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The Tales of the Lost Island [nightsorceress and solitaryman]

solitaryman

solitaryman

Supernova
Joined
Aug 22, 2011
Location
Pennsylvania
Liam Hart leaned on the railing on the starboard side of the ship Corinthian. It had been weeks since they had set sail, himself along with his wife and daughter, in search of a lost and undiscovered island that he had found on an old parched map deep in the basement of the museum. It had been drawn by a mapmaker named Bertrand Russell, his seal on the map made it quite authentic. The problem was there was not much to the map except for a course, south by east, and only a few appreciable land masses.

Liam stood at five foot 11 inches tall, an aged but still physically capable man who had years of exploration behind him. His graying hair cut neat and his blue eyes surveyed the open waters on the starboard side of the ship. It was days since the last course correction, and he could feel the wind building up, albeit gradually. He had been at sea enough times to know that could mean a storm, but the captain had not shown any worry, as of now.
 
Lillian woke with tears in her eyes dreaming about being back aboard her fathers ship, he was standing near the rail of the ship she was running toward him. She was just a little girl back then not the youn woman she was now.
She looked out the window it was morning she dried her eyes and climb out of bed. She went down stairs and got a banana from the kitchen table. She. Priced she was almost out so she knew what her plan was for today get more fruit. She tied her fathers knife around her waist and climbed down the tree house.
It was a massive tree house that her parents built when they were ship wrecked on the island. It was large tree house with two floors. Her parents figured they would have room to grow but that was before they passed away leaving Lillian alone on the islans
 
The storm had struck quite quickly and was massive. The ship was tossed onto the reef of the island and it was by Providence that Liam was able to get his wife and Lillian onto the shore. The captain and crew were not so fortunate. Over the few days after the storm, Liam was able to get various things off the ship before it finally broke up. he had constructed the tree house, over time, and was quite a formidable task. It was that labor that took the life out of Liam and his wife. Their two graves marked by makeshift crosses under a tree near the tree house. The jungle around the clearing where the tree house was located was echoing normal sounds, the sounds of the birds native to the island, as well as a soft breeze blowing in from the sea.
 
Lillian walked along the path that lead from her house to the beach, a path that was worn down after years of walking it. Lillian was a stunning young woman, she had long auburn hair and blue eyes like her mother, years of living on an island has given her skin a tan color.
She made her way to the beach not really paying much mind when suddenly something shocked her. She saw white sheets coming towards the island. She knew it was a ship but she was afraid her father had warn her that she needs to be careful as not all men would help her some would only hurt her and take her captive.
She ran from the beach and into the jungle climbing a tree so she could watch if anyone came on the island or if they were just passing by
 
The ship approached the island, but did not drop anchor. It's sails were a bit torn from the wind, probably had been in a storm. The ship stayed out in deep water, and passed by the beach, then started to circle around the large island. There were gun ports that were closed on the port side of the ship, that faced the beach. It appeared that the ship was armed, and raised the possibility that it may be a merchant raider.
 
Lillian watched as the ship moved closer to the island but did drop anchor. As it moved around the island she climbed down from the safety of the tree and followed it but she did not allow herself to be seen. She still did not know what they were here for.
 
The ship stayed in the deep water out from the reef. Unlike the Corinthian, which had been swept over the reef by the storm. The sea was calmer, at this time. It continued to circle the island until it reached the far side. It entered a cove and the the water splashed when the anchor dropped into the water. The crew could be seen climbing the rigging to take care of the sails. Nobody came ashore, as of yet, though covered gun ports could be seen on the other side of the ship, as the vessel was turned so as to leave in a hurry if necessary. The bow pointed towards the open sea and the open end of the cove.
 
Lillian was running to keep up with the ship. It went to the oppset side of the island. She made it was the ship dropped anchor in the cove. She was sort of relieved that it was on the other side from her home. She hoped that these sailors were just resting for the day and then would be gone tomorrow
 
The sailors finished folding the sails that were not torn, and brought down the sections that were, so that they could be mended. The sound of music could be heard from the top deck, as some of the sailors who could play instruments, like the accordian, mandolin, flute, started to play music. Others jumped into the water of the cove and swam in the vicinity of the anchored vessel. As of then, no longboats had been lowered to go ashore.
 
At the sound of music sand the men swimming it sounded like they were just resting and not any threat to her island home. She climbed down from the tree and headed back to the other side of the island, she lost some time picking fruits and catching dinner. As she walked back to her home she collect some fruit like bananas and mangos.
 
The ship's crew in the cove did not know there was an inhabitant on the island, but it's captain did know of this island from sailing these waters before. He discovered the island much the way the Corinthian did, except not because of a storm. The island was hilly in the central part, and was plentiful with fruits, and fish in the fresh water streams inland on the island. The ship's crew continued to swim and relax for the moment, as their sails were being repaired. Also on the main deck, the water barrels were being prepared for the gathering of fresh water, that would come later.
 
Lillian made her way back to the other side of the island. She had enough fruit in her arms for a couple of days. She placed fruit on her table then got her fishing spear. She once again traveled into the island and went a different end where there was some shallows where she could easily fish
 
The shallows were filled with fish, fed by fresh water higher up in the hills of the island. Near the shallows tucked back in the jungle were some ruins, maybe even now covered by the jungle growing over the years. The remains of a stone foundation of a house as well as a crumbled down wall that surrounded the clearing did remain. The wooden posts that made up the corners of the house were still fairly intact, and the roof was in fairly good shape, though holes were present at places.
 
Lillian went to the shallows and fished. She caught enough for her lunch and supper. She carried them back to her tree house and put the ones for later in a bucket to keep them fresh she then cleaned and beging to cooking the ones she was having lunch
 
About that time another ship was approaching the island..this ship was the Seawitch, and on the deck was Grant McClaine. He had waited for years to hire this ship and crew, to come looking for Liam Hart. He had wanted to sail with the famous explorer but was unable to because of coming down with pneumonia. That now cleared up, years ago, he had set sail on the Seawitch to find the now missing explorer. The lookout spotted the island, "LAND HO, OFF THE PORT BEAM," and McClaine turned his spyglass that direction. He saw the island and what he thought was the top of a mast in the water. The tide had gone out and exposed what was left of the Corinthian. The bells on the ship sounded as the hands were piped on deck. Captain Jones looked at McClaine, "We should be able to anchor by suppertime."
 
Lillian started a fire in the stove her father had built inside the tree house the smoked funneled through a chimney, when her father built the tree house he tried to think of everything in case they were never rescued and sadly for her father and mother they were not. Lillian cooked her lunch and enjoyed her meal she knew after she ate she would need to check on the ship to ensure no one had come on to the island
 
As the Seawitch approached closer the lookout yelled, "Smoke, off the the port bow." McClaine trained his spyglass in that direction, and smiled. "Captain Jones, appears somebody is home, maybe someone is alive, either Liam Hart and his family or Dr. Drager." McClaine referred to Dr. Anton Drager, a medical doctor dispatched to aid in a medical epidemic, but never arrived at the place of assignment. The crew trimmed the sails as the Seawitch got closer to the island, and remained outside the reef. McClaine looked at the Captain, "Let's let whoever is there know we are here." The captain blew the ship's steam whistle. The Seawitch had a coal boiler below as well as sails to power the ship.
 
The high pitched whistle started Lillian she grabbed her fathers spy glass and darted from the tree house she climbed the ladder to the crows nest her father built and then open the glass looking out she saw the great ship and she became afraid this was a different one then the one in the cove. She climbed down from the crows nest then lifted the ladder to the tree house to keep these men out
 
The Seawitch anchored and the crew trimmed and secured the sails. A longboat was lowered into the water, McClaine, the oarsmen and the captain came ashore. They were armed, for protection, not knowing what they would face. Two of the men stayed with the longboat at the beach, McClaine and the others headed off the beach towards the smoke. Grant looked up, and saw the treehouse, and looked at the captain, "Only one man would be able to do this, Liam Hart." He then yelled up at the treehouse, "Hello...this is Grant McClaine from the Seawitch...we're looking for LIam Hart...we mean you no harm, just want to talk."
 
Lillian was afraid now these men were much closer to her than she would have liked. She armed herself with her fathers sword and waited sitting underneath a window waiting hoping they would nt come to her home. But those dreams were dash when she heard the mans voice but he said her fathers name that shocked her. She stood up and looked out of the open window she looked down and made eye contact with the man. Her eyes held fear and also a wildness about them she then noticed the guns which frighten her and ducked back down
 
Grant looked up at the treehouse, and saw her in the window, then disappear quickly..."Lillian, Lillian Hart is that you...it's Grant McClaine, we met back at Bristol when you left on the Corinthian.." He looked at the captain and the others, "Stand easy, lower the guns..." Grant's own weapon, a Wembley six shot revolver was still in its flapped holster against his right hip, the flap undone, but covering the gun. A sheath contiaining a Kurkuri knife, slightly curved, heavy handle, was against his left hip. Both on a black pistol belt he had around the waist of his khaki pants.
 
Lillian was shocked when she heard that he knew her name and then he said who he was. She remembered the name she tried to think back. She was only 5 when they left but she remember the young man wanting to join her fathers crew. She bit her lip and then went to the door standing out on the porch looking down at them. She wore a top that just covered her breast her nmidsection and navel was exposed and a skirt that came to just above her knees. "Make the other men go away and I will talk to only you"
 
Grant watched her come out on the porch, admired her beauty...she had definitely grown up since he saw her. Admired her deep innie belly button, fully exposed, in a vertical oval and the diameter of a British shilling, its depth to the first set of knuckles on the index finger. He looked at Captain Jones, "She was five when they left port, best you and others head off to find fresh water for those barrels we need to replenish." Captain Jones nodded, and then he and the others left. Grant looked up at her, "It's alright Lillian, they're from the ship that's anchored out there, that brought me here. They've gone to hunt for fresh water..."
 
Lillian was still careful the other men left she did not lower the ladder to the tree house but she did move to a near buy tree she jumped from the porch to the tree acting more monkey than girl and climbed down about half way so as not to shout but still a safe distance away from him. The base the tree was very smooth and would be impossible for him to climb to get her. She looked at him again "what are you doing here on this island"
 
Grant watched her move around to her spot to talk to him. He was impressed with her ability to move about the trees. He smiled slightly, "You're the last person in the world that I thought would be scared of me, Lillian, have things changed that much over the years?" He saw that Captain Jones and the others had disappeared out of the clearing. He then looked up again at Lillian, "I came looking for you and your parents...as well as a secondary mission...to search for a Dr. Anton Drager, a medical doctor, who has not been heard from since leaving Bristol."
 
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