Author's note & Disclaimer
Being in need of a proper story and knowing how challenging good writing can be, I won't be sharing many details about my plans, which are quite grand and ambitious. There will be a significant amount of content accompanied by illustrations (I took a character design course with John Pomeroy for a reason, hehe - for those who aren't familiar, do a Google search on who John Pomeroy is ;). Subscribe and stay tuned for more content!
All rights belong to Disney. I do not own the Disney characters used in this fanfiction, as they are used for entertainment purposes only. However, I do own the original characters I have created (including their concept and visual design), so please respect that.
Also, a bad review is better than no review. All comments are welcome!
Every good story requires a good soundtrack. I got really inspired by this one for the whole series - TheFatRat - Monody (feat. Laura Brehm) (YT short link ending with /B7xai5u_tnk)
Prologue
This time, winter arrived unexpectedly. Nobody anticipated its early arrival, but that didn't hinder the snow from blanketing the streets and rooftops of Jamestown with a fluffy white coat, leaving the town's children in awe. The silvery forest stood frozen, enveloped in a vibrant hush, while the sun beamed brightly, casting glimmers across the snow-covered landscape. The once proud and tiny Chickahominy waters now lay still, frozen under the cold spell, and patches of ice adorned the mighty James and Pamunkey Rivers, a phenomenon rarely witnessed in early November by settlers and natives alike. For a brief moment, tranquility, prosperity, and the pastoral beauty reigned supreme.
As the adults grappled with the sudden shift in plans, their children seized the opportunity to revel in the wintry weather, engaging in spirited snowball battles on the vast plains beyond the town, where the snow was at its fluffiest. The parents, on the other hand, hurriedly attended to their tasks, diligently completing the now-delayed construction projects, reorganizing the harvested crops, and taking measures to protect against the unanticipated early frosts.
Two children defied the allure of the snow-covered playground and the excitement unfolding outside the town. They sought refuge from the biting winds near the start of the pier, partially concealed by stacks of boxes, pits, rolls of rope, and other maritime paraphernalia, all dusted with a layer of snow. Their attention was riveted to the harbor. Both youngsters wore tidy suede boots, cozy deerskin trousers, and thick mid-calf jackets with their hoods adorned with delicate light caramel furs and ornated with Native beads and ornaments. The taller of the two, seemingly the older sibling in his early teens, possessed a sturdy frame and exuded an air of composure. He carried a dark brown deerskin sack on his back, elegantly embellished with turquoise embroidery on the flap and sides, with the outline of a spyglass visible through the meticulously fastened material. His demeanor radiated serenity and poise, displaying thoughtfulness in every gesture, as he stood steadfastly, enduring the biting gusts of wind against his face. The other child, a slight figure of around seven years old, appeared like a tightly wound string, restlessly shifting from one foot to the other in front of the elder brother. The kid delicately brushed the fur trim of his hood, attempting to keep the windblown fur from obstructing his vision after each icy blast of damp air. The oversized hood accentuated the disproportionality between the younger child's head and the rest of the body. The constant shifting of both children indicated they had endured the shivers of the cold wind for quite some time.
That morning, the town pier was rather loud despite the icy winds blowing from the sea onto the continent. A ship was expected to arrive soon, bringing new settlers with supplies for the colony, as well as the goods ordered earlier by local artisans for their respective businesses. It would also bring news from the Old World, along with some high-class visitors. For the fellow citizens, ships were not a rare occurrence, but they always brought a flair of excitement to the exotic yet still provincial life led by the inhabitants of Jamestown.
"Remind me why we are here?" - the tall kid mumbled through the wind.
"I want... to see... the ship," the other kid explained determinedly, the words almost swallowed by the powerful gusts of wind sweeping in from the seaside. Despite the deerskin fur jackets, little protection was offered against the biting cold that struck their faces, with the light yellow fur of their hoods dancing in the wind.
"My frozen butt would pay a high price for your delight. I expect compensation," chuckled the tall kid, playfully tugging the sibling's hood over the nose. In return, he received a fiery gaze from a pair of dark blue eyes. "Haven't you seen enough? Take a break, at least for this winter," he expressed visible annoyance, shifting from one foot to another and rubbing his hands in deerskin gloves in a futile attempt to warm up as another scorching gust swept in.
"Go back to your scrolls, you feeble bookworm, and leave the sea to the real men!" the youngster teased with a mischievous grin, paying no mind to the wind or the unruly fur as their gaze remained fixed on the unchanged horizon.
"I wish I could," sighed the older one, undeterred by the teasing of his younger sibling. "But no, I've got you relying on me." The restless kid grunted in response, prompting the elder to continue with his lecture. "You know as well as I do that you can't make this journey alone." The hood abruptly turned with a sharp intake of air, but the elder brother paid it no mind, speaking in a warmer tone. "I've had my fill of Father's anger directed at ME because of YOU. I'd rather keep you out of trouble, if not out of harm's way."
"Shhh! There it is!" the big hood exclaimed, interrupting the brother's lecture with a hiss. The kid fell silent in excitement, gaze fixed ahead, trying to catch a glimpse of the approaching ship that emerged from beyond the horizon.
"Do you have a sixth sense for them or something?" the elder boy wondered aloud, retrieving the spyglass from his backpack. He aimed it at the horizon for a couple of minutes. "Nothing interesting, Snips. If you were hoping for a man-o-war, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. It's just another supply ship." He sighed in resignation, struggling to fit the resistant spyglass back into his tightly packed sack. Balancing on one foot to avoid slipping, he held the backpack steady with his knee, ensuring nothing spilled onto the snow-covered planks.
"It's majestic!" exclaimed a dreamy voice from within a furry hood as the ship approached the shore. "And it exudes adventure!"
"It exudes tar and..." the second kid interjected. "May I enjoy the view, please?" the excited hood demanded, cutting him off, extending a hand forward, silently requesting the spyglass.
The boy who had just finished packing rolled his eyes dramatically and reached for his sack once more. "And yet you continue to get on my nerves after all I've done for you," he commented helplessly.
"I wonder who these guests will be this time," the hood stated, trying to get a better look through the spyglass at the bustling people on the deck.
"Based on Dad's bored face earlier, it seems like no one fascinating enough," stated the elder brother, gently pulling his sibling behind the nearest pile of boxes.