The Elder Origins (3 page)

             
“You will see soon sister. It will be a few months of building and painstaking work to build our new home. Undoubtedly, this will be rough as our hands have not met hard labor in quite some time. But we will build our own future. We will make this place our own. It
is
our own now.”

             
Madison turned to face him, trying to put her faith in his words. His eyes did not meet hers. Rather, they looked forward, seeing the potential in the land before them. She looked forward as well trying to see what he did so effortlessly.

             
“I believe you,” she said, choosing to not let him see into her concerns. “This is where we will rebuild everything we have lost. Soon England will be a distant memory.”

             
Jamison smiled again and rubbed her shoulder in reassurance. It was these small gestures that made Madison feel a pain of guilt in her stomach. She knew that as her brother and her only provider that her faith should lie within him, that she should follow him without a doubt in the world and that he knew what was best for both of them. But as their small boat touched the sands and Jamison stepped off, splashing water about from beneath his boots, her fears returned without any yielding.

             
Madison set her feet upon the pebbled ground and made her way towards the sands only feet away, all the while never taking her eyes off the forest before her. The two cliffs she had seen from the ship lined the edge of the forest leading to what appeared to be a valley on the other side. Its profound beauty was undeniable. Birds sang around her and looped in a circle surrounding their small boat behind them. Jamison took her hand and led her toward the wooded area before them. She hesitated and pulled back on his arm for a moment as she took in the large scale of trees towering over them, their dark brown and green branches loomed over their heads as if they were pointing to the sea behind them.

             
“Come now, let us explore a little,” he said.

             
“Should we not wait for the others? We don’t know what is-,” he cut her off before she could finish.

             
“We will not venture out far. I only want to see what lay beyond these trees. I see light coming from behind them. Can you not see it?”

             
“We can see it from here, Jamie,” she said.

             
“Oh, come now. You are starting to bother.” He tugged her arm by the wrist. “Honestly, Madison, I expect you to be braver in the coming months. You always claim that your sex is not given enough credit. Now prove it.” The fact that he would chose now to keep her true to her principles was almost as irritating as the hand that guided her unwillingly into the forest.

             
The woods were quiet, although not silent. Any quieter and it may have unsettled Jamison as well. But his intrigue for what lay ahead guided him to the valley they could faintly see through the trees. Madison followed with haste trying to keep up with his curious pace. They came upon the outline of the trees to the grassy valley. A streaming light shown along the skirt of the sides and flowers trailed throughout the grassy ground. It was indeed pleasing to the eyes and well protected by the cliffs towering on each side. They steadied down to the valley and rolling hills just in the distance, and then more forestry along the edges of those hills. It appeared as though this valley had been specially carved from the earth just for their purpose. It was also a fair area to begin building as the stream would provide water. Although, it was still too soon to know if this was their new home. It had to be determined if animals lived nearby for hunting, if crops could be grown, and if there was an area to lookout for protection. For now Madison attempted to take in the wondrous landscape before her, which was truly more beautiful than any sight she had previously beheld in England. Their previous home had become dreary, dark, damp, and colder than she thought possible. And this area was protected from the harsh winds that always left her skin raw back home. Only a light breeze from the sea touched her frame now. The mixture of the scent of the green grasses, the pine, and sea was unlike any fragrance she had taken in.

             
Jamison led them to the small stream and took out a small jug that once held wine. He filled it to the brim and stored it back safely into his tunic pocket under his coat. Madison turned and saw others coming through the border of the trees to gaze upon the beautiful colors that spread across the grass running along the valley. Smiles broke across their faces as if all their doubts or fears had suddenly been silenced.

She glanced over to the other side of the trees opposite her. A slight movement caught her eyes and she gazed heavily towards a small figure opposite her. He was
large enough to see, but one could miss him easily as he barely moved. He only observed. He was hardly clothed that she could see and his black hair fell across one shoulder and down the length of his chest just as her own did when she did not have it tied up tightly beneath cloth. And his skin was darker than Jamison’s became in the warmth of summer. But before she could observe anything else about him, he was gone. So quickly that it was quite possible that she had never seen him.

             
She walked a short distance to the woods and glared into the darkness behind the trees. They were too misty from the morning dew to see anything. And yet she was certain she had seen someone. Perhaps someone else within their party had followed them. But she did not know of any other women on board the ships who had long black hair. She knew not of any man in their party with hair that long or thick either. And his bare chest, she was sure he was only partially clothed.

             
“What do you make of it? Could you be happy here?” asked Jamison. Madison turned quickly as he broke her train of thought.

             
“Yes. Quite happy.” She nodded with a soft smile, her eyes wondering to look closer at the valley beyond them. Perhaps it had been one from amongst their group. There was great reason for excitement amid the crew and the passengers. She could expect some to walk around without the slightest apprehension.

             
Jamison broke her silent thoughts again.

             
“Come along. There is much to get done before nightfall. Perhaps some of the men would be willing to explore for food. There must be animals close to shore.”

             
“I will leave that to you men. Simply bring me whatever you find and I will do what I can for a meal.”

3

3 Months Later

Time passed quickly with nothing of consequence disturbing their new home. There was no longer any reason for Madison to feel uneasy. The weather was mild, although they expected that to change and prepared for a bleak winter in the months to come. Living in the harsh cold of England taught them to adapt to almost anything and prepare for the worst should it be necessary. They knew better than to be fooled by the landscape’s lovely appearance upon first glance when it came to preparing for a long winter that was bound to come.

The clay and wooded lo
gs they found near shore helped to create small lodgings that appeared more like huts. Yet they were as stable as anything they had created in the small townships of England. Any scraps that could be found upon shore were used for roofing and it proved to work well. Madison even admired her brother’s work as he tended to each lodging of the crew. He worked with everyone to make sure each home was up to his own adequate standards. If not better than anything they had previously. Only those of high gentility could build large homes that would survive the rain and brutal wind. Yet these appeared just as strong. Jamison took great pains to make sure everyone had proper stability in their private quarters. Much to Madison’s surprise, he had almost taken on the position of caring for the outcome of everyone’s comfort. He desperately wanted a place in this new village they had formed together and saw it essential to their continuity. He also told Madison that she should do the same and make as many acquaintances as possible. Her silent nature that she took under during their journey would not be ideal for their new life. She needed to know these people and to learn what mattered to them. Jamison said it was not only necessary, but Christian. She was always surprised by his perception of how a proper Christians should behave. Others in England had been shunned and repudiated and sometimes killed in the name of a God she always felt unfamiliar with. But Jamison took this God within himself as a being of light and charity. He never withheld his hand from one who asked for help and did his utmost best to treat others as though they were of his family. Strangers were friends, and friends were family. Although, she knew no one could replace her in his eyes. He often looked at her knowing that she was his only companion. They depended upon each other for that companionship in a way no one outside their circle could alter.

             
Jamison’s tanned trousers and white tunic were nearly soaked in sweat from the day’s heat as he stood atop one man’s lodging, binding together one of the roofs they had built with a type of thin rope, possibly once used on the ship for the same purpose of binding. His shoulder length dark brown hair was tied behind his neck, pieces of it slipping in front of his light blue eyes, almost translucent in the harsh light of the sun. He had become quite bronzed from working so many long weeks in the heat. He relished the warmth it provided them and took it in as often as he could; not ever having been familiar with such warmth as their previous climate had turned violent with cold. He jumped down from the roof top and landed perfectly on his feet admiring his work as Madison watched nearby.

             
She opened her mouth to speak, but then hesitated. She was not sure whether or not Jamison would believe her being that there had been no sign of others on this land for months. Nevertheless, Madison felt certain that they were being watched on a consistent basis. On more than one occasion she could swear that she heard the footsteps of horses walking nearby. She dared not look outside their quarters to see for herself and argued in her own mind that she was just hearing noises of the night. But it was happening more and more. She told him merely of slight movements she had seen in the woods and Jamison insisted it was probably wild animals. If anything, they were a good sign because they would have food consistently throughout the seasons. The animals seemed to like the flowers and grasses that grew in the valley, and they were not afraid of people. Madison thought this odd, and a sure sign that others resided nearby. For the most part, she kept her suspicions to herself.

She felt a slight sense of guilt for doubting her brother’s resolve at times. These new lands were still mysterious to them, and yet he was very self-assured that this decision was for the best. Their group of ships had been so small that the other villagers and people from local townships thought their mission to seek new lands was beyond any practical sense. And yet Jamison accepted that the current circumstances of warfare were too overwhelming to protect Madison.  They had been lucky once, and it would not happen again.

She hoped that his assertion of what was best for her would not soon translate into deciding whether or not she should marry upon arrival in this new land. Her sole desire now was to make the best of this land as she could. 

Madison’s skin grew tan alongside her brother’s from the warmth of the sun. The stream continuously provided fresh water and animals were brought back from the forests and on an almost daily basis. Her faith began to grow in her brother’s choice. If they had not been near starving and without a home when Jamison met these voyeurs, she would have thought his actions completely irrational, if not irresponsible. Yet her frame had grown slightly in appearance already in a few short months and her health greatly improved.

              Now well-fed, properly nourished, warm, dry and in good company, she felt no immediate need to tell Jamison of the young boy she had seen or her feelings of watchful eyes grazing nearby.

*
**

Madison sat up sharply on the pad of bedding that lay beneath her. For the first time in months since the boat journey, her long auburn hair was soaked at the roots and her body began to shake. Whether from fear or the cool night air, she was uncertain. But she knew that a loud noise had awoken her.

              She leapt from her bed to Jamison across the small room.

             
“Wake up, Jamie. Wake up,” she said as she shook him. He stirred and grabbed for her arm. He tried to sit up, but she stopped him, bringing her finger to his mouth to silence his protest. “No, listen,” she whispered. His eyes wondered away from her. And there it was again, a cracking and then the sound of hooves. A horse whined nearby and a loud crash followed. Jamison sat up quickly and stood towards their small door to peer outside. Then the sound of a man grunting as he fell back to the earth, clearly thrown from the startled creature.

             
Jamison reached for the closest thing he could, a mere rake by the door and ran outside. A horse bucked yards from him and a man leapt onto its back. It was difficult to see anything except for his back, but there was long blackened hair. The feathers of a white bird draped his backside and his slacks looked similar to the ones Jamison wore; only they were a pale yellow made of skins. His skin was darker than any Jamison or Madison had ever seen. Even with darkness all around, they could see that he was not of their people. And before either Jamison or Madison could witness another feature to his garb or his appearance, he and his horse rode off into the distance. Others in the trees joined him, appearing as no more than shadows in the expanse as they forged ahead into the woods away from them before disappearing.

             
Madison stared into the distance along with Jamison, her thin night gown swaying with the quiet breeze. Jamison turned to her with a remorseful look in his eyes. He could not look at her directly.

             
“This is the first time they have ventured this close,” he said solemnly.

             
“What do you mean? You knew of this?”

             
“Of course I knew. I did not wish to frighten you,” he hollered.

             
“But you lead me to believe that we were the only ones here. You said -,”

             
“I lied,” he answered quickly. “I knew it naïve to believe that we were the only ones here.”

             
Madison took a step forward, forcing him to look at her now. “Where have you seen them? They have been near before?” she asked him.

             
“We have been finding horse tracks and human ones close by from the moment we arrived. But they are discrete. We thought they would not bother us. At best, I was hoping they would not find us of any interest.”

             
Madison shook her head. “I have felt their intrusive eyes upon us before,” she said.

             
“I know. I saw you staring into the woods. We have all felt their presence. But if we were meant to meet them before, God would have willed it. Perhaps they are merely curious. I hardly think they will consider us a threat of any kind.”

             
“You don’t know that, Jamie,” she said, her voice now rising. “This could be happening all over again.”

             
Jamison quickly placed his hand atop her mouth and hushed her as others began to come out from their own quarters. They were clearly not the only ones to hear the commotion as others had daggers and weapons in their hands as well.

             
“This is not like before, Madison. We are not in a state of war. God wanted us to have this land. He brought us here. These people are merely curious. This land had once been theirs and now they are accompanied by strangers. They want to know of us, that is all.”

             
Jamison ushered Madison inside. “You are indecent in your gown, go inside this instant.”

Madison stepped away staring at him.
“I want to know what is going on, Jamie,” she said eagerly.

             
“I will tell you all that ensues, but now you must go inside. Go now.” He pointed to the door and would not let his eyes leave her until she was inside. Madison closed the door only enough so that she could still hear all that was happening. She knelt to the ground and waited for the voices outside to tell her everything that Jamison had been keeping from her.

             
“Jayden, come forth,” Jamison yelled.

Jayden was holding a lit torch in his hand. “They may not have gone far,” he said. “If we leave now, there is a chance that we can find were they keep for the night.”

              “There is no reason to go after them now,” said Jamison. “It is dark, we are still unfamiliar with this land, and they have the advantage. There is no moon tonight and we cannot go into these woods with fire in our hands. We will make ourselves known immediately.”

             
“We can manage if they can,” said Jayden, his powerful voice making it clear that he was ready to leave instantly.

             
“Do you not hear me? There is far too much risk and we cannot leave our loved ones behind without protection of any sort.”

             
“You are the only one here with cargo of any value. Thus you can stay behind.” Jayden now stared him down and Jamison knew that he was attempting to prove his dominance. Jamison had gained too many allies whilst attempting to help others, therefore making their self-proclaimed leader nervous as to his intentions.

             
“I have no doubt that you are capable of finding them, Jayden. But what would we be left to do if we did find them or their lodgings? We have not a single hint as to how equipped they are or what could be awaiting us. And our tracking them may be seen as a threat to any
cargo
as you call them that they may have. And they
will
seek to defend it.”

             
Lyndon, the captain of their voyage chimed in. “He is right, Jayden. Nothing can be done until morning,” he said. “Their tracks will still be fresh when the sun rises. And even then we must tread softly so as not to alarm them.”

             
Jayden may have seen himself as the leader of the expedition, but Lyndon’s word of action was the one everyone listened to.  He never led the crew astray and kept the previously lengthy journey safe from anything malicious that could come upon them. And although stern and forcible in tone and features, he was the only one within the group that had treated Madison with as much kindness as her brother had. He was respected, and his words would last them all until dawn.

             
“There is little point to this. Back to your quarters now, everyone. A few of us will set out as soon as we are able,” said Lyndon. He threw his lit torch into a bucket of water lying a foot from him and walked back to his lodgings.

             
Jayden was left there to stare about within his protesting thoughts as Jamison came through the door. Madison hardly had time to stand and back away as he did not make a sound walking to the door.

             
“How long have you known of this? I was left to believe that my mind was seeing things and you knew all along.” She stood there staring him down. Madison was the only soul who could humble Jamison with her eyes. He closed the door and looked upon her almost shamefully.

             
“I knew there was a chance of this, but they have done nothing to…”

             
“Tell me when you noticed them, Jamie,” her voice now nearly as firm as Lyndon’s had been.