Disclaimer: I'm just having a little fun. I don't own anything. Read more: Chapter 1
Chapter 6: The River
Marguerite awoke with a scream. She was soaked with sweat and sat upright in her bed. Next to her John stirred.
"What is it?" he asked while he turned round to look at her. He could see a single tear streaming down her pale cheek. She didn't answer his question.
"Marguerite?" he asked again. She merely blinked. He took her in his arms and they lay back on the bed again. Alasdair didn't seem to be awake.
"It was just a bad dream." He wiped the tear off her cheek. She shook her head.
"No, it was not just a bad dream. It was much more than that. It felt so real."
"What do you mean?"
"It felt so familiar. As if this were memories. I cannot explain it." John held her tighter.
"It's okay. It's over now." She started to relax.
"I hope you're right. But could you please hold me just to make sure it won't happen again." He smiled.
"With the greatest of pleasure, my love."
**********
The next morning they met in front of the chief's hut. When everybody was there a little boy lead them into the hut. The chief was sitting on a chair that almost looked like a throne. Several children were running around in the room. When the explorers entered the hut two women ordered the children to be silent. Challenger stepped forward and smiled.
"Chief Gézano, I'm honoured to finally talk to you in person." The chief didn't say anything; he just stared at the explorers. That confused Challenger and his smile faded.
"He cannot understand you." Marguerite mentioned matter-of-factly.
"Last time I spoke to his oldest son. He was capable of the English language."
"Well this one obviously isn't." Marguerite seemed to be annoyed that things didn't work the way she wanted them to.
"We could try Spanish or Portuguese. Only a few days journey separate us from a larger city. He might speak it." Ned suggested. Marguerite sighed.
"So I turn out to be the interpreter, again." John couldn't help smiling. This was so typical. In front of other people she tried to be tough and independent, which she certainly was, but perhaps it was because he knew her so well, he always had the impression that she was trying a little bit too hard. He rubbed her back while he was smiling.
"If you'd be so kind, my dear." That turned out to be the right thing to say in that situation. Her mood seemed to improve, at least slightly.
**********
Marguerite and the chief came to an acceptable agreement: He would let them have two of the tribe's rafts in exchange for some of Marguerite's diamonds. The others were stunned when she told them about the deal she had just done.
"You never cease to amaze me, Marguerite." Veronica said smiling.
"And that's the way it'll stay. Otherwise it would be boring, wouldn't it?" She turned to the chief again.
"Muchas gracìas, Gézano, me alegro que nos estamos de acuerdo." The chief nodded.
**********
"Alasdair, I don't like you playing around at the edge of this raft. Stay here, please!" The boy wasn't listening. He was holding Sunny, a little rabbit Veronica had sewn on the occasion of his birth, in his left hand and the other hand went splat into the water. Marguerite sighed.
"Alasdair!" The boy didn't even turn. Marguerite was just about to stand up from the blanket she was sitting on, when John took the little boy into his arms.
"Aly, your mother told you something. You don't want her to get angry with you, do you?" Alasdair shook his head, but John wasn't so sure, if his son really understood what he meant. He sat down next to Marguerite.
They had put a little tent on each of the rafts, so the women and especially the children had a place where they could sleep. And they had tied the rafts so they wouldn't lose each other. The plan was to follow the tributary of the Amazon River until they would reach the Amazon itself. From there they had to follow a smaller river to reach the Marajóbay. It would be only a few days to Belém, the city where they could get the ferry to England.
John put his son down on the ground again.
"And you don't want to be lunch for these crocodiles, do you?" Alasdair sat down next to his parents, Sunny's long ears were still in the firm clasp of his tiny hand.
"No, no, no, no, no." Alasdair shouted and shook Sunny in time. Marguerite smiled at her son and then turned to look at John.
"You seem to have forgotten, again, that there are no croco..." she couldn't finish her sentence, because he kissed her.
"Why did you do that?" she asked afterwards.
"It seemed to be a good idea." They smiled at each other.
**********
Marguerite couldn't sleep that night. There were many thoughts haunting her mind, which just wouldn't let her. She was staring at the surface of the water, thinking about this and that, but there was one thought, which was always there, no matter how hard she tried to suppress it.
"A penny for your thoughts." Marguerite jumped. She hadn't expected someone to be awake.
"Veronica," she hissed, "Don't do that again!"
"Sorry." The other woman grinned and sat down next to Marguerite. They sat there for a moment nobody saying a word.
"What's it like?" Veronica finally broke the silence, but her voice was only a whisper. She didn't want to wake the others.
"What?" Marguerite was confused.
"London and England in general." Marguerite didn't answer her question immediately. She sighed.
"It's...," She was searching for the right words, "Well, London, it's a very big, noisy and crowded place. But also very beautiful... . It's hard to describe it to somebody who has never seen a big city before."
"What about England? What about the people?"
"England is very hilly and green, because of the meadows, which seem to be everywhere. The people are... well, just look at us: weird, but in a friendly way." She had to laugh, but at the same time an indescribable feeling of sadness crept over her. Sobbing interrupted her laughter and she started to cry.
Veronica was a little overwhelmed by her sudden emotional outburst. At first she didn't know how to react, then she just took her in her arms.
"It's okay, Marguerite." Marguerite wiped away her tears.
"It's nothing, just these bloody ups and downs you have, when you're pregnant."
"I see." She gave Marguerite a smile and stood up.
"You should try to get some rest now." Marguerite nodded, but when she turned to looked at the surface of the water again she saw something strange...
**********
"There it is!" Ned shouted. He looked down at the sleeping forms of his friends.
"Hey, wake up! You don't want to miss this historical moment, do you?"
"Oh, Malone, shut up!" Finn moaned. "It's not even getting light."
"That's just because your eyes are still closed. Rise and shine! It's a beautiful morning."
"How come you're in such a good mood this morning?" Veronica asked him. Ned shrugged.
"I don't know. Perhaps because I fell asleep next to the most beautiful woman in the world last night." Veronica smiled at him.
"I don't like to disturb you, but what is it, Malone?" It was Challenger. Malone pointed his finger at something straight ahead.
"There it is, the Amazon River."
End Chapter Six...
I have to admit that it wasn't particularly much fun writing this chapter. But they have to get to Belém somehow. In the next two chapters our friends will cross the ocean. From Belém they'll go to Freetown in Sierra Leone, Le Havre in France and perhaps they even make it to Southampton in the UK:-) And some mysterious things start to happen (it's probably the beginning of some events you might have been looking for)...
You have to read it yourself. I don't want to spoil it...
And another thing: I don't speak Spanish, so I had to ask my sister. She's learning it at school, but only for one year, so please be lenient.
Thanks as always to everyone, who reviewed:
A. Windsor: One of my loyal reviewers. Thanks a lot for all your kind reviews. I'm glad you like Alasdair so much, because it's a lot of fun writing about him.
TheChosenOne3: Your reviews mean a lot to me. Thank you! Yes, the end of Chapter 5 was very mysterious and also very important for the rest of the story. And of course you're right: Things are never that simple… What about your story, by the way? When are you going to continue it?
pandagal: Also a loyal reviewer. Thank you so much for having the patience reading my story. The question, if the baby is a girl or a boy is gonna be answered soon. You'll get a hint in Chapter 10...
Spirita: Thank you so much for your review. The M&V relationship is really important for me and it's a pity that they didn't continue with it in the show. But I have to agree with you that Finn didn't do that on purpose.
mkrux: Thanks a lot for reading and reviewing my story. And a big thank you for your encouraging words *hugs*
MR-Forever: Hey! Ein Review auf deutsch! Danke für die netten Worte. Ich hoffe der weitere Verlauf der Geschichte wird dich nicht enttäuschen...
And of course a Thank you to all the other people who read the story and didn't leave a review.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR/ (und für alle deutschen Leser) FRÖHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN & EINEN GUTEN RUTSCH