Princess Ces'alena (32 page)

“It is not fair, why should her son live while mine lay dead!”

Unable to stand their laughter a moment longer, she took off towards the road. Running through the trees, with the back of her hand wiping at her tears; she plowed on blindly, and fell…crying out at the pain in her tender arm; which was still wrapped as she caught herself on it. She held her arm to her as she stood and ran a little further, stopping at the edge of the road she fell back against a tree, hot and exhausted from her sprint.

“You alright miss? Looks like this heat getting’ to’ya.”

Katherine gasped, sucking in air throwing her hand to her chest at the unexpected presence of the man before her. “Sorry to startle you, missus; but I was just headin’ towards your property with this bucket.” He held it up to show her. He had been further down the road from her, going towards their driveway when she stumbled out.

“Bein’ such a terrible day, it’s hard on my horses and slaves. M’names Chester Sands, ma’am; I sho’ would appreciate it if you was to oblige me by lettin’ me water’em all down, they mighty weak from the heat and thirst.” He introduced himself. Turning he indicated up the road where his buckboard sat…there were a group of chained slaves to his buckboard, with enough length to sit on the ground in the shade of the ditch. His horses tossed their heads, whinnying sensing water near.

Katherine leaned forward with her bottom half still to the tree, looking at his horses, then at the black men and young boys. They were sweating and shiny with oil as they looked back at her through vacant dark eyes. Flies buzzed around them, but they gave no heed, as if too weak to shoo them away.

The darker to black ones sat in the ditch, while in the buckboard, lighter skinned ones sat; little better off…most of them, she noticed, were of lighter skin. She leaned back looking at Mr. Sands…he was a dusty, foul smelling man. His clothing, an indication that he gave little care to his personal appearance. It was much too hot for the way he was dressed, a dusty gray jacket over a sweat soaked shirt. The hat on his head looked as if it had been rolled and balled often, long ago losing its original shape. Circling the hat was old and new sweat and dirt.

“What are you doing with those slaves?” She asked, dismissing his un-kept appearance, he was not the first she’d seen in such a state. “I’m a slave trader ma’am. Got to get these to auction…they gone bring me a nice sum, but I got to keep’em alive long enough to make it there… the dead don’t sell ma’am.” He grinned showing rotten teeth, a few missing. “I was hoping to see if I could rest’em a spell, get’em some water.” He repeated.

“Well this is Webster Fields…I’m the missus here, Mrs. Katherine Webster. You may water your stock.”

“You think I might pull into your drive ma’am, maybe speak with the master here, maybe he be interested in purchasing before I head on.”

“My husband is away on … ? … business.” She ended slowly, thinking.

“Oh.” Was his response now, absently he looked back at his coffle. “What a shame, I was so lookin’ forward to maybe selling a few off. There’s a high demand you know for the kind of negras I specialize in. House negras, got a nice little selection of high yellas, they bring a nice price.”

“So I see, well Mr. Sands, do me a favor…water your stock, and then…we can talk. First things first…they look thirsty…take care of them.”

“Can I pull them into your drive ma’am-..”

“No sir…you cannot. But I’m going to make a deal with you after you see to them. There’s a pond not far down that lane, when you’re there…I want you to look at every boy there…
every
-
one
…then tell me what you think upon your return.”

Sands gazed at her oddly, but nodded his head and headed off doing as she told him. Katherine stood, no longer bothered by the heat. Her mind was now working…a resolve was taking over. A hardness replaced the face that only moments ago reflected despair. Suddenly her shoulders squared once again. Her head lifted high, and gone were her feelings hopelessness. Eyeing the other slaves, she stood from the tree and sauntered over to get a closer look.

Chester Sands nodded to the boys, who all stood stock still watching as he eyed each one, dipping his bucket in the pond. Their play had immediately ceased with his presence. “Yah’ll don’t mind me now. Just come for water…the missus here give me permission to get water.”

Leon, the oldest of the group climbed from the ponds edge. “Our missus in a bad way sir. How she tell you that?”

Sands eyed him with a mix of interest, as well disdain, that he should take it upon himself to question him, a white man.

“Your missus -
boy
- Katherine Webster, bad way or no, is strolling the land, she send me here for water. You mind your business for you end up in a hurt over matters that don’t concern you.” All the others looked at Leon, as well each other. Mike then stood walking beside Leon. Catching Sands eye immediately, thinking him the son of the master. “Afternoon young man.” Sands nodded to him. Mike looked up at Leon, then back at Sands, and nodded back. “I’m done now, I’ll be on my way.” Sands informed them after soaking a dirty handkerchief that he used to wash his face, rinsing it — he squeezed it a bit, then slug it across the back of his neck. He stood, grabbed up his filled bucket and headed back off toward his waiting team.

The boys all looked and waited for Leon…he glanced down at Mike, shrugged and smiled; then leapt back in the pond. The others snapped back to enjoying themselves, Sands was dismissed from their minds. Mike also followed Leon’s dismissal and leapt in behind him.

“Ma’am, I must say, that’s one mighty fine group of young bucks you got there. Any one would fetch a good price, I must say. If I wasn’t so loaded down now, I could see purchasing a few from you.” Sands informed Katherine after he returned; taking the bucket to the horses to drink from first, then he carried what was left to the slaves; tossing it on them. “Yah’ll hold tight, I get you some to drink in a spell.”

“I’m glad you think so Mr. Sands. Consider this being such a hot day, let us please get right to the point. I have been looking over your stock. I wish to make a deal with you. A deal you won’t wish to refuse.”

“I will purchase from you, three of your darkies. I will even give you much more than they’re probably worth. And the deal is…you will take one of ours.”

Chester’s eyes grew huge! In an instant those that he saw flashed through his mind. Greedily he saw the advantage of such a deal, eagerly he nodded in anticipation to rid himself of the extras, while earning, and then taking on one of theirs…all were healthy strong stock. Well fed, well cared for, and seemingly, disease free.

“Ma’am, you got yourself a deal. Do I get to pick’em?”

“No Mr. Sands you do not. Seeing as how what I’m buying from you, isn’t in half the condition or worth of mine, you will consider yourself blessed to have come across me and our plantation. What you will do sir, is what I tell you…or the deal is off.”

“There they can get in to wash themselves, drink - whatever their need will be. That’s where you will wait for me, for the time being - as I return to the house and get your pay; as well the papers of the one you will take with you. This is where I need you to pay attention Mr. Sands. This is very important. And I will give you a bit of history so that you understand.”

Again he nodded, giving her his full attention.

“The one you will be given, is the trouble causer of the plantation. Simply put, my husband’s bastard get. Did you look at all the boys at the pond Mr. Sands?” She asked pointedly.

“Yes ma’am I did.”

“Then you would have seen him. He is the one with blonde hair, and blue eyes. He looks like a normal
white
child. But I assure you, he is not. His name is Michael and he has been a curse in our marriage since my husband’s bed-wench gave birth to him. After discussing the problems that be, my husband and I agreed, the bastard must be sold. I’m going to give him to you sir, for the purchased exchange of the three I have chosen. He is worth ten of them, if not more. I’m sure you agree?”

Chester’s eyes were twice their normal size, as he swallowed nervously. “You mean all them boys at that pond was slaves, including the white boy?”

“Yes Mr. Sands. And if you are truly a business man, then you know the price one such as he will fetch. A young boy of ten years…need I say more?” Chester’s head was spinning.

“Now, together we will return to the pond, you will wait for your payment there. At least that is what they will think. I will return to the house, my overseers will soon arrive and I will deliver the bastard straight into your hands. But I need you to do something for me, this is important. After I’m gone, you will say out loud, I can’t wait here, I have to check on my horses and slaves. Then you will leave and wait there for the boy. Is that understood? It is important you do it that way.”

Chester felt a bit uneasy, not sure what all the maneuvering was about. “Why can’t I just roll in, pick up the boy and-…”

“Because I do not wish to alarm it’s mother. I grow tired of the dramatics when selling off a young one. Besides, my overseers need to be summoned and I do not wish for anything to happen before they arrive. For the business you’re in, I should not have to explain such a thing.” She condescendingly explained.

All the boys stood shocked that he had been telling the truth. Katherine was out of her room as she stood there directing them to get out of the pond.

“Just until these new slaves can cool off and wet themselves down. I’m sure they’re much hotter than you all. As you know, I haven’t been feeling well, so I’m going to need your help. Please stay here with Mr. Sands while I go to the house and get him his pay. Mikey…um… child…there are some things I need to say to you. Can you please follow me back, then you can return with Mr. Sands pay when I’m done. I promise I won’t keep you long.” She spoke mildly, as if everything had changed and all the tension and animosity that once was, gone. Mike stood stock still as the three new slaves gladly went into the pond. Darrin, Leon, Johnnypoe, Samuel, and a few others all stood in amazement that she was there. That she was talking to any of them. A few wondered if she had lost her senses?

She smiled at him, then sighed. “I understand that you could, but I wish Mikey to do it, because there’s something I wish to speak to him about. He’ll be back…you can wait here with Mr. Sands.” She finished with Leon, maintaining her smile, she turned her eyes to Lena’s son, “Please Mikey? I wish to make certain amends…I know this will make your mother proud of you. That you stood and did me a favor after I’ve been so dreadful to you. Will you give me a chance? Please, I’ve had – a change of heart.”

Having put it that way, making his mother proud…moved Mike to follow her back to the mansion. The other boys started to dissipate now that the fun of freely frolicking was interrupted by the new slaves.

Leon had a strange feeling come over him he could not ignore. He looked from Mike and Katherine who were now swallowed up by the crop of trees, to Chester Sands. He nodded with a sinister looking smile. His foot propped up on a rock. Sammy, Darrin, Johnnypoe and one of the others stayed by Leon; he turned to them, “Stay here…I’ll be back.”

He slowly headed for the mansion, unable to ignore this whole scene. It made him feel uneasy when people who were never nice, suddenly started acting nice for no reason. He cared a whole lot about Lena and Mike, they were his family. Manny was like a father to him as well. He didn’t have any blood family at Webster Fields; he’d been taken away from his father when he was a young boy. His mother had died giving birth to him. She had been a mulatto, his father’s master’s get. His father had taken good care of him, loving him completely, protectively. Up until the day his master’s plantation ran into financial difficulties and he needed extra funds to dig him out. Seeing that he was among those that would bring a better price, he was sold at the age of nine while his father worked the fields.

A chill raced up Leon’s spine considering he and Mike’s similar ages.

He had been sold to a bar keeper, where he served drinks and cleaned up. That is where he first saw Manny. That night the bar keeper had been intoxicated and tried to rape him in the back room; it was a nightmare he still had at times. He had fought and screamed for help with every means in him, refusing to be still to let the big man penetrate his young body. As suddenly as it started, it had stopped. Through a blur of tears and fright, he watched as Manny beat the man within an inch of his life. Calling him all kinds of low and vile vermin, to rape a child. Manny had taken him from the bar and brought him along with him and his friend, Charles Wilson to his hotel room. There he calmed him, questioned him…made him bathe after ordering one up, and then fed him.