During which Elyoner Dare tells her story...
66
1588
The New World
“Back in England, when I was but twelve summers old, my father would winter us in Norfolk, where he'd wintered during his childhood with our grandfather. It was beautiful country about the grounds of our family's winter estate and during the times that it was possible, my sister and I spent much of our times out and about the grounds. We would play games of hide and seek, build flimsy structures out of the twigs and the snow and generally be children with nary a worry in sight.”
“At times we would be joined by the children of my father's many acquaintances, and it would become a much larger thing. And oh we'd get into such trouble at times, particularly when little Richard Hawkins, son of John Hawkins, would be there. That boy would set us all a flutter and we'd be running about and chasing each other for days on end.”
“They were such innocent times then, dear husband, oh what I would give to recover some of that old innocence that comes with childhood--- but I veer off our track and onto other thoughts, my Ananias, I apologize. Forgive my childish reminiscing, I am but a simple woman and foolish at times.”
Ananias Dare gently waved away her words, urging his wife to continue.
“It was during these winter excursions that my father met with many of the men who would pioneer the movement that brought us here to the New World decades later. Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake, and the aforementioned Admiral Hawkins among others came to spend many days and nights with us out there in that beautiful country. Each of them would make an appearance more or less once every few years and they'd sit in my father's study, drinking and scheming their great schemes of discovery and colonization. I dare say much of what will be written in history about this eventful time was decided on those cold winter nights in that warm room before that crackling flame.”
“It was during my ninth winter that I believe this Lord Blackmoon came to visit my father.”
“Sir Drake had just come and departed after a good two weeks with us, taking advantage of a very uncustomary warm number of days. The snows had subsided and a springlike weather had taken over in Norfolk, ideal weather for traveling and we were thus exchanging guests, as you will.”
“My father had been particularly nervous for a number of days and on one afternoon, before dinner, while I sat and gazed out onto the thick park behind our home that he came to me and told me the first word of our impending visitor.”
“I had been watching a rather large falcon perched high upon an immense Crack Willow that we regularly ran around when my father arrived. I was fascinated with the thing as I'd never quite seen one so especially large. I swear to you, my husband, it was as large as a man, with black feathers covering it's entire body with the exception of a few streaks of silver which ran across the creature's crest.”
Ananias shook his head, “Then it could be no falcon, my darling wife. It must have been some kind of eagle, they grow much larger. I've naught seen nor heard of a falcon much larger than a man's arm in my entire lifetime.”
“No, my husband, it was a falcon, I am certain of it, but again and I implore you to hear and believe me, it was like no falcon or bird for that matter I'd ever seen before or since. This one had blue eyes, almost unnatural blue eyes that glowed on that winter afternoon, in that waning sunlight. They glowed and they watched me back.”
“We had been staring at each other, my younger self and this amazing creature for a good quarter of an hour when my father made to join me, to send me for preparations to greet this incoming visitor. A man of great import and influence, he'd said.”
“ 'If he is so important, da,' I turned to him, facing away from the window now, and asked him quite impudently, if I recall correctly. 'Then why have I never heard of such a man.' ”
“ 'Because, my most capricious young daughter,' he patiently admonished. 'He is one who wishes to remain anonymous in his dealings. He is one who deals in shadowy deals and shadowy battles. We all know him, little one, all of us, and he will be afforded the respect and honor we would afford any other in our home.' “
“With nary another word, he left me there, alone again with the sights outside that window.”
“When I turned back to look for my new friend, I found to my surprise and disappointment that that incredible falcon was nowhere to be seen.”
End Part 66
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