“The only place that I have seen this much water before is at Daniel’s Beach House. Well, I do remember seeing another Ocean, but we had been traveling on land for months, and it just seemed to fit. You know, large land, large water, but this, this land is surrounded by all this water!”
“It’s an island, Blue Cloud, that’s why it’s surrounded by water; an island always seems smaller than the water that surrounds it. I will always remember standing on this beach, with our toes digging into white sand and water washing over them. I’ll remember looking out at a beautiful turquoise sea, feeling the warmth of the rising sun and the strength of your arms around me.”
Looking into her eyes, Blue Cloud intimately says, “Wherever I am, Snow Flower, as long as we are together, I will be happy.”
The smell of food cooking begins to make their stomachs growl. “Are you ready to go back Snow Flower? My stomach is telling me that it’s time to eat.”
Without answering she begins to run…. “I’m taking that as a yes,” Blue Cloud comments to himself as he begins to run, trying to catch up with her.
Snow Flower yells back, “I’m going to beat you there, Blue Cloud.”
“Oh yea, we’ll see about that” he yells as the distance between them begins to close.
As they reach the dining area they notice all of the swords that the island girls are cleaning.
Blue Cloud asks, “Where did you get these beautiful swords?”
“We found them in a cave close to the same cove that our ship is in.”
“I have never seen a hilt like this before.”
“It’s very complex in its design. It’s made to be beautiful and at the same time it protects my dueling hand.”
“Would it be all right if I held it?”
“Sure… here it is,” Diana says handing it to Blue Cloud.
Snow Flower looks at her husband with a surprised look. “Have you seen a sword like this before, Blue Cloud?”
“Yes, many times on the trade routes that we would take every few years. The men who lived a full moon south of us had many swords, but I only remember seeing one that was similar to this one, but it wasn’t as well balanced as this one is, nor was it crafted as well as this is. Examining it closer, he says, “It’s straight-bladed, two-edged and light enough that a woman can hold it with one hand.”
“Let me look at it too, Blue Cloud,” Snow Flower asks.
“Have you ever seen this kind of a sword before?”
“Yes, many times when I was a little girl. My father and his men had swords that looked a lot like this one.”
While Snow Flower is examining Diana’s sword, Blue Cloud turns around and motions to one of the other sisters to hand him her sword. Putting on his magic cloak he walks over to Snow Flower and begins moving his sword in front of her.
Knowing what her husband is doing, Snow Flower says, “Ah, so you want to duel huh?”
Covering herself with her own invisible cloak, Snow Flower begins to block Blue Cloud’s strikes. The island mothers and sisters begin to laugh as they see two swords dueling together in the air.
“That is the funniest thing that I have ever seen,” Grace states as laughter can be heard throughout the dining area.
“If I didn’t know about the magic cloaks I would really be scared,” Kristen says as she stands behind her mother.
Finally the cloaks come off of Blue Cloud and Snow Flower and they bow to their audience as clapping can be heard coming from all of the women of the island.
Looking over at Diana, Snow Flower asks, “Diana, now that you know us and our abilities to use swords, would you mind if we join your crew while you try to find your sisters?”
Diana looks to her mother.
“I think that it would be a great idea Diana.”
“If my mother feels that it would be a good idea, then I agree with her. Welcome to our crew.”
With this good news Snow Flower and Blue Cloud hug, knowing in their hearts that this could be the only possible way that they will be able to find their son, Gray Wolf.
Diana looks to her sisters, “Now that we have reconnected with our purpose, are you ready to leave again sisters?”
A resounding “Yes,” is heard from everyone.
“Fine, then we will leave at first light.”
An evening of laughter follows as everyone takes turns using the magic cloaks to pull their own little tricks on each other.
As the roaster crows the sister’s wake up to the smell of breakfast their mothers have been busy baking.
“This is one of the things that we miss the most mother… your cooking.”
Smiling, Grace says, “That’s what everyone says when they leave. But don’t worry we have baked enough for you to take with you.”
“Thank you so much…” looking at the other mothers Diana asks, “When we get back would all of you please teach us how to cook? I noticed while we have been gone…” she starts laughing, “that some of us really need lessons.”
“Hey, my cooking is fine,” Stacey retorts back.
“Mine is also,” Jessica stands with her hands on her hips.
Looking over to Stacey and Jessica, Diana says, “No, I’m not talking about you two…” starting to run toward the ship, she looks back “I’m talking about everyone else.”
Trying to catch up with Diana, all of the sister’s joke back and forth with each other yelling out the worst things they had eaten.
“…Jaci’s green gravy.”
“Well… your burnt bread.”
“What about the yams that weren’t cooked all the way through.”
“Half cooked yams aren’t as bad as biscuits that are still plain dough in the middle.”
Finally reaching the cove and out of breath, the sisters stand laughing at each other while they continue their teasing.
Snow Flower, Blue Cloud and their mothers finally catch up to them.
“Daughters, before you get into your row boat, have some of this pineapple that we just heated over the fire.”
“Oh, this is my favorite,” Danielle says.
Everyone else agrees with “mine too” as pieces of pineapple are handed to them.
Grace takes this opportunity, “Now while you are all quiet…remember your purpose…to stay connected with your sisters so that you will feel of their spirits. This will lead you to them.”
Everyone takes a moment to have a group hug.
“We look forward to your return daughters. May Snow Flower and Blue Cloud add magic to your trip,” Grace says with a smile.
“Yes, magic swords,” Kristen says with excitement.
Smiling Diana says, “Blue Cloud you get to row this boat back and forth until we are all on our ship.”
“Yes Captain,” he says with a salute.
“I’m going to like this,” Diana says quietly to herself, smiling back to her mother.
With everyone aboard, Diana goes to the Captain’s Cabin. In a moment the ‘Destiny’ is rising in the air and moving forward. All of the daughters have put on their pirate uniforms and stand at attention looking back to their mothers.
All of the mothers, with a mixture of pride and sadness wave back to their daughters.
The pirates and their two new passengers are now flying away from Martinique, on their way to North Carolina and their final destination, Ocracoke.
On their flight the island sisters, remember the young man that had boarded their ship a few days ago.
“Why didn’t we keep him tied to the main mast for a lot longer? We could have just looked at him…he was so handsome.”
“I remember his long beautiful black hair.”
“What about his broad, strong shoulders?”
“It was his smile that I thought was beautiful.”
Diana, has put the ship on automatic and has walked up to the upper deck to get a little sun. Hearing what they are talking about she says, “Can’t you girls talk about anything else?”
Almost in a
trance Marie responds, “But, he was so beautiful Diana. It’s been a long time since we have seen any men our age.”
“We’re going to have to talk to our fathers about that.”
“Yes, why is it that there are so many girls on the island, and not any young men, Diana?”
“Now, why would you ask me a question like that? I don’t know. There are many of us now who are of marrying age. Like I said before, when all of our fathers come home on the ‘Mysterious’, we’re going to have to talk to them about this situation.”
***
Sailing away from Haiti, Gray Wolf’s first mate, Ramon asks him, “How did you get the young island girls away from that woman without paying her anything?”
Looking down at his sleeve he dusts it off and answers with a smirk, “I just turned on my charm… you know what magnetism I have,”
Slapping his leg and laughing, Ramon can’t believe what he has just heard, “You are so full of it Gray Wolf. All of the rest of us are just as handsome as you are. Why would she let you take them without Black Beard?”
Realizing that he had been caught in his story, he smiles and tells the truth, “Oh, I pleaded with her, and you know I made that adorable sad face that gets all women, saying that I’d make sure that Black Beard paid her every penny that he owed her, if she would just let me take them.”
“The sad face, huh? And she fell for it?”
Standing with pride, Gray Wolf raises his knuckles to his mouth, breathes on them and rubs his chest a couple of times, “The first time I tried that face, I was amazed at how well it worked. And it worked as well this time as it did the very first time.”
Not letting Gray Wolf get away with it Ramon asks him again, “So how are you going to be able to pay her…Black Beard is dead.”
“Yes…he is… but she believed me because I’m telling the truth. Someday I’ll make sure that she gets paid.”
“So are you telling me that women can sense that you are telling them the truth, and that’s why they fall for you?”
“Why yes…truth is a great attraction.”
“And what have you told these girls?” he asks as his arm sweeps toward the girls who are sitting on the quarter deck.
“I’ve told them that I am taking them home.”
“Do you even know where they call home?”
“Yes. I know where they live…”
“Well, I hope you’re telling the truth because we’re losing several chances to make a lot of money.”
Looking directly into his eyes, Gray Wolf talks with conviction, “Listen Ramon, I am the reason that they were taken from their families. I made a promise to myself the day we left their island that I would make sure that everyone of them would be returned to their parents. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I learned everything that I could and I waited for the opportunity to fulfill that promise.” Looking toward the quarter deck, Gray Wolf says emotionally, “Look at them. If you were their father how would you feel if your daughters were taken from your island home?”
“I would be angry.”
“So don’t you think that their parents would feel the same way?”
“Yes.”
“And don’t you feel that they have a right to be back with their parents?”
Looking directly at them, Ramon states emphatically, “They do Gray Wolf… and I will help you in any way that I can.”
“Thank you. You are a great first mate.”
“What are they laughing about, Gray Wolf?”
“…Who, the girls?”
“Yes…”
“They look at clouds to see if they look like anything in the world. It’s a game that they play to amuse themselves.”
“Jody, look at that cloud, it’s the biggest cloud that I have ever seen, and it’s actually giving us a little shade for a while.”
Laughing, “Maybe it thinks that it is an umbrella.”
“…Maybe. But even if it doesn’t know, it’s doing a great job of keeping the sun from us.”
“Oh, oh you shouldn’t have said that, here comes the sun again.”
Holding a cute little monkey in her lap, Jody points to another cloud, “look Cici, that cloud looks just like you.”
Laughing, both girls lean back. “Why did you bring that monkey anyway?”
“A nice pirate from another ship that docked at Haiti gave it to me because I looked so sad. He said that he had found Cici on one of his travels and he always made him laugh.”
“Well, that pirate must have felt bad for you, because he’s right I hear you laughing all the time when you have him with you.”
Looking down at her little furry friend, Jody rubs his head and says, “He makes me forget about how we were taken from our island home.” Looking back at the clouds Jody says, “Now that’s what I call a beautiful magnificent cloud.”
“…Where?”
Pointing toward the moving cloud she says, “Right up there. It looks like the most beautiful Schooner that I have ever seen, but it doesn’t have any sails.”
“How could it be a Schooner? Schooners sail in the water…and why is it going in the opposite direction than the rest of the clouds?”
“You’re asking me?” Turning to Gray Wolf Jody yells, “Gray Wolf, look up there, a cloud is going in the opposite direction than the other clouds.”
Shading his eyes from the sun, Gray Wolf, looks up to the sky. Spotting the cloud Jody is pointing to, he watches for a long time. Not able to understand why something that looks like a ship would be flying in the sky and going West, when it should be going East with the other clouds, he says to himself, “That’s strange.”
As Gray Wolf takes his eyes off of the cloud he looks back at Jody with his arms out to his side and an ‘I don’t know glance’, as Jody notices the cloud begining to turn North. Her eyes widen, but she decides to not say anything to Gray Wolf. She just looks back to Cici and begins playing with him.
***
Jacie and Kristen have been watching the ships sailing beneath them as they fly in the ‘Destiny’ in search of Black Beard’s ship.
“Jaci, look at that ship down in the water, doesn’t it look small?”
“It sure does…do you think that it’s father’s ship?”
“No Kristen. That’s a Man-Of-War and the ‘Mysterious’ is a Schooner.”
“I wonder where our fathers are Jaci.”
“I don’t know. Maybe after we find our sisters, if our fathers aren’t back yet, maybe Diana will take us to find them.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Diana walks out onto the deck. “Ladies, we will be arriving at Ocracoke in a little while. I will take Marie with me this time, and the rest of you will need to guard the ship.”
“What about us Diana?” Blue Cloud asks.
“Ah, yes, the magic swords,” she says as a joke. “Since Ocracoke is such a bad place, why don’t you come with us Blue Cloud, and Snow Flower, you stay with Jaimie and the other girls.”
“This should be fun,” Blue Cloud comments as he envisions what he will be able to do with his magic cloak.
Continuing, Diana cautions, “I’ve heard that in Ocracoke only the strong survive; everyone is out to take everything from everyone else. That is why I want more of you guarding the ship. Marie is a fast runner, and I am the strongest with the sword. That’s why we are going together.
“We’re all ready to do what you think is best Diana,” Snow Flower states.
“All I know is that I don’t want to go in there. I’m glad I get to stay on the ship.” Stacey states. “Just be careful Marie. These pirates think nothing of slapping or pinching your butt.”
Marie looks at Stacey, her eyes widen and she looks at Diana in a questioning manner.”
“Don’t worry Marie I won’t leave your side.” Turning to the rest of her crew she says, “This time, I need all of you to put dark paste around your eyes. I noticed that this freaks the other pirates out, when we are wearing
it with the rest of our pirate outfits. Hurry and get ready, in a short while I’ll go back to the helm and I’ll be setting the ship in the water to sail into the harbor.”
“We’ll be ready in just a short time, Diana.”
“Thank you. Remember, we all need to be on guard here; each place we’ve visited becomes worse than the last one.”
Soon, as the ‘Destiny’ is approaching Ocracoke. Diana asks, “Are all of you ready?”
“Yes, we’re ready.”
“Good, I’ll set her down. Jaimie, will you take over the helm at that time?”
“Yes, I’ll be there in a minute, Diana.”
“Remember everyone. While I am gone, Jaimie will be the only one in charge.”
“We know Diana. Jaimie is good at what she does. We’ll do what she asks us to do.”
“I’m here Diana,” Jaimie announces.
Whispering to Jaimie, Diana reports, “There is one more switch that I haven’t told you anything about…if by chance you are attacked and you need help from us, flip this switch up. It will light up the sky, so you can see the attackers better and it will signal us that you are in trouble.”
“…This switch?”
“Yes. Push it up. Daniel told me that it will be the most beautiful thing that anyone has ever seen.”
“…Really? And it will bring light?”
“That’s what Daniel told me.”
Turning around to the other sisters, Diana instructs, “Once again we will leave our ship out in the harbor so that you can see if anyone is rowing toward our ship. Make sure that you stand close enough to the railing so that they will see that the ship has not been left empty.”
“Yes, Diana. We’ll make sure that we look menacing enough that no one will even think of boarding this ship.”
“That’s the spirit, Kristen.”
“I’ll look even meaner than Kristen,” Jaci says in competition.
Smiling Diana responds, “I know that you will Jaci.”
Climbing over the railing, down the rope ladder and into the row boat, Diana rows as Marie and Blue Cloud sit in the boat.
“Why aren’t you rowing the boat, Blue Cloud?” Marie asks.
“I will if you would like me to, but as you can see I am wearing my cloak, and wouldn’t it look funny to see two oars rowing a boat by themselves?”
“That would be quite weird wouldn’t it?” Marie raises her right eye brow and smiles.
“Not only that, but our surprise would no longer be a surprise,” Blue Cloud points out.