Chapter 11: Ratcliffe's lie to King James

While Thomas and Nakoma were down below trying their best to comfort Pocahontas, John decided to sneak back up on deck remembering that he still needed to gather information from Ratcliffe to find out what he was really up to. All the guards were nowhere to be spotted on deck, meaning that they all must have either stayed behind in Jamestown or that they were in another chamber (possibly with Ratcliffe.) But John cared little about being caught by the guards. He was more troubled about how he was ever going to prove his true love's innocence in front of the king.

"Where could Ratcliffe be hiding?" John murmured whilst keeping steady amongst walking the hall to listen for a voice behind each chamber. "Hiding, hiding. Ratcliffe is nothing but a coward hiding behind his own personal shadow." He grit his teeth in rage.

"You're asking me how I was able to gain the kings trust." A familiar voice snapped John out of his rage. He moved toward the door where he pressed his ear against the wall to hear Ratcliffe talking to someone. It must have been the first ex-convicts who had taken Pocahontas captive the first time. The men were having conversations at a table while drinking jugs of rum.

"Yeah what happened?" Chris asked Ratcliffe suspiciously. "We heard you were in prison for a month on the way back to England. You must have told one heck of a hoax to pull it right off."

"I've had years of practice gentlemen," Ratcliffe scoffed. "And it's how you play the game." He sipped his rum. "If you want something done, you've got to do it yourself." The ex-convicts listened as Ratcliffe began to tell them about his time in jail until he was finally set free.

The cell that Ratcliffe spent his time in jail was dank and dark. Yet Ratcliffe was in too much anger and disappointment from not being able to retrieve the gold from the natives. And if it weren't for that savage that John fell for, his plan for success and fortune would have succeeded. There had to be some way to get even with that good for nothing John Smith and to take back what is rightfully his. Not much news from the guards seemed to take his interest away in planning some kind of revenge. All he ever heard from them was the same gossip about how John was one true hero and explorer of many worlds which irritated him more than ever. If he was ever going to get back at John without getting caught, then he needed to know John's weakness to use against him. All Ratcliffe could think of was the image of that beautiful savage pictured in his mind.

"That's it!" Ratcliffe shouted almost too loud. An idea popped into his head like the blast from a rifle. "The beautiful savage is John's one and only weak spot. All I would have to do is…"

That was when the cell door flew open with two guards standing outside. "Alright Sir Ratcliffe, you're finally free to go."

"What?" Ratcliffe gasped. Was he being released too soon? Had he lost count from the days he spent in isolation?

"I said your time in here is up. The king decided that you have been punished enough with serving out your sentence."

"Well I'm not surprised," Ratcliffe said coldly. He sat up and eased his aching limbs from having to sit down all afternoon.

The guard stopped the ex governor from going out the cell. "But before you leave this place, the king demanded for you to arrive in his chambers for a private talk. I will escort you there right away."

Ratcliffe groaned, but followed the guard down the dungeon halls. What did he do this time? He couldn't possibly be in for another sentence. But the ex-governor shook his head thinking what a ridiculous thing that was. About a half hour later, the guard opened the doors to James' chambers where the king sat on a comfortable green cushioned chair next to a grand fireplace.

"He's here your majesty," the guard introduced Ratcliffe.

"Have a seat governor," James pointed to the cushioned chair seated next to him and ordered for the guard to leave them alone for a while.

Ratcliffe cleared his throat, feeling fearless. "So your majesty, what did you want to ask me about?"

King James had a long discussion with Ratcliffe to inform him how deeply disappointed he was to find that he had almost been responsible for the injuries inflicted upon John Smith that almost caused him to die. And he didn't understand how such an act would prove anyone to be a real man. James was now willing to let Ratcliffe go free and continue with his other expeditions on the condition that he never pull an act like that again. Or else it would be back to the dungeon for a long term sentence than his last sentence. But Ratcliffe wasn't all too impressed or threatened, because he believed that he knew how to get out of this and avoid getting caught again.

"But you majesty, I was never really going to kill John Smith. I was only trying to protect him from that savage who deceived him."

"Savage, what do you mean a savage who deceived him?" King James was surprised. This was something he had never heard before. None of the settlers mentioned anything about a savage who had met John.

"The same savage who had pretended to have feelings for John when she was actually plotting to have one of her warriors kill him behind his back. I got that information from one of my boys who saw the whole thing." Ratcliffe had mentioned the part where he heard that Thomas had come running back to Jamestown to warn the others that Smith had been taken captive by the tribe. James questioned Ratcliffe about how the savage had intended for John to fall victim to a deadly trap. The answer he received was that Pocahontas had been toying with John's emotions to gather information so that she'd inform her own people to attack Jamestown and burn the village to prevent the settlers from accomplishing their task of finding the gold and drive them out of Virginia. The lie was working now that the king was starting to believe every word that Ratcliffe was feeding him. If what the ex-governor said was true, James wanted her brought over to him and find out what she really was.

"Tell me more about this Pocahontas whom you speak of," James encouraged Ratcliffe as a cook from the kitchen set down a silver tray of hot tea for the two.

Shocked by this whole story, John stepped back slowly from the door acting as if he had encountered a wild animal ready to pounce upon him. The words of Ratcliffe stunned him through like a knife in his chest. Unable to listen to anymore of this, John whirled around and scampered down the hall, back up on deck and down where Pocahontas was held in the cell with Thomas and Nakoma. He couldn't bear to tell them what happened.

Author's note: Here I am again. It has been a while since I posted this story because of animation projects. I hope you enjoy this chapter, although it's not much. But if you still want to help give me suggestions for the next few chapters, you can say it in email. Or just tell me what you think so far.