Hey y'all. There's a mass of introductions of character in this chapter, and it is 3 times as long as the first(I know I know). Strangely enough it only took twice as long to write. (o.e)
I'm trying my best to make the people act like they are from the time period VS now with the information I remember. Problem is that I'm not one for history. There will be plenty of inconsistencies to what is true and historical. My partner is much more interested in history than I am, but she's not catching me and telling me if anything I am saying is wrong, SO oh well.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
Alfred arrived home and got off the wagon. He told Ivan to wait in his spot as he went to get someone to show him around the plantation. On the porch there were two women chatting away. One was old, with gray hair, a wrinkled face, and a body that was too big and heavy to get out of the chair that she was sitting in. The other was young and youthful, with beautiful dark gold hair tied back into a bun, and Alfred's own wife.
As Alfred headed up the stairs, the younger of the two women jumped up. "Alfred! Welcome home!"
"Hi Amelia." He said with a smile. She met him at the top of the stairs, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he her waist. She gave him a peck on the lips. "How was your day?" He asked her.
Amelia mulled it over. "A bit boring, but productive. Elizabeth and I repaired all of the horse blankets for the winter time." She gestured over to the pile of warm blankets.
Alfred blinked. "Why? It's only the beginning of Spring!"
Amelia pouted. "I was bored." She huffed. "And it's too hot to do anything."
"Take better care of your wife! You know how she gets." The old lady called. "And not one for hand work, I'll tell you what."
Alfred forced a bit of a laugh. He didn't really like Elizabeth. She would stick her nose into things that she really didn't belong in, but he couldn't complain too much, because she was one of Amelia's good friends. "I know." He admitted. "Too hot huh?" He thought for a bit. "How about after dinner we go to the lake and swim?" He offered.
Amelia's eyes lit up. "That sounds great!" And then her eyes changed. "DINNER!" And Amelia rushed off to the kitchen. Alfred didn't force a laugh this time.
"Hey! Send Nadeen out here please!" He called after her. After he heard something that sounded an affirmation, he headed over to where Elizabeth was sitting. "At least she's a good cook," He said to her. He actually meant that one. He sat on the rocking chair, and sighed. 'It's just a shame I don't enjoy this as much as someone who loves her might,' He thought.
"So," The old woman started, "When are you two going to start having children?"
Alfred had his internal groan again. "We're not ready yet," He told her.
"You mean you're not ready yet," The old lady said lazily. "Amelia's really wanting children."
Alfred sighed. Please come out and save me soon, he willed.
There was the clatter of the front door opening and closing. "Is there somethin' ya need from me, ?" It was a middle aged woman, a little on the skinny side and a good, but fierce helper.
Alfred got up and headed over to the speaker, the house slave Nadeen. "Yeah. I got the new hand. I was wondering if you could show him around a bit and tell him how it works here."
The woman nodded. "Sure, just lead me to the man and I'll take it from there." She put her hands on her hips.
Elizabeth was giving Alfred a disapproving look. Alfred ignored it as he lead Nadeen down to the wagon, her eyes going wide as she saw the person in the wagon. "Come on out, Ivan," He said. After some hesitation Ivan lumbered out of the wagon, and was looking down at the ground.
"A white slave… Huh. That ain't something you see every day." Nadeen looked at the tall, silent Russian. "What's your name?" Ivan looked at the black woman, and didn't speak. Alfred opened his mouth and was about to say his name again, but Nadeen put up a hand. "Sorry, don't mean to be rude , but I want him to say his name."
Ivan furrowed his brow.
"He doesn't speak much," Alfred told her, but the woman just kept staring up at Ivan.
Finally, after a long staring contest Ivan looked away. He said, "My name is Ivan Braginski."
Nadeen grinned from ear to ear. "Ivan, huh? I'm Nadeen, and we two are gonna go for a walk."
Ivan gave a forced little smile back, but after the restraints were off, Nadeen had taken Alfred under her wing as well as the package of clothes(Minus the scarf), and headed off to go show him where he'd be living, and the other basic places, explaining the rules on the way.
Alfred watched the two of them go before coming back up to the porch. Elizabeth was just coming back out. "Alfred, Elizabeth is going to stay for dinner." She smiled at him.
Alfred groaned internally, but nodded. "That's fine."
Amelia dragged Alfred inside to help set the table.
Nadeen had shown Ivan where the bathroom was, the river they washed their clothes and bathed, the times and the rules of the place. "We work from sunrise to sunset, or when the work is done. But then there's always more work, so you know." She gave Ivan a grin. "Also, you better keep on working or else the driver will have to punish you." Ivan was a little overwhelmed and couldn't even ask what a Driver was, but was taking it in pretty well. He was also warming up to the old lady pretty quickly. However, talking with her made him nervous. His English wasn't that good yet, and the words she was saying spun around his head. "Any questions before I show you to where you'll be sleepin' darlin'?" She asked.
Ivan shook his head. "No. No questions," He admitted. By now he was sweating profusely. It was much too hot for him here… He should have taken a drink up the river.
Nadeen showed him to the slaves' quarters. There she showed him an empty cot and a thin blanket for him to use. "The day's almost over, and I'm sure you're tired. Just rest for now." Nadeen left Ivan.
Ivan sat down on the cot, and put his hands on his head. He was tired, and was too hot to lay down just yet. He was starting to doze while he was in a sitting position. He heard the creak of the door to the room open, but not enough for someone to come in. Then, there was whispering, "There! See! A white man!" "What's he doin' here?" Ivan opened his eyes and looked towards the door. There, in the doorway was a small dark skinned girl. She was looking to her right at someone whose half side of the head was just barely visible.
"Hello," Ivan said, smiling a bit at the door.
The two startled, and hid behind the frames of the door. Though it didn't take long for the girl to come out, and push open the door. She couldn't have been more than eight years old. "People been sayin' there's a white slave that's come 'round. Is that you?" She asked bravely.
Ivan slowly nodded. "Da, it is me." He admitted.
The young boy came in after the girl. "You talk funny. Where are you from Mister?"
He smiled at the boy. "I am from a place, far, far away." He said.
The girl's eyes went wide. "Are you from one of those fairy tales?" She asked in wonder.
Ivan chuckled. He liked kids. And they spoke simple English too. "Mmm… No. Thought I was for while." He mused. "What are—"
"Sasha! Jackie! Leave the poor man alone!" A loud, commanding, and womanly voice came from the doorway. It was a large black woman with a well-worn face and wrinkles that told Ivan she was at least sixty.
The two kids flinched. "Sorry Big Mama," They said in unison.
The woman's features softened into a smile. "Now children, you can bother him in the morning, but for now, run along and go play."
The two kids looked at each other, and then nodded. "Okaaaaay," One drawled out. "Let's go Sasha," The boy took the girl's hand and they headed off together.
The woman dubbed 'Big Mama' waddled into the room. "So, you're the new guy." She said, hands on her hips. "Run into trouble to get yourself stuck like this."
Ivan grew quiet again.
Big Mama sighed, and smiled at the man. "Now now, it'll be fine. You got lucky getting' Mister Jones to be your master. Though shoulda known those two would come see right away." She shook her head. "Little rascals."
Ivan looked up. "It is okay." He smiled a bit.
Big mama whistled. "I'm gonna take it you like kids." She said. Ivan nodded. "Well aren't you sweet, even after this kinda day!" She grinned. "I'm Agnie, but folks 'round here, they call me Big Mama."
Ivan smiled. The people here were nice. He stood up and took Big Mama's outstretched hand, and remembered one of the nice little formal greetings that he had seen while traveling. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Big Mama," He said as he kissed the back of her hand.
"Oh my lord," She said, first putting her hand to her chest and then fanning herself with it. "Aren't you a charmer?" She took her hand back after a moment. "Are ya hungry?"
Ivan nodded.
"Then just wait right here, while Big Mama goes and gets you some supper." She waddled off out the door. Ivan sat back down on the bed, and wound up feeling even more exhausted than he had five minutes before. He lay down on the cot, and fell asleep.
There was some rattling beside him, and a gentle push to make him wake up. "Supper, Ivan," Big Mama said. It was some bread and some sort of soup. It smelled good, and warm. Ivan sat up as Big Mama headed out to guard the door, onlookers wanting to see what the new slave looked like, and if the rumors where true. "He IS white!" "Did someone stick him in the dust?"
"You leave the man in peace!" Big Mama shouted, shooing them out of the room, one protesting he needed to get in because it was his room too.
Ivan ate his soup and bread while listening to the ruckus. Unknown to him, the driver was working his way down the halls…
David Smith's day was nearly done. All he had to do now was stick these good for nothing things back in their sleep spaces. David Smith was a well-muscled man with a bad temper. He hated that his boss, Alfred, actually treated these worthless things like they were something more than what they were. However, Smith had been fired from several plantations because he damaged the labor, and threatened master after master. Alfred was the only one that would hire him. "He's too much of a pansy to run this place," He grumbled to himself. "He'll go out soon enough, just like his dad," He sneered. 'And I don't have to lift a finger', He mused. 'Then I can grab this place, and his wife.' Smith relished the thought. He wanted that beautiful woman and strong woman under him. Maybe he could entice her.
His thoughts were taken away from his little fantasy as he saw a large group of slaves gathered around a door, all being held back by the fat one. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" He bellowed.
The slaves were startled like the frightened mice they were. Most of them dispersed, while the rest pressed themselves against the walls, out of his way.
Smith glared at them. "Get back to your—" And then the door behind the fat slave opened up. Out of it poked out a white face with hair paler than Smith had ever seen before, and he was TALL.
Tall and white.
"HEY! I thought I was the only white man here!" He shouted as the man passed the fat slave woman an empty bowl after a few words between them. "Come out here right now!"
The white man looked at him with the eyes of a cow, and Smith had to suppress a shiver. Then, the white man retreated back into the room.
David Smith moved to go to the room, but the fat one got in the way. "Now now Mr. Smith, he's new here." She said, trying to calm him down.
He put a hand to her chest, and in a moment the woman was on the ground. "Do not block me next time," He growled. He glared at the door. He would deal with that man again later. He walked on.
Ivan heard the argument and the thunk. He opened the door again and saw Big Mama trying to get back up. He hurried out to help her. "Are you okay?" He asked.
She took his arm, helping herself up. "Hoo- Yeah, just fine. It's not the first time that happened." Ivan was giving her a worried look. She patted his arm. "Nothing to worry about child." She said. "That was just the Driver, ." She looked at Ivan. "He is a very, very bad man. Do not make him mad if you can help it."
Ivan pressed his lips together and looked down the hallway, then back at Big Mama. "…What is Driver?"
He helped Big Mama into the room, even with her protesting. "A Driver is the one that dishes out punishments to us who aren't pullin' our weight." She groaned a bit as she sat down on the cot, resting. "Though, he'd have a time tryin' to punish you." She smiled up at Ivan. "You'd probably just toss him into the next farm. Ne'er have to see him again." She joked.
Ivan smiled at her. She seemed to be in good humor at least.
Amelia sat down to the dinner with her wonderful husband and her old friend whom she considered an aunt. The discussions were light hearted mostly, but Elizabeth kept grilling Alfred on questions that Amelia wanted answered. Elizabeth didn't get nearly as far as Amelia.
After dinner, Alfred excused himself to go help Nadeen take the dishes back to the kitchen.
Amelia was seeing Elizabeth to her ride back to her estate. "I'll send you a letter or drop by myself next time." She promised her.
Elizabeth gave Amelia this knowing smile. "I know you can do it, my dear Amelia." She cupped the young woman's face I her hands and gave her a peck on the forehead. "Sometimes we women just have to convince the man we know what's best." She winked.
Amelia smiled a little wider than usual.
"Do you have something planned for tonight?" Elizabeth asked, leering.
Amelia gave her an innocent look. "No. I'm just going swimming with Alfred."
"But…?"
"I don't like my bathing suit much."
Elizabeth giggled and gave her an approving nod. They bid farewell, and Elizabeth was off.
Amelia stopped in the house only for a moment to grab a towel and tell Alfred, "I'm going ahead!"
"I thought we would go together," Alfred called back from the kitchen.
"You're taking too long. I'll see you there." And Amelia was off. As soon as she got to the pond, a little pond that was relatively secluded, Amelia stripped off her clothes, tossing everything, dress, blouse, and all undergarments on the ground. She dove into the water.
She swam around, soaking and enjoying the warm water as she heard from the shore a stuttering "A-Amelia?" Alfred had finally come.
She ducked under the water, and come up closer to shore. "Hey Al. Come on in, the water's nice." She shook her head, water droplets shaken off every which way. She came closer to shore as her husband hesitated. He was standing at the water's edge in his bathing suit. "Come on!" She reached up and grabbed his hand, only half out of the water, the other half sitting in the warmth. She pulled the stunned man into the water.
"A-Amelia," He started again.
"Come, into the water," She enticed him. "Come with me." She let go of him, and dove back in, swimming around as Alfred got deeper into the water, and now, when he was waist deep in the water, she swam up in front of him, and smiled up. "I bet you can't catch me," She said playfully. She heard Alfred start to say her name again, as she flipped onto her front and bolted away.
When he didn't come after her, she paused, and came back. "What is it Al?" She finally asked.
Alfred was red. "I-I know that you really want kids, but I'm just not ready for it."
Amelia frowned. She stood up in the water and put her arms around his waist. "Why not, Al? You have so much energy you'd be able to keep up with them." She pointed out. "You also have all this time right now. It's perfect."
Alfred shook his head, putting her hands on her hips. Amelia could feel his excitement below, pushing against her stomach as he said, "I just don't want to have kids right now."
"When?" She stressed.
Alfred looked at her with a confused look. "I-I don't know." He admitted.
"Maybe soon?"
Alfred sighed. "Maybe."
Amelia frowned, and wrapped her arms around Alfred. "Fine, not now," She said.
She felt Alfred's strong arms around her, and he murmured into her wet hair, "But you know…" He wiggled a bit.
Amelia giggled. "I understand." She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he took her legs and put them around his waist, going deeper into the water.