Hello my fellow readers, welcome back to Danielle Turner's world. I promise you this will feature sad/depressing parts, heartache and love scenes which I am sorry for, but I have apologised to Danielle myself and told her what will happen in the fourth story (a spoiler for you: a character comes back but you have to wait and see).
The first part is her dream, and she has a dream within a dream...it will all make sense when you read it. I hope you guys enjoy it, please feel free to leave any reviews.
Prologue: The beat of the drum filled Danielle's ears. The unmistakable sound of the last beat the sinners, the poor and the excused hear; all fear the sound, as they know they were lining up to their death, with no way of escape.
The sun was high in the sky, yet it didn't shine so brightly. The clouds were grey, at times hiding the sun away, as if blocking the view so the sun wouldn't be upset. The scene did look awfully upsetting, to those who were about to get hanged and those to the commoners. Those of higher status was a different story, they were all plain face, no remorse given, all doing their job; ordered by one man. One man who they all feared, going under by one name but Danielle could think of many to call him, however one suited him perfectly; the monster.
Danielle stood at the fort wall, which towered over the scene. She was dressed in the uniform, which the monster was the head of. She felt guilty in it as her mind went to her father, the monster and the company had changed not just both of their lives but millions, as they sold both white and black's dreams, selling humans like animals to the slaughter and mistreating them. Danielle couldn't think how anyone could do that to another human being. They all have rights, beliefs and faiths, so why can't people see that? Power and money, that was the answer. Everyone was driven by those two things. She was like that once, she wanted power but use it for the good. Can power be use as good? It has always seen as bad and used in evil ways.
Danielle didn't know of her second question, she thought she was right to drive for power, to fight for what she believed but thinking of her past she saw she didn't achieved anything, except fear, hate and lost.
"Come on Dan, keep your head clear. Think of the people." She whispered to herself. She tightened her grip on her musket which stood closely beside her. She raised her eyes, her hat keeping them hidden as she lowered it. Looking around she saw how far the other men were, they were far away for her, to hit but would take a long time for them to notice her doing anything suspiciously.
Let Itlay boast of her gay gilded waves.
Her vines and her bowers and her soft sunny skies
Her sons drinking love from the eyes of her daughters
Where freedom expires amid softness and sighs
Scotland's blue mountains wild where hoary cliffs are piled
Towering in grandeur are dearer tae me
Land of the misty cloud land of the tempest loud
Land of the brave and proud land of the free
Danielle took the opportunity of being far away target, she lowered her musket down on the ground, and put all her strength into pushing a near cannon away from facing the sea to the inside the area; facing the gallows.
Enthroned on the peak of her own highland mountains
The spirit of Scotia reigns fearless and free
Her green tartan waving o'er blue rock and fountain
And proudly she sings looking over the sea
Here among my mountains wild I have serenely smiled
When armies and empires against me were hurled
Firm as my native rock I have withstood the shock
Of England, of Denmark, or Rome and the world
She lit the cannon and ducked behind another cannon before the cannon ball was released. Hearing it make contact with something she stood up and saw smoke rising high in front of her. She smiled as she saw her target. There was a massive hole behind the gallows, on the wall, but still stood. Before she could think of anything else to do, she heard running footsteps and voices growing loud. She turned her head and saw uniformed men were running towards her, their guns were aimed at her!
"Well look at that, they want to play unfairly." Danielle stated. "If they want to play, then lets play."
She quickly drew her sword out from before one of the soldiers could attack her. She blocked his hit, making him studded but he quickly acted upon it. She swung her sword and blocked his hits, she made a fool out of him, as he didn't last long. She pushed him off the wall. She turned around and saw two men standing with their guns aimed at her.
She quickly raised her hands up high in the air, surrending, while dropping her sword. She watched as the men lowered their guns but before they could do anything else she smiled and kicked one in the stomach making him stumble backwards. Quickly with the other she grabbed his gun and gave him a Glassow kiss (headbutted him), and watched him fall down unconsiouss. Swinging around she hit the other in the face.
She dropped the gun and ran to the wall again, and picked up her gun. She aimed it at the gallows floor, men were running towards her, the prisoners watched with confusion and hope. She pulled the trigger and a rope with an arrow tied around it shot out and buried itself in its wood.
But see how proudly her war steeds are prancing
Deep groves of steel trodden down in their path
The eyes of my sons like their bright swords are
glancing
Triumphantly riding through ruin and death
Bold hearts and nodding plumes wave o'er their bloody tombs
Deep eyed in gore is the green tartan's wave
Shivering are the ranks of steel dire is the horseman's wheel
Victorious in battlefield Scotland the brave
She dropped her gun back on the ground, making sure it didn't drop onto the sand below. Before she climbed onto the wall she picked up her sword, and saw men were only a few paces away. She jumped, but quickly she put her sword on top of the rope, making her slid all the way to the floor. She landed on her feet, and quickly she cut the rope with her sword before entering sword fights with the men. Sounds of metal clashing, swords whipping the air and chains moving in unison by the prisoners trying to break free, sounded in the air.
Danielle turned around as she finished another man off, she stopped moving and looked up to the gallows and saw a woman in her mid thirties, looking down at her. She wore a simply blue dress, yet she looked beautiful. Her long, black hair, flowed behind her, braids and feathers twisted in her hair. Her sea blue eyes stared into Danielle's chocolate, confused ones. The eyes she saw them before but where?
Suddenly darkness filled her, she let out a groan and fell onto the floor.
I have been many places, I have travelled 'round the world
Always on the search for something new
But what does it matter, when all the roads I've crossed
Always seem to reach to you
Old familiar faces, everyone you meet
Following the ways of the land
Cobblestones and lanterns lining every street
Calling me to come home again
Dancing in the moonlight, singing in the rain
Oh, it's good to be back home again
Laughing in the sunlight, running down the lane
Oh, it's good to be back home again
Oh, it's good to be back home again
The lyrics filled her ears. She woke up and saw she was lying on the ground. She lifted herself up holding the pain inside her. Her eyes wandered around her, she saw people drinking, laughing and a young woman dancing. The woman was dressed how the other woman she saw standing at the gallows was dressed and looked. She watched as she dancing around the tables by herself, feeling free and young; no worry showed.
Quickly a young man grabbed her hand and danced with her. The pair laughed and smiled, showing their love for one another.
When you play with fire sometimes you get burned
It happens when you take a chance or two
But time is never wasted when you've lived and learned
And in time, it all comes back to you
Old familiar faces, everyone you meet
Following the ways of the land
Cobblestones and lanterns lining every street
Calling me to come home again
"Robert, put the young woman down now." Danielle heard a man say lightly.
"How can I, when the music is still playing?" The man asked. "My sweet Sarah you look beautiful tonight."
Danielle stared confused. The faces of the couple became clear, their voices she recognised. They were her parents! Questions of who, where and why filled her, making her confused and unstable. Quickly the happy scene disappeared, leaving her alone. The lights dimmed leaving her in darkness. Once again she was alone.
Slowly Danielle opened her eyes, she felt pain coming from the back of her head. Quickly she felt nothing under her body except her feet. She dared herself to look around and saw she was being held by two men. They was helping her stand. She turned to stare in front of her. Her heart started to pound, sweat started to drip down her face as her eyes met Beckett.
"Nice for you to drop in Danielle." He stated plainly while standing up from his chair. "A great performance you've put on, shame it was cut short. As always you didn't think your plan through, for a few minutes you brought hope to those who hang."
"Those people done no wrong." Danielle stated clearing her mind. "You steal people from their homes, and of their freedom. You work with criminals and you judge those who you've just hanged? You should hang!"
Danielle woke up, her eyes landed on the black bars which kept her in for what seemed forever. Time and days dragged. Day and night felt the same. She had forgotten what the warmth of the sun like. She had forgotten what a good day looked like. All she knew was how to feel cold, fear and loneliness.
In her dreams she saw Ragetti, her old friends and Charlie, but also she saw the monster. He still surrounded her, never leaving her mind. The only choices she felt only having were death herself or to kill him. She knew the consequences and the theories. Her heart was telling her one thing while her brain was showing her the other way. Slowly but surely her heart was agreeing with her mind; to die, to be with Ragetti and her parents once again, to free herself. How she missed Ragetti. Every dream she had, he was in it, looking alive and well but before she got close to him, he was always die by Beckett. He would suddenly appear out of the darkness, looking smug with himself, and pleasure flickered through his eyes. He would slowly corner her but thankfully she would wake up before he could harm her but she guessed what he would do.
Danielle moved herself onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. She could hear Jones' crew up upon deck working, it seemed that was all they did was work and ordered by their captain. Confusion stirred her silence, the question which had bothered her since she was thrown into the brig: why was she still alive, when Jones was going to kill her? It made no sense, not to her or her uncle. Something her uncle was thankful, that she weren't killed. Losing his only son again had its toll on the man but he did warn her that being part of the ship made him lose everything about him...
"Danielle, is everything ok?" She heard her uncle ask.
"Yes."
"Come on, I am your uncle. I know when you are lying to me." He said, which made Danielle lift herself to a sitting position, and rest her back on the wall. Her eyes were low, his words reminded her of Ragetti, she was easy to read to those who loved her, but now all but one she loved were far away or gone; never to be seen again.
"Its...its just well its never ending this war that I am in." Danielle stated slowly. "Who can you believe? Who can you trust? That is why I used to work alone, knowing what ever happened it was because of me...I couldn't blame anyone for my mistakes or no one could blame me for theirs. I may sound mad for asking this but is there a purpose of life uncle?"
Danielle looked up to Bill, who stared at her with worry. He opened his mouth but slowly closed, while lowering his eyes. He probably did know the answer but he forgot, or forgotten himself what life was about.
"I know I should feel lucky to be alive but it is hard when everyone I knew, trusted and love is gone! I thought I had lost them all before, but losing them for real...I don't know how to feel. I feel cold and alone, knowing I won't see them ever again only in my dreams. Yet I feel guilty and angry at myself for letting all this happen! I don't understand!" She pushed herself off the floor and stormed a few paces towards the cell door.
"No one understands Danielle." Bill stated before his niece could harm herself or regret something. "Trust me, I have seen many life's taken away, none was easy to see nor was ever easier than the next one. Will did tell me about your past, what drove you to hurt yourself." He slowly got up himself and walked over to Danielle, he gently took her hand and rolled up her sleeve. "Words can be mightier than the sword. Words of hate surround your neck like a noose, we have all been down that road, my dear. None want to experience again nor talk about it. You think you are the only one who feels alone, angry, guilty and cold? You think you are the only one who has seen the true colours of life? I guess that is the Turner's gift, seeing and feeling what life is all about. Darkness is a great thing to over power, yet you have to be ready to fight it. Believe me, when I say this: you are strong, beautiful, smart and caring girl. You have your mother's charm, and your father's mind, two great people bind into one."
Danielle couldn't hep but smile and her uncle's words. She loved it when her uncle told her things about her parents, things he could remember, it felt like she didn't know her parents after hearing his words.
"The captain wants to see you lass." One of Jones' crew stated, breaking the silence and making both of the Turners stared at him.
The songs do not belong to me but the fabulous people behind the music themselves. 1. Scotland the Brave by John McDermott again by Blackmore's night.