Part 3: The Journey to England

Chapter 36

"An Unwanted Guest"

Tarzan went to bed that night completely worried about what was going to happen to him and those he loved dearly. He promised Kerchak as he lay dying that he would be the one who would lead his Gorilla Family through thick and thin. Now, Tarzan was in a personal struggle of his own and he wanted to experience civilization for only a short while and then return to Africa and be with his family again.

Jane could understand Tarzan's pain as she took off her yellow dress and changed into a nightgown. She could know how hard it was for someone to leave their family for an extended period of time, as she remembered Archimedes telling her about the time he had to leave with his unit to fight in South Africa. Jane also remembered Archimedes telling her about the time her grandfather had to fight the Battle of Waterloo and that he never returned home from that.

"Tarzan," she said as she hung her yellow dress up. "I know it must be hard for you to hear the Queen say something like this, but you need to understand that there is a great deal of possibility for all of us if my father takes his professorship."

"You're queen is wrong," replied Tarzan harshly. "A true leader never puts anything ahead of his family and if I stay here in England and never return to Africa, I will have disgraced Kerchak and my family. I have to protect them, Jane."

Jane was now in a predicament of her very own as she was now torn between staying with Archimedes in England and returning to Africa with Tarzan. She loved both men, but if Archimedes were to stay and mentor others younger than him, then she would have to stay with Tarzan.

"I know how it is," she sighed, crawling into bed with him. "But, we all have to make sacrifices Tarzan. It's a part of life and I know we have only been married for a short time, but think of my father and how happy he would be if he took this position."

"But think of how unhappy we will be if we leave our jungle life behind," replied Tarzan. "The gorillas are nothing without me and either you go with me or I go back alone."

Jane gasped in horror but chose not to respond to Tarzan's ultimatum and instead chose to go to sleep and rest for her father's knighting ceremony. Jane could not imagine that her relationship with Tarzan was on the rocks all because of a chance for Archimedes to become a professor at Oxford University. It was one of the world's most elaborate colleges next to Harvard and Jane wanted what was best for her father and nothing more or less.

As they all slept that night, nothing seemed out of the ordinary when all of a sudden, the sounds of yelling voices and grunts were heard coming from downstairs. Trusting the instincts he learned in the jungles, Tarzan leapt out of bed and swung the door wide open running downstairs to see what was going on. Jane hastily threw her robe over her nightgown and followed Tarzan downstairs, followed by Archimedes.

Running downstairs, the three of them were joined by several guards who brought in three men bound in chains on their wrists, ankles and necks. Jane quickly took notice of a blonde man in the middle who looked at Jane with disgust and disgrace while at the same time, couldn't believe he was seeing her now.

"Bobby!" she cried, running over to him only to be held back by a guard.

"Please stay away from the captives, ma'am," he ordered. "These men are under arrest for plotting to assassinate her royal majesty."

This made Jane gasp in horror and anger as someone she was going to marry was going to kill the queen.

"Robert, how could you?!" she gasped. "How dare you defy your own country?"

"It was for the good of the country," he groaned, struggling against his bonds. "I wanted England to move on from the age of Victoria. She was a dictator and a witch, someone who wanted to revolutionize England into her own personal realm."

"That's not true," cried Jane.

"Oh, but it is," he said. "When I heard that you were stuck in Africa forever, I always thought you found someone better than me and you have. You have shamed your family and me!"

But, Jane stood her ground, realizing that living life with Bobby was not what she always wanted to be and that she was going to live her way and not Bobby's way.

"The only one who is disgraced is you," retorted Jane. "Imagine, you using me as a pawn in your own game. Well, let me tell you that I, Jane Elizabeth Mary Victoria Porter, will live my life exactly how I want it to be and not you or anything else is going to stop me, Robert!"

"You will regret this day, Jane!" he said, turning his attention from her to Tarzan. "When I get out of this, your ape of a husband will feel my wrath!"

"The only wrath you are going to feel is the justice of her majesty," said Archimedes. "You will never carry out what you plan to do."

Bobby gave out a spit at Archimedes and this insulted Jane so much,that she slapped him across the face and glared at him again.

"Consider our engagement over," she said coldly. "I never want to see you ever again."

So, the guards took Bobby and his co-conspirators away to face justice and Tarzan, Jane and Archimedes went back up to their quarters with the knighting less than a day away.

Of course, however, there were still the matters of the futures of Tarzan, Jane and Archimedes to consider, especially with the thought of staying in England and away from the exotic jungles of Africa.

But of course, only time would tell…