53A/N: Hi all!
So, this is ten pages! I do hope everyone is doing well! This chapter is brought to you by lack of proper sunlight. As well as staying up late. Lol! Thank you to everyone for such kind reviews! It is knowing that someone is eagerly awaiting an update that truly help the writing muses come out. I love and appreciate all of readers and reviewers so much! I do hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave your thoughts, suggestions and opinions in a review or private message.
I thank you greatly! You have a wonderful day!
DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing. This will never change. I have finally come to terms with this truth. The Disney company, history and real life will always own these interesting people.
Chapter2:
-…-….-…-
"You do not have to lean on me."
Those were the words that broke the silence as Ansgar readied his supplies on the table. Glancing over John's shoulder, Pocahontas could see the long needles and thread and she promptly looked away.
"You can then," John said as he straightened up from leaning on her arm, "However hold it firmly as you will flinch."
"I have a tattoo," Pocahontas countered, "Not many of them. I am sure I can handle stitching up a simple wound."
"That may be so," John replied, "However I am sure those were for religious reasons or intended for a tribal ceremony when you were most likely meditating or…-"
"How do you know that?"
She cut him off, unable to hide her surprise over the fact he knew a topic like that concerning her people.
"Lean on your arm," he answered as she obeyed noticing Ansgar ready another alcohol soaked cloth.
It did not hurt any less. Nor did the next one. Through gritted teeth and closed eyes, a few minutes later found the blood still trickling and the small object firmly stuck under the skin in her hand. Letting out a breath, she raised her head and watched as Ansgar rummaged around in a small box.
"I am giving you pain," he spoke as Pocahontas shook her head, "No no, I hurt you and I am sorry. It must be this way. I now give tea that will help you. I am sorry."
"It is alright," Pocahontas said feeling touched at the sincere look in the older man's eyes, "You do not have to give me anything. I do not wish to be any trouble for you."
A moment of quiet fell between them once more as Ansgar pulled out two items to join the others on the table.
A jar and very thin blade.
"This may taste very bad but will feel better soon," Ansgar said as she watched him dip a small wooden spoon in the jar that sat next to the blade and other items.
"This will help with the pain when he goes to cut your hand," John calmly explained whilst Ansgar measured a small amount onto the spoon.
"He has to cut my hand? Why is that?"
She hated the slight rise of panic that laced her words. The last thing she wanted to do was appear weak in front of anyone.
In front of him.
"The gravel is stuck and prodding it will not work."
She watched as Ansgar busied himself near the hearth, the silence ever growing as the older man set a kettle of water to boil and retrieved a small cup from a shelf. Allowing her eyes to fully open and take in her surroundings, Pocahontas found the small room to be tidy yet cluttered. Shelves of differing sizes lined the walls, every available surface being used for some object or jar. A privacy screen leaned against the bottom of her cot and the wall. She noted the thick blankets folded neatly in the corner and the kitchen items on the counter across the room. Every single thing had an odd order to the chaos in the tiny space. Her head turned as John shifted in his chair and she raised an eyebrow at the foreign language they spoke. When no more words appeared to be exchanged, Pocahontas asked a question that'd been plaguing her for some time.
"Why do you speak so harshly to him?"
"What?"
"Ansgar," Pocahontas motioned towards the man across the room, "The way you speak back and forth. It sounds harsh."
"Ah," John's gaze flicked to hers for the briefest of moments, "The language is called German. It is a very old language from Europe. That is just how German sounds however we are not speaking any unkind words to one another."
"That is interesting… Have you always known German?"
"Only a little," John replied, "Thomas knew the couple. Before I left Jamestown, he told me to try and get someone to find Ansgar. He said that he was a good man and knew his profession. I could never afford an actual physician so…"
At this revelation her mouth opened in astonishment, "He treated your wound?"
"Yes."
"That is why…"
'That is why he trusts them.' A voice said in her head whilst her expression softened.
"Were you very ill?"
She inquired suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper. He had brought her here for a simple injury to her hand and the couple had promptly taken her in with no questions asked of her. An uneasy feeling settled somewhere within, though the native could not figure out what exactly pulled at her conscience. The feeling only intensified as she gazed around the room before looking at the cot where she now rested.
'Had he laid here?'
'Of course he had.'
Her mind seemed to answer the question just as it had formed and Pocahontas found no words to convey her thoughts. Her heart pounding against her chest like a drum, she not fully understanding why this simple fact impacted her so deeply.
The princess's musing was broken as Ansgar approached, placing down a cup in front of Pocahontas's uninjured hand. Her dark eyes flicked upwards to John's face as he inquired something in the peculiar language. After Ansgar had replied, an audible sigh was heard as Smith placed a hand to his forehead.
"What is it?"
"I think my friend is giving you too much," he replied as the other man chuckled.
"She will thank me," the German continued as he added honey to the opium tea, "You will start to feel different soon. Let it cool down first and please try not to spit it out when you taste it."
Pocahontas watched as he put away the implements and sat back in his chair.
"Go on," John encouraged after a few minutes had gone by; "Take a small sip."
Hesitantly, Pocahontas picked up the small glass and looked at the yellowish white liquid. Sighing, she took a small sip of the drink and promptly put the glass down on the stand. It took all of her willpower not to splatter the tea all over her dress.
"More honey," Ansgar stated whilst she choked down the mouthful of bitter tea.
"That… That…"
She coughed her eyes watering slightly, "That is simply awful!"
"I know," Ansgar chuckled, "Horrible taste yet you will forget all about it once the tea takes effect."
"I, I must drink this whole cup?"
"Perhaps she only needs just half of that amount," John stated whilst Pocahontas sipped more of the concoction.
Ansgar shrugged, "she will be fine with what I have given her. You do not have to be sparing with the honey my dear."
"Thank you," Pocahontas mumbled, "I must be honest and say that I rather get this over and done."
The native listlessly stirred the tea, adding more of the sweet honey though she doubted the entire pot would ever make it fully palatable. She sighed after swallowing another mouthful while shifting on the cot in order to sit more comfortably. She noted how Ansgar's gaze would flick to her and then towards the front window every few minutes.
Minutes that were starting to drag on and on for the princess. The only sounds being heard filtered through the door from outside the dimly lit room. She noted the wheels against the cobblestone, people's far off voices and the whinny of a horse. It was during a low in the noise when Pocahontas finally looked up at John's face.
"What are we waiting for?"
"The medicine to effect you," John answered whilst Ansgar gazed out the window.
"How, what am I going to feel?"
"It is different for everyone."
"Have you taken it?"
"Yes."
She waited for him to elaborate farther. However, when he remained silent she reached for his hand in order to get his attention.
"Tell me, what will I feel? When is it going to start?"
After a pause he replied, "It should not take long. When you finish the cup it should be about a half an hour. Perhaps even less time than that."
John looked about the room, feeling uneasy of what the effects of this drug may cause her to say or do.
"You have not answered my question," Pocahontas said as she squeezed his hand, "What will happen?"
After a moment's hesitation he replied, "You will feel very warm. You will feel very relaxed and sleepy. I felt as if I were under a heavy blanket. You may experience the same."
Pocahontas arched an eyebrow, "Honestly that sounds dreadful in this heavy dress."
John chuckled and stood as she drank more of the tea, "I can open a window for you to get some fresh air."
This merely caused her to grip his hand tighter, "There is no need for I feel fine now."
"Move up near her head," the captain noticed how Ansgar's voice startled Pocahontas as she at long last finished her tea.
John Smith obeyed, sliding his chair so that it sat where the man had indicated at the left of the bed. The German stood as the woman exhaled a breath in the quiet.
Minutes dragged on, Ansgar situating the items whilst the others looked on. Turning her gaze towards John Smith, he noted how she suddenly jerked when her eyes met his.
"Are you alright?"
"That is a lot of blue… I think… So…"
It came as a long drawn out reply. Placing a hand to his forehead, he spoke in German to Ansgar even as the other lit two candles.
"I know what I am doing," Ansgar snapped in English as John sat back in his chair.
"Look at her eyes."
Unfortunately, Pocahontas had her head down, dark strands framing her face in the candles light.
"Look up, look at me," Ansgar softly said as Pocahontas slowly raised her head. Her wide dark eyes gazed at Smith's azure orbs, the stare so intense that for a fleeting moment he wanted nothing more than to look away. He felt his heart clench, unwanted thoughts invading his mind like an overwhelming army. For an all too brief moment, they gazed at one another through the mist of a waterfall before an intake of breath brought him back to reality. Reaching with his other hand, Smith was able to turn her head towards his friend.
"She is ready," Ansgar said as her large glossy eyes met his, "I can tell by looking at her. Can you feel this?"
John could tell she was out of focus as Ansgar pressed the tip of a needle directly in the wound where he would begin to sew. Pocahontas hardly flinched, however the action was there so the German placed the instrument down on the table.
"I feel… I see what you mean John…"
He tried to ignore the soft way she said his name along with her head leisurely turning in his direction, "I do feel very warm and relaxed. I wish…"
The two men watched as she moved her hands towards the collar of her gown. Once John realized what she was doing, he placed his hand on top of her wrists in order to put them back on the table.
"What?"
Pocahontas shifted, and then fisted her hands as the room tilted and her eyes slammed shut at the sudden spinning motion she felt.
"I… Am… I… Sorry?"
"Prop her up," the German said as John placed pillows behind her back in order for the native woman to sit upright. Pushing the needle into the wound once again, the older man sighed as she didn't move.
"Thank God," he murmured as Pocahontas smiled.
"Why did you let go?"
Though her eyes remained on Ansgar, it appeared she was not truly looking at him as she brought her uninjured hand up to scratch her face.
"I feel hot…"
"No worries," Ansgar said, "Just stay still."
John's hand found hers as she scratched her cheek, "It is alright. There is nothing on your face."
"Crawly things…"
John noted Ansgar's quick work with the needle and thread on Pocahontas's skin. He watched the fingerlike projections of the wound come together as the man deftly sewed. When it came time to cut her in order to extract the object in Pocahontas's hand, John firmly yet gently held her arm in place to prevent any sudden movements. The bloody stone fell off her palm and rolled on the flat surface before coming to rest near the edge. John Smith could not help glaring at the thing as he chucked it across the room, it hitting the wall in the corner.
"Take that cloth and put a little more alcohol on it. Wipe that area I haven't gotten to stitch yet."
"What, you will not say please?"
Smith joked even though his short laugh sounded foreign to his ears.
Ansgar soundly met his eyes, "Why say please when you would swim to France if she needed anything? I may not go to court but I know who I am assisting."
"I asked if you could help a friend of mine and…-"
"Do you forget I treated your wound? You stayed here for months."
The woman suddenly inquired, "Who is France?"
A palpable stillness hung in the air. It settled like a fog, Ansgar's gaze holding for a moment longer before going back to his task.
"I remember things you said," the man's voice seemed to hover in the small space before landing at his next words, "You had many cups of opium tea. We worried greatly through your fevers. I remember the night Eva stayed up with you during one of your fits."
He knew he could never deny all that had been said. All that had been remembered. John Smith was smart enough to discern that he would never truly identify every utterance. The captain looked away as he sighed. The young man desperately wanting to change the subject. Smith narrowed his eyes at the skilled apothecary.
Whilst he willed his heart to freeze.
His salvation came in the form of Pocahontas's laughter, "Fraaaance… Who is it?"
John exhaled in relief as he shook his head. Whatever Eva and Ansgar had heard, it was some years ago and said while the captain had been in pain, infected, suffering from opium withdraw as well as ailments that he could not recall. Besides, the woman sitting here was engaged to a respected gentleman. Smith had been made aware that the Rolfe name had gone back generations of high standing and class in London.
"It is nothing Pocahontas… She is the woman from Virginia that helped and is now successful with securing the peace between…-"
The native interrupted, "Who is France? Is that your mistress?"
"No," john sharply replied, "France is…-"
"What?"
Ansgar could not help the smirk on his face, "I knew you had visited but…-"
"France is a country… It is a very big village Pocahontas. There are many people in this village."
The German raised an eyebrow, "Why must you speak so loud?"
"Pocahontas and I had a diplomatic relationship. Ansgar, why insinuate otherwise?"
No reply came as John dabbed the alcohol soaked cloth across the gash in Pocahontas's hand. She stared off into no particular point, until her gaze landed on Smith's face.
Her eyes brimmed with tears as Ansgar finally put down the needle, cleaned the wound and then started to bandage her right hand.
"I am a diplomat? We… We were… You said… A hun-hundred years…"
"Hush," John began as he swallowed, "It is alright. Ansgar is almost done."
"But you promised… You be with me…"
"Hush…"
A single tear made its way down her face as Ansgar quickly finished his task. Pocahontas's head lulled to one side, her body feeling heavy as if trying to move through wet sand.
"Dip… Dip… Dip-lomat… We ran through a field and had so much fun!"
She laughed whilst falling back against the pillows, "Flowers! I fell on top of you… Sorry… So warm… Miss my dress… Miss home… Home… You… I miss you John Smith."
Ansgar inquired as he stood, "Do you want me to find Mr. Rolfe?"
"What is that?"
John shrugged, "She is not making sense."
"Ha! You… You liar… Flowers… Meadow… Do you understand now?"
"Pocahontas… Hush…"
"I must fetch more supplies and I want to see in on Eva to make certain she does not require anything," Ansgar said as John looked helplessly at the door.
"Has she been gone that long?"
"Have you not heard the bells?"
"Will you go and try to locate John Rolfe? I am certain he is frantic about her."
"I know he lives in London," Ansgar responded, "Do you know a street or something to look for?"
"I can write down his information… I do hope he has not contacted the authorities I mean…-"
Ansgar interrupted John as he put on his coat, "It will not be difficult. Look after her."
He then was gone, shutting the door after grabbing his things.
The captain was left in the house as Pocahontas slumped to her side. She now lay facing him, her arms out in front of her so that the tips of her fingers brushed his knee. John observed his friend had thankfully removed all the items from the table so there had been nothing for Pocahontas to cut herself on as she moved.
"Help…"
"It is alright…"
Sighing, John with Pocahontas's feeble attempts undid the clasps of her soiled gown. The thing was covered in grit and blood from the fall and the corset tightly laced preventing her from taking a full breath.
"Better… So much… So… So… So… Question… Ah… Is the sewing done?"
"Yes," John answered as he tossed the garments onto a bench.
"What… Don't know if I like this medicine…"
"It will wear off soon," John replied as Pocahontas stretched.
She now lay flat against the pillows, her cotton shift edging to her knees. John glanced at her face as she yawned, her arms folded across her chest. Her head turned towards him, soulful brown eyes meeting his blue.
"I feel so safe with you…"
He was not certain how much more he could take. A night of interrogation in the tower was more preferable than this. Better than having to look upon the woman who chose another, whilst cursing himself for not going after her in the first place.
'Why fates torment me at this time?'
'Is that why you stopped to help?'
Smith shook his head, wanting nothing more than to look away from her face.
"Pocahontas… Please… You do not understand what you are saying. It is the medicine causing you…"
The captain's voice trailed off as her left hand found his, she raising it to her lips placing a gentle kiss on his skin.
"I comprehend… But you… I am just… Just… Diplomat… If…"
Pocahontas lowered her uninjured hand, thus putting John's palm near where her neck and shoulder meet. He could merely stare down at her as she cradled his hand, a sad smile blooming on her beautiful face.
"Diplomat…"
"No," his voice was strained, "No… God, no… Pocahontas…"
"Did you see something?"
John froze as his mind recognized the playful tone, "Look again…"
"Stop… Go to sleep."
The native giggled, "Anything you want!"
"You liked willow…"
He watched her lips move, her speech becoming more languid. Her dark eyes fluttering shut, her grip slackened.
"Own land…"
"What did you say?"
He leaned closer, her breath against his cheek as she sighed. It may have been a small turn of someone's head but their lips softly met. The native's mouth slightly parted, causing the captain to pull away as if cold water had been thrown on him.
For if he did not, the thinning ice around his heart would melt. He knew the gushing words he longed to say to her, knew how his body desired to hold and kiss her. John Smith backed away, letting go of her hand and smoothing down the front of his shirt. He could tell by Pocahontas's deep even breaths that she had finally drifted to sleep.
That fact only left him with a single prayer to God that someone would hastily return. Letting out a shaky breath, John Smith waited for deliverance.
-…-..—End of chapter 2….-….-…-