The Lady Yves

Chapter 19

Yoshi got his mother settled in bed, groaning as she let go of him and lay down. His left eye was swollen shut and it was purple while the rest of his face was battered. He could swear that Mulch had broken a couple of ribs because any turning or bending movement caused him tremendous pain across his entire back.

He did not like the man but what Junior and his companions did to Mulch and his gang...he could not bear to think of the sort of punishment or sentencing that awaited them should they be caught.

And that was a high possibility because earlier as he rode with his mother into town, he came across the mob that was heading towards Junior's mob with torches and all sorts of weapons one could think of.

"Where you headed, young man?" an elderly man with a harpoon in his hand asked.

"Something is going on on the other side and I have to get my mother to safety," he had replied.

"Hey!" someone suddenly yelled, brandishing a torch in his face. "I know you! You are the negro lover!! Yoshi Manley!"

The mob roared as their different colored hair flew in the wind as some shook their heads in rage.

Even though his heart was in his throat, Yoshi kept a calm facade. "What are you talking about, sir-"

Someone interrupted them. "We do not have time for this!"

The mob suddenly turned to him and Yoshi realised that it was the sheriff with his completely white head and long beard, on a horse.

He glared at Yoshi. "Be on your way, young man. You look bad enough as it is and we have ourselves some negroes to catch." He addressed the mob. "DO NOT HESITATE TO KILL ANY ONE OF THE NAPPY HEADED SCUM IF YOU COME ACROSS THEM!! THEY DESERVE IT!"

Yoshi's nose flared in anger. Nobody deserved to be killed.

"THEY COME INTO OUR HOMES AND BED OUR WIVES WHILE WE WORK HARD TO PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLES AS WELL AS THEIRS! UNGRATEFUL SWINE!!" The sheriff spat. "THEN THEY STEAL FROM US AND NOW..." He looked directly at Yoshi. "NOW THEY HAVE THE AUDACITY TO LAY WITH OUR VERY OWN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT WITHOUT THINKING OF THE DIRTY REPERCUSSIONS OF THEIR ACTIONS!!"

Freedom. Yoshi immediately turned to town and when he got there, he got his mother settled and now he had to leave.

"Where are you headed?" Madame Fran asked.

"To join the fight," Yoshi simply replied.

Madame Fran shook her head. "Will it not be difficult for you to pick a side seeing as you and your dead nanny's child are laying with each other?"

Yoshi turned sharply to her.

How did she know about Freedom? And how did she know that Freedom was Malaika's daughter? He had tried to keep the secret for as long as possible because truth be told, he had had his suspicions about Freedom looking like the exact replica of his nanny that disappeared when he was almost ten. When Angenette had told him a bit about Freedom's background, everything seemed to fit but he could not confirm his suspicions. Not without asking his mother but he could never bring himself to. And had thus decided to keep the secret to himself.

"How do you know about Freedom?" he asked.

Madame Fran got out of bed and stood before him before smiling. She removed a strand of hair from his face and tucked it behind his ear dotingly.

"You have always been my favorite son," she said.

"I am your only son," he whispered.

Madame Fran clicked her tongue. "I thought I would take this secret to the grave with me but here we are. Yoshi...you are my youngest son. See, before I met your father or rather, before I was forced to marry your father, I was in love, just like you. With a negro man and  I was such a disgrace to my family because we planned to elope. He treated me like a queen, Yoshi. And he was a wealthy negro for that matter. One of the few back in my day.