TRANSITION PLAN CHAPTER 65: In His Majesty's Service 14

Jack and Jeanne slid down a vine from the tree where they were perched and ran hand-in-hand to reach the spot where the other children had congregated. The kids had just finished another punishing, unforgiving game of Cyc, and they all looked completely drained by the heat. It was the height of the stifling tropical summer, and the children, especially Jeanne, were becoming extremely uncomfortable.

Ndidi suggested, "The heat's just awful today. Let's cool off. Jack, it's time Jeanne learns about your Mangani swimming pond."

Jack smiled, "Sure, let's go."

Jeanne was excited for a moment when she heard 'Mangani' but froze hearing 'pond'. The hardest decision she would have to make was now before her. Something was about to happen that said she would do, and she wanted to do, but was forbidden to do.

"Are you coming, Jeanne?" Jack asked and reached out for her.

"Uhh, sure, Jack," she stammered and extended her hand to him.

But that hand was shaking. He wondered what her nervousness was as they all walked through the village. The Nigerian adults smiled at this particular group of children who always played together. Nearly all of them were the Council leaders' children, plus Tarzan's boy, and the French Army leader's daughter. They were becoming friends for a lifetime, which meant everything for the unity of all the tribes of Nigeria and relations with the Europeans.

"Jack? Where are we going?" Jeanne asked.

Jack explained, "Into the jungle, but not too far. It's safe. It's close. I know it well. Dad won't scold me this time."

A smile replaced her fretfulness for a moment, "Really? Out there? I would like that. But I need to ask Mama's permission to go."

They made the others wait, while Jeanne sought permission to venture into the jungle from Josephine.

Jeanne approached her mother cheerfully, who was concentrating on crushing seeds into flour for Femi, whose late stages of pregnancy were forcing her to rest nearly all the time. Jeanne asked confidently, "Mama, Jack is going to take me into the jungle near the village with his friends. They play there when Jack visits the village. I might get to meet some of his animal friends."

She was deliberately vague about saying anything about swimming.

Josephine turned to her daughter with a frown, "He will do no such thing. We have no friends out there. The jungle is filled with all sorts of horrible creatures. How can you think of such a thing? We've been fleeing them for months."

Jeanne begged with her hands tightly together, shaking with insistence, "But Mama, I really want to. Everyone else is going. I don't want to be left out."

Josephine recognized her request as a sincere version of the 'everyone's doing it so why can't I?' guilt trip children often did with parents, but saw the group of children Jeanne played with waiting anxiously for her daughter. Jack was just outside the longhouse entrance flap and even more concerned about Jeanne's participation. These young friends took really good care of each other and Josephine didn't want to deny her that chance to be with them. Everything about this experience in the Nigerian village with Jack Clayton and his friends so far had helped Jeanne feel and act normal again. In fact, things were better than normal. Boys and girls here were nicer to her here than in France. This was a life lesson for materialistic and class-conscious 'civilized' humans. Nigerian children owned virtually nothing, had no money, and by wearing nothing, all they had was each other. Aside from a language barrier that was rapidly disappearing, Jeanne fit in with them perfectly.

So Josephine sought a way wanted to give permission to Jeanne to go, and rationalized that a bunch of noisy children would scare away any wild animals. The sweetness of Jeanne's plea softened Josephine's heart – she didn't whine. Josephine was not entirely convinced about the risks of going into the jungle, but remembered Jeanne had so many tearful disappointments in France and Morocco by being intentionally left out of her peers' activities. Situations like this were always a mother's frequent dilemma – to protect a child from possible harm or to permit her child to play with friends. Josephine gave a long sigh, and looked at the ground. Jeanne wrung her hands anxiously and chewed on her lip, waiting for her mother to decide. It didn't look good.

Jack had heard most of the conversation, entered the long house, and could see the remaining doubt on Josephine's face and tried to assure her, "Madame Jacot, forgive me for overhearing and my interruption, s'il vous plait. But I may be able to help."

Josephine smiled at the poised young man, and she noticed the admiring look Jeanne gave him as soon as he walked in the room, a look Jack quickly returned, and her hopefulness at his presence. She asked kindly, "That's all right Viscount Clayton. You are not interrupting. Au contraire, perhaps you can help me with my decision. Jeanne has asked to join all of you on a day trip into the nearby jungle. It seems to be a very dangerous place, and yet you are all going. And quite excited, it seems."

She glanced at all the giddy children ready to go, poking and teasing and just laughing at nothing in particular as friends do.

"It would be my pleasure, Madame Jacot. We are going into the land that my family owns. I am friends with nearly all the animals in that part of the jungle. If there is trouble, I am a good fighter like my father. The animals know me as Korak. Enemies respect my name. No one will harm her. Or I will harm them. Jeanne will be safe. I promise."

Jack put his hand on the handle of his knife for emphasis.

Josephine was impressed with Jack's politeness, but thought the boy was talking nonsense, and shook her head, "Friends with the animals? A child capable of fighting any bad animals with only a knife? Not possible."

But young Jeanne was insistent. Her big hazel eyes watered, and became very sad in her pleading tone with Josephine, "Please, Mama? Jack will protect me."

This was too hard, so Josephine turned to Jane for advice. She knew the jungle. Jane explained, overhearing this discussion between daughter and mother in the longhouse, "Most of the land to the west of the village belongs to Jonathon and me. There should be no trouble. Jack can handle himself and keep your daughter and the children out of harm's way. And any predators in the area are also friends of ours."

Jeanne thought it was a very good thing to have Jack's mother on her side.

Josephine got a serious look. It was all so hard to accept what Jane and Jack said about their 'animal friends'. It seemed to be make-believe, but there was no doubting what she'd already seen of this unique family. She weighed it all in, having learned more about Jane's husband being Lord of the Jungle, as improbable as that seemed, and decided.

She looked at Jeanne and Jack very seriously, "I believe you. So. All right. Jeanne has my permission to go. I trust Lady Jane's judgment about you, Viscount Clayton. And I trust you too. But be careful with my daughter, please. I know you saved her once already. Please continue keep her safe with all your friends. It's a very big responsibility. Jeanne. Be careful honey. Use your best judgment when you play today, please."

Jeanne was ecstatic with her mother's permission to go, hugged her, and chirped, "Merci beaucoup, Mama!"

Jack was just as happy and bowed graciously to Jeanne's mother, "We will have fun and be safe, Madame Jacot. You have the word of a Clayton."

Josephine could not help thinking how impressive this dashing young man was and that he could be trusted with Jeanne. He was very mature. No wonder her daughter had so much interest in him. None of the French boys Jeanne knew previously were as smart or poised as Jack was, and those boys' jealousy, combined with her impatience with foolishness, often collided to cause her problems. Jack was her intellectual equal. Not to mention how complementary their athletic abilities were. Both loved challenging the other.

Jane smiled. What Jack said was something that her husband would say. It was amazing how fast Jack was growing up and learning. She knew the animals would give him and his friends no trouble and he would keep his often boisterous friends from provoking the animals. They were all 'neighbors'. Most of the animals would want to meet this unique 'outlander' girl who was so curious about the jungle. Naima, Jack's constant protectress in the wild, wouldn't be far from him, even if something bad was about to happen. Jane already had a secret late night conversation with the caracal matriarch regarding how special Jeanne was to Jack. That was something the great cat knew before Jane did, the great cat had joked with her human friend. Other animal friends of the Claytons were not far away either.

With permission granted to Jeanne, the dozen or so 8 to 10 year old friends took off joyously with Jeanne into the nearby jungle. They were all abuzz about leaving the village. Jeanne was now completely caught up in their excitement, and felt totally part of what was happening. She was so excited that she skipped along the trail with Jack. She really understood a lot of everyone's Nigerian speech. Ndidi and several of the other girls gave her excited hugs as they started their latest adventure together.

As they walked, Jeanne wished that her father could be assigned to Nigeria as the Military Attaché in the brand new French Embassy that was under construction, so she could keep living here with Jack and his parents and friends rather than go back to France. She had no friends like these back home. She hurried to the front of the line with Jack and held his hand excitedly. She asked him all sorts of questions and he had a hard time keeping up. She absorbed all that he told her, and her eyes looked in all directions at everything around her.

The pond and its surroundings remained deeper in the jungle, but still not far from the village, along the fuzzy border between Nigeria and the land of the Mangani. The Nigerian children never went to the place they were going except with Jack, because they had no business in Mangani lands, held in nearly reverent awe by the Nigerians. It was their unique treat to be there with him, and because of his friendships with the animals, he alone could get them safely there and back in that truly primal land. And only Jack could draw out the gorillas to play if they were present. This was the closest point the apes ever got to the village in their continual wanderings, it was here that the Nigerian children and young Mangani apes learned to play together. Jack had brought the two species together at this special place, with its cool waters and large grassy areas nestled and well hidden within the tropical tree canopy, with Tarzan, Jane, Abassi, and Femi's blessings.

To satisfy Jeanne's intense desire for knowledge, Jack pointed out the beautiful sights as they went: views of the mountains farther to the west where the Mangani lived, a vista of the big river as it snaked through the valley between the mountains, and the distant waterfalls. Even the vine and branch wilds overlooking the river valley where the family branch surfed together could be seen. Jeanne was charmed and intrigued by the majesty of the sights. Jack pointed out several favorite nesting sites for the Mangani in the highlands and the general direction of their home along the coast. She wanted to go there with him.

"Take me there someday Jack," she requested without hesitation.

"'Someday' will be sooner than you think, Jeanne. Dad wants me and Mom and Lily to hide from the Germans at our home there. You and your mom too. I heard them talking.

Jeanne was overjoyed.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, and allowed herself to dream of playing with Jack and his Mangani kin as feral children in that paradise in the mountains.

Jack introduced her to several small animal families along the way. She loved being able to pet or cuddle or feed the animals she met. Jack appreciated Jeanne's gentle behavior with the creatures, some that would normally trigger fear in European humans, and he knew they all could sense her feelings. Most of the squirrels, hyrax, shrews, and mice were too skitterish to be held, but they relaxed when she petted them. Others were friendlier. She laughed when a bushbaby climbed out of her arms on to the top of her head and was quite satisfied to perch there. They both laughed at that. Further down the trail, Jack watched her gather a tiny duiker fawn into her grasp, and he looked in adoration at her when she looked up and smiled proudly. The baby duiker was so comfortable it fell asleep in her arms, and its nearby mother remained calm, as Jeanne carried it on the trail. The tiny family was headed to the pond also, according to its mother's chat with Jack.

Jack told everyone they were getting close, but was abruptly interrupted. They saw some trees shake violently and several crashed to the jungle floor ahead of them. Jeanne let the startled little antelope run away with its family. Jack put a warning hand out, and everyone froze, "Everyone, stop now! Be quiet!"

Jeanne clutched his arm in fear, hiding behind him as best she could. He drew his knife. Whatever was out there was big. She wondered if Jack could keep her and the others safe from whatever this danger was. This was exactly what her mother was most worried about.

A huge elephant broke through the small saplings and dense plants. Jeanne was about to shriek and run. It raised its trunk high, and trumpeted deafeningly, making every child cringe and cover their ears. To everyone else, the huge bull's trumpeting meant nothing. For Jack, it was another matter. Jack stood up, sheathed his blade, broke into a wide grin, ran forward - much to Jeanne's chagrin – and embraced the elephant's neck and face.

Jack said in the elephant's language, "Well that was some entrance! Hello yourself, Uncle Tantor! I missed you too."

…

Far back in the village, Jane stopped Josephine in mid-sentence, and paused from her chores together with the French Colonel's wife and Lily in the village, and stood up. Lily remained focused on her chores for her mother. Simultaneously, Tarzan interrupted his latest sparring match with Armand on the activity field. Without knowing what the other was doing, both Tarzan and Jane craned their ears simultaneously to hear the faint, echoing noise of the distant, distinctive trumpeting from Tantor. They smiled, understanding Tantor's words of greeting to Jack. Their elephant friend was simply checking in on Jack and his buddies on their way to the pond. They could tell from the echoes of Tantor's trumpeting that children were almost all the way there. Satisfied that Tantor would keep watch over Jack and his friends, Tarzan and Jane turned back to their work, each with a satisfied grin. Had either spouse seen what the other was doing, they would have laughed seeing how they exactly followed each other's stance, expressions, and movements, and would have joked about being a married couple far too long.

"Is everything all right?" Josephine asked, very concerned, "What did you hear out there, Countess?"

Jane answered without stopping her grinding, "Yes. Everything is fine, Madame Jacot. It was just one of our friends making sure Jack and everyone else was all right."

"How could you tell? I heard nothing," puzzled Josephine.

"In the jungle, one listens for the differences in what is normal," Jane observed.

Fascinated with that thought and yet wondering how Jane's hearing was so keen that she picked out a single noise miles away, Josephine asked, "An Igbo warrior's chants?"

"Not exactly. Tantor. Jonathon's childhood friend," she answered, deliberately vague, trying not to worry Jeanne's mother.

"That sounds like an Oyo name," Josephine guessed, just trying to make conversation with Jane.

The Countess knew she had to tell Josephine everything, "No. It's more like an elephant's name."

Josephine blanched and swallowed hard, but tried to sound supportive, "Oh… I see. Well, uh… Lady Jane, I am glad all is well with the kids. Having a powerful elephant protect them is a good thing."

"Especially good with that particular elephant," emphasized Jane. She wasn't sure if she helped the French woman's worries or not.

Josephine had no further questions and mashed the cassava dough with a little more vigor to offset her frustration and worry. She winced at the thought of a wild elephant protecting her little girl and the other children. And yet, it was an elephant whose 'voice' Jane, and most likely her husband also, could recognize instantly over many miles, were friends with for years, trusted their son's life with, and they all could clearly communicate with.

Josephine longed for just one day in this jungle where things could be 'normal' again.

Jane understood Josephine's worries. A decade ago Jane also had to learn to understand, trust, and accept, even though as a scientist, Jane already wanted to be in the jungle to study the gorillas. She smiled in support of Josephine, put her hand on top of the woman's hand warmly, and said, "Madame Jacot. I know this is all very new and different. And worrisome at times. Please trust us. Life is very different here and yet is much the same. Friendships and family transcend race and species here."

"I'll try, Countess. I do know Jeanne loves it here and trusts your son every moment she is with him. I guess I need to be more like her."

Jane looked with absolute conviction at the French woman and said, "Your daughter is right. I started with trusting Jack's father, too. And when I gave my heart and mind to Jonathon, that opened his exciting, wonderful, new world to me, and life has never been better."

The women shared a friendly smile. Josephine wondered if she was hearing the very same words Jeanne would say to her 25 years from now.

"Thank you for your understanding, Countess," a more relieved Josephine sighed.

"Call me Jane, please, Madame Jacot."

"Josephine…" offered Jeanne's mother. She immediately knew then she needed to talk to Jeanne when she returned about something she'd been denying her. A chance to open the door to Jack's new world. Armand would have to understand.

…

Jeanne was indeed trusting of Jack, but stood dumbfounded with his latest actions. Jack was talking animatedly to the elephant in its own language. Jack spoke in a series of reverberating guttural sounds and thrumming, accented every so often by a trumpet sound or sort of a loud squeak or whistle. He gestured enthusiastically with every word. The other kids knew he could speak 'elephant', but rarely got to see him do so. They were more used to his gorilla speech. They recognized that this particular elephant was his father's childhood friend, and relaxed. She watched the comfort of the others and felt better herself. Mere minutes ago, her nightmare was to be crushed or gored by this rampaging bull elephant.

Tantor wanted to catch up on the news, "Korak. How are you and Tarzan and Jane and Lily doing? You've all been in the humans' village quite awhile since we dropped you there. We're actually all a little worried. Tarzan hasn't called for a ride back. The Professor, Kala, and Terk sent me to check on you. Jana was especially worried about you."

Jack shrugged nonchalantly, "Tell them we're just fine. Human business. You know. The war. Dad and Mom are working with the other humans to protect us. It takes a long time to figure everything out."

Tantor sighed, "Yeah. War… dreadful stuff. All the humans outside the jungle seem to fight all the time. If they were all jungle people they'd all be friends."

Tantor's simple logic often contained great truths. Jack rubbed the long time family friend's snout and smiled, "Leave it to you, Uncle Tantor, to make sense of it all. Like Grandpa Porter says, 'Most humans aren't half as smart as you, Tantor'."

Tantor was very pleased with the compliment from the son of Tarzan, "Well thank you, dear boy. What about you? What's your part in the war?"

Korak shrugged and replied, "Nothing really. Kid stuff. Playing with my human friends until Mom and Dad are done. I can't fight adult battles. But Dad will. Dad has to go fight enemies with his new friends."

"My son Enyi will be glad when you're all done with this war stuff and we can take you all home."

Jack warned, "When we do, we have to defend the jungle from our home. The war can come to all of us. Even here."

Tantor worried, "Like the oil men?"

"Worse, according to Dad," Jack answered very seriously.

"Oh dear, Jack. We can't survive that kind of human invasion again."

"Which is why you want Dad and the soldiers to succeed in their mission to stop the enemies far away from here."

Tantor, still a worrywart as an adult, needed to change this unpleasant subject, "I trust it will all work out. But enough of that awful stuff. So, Korak. I recognize all your friends. Except that one. I never forget a face. She's new."

Tantor pointed his snout right at Jeanne, but not in a threatening way. However, she still felt very self conscious with a wild animal not just looking at her, but pointing at her too. She backed up a bit, chewing nervously on her lower lip.

Tantor noticed the uniform, "So who's this? She's a civilized human."

"That's Jeanne. She isn't supposed to be here at all. But I'm really glad she is. We became friends. The war destroyed their family 'nest' and almost killed her and her Mom. Her Dad rescued them, but had to come here to be safe."

"Oh dear. That's terrible. Well… don't be rude, Korak, introduce us."

Tantor used he head to shove Jack closer to Jeanne.

For the first time in several minutes, Jack turned to Jeanne. She gave him a nervous smile, "Jack. Wow. He's really big. But all your talking. It's like you just found your long-lost cousin."

"Uncle, actually," Jack grinned.

She couldn't believe her ears, and raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?"

"'Uncle' is just what I call him. Tantor's actually one of Dad's friends when he was a kid, so we're 'family'. His son is one of my best buddies. I rode to the village with him and Lily."

"Oh. Well. That makes it different," Jeanne scoffed. Not one day could go by here in Nigeria that something happened to completely change her view of the world. It was all so very exciting to her.

Jack just rolled his eyes at her droll irony, "He wants to meet you. Would you like to meet Tantor?"

"Uhh. Sure," she said tentatively.

Jack guided Jeanne to stand next to him. He gathered some very green and juicy plants and gave it to her, and demonstrated how to feed Tantor.

"Here, feed him this. It's his favorite plant. He loves this."

"OK," she answered, with her confidence boosted.

Jack instructed, "Here is how you say: 'Hello, Tantor, I'm glad to meet you' in elephant talk."

He worked her through the difficult vocalizations, but she got it. She was very proud of achievement.

The other children just stood and watched this spectacle. Jeanne held out the succulent sprig of plant, smiled, and repeated the words of the greeting in the elephant language exactly as Jack had told her. Tantor approached her carefully, but said nothing, and didn't take the morsel right away. Jeanne was afraid she had not said the words correctly, and turned to Jack.

He said with a reassuring smile, "Just wait, Jeanne. This is new for him too. Dad told me Tantor was afraid of everything when he was little."

Jeanne had a hard time envisioning Tantor as ever being 'little' or frightened. He sniffed her good and long. It was very personal. His trunk glanced against her sides, her hair and face and arms and legs. She could feel his hot exhalations on her. It was frightening and exhilarating at the same time. Jack stood by with his arms crossed and a smile. She stood stiffly at first with her eyes locked on Jack, then started to smile, and made eye contact with Tantor as he examined her.

Finally she giggled, looked at the gigantic animal, and exclaimed in French, "Tantor! That tickles."

Tantor didn't understand her words, but sensed her pleasant tone, and could feel her relax. Tantor winked at Jack, and the human child bit back a laugh. This 'examination' was on purpose. He kept doing it.

"Tantor, please stop. I'm not kidding - that tickles," she said a little more insistently in between laughs. She reached her hand and gently took his trunk in her hand to stop him. Tantor curled his trunk around her delicate hand and held it gently, and his eyes twinkled at her. This was exactly what he wanted her to do.

"Pleased to meet you, Jeanne," he said to her softly in elephant speech, and raised and lowered their joined hand and trunk up and down in a rhythmic motion. She didn't understand a word, but she completely understood that this was a handshake, and got a broad smile on her face.

The great elephant released his grasp on her hand gently took the plants she offered into his trunk, curled the present up to his mouth to chew, and bowed before her so she could soothe the bridge of his forehead. He made noises that sounded happy. Jeanne was ecstatic and beamed a smile at Jack, "I did it! I did it! I made friends with an elephant!"

Considering the smells he sensed, and seeing the interaction between the youthful humans, Tantor turned to Jack, and stated, "You're… you're mates! Young ones, but still mates."

"Uhhh. Well… We are really good friends," Jack fumbled his answer, looking at the ground shyly.

"Don't kid yourself, Son of Tarzan. You'll never pick another. And she won't either," scoffed Tantor.

Before Jack could object weakly again, the older elephant nudged Jack beside Jeanne and wrapped his trunk around both with a gentle squeeze.

"There! Mates," Tantor asserted confidently with a head knod.

Jeanne giggled with the elephant nudging them side by side and encircling them with his snout, "What is he saying? And doing to us?"

She giggled again. Standing side by side with Jack with Tantor's warm trunk around them, seeing the twinkle in the animal's eye, was fun.

"Umm. Tantor says he can smell our friendship. And he thinks we're cute together," Jack explained. It was truth but not the entire truth.

She leaned over, wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and pecked his cheek, "Tantor knows that we're friends for sure now - with very own his eyes!"

Jack gave Jeanne an amused grin, and returned the peck. They both knew they were way beyond friendship. It was fascinating to Jack that the animals could sense this.

Tantor nodded and the sound he made was almost like laughter. He lectured his young friend, "Told you, Korak."

"Shush, Uncle Tantor," Jack chided.

Tantor smiled in his own way, knowing his visit had to end, "Well, Jack, I was running an errand for Habika. You know I can't keep her waiting long. Especially now that she's pregnant again."

"My mom is that way too," said Jack, recalling all her aches and pains and ordering his father to help her constantly.

Tantor rolled his eyes with the same humorous images, "Don't we all know that. Especially your father!"

They laughed, waved goodbye, and the huge elephant lumbered off, grazing as he went, and the kids continued on their way.

Jeanne was beside herself with excitement over this encounter, "My goodness, jungle boy, that was amazing! What's next?"

Jack encouraged, "Keep going. You'll see."

Meeting an elephant, especially interacting with him, would be hard to outdo. All the kids chattered about her encounter. Few had ever been this close to an elephant either, much less be the focus of attention of the huge bull.

She cheerily grasped his hand in hers and they proceeded with the other kids. She could hardly wait, and for awhile, forgot about her concerns about swimming. She was fully immersed in Jack's world. And heart.

...

Authors Note: It's funny how writers' minds work. This chapter is completely different from what I had intended originally. It was supposed to start out as a simple, uneventful walk from the village into the jungle, and then focus what happens at the pond. Well, it didn't seem complete. So I added just one little paragraph where Jack and Jeanne see a very familiar character, and only wave at that character as they travel. Well, let one little 'Hello!" creep into the story, and suddenly it changes, and now it's a full length chapter with a little humor thrown in. Plus its an exposé to show the direct contrast between how Jeanne and her mother Josephine think. I hope you enjoy it! Plus, I get to make you all wait until the next chapter to see what happens at the pond, before getting to the real essence of what Tarzan must do in Kamina. The next two to three chapters are pivotal in the evolution of my story. Thank you so much for reading!