The voyage to Jamaica was very long and toward the end insufferable. Just when everyone aboard was near the end of their rope, the island came into sight. Rick had traveled all over the world on behalf of the Crown but Jamaica would be new for him. Rick stood on the deck of the ship as it approached the harbor. The warm, tropical breeze rustled his hair as he watched the turquoise waves lap against the side of the boat.
Rick smiled to himself then. Perhaps his father had been right.
What do you want for you?
Maybe here I will find what I want, Rick thought to himself. The ship approached the harbor and people began to gather on the deck with Rick. Rick watched as families waved at others waiting on the dock. A father was holding a small girl as he and his wife waved to another family below.
"Rick my dear, boy are you ready to go?" his father called to him. Rick turned to his parents, his mother had her arm through his father's, excitedly observing the harbor below, fanning herself with an ornate lace fan.
"I am ready father." Rick called to them
The Grimes family departed from the ship, his mother chattered on about how grateful she was to be on dry land. Rick observed the harbor around them. It was bursting with life. Large vessels bringing goods in and bringing them out. Many crates were marked for England, Spain, or France.
On the deck a tall man dressed in a simple linen suit, wearing a panama style hat waved to them.
"Ha ha, Look Rick do you remember Mr. Rovia?" Rick's father asked as he waved back.
Paul Rovia was Rick's age and had grown up in the same social circles as Rick, Shane, and Lori. Like Rick's own father, Paul's father was a successful merchant but mainly internationally while Rick's father controlled must of the trade business in Europe. Paul was usually with his parents while they traveled for his father's work. Paul's mother refused to be away from her husband, society be damned, it was quite the scandal when Rick was a child.
After Paul finished his education he went in to business with his father and became co-owner of Hilltop Trading Inc.
"Hello there Paul, my, my you look so handsome." Rick's mother said, as Paul kissed her hand.
"Thank you, Mrs. Grimes you're too kind. You look beautiful, life on the sea seems to agree with you." Paul said and Rick's mother laughed at the absurd thought.
Paul greeted Andrew Grimes with a firm hand shake. "Good to see you again sir. I am looking forward to doing business with you again."
"As am I. You remember my son, Rick?" Andrew Grimes said gesturing toward Rick.
Rick and Paul shook hands. "Yes, of course, nice to see you, old friend."
"Nice to see you too Paul." Rick said. Rick really didn't know Paul all that well but remembered him as being most agreeable.
Paul then clapped his hands together. "Well you all must be tired from your long journey, let's get back to The Hilltop Settlement."
Once the Grimes family luggage had been loaded into the carriages provided by the Rovia family they were off. Rick's parents and Paul fell into easy conversation while Rick choose to study the harbor. It was surrounded by a little port town. As they rode through it, Rick observed the Jamaican locals with stands set up to sell colorful fabrics, vibrant beaded jewelry, and fresh fruits. The men were either shirtless or wore unbuttoned shirts and sandals. They unloaded carts, restocked stands, and some played music for those fresh off the boat or people visiting the market. The women wore bright dresses or skirts, hair usually piled on top of their head in dreadlocks or covered in colorful scarves. Beaded jewelry adorned their arms, ankles, and necks. Sometimes children ran beside them happily carrying their mother's purchases and speaking excitedly, pointing toward the large vessels that sat in the harbor. Rick sat back in the carriage, closed his eyes, a feeling of peace overcame him.
The Hilltop settlement was nestled on an impressive plot of land that spanned several yards. Families who worked for the Rovias settled in small cottages dotting the front of the property. The Rovia mansion towered over it all, an impressive two stories with a wraparound balcony on both levels. French doors were kept open to welcome the warm, tropical breeze in the house. It was made from a lovely lush red oak and painted in an onyx trim. It was alit by candle light and glowed invitingly against the now night sky.
"My, my Paul this is so beautiful" Rick's mother said gazing out the window of the carriage as it pulled into the front of the property.
A young English lad hurried forward to open the door for Rick's mother as the rest of the group stepped out of the carriage. In the carriage that contained their luggage an English and Jamaican worker began to unload them and bring them into the house.
"My father will want a word before supper and Mrs. Grimes my mother has eagerly been awaiting your arrival, something about too many men and us being all work." Paul addressed the group with a laugh.
"Ah yes, I sympathize with my dear friend. No doubt she has had to endure much boredom." Mrs. Grimes stated fanning herself.
They entered the home and the inside was just as breathtaking as the outdoors. A young English woman stepped forward to led Mrs. Grimes to the parlor Mrs. Rovia occupied.
"This way gentlemen" says Paul as he leads the Grimes men down an opposite hallway to Gregory Rovia's own parlor.
The parlor was rich in red woods, the French doors were opened and white cotton curtains blew in the breeze. A few lanterns and fireplace illuminate the room. Gregory stands as the trio enters, shaking hands with his son and turning to do the same with the Grimes men.
"It's been far too long my old friend" He says patting Andrew Grimes hard on the shoulder.
"Ah well you were always away. It would be a slippery sod like you to take up an interest in the international market" Andrew Grimes said as he smiled, he, Rick and Paul sit on the chairs and settee opposite Gregory.
"It's been lucrative for me, I must say but still you have done well for yourself, Grimes. Tis no small feat becoming the largest merchant in all of Europe. I need your help here in Jamaica. It's a new frontier for Hilltop and I want it to be just as profitable our other ventures." Gregory sits, he picks up a pipe and begins to fill it with tobacco. A scowl appears on his face.
"Negotiating with some of the locals has proven more challenging then I had hoped." Gregory lights his pipe and inhales the smoke into his lungs.
"What seems to be the problem there?" Rick asks as he gazes out the French doors, watching the nearby beach.
"The problem is that I could be the majority controller of sugar, produce, and textile in this region except I don't have that much land. The land that does I don't own and the owners won't sell it to me." Greg replied, rubbing his fingers together.
Rick eyed Gregory suspiciously. Paul laughed then. "What father means is that the owners have found our offer, insulting, their words"
"What was the offer?" Andrew Grimes asks, stroking his beard.
"Well over 50 pounds" Gregory sighed, exhaling smoke.
"Well the landowner and his daughter deemed it insulting. They want a significant percent of the sales. They also want to remain the owners of the land. In exchange we can farm the land." Paul shrugged.
"His daughter?" Rick asks
"Yes when we first contacted the Moreau's we were just expecting the father, Ezekiel. However, his daughter, Michonne, is his business partner and has been to every meeting with him." Paul continues.
Andrew Grimes frowns. "I find it rather off putting to do business with women."
"I find it rather off putting to do business with their ki-" Gregory starts before Paul interjects.
"They are native to this Island. Certainly not the only affluent Caribbean family here but unarguably the wealthiest. The have considerable influence on the others we had hoped to do business with."
"I am afraid things are strained between us at the moment." Gregory admitted "I uh, may, have said some things that were taken by them as disrespectful."
"Father, you know as well as I that you crossed a line." Paul said, fixing his father with a stare and raised eyebrows.
"Having known your father since our days in the royal guard I know only too well how poorly Gregory negotiates" Andrew Grimes chuckled as he stood.
Gesturing toward Rick "My son is an expert negotiator and I am sure he can handle this. Now let's go eat, I am famished."
After dinner the elder members of the Grimes family wanted to sleep. Rovias provided an entire wing of the house for their stay. Rick laid in the first bed that wasn't in a room that swayed in a month but still sleep didn't come. Rick found himself sitting on the wraparound balcony outside of his room, starring at the moon and listening to the waves lap across the beach. Rick suddenly wanted to see the beach. The beach was just beyond a strip of rainforest that ran the length of the Rovia property. Rick dressed quickly in a pair of trousers, an unbuttoned shirt, and no shoes.
Rick then grabbed his royal guard issued gun and fastened his gun belt around his waist. As stealthily as a thief Rick exited the house and made his way to the strip of rainforest. As luck would have it he found a dirt path that lead to the beach. The moon acting as a giant light guiding him through the dark until he reached the sand. Rick's bare feet touched the sand and the sea breeze flew over him. The moonlight shined on the surface of the water, lighting the stretch of beach.
Rick wasn't certain how long he wondered down the beach. His mind drifting to everything he had done with his life up until this point, unable to stop thinking about what was next for him.
What do you want for you?
Rick looked up suddenly and noticed a large white mansion a few yards ahead of him. Rick turned around to see how far from Hilltop he was. Not only could Rick not see Hilltop but it was completely dark in the direction he had come. The moon's light shined down over him and the area before him. The waves came on to the beach's shore angrily, huge enough to sweep someone out to sea.
Rick decided his safest option was to go in the direction of the white mansion. Rick headed back into the rainforest that ran along the beach. After walking for a while longer Rick could sense that he was not alone. The trees, bushes rustled and Rick drew his gun and looked around. Scanning the area behind him, the path he had come from was still dark.
Then Rick heard a noise so soft, he wasn't even sure he had heard it but he turned around quickly, gun raised. Rick's breath caught in his chest and his eyes widened. In front of him the moonlight sparkled on a shiny blade that was pointed in his direction. Holding the blade was a woman wearing all white, her deep brown eyes sparkled angrily in the moonlight, her chest heaved rapidly, her dreadlocks hung all around her head, long and thick. The light from the moon danced all over her dark skin, she glowed like an angel would, Rick thought.
Then she spoke "I thought Paul and I had an understanding. Are the Rovias sending assassins now?"
