FAR FAR FROM SHADE, SEPTEMBER 1767:
Down the road the chariots and horses hopped up and down with loads and goods, and even oxes with a truck load attached to their backs. And down the market dead busy with numerous activities, some ladies sang to and fro.
"The slaves seem to be very familiar with you," said a woman in her late 40s, dressed in a long ankle flare gown, sandals and a butterfly hat and scarf round her neck. She stood smiling wryly with a folded arm which a little basket hung on.
The addressee, a man in his early 50s sharply turned as he backed her. For a moment he was silent, but then spoke, "Eva. . ."
He however expressed a smile and made to move to her but stopped, he just then was conscious of his brace compass clocking constantly, and he slowly lifted his face on to her. She howbeit noticed and the cheer on her face drastically began to fade away. But to maintain her earlier state, he simulated a smile which was quite convincing, but not enough to convince a woman like that.
"It's been long Eva," he said walking to her with his simper.
"Indeed Castle, which is important we talk," she said and turned walking away from him with anticipation he'd follow her, and of course, he tagged along.
A minute later she led him to a dress maker's shop and he walked behind her.
"Good morning Mrs. Jones," the shop owner, a chubby bald headed white man greeted.
"Good morning Mr. Mallow," she cheerfully responded placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Would you mind if we use the inner room for a moment, please?"
He then turned and stared at Castle from head to toe disgustingly and replied, "With this black man, alone?"
"He's a free man Mr. Mallow, and you'll treat him as such," she defended with a little bit of strictness applied.
"Oh my! Apologies Mr. . ." He offered a hand shake to Castle.
"She asked you something," Castle said without a sense of humor ignoring the hand offer.
"Oh that! Have it all you want, you both," he hastily replied forcing a smile.
"Thank you Mr. Mallow," She appreciated and slightly moved her head towards the inner room as a gesture to Castle.
"Funny to say but, he has the same nose and eyes as Willow, funny," Mr. Mallow teased giggling.
"That's really not funny, Mr. Mallow," she stopped and said with a straight look.
"Absolutely, not a chance," He strongly averred feigning seriousness as he turned and faced his work.
They proceeded to the inner room, nevertheless he turned and watched them at the very last minute before wholly making it in.
"It's been 27 years and the first impression you render is violence?" she said unpleasantly.
"What are you talking about?" He asked in total confusion.
She forcefully pulled his hand from his body up forward and pointed at the compass on his wrist.
"This! I'm disappointed in you Castle," her words were influenced with emotional pain.
He swung his hand and turned away.
"How did you become this, a werewolf?" His words as well filled with pain.
"I was born like this. My mother was a werewolf but not my father."
"That's impossible!" He vigorously turned to her. "The werewolves I've come across don't age, yet you do?"
"You claim to be a hunter yet you know nothing of what you hunt."
He lacked words to say so she continued, "There's a pack of only alphas, six in number and they are tasked with the protection of a missing wolf's jewel, a pearl. They're immortals and their descendants as well. Only werewolves made by them can live forever, but the rest age, and my mother wasn't made by them."
"I never knew of that," he admitted.
"Yet you hunt," she raised and placed a hand on his cheek. "The man I used to love wouldn't be that stupid and ignorant to let himself be influenced by masters. You still are not free Castle, after all I've heard you've achieved."
"Don't say that Eva," he moved himself away from her touch. "I'm a free man, right from the very day I escaped your father. I've been free hence and I achieved alot as you say."
"You have a family yet you risk your life to rid your wife of her husband, your wards of their father. What's your wife's name even?"
"Anita," he replied softly.
"Your children?"
"William and Julian."
She was quiet for a moment and then suddenly voiced out, "I thought you'd come back for me."
At the sound of that his heart melted and lips left opened, staring at her with bags under his eyes.
"I waited, day after day," she continued. "Everyday I still see the road that led you away from me, still with hopes I would see you somewhere down the same road," she then moved to and this time placed two hands on his both cheeks. "I never stopped loving you Castle. When I heard rumors of your presence from the workers I couldn't believe it, and all I longed for was just to get a glance of you ones again, a touch and know how it feels. I've forgotten how your touch feels like, your smile, everything," she teared.
He looked sombre, couldn't help the urge pushing him to her, he was nostalgic and weak.
"I'm sorry," he apologized softly bringing down her hands from his face. "I now love the mother of my sons. But one thing for sure you should know, I. . ."
"Mother! Mother!! Mother," a young beautiful lady with long curled hair, in her middle 20s came calling as she held her long gown to enable her fasten freely. She suddenly froze staring at them both as she opened the curtain to the inner room, with Mr. Mallow just resting on his knees as he ran after to stop her from intruding.
"I tried to stop her, believe me Mrs. Jones," Mr. Mallow explained.
"Willow," Eva called jolting her from her distraction.
"Yes mother!" She startled. "There's an emergency back at the quarter," she reported still channeling her pupils at Castle.
"Focus Willow," Eva held her by the arm.
"A maid is very ill and is helpless to treatment, so I sought out to get you at once as ordered," she moved her tongue really fast in briefing.
"Bring him to the quarter immediately," Eva said and headed out.
"Wait what?" Willow sought but then it was too late, for her mother had just climbed the horse and rode away.
"Mother. . .! That's my horse," she gave a nagged complain but it fell to deaf ears.
"Willow, huh?" Castle spoke standing next to her.
She slowly turned and gave him an odd look from head to toe then asked, "You're my mother's paramour, aren't you Mr?"
"N-no," he grimaced. "You shouldn't speak like that of your mother."
"Well, she has been cold hearted to men since, wonder why your hands were held so passionately and so close together. Mhm!" She exclaimed and began walking on as she held her flare gown.
"So how's your grandfather?" He asked as he tagged along.
"You mean Mr. Jones?"
"Y-yes, your mother's father, your grandfather."
"I call him Mr. Jones, he never liked me and me neither. Never for one's called me his grand daughter."
"Why?"
"Isn't it obvious? The old man was a freaking racist and am a brown child for Christ sake, conceived of a black man for a careless father!" She grunted as she got stuck in the footpath of the muddy road.
"Here, spread your arms," he instructed and when she did, he held away in his arms and walked her to the end of the road, to a clearer path in the woods.
"Thank you Mr, you're such a gentleman," she appreciated just as she got down, with a brawl smile expressed on her face.
"No wonder my mother chose you," she added gently tapping his chest.
He shrugged his shoulders and then she hastily asked, "What's that on your wrist, a compass I presume?"
He quickly hid his hand to the back.
"Uhm. . . Yes, helps me find my way. After all that's what a compass does, is it not?"
"Let me see," she immediately got a hold of his hand and he however let her, after all, he was sure she wouldn't comprehend it.
"It's pointing right at me," she said and steered his hand to another side, yet the arrow in it roundly made its navigation to her. "Hmm, that's strange, does it likes me?"
Immediately, a group of rascal dirty looking men showed up behind her, as they were still in the scanty woods. Their laughter was silly, they smelled like liberty given pigs.
"Why don't you pick a lady your size, old man?" One of them came at Castle with dirty mustache and beard, scattered.
"This one fits us better, isn't that so boy. . .s? " He threw to his friends and they all burst into loud belly laugh.
"Ew!" She spit out grimacing. "You stink like fart!"
"What say you little scum!?" The assumed leader faced her finding her last words offensive.
Making to grab her hand violently he received a stamp kick from Castle, and down the sloppy ground he rolled. The four others attacked, and as Castle clenched his fist and waited patiently for them, he heard a sudden war cry coming from behind to the front. It was Willow, with a few flying kicks and punches, plus a few spinning kicks, she was left alone standing above the rascals. She then dusted her dress from the shoulder, then held up her gown and playfully jumped over the bodies on her toes to Castle.
As he began the watch a short while earlier, so did his face remained in surprise even after.
"Let's go," she smirked and led the way once again, hopping from side to side playfully, and humming a song softly.
"Wow!" He exclaimed and smiled slightly, then walked along.
Almost an hour later, they were at their destination. A wide vegetation filled with workers, working on different things, all black skinned. As they spotted Willow, they stopped working and greeted her heartily with cheerful expression on each of their faces. However she responded back in her usual playful acts. They indeed were pleased at her sight, so it seemed. Walking further, some of the high workers stopped what they were doing, but not for Willow this time but for Castle. They seemed to be well familiar with him and were just so desperate and anxious staring at him. He as well stared back at them expressing an average smile, and he would slightly bow or nod his head when he passed a familiar face lost staring at him.
"What took you so long?" Eva asked standing on the upper steps, drying her hands with a piece of rag.
"We had problems with some boys in the woods," Castle beat Willow in replying.
"Let me guess, and she was all over the place flying like a spider monkey, yeah?"
"Where did she learnt that?" He asked.
"Come, I'll tell you myself," Willow holding his arm against her pulled him passed Eva.
"Take it easy you little girl in an adults body," Eva stressed her voice as Willow hurried him off.
"Does she know?" An old black skinned women asked just meeting Eva.
Eva shook her head silently.
"It is wiser if she finds out from you, than from a stranger or people around here," the old woman advised and walked on.
After a while of standing dormant in a place, Eva moved to and leaned by a pillar, watching Willow with Castle sitting on a bench with a twinkle in her eyes. Willow was happy, she shot and punched the free air in demonstration and backup of her story. Castle however played along pretty well, finding her fun and humorous at the same time.
"So tell me, how's it that you're free?" She stopped and asked.
"Well, I ran from my master to a far away land," he replied breaking down his laughter.
"So are you happy out there?"
"Yes, very happy."
"Tell about it," she demanded happily as earlier she thought otherwise.
"I live in a very small village far far away from here, Shade it is called."
"Family you have?"
"Yes, a beautiful woman and two grown up boys."
"Wow!" She applauded avidly. "What are their names, their age? I would want to see them and maybe pick a suitor."
He chuckled softly and replied, "William is the eldest and he's 25, Julian the youngest, 23."
"Uuh. . ." She expressed dejection. "Both my juniors. But you'll take me back to Shade with you right? I've heard a lot about it and the founder."
"From who?"
"My mother, she seemed to have interest in it."
"Did she happen to mention the name of the founder?"
"No, do you know?" She gushed in curiosity.
He mouthed to talk but the voice of Eva calling on to Willow over shadowed his.
"What's it again mother?" She nagged.
"Go make lunch for our guest," Eva instructed walking to join them.
"Great!" Willow jolted up walking away, but then she suddenly stopped, walked back and embraced Castle warmly, cuddling her head on his chest. "Your boys are lucky to have you, wish I was your daughter too."
He also embraced her back, softly stroking her hair with his chin placed on her back. Eva however stared with remorse in her eyes, then made to pull her from him. "That's enough, go have it Willow."
"She's a wonderful girl," he complimented as she watched her leave.
"How many of you came?" Eva immediately asked.
"Four, I'm sorry."
"Well she needs more than just those petty words, she needs her father."
"Exactly," he averred instantly. "Where's her father, who's he?"
"You are Castle, you're her father."
The air was suddenly cold brushing on the exposed part of his body, the silence dead as graveyard, and the distance activities of the workers miles away could be heard indistinctly. That's how tense the silence stroke.
"What say you?" He finally asked.
"Isn't obvious already?" She replied confidently sitting down. "She's half cast, brown skin, the resemblance and attachment."
"How?"
"Don't be such a schmuck. We had intercourse several times and even the night you left we did, and I was pregnant. I've never been with another man before or hence. My father hated her because of you till he died, even people out there tend to look at me as a shame to our skin color."
"Why didn't you tell her about me?"
"I did, I just didn't mentioned your name or that I was telling her of her father. I didn't know you were ever coming back, and she's quite adventurous and would've set out to find you."
"I have a daughter," he muttered smiling. "She's my little girl, yes! William and Julian will be so glad to know this."
She was quite relieved seeing it went well, earlier being worried with doubts and presuming its possible difficulties. But as nothing last forever, her smile began loosing it's width, worries taking mantle as the thought of Willow's wide nature brushed her mind.
"What's it?" He mellowed asking.
"She's were, and you're a hunter. Your code goes against that. And tonight is full moon, not just any but blood full moon. We become stronger than usual, and if we're discovered by your friends. . ."
"I won't let anything happen to you two," He quickly held her hand. "I promise, no harm will come to you and Willow, not while am here."
"You also have a family waiting for you at home, if they find out. . ."
"You're my family too, Willow is, and I thought my sons never to live a family behind no matter what, and I'll have to lead by example."
Night came, and as the moon set up high in it's bloody nature, the cries and sounds influenced by pain was heard down the basement in the house. As usual all the domestic workers were locked in their rooms, and only Castle stood guard, right at the entrance.
Suddenly, the sound of horses neighing and hooves hitting the ground was loud enough, approaching the front side of the quarter where Castle formed and stood his perimeter. The three horses halted and three men came down from each, then walked to Castle all with hats.
"I can see you got to the location before us," one of the hunters said.
"What location?" He asked.
And immediately, there was a loud thud from inside and the hunters smiled, except for Castle whose hand held a gun to the back.
"That," the spokes hunter pointed. "You wanted to take the glory all alone, sorry Castle, let's descend some beasts."
"Who gave you the leads?" Castle asked.
"Never mind," one of them responded from behind. "Just step aside Castle."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he declined bad pointed his pistol at them.
They immediately made for their guns but he dared them. "I dare you to. You have to remain calm and allow this night pass. As you can see, they're safely locked away and are not hurting anyone."
"Why are you doing this?" One of them asked.
"Because they're my family. They didn't asked for this, they were born like this and they're trying their best to contain themselves and not cause casualties."
"That's nonsense," a hunter said and attempted making out his firearm but went down instantly, and Castle's gun was left smoking all over.
"Family first," he said and ran from sight to take shield, as he took is only and single shot and needed time and cover to reload.
The two remaining hunters also discharged their single shot at him and it went wasted. The aimless gun fight continued for a short while and soon went silent, they all ran out of ammo. However the fight never stopped but extended to another level all together. It was an unequal and unfair fight being two against one, and he suffered dearly at the course. But with the view of the quarter habitats from the window, they got out with their rifles and forced the enemies to surrender.