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@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ arriving by ship discovering the arkhanglsk -##Kids playing in Arkhangelsk +## Kids playing in Arkhangelsk What do you want to play? Birdie was hoping Lulu would say I don't know and they could play a game Birdie had in mind, but she didn't. @@ -177,7 +177,9 @@ What do you want to play? Birdie was hoping Lulu would say I don't know and they "Of course." +## Description of the coast From Colin Woodward +there were hundreds of miles of creeks, inlets, and islands on the North Carolina coast to hide among, places with entrances too shallow or convoluted for a large warship to follow them. For a novice pirate with a powerful vessel, the Carolinas provided a perfect sandbox in which to learn the trade. # Prologue @@ -2534,12 +2536,152 @@ Worse for Charlestown, the entrance from the sea was blocked by a long sandbar t The entire town turned out to watch the soldiers ride in, and especially to see who was riding in the middle of them, clearly a prisoner. Charlestown was a divided city. The majority of its residents were African slaves. After that the small percentage of business men fell into two groups, those that made their money off the backs of the slaves and those that made their money off the people who stole the first groups cargos. There were in essence, those who would benefit from the presence of the British, and those who would not. The one you had to watch out for her father had told here, were the men who made money both ways. They were the dangerous ones not to be trusted. -Bridie watched The faces watching her from doorways. She saw a mixture of expressions. Some clearly uneasy at the sight of the soldiers, uneasy at the sight of her father in chains. Others seemed pleased to see both. And every now and then she noticed men whose expression was inscrutable. Men who seemed neither uneasy, nor pleased. Men who were trying to sense which way the wind was blowing. Men who could only sail where the wind blew them. Men who were dangerous. +Bridie watched The faces watching her from doorways. She saw a mixture of expressions. Some clearly uneasy at the sight of the soldiers, uneasy at the sight of her father in chains. Others seemed pleased to see both. And every now and then she noticed men whose expression was inscrutable. Men and women who seemed neither uneasy, nor pleased. Men and women who were trying to sense which way the wind was blowing. Men and women who could only sail where the wind blew them. Men and women who were dangerous, to themselves, to the world around them. +### Lulu and Henri at sea. -there were hundreds of miles of creeks, inlets, and islands on the North Carolina coast to hide among, places with entrances too shallow or convoluted for a large warship to follow them. For a novice pirate with a powerful vessel, the Carolinas provided a perfect sandbox in which to learn the trade. +The next day Delos sailed out of the cove at Ocracoke, followed closely by Queen Anne's Revenge, tk, and tk, the latter two being prize ships that Thatch and crew had decided to keep for the time being since a show of force, rather than speed was called for on this occasion. The winds and current were against them coming out to the east and of the island, but as the rounded the point and moved into the ocean, the wind blew west southwest and Delos could bear almost directly for Charlestown. Queen Anne's Revenge and the other ships, being square rigged, could not sail quite a close to the wind, and had to tack. After consulting with Thatch Tambo agreed that Delos would sail to the mouth of the river and wait, staying out of sight as much as possible, posing as a fishing vessel should they be spotted. Tambo believed they would make Charlestown before the sun set, but it would likely be a long night of sailing either way since they'd probably have to tack back and forth all night. Unless they got their early enough to set an anchor before the light disappeared. Tambo and Kobayashi set the sails and gave her the course before they went below to get some rest, leaving Lulu on watch. She knew that Aunt Māra was to keep an eye on her, but she also knew Aunt Māra was no sailor and that Tambo was trusting her to keep the ship on course and the sails smartly trimmed. + +Henri sat on the desk beside her playing with two corn husk dolls who alternated between brutal close quarters sword fighting, and scampering runs around and between his legs and body. Sitting on the deck, below the reach of most of the wind it was warm in the sunshine. Lulu could almost pretend it was spring, they were headed north to fish, to spend the summers on the warm beaches of Rhode Island. But whenever she stood up to check her heading against the landmarks on the coast, or compare the maze of inlets, creeks, and estuaries on the map to the seemingly unbroken coastline in front of her, a cold blast of Atlantic winter wind reminded her it wasn't spring, and she wasn't sailing for fun. + +The wind held throughout the morning, Lulu only had to go aloft once and adjust the sails. She'd let Henri take helm while she climbed up the mast, surprisingly he hadn't done anything to her or played at it. He simply stood holding the wheel, too small to really navigate, but perfectly capable of making sure the wheel didn't turn as the waves rolled past them. The seas were picking up as the day grew on. If they timed the tides wrong they were going to half a rough time heading up river and getting in the inlet. The navigating narrow, shallow channels when the ocean waves were meeting the river current and ebbing tide was never fun, but on these shores she knew it had been the ruin of many a ship. Hardly anyone went to St. Augustine, the only other town on this stretch of coast, because the inlet there was so treacherous. Ships had been known to wait weeks for favorable winds and currents to allow them entrance to the river. "And after all that you get there and it's a bunch of Spanish hovels and miserable looking slaves," her father quipped. + +Charlestown was not nearly so bad, as a town or a inlet, though it could get rough from time to time and today was shaping up to be one of those times. The wind that had brought them south at over six knots all morning had kicked up a considerable southerly swell that was now moving fast enough that it rolled Delos as it moved by. They were running almost directly down wind, but with the current the water was still faster. Delos rose up as the waves moved beneath her and then she slid and wobbled slightly side to side, like a squiggling piece of soap sliding across the top of the ocean. + +The upside was that the rough shes meant that, more than likely, the pilot boats and crews out on the island near the inlet would be laid up indoors, and unlikely to head into town to alert HMS Victory to their presence. The plan was for Delos to anchor near those pilot boats tonight and stop them from going anywhere tomorrow when Queen Anne's Revenge and the other ships showed up. + +Tambo took over the helm when the sun reached it's high point for the day. Which wasn't very high. Lulu wasn't exactly sure what day it was, but she new the Solstice was close. She wondered if they'd be able to celebrate this year with their bonfire pig roast. It had been that very fire two years ago that had first brought Captain Anne to their shores. She'd been sailing with her husband of the time, John Bonny, bound for Nassau when they'd spied a huge fire on Edisto and decided to investigate. + +Lulu thought about that night as she help Kobayashi gather up dried fish and two day old rice for a snack. She braced herself against the timber next to the cold stove and used the motion of the ship to guide her knife up and down through the tough strips of fish. + +They made the inlet well before dark, but the channel was too rough to approach. The tacked out to sea, let the wind fall down into the evening and then made their way through the inlet in the twilight. They found an anchor by the light of a quarter moon and Lulu fell asleep dreaming of storming the city of Charlestown demanding the governor release her father and sister. + +--- + +It was still dark when she woke. Aunt Māra shook her awake so she could help Kobayashi and Tambo into Delos's shore boat. They both had swords strapped to their waists, pistols on straps across their chest, and rifles in their hands. Kobayashi had darkened his face with charcoal and both were wearing black. They looked frightening. Lulu was glad she wasn't waking up to men like this bursting into her house. And then she remembered that she had woken up to them. + +She watched them row into the night and then she went below to start the stove and make some warm breakfast. Two days of nothing but cold rice and dried fish with seaweed was enough. She struck and match an lit a bit of parafin, which she pushed n the small door of the stove. She began to feed tiny splinters, and curled wood shaving into the flame, letting the fire build slowly until coals began to form. Once she had enough heat she put in larger twigs until she had a good fire going. Enough of a fire to heat water for porridge. She put a copper on the stove and filled it with water from the fresh water barrels. Then she measured out several handfuls of oats and put the sheet to tin that served as the lid over the pot. + +She sat down on the stool Kobayashi kept by the stove and opened the door to the fire chanber to warm her hands. She fed in a few more sticks and waited for the water to boil. She watched the orange glow within the stove and wondered what Birdie was doing at the moment. Probably sleeping. If she was luckily. What was her father doing? Probably also sleeping. She glanced aft to where Delos's guns would be if she had any guns. There was a faint glow around the hatch door which meant the sun was rising. That meant her father probably wasn't sleeping. Neither was Birdie. It also meant Tambo and Kobayashi should have captured the pilot boats by now. Soon the dreaded pirate Blackbeard's flagship would appear on Charlestown's eastern horizon and with any luck that would strike enough fear in the hearts of its citizens that they would release her father and sister, and then... and then what? For the first time it hit Lulu that they would not be going back to Edisto. That, even assuming everything in the next few hours went according to plan and they made their escape, nothing would ever be the same again. They might escape his clutches, but Captain McPhail still owned the island. Still claimed the trees. Still had the soldiers to drive them right off it again. Wherever they went after this, for the first time Lulu began to understand, nothing would be the same, + +### Father in Jail, Birdie to some charlestown family. + +The wagon stopped in front of the jailhouse. It was tiny and a little bit forlorn. It seemed better suited to some higher duty, like a storehouse, or perhaps a shop. Birdie almost felt sorry for it. McPhail climbed down from the wagon and went inside without so much as a glance at Birdie. Her father sidestepped his horse closer to the wagon. + +"What did you say to him?" + +Birdie cocked her head. "What do you mean?" + +"I saw you two talking, and then I noticed that you stopped. I assumed it was something you said." + +Birdie smiled. She told her father about the coversation with McPhail. He chuckled. "Watch yourself Bridie. Don't make enemies you if you don't have to." + +She looked down. She'd felt good about her verbal attack until her father said that. He would have said the same she was quite sure. + +"How was the ride? You sore?" + +Birdie rubbed her back. "A little." + +"When you get wherever you're going, do a bit stretching, that way you won't wake up stiff." + +She nodded. "Where am I going?" + +"That remains to be seen." + +"I want to stay with you." + +Her father was about to say something when the door to the jailhouse swung open and McPhail stepped out. He closed the door and stepped back into the street to confer for a moment with the tk british soldier. Then he walked back over the wagon. "Mr father tk. You may step down and go inside of your own accord. Or my men can help you." + +"What is the charge?" + +"Theft of property. You trial will begin on Monday." + +"Monday?" Her father let out a low whistle. "You don't waste any time do you Mr McPhail?" Her father shook his head and muttered something to himself as he climbed down from the horse. He came around in front of it and whispered something in it's ear. The horse bent down and her father scratched between it's ears. "Where are you taking my daughter?" He asked. + +"Nowhere. She'll be in there with you." + +Her father didn't bother to hide his surprise. "On what charge?" + +"Aiding and abetting in the theft of property." + +"You're serious?" + +"Quite." + +Her father glanced down. "Well then," he said. + +She climbed down out of the wagon and ran to her father's side and hugged him. They stepped up onto the porch and Birdie turned around. She harbor stretched out before them in all its muddy, marshy glory. Out near the point, between the trees of the islands she saw a top mast, still to far to see the ship, but it was a big one. Behind it there was another. She glanced at her father. He shook his head ever so slightly. She looked down and followed him in the door. + +When her eyes adjusted to teh darkness Bridie saw a man standing beside a desk. He seemed ill at ease and was fidgeting with a piece of paper. "Well then," he began and then stopped and rattled the paper. "You'll follow me." + +Her father grabbed Bridie by the shoulders and turned her to follow the man. They waited as he unlocked a heavy wooden door and then led them into what Birdie assumed was the jail. There were rooms on each side, all of them small with a single barred window high up on the wall. The man unlocked a door and stood aside. Her father had to duck to enter the room. Birdie heard the door close behind them. Her father came over the to the door and spoke to the man outside. "The large ship in the harbor, what is she?" + +"HMS Victory." + +"No, the merchant. The Mary, slaver, out of Lisbon." + +Her father turned away and walked over to the window to look out. There was no furniture in the room. The floor was hard packed mud with a bit of straw. Birdie sat down and leaned against the wall. Her father glanced down at her. "Sorry Birdie, I did not see this coming. Never meant for you to see the inside of a jail." He glanced out the window again. We're facing away from the harbor. He sat down beside her and spoke very quietly. "I'm sure you noticed the topmast of what I assume is Revenge. Whether it's Queen Anne's or Jack's I don't know. But someone is here and I think things will begin to happen, if not tonight, then early tomorrow." + +"What's going to happen Papa?" + +He sighed. "I don't know. But I hope it involves us being turned loose and being able to get back to Delos." + +"Then what? Can we go back to Edisto?" + +He put his arm around her and pulled her into his lap. "No, I don't think we can do that. Depending on how it goes perhaps we can stop by there and gather up our things, say goodbye, but I don't believe we'll be going back." + +"But it's not fair. How can someone else just wave some piece of a paper and take away our home?" + +He picked up a piece of straw and twirled it between his thumb and forefinger. "It's not the piece of a paper Birdie, it's the men with guns. Paper means nothing. Kings and Queen's mean nothing. It's whether or not you have the force of will to bend the world the way you want it to bend. McPhail has that will and he brought with him the force to see it through. We could fight, we might even win. In fact I know we would win, we're about to take away his force, probably, their ship at least, but do you want to fight for that island? Or would we be happier finding a new island that no one wants?" + +"What do we do when someone comes claiming that island?" + +"We find another." + +"What do we do when all the islands are claimed and there is nowhere left to go?" + +"It's not about a place Birdie, it's about the ability to go. Once you lose the ability to go, everything is lost with it. What makes our people different is that we bring with us a way of life, a responsibility to the world, a way of living that works anywhere and everywhere. It isn't about where we are or even when we are, it's that we are." + +Birdie nodded. She'd heard him say similar things before, but she liked Edisto, She like the cape. She didn't want to go and she failed to see how her people, however tightly they might hold their free way of living, would survive is there was nowhere left to go. If being truly free truly depended on having somewhere to go then what would they do when there was nowhere left. She said as much. + +Her father didn't say anything. The silence stretched out. Finally he said very quietly, "then there will be no more free men left and it won't matter anyway. But that won't happen in our lifetimes." + +"What about my children's lifetime? + +"No, not theirs either I should think. + +"What about their great grandchildern? Shouldn't we fight for something now so that we can hold it for when my grandchildrens' grandchildren's grandchildren need it?" + +Her father said nothing, but he flicked away the straw. "Perhaps, but we aren't going to." + +It was Birdie's turn to be quiet. That wasn't the answer she'd expected. + +"They will just keep coming Birdie. If not McPhail then McPhail Jr., McPhail III. They will never stop coming. Not for centuries, not until the wave of them breaks over this entire continent and beyond. That's why we aren't going to fight. Can you fight the tide?" + +"No." + +"No. You use the tide to help you get where you want to go." + +"Where do we want to go?" + +Her father smiled at her. "I don't know, where do you want to go?" + +"I want to go back to how things were, I want to go back to island before the storm, before the ships, before everything changed." + +"Ah, to go back before the tide. That would be a neat trick, but we can't do that, the tide is here, it has risen us up and now it's our turn to decide, do we just drift and spin and let it pull us as it will or do we raise the sails, catch the wind, and go where we please?" + +"Where we please I guess. If we get out of here." + +"Don't worry, we'll get out of here." Her father stood up and went to the window. Why don't you get some sleep, I'll keep the rats off you and then we can switch." + +"There's rats?" + +### Lulu and Henri at sea + +The sun was just past it's peak when Queen Anne's revenge appeared on the horizon. Tambo and Kobayashi had come back hours before with one of the pilot boats and six men under guard. They were below decks now, tied up. Lulu had given them fish and water. They were sullen and did not eat. She had felt sorry for them when she went below to get them water as Kobayashi had asked her, but by the time she came back up on deck she decided they were a rude lot and she didn't really care what became of them. + +Revenge anchored a short distance back from Delos and launched two long boats that came over to Delos. Edward and his men came aboard and grilled the pilots about the best way into the harbor. In the end one of the boats took four of the men back to Revenge, while Edward forced the other two into the second boat with him. As the sun set the crew began to row upriver toward HMS Victory which, according to the pilots, had a small watch. Tambo went with them, Kobayashi remained on Delos to bring her into the Harbor once the long boat returned. -### Lulu and Henri at sea. ### following your path campfire talk |