Friday, March 29, 2013

"I Can Help You Escape"

In our last post about the novel The Price of Freedom, Jack and Beckett had just agreed to work together to find the hidden island of Zerzura.  Beckett agreed to give Jack his servant, Ayisha, who was suspectedly from there so that Jack could charm her into giving him the location.  Now is the time in which Jack gets her to run off with him.  Keep in mind that she is still disguised as an ugly old hag with "strategically placed warts".  The funny thing is that Ayisha was listening through the door with her secret knowledge of English.  So she knows that she's suppose to meet Jack, who is going to some how take her back, qhich asbolutely excites her.  But she doesn't quite plan on doing it the same way.  She wants to send him close to the island, and then use a spell to make the whole crew, including the captain, fall asleep so she slip overboard and back home without revealing anything to anyone.  To find Ayisha and get her on his side, Jack gets the help of his new and young crew member, Chamba, who can speak pidgin to Ayisha, since none of them know that Ayisha can speak English.   Chamba does the first bit of scoping out and reports back to Jack.  Chamba: "She be wearin' a blue calico dress, with a white apron and head wrap, Cap'n.  And of course that gray shawl you told me to watch for.  It be tied round her waist." That shawl is the key to her disguise, the ones that turns a beautiful young lady to an ungly old hag.  Chamba thne points her out to him.  
Jack: "God's toenails, she is really ugly."  So kind, so nice.  Jack says the strangest things, including 'God's toenails'.  Together they stage the perfect set up.  They want to meet her butnot amke it too obvious.  SO Chamba goes running into her as she walks home from the market, making her drop all of the groceries everywhere.  Then Jak comes along and scolds him for being such a clutz.  Then he makes Chamba buy her a new coconut, since the one she got split open.  Then, they both escort her back to Beckett's house as Chamba holds her groceries and tells her all about how awesome Jack is and what a saint/hero he is.  Jack helped Chamba escape, and could do the same.  She thinks that he only helped Chamba to get back at Blount, Chamba's master, which we all know is of course not the case.  Chamba explains this to her.  He asks her if she wants to escape, and she admits yes.  They then agree to see her later to discuss more escape plans.   Every few days Chamba would then meet her at the market place to discuss plans.  Then, one days she agrees to meet with Jack in the night to discuuss the plans in greator details.  Chamba: "She said she want to talk to you about somethin' first.  She have questions.  And you gonna have to promise her something', before she come abaord and we set sail."  So that night they sneak over to Beckett's house to talk with her.  Jack gets right to the point.  Jack: "Miss Ayisha, it's time for us to speak frankly and straightforwardly.  Enough tacking back and forth, savvy?  I"m going to run striaght bfore the wind, and I want you to do the same.  You obviously want to escape slavery, Miss Ayisha.  I can help you escape.  If you could do it, I'd free every slave here in Calabar.  I'd bloodly free them all, everywhere.  So, Miss Ayisha, I can take you with me when I sail away from here, if come to an agree ment.  I'll be leaving port soon."  
Aysisha wants to know what his other motives are, for going out of his way for a slave woman.  He admits that he wants to find Kerma and that he met another man who was from Zerzura.  She asks if it could possibly be her broher, but Jack admits that he didn't fit the discription.  She starts to cry, which makes Jack feel rather uncomfortable, so he offers her some rum.  She takes a nice chug.  Jack: "There you go, love.  That should fix you right up.  Works wonders for me."  They move on.  Ayisha says that she can't give him the exact bearings for the island, except that it's between the Canaries and Cap Verdes.  When she gets close, whe will be able to feel the pull of her magical island and lead them to it.  It is guarded by an illusion.  Jack: "I guess that's going to be the way of it, then.  I'll sail to that area, between the Cape Verde Islands and the Canary Islands, and together we'll find her home."  Ayisha informs him that the wueen of Zerzura would likely give him and his men a reward for her safe passage when they return, which of course makes her happy.  However, she has one last cath.  Chamba: "She says she fine to leave tomorrow night.  She say ther ebee some things she want to bring with her, but she don't have them now, they back in her room.  But she also say that before she leave Calabar, there be someone she have to bring along with her.  Another slave.  She say she will not leave without him."  She wants to take her body guard Tarken, who is at a manor outside Calabar before she goes.  Jack reluctantly agrees to help her get him the next night before they take off to freedom together.  

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