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Chapter 21- Jungle Child:

Annabelle yawned and stretched out her back like a cat as she woke up in her soft truckle bed. As she climbed out her feet were warmed by the comforting wooden floorboards, walking quietly across the treehouse and out onto the balcony. A warm breeze whipped through her long hair as she leaned on the balcony rail and watched another glorious morning arrive to the jungle. She saw birds fly high in the clear blue sky and heard the familiar calls of monkeys mixed together with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks far below.

"Good morning Belle," Tarzan smiled as he joined her on the balcony. "Sleep well?"

"Like a log!" Annabelle grinned as her father gently ruffled her hair before kissing the top of her head. Annabelle was rarely called by her full name. Everyone called her Anna but her father liked to call her Belle. It was his own special name for her and Annabelle liked that it was just something that the two of them indulged in.

Tarzan watched his daughter gazing out to sea and was astounded at how fast time had flown by. It seemed like only yesterday to him that she was born in the treehouse and now there she was, standing proudly on the balcony with all the confidence in the world. She was tall for a nine year old; her body slim and agile with a mane of long mid brown hair that stopped at halfway down her back. Her eyes were a lighter version of his strong green eyes, filled with a vivacious curiosity and framed with long black eyelashes and thick, expressive eyebrows. Her nose was that of her mother's and her chin was soft and heart shaped rather than his strong angular jawline. Her lips were a rosebud pink and when Annabelle smiled it lit up the whole jungle, completely irrepressible. Part English lady, part wild man, what a combination!

"Where's Mama?" Annabelle asked they watched the jungle wake up, both of them breathing in the invigorating sea air.

"Milking the goats, which you should have been helping her out with by the way!" Tarzan put on an annoyed look but he didn't mind. Annabelle had looked so peaceful sleeping earlier but he and Jane didn't have the heart to wake her. "So what are you being taught today Belle?" he asked his daughter.

Jane was also Annabelle's teacher and home schooled her every weekday. She had not only taught her daughter to read and write but also to speak French as well as the languages of the jungle. She taught her how to draw, paint, cook, sew, farm the land as well as everything she knew on how to be an English lady. Archimedes also took an active role in his granddaughter's education and gave her regular lessons in mathematics, science, history and politics. Annabelle was an incredibly precocious child, absorbing every fact like a sponge and was now at a young age an accomplished polymath.

"The Napoleonic Wars!" Annabelle grumbled as she exhaled a frustrated sigh.

"But I thought you loved history Belle?" Tarzan was surprised at her daughter's lack of interest. History was normally one of her favourite subjects.

"It's history, it's happened already! It's done and in the past! Get over it!" Annabelle rolled her eyes as she propped up her face with her hands, resting her elbows on the balcony rail.

"It's important to learn history," Tarzan replied calmly, "that way we can ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated again in the future. Besides I think your mother is a fantastic teacher, I love learning from her." Tarzan liked to join in on Annabelle's classes, not only to see what she was learning but also to learn for himself.

"Yes Mama is an amazing teacher, it's just…I wish you can teach me Papa…" Annabelle somewhat hesitated, "teach me the ways of the jungle." She looked down at the tall wooden fence surrounding the perimeter of the rock that the treehouse stood on. Tarzan and Jane had built it years ago for fear of little Annabelle walking off the edge but also to keep predators out. The rickety rope bridge had long since been replaced by a strong drawbridge engineered by Archimedes, making their home look like a fortified medieval keep.

"Not until you are older Belle," Tarzan sighed.

"But I am nearly ten Papa!" Annabelle cried, "You learnt to swing on vines, surf trees and make spears when you were much younger than me!"

"That was different and-"

"No it's not!" Annabelle interrupted, "You're only stopping from teaching me because Mama won't let you!"

Tarzan sighed, Annabelle was right. Ever since the incident with the leopard at the bridge, Jane had become virtually paranoid at the thought of anything happening to their little girl. She forbade Tarzan from teaching Annabelle the skills that he knew for fear of their daughter getting hurt or worse! In their loving marriage of over 13 years Tarzan and Jane rarely argued but when they did it was always about this. However, Tarzan would always back down and let Jane win. Even though he felt that he was right, deep down he completely understood the reasoning behind Jane's fears.

"Say why don't we go for a jungle walk together, just the two of us," he suggested as he tweaked her nose, making Annabelle giggle. They had an incredibly close relationship and Annabelle loved spending quality time with her father. After breakfast, Annabelle changed into a loose cotton dress whilst Tarzan told his wife that he was taking their daughter for a walk and that they would visit the gorillas. Jane agreed, happy for Annabelle to go into the jungle as long as an adult was accompanying her.

"Once I've finished I will join you," she said as she soothed the goat she was milking by patting its warm flank, "and maybe we can have a nice picnic by the river."

"Oh that would be marvellous Mama!" Annabelle smiled, happy to have a break from schooling and chores. As they left, Jane gave Tarzan a well-used look. Tarzan knew exactly what it meant. 'Don't even think about sneaking off and teaching our girl!"

Once they crossed the drawbridge and entered the jungle, they both relaxed and began to race each other, using trees along the path to denote finishing lines. Tarzan laughed as they ran, deliberately slowing himself down so that his daughter would win. Once they tired of racing, Annabelle climbed onto her father's back so that he could give her a piggyback ride as they headed towards gorilla territory.

As he carried her, Annabelle knew that her father was very strong, a lot stronger than most of the men she saw when they visited the port. Nothing seemed to stop or slow him down, not even the large, deep scar on his leg from that vicious leopard attack.

"So are you going to teach me?" she asked hopefully, "What will it be first? Vine swinging or tree surfing or wrestling crocodiles!"

"Belle I'm not going to go behind your mother's back. I'm not going to teach you."

"I'm never going to be leader of the gorillas if I don't know anything!"

"Who said you're going to be leader?" Tarzan asked as he placed Annabelle back down on the ground.

"Well you are the leader of the gorillas right?" Annabelle continued as she walked upright beside him whilst he walked on all fours, "In England the king and queen's eldest son or daughter becomes the next king or queen after they pass away."

"Belle you don't get leadership just because you are my child. It's not done by inheritance. The leader chooses his heir and a leader can be challenged at any time."

"So will you choose me?" Annabelle asked. But when she saw her father hesitate, she placed her hands on her hips demanding a reason as to why the hell not! Tarzan couldn't help smiling as his daughter looked exactly like Jane did when she got angry.

"Because only silverbacks can become leaders, only males can lead the gorilla family."

"That's not fair! Just because I'm a girl I cannot lead! Elizabeth the First WAS and Queen Victoria IS Queen of England and she rules all on her own!"

"I'm sorry Belle but that's how gorilla leadership works and always has been," Tarzan tried to soothe her but Annabelle was having none of it!

"Papa that's complete codswallop!" she snapped and stormed off towards the gorillas.

"Morning Tarzan, morning Anna," Kala beamed as she came over to them. "What's wrong with Anna?" she asked as her granddaughter stomped past her without a word of greeting.

"Belle is upset that she cannot be leader of the gorillas," Tarzan explained somewhat wearily, "I'd better go after her."

"I would leave Anna to cool down, she won't go far." Kala smiled as she gently put her hand on his arm to stop him from following her. Tarzan resisted at first but eventually relented, hoping that his mother's advice was right.

Annabelle marched through the jungle, murmuring and cursing under breath. The thought of not being leader because she was a girl together with her parents not allowing her to have any proper fun made her blood boil! She was a girl on her way to becoming a young woman, not a helpless baby! "Stupid Mama!" she seethed through gritted teeth, "Stupid Papa! They are SO unfair! I hate them!" She picked up a small rock and chucked it into the jungle in no particular direction.

"Owww!" a deep voice cried out and a second later Moyo walked out of a bush, holding the rock in his hand.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry Moyo!" Annabelle apologised profusely. As he approached her Annabelle felt herself shy away from him a little. She did not know him very well, Moyo always seemed to distance himself from the rest of the troop. Annabelle gulped and flinched, somewhat intimidated by Moyo's impressive size and aggressive stance.

"You're forgiven. Just look where you are throwing next time," Moyo forced a restrained smile as he handed her back the rock. "Why so glum Anna?" he asked as he noticed the hidden frustration in the little girl's eyes.

"Papa said I can't be leader of the gorillas because I'm a girl!" Annabelle huffed as she crossed her arms, "It's not fair!"

"You're right," Moyo nodded in agreement. "It really is," he added sinisterly under his breath.

"I wish I could be leader!"

"Well maybe you can," Moyo replied and smiled slyly when he knew that he had captured Annabelle's full attention.

"How! Tell me Moyo! Tell me now!"

"Well legend has it that there is a fruit that grows in the jungle called the Unataka fruit. It is a scary looking thing, big with hard black skin that has huge spikes all over it!" Moyo let Annabelle sit in his lap as he continued to tell the story. "They are difficult to open but once you get inside…oh the flesh! It is the most sweetest, most delicious thing you have ever tasted! It makes all other fruits in the jungle taste bitter and rancid!"

"Even bananas?" Anna cried in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Even melons?"

"Especially melons!" Moyo nodded, "It is said that as you take the first bite of the first fruit you eat if you make a wish it will come true. But as the fruit tastes so delicious, most animals forget to make a wish and therefore lose their one chance of getting their heart's desire forever!"

"Wow!" Annabelle's eyes were wide with amazement and Moyo smiled at how easily he could manipulate this hairless runt! "Take me there!" she pleaded, "Oh please Moyo! Please, please, please!"

"Absolutely not!" Moyo furiously shook his head, "The Unataka trees grow below the foot of the mountains in the eastern territories! It's a dark and incredibly dangerous place! None of the bravest male gorillas go there, even your father the King of the Jungle himself doesn't go there!" Annabelle's expression looked dejected but Moyo knew that her insatiable curiosity would soon get the better of her. "Besides," he added nonchalantly, "it's just a legend, probably not even true. Now your father will be worried about you, you'd better go and find him."

"Alright Moyo," Annabelle replied as she climbed out of his lap, "thank you for telling me such a great story."

"You're welcome," Moyo said as they both headed down opposite ends of the path. "Welcome indeed!" he smirked maliciously as his chance to make his wish come true arrived at last!