The Fancy by Mercedes Keyes, Lawrence James Read Free Book Online Page A

find edible greens,
    roots, fungi and herbs the tribes used to make
    medicine that was also their food – their diet that
    kept them strong, only for them to fal under the
    sword, the cannon, the armies. She equipped each
    of her daughters with these skil s, and then sent them
    off with a prayer to her gods that they survive and the
    blood of the Powhatan not end – but grow stronger
    with the blood of the African and yes, eventual y, the
    white man. “Wel ? Let me hear it.” He brought her
    back from that place her mind had wondered off to.
    She gulped, said a bit of a prayer, and then
    spoke, “I – I do not – want you – to share me, wit’
    otha' men.” She looked up, straight into his eyes, “I
    belong, to you – you keep me, but – for you – nobody
    but you. Please masta' – ah – Quinton.”
    His body suddenly drained of the lust fil ed
    energy of moments before, seeing the look in her
    eyes, and the request she would have his word on –
    it was the last request he expected to hear. “You
    have my word, Suga, I would not consider, sharing
    you with another.”
    She nodded, “And you keep me, 'til the day I
    die, or, the day you die?” She bravely added.
    Quinton threw his head back howling with
    laughter, he couldn't help himself, “Suga, if I didn't
    know any better, I'd think you were setting me up for
    a vow of honor, holding me to a pledge of marriage
    before God!” He chuckled, however she didn't share
    his humor, she was serious; regardless of how he
    saw it.
    “You keep me, like I say?”
    Because she was serious, he sighed once
    more, sobering to give his consent, “Al right, Suga,
    I'l keep you – as you said. For me and only me –
    until the day that I die – you have my word of honor
    as a gentleman.” He smiled, “You happy now?”
    She gave her hesitant slight smile and nodded.
    “Now that I've made such a vow, it would bring
    me pleasure to see a brighter smile – wil you honor
    me with such a treat, yes - Suga?” He coaxed gently,
    smiling himself.
    She nodded, and smiled wider, licking her dry
    lips, she showed straight clean teeth, for him.
    “Ah, that's better – much better. How much
    longer wil you be here? I have studying to do,
    journaling, I can't very wel find my mind focused on
    those things with you out here.”
    “Don't worry 'bout me masta' – uh – Quinton, I
    take care myself.”
    “That very wel may be, even so, I'd just as soon
    you be inside, where I can hear you about, know that
    you're okay.”
    Suddenly they heard a growling sound, Suga's
    gown was shifting and twisting below the waist, they
    looked down to see the puppy tugging at it, growling
    and playing with her skirt hem.
    “Ah, now then! Stop that you!” Quinton bent and
    picked the puppy up, looking into his multi colored
    face, split in half by brown and white, a black thin
    strip separating the two colors.
    “What are we to cal you?” The pup began
    grunting and whimpering, its thick legs and massive
    paws flailing to get down.
    “The man whom gave him, said he was to be a
    moose.” He informed her, smiling. “What would you
    suggest?” He asked Suga,
    “He is yours after al ; he wil protect you when
    I'm away and cannot.” He further explained to her.
    “Moose-Taima – we'ah cal him.”
    “Moose-Taima is it? Sounds fine by me, why
    Taima?” Quinton asked, sitting him back to the
    ground.
    “To the Powhatan, Taima – is thunder. He gone
    be big one day, like a moose, and when he bark,
    gone be like thunder.”
    She smiled after saying that, as if proud,
    because the smile was bright, unafraid. Seeing her
    face right then, made Quinton's heart take off
    beating so, it felt as if reacting to the sound of
    thunder.
    “Powhatan? They are legendary, the tribe of
    Pocahontas, she went to England, sat before the
    queen, and sadly died upon her return here. You are
    from that tribe?”
    “My mother.” She answered simply.
    He found that it was hard at times to look away
    from