Port Royal, Jamaica
Seriously Millicent Did he look that scary, bright eyes filled with intrigue for adventure and the unknown leaned forward anxious for her best friend to continue the tale.
Scary me se, him were a pach over him eye like so, Milicent covered one eye.
A brief silence passed between the two before they errupted into cackles of laughter.
Straddling a large tree branch, the two young girls sat and spoke of the seedy pirates that frequented the port.
Port Royal was a popular safe haven for pirates and a commodity due to its location of easy access to their prey on the trade routes.
It was a fascination they held speaking about the privateers turned to debauchery and mutiny.
If her nanny or mother ever gets wind of such talk, she would surely be chastised. A young miss as she, innocent and cloistered should not know what goes on beyond the walls to her plantation home.
But, if it weren't for her friend Millicent that snuck around those parts, she would never know about such things.
They were different as night and day. Where Millicent was native to these parts she had that rich Carribean hue of beautiful dark caramel skin, long black tight curly hair, and deep brown eyes. Where as Tempest was the total opposite. She grew up in these parts. Her skin was proof of many days playing in suns rays giving her a peaches and cream gold tan. She had wild chestnut brown hair and luminous dark aquamarine eyes that resembled the dangerous waters of the Sargasso Sea, therefore her father named her Tempest.
The noon day caught them happily lounging in one of the tall trees nearing the sugarcane fields her grandfather owned. Hot humid air mixed with salty tropical breeze brushed over them both as they enjoyed their day.
They soon fell into whispers and soft laughs until her name was called.
Sitting upright they peered through the branches watching her nanny search for her. They giggled as the elderly woman called to her flushed with the midday heat, fanning her face and holding up her skirts carefully as she walked stumbling over uneven ground.
As she came closer she stopped just a few footsteps away from them.
Tempest! She shouted again looking high and low for the girl that held a mischievous grin in the branches above her.
When the woman bellowed again, Tempest answered her from above in the tree.
I am up here Nanna Jospehine, she said.
Smiling at Millicent she turned to watch the woman spin around and look up then gasp.
Young Lady! Get down from there this instant. Josephine shook her head.
Tempest shook her head playfully and giggled at the elder woman stomping and fuming in anger.
No.
Tempest get down this instant or I will tell your father of your borish and unlady like behavior, she stomped again pointing to the ground.
Tempest scowled crossing her arms before her.
You betta go, Millicent shook her head with a smile.
Giving up the stand off she shimmied down the tree with ease until she landed on the pads of her bare feet before Josephine.
Good Heavens! Look at you Tempest. Josephine shook her head.
Horrified she gave a Tempest a disapproving once over.
There is not enough time in this day we have left to get you ready, her gaze rested on Tempests rumpled gown, wild hair and dirty bare feet.
Time for what Nana Tempest frowned at the woman's perplexed look as she frantically began to pace and fan herself.
Why to get you ready dear girl. We have dinner guests arriving in an hours time. By the time we return it will not be enough time to ready you. It's very important you attend. Josephine huffed.
She stopped pacing as she heard Tempest giggle.
You're so silly nana. Georgette can take us back. She laughed.
Josephine stiffened and looked up to Tempest as she pointed behind her.
She turned to look at Georgette and paled.
With a scrunched up nose and disdainful stare she watched the scraggely beast tied to a tree, snort and switch its tail to swat away the flies on its back.
She turned then to Tempest with her nose in the air.
I will do no such thing. I will not go near that....nag..look at her she can barely stand up straight.
Tempest shrugged off the insult of her horse that once belonged to her grandfather.
Suit yourself I will ride back alone then.
You will not. If your father sees you riding that thing back home...bareback!!!...he will have my head on a platter. Now let us walk with haste we don't have time, she began to step forward.
With a glum look she waved to Millicent that still sat in her spot and waved back staring at Tempest and Josephine walking off towards their home.
Shaking her head, Milicent smiled as the older woman fussed with her friend as they continued on... to walk straight, hold your head up, don't sulk so....
In no time she was rushed through the kitchens towards the back steps leading to her room where her two maids Lily and Ernestine worked fast to get her ready.
She was dunked in a tub of water where she was scrubbed clean under the disappointing huffs of her nanny that began cleaning the grime from beneath her nails. In a blur, she was lifted out of the filmy perfumed water and dried off then sat on her chair.
Nervously, Ernestine dried and combed her unrully tresses as the curly wet strands seemed difficult to tame.
