Chapter Two
Okay, I am so, so sorry. I procrastinated like hell on this chapter and I just kept putting things off because I wasn't completely happy with how things read. It's still no where near perfect and again a bit short for my liking but I couldn't let you guys wait anymore.
So chapter two is here! I wanna say thank you to the amazing people who gave my story a follow and or a favorite! Also thank you so much to the three people who commented on my story! You have no idea how awesome feed back is and I just wanna take a sec and thank all of you! It's great to know that out there somewhere someone thinks what I'm writing isn't complete crap. So this chapter is for you all of you guys!
Please don't be shy, love, hate, whatever, I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
Tomorrow had come sooner then anticipated for Helen. The dawn had brought a giddy sort of nervousness that crept slowly through every bone of her body.
Several hours ago she hadn't fully realized what leaving London would mean. A voyage meant a departure from all that was familiar, all that she knew; From her family's home in the country to her friend's delightful parties. She'd despised her world so long that now when parting it's beauty, though fleeting, was enough to make her turn her head, ponder England, ponder staying. But beyond the walls and confines of society was a new world, one that called to her with such vigor she couldn't ignore it's potency. She longed to see it's shores, here the song of an unknown bird, bathe in the waters of a freedom offered so willingly by a land she did not know.
And if her New World were not as she imagined? At least she had tried. She had accepted fully that society would never see her the same way again. She'd doubted they would even view her absence as a loss. A few would morn her; her closest friends, her cat maybe but in time the wounds would heal and they would move on.
When she left England she left behind her father's malice, a mother, dear, but departed. When she left she took her life for herself. Not still in the hands of others but in her own hands. She reclaimed her freedom. And yet she lost herself.
Helena ran her fingers through her gold locks, sighing to herself in what could be seen as mild frustration. She'd been wrestling for a quarter of an hour with her hair, or at least the idea of it. She needed to become 'Jack', to leave no doubts as to her gender and identity or else she could be compromised. But something stopped her, perhaps it was fear or some other masked emotion but Helena could not part with her hair. She was losing so much already, of her own volition yes but it, she decided, was the one part of Helena that she could not part with.
She didn't want to lose herself, to this idea, this person, who as the hour increased she worried more and more about.
In theory it had sounded quite simple, she would assume the role of a lower class boy, an apprentice to John Smith, become an outdoors men. This she had supposed would be quite easy however she realized she knew nothing of substance about the other sex, or at least nothing beyond what she had read or giggled about with a friend. This made her nervous, but she supposed there was not much to do on the matter, and with the help of John she would muddle through.
Helena took once last look at herself in her vanity's mirror. She was unrecognizable, with her hair pinned up, slight dirt obscuring her feminine features. She looked slightly small for a teenage boy but she appeared a boy none the less.
She shifted nervously gazing around her room for the last time taking it in, the cerulean blue of the walls, the off white of her pillows, the soft gold of a near by candle stick. It was so warm, so familiar, she'd miss this she decided.
With one final gaze in the direction of a portrait of her and her mother she opened the door to the hall and tip-toed off into the dark.
Atop a chestnut colored stallion sat Helena, lost and gazing into the sky, which on the eastern horizon was a soft purple, with a few rather sad looking blue clouds that drifted lazily across it. A few doves cooed from their perch on the mast of a near by ship and John but a few paces away from Helena stood, an enthusiastic smile plastered on his face.
"Ah Jack, good of you to come!" John exclaimed as he strode over to greet her.
"John!" Helena smiled, dismounting from her horse to greet him.
He smiled and jerked his head in the direction of the sea, "You are ready?" he asked with a slight gleam in his eyes speaking volumes of his own masked excitement.
Helena smiled. "Yes - er - rather I mean yes." She replied saying the last bit a great deal lower.
John laughed "Good." He smiled, seemingly pleased by her sort of attempt at manliness.
"You have everything you need, yeah?"
"I believe so." Helena said with a nod, peering into her sack of belonging and rummaging around for a bit until she was stratified with what she saw. Some shirts, some pants, not much but suitable for a fellow she supposed.
John nodded curtly, murmuring something about the weather or perhaps the ship.
Helena lowered her bag and cocking her head to the side a little she asked, "Have they chosen a captain yet?" Curiosity had gotten the better of her here; she'd spent the night before pondering it somewhat. The whole captain selection process was a bit foreign to her, however she wasn't daft enough to negate the importance of a leader of sort on this voyage.
John however, looked caught of guard by the question and he stared at her for a moment, pondering, finally he huffed, "I am not sure."
"What?"She asked confused.
"The Company failed to notify me last night of any new leadership. So as of now I am not even sure we have a captain, let alone who he is."
"Oh." Helena sighed.
"I know."
"Is it possible the voyage would not continue?"
"No, as they would have been required to notify me if it were canceled, but regardless this is not good. We do not need a last minute captain on a voyage like this. It is bad for the Company's image. Seasoned leadership is required when dealing with such a voyage."
"Oh and I suppose you are the perfect fit?" Helena smirked.
"Well I ... "
"John!"
Both John and Helena turned sharply to see in front of them a kind featured man, with auburn hair and a smile.
"Thomas!" John exclaimed, stepping forward and clapping the young man on the back.
"It is good to see you John!" The younger man, Thomas said with a friendly smile.
"Aye and you as well! Especially since last time I saw you you were nothing but a serving boy and now look at you! To be a sailmaker! Your moving up in the world."
"What can I say?" Thomas shrugged. "I've a knack for seamanship."
"Haha, do not jest Thomas!"
"Nay, well mayhap Governor Radcliffe will see my value."
"What?" John and Helena said almost in unison, shock melting into any previous composure.
"You did not know?" Now it was Thomas's turn to be confused.
"No, I was not told." John murmured, a flash of some distant and darker emotion playing across his features.
He furrowed his brows, "How do you know?"
"Rumor, men in the tavern spoke of it briefly."
"I see." John paused, then turned most suddenly to Helena, his expression once again shifting to a lighter a less peeved one.
"Well Jack," He began, "I fear I have been rude, I have yet to introduce you!"
"This is Thomas, the biggest push over east of the Seine." To this Thomas shot John a rather disapproving look.
"And Thomas, this is Jack, he is to be my apprentice on this voyage."
Thomas nodded politely in Helena's direction, she politely turned the gesture.
John looked at the two of them, and then to the sky. The sun was now totally visible and small white clouds now streaked across the sky.
"Well," said John turning to them, "we'd better be off, day is upon us. To the ship?"
"Aye."
The Susan Constant was larger ship then Helena had first imagined.
It t'was a sound, top of the line vessel made to last the journey to Virginia. It's hull and keel crafted of oak and pine, it's sails of cotton rippled gently in the breeze. The western sky behind a cacophony of color, blues, oranges, and soft pinks beginning.
"It's beautiful." Helena muttered to herself somewhat entranced by the sky.
"Aye," John nodded, "Sunrise always is."
She smiled and follow John and Thomas up a wide plank on to the ship, the deck was pristine and polished. Ropes and various barrels cluttered the deck here and there. There was an entry to the lower decks on the middle and a large detailed oak door that could only lead to the captain's quarters.
"Where will I be staying?" Helena asked.
"There's a room on the lower starboard side of the ship, it's not much but ..."
"I am sure it is grand." Helena interrupted, offering a small smile as restitution.
"Thomas, I am afraid Jack and I must continue alone but we shall have a pleasure of your company later yes?" John said turning to Thomas who'd been silently listening to Helena and John babble all the way to the ship.
"Aye." He nodded. "Pleasure to meet you Jack!" Thomas said and turned and walked back to the dock to greet more of his soon to be shipmates.
"To your room then?"
"Aye." Helena smiled and followed John down the hatch and into the lower part of the ship.
The room was certainly not grand. Crates and barrels were piled high around a rather flimsy cot, a single oil lamp lit the room, illuminating only a thin halo of space around it. The cot, situated in the middle was green, and was adorned only with a ratty and somewhat moth eaten blanket, that may have been blue but was now faded to a soft cloudy grey. It was rather dismal, and honestly Helena wasn't too terribly keen.
John, who sensed her apprehension, glanced apologetically at her."Sorry, I know it is not much, but you wanted privacy, and this is as good as I could get for an apprentice without raising too many questions."
"It is a closet." She replied flatly and without thinking.
"Aye, well, a private closet."
Helena bit her lip, rueful, she'd sounded ungrateful, and she wasn't truly, but she was quickly seeing that she'd romanticized her adventure. Childhood stories did not account for the stench of men or a ratty blanket on a freezing ship. They merely recounted the highlights, the swashbuckling, the romance, and the comforts rewarded to deserving souls.
Mustering up smile she turned to face John. "I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me, truly."
"Damn, your always thanking me. Cut it out. I owe it to you."
"We both know that is not true. " Helena smiled again.
A small and amicable pause followed, Helena scrutinizing her new quarters and John lost in some distant thought.
It was Helena who broke the silence.
"My father is to be Captain." She half whispered, loud enough however not to go unnoticed by John.
"I know."
Helena looked peeved at his response, and swallowed thickly."John, this does not ... change anything that we agree does it?" She paused. "You will not tell him will you?"
"I would not dare," He smiled and Helena breathed a sigh of slight relief.
"Promise?" She asked feeling a bit like a child in need of reassurance.
"Yes." John nodded. "We will however need to be more cautious."
She nodded her acknowledgement.
"As long as you stay out of the way and do not draw attention to yourself I doubt Radcliffe would even bother to look your direction - no offense." He said putting his hands up in an 'I surrender' sort of way, "But an apprentice would not even be on his radar, hopefully you would be just another face."
"I hope so." Helena replied a little unsure but trusting none the less. She knew John was right, her father dared not interact or bother himself with those "lesser vermin" as he called them but still the seed of doubt had been planted and once sewn would remain.
"Well, I shall leave you then. I've got duties." John murmured almost apologetic, "No doubt the men will be wondering after me."
"Oh what fun!" Helena smirked, "I shall see you later then?"
"Of course." John took one last look around the dimly lit closet before giving Helena a quick salute and heading out into the hall.
Historical Note: A sailmaker in "ye olde days" didn't really make sails, they acted as sort mediocre petty officer, or so Wikipedia tells me. It's sort of misleading, but hey! The more you know!
Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of the movie Pocahontas, or any affiliated film. This fan fiction is loosely based off of historical events and is purely for entertainment purposes.