelt down and began scooping the water onto his face and over his neck. The chilling sensation cooled him down instantly, but after two handfuls he scooped up a third and actually looked at. In the water's reflection he thought he saw a person standing on the rocks behind him. His entire body froze in place. He was shaking a bit as he splashed the water on his face and used it as an excuse to peer behind him. There was nothing and that terrified him more. Taking a moment to pull his gun off his back, he took a deep breath and slipped into the waterfall itself on the damp, cold rocks that they covered. He could see through the streams of water and if nothing was behind him, he would have nothing to worry about.
@Fiory
Blowing on the fuse to keep it lit, he waited until he saw feet hit the cold rock and made his move. The man jumped out of the waterfall onto a rock just outside of it, aiming his gun directly at the beast in question. His feet landed flat and his body instinctively crouched as he looked at the figure through the mist. He felt his form was perfect, but he hadnât pulled the trigger. It wasnât that he meant to and didnât, he just⌠couldnât. The figure before him slowly rose off that rock, standing on itâs hindâno, itâs legs! He kept the gun aimed at it, but once the shape stood fully, even through the mist he could tell it was a woman.
The long, black hair he had seen was her own and the cream-colored dress she wore gave away just how much of a woman she was. Slowly lowering the gun, he kept his blue eyes trained on her until the mist started to give way. She was incredibly attractive, even Tod could admit that, and as the mist finally started to clear, he noticed the soft look in her eyes. It wasnât that she wasnât scared, but there was something behind her eyes that told him he had looked in those exact pair for most of his life. He slowly came to stand and angled his gun away from her, watching the wind whip through her hair and her chest rise and fall at a rapid pace. If living in the woods had taught him anything, he knew she was about to run; he just couldnât find it in himself to speak.
Their eyes remained locked for what felt like hours before he decided he had to move. He lowered his gun and slipped one leg into the water as he carefully made his way towards her. She was beautiful. Out of all the years living on the farm, he had never seen someone look as stunning as she did. As he got closer, he removed the helmet he was wearing out of politeness and tried his best to slowly approach her. He could tell she was scared and rightfully so if she knew anything about who he was. Judging by her skin color and dress, she was likely an Indian and âJohn Smithâ had a bit of a reputation with Indians. Before he could force words out of his sewn lips, he watched her bolt off the rock like a spooked deer.
âNo! Wait! PleaseâŚâ
âOh, now my voice decides to work?â Tod internally chastised himself as he chased after the scampering woman. She was fast and it instilled him with a rush of adrenaline. No one had ever run through the forest as quickly as he had and having someone to chase who was faster⌠He leapt over branches and slid by trees until he cleared the forest and came to the riverâs edge. She was swinging her legs over to jump into a canoe before he managed to call out to her again.
âPlease!â
His voice rendered her still and made him realize he was still holding his gun. She still had a blatant look of fear stricken across her face and he couldnât blame her. Leaning it against a nearby tree, he held his hands out as if to show he had nothing in them.
âDonât run off.â
Slowly creeping towards her boat, he put one foot in front of the other as carefully as he could to not scare her. She remained seated inside and watched him cautiously as got ever closer.
âItâs all right. Iâm not going to hurt you.â He took a few more steps and gently offered his hand to the woman who tranquilized him with her beauty. âHere. Let me help you out of there.â
To his surprise the woman responded, but she responded in a language he was not familiar with. âJust my luck to meet a lady I canât talk toâ Todâs internal thoughts chastised him again before they made him chuckle. A small laugh came out of him as he spoke to her again.
âYou donât understand a word Iâm saying, do you?â
She didnât respond to his question, not that he expected her to, but he still had to get her out of the boat. He needed to know this woman, even if only for his own personal experiences. If she was an Indian, maybe he could find some kind of unity between their nations. He kept his hand extended to her as he tried to reassure her again.
âItâs all right.â
Watching her contemplate taking his hand were the most stress-inducing few seconds of his life. He was indeed smitten and if he had to watch her paddle away in that canoe, he mightâve drowned chasing her. Her hand came up to tuck her hair behind her ear and that simple movement had his heart hammering out of his chest. Her deep brown eyes had transfixed him and when she lifted her hand to place it in his, he welled with an excitement he didnât think he had ever experienced.
It was then his mind was bombarded with flashbacks. A blurry fog took over his body as he almost fell to the ground. The beautiful woman before him diminished and all he could see was a time when Copper had been tracking him during a game of hide and seek. Studying his footprints, he had tracked him all the way to the area he was in, scaled up in a tree, watching her from above. She had nearly caught him when he leapt down from the tree and she started chasing him. They ended up colliding and rolling around in the grass in his old woods, laughter filling the air around them during a time when things were simpler.
âCopper, youâre my very best friend.â
The words echoed in his mind as the memory diminished and he was back at the river bank. His eyes fell on the woman before him again, but this time, she was no mystery. She was the woman he had grown up with and wished for more time with, she was the woman who he had risked his life countless times to see if only for a few seconds. It was her and there was no denying it as he stood there holding her hand.
âCopper?â
@Fiory
âYou wouldnât believe how worried I was about you! I came up out of the water and you were GONE! I looked everywhere, but all I could see were people for miles and this HUGE ship. My gosh, Copper, you shouldâve seen it! It was bigger than the entire farm! Anyway, some men aboard were calling me and asking if I was coming with them and everyone else seemed to assume I was. They called me, John Smith? I thought theyâd done lost all their sense, but I wasnât gonna deny a trip across the ocean! And boy, was I in for it. FOUR MONTHS on the ocean⌠Iâd rather sneak onto your front porch again than go through that again.â
Once he started he couldnât stop. Being so close to her again brought out his dialect, compared to the professional way he had spoken to everyone else. He wanted to tell her every little detail about what happened to him because he just knew she would be impressed. He had missed having her around and now that she was right in front of him, he had so much to tell her! As he spoke he started using his hands, making wild gestures for dramatic effect, and slowly started to sit down by the large tree on the river bank.
âThen this storm hit! I thought we were gonna die, Copper. It was so scary, but I saved a manâs life. Mhhhhhmm! And they all taught me to shoot! You should see this thing! I bet youâd really like it!â
He reached over and grabbed the gun he had leaning against the tree trunk to show her. He knew she liked guns, being the best marksmen she was, and he finally felt competent enough to talk about them with her. He tilted his gun in his hands a bit, looking at her with a confident upturn to his usual grin.
@Fiory 1
It was such a weird thing to be searching for. Didnât they have money? Why did they need gold? He assumed it was just something that was precious in the old days, but that thought reminded him he hadnât told Copper! He shot up from his laid-back position and brought his hands up to his face with excitement.
âOh! I forgot to even mention! I think we discovered time travel, Copper. Something has got to be up with this place! The crew I sailed with kept singing this song whenever they would work and they mentioned â1607â. Thatâs 360 years in the past, Copper! Boy, what I would give to go that far into the future!â
The whimsical boy was simply talking out loud, moving to lay on his back as he looked up at the sky. Everything seemed right in the world again now that Copper was back and the way she spoke of what she experienced, it was conjuring up all kinds of dreams in the boyâs head. He had to make sure not to look at her for too long though. Copper usually brought a wide smile and a rambunctious plans to his mind, but since being in this strange place, he found himself blushing when he looked at her more often than not.
@Fiory
What Copper had felt earlier Tod was just then picking up on. The breeze that blew through him seemed colder than before, and silent. He rolled his shoulder up and back as he dangled from the tree, trying to shake the odd feeling that came over him. Suddenly, talking to her didnât seem right. He thought back on the happiest moment of their reunion, when she gave him that precious âatta boy that he so thoroughly deserved, and it didnât feel as good as it should have. He knew that he had feelings for the girl in front of him and that he should tell her not to marry the serious man, but as that crippling feeling of dread set into his bones, he didnât know if he should. He stared into her deep, brown eyes and felt his heart sink as he tried to right the feeling he was so suddenly losing to. His brows furrowed and as he cleared his throat to continue his sentence.
âSerious may be good for you. Maybe this is what you needed, Copper. Heâd be able to keep your feet on the ground when you get too carried away with your head.â
He ushered her in the direction he thought the twist in his gut was leading, but he only felt worse when he said it. He didnât mean a word of it and now all he wanted to do was apologize. He dropped from the tree branch and took a step towards her trying to think of anything better to say. âOr you could marry me⌠No! Dummy!⌠Iâm only joking, that guy sounds like a real piece of work⌠No, what if sheâs only saying she didnât like him to spare my feelings?⌠Do what feels right, Copper. Yeah!â He opened his mouth to speak his mind, but by her next actions, it seemed he had missed his chance.
@Fiory
He shouted as he rushed in front of her boat. He grabbed the wood tightly and was determined to not let her pass him. It caught him by surprise that he was able to stop her, given that back at the farm he couldnât remain standing if she jumped on his back for a ride. She wasnât heavy and she never had been, but his arms didnât like to carry more than one milk bucket at a time. His bright blue eyes bore into hers, biting the inside of his cheek as the darkness crept over him again. He hadnât felt it while he was running, at least not as strongly as he was holding her canoe. The anger in her face mixed with the dread that was settling into his mind was tearing away the soft farm hand she knew and replacing it with something sinister. Only seconds ago he wanted to tell her to not marry that boring man and to marry him instead, but as he stared into the face of the girl who couldnât seem to see reason his own anger spiked.
âIâm not saying you have to marry the man, only that you should consider it. Itâs not like youâve made the greatest choices in your life so far, maybe he can help with that.â
As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew she wasnât going to take his words how he meant them and maybe that was his fault. He shook his head as if to knock all the ignorant thoughts from his mind as he looked down at the crystal-clear water for a moment. It was then he caught a glimpse of himself for the first time. He looked nothing like the boy who looked back at him in the mirror all his life. He blinked and watched the reflection blink back at him and for the first time since he came up out of the ocean, he felt more lost than ever. He looked back up to Copper and opened his mouth to try and explain, but her voice sharply cut him off.
@Fiory
He hoped he was EXACTLY like how she thought he was. He didnât like it and he knew what he wanted to tell her, but he couldnât bring himself to do it. Not when everything felt wrong and incomplete. When he finally got within speaking distance of her, she caught him in a compromising position. She was hanging from the branches while he had one leg tossed over another with a weary grip on the branches around him. Her gaze was captivating and he found himself staring into her eyes a little too hard. He opened his mouth to say more when he reached up and grabbed a thinner branch than what he had thought. It instantly snapped and sent his weight completely topsy-turvy. His torso fell backwards first and sent him careening down to the forest floor where he landed promptly on his rear with a loud THUMP.
The shock from the earth rattled through his bones and all he could think of was how lucky he was he didnât land on his neck. He really would have to get a better handle on himself before he went climbing after her again. Maybe he needed to run more to slim down or eat less biscuits. All he knew was that he felt more embarrassed than anything else. He had fought with his best friend about a lousy issue that shouldnât have mattered at all. He SHOULDâVE told her to run away with him and he could take her back to the city they had come from, but instead he slowly raised his head from his seated position and was immediately smacked by something cold and metal. His hat had fallen too, at a much slower pace than his thundering body had, and it landed directly on his head. He let out a slow sigh as he tried his best not to chunk the useless thing. He had caused so much damage in so little time, he wasnât sure she would ever forgive him and that felt worse than any of the pain he was feeling. All he could do in that moment was force himself to breathe.
@Fiory
He turned around to see her canoe still safely docked at the river bank before he started looking for footholds in the ledge to climb down. He didnât move from his spot next to her, but when he spotted an edge he thought he could safely scale down, he turned to meet her eyes again. He didnât want to leave her. Everything in him told him to scoop her up and never put her down again, to cradle her face in his hands and let her know that everything would be okay and maybe even to kiss her. He felt his hands slowly move up her arms and pull her a little closer before another loud gunshot sounded through the woods below. Birds flew up from the trees and scattered into the sky a little closer to their cliff than Tod was comfortable with. He snapped his attention back to her and spoke with a determined voice.
âThis isnât over. Iâll come back for ya. I just⌠I have ta go see whatâs goinâ on.â
He could feel the magnetic pull to seal his words with a kiss, but he couldnât bring himself to do it. He had been worried that sneaking onto her property would ruin their friendship, let alone kissing her. Gathering every ounce of willpower he had, he squeezed her arms and made his way back to the tree to claim his musket. Without going back to her, he made his way down the rocky cliff and into the forest below with much more grace than he had climbed the tree. The grating of the rocks below his boots was an agonizing reminder that he had left her up there, alone and that as he made his way headlong into danger, that mightâve been the last time he ever saw her. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he ran towards his camp with purpose, his jaw cinched tightly together. He would not allow that to be the last time he held her. He would see what was wrong back at the shoreline and come back for her immediately. If anything else, they could always run.
Trees and running deer were the only thing that stood between him and the campsite, even though he had heard gunshots close he hadnât seen a single member of his crew until he got close enough to see the log wall they had built around their settlement. Thomas and the large red-head were standing near the front entrance, nearly shaking, with their guns aimed right at him as he burst through the trees. He quickly tossed his hands up and cautious chuckled at them.
âWhoooa whoaa, easy fellas.â
âJohn! Where were you!?â
âThe savages! They attacked!â
Both men shouted at him, the fear in their eyes obvious to anyone who saw them. Tod slowly walked towards them and ignored Thomasâ question by turning to the man at his side. Tod was completely unscathed by the looks of him and he hadnât seen a single Indian aside from Copper. He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the barrel of the obtuse manâs gun to gently lower it.
âWhere?â
âOhh they were everywhere! Where were yoou?! They came at us with bows and were yellinâ all sorts at us! If Ben hadnâtâve shot into the trees, we wouldâve been swarmed!â
Tod found it hard to believe that Indians made it that close to their camp without him or Copper seeing any of them, but the way Thomasâ was twitching and shaking said all too well that they were telling the truth. Straightening himself a little, Tod moved to walk into the camp as he spoke over his shoulder at the two.
âI was out scouting. I must have taken a wrong turn because I didnât see anyone by the falls.â
Thomas and the robust man shared a worried expression before following Tod into the camp. Ratcliffe had the rest of the camp surrounding him as he yelled and hollered his own inspired monologue. The men around him cheered and held up their rifles before everyone turned to see the three men walking towards them.
âSmith! Just the man I was looking for! Those blood-thirsty savages attacked us and they are going to pay! Come dawn, we are going to march into the forest and attack them before they know what hit them!â
âYEAHH!!â
The cheers from the men around the governor only damped Todâs hopes more. He wasnât ready to go to war, especially not with Copperâs people. The thought of them having a conversation with the Indians was something that popped into his head, but he dared not speak his mind. They had attacked Jamestown and whether they knew it or not, they had started something that not a single man among him was going to shy away from. All Tod could do was nod his head to the governor and watch as he disappeared into his tent.
Before he could be asked any more questions of his whereabouts, he made his way to his own tent and began to fill his satchel with food, a waterskin and all his smallest tools. He didnât know what they were all used for, but he knew what his compass was and if everything else was stashed with it then maybe they would all be useful. He wasnât going to be a part of the war on Copperâs people. He was going to wait until the dead of night and make his way to her village. There was no way he could know where he was going, all he knew was he had to find her before dawn or he might never find her again.
âIâm cominâ for ya, Copper. Iâm cominâ for ya.â
@Fiory 1 1
Tod broke the manâs worried stuttering with a hand on his shoulder as he addressed him. The bright eyes that looked up into his own had a warmth course through him that he had never felt before. It was different than the emotions that Copper summoned within him, but it was more than any blanket Mrs. Tweed had ever given him. Thinking of his caretaker, he realized what the feeling was almost immediately. Thomas was like a brother to him, a trainee that he had taken under his wing to show the world to and in that moment, he felt responsible for him. Leaving with Copper suddenly felt selfish and for a brief second, he thought maybe he could take Thomas with him. âNo, donât be a fool, Tod.â The voice wasnât near as loud as he needed it to be in his head, only truly feeling the importance of his internal monologue when he looked away from the pleading eyes before him.
âYou see those trees? They create excellent cover. If you come across a waterfall, thereâs usually a small patch of rocks behind the base that can keep you out of sight. The bushes and foliage in the deeper parts of the forest provide good hiding spots as well. If you ever need to use them, donât be ashamed. You need to protect yourself first and others after, alright?â
He turned his gaze back to the man and felt an urgent push to hug him, however, he resisted. Thomas would be okay and while he wouldnât be there to witness it, he had to believe it or he would never end up leaving the camp. Walking towards the pit, he knelt down by the edge and watched the shovels dig deep into the soil.
âYou boys find anything?â
âAye, a whole lotta dirt, bugs and fish bones! Ole Ratcliffe better hope I donât find some color in this muddy hole! Iâll take it for meself and heâll never see one speck oâmy gold!â
The dark-haired man, whom most people called Ben, was aggistated and it was plastered on his face. Whether it be the lack of gold or the spurring speech by the governor, the entire town was restless. It didnât bode well for Copperâs people and only made Tod want to flee right then. Composing himself, he let out a nervous chuckle as he came to stand again. He gave Thomas a weary smile before patting his arm as he walked back towards his tent. He didnât want to be among the rabble, answering questions that he didnât know the answer to or being watched by anyone. He would have to slip away in an hour or so and the less people that saw him, the better.
The time seemed to tick away slower than it had on the ship. One hour felt like two days as he laid on his bed and waited to see the soft darkness of the night seep under the flap of his tent. The flickering light of fires nearby were beginning to light and it shot Tod from his relaxed position. He had to make it out of the camp before the entire town was ablaze or everyone would see him leave. Grabbing his bag, he slipped out of his tent and cautiously made his way to the tall, log walls that had been built while he was away. The shadows provided him with excellent cover as he shimmied down the length until he was able to gently slip outside of them. His eyes had been on the crew the entire time and as he escaped their view, he felt confident no one had seen him.
âDonât worry, Copper. Iâm on my wayâ
Unfortunately, there was more than one person who had seen the sly man leave. Thomas was standing by his own tent with his gun in his hands, watching as Tod made his way into the forest. Something told him to follow him, to see where he was going so late at night and with the looming threat of savages at every corner. He stood from his wooden seat and slowly made his way to the break in the wall when a large, strong hand landed heavily on his shoulder. The contact made him jump as he spun around to see the intimidating shadow of Governor Ratcliffe at his back.
âGo on. Iâm sure we would all like to know where he is slipping off to in the middle of the night. Make sure you both find your way back before dawn, or donât bother coming back at all.â
All Thomas could do was nod his head at the threatening man. His mouth ran dry as he swallowed a miniscule amount of saliva before he turned his terrified eyes to the woods. He Hadnât explored an inch of it, but he was sure he could follow the distinctive pattern of Todâs shoes. Steeling himself for what was to come, he white-knucked his gun and slowly made his way into the forest with his heartbeat in his throat.
Tod had no idea where he was going. It was difficult to distinguish the trees that he had passed before and even more so to find the correct parts of the river he had crossed. Every gentle curve and whimsical brush of leaves had turned into dangerous, jagged edges and the feeling of treacherous eyes watching him as he made his way deeper and deeper into the woods. He thought at one time he had passed the tree he had fallen out of, but the river looked nothing like the one he had jumped out of. All he could hope for was that he wouldnât get lost and be unable to reach her before his men began marching towards her settlement.
He didnât know where her village was, nor did he knew if she would even be there, but something in his heart drug him further and further until he found a maze of trees near a different riverâs edge. They almost seemed purposefully planted, all the trunks lined up in a diagonal pattern except for one. At the base of the river there stood a large willow tree whose branches hung over the water and even coiled around some of the trees around it. He stopped his advances, taking a moment to stare at the twisted tree as a bolt of fear struck his heart. He was sure he had never seen it before, but it did look like a spot where he could rest. He felt his stomach grumble with hunger and his mouth ran dry as he got a better look at the water. Taking a soft breath, he cautiously made his way towards the water until the shadow of a figure caught his eye. His hand immediately snapped to his back to claim his gun as his feet froze to the earth. There was someone sitting in front of the willow tree and they had caught him completely by surprise.
He had almost pulled his gun from its harness when he saw the familiar wisp of long, raven hair and a bright smile that could only come from one person. Ease and relief instantly settled in his chest as he released his grip on his weapon and stepped towards her. He had no idea how he found her or if she had brought anyone with her, but in that moment he didnât care. He closed the distance between them and offered her his hand for her to use to jump down to the ground.
âCopper.â
Her name oozed out of his mouth as he pulled her into a tight hug. The feeling of unease he had felt earlier in the day with her still lingered, but he was able to ignore it as he felt her warmth against his chest. He still wore the vest and it denied him the feeling of her skin against his clothing, but it was still enough for him to feel just how much he needed her. His arms wrapped around her torso and held her tight, his face burying itself in the crook of her neck as he breathed in the natural smell of her skin. His fingers dug into the buckskin dress she wore and his chin rested against the cold material of her necklace; so many obstacles when all he wanted was to be closer to her, but he couldnât find it in himself to care. He gently pulled away and caught the darkness of her brown eyes, such a deep color that he knew if he stared too long he would lose his ability to talk to her. He could already feel the warmth in his cheeks spreading as his lips parted to speak.
âThe men⌠Theyâre planning to march against your people at dawn. I had to warn youâŚâ
âWe should leave. Come with me. Letâs get out of here, together.â The thoughts flooded his mind but he couldnât bring himself to ask something so selfish of her. He wanted nothing more than to be with her, but he couldnât ask her to leave while her people were butchered. What if she had her very own âThomasâ? He wouldnât leave Thomas defenseless, nor would he be able to stop himself from saving him if someone attacked him. He couldnât ask her to leave her own companions behind, not for him. That was something she would have to decide for herself, but the longer he admired her beauty the more he found himself not wanting to ever leave her again. Would he die for her? In that moment, anything was possible.
@Fiory
Tod took his first shaky breath and had to use every ounce of his will not to fall onto his knees. Seeing Copper in fear was not something he was prepared for and it scared him more than the impending war did. His hands slid up her wrists to grab her hands as his crystalline eyes bore into hers. His lips parted and his eyes searched hers for an answer her knew she didnât have until her next words broke his silence.
âWh-Whatâll we do Tod? I⌠I have friends in the village⌠I canât let them get hurtâŚâ
The emotions that raged through the man were momentous. When she mentioned her friends, Tod instantly thought of the small red-headed boy who looked up to him, then to the men who respected him. He had never had people like that before in his life and now that he had them, he couldnât imagine any of them becoming injured in an ignorant war that was better off never happening. The images of those men wounded from arrows and rock spears made a rage settle in his stomach that was only fueled more by the thought of Copper getting hurt as well. If she was injured, he would never forgive himself. He knew it wasnât his fault that any of this was happening, but what if he couldnât protect her?
His hands squeezed hers until the white rage cleared from his vision. He had been picturing the events clear as day in his mind, but when he truly focused his gaze all he saw was her, the beautiful woman standing before him looking to him for answers. The fear behind her eyes smashed the rage inside of him with a heavy weight and made his skin start to itch. He needed to move, he needed to think and he needed to find them answers quickly. Dropping her hands, he ran a hand through his blonde hair and took a few steps away from her. His eyes fell to the ground as his other hand landed on his hip. What were they to do? His voice eeked out of him in a very uncertain manner as he spoke out loud his current thoughts, not seeming to be able to come up with a full sentence.
âWe have to⌠IâI donât know hâ... They wonât listen toâŚâ
He racked his brain trying to come up with a plan that they could execute or a dialogue they could start with their people, but everytime he tried to think of something logical that could work, he pictured that greedy, too-wide smile that Ratcliffe always seemed to wear. That man only wanted gold and there was nothing he wouldnât do to get it. He would slaughter every man on their land if it meant he could search it for something it likely didnât even have. He scratched his scalp and crossed his arms in front of his chest before lifting his gaze back to Copper. He couldnât look in her eyes, not when they were so expecting, so full of hope that he would know what to do. Instead, he stared at the necklace that gently laid across her collarbone as he finally uttered words that made sense.
âI have friends here too, Copper. I have people that look up to me, people that respect me and⌠I have never had that. I really donât want to lose that, but my men wonât listen. Theyâre hungry for wealth and simply telling them it ainât here isnât gonna be enough.â
He let himself down in that moment more than he could ever let her down. He couldnât single-handedly help their situation and while his heart told him that she didnât expect him to, he felt like he was leading her straight to the Hangmanâs noose. They had guns, they had numbers and they were driven by a greed he had never seen before. He didnât know what drove her people, but he was sure it wasnât matched by the need to please the King. He chewed on his lip for a moment before more words flowed out of his mouth. He couldnât stop them and didnât know exactly what he had said before it was much too late. With eyes still on her accessory, he spoke fool-heartedly and let the first thoughts that crossed his mind spew out between them without the ability to take them back or see how her features changed.
âI honestly donât see your people standing a chance and I cannot let anything happen to Thomas.â
@Fiory
âI canât believe you could say that to me⌠After I risked my life countless times just to say goodnight to you, after I braved Chiefâs violent outbursts and after I sailed across the planet to find you⌠Itâs a couple of corn-shucking men with sharp arrows and buckskin that make you feel the most loved youâve ever feltâŚâ
He wanted to be angry. He wanted to yell at her and tell her how ridiculous she was being about the entire ordeal, but when he started speaking from his heart he couldnât stop. The dagger she had drove into his heart was deeper than even he expected, piercing him clean through with no removal in sight. His crystal eyes bore into her dark hues as his lips parted. He had more to say, but he couldnât think of a rough draft before the words just tumbled out.
âIâll never be a killer, Copper, and if thatâs what you want, maybe ole Slade was right about us.â
He felt that knife in his chest twist and creak with each word. She had truly hurt him and he didnât think he would be able to recover from it, until he heard a familiar groan. The large willow tree behind them twisted at their fighting until a low voice eked out and into the air around them.
âRipplesâŚ. In the waterâŚ.. WatchâŚ.â
Tod recognized the voice from the tree as the one Copper had introduced him to before, but he was too angry to listen with an open heart. His eyes slowly moved away from the girlâs in front of him and focused on the water. A small rock fell from the flat section of trunk in front of the willow and landed in the small creek bed. Ripples formed from itâs entrance and they grew and grew into larger rings before their eyes. Tod all but shrugged as he watched until the willow bellowed forth again.
âOnce started, they can affect a wide area around themâŚâ
âSure, Maâam, but they wonât listen to us. Talking our problems out isnât going to resolve this mess.â
He almost seemed to be pouting, standing at the edge of the water with his arms crossed until he felt a vine turn him to face Copper. It was strong and full of life compared to how he imagined those old vines to feel, but when he looked at Copper again, he noticed the tree had turned her as well. Abashed, he looked at her while his face still aimed itself towards the ground a bit, causing him to almost look at her from under his brow. He felt awful for the things he had said, but it didnât make his heart hurt any less from what she had said as well.
âYouâre not listening, young man. The fighting must stop, or none can be united.â
The vines pushed the pair closer together until there was barely room for their arms to remain crossed between them. Letting his hands fall to his sides, Tod searched her eyes for any ounce of forgiveness before bringing them up to her sides. The buckskin dress curved with her figure and left little to the imagination, causing his hands to gently shake against it. He gulped down his fear, pride and nerves before he tried to compose himself.enough to look at her. His eyes danced over every inch of exposed skin on her collar and to the dark, raven locks that fell around them. The necklace was beautiful and the faint color on her lips had en enraptured, but he couldnât bring himself to look into her eyes. Closing his own as he steadied his grip on her sides, he looked towards the sky and let out a slow exhale.
âAlright. Letâs see if we can stop a war.â
He couldnât help but smile at the ridiculousness of it all, but when his eyes fell on hers, he felt that odd feeling all over his body again. The hairs on his neck stood up, the contents of his stomach did flips and his throat suddenly ran dry. She was beautiful, even if she was stubborn and irrational at times. She was his best friend, but in that moment he could feel something stronger for her. He had never seen her as gorgeous ass he did in this world and with every passing second, he could feel himself lean a little closer to her. His eyes started to close involuntarily while his arms enclosed around her to pull her into his chest.
The wind blew hard around them as he lowered his lips to hers. He had never once dreamed of kissing Copper, but just as their lips locked, everything suddenly felt right. It was as if something clicked into place and not just for them, but for the entire world around them. The feeling of completion was bigger than just them, it was as if the entire world cheered and clapped in that moment as his arms squeezed around her gently. His lips met hers and just like that it felt like she had never said a cross word to him at all. Her plump lips pressed against his while his hand came up to gently brush at her jawline as he let himself fall into a fairytale.
@Fiory
The first thing he felt was the strong hands grab into his arms as he careened backwards, away from the riverâs bank. Copperâs voice rang out into the stagnant night air, penetrating his steel armor and shaking his core. Her tone was sharp and filled with fear for him, but before he could catch one last glimpse of her, the warriorâs weight pressed him down into the shallow river until he felt the icy grips of the water surround him. The firm hold of the manâs hands slipped away entirely and was replaced with a deep, dark cold that pulled and pulled Tod down⌠down⌠down, until he was convinced he was no longer sinking.
This is a whole new world, Copper. You have the power to change everything if you want toâŚ
I canât lose you againâŚ
You donât know my people, Tod
The sounds of Copperâs voice vibrated through his unconscious mind, images of a dark-skinned, raven-haired woman flashed before him until he no longer felt like he was moving. He could feel his eyes were closed, but the cold clasp of the water was no longer holding onto him. He took a slow breath of air and for the first time realized he was no longer submerged. Everything was still, everything was quiet. The only noise he heard around him was⌠a faint ticking sound. If he had to guess, it was the sound of a clock, but he hadnât seen a functioning clock since he had been in his room on the Tweed farm. The soft ticking always reminded him of the nights where he would lay on the rug in front of the fire while Mrs. Tweed knitted a new sweater that he would have to wear when the first snow fell. It was always a peaceful night when the fire crackled and Mrs. Tweed began to hum to herself. As he grew up, he started reading during those times and the memories of those days that felt all too long ago almost caused him to drift off to sleep. It wasnât until he heard a firm knock against wood that he snapped his eyes open to finally see where he had found himself.
His eyes opened to see pink, lattice wallpaper against a tall wall with another bright pattern blasted across the end of it from the sunlight coming through the window behind him. He looked down to see a pink duvet covering him and pink sheets beneath him. A faint mumble came from outside the door and he couldnât really discern exactly what was being said, only that it was a maleâs voice. He tried to push himself off the bed, but his body was tired, groggy and sore. Another mumble came out and while he still couldnât pull the sleep from his ears enough to hear exactly what was said, he knew it was directed at him.
âHuh? ⌠Yeah?â
He cleared his throat after his grumbled âhuhâ left his lips. He had JUST been awake moments before, wrestling with a man who was far stronger than him, and now his limbs felt like they had been asleep for hours. He finally pushed himself to a sitting position, but his chest felt heavy, almost like he had just woken up from a deep sleep and it was hard to breathe. He could feel his hair tossed around on his head and while he was confused, he knew exactly what bed-head felt like.
âOh, sorry to wake you, Maâam.â
Maâam!? The thought shouted in his mind, but nothing left his lips. His brows furrowed together as the sunlight poured into the room. The man outside had referred to him as a woman and he was absolutely sure he was nothing of the sort. Looking down into the sheets again and then quickly to his side, he knew there was no one with him, but he was in a femaleâs room. Maybe the caller was looking for them? Either way, the gentlemen outside knew the room wasnât empty and he would have to play along now.
âNo no no, you didnât⌠Iâve been up for hours.â
The last word came out with a large yawn as the man brought his arms up my his head to stretch. His muscles thanked him greatly for that, releasing chemicals into his brain that made his eyes slowly close as he rested his cheek against his knuckles. His elbow planted into his covered knee and for a moment, he felt like he could go right back to sleep. Sleep was something he felt like he hadnât had forever and just as he started to drift off again, he heard a voice echo into his mind.
âTod!!â
Copperâs voice shot through him again, but in his nearly unconscious state, it frightened him. He straightened his back and lazily lifted his as he involuntarily shouted into the room.
âWho is it?!â
âitâs⌠still me Maâam.â
There it was again. His brows furrowed deeper as he squinted towards the door. He knew he didnât have the deepest voice for a male, but he also knew he sounded NOTHING like a female. He opened his mouth to argue, but thought against it when the man outside continued.
âThe gates will open soon. Time to get ready.â
The gates? Tod rubbed at his eyes and stretched his arms again as he racked his brain for what gates he could be referring to. It obviously wasnât Mrs. Tweeds fence gates, nor was it the large gates that Governor Ratcliffe had had the men build around Jamestown. The room he found himself in was much too proper for any of that. Deciding to go along with the ruse in hopes of some answers, he answered the man.
âOf course⌠Ready for what?â
âYour sisterâs coronation, Maâam.â
âMy sisterâs.. Coronation?â
Tod blinked the sleep from his eyes and tried to open them a bit wider. The man outside the door clearly had no idea what he was talking about and it was starting to frustrate the farmhand. First, he thought he was a woman and now he thought he had a sister? It wasnât until he laid eyes on the green, leathered outfit on the mannequin across the room that his heart rate started to increase. He suddenly became overwhelmed with a sense of excitement that he hadnât felt since he was young and tried to sneak onto the Slade property for the first time. He knew he was excited for the coronation, whatever it was, but he had no idea whom it was for. He didnât have a sister, but something told him this would be the day he would experience an adventure like he had never experienced before. Leaving every memory his dream-filled mind tried to get him to remember in the past, he leapt from the bed to get dressed for the future expedition that he suddenly couldnât wait for.
âItâs Coronation Day!â
@Fiory
He stared at his reflection for a moment before he heard the bells outside the castle. Loud, slow pangs echoed out across the country and it ripped him from his current fixation. His blue eyes shot to the window and took a small glimpse outside to see all the people making their way to the castle. He could feel the anxiety and excitement rise in his stomach and it made him want to run. He wanted to run through the forest like he was running from his tracker, the girl who had completely flipped his world upside down not too long ago in a memory that felt more dream-like than real. He knew he couldnât wait to see her, but it would have to wait until the coronation was over.
Tod turned to bolt out the door as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing the door that reached the ceiling open in a huff as he ran down the hallway. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew that it had felt like forever since he had talked to another human being. In his dream of the indian girl, the people he had spoken to were less evolved, but the decor of his own room said that these people would be vastly different. His eyes widened as he took the hallway before him in. It was long, tall and decorated with the utmost regality and his chest only swelled more with glee. He couldnât contain the chuckle that left his lips and when he almost collided with a servant carrying a tray, he grabbed the womanâs hand and spun around in a circle.
âItâs coronation day!â
It was the only thing he could think to say as the woman completely lost her balance, but didnât try to get him to stop. Coronation Day had seemed like a big deal and voicing his excitement to what he assumed was the staff didnât feel out of place at all, but he quickly let her go in favor of continuing down the hallway. There were people littered everywhere if he took the time to notice. They were all dressed in the same colors and for the most part, in the same clothing as they went about preparing the castle. People were opening windows and setting up rooms that, from the look of them, havenât been used in ages. One particular window opened and cast a warm coat of sunshine over him and he couldnât help but raise his shoulders in splendor. It was almost as if he had never seen or felt what it was like to have a window open. Words left his lips, but they were so quiet that he felt like only he could hear them.
âThe window is open⌠Soâs that doorâŚI didnât know they did that anymore.â
He turned around to see two lines of servants walking out of what he could only assume to be the kitchen. Each one had a stack of plates towering from their hands to above their head as they marched through the room to the dining area, if he had to guess. He rushed towards them and the closer he got, the more the color came to him. They looked golden⌠âIf only the boys on the ship could see thisâ The thought launched through his mind, but he didnât even notice how strange it was that he could barely remember their faces. He had spent weeks with them on a ship, but yet he couldnât place their featuresâŚ
âPfftt⌠Who knew we owned eight thousand salad platesâŚâ
He came to stand in the middle of the two lines as they all walked past him without a second glance. He plucked one plate off the top of one servants tower to look at his reflection in the expertly cleaned dishware. His red hair and bright blue eyes shined back at him in a female version of himself and he was starting to care less and less. The gold almost sparkled as the sun hit it and he wished Copper couldâve seen it. THAT was gold and it was far more precious thanâŚwhatever she had thought was gold. He couldnât remember and he didnât care, practically prancing away from the room to explore more of the castle.
As he ran down another corridor, he noticed paintings hung up of the family that lived in the castle. There were a few with two small girls, one who looked a lot like his mirror-persona and the other was drastically different. Her hair was as white as snow, but she was cuddled close and they both had wide smiles on their faces. They had the same eyes in every photo and he could only assume that was his sister. He felt a pang of love in his heart as he looked at that girl, but when he saw the paintings of their parents a deep dread coated his heart for a moment.
âFor years⌠Iâve roamed these empty hallsâŚâ
He was still mumbling under his breath and he was still ecstatic for what the day would bring, but the painting of the family that had to be his reminded him all too well about how he had grown up. He didnât have a family aside from Mrs. Tweed and while she was lovely, she wasnât his mother⌠or his father⌠and he felt for the first time in a long time like he was alone and simply walking through life without anyone at all. It wasnât until he opened the doors to the ballroom that the feeling went away. The sunlight revealed a fine layer of dust on the immaculate ballroom floor. The dark oak and the bright sun made it clear that the room wasnât regularly used and the lack of scuff marks on the wood certainly told him it wasnât used for dancing.
âWhy have a ballroom with no balls?â
*As his gaze lifted, he saw the room taper off into another hallway that had a staircase at the end of it. He bolted for the stairs and once he left the room was immediately basked in a dark maroon. The carpet that cascaded down the stairs matched the wallpaper on the walls and while it was very elegant, it wasnât as bright as he wouldâve liked. Once he reached the top of the stairs, he wanted to fly down them. He knew the front door was down there somewhere, but he knew running down them wouldnât satisfy him. With a sly smirk, he instantly looked at the banister and mounted it, sliding down on his rear in a soft circle as it spiraled down, down, down. A wide smile creased his eyes as he had to refrain from whooping as he slid. He could hear large doors opening in the distance and while he couldnât be sure, he recalled what the servant had told him.
âFinally! Theyâre opening up the gates.â
The end of the banister threw him into another hallway that was lined with a few armored mannequins that he surprisingly had memories of. He could remember talking to them as a child and while that was completely untrue, he couldnât shake the feeling that he had. Chuckling again to himself, he grabbed the hand of one of them and shook it rapidly as he ironically spoke.
âThereâll be actual, real, live people. Itâll be totally strange.â
As soon as he finished speaking, the arm of the armor fell off the mannequin and into his hands. A shot of anxiety stabbed at his heart, but he quickly shoved the metal into the arm socket and took off down the hallway again. He had all this energy and nowhere to put it as he sprinted through the castle. A small, open window resided just after the suits of the metal and he had to stop to look out into the world. There were structures in the way of a clear view, but he could see sails of ships peak over them and they seemed to be docking at the city. It reminded him of when he had sailed in the ocean, but the image of that ship was quickly replaced with the ones he was looking at. These were far more grand, but if he tried to remember the conditions of the ship that sailed to Copper, he couldnât imagine it being any different. Birds flew overhead and people were everywhere below him, normal people that looked friendly and welcoming with one another.
âWow, am I so ready for this change.â
A small plank of wood hung from the roof above by bits of rope and Tod didnât think twice. It felt like all too long since he was this rambunctious and he didnât want to stop. He climbed atop the window sill and jumped onto the plank, holding onto the rope as if he was standing on a swing. He felt another piece of the thick rope in one hand over the other and idly pulled on it, causing the plank to go higher into the sky. That was exactly what he wanted. He pulled faster as he rose higher and higher to get a better view of the ground below him and the views across from him. Watching the people make their way towards the castle and the vendors in the streets vye for their attention, he could picture how full that empty ballroom would be and it brought great joy to his heart.
âCause for the first time in forever, thereâll be musicâŚâ
The longer he pulled on that rope, the higher he rose. The tips of the sails became large sheets that pulled even bigger ships into their harbor, likely full of even more people! The sun coated everything as far as he could see and it was such a drastic contrast from that dark maroon that lined the castle.
âThereâll be lightâŚâ
He closed his eyes for a moment and he thought of the ballroom. He could almost hear the music as he approached Copper and tapped her on the shoulder. The girl with the raven hair and the darker skin would turn to face him and be completely enamored by his newfound love of the simple things in life. He would sweep her off her feet and they would clumsily dance all around that ballroom until the sun came up again. The smile that split his lips was deep and full of love for her and when he opened his eyes again, he started gently swinging back and forth on the piece of wood that likely wouldnât hold his weight for much longer.
âFor the first time in forever⌠Iâll be dancing through the nightâŚâ
His shoulders scrunched with glee as he looked down at the streets again. Lowering himself on the plank, he jumped back into the window and made his way deeper into the castle. A large room revealed an elegant door that led out into a massive garden that he couldnât pull himself away from. He ran out into it to see small trees, styled bushes, small watering-holes and even a family of ducks waddling around. He couldnât think of a more extravagant place than what he assumed was his home. As he stepped deeper into the beautiful garden he felt his stomach rumble and his heart lurch for a moment. He had been so excited that he hadnât paid much attention to his body.
âDonât know if Iâm elated or gassy, but Iâm somewhere in that zone.â
He laughed to himself as his thoughts tumbled out of his mouth. He was definitely enthralled because he couldnât seem to keep his thoughts to himself. The ducks that had been waddling away from the waters had started to cross his path and he gave no pause in walking over to them to inspect them closer. There were five ducklings following their mother and the very idea of siblings warmed his heart. He had always wanted siblings and now he had a sister and they lived in a castle. Tod had no idea where he had found himself, but he did NOT want to go back. He had family, he had privilege and if he asked, he could have anything he ever wanted.
âCause for the first time in forever, I wonât be aloneâŚâ
He knelt down to pick up a few of the ducklings and smiled brightly at how they simply walked into his hands. Maybe it was his faux appearance as a female, but he was pleased at how happy everything and everyone seemed around him.
âI canât wait to meet everyone!â
He gently stroked the heads of the ducklings when a thought popped into his head. Anything he wanted? What if he met a girl, someone who enjoyed this life as much as he did and wanted to relish in it also? He thought of Copper again, but her previous appearance faded and was replaced with the farm girl who grew up next to him. His eyes landed on the animals in his hands and he spoke to them then instead of himself.
âWhat if I meet, THE one.â
Copper was the only girl he had ever talked with that was his age, but if he looked like a woman too⌠She wouldnât recognize him. He sat the ducklings down next to their mother and made his way back into the castle. The empty room before him filled with imaginary people as he set the scene for what he expected. It would be crowded and filled with their countries finest people and he would stand out among them. He walked into the room and grabbed the collar of his tunic before he realized that everyone else would see him in a long, regal dress. Chuckling to himself again, he turned to see the thick, lavish, deep-red curtains and twirled himself inside them dramatically.
âTonight, imagine me gown and all, fetchingly draped against the wall. The picture of sophisticated grace!â
He teased, making the curtains look more like the dress he couldnât see. If Copper could see him now she would be rolling on the floor in stitches because of his antics, but he wouldnât have it any other way. He raised his eyebrows to the imagery girl that stood in the middle of the room as he spun the golden tassel that hung from the curtain. It spun and spun until it smacked him in the face, disintegrating his illusion of being the most handsome and sophisticated person in the room. Abashed, he unfurled himself from the red fabric and dusted off his tunic as he looked back across the room. He pictured Copper in a dress fit for a princess and lost all sense of his reality. In that moment he was not parading around as a woman, he was Tod Tweed and that was Copper Slade.
âI suddenly see her standing there, a beautiful stranger tall and fairâŚâ
He made his way across the dark floor and felt a lump form in his throat. He had never seen her dressed up nor had he ever seen her in a dress that wasnât primitive. He licked his lips and lost himself in trying to imagine what she would look like before he almost ran into a table that was already filled with snacks and hor-d'oeuvres. The rumble in his stomach was louder now and once again, his thoughts tumbled out of his lips before he could suppress them to a mere thought.
âI wanna stuff some chocolate in my face!â
He grabbed a handful of the small chocolate pieces and ate them furiously before he turned back towards the center of the room. In his mind, she was still standing there, waiting for him. He couldnât place why he was so scattered, but he chalked it up to his own elation at the events of the day. He swallowed the chocolate and straightened his posture again as if she was truly staring at him. He didnât know what he would say to her when he actually did see her, but he knew they were ever rarely at a loss for words. They would find something to talk about.
âBut then we laugh and talk all evening, which is totally bizarre, nothing like the life Iâve lived so far.â
He had to find her. Bolting from the empty ballroom into an adjoining room, he found it absolutely covered with pictures. They were much older than the ones he had seen of his family, but they were so familiar to him somehow. It felt like someone had waved a magic wand and given him everything he had ever asked for and as he walked into the room admiring the artwork, he couldnât think of a better expected night.
âFor the first time in forever, thereâll be magic, thereâll be fun.â
He walked down one wall and looked up at the paintings to see people dancing, eating and enjoying the company of those around them. He slowly began mimicking the positions in a few of them; bowing to a woman, placing his hands behind his head as if he was laying on a picnic blanket and even bending down to take a womanâs hand. There was every possibility that Copper wouldnât even give him the time of day, but SOMEONE would see him. EVERYONE would see him and they would be happy to do so, at least in his mind.
âFor the first time in forever, I could be noticed by someone.â
Saying âsomeoneâ didnât feel right though, not to him. If he pictured himself spending the rest of his life with someone, it would be Copper. She knew him inside and out, more so than he could ever explain to someone else. He thought of all the trouble they could get into in the castle and it made him literally jump in joy as he sprung up from the floor and landed on one of the padded benches along the wall.
âAnd I know it is totally crazy, to dream Iâd find romance⌠but for the first time in foreverâŚâ
He bounced from one bench to another, feeling the weightlessness of himself in the air for the few seconds he was suspended, until he landed on the last one. Images of them flooded his mind as they ran through the halls, sat out in the garden and walked through the streets. She was his partner in crime and the more he thought about it, the more he came to realize that they had never had an opportunity like this.
âAt least Iâve got a chance.â
@Fiory
He knew how important this moment was for him, but he didnât exactly know why. Growing up as a farm hand, he could only dream about standing near a castle as elegant as the one he was leaving, let alone reside in one. Maybe it was the giant cake that took two people to carry, or the amount of people coming to witness the coronation. Either way, it was a moment that made his heart race and his legs itch to run. The excitement was overwhelming and his jaw was starting to hurt from all his smiling. He jumped up on the edge of the bridge and grabbed a hold of a lamp post for balance as he looked out amongst the crowd.
âA chance to change my lonely worldâŚâ
He was looking for Copper. There were no plaid shirts or straw hats, only dresses and none of them made from buckskin. He knew she was there. She couldnât not be there. His eyes scanned every person walking into the building in hopes she would see him and recognize him. âWhat âprincessâ climbs onto the edge of a bridge?â He thought, moving his dress from under his shoes and holding onto the post as he leaned from side to side.
âA chance to find true loveâŚâ
He would find her. Something told him he wasnât going to have to wait for months for her to arrive like she had to do for him even though the ships pulling into the harbor did catch his eye. She was here and he was going to find her. He started walking down the edge of the bridge, waving to those who waved at him and thinking if maybe she was on one of the ships. He wouldnât know until everyone had arrived and even then, he knew they only had today.
âI know it all ends tomorrow, so it has to be todayâŚâ
He jumped from the edge of the bridge onto the stonework when his hand fell into the palm of a large man who was talking to someone else. He quickly removed his hand and twirled away from him, hoping that the flow of his dress and the fact that he was important was enough to make the man carry on with his conversation. He looked back and forth at the massive square he found himself in, trying to find out where to move on to next when he saw a pavilion filled with people selling their wares. He rushed over towards the stands and practically started to skip from all the excitement in his body.
âCause for the first time in foreverâŚâ
He only saw a few people under the shade of the small pavilion, but what intrigued him lied beyond that. Through the tables of sellable goods were stairs that lead down to the docks. If Copper was on a ship, thatâs where she would be. He ran to the stairs and suddenly felt a pang of anxiety at seeing her. âWhat if⌠she doesnât recognize me?â The thought was impossible though as he carefully made his way down the stone steps.
âFor the first time in foreverâŚâ
She had noticed him as âJohn Smithâ and he looked absolutely nothing like himself. He had known it was her when she was tall, tan and wore nothing like what she would have normally. It was something about the eyes and that made him run down the stairs faster. He would know, he had to.
âNothingâs in my way!â
He took off in a sprint down the rest of the steps and along the wooden dock. There were no ships at this dock, but there would be. She was going to ride in on a ship much like he had except this time, he would be waiting for her. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to imagine her surprise when she saw him as he was, his hand reaching up to help her off the ship in a dress of his own while they both smiled. He imagined pulling her close to him again and finishing the intense kiss they had shared back in the woods, their lips almost touching againâBAM!
Something crashed into Todâs side, sending him flying off to his left towards the water. A small yelp left him as his foot smashed directly into a wooden bucket, tossing his balance to the wind and lopping him smack into a little row boat. His back hit the wood hard, the boat sliding against the dock easily until suddenly, there was no resistance underneath him. He knew he was in mid air, his legs had nearly gone over his head and the bucket had gone flying into the air as well. He was going to go into the water and for a moment, he couldâve sworn he heard a female screaming. It wasnât until something hard hit the other end of the boat and immediately straightened it that Tod realized the screaming was him. He gave another yelp as he bounced off the bottom of the boat and moved to look down at what had caused him so much pain and embarrassment.
âHey!â
He whined, looking up to see a handsome man on a blonde horse, shocked and immediately apologizing for his actions. He pulled the reins on his horse and spoke rapidly towards Tod as worry cemented itself across his features.
âIâm so sorry! Are you hurt?â
Todâs mouth ran dry and the words he knew suddenly vanished from his memory. He had planned a perfectly good speech to tell the person who had knocked him nearly into the river, but when their eyes met, he couldnât remember a single part of it. Tod normally didnât find men attractive, but this man was something right out of a storybook. He wore a uniform that fit snugly against his frame, white gloves that seemed much too clean and his red hair was perfectly sculpted. He was likely dressed for the coronation, but his voice was even something that made Todâs nerves tingle. His chest had tightened and his palms started to sweat just as they did when he always saw Copper and that made his heart leap out of his chest.
âHey⌠Uh⌠No, no, Iâm okay.â
It had to be Copper. He only felt these feelings around her and he had had a feeling she would be at the docks. He pulled himself up to at least sit down on the boat when he watched the man start to dismount his horse. Copper was coming closer and he knew she would see him. She had to see him.
âAre you sure?â
The man jumped off his horse and carefully stepped into the boat while his horse had one hoof inside as well. The horse kept the boat steady while the weight of both humans was nothing it couldnât handle. He climbed into the boat, brought his arms out to his sides to keep his balance and extended a hand to help Tod up. The stability of the boat was something neither one of them trusted.
âYeah. I just wasnât looking where I was going, but Iâm great, actually.â
Tod couldnât take his eyes off the man as he precariously stepped towards him and offered him assistance. He looked nothing like Copper, but he knew that was how these things had been working so far. âPocahontasâ looked nothing like her either, but it was her. The man spoke again and while it was a male voice, Tod could feel the love in his heart grow with every word. He grew up with Copper and had realized things about their friendship that he never thought he would and if they were different genders, races or religions, none of that mattered. She was her and he was himself, and that was all that mattered.
âOh⌠Thank goodness.â
Tod stared directly into those dark eyes as he placed his small hand into the gloved palm of his, a smile stretching across both of their faces. It had to be her. The man smiled warmly as if he had known Tod all his life until a wave of shock blasted across his face. His posture firmed a bit as he spoke, pulling Tod up from the bottom of the boat.
âOh! Uh⌠Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.â
Oh? So weâre gonna pretend, huh? A sly smile peeked at Todâs lips as he stood. Copper was âPrince Hansâ. Hans put his closed fist against his stomach and bowed his head to Tod in troduction, almost causing the man to giggle to himself before words began to fall out of his own mouth. It was like second nature, what he said next, even though the information wasnât exactly familiar to him.
âPrincess Anna of Arendelle.â
Instinctively, Tod grabbed the edges of his dress and did a small curtsey as he watched Hans stand to his full height. He was tall and even more handsome as an innocent confidence rolled out of him. Meeting Copper was going far better than Tod Tweed couldâve imagined. Hans didnât make fun of him for wearing a dress and even played along with his own role as a âprinceâ.
âPrincess? My Lady.â
Hans immediately fell to one knee, one hand touching the boat and the other laying across his bent knee as his head became parallel with the boat. It was such a dramatic bow that Tod couldnât control himself.
âOh!â
He snorted, trying his best to hold his composure as his best friend showed him once again how dramatic she could be. She hadnât said anything to him yet about their past experiences, not like they had done in the ânew worldâ, but maybe there were people watching. Maybe Copper was doing her best to play the part because she didnât want to throw anything off course in this world. It was then that the horse behind her began to bow as well. The hoof that was holding them steadily gently lifted as the horseâs head hung to match Hans. The boat slowly began to tip towards the water and the two of them both reeled backwards. Tod lost his balance immediately and was falling back first until Hans wrapped his arms around him to catch him.
âWhoa!â
âWhoa whoa whoa!â
Both of their eyes shot to the water that loomed so dangerously close to them. Todâs hands grabbed a hold of Hansâ tunic and Hansâ grip on him held him close to his chest while the other leaned against the boat for some sort of stability. Tod turned to face the man in front of him and took his first whiff of the cologne he wore. It was sweet and warm, almost like a sweetened mead and it was only then he realized just how close they were. He chuckled lightly and released the manâs garments as Hans breathed out a noise of relief.
âHi. Againâ
Tod couldnât control the overwhelming sense of attraction that was boiling in his core for the man above him as his eyes gently shifted over to look into Todâs. Suddenly, the boat straightened back up again. The horse must have realized itâs mistake and stood hard on the bottom of the boat, sending Hans flying backwards onto his back while Tod flew over to land directly on top of him. They both yelped at the impact and a deep red blush heated Todâs face.
âOh, boy!â
Hans simply laid there, unable to do much with Tod on top of him. He looked down at the poor prince, feeling the familiar roil of word vomit start to string out of him in his state of pure embarrassment.
âThis is awkward. Not âYouâre awkward,â but just because weâreâŚâ
Tod began stuttering as he pushed himself to stand. He had to bring his legs around and practically dismount his friend, moving his dress out of the way as their eyes locked and Hans began to stand too.
âIâm awkward, youâre gorgeous. Wait, what?â
As Hans began to right himself, he took Todâs hand to help him stand as well. He was much more composed when he spoke, grabbing Todâs elbow to help him stand upright and dusting off his uniform afterwards.
âIâd like to formally apologize for hitting the princess of Arendelle with my horse. And for every moment after.â
Hansâ features were soft and full of admiration as he apologized, his eyes almost caressing Todâs before he spoke up as well. He was a princess, but he wasnât the princess. If they were going to keep up the charade, he needed Hans to know he wasnât the one who was about to become Queen. Tod needed to reassure Copper that all was well! They had kissed before⌠A little fumbling all over each other was nothing to apologize for! He tossed out his delicate hands in front of him, trying to drive home how much Hans didnât have to say he was sorry for what had happened.
âNo! No, no. Itâs fine. Iâm not that princess. If you had hit my sister Elsa, then it would be⌠Yeeeesh! Because, ya knowâŚâ
He said as he gently stepped out of the boat and onto the safety of the wooden dock. He chuckled as he finished, turning to almost run directly into the horse who had saved them not once, but twice. He brought his hand underneath itâs chin and gently scratched as he lovingly looked into the eyes of the stead that was so loyal to his very best friend.
âHello.â
He stepped over the horseâs leg and turned his back to the town, staring at Hans who was still on the boat. He couldnât get over how handsome he was, how finally everything in his mind and body was telling him that the person before was the one. Before, he knew he adored Copper, but everything felt dark and twisty as soon as they had laid eyes on each other. Not this time. He held his hands together in front of him then, speaking softly and politely.â
âBut, lucky you, Itâs just me.â
ââJustâ you?â
*Those two words sent Todâs heart hammering out of his chest. Copper remembered and while she couldnât say exactly what she wanted, Tod knew he would get her alone at some point so they could talk properly. He smiled warmly at the prince as they stared at each other, exchanging a slew of words in the content silence between them. He tried to remember their time in the woods, but it all seemed like a distant memory and even the passionate kiss between them felt like something he had made up. Before, memories rushed back to him that he didnât even think were that important when he first saw her, but now it was like he had to force himself to remember the best parts. The moment was abruptly ruined though as the bells of the castle chimed behind Tod. Reality set in all too quickly as his body went rigid.
âThe bells. The coronation. IâI better go.â He stumbled backwards, not wanting to stop looking at Hans. âI have to go. I better go. Uh⌠Bye!â
Tod picked up the edges of his dress and bolted back for the castle. He was positive he would see Hans again, especially because he was more than likely there for the coronation too. As he ran through the square he wondered why he didnât ask Hans to come with him, but it was less important than showing up to the kingdomâs special event on time. He was the âsisterâ of the Queen and if he wasnât there, everyone would notice. He wasnât sure exactly what he had to do, but he did know that he only had one day to make everything right and if that meant leaving as soon as the ceremony was over, he would. He would have to find Hans⌠Copper⌠and talk about what happened in the woodsâŚ
@Fiory