Legacy

Chapter Twelve: Following Seas

Chapter 12 - Following Seas

            Jack stopped and looked up as he saw a familiar figure join the group of rebels that were taking them, by way of a circuitous route, through the jungle and back to their boat.  The pirate's smile glinted in the early light as he stepped forward. 

            "Nihli?" 

            The man smiled back, and formally put his hand on Jack's shoulder in greeting as he spoke in a resonant bass voice.

            "Jahk Spahrow.  Welcome home."  He nodded his head in a small bow.

            Jack looked impressed, returning the gesture.  "I thank you.  And how did you come by English, my friend?"

            Nihli laughed deep in his throat.  "Tassa." 

            This time it was Ana who reacted, gasping as she looked up and saw her old friend walking out of the jungle behind him.  "Tassa?"  The two women laughed, throwing their arms around each other and talking quickly in the dialect of the island.  After a moment of chatter, a small child no more than three pulled on Tassa's draped sarong and was promptly lifted up.  Ana cooed over the girl and switched unconsciously to English. 

            "Tassa!  Look at her!  She's beautiful.  Come here, darlin'…"  With the easy confidence of the well-loved, the little girl stretched out her arms for Ana and giggled as she was cuddled.  "And what's your name, little one?"  The girl giggled again, but she was looking towards Jack, who was making faces at her behind Ana's back. 

            "We call her Simone."  Tassa smiled, only a hint of sadness in her eyes as she looked fondly at her daughter.  "After her father."

            Ana nodded.  "Ah, Simon'd like that.  Yer father was a good man, little one." 

            Nihli looked around abruptly.  "At least her father was.  We must keep on.  They'll know you're gone soon."  He looked pointedly at Jack, who was making Simone laugh by jingling his hair at her.  The pirate gave him a sheepish look, which made the little girl laugh out loud, and the group began walking again.  The conversation continued a bit more quietly.

            "When did you come back?"

            "We left England when Simone was a year.  I realized my place was with the dantilla, and when I got here, I found that my brother had left home as well, and was leading them."  She smiled over at Nihli.  "I have a family again, someone for my daughter to learn from."

            The tall rebel looked down at her solemnly.  "Gods keep her from learning anything from her grandfather."  He spat on the ground and Jack raised his eyebrows cautiously.  He stepped closer to Nihli as he spoke.

            "The old man wasn't exactly hospitable with us.  Things as bad as they were, then?"

            "Worse.  The people live in fear.  We try to bring them over the mountain, to help them, but he holds them in terror.  Until he's dead…"   Tassa hissed something in the dialect of the island, and Nihli shook his head.  "I won't end his life, Tassa."

            Ana turned with an unladylike noise.  "And why not?  The man's a murderin' bastard." 

            Tassa glanced again at her brother, who strode proudly forward, not looking at them.  "It would dishonor both myself and my family."