Is this chapter format more readable than the others?
Chapter 4- Receptions
North America- Jamestown
1607
"Newport, we need food. It's been two months a Ratcliffe is still using men to mine for gold and not food. He will kill us."
"John, I know but he is the law here."
"What about the council."
"John my friend they have barred you from it for the time being, your interment their excuse."
John's words were low then, "You know it was my right to defend my honor and I am right in that."
"Yes, I know that but they don't and for the most the council is made of his friends."
"If I can't intercede to the council when it's formed, you can."
"John, before winter I will be headed back to England to bring more settlers over, they will not let me intercede."
"Just try.."
"John, I have heard enough, I know what type of man you are, a man of action, not one as of now to letting others do your intentions. Why now. I tell you fight for seat on the council."
"Newport, I intend to do just that, but we need to survive now, we need food now and I can't do that. Till I have the seat, I will stand by. But when I do get it trust that changes will come."
"I understand. Now my friend you must scout. We need to know the terrain, what it offers, and more over were the naturals of this land lie. We must defend ourselves form them, can you handle that," Newport recorded.
With a slight smirk John replied, "You, know as well as I that I can. You have seen my skills as I fought naturals before."
"Well by all means leave."
John quickly made his way out of the tent into the warm air of the midday. As he past the newly erected north face of fortification that they humbly named in honor of their king- Jamestown, he was somewhat elated. He had helped with the plans, the felling of the dense tree that were turned to post, and moreover he had put his own energy towards the colony's safety- and all this the most brought a smile to his face.
As he moved towards his tent he was aware of the eyes that watched him, most of them held contempt and more that likely hatred- he thought on this and was sure of hatred, but in the eyes of the worker- the common folk like him he saw hope. What this hope was he wasn't sure, maybe hope that that just might survive this wild untamed land, or maybe it was the hope and faith that they had in him one day he would led them.
He nursed his own hope of this, yes when did make it to the council he would caste down the barriers of class and let the common man make his mark on this land and have the freedoms to a life without restrictions. Yes it would all change once he was seated. He entered the darkness of the tent in which he shared with Thomas and gathered the needed equipment for his task. He glanced at the open book strum across the makeshift cot, note about new land already fill its pages, he had decided long before the journey that he would turn his observations into a book if ever given the chance and to this he would do. With gun in hand he made his way into the unknown.
Powhatan Village1607
"Nakoma I'm going out."
"Your father said not too."
"Well I am, I will be back soon."
"How could you go out there with the pale ones lurking around."
"I am afraid Nakomia but I need my freedom,"
And with that Pocahontas exited the long house. She passed women skinning the newest pelts that would later be undoubtedly turn to moccasins for the harsh winter that would soon be approaching. As she walked she was humbled by the vast felids of tall corn that stood like kings against the back drop of the high sun.
She felt overwhelming pride in her people as she looked over the abundance that their Gods had allowed to spring forth form the earth. It was in the humbling moment that she felt no greater strength. The forest was humid, he expected it to be. He had already maped a small portion in his notes when he came along the river to find a forest protected waterfall with it's loud roaring that spoke like ten thousand lions.
As the water radiated from the rock, he caught the prisms of light that it reflected. The reds, the green, the faint blues all wonderful in his view. He couldn't help to be marveled a beautiful sight that God created. In awe he sat down his objects on the bank, temptation had been too much. The water was unbelievably cool against his body he had ventured into the small section of the fall's and simply walked in. His men would think him maddened, but in this heat he didn't care.
With gentle footfalls she entered the forest usually it would have been cool here but summer had taken its due. She fallowed the path of the river occasionally picking up stones to throw or flower she would later ornament her hair with. She loved the silence, the peacefulness of nature, and of course the beauty of her homeland, with the quick thought she knew were she would head next- the most beautiful place she knew.
She had seen him and her heart stopped. Arms raised and eyes closed like a priest offering prayer to one of her Gods. Her brain screamed for her to run but her body wouldn't move, she had not the strength to move, so she stood- waiting for the doom she expected. Strange, it was as if he felt the air had changed, suddenly lighter, and that's when his eyes opened and there on the other bank she stood.
He had seen beauty, in both the human and natural world but she, she was a thing of both. The women in court possessed grace and beauty or money if those two did not suffice, however they did not parallel to what she was- beautiful. The air had truly changed and a wind blew her long locks, black like coals, across her face. His first instinct was to reach for his rifle for he knew even beauties could kill, but his body could not make the action-he was held there.
They peered at each other for the first time and locked in the trance cast by both. The trance was broken by her movement, she ran. It was if a part of her that she never knew she had stirred and it was enough to complete the task of moving and she did with a speed she hadn't known she had. To home she would go.
John stood still, with his body locked he saw as she ran and part of him wanted to go after her, however his leg wouldn't let him. It was long after she left before he could move. He could track her, but what good would it do he would never see her again and what if there were others, leave it up to him she would led him to the nest.
"But wasn't that what he was supposed to do, find the nest," he thought. However, he felt trepidation at this.
In all his time as a soldier, he had not felt this, the guilt if seeking out an enemy, but was she his enemy? This vexed him gravely as he began his march back to Jamestown. As he walked he made the decision to keep this interlude to himself. With her heart pounding she gradually slowed her pace, thankful she was that he did not follow her. Treachery, to her own words, yes she had spoken
"Learn from them." Now how would they, how would she learn from them if she ran. She felt guilt for this.
"His eyes" she mouthed. In them she had seen much.
They were the color of a pale winter sky, "absolutely wonderful" she thought.
But what shocked her most of all was what she deemed unnatural, the color of his hair. It was a yellowish gold that was adjoined to that pale face and body. His hair had reminded her of the ripened corn. She wondered why he had not chased her, he looked to be in the same fit muscled condition of her own people's braves. But, she stopped her thought, she was glad he didn't follow. However, if she faced the truth he had awakened something within her, something she didn't moreover couldn't have the right to feel, and this shook her most of all. As she made her way to the gates of her kingdom she vowed to herself that she would burry these feelings and hoped that she would never see him again.
John had arrived to the gates of Jamestown just in time hear the naming of the new council of which undoubtedly Radcliffe by him being the designated leader would rule as president. That was until he could change it. He walked towards the large crowd and stood at the back. He saw Newport as he held the stretched parchment that had been sealed since they left London. There he stood high above the crowd of men surrounding him.
"And the last two names are," Newport sounded, " Edward Wingfield and John Smith."
He could hear the gasps that were followed, some of happiness and others of revulsion. Well it had been official and just not to himself, the stockholders did want him in a seat of on the council. However, he knew what happened on the ship would, heck had hindered this.
Knowing that he must Newport announced, "Unfortunately, Smith will not be allowed to council at this time."
Now the gasps John heard were of defeat and elation. His men were upset he could tell but they knew he would find a way to fix this grave error against him. The men turned to leave and as he walked to his tent, Thomas caught up with him and they walked together.
"John you had made it to the.." "I know." "What are you going to do." "Work like hell and show them they need me." "But how." "God knows Thomas, God knows." John then moved the flap and entered the tent.
"Pocahontas, your father has call for you."
"Thank, Nakoma," Pocahontas replied as she got up off her fur bed.
"What could father want at this time," she thought.
The guards of Powatan's long house whisked her inside.
"Daughter." "Yes father." "I request that you journey to your uncle's and collected the taxes of his village that is due to me."
"I will do ask father," she answered solemnly.
"Their will also be perparing feast in honor of my great defeat of the Monacans and you will act as my approval of the celebration, for I am needed here."
"I understand," again, she said it in that same solemn voice. "Child are you grieved." "No father just tired."
She wondered if he could see the lie in her eyes. "Well on this journey you will have time to rest." She nodded and headed back to her longhouse. Lies, when had she started to lie to her father.
John had lain prostrate on his cot, as sleep would not come to him. His thoughts had nagged him to this godforsaken hour,
"When would he challenge for council or could he even do this?" "How would they survive with the food store already dwindling" "Who was she." He thought of her and he scoffed himself for this, it had been months since he had thought of a women or for that matter had one, now he lay thinking of some natural."
But, he took this back, she had been some natural- a beautiful one. As he lay, he knew somewhere she was out there and that deep down she had changed something about him, just what that was he did not know.
