Brandy, Ballad of a Pirate Princess by Dan Hendrickson

Author:Dan Hendrickson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dan Hendrickson

Eight Hours Later, Maroon Twenty-five Miles Northeast of Port Royal

John chose this Maroon because even though it was not easily accessible by the sea, it was the seat of the Maroon network of Jamaica. Two centuries earlier, runaway slaves in Jamaica sought refuge with natives of the island. Maroons began to develop around the island where the two oppressed peoples joined forces to protect one another. After the Sailor King freed the slaves in the British Empire, the Maroons began to flourish independently of the main settlements in Jamaica. This one became the unofficial capital of the different settlements and therefore the logical choice to begin the warning.

John is leading the five travelers through the jungle as they approach the first signs of the settlement. He holds up his hand to halt the other members and looks back to Ralphie. “Do you have the signal ready, Mr. Austin?”

“I have it right here, sir.” Ralphie reaches inside his pack and pulls out a bow and arrow set, then puts the pack down, and strings the bow. John puts the arrow to the string and pulls it back, aiming at a tree just inside the camp about twenty-five yards in front of him. The arrow lodges into the tree about five feet off the ground.

Brandy walks forward. “Now what? And what kind of signal did you send them?”

“Now we wait.” He motions for Ralphie to give him another arrow and shows Brandy the markings on the shaft. On the side are little carved figures of fish, and next to them is the figure of a star. “The fish symbols are the ancient signs that Christians used in the Roman Empire to signal to one another who they were. All of the abolitionist ships in the Caribbean use that symbol to let Maroons know who we are. The star is the symbol saying we are from our ship, The Morning Star.”

As John is explaining these details to Brandy, an elderly, dark-skinned man and a young girl walk up. The man is holding the arrow that John shot. John immediately recognizes the two and breaks out a big smile. “Chief Desomond and Jada. I was hoping you would be the ones to see my arrow,” he says.

Chief Desomond ignores John’s outstretched hand and embraces him in a hearty hug. “John Edwards, so good to see you again!” He stops and looks at the rest of the group and to Brandy’s surprise, seems to know everyone in it but her. First, he greets Ralphie. “Ralphie, the last time I saw you was when you were newly signed on with Captain Joshua as his cabin boy, all bright-eyed and ready to become a midshipman someday. Did you ever make it that far under that tough old sea captain?”

Ralphie grins. “Desomond, Captain Joshua made me midshipman three months after that, but now I am third mate on The Morning Star.”

The old chief’s eyes get big and round as he lets out a whistle. “Well, that is wonderful

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