Chapter 9 - "My Fair Lady"
Pocahontas and Thomas spent the night in a newly finished log cabin in the fort. The ship was to depart from Virginia back to London the next day.
Captained by John Smith again, it was time for the voyage to depart when the tide came in.
Pocahontas embraced her father Chief Powhatan and her friend Nakoma while Thomas shook hands with Kocoum and Wiggins, who was staying at the fort a while. Pocahontas promised her father that she would be back home to Virginia soon. Lastly she petted Meeko good-bye, her father promising to take good care of her pet for a while.
Then Thomas walked Pocahontas up the gangplank to the ship, his bag packed on his shoulder. He hesitated to be leaving America, where he felt freer, but he had a job to do to take the Indian princess to meet the king and queen of England.
Pocahontas and Thomas waved good-bye to their friends on shore as the ship departed, the Indian maiden's long hair blowing in the sea breeze. Captain John Smith and John Rolfe were on the ship as well.
"Thomas, fancy your old job as cabin boy back?" John Smith asked the boy.
Thomas nodded. "Just like old times again."
"But with a friend this time," John Smith said, looking to the dark-haired girl.
The captain took the helm while Thomas and Pocahontas stood at the stern of the ship, watching the vast and beautiful forests and hills of Virginia in the distance.
"We'll be back soon enough," he assured her.
...
The voyage passed and soon London was spotted in the distance, the old city skyline low to the ground with lantern lights gleaming, the old clocktower raising above the town, and with a bridge spanning the harbor, all appearing before them out of the fog.
Thomas pulled Pocahontas by the hand to the bow of the ship for a good look at the view. He stood behind her, chest pressed against the back of her hair, with his arms wrapped tightly around her. He peered over her shoulder at the lights shining through the sea mist, then turned his face toward hers to whisper in her ear through long strands of raven hair blowing against his lips. "London Bridge is falling down," he sang lowly to her, entwining her hand in his on the ship's railing, "my fair lady."
Pocahontas had heard the familiar song from a musical object brought over on the ship.
Pocahontas turned her face to his while in his arms and pressed her mouth against his. His lips tasted of sea salt.
"Come on," said Thomas, flustered by the surprise kiss, "there's just enough time before we dock to get you changed."
Pocahontas followed him belowdecks where he opened a wooden chest and pulled out an English dress, white with pink laces, and large poofy sleeves. "It might be a little outdated than the latest fashions in London but it should do." He swung it around in the air for her to see.
The girl smiled at him. "I've never seen a dress like that before." It was white like paint made from crushed-up seashells, or white like the snow.
The boy rifled through the chest some more to find a pair of shoes while Pocahontas pulled out clothing items she had never seen before, a white underdress, a pink corset and long stockings.
Pocahontas changed into the white underdress behind a dressing screen put there for her. Thomas had to help pull the laces on the back of her corset tight while Pocahontas gasped for air. Then he pulled the cream-colored dress over her head all the way down to her ankles and laced it up as well. Pocahontas hitched up her skirt to pull on the long stockings and slip her feet into the shoes. Thomas pulled the skirt back down again.
Pocahontas quickly ran her silver brush and comb through her hair and then attacked Thomas' hair with the comb, parting it neatly around his face.
"What about you?" she asked him, looking him up and down in his familiar clothes.
He pulled his green hat over his hair. "I'm good to go."
They came up the stairs to the deck while the ship docked in the harbor.
"All ashore!" Captain John Smith cried from the helm ringing the ship's bell. "Welcome to London!"
Thomas lifted Pocahontas up in his arms and swung her around in a circle on the deck, her hair and skirt of her dress swinging. They both laughed loudly.
Then they disembarked from the ship down the gangplank along with the crew and John Rolfe.
"What do you think?" Thomas whispered to Pocahontas again when she was staring up at the tall wood-beamed thatched-roofed houses and twinkling lights of London.
"I've never seen anything like it before," Pocahontas said.
"Thomas said the same thing when we saw Virginia," John Smith said in passing down the dock, the last one off the ship. "I miss it already. But let's have some fun while we're here."
"It's all ours," Thomas said lowly into Pocahontas' ear. Then he wrapped his arm around the girl's waist and walked her into town.