Gunslinger

(Note: Sorry there isn't a cover yet!  There will be soon!  Thank you for reading, please leave comments and critiques!  Thank you!)

Gunslinger

By: Lexa Charlotte

Chapter One- A Vile Man

"Please let me come with you!" I hiked up my skirt and chased after my Father, who was traveling back to England for business. He had on his most regal wig, curled and white, in addition to that he wore his best clothing. His eyes were hard but kind and laugh lines had long been etched deep into his tan face.

"I'm sorry Amila, it is far to dangerous." He had told me that plenty of times over the past week since my sister, Sally and I had learned of his leaving. I loved my Father, I really did, but I thought sometimes he went to far in attempting to protect my sister and I... Such as not allowing us to go with him to England, a far off place that I hadn't seen in ten years and my sister had yet to lay eyes on.

"I made the trip ten years ago, surely I can make it again now." I grumbled struggling to keep up with my Father's fast pace towards the docks.

"We made that journey for a reason," My Father paused abruptly, a sigh escaping his lips, "We made that journey so I could rule over this Island. It was a long trip and not one I wish for you or your sister to take again." I fought the urge to groan.

"Why not?" I asked him. I was determined and more than a bit angry that Sally and I were condemned to stay on some forsaken island we had been stuck on for ten years, while my Father traveled to England and tasted foods that Sally had never even tasted and saw sights that she had never seen! Not to mention it had been so long since I had set foot on the grey, cobblestone streets that all the sights and sounds were beginning to fade from my memory.

My Father ignored my objections and continued on. "Why not?" I called again, and he spun around on his heels and faced me. His deep blue eyes looked both furious and quite a bit bothered, his eyebrows furrowed and his face was red.

"Because it is dangerous," he said, and after a deep breath continued, "the seas are no place for a young woman."

"But-" I began but he cut me off. "Amila, this island is your home and you are to stay here, that is my final decision." He turned back around and continued to walk quickly towards the docks, which were now in sight, and though he probably meant for me to turn around and go home, I wasn't even close to giving up. I kept running after him.

All to soon I looked up and realized that we were at the foot of the ship my Father was to be boarding. It was a beautiful ship that would sail by the name of The Isles, which was what us locals called the Island we were living on. Of course, it was really called the Isles of England, though to be honest I'm not even sure how they got Isles. There was only one Island.

Anyways, the ship was a grand thing, new, so new that the deck still shined in the bright sunlight and the smell of pine wood permeated the air, and though they weren't open, I could tell the flags had not one speck of dirt on them yet.  The smell of the ship mixed with the smell of the sea and I found it beautiful, though my Father wrinkled his nose.  "I'll be back soon." he said with another heavy sigh, picking up his travel-worn bags and hurrying up the ramp after the two deckhands that were carrying the rest of his luggage.

He was just stepping on deck when I caught up with him, and though my first step on deck was not graceful, I was proud.  I hadn't ripped or dirtied my best dress yet.  It was gold and the breast was adorned with sparkles and intricate weavings of silver that always reminded me of wild jungle vines.  The skirts were full and hard to walk in, a little bother that was worsened by my tight black boots that suffocated my feet and hardly had any scuffs on the toes.