Sunrise
Will hadn't slept all night. Nerves, excitement, last-minute fears: they all churned in his stomach as he tossed and turned in the dark. He found himself staring out the small window of his modest bedroom, watching the stars and waiting for the sky to begin to lighten and signal the start of a new day.
His wedding day.
When the morning finally did come, he took a few moments to throw open the grimy windows and admire the radiant beauty of the Caribbean sunrise. This time tomorrow, he thought with a little thrill, I will be watching the sun rise with my bride. In mere hours, they would stand before most of Port Royal and pledge their hearts to one another. It was a day he'd dreamed of for longer than a man might like to admit, but that day was finally here. Even the dark clouds that were already rolling in to dull the vibrancy of the newborn day couldn't dampen his spirits. He would marry Elizabeth today, no matter what the weather. A little rain was no match for their love.
He took a great deal of time to prepare that morning. The formal wedding attire was complicated and stiff, but he was determined to wear it as perfectly as any man could. Once cleaned up, he carefully dressed, tied back his long hair, and reached for his hat (no feathers this time, thank goodness!).
The first clap of thunder was accompanied by the panicked braying of the smith's donkey downstairs, then the scuffling and stomping of shoes. In almost perfect synchronization, the door to his private apartment slammed open just as the sky outside split apart. Voices shouted, uniformed men grabbed him, and before Will could figure out what was happening, he'd been shackled and was being taken away. Under arrest, one of the men said.
Through the downpour, the sun continued to rise, but no wedding would take place this day.
His wedding day.
When the morning finally did come, he took a few moments to throw open the grimy windows and admire the radiant beauty of the Caribbean sunrise. This time tomorrow, he thought with a little thrill, I will be watching the sun rise with my bride. In mere hours, they would stand before most of Port Royal and pledge their hearts to one another. It was a day he'd dreamed of for longer than a man might like to admit, but that day was finally here. Even the dark clouds that were already rolling in to dull the vibrancy of the newborn day couldn't dampen his spirits. He would marry Elizabeth today, no matter what the weather. A little rain was no match for their love.
He took a great deal of time to prepare that morning. The formal wedding attire was complicated and stiff, but he was determined to wear it as perfectly as any man could. Once cleaned up, he carefully dressed, tied back his long hair, and reached for his hat (no feathers this time, thank goodness!).
The first clap of thunder was accompanied by the panicked braying of the smith's donkey downstairs, then the scuffling and stomping of shoes. In almost perfect synchronization, the door to his private apartment slammed open just as the sky outside split apart. Voices shouted, uniformed men grabbed him, and before Will could figure out what was happening, he'd been shackled and was being taken away. Under arrest, one of the men said.
Through the downpour, the sun continued to rise, but no wedding would take place this day.