Henrietta

Negotiations

"And what might that be? I don't recall raiding your mansion for any valuables." He replied.

"A prisoner has escaped and she is responsible for certain tragedies that have occurred." He replied.

"She?" Luther asked.

"What does it matter? Now how much to claim her back, we can do this the easy way or the hard way...brother." Calvin sneered.

The men began to murmur amongst one another The news was more than unsettling to them as they turned their attention to their leader.

Luther smiled mockingly and signaled the others to put their weapons down. "I have nothing that is of value to you, if I did I would be more than generous to make arrangements to trade. Be on your way and forget my face." Luther said, waving Calvin away.

Calvin loathed to be ignored and he would not allow even the lowest of his family to do as much. Moving quickly past the rest of the men Calvin sprang forward and grabbed a fist full of Luther's shirt. The material ripped and his brother turned to reply with a swing Calvin quickly averted. Luther turned to face Calvin and pushed him down to the grown were he mounted over him and laid a few hits to his face and chest. Calvin was only getting started as he managed to push him off against a large tent behind him making the thing collapse. Both brothers' scrambled to their feet as Calvin reached to wipe the blood from his lips.

They circled one another and both ran towards each other clashing in fits of fists and swift kicks finally tumbling and rolling about the dirt. A large cloud of dust grew thick around them as they wrestled with one another to have the upper hand. Luther managed to pin Calvin against the dirt and twist his arm behind is back as his knee dug deep into the center of his back.

"Even if I held such a valuable prisoner in my grasp, I would never negotiate with you. I'd rather sell her to the highest bidder and let them have their way with her." He lied, only to enrage him further.

It did the trick as Calvin somehow pulled from the arm lock Luther held on him and twisted his body so that it faced him. With such brute force, he pushed forward and knocked Luther on his back. Calvin felt his anger overcome him, almost like a werewolf transforming under the pale moon. His fists rained down on his brothers face, taking domain of him but his victory was short lived as one of Luther's thugs took hold of Calvin and tossed him to a side. More than five men surrounded him, never allowing Calvin to get to his feet as they kept kicking him down unto the ground. His anger overcame his pain as he took hold of a pair of legs and swept them from under them and quickly scrambled to his feet as they kept striking him. Calvin moved his hand to were his sword was and pulled it from its sheath ready to fight them off as they did the same.

"Enough!" Luther snapped.

***

Luther quickly composed his features, although blood oozed from his mouth and left cheekbone. He stared at Calvin with all the hatred he could muster to show, feeling his chest constrict with anger. Both brothers fought to catch their breath as they stood in a stance of readiness.

"Give me the prisoner!" Calvin snapped.

"Why are you so eager to have her back is it because she is valuable for other reasons?" he questioned.

He locked gazes with Calvin but failed to see any other emotion but anger in his eyes as he stared back.

"What I want with the prisoner does not concern you, I will give you a hundred gold shilling's for her." he replied.

"A hundred?...I am beginning to think she is more like a lover." He said.

The rest of the thugs laughed at his reply but Calvin paid no mind to their mocking as he gripped his double bladed sword in hand.

"With a hundred gold shilling I could find myself a large ship and fight the waves of the damned to get to Sovereignty, but I do not have the prisoner as I said before." Luther lied.

"Luther...my sons life is at stake and she is the only one that knows where he might be." He sneered.

He felt his heart accelerate to hear such words but did not express his feelings as he looked at Calvin. He had never known him, he was more of a stranger than anything, Nathaniel had been the only one to seek Luther out. Any man, even a blind one could see Henrietta meant more to Calvin than just a slave. He turned over his shoulder for a fraction of a second to find his tent nearly toppled over, but to his relief Henrietta never emerged from under the tent. He was certain her lack of sleep had been more than overwhelming and he was deeply thankful for it.

Luther inhaled a deep breath and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. His mind was working a plan, one that could get him enough money to leave this wretched land.

"Let us take a walk." Luther said.

Calvin followed along cautiously making certain no one else followed as he looked at Luther lost in his thoughts.

"I am willing to make a deal with you, if I find this prisoner and she leads us to your son then you will have to pay me double for each head." Luther negotiated.

Calvin did not reply right away simply took in each word, considering them as he gave an exhalation.

"Four hundred gold shilling for both?" he said.

"Yes, four hundred." Luther repeated.

"How am I certain I will have your word? I cannot risk putting my sons life in your hands." He sneered.

"I am the last chance you have of finding your heir, now either accept the deal or find the dirt road you followed back to Theodosia." Luther snapped.

"There has to be a condition to all of this." Calvin replied.

"And that is?"

"After you and your men have found her, you are not allowed to put your hands on her, she is mine, understood? Now, when you find her only you will go with her so that she can lead you to where my son is. You alone will come to meet me at my mansion and bring my son and Henrietta to me." Calvin said. If Ettie knew Calvin was behind this she would gather Henry and flee first chance she got. He had to remain in the shadows for now and he prayed that things would run smoothly.

"Henrietta? I have never heard of a master even knowing what their slaves names are." Luther mocked.

"Do not mock me Luther, as far as I am concerned there isn't any of your thugs here now to help you this time." He snapped.

"I can handle myself well, I do not need their aid." Luther argued.

They glared at each other for a long time before Calvin looked away and shook his head, walking away through the woods. Luther took a deep breath and tried to calm his anger as he went after him, trying to renegotiate things.

"I'll do it." Luther said.

Calvin simply shook his head and kept walking ignoring his brother as he reached his horse and mounted it.

"You have my word." Luther called out.

Calvin stared down at him, his eyes trying to catch any hint of betrayal in them.

"You have but a day to find her and notify me, do not concern yourself for my son after she has been found. Bring her to me and I will take her myself to retrieve my son. You will be paid the same amount either way, and Luther do not disappoint me." He said.

He had considered trusting him with his child but there was something about Luther, Calvin did not like. The plan would have to change and although she did not want to see him in the least he would try to apologize and final get his son back.

Luther felt his jaw flex as a slight sting followed from an inner wound. His father had said those exact words to him every time he barked out orders. If it were not for the gold he was to receive, he would have told Calvin to find other means of finding his son.