Autolycus-American Pride
Prelude:
1812, Palou Palou
Jack Stiles was sitting in a lounge chair playing solitaire in Emilia Rothschild's large mansion on Palou Palou, a small island in the East Indies. As he sat there in his robe, smoking a pipe, Emilia, the beautiful blonde haired secret agent from Britain, with large blue eyes, walked in wearing a lovely, light blue dress, with gold trimming down the front, having just finished getting dressed for the day.
"Well Jack, you are up rather early," she said in her usual British accent, "what's the occasion?"
"Ehhh, I couldn't sleep. Oh Em', I'm sorry, but frankly I am really getting sick of this, this whole 'secret spies on the far side of the world' gig!" Sure, it's all nice and lovely here, don't get me wrong. And the scenery is certainly enjoyable," he said, winking at his lovely British partner, "but I don't even know what's been going ON in America. For crying out loud! It's been three months since I've even Heard from the president, who by the way, I didn't even get to vote for!"
"Well Jack, you know what they say, 'no news is good news', besides, at least your country hasn't been at war with France for the past several years."
"Yeah, and because of England's little French squabble, America is having a harder time than ever getting ships out across the Atlantic!"
Emilia was silent…
"Oh, I'm sorry Em', Jack said, putting down his pipe, it's just that I'm getting a little anxious, that's all. You know, just sitting around here, not doing anything. Look," he said, going over to her, "I really do enjoy working with you… Sorry."
"It's alright Jack, don't worry about it. Listen, I am going out to the docks today to get the mail, would you like to come?"
"Sure, I'd love to, just give me a minute to get ready," he said, walking into the bathroom.
"Alright, but hurry it up Jack, I haven't got all day!" She said, sternly, but with an obvious playful air of sarcasm.
She rolled her eyes and smiled to herself. She really had enjoyed working with him over the past 10 years. In fact, she thought to herself, they may have become something even more, if not for one small factor: she had a secret. She was actually a member of a secret organization of people who, since ancient times, had watched the secret race of Immortals that lived among man. As one of the first females of her organization, part of her secret was that she knew of Jack's own secret: that he was actually the Ancient Greek Immortal once known as Autolycus. Each Immortal had one Watcher assign to watch him or her, and Autolycus was hers. Not only was she unusual for being a female Watcher, but it was also extremely rare for a Watcher to be assigned to have direct contact with their Immortal, and even more so to have a partnership with them.
After Jack got dressed, the two of them went down to the docks to check the mail. When they arrived, a soldier in a United States uniform quickly approached Jack.
"Mr. Jack Stiles?"
"Yeah, that's me..?
"I am glad you are here today, I have orders to personally deliver this to you," he said, presenting an envelope, "urgent news from the President, sir."
Jack, concerned, opened the envelope and, reading the letter, suddenly got a serious, distressed look on his face before refolding the letter and storing it in his jacket pocket.
"What is it, Jack?" asked a concerned Emilia.
"What?," he said, turning to her, "Oh, it ah, it's nothing, just wanted to tell me to keep up the good work, that's all," he said with an fake grin.
Now Emilia was even more concerned
"No Jack, really. Are you alright? You seem like something is very wrong."
"Yes, Emilia, I'm fine." Now she was sure something was up. Jack rarely even called her Emilia and instead of just Em', and she even detected a hint of irritation in his voice. "Listen, I ah, have a few small errands to run, see you back at the house?"
Emilia was in the foyer pacing back and forth; trying to figure out what was the matter with Jack. What could have been in that letter that had him so upset? She was still worrying all about it, when Jack stepped in, his hands apparently holding something behind his back. He then presented her a large, extravagant bocce of flowers, like none she had ever seen.
"Jack… what on Earth are these for!?"
"Um just uh, wanted to ah, show you how much I appreciate you.. Oh, and also as a make up gift for our little argument earlier this morning."
"Nice try, Jack. I told you that was nothing, now talk!" She said sternly, hopeful to lighten the mood, but clearly getting more and more upset all the time.
"Look, there's nothing to talk about, now if you'll excuse me," he said, quickly brushing past her to his room.
i What could it be!? /i She asked herself. i Did someone die? /i
After an unbearable long time, Jack came out of his room, carrying all of his bags.
"Jack, what are you doing!?" cried a distressed Emilia
Jack didn't reply, but instead walked right up to Emilia, and, setting his bags down, replied:
"Look, Emilia, I don't have time to explain, but something very…urgent has come up. I'm sorry." By the time he was finished, his face was clearly distraught, and then he surprised her even more, by suddenly giving her a kiss on the lips. It was a short kiss, but much longer than any they had ever had before. He then gave her a hug, saying
"Good bye Emilia Rothschild, it's been swell," he said, throwing down the letter, "It's all in there."
Emilia, now on the verge of tears, called after him.
"Jack, WHY!?"
Jack didn't reply, but walked out the door without looking back.
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Chapter 1.
After receiving word from President Madison of another war with England, I gave my long time partner, the beautiful British lady Emilia Rothschild, quick hug and set off immediately for San Francisco, California.
Once we got close enough, I arranged to be 'killed' in a freak accident in which my body fell over board. Oh, how I HATE reviving underwater, ALMOST as bad as being buried.
Once I reached land, I mugged a man and stole his clothes. What? I am the King of Thieves, right? Besides, mine were ruined with sea water, and I did leave my wet clothes with him so he'd have something to slosh home in.
Next, I had to try to get a horse. I found a large, local stable, and asked the owner, a Spaniard who barely spoke any English, if he had any horses for sale,
"Like That one!" I said, pointing to a powerful black stallion I had just noticed.
"No, that one is not for sale. I am sorry Señor; all of these horses have already been sold.
"Look," I said, reaching into my purse, "What if I was to give you, say, 50 gold coins for it?"
"No deal."
"Please sir, I REALLY need to get to the East coast in a hurry! Look, here are five hundred gold coins, it's all I have!"
After a long pause, he quickly replied, "Very well, but do not tell anyone of this."
"Heheh, I won't tell if you don't tell! Gracious, Señor!"
So, with a new name, a change of clothes, and a fast new horse, I was off at last.
As I reached Texas, however, I ran into a bit of a set back. I was riding along, minding my own business, when I felt the sensation of another Immortal nearby. I looked around, and saw the guy riding up from behind. I wondered how he had managed to come up from behind me like that without me noticing before. I reared my horse and turned her around, leaping off and drawing my sword.
"Pedrono Valanious, Northern Spain."
"Autolycus, King of Thieves from Ancient Greece but look-I don't have time for this-there's a war going on-can't it wait for another day?"
"No, I challenge you NOW!"
(Sigh), Immortals challenges always seem to happen at the most opportune times.)
Central Europe, AD 973
I was on my way to see a young lady named Angelina, who I had met several months earlier. For three months, I had been off trying to do my part in yet another mindless squabble between the local peasants and the crooked King O' Liry. I sent her a letter promising that I would be home by the first snow. She then sent me a reply saying that she would not be there if I was late-Women! So in mid October, I started out towards her small village in the woods. I was doing good, making really good time; it would be close, but I figured I would surely be able to get there in time. However, I was only two hours away from her place, when I felt the buzz i not NOW /i I thought.
A tall man in a long, dark robe stood before me, pulling out a vicious looking sword.
"Val-ol-Cula, Mesopotamia," he introduced himself.
"Autolycus, Ancient Greece. Are you gonna be sorry you got in my way!" I pulled out my sword and we began going at it. Boy was he tough! I didn't realize how good he would be. The fight lasted hours, and I hade scraps and bruises all over me by the time I finally beat him. The Quickening came, a Really big, painful one, knocking down trees and disrupting the clouds in the sky. It had been late morning when we started, and more or less clear, but when we finished, it was getting dark, and by the time the quickening was over, it had gathered a dark blanket of clouds that now filled the sky.
As I sat there on the ground on my knees, trying to recover from the pain and shock of the Quickening I had just received, a single snow flake fluttered down and landed on the tip of my nose. Soon after, many more flakes began to fall, as darkness fell on the world.
"Ah, CRAP!!" I cried out.
19th century again
At least this guy didn't seem so hard, probably less than 500 years old. Still, I was already very late. It had taken more than 6 months just to reach California, and another three weeks to get to Texas; the Rocky Mountains were a killer.
"Look pal," I said to this guy, drawing my sword, in case you haven't heard, there's a war going on over on the East Coast, and I am already 10 months late! If I don't hurry up, The White house is going to be burned down by the time I get there!"
"Yes, Greecian, you are right! There Is a war, and in the end,-"There Can be Only One," I broke in, finishing the old Immortal tag line for him, "Yeah, I Know, ok!"
Like I said, he wasn't all that powerful, and in less than an hour, I took his stupid Spanish head. The Quickening wasn't even all that impressive. On the bright side, he did have a lot of money on him. This was very good news for me, since I had spent all my money on the horse. Not only that, but I hadn't eaten in days, and I still had to cross the vastness of Texas; not much hunting out there. I also took his weapons: a Medieval Spanish rapier, a short flintlock hand gun, and a Smith Carbine rifle. I was glad for the guns, for I had left mine back on the ship, and I would hopefully be able to pawn the sword at the next town, wherever the Hell that was. I tried to bring his horse along, but it wouldn't come, too loyal to its master. So I stripped it down, so hopefully it could run free if it ever wised up.
So, after being stopped for a short time, I was off again, racing across the desert. Fortunately, I reached a small Spanish town shortly after dark. Good thing, too, because both me and my horse desperately needed a break. I found an inn, and bought myself a big hardy meal, but not before getting my horse some grain to eat.
"There you go, boy. Look, I'm sorry, I really hope I don't end up riding you to death. Listen, once we get through this desert, we will be halfway there. And after you get me to the Eat Coast, I'm gonna turn you loose, so just hold on, ok?"
Fortunately, all of the Spaniard's money was in the form of gold coins, like I usually carry, but I was only offered pesos for the sword, some of which I used to buy my dinner, as well some food for the road: oats for the horse, and beef jerky for myself, enough to hopefully get us across the desert. The rest of it, I would just have to worry about exchanging later, probably after the war. That is, if the war wasn't over before I got there.
The next day, I arose early and left at sunrise. Fortunately, it was still early April, so the weather hadn't become too unbearably hot, yet, but I knew it would, soon. The going in the desert was much easier than the mountains however, and in less than two weeks, I was out of the desert. Soon, I was crossing the much smaller, easier, Smoky Mountains. Finally, after almost seven months, I had reached the Capitol in early May, 1813.