Chapter 27: A Whole New World
Upper Deck, The Laurel, Open Water...
The moment Erwin awoke in the crow's nest and announced that there was land ahead it seemed to lift everyone's spirits as of late. The endless miles upon miles of murky deep water was something of a dreary sight as the days passed and the sweltering heat got the better of them. The crew had remained professional despite all the excitement of having finally arrived at their destination and Captain Davys and Sir Alfred spoke at great length about the trip and what supplies the ship would need in a bid to make the voyage back across the blue waters. Alain had barely come up from the guest quarters when he caught sight of the land mass in the distance. Just as his father had said days prior, their journey was at an end thus far and they were pulling into the port belonging to the Territory of New Orleans. Alain seemed captivated by the many ships that also had come to port and the number of people that occupied the lovely city given to multicultural influence, but still maintaining a measure of taste and individuality.
Alain had never seen such a place not even in his wildest dreams. He couldn't deny the French heritage of the place, everywhere he looked he recognized more than a few aspects of it as it seemed he'd be more at home in this New World than he had anticipated. Sir Alfred stood beside his son, never more proud than he'd been on this day to finally share his seafaring experiences with the son who had chosen to carry on his name.
The Laurel pulled into the harbor and dropped anchor with the rest of the lined ships at the docks and the crew and Alain both couldn't wait to touch dry land. It had been a decidedly rough six weeks, but they had managed to make the voyage to the new world in one piece. Of course, there was the matter of them heading back through the fickle waters but they would cross that proverbial bridge when they came to it.
Alain's legs felt heavy once they got off the ship and headed into the bustling city. Erwin seemed to be just as amazed about being in New Orleans as anyone else if not more so as he'd never seen a big city before. Sir Alfred informed Alain that after they ate and got to rest up they were to take a carriage ride to Vermont as he had some business to see to and property that belonged to him which needed to be examined.
It was an odd thing for them to have so much to do after having just arrived, but Alain was willing to see this trip through.
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Port Of New Orlay, New Orleans, Louisiana, The New World (1762).....
The sights and sounds were a welcome change from the silent churning of the ocean waves and the creaking of the wood from the hull of the ship. The smells weren't bad in the least with a thick mix of perfume, strange cuisine, various flowers, and sweets filling the air as Alain moved about the seemingly enchanting city. While he had been no stranger to people of color due to having lived in France for most of his childhood, he was astounded to see some of them participate in odd rituals and games that were either designed for shock and awe or were truly attempting to commune with spirits.
Sir Alfred had some business to attend to in terms of seeing The Laurel re-supplied and fitted for the return journey back to England which gave Alain ample time to be alone as he wandered the streets of New Orleans of his own accord. He had a pouch of coin and his father informed him that the people understood French better than English so it was quite a time to go exploring. He saw grand French architecture and even found himself acquainted with some Spaniards who were as cultured as his countrymen.
He stopped at a local tavern enjoyed a few rounds with the soldiers and ventured back toward the docks where his father had been waiting for him. Everything seemed to be happening all at once in this place and he was glad he brought his journal to document the oddities and the wonders of this trip now that he'd been returned to dry land.
He passed a series of beautiful women, some dark in complexion, some as white in complexion as he, and some were a blended assortment of both, but all were very beautiful. Alain had even found himself attracted to some finding himself no better than Casimir when he caught himself unable to tear his eyes away from the golden brown colored breasts of some of the women with larger busts. He thought of his older brother and what he might have said at that moment but knew all too well that Casimir would have jumped at the chance to bed as many of them as possible.
Alain had not been as wayward as his brother, but he could appreciate the overall aesthetic of one's beauty even in passing. The colors of this place were a welcome change from the dismal greys of his homeland and the essence of French culture was like being back in France when he had known all too well that they were so far from it that it was difficult to distinguish the two. The women of color had been a sight to behold, exotic and yet as refined and elegant as any woman in England or France...possibly more so due to the curious nature of intermingling cultures in this wondrous place.
One such woman, of Creole descent had caught his eye almost immediately. She'd been more beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen and dressed in the finest garments money could buy. She carried herself with supreme elegance that rivaled even Alain's mother Alana Duchene with the way she walked and showed off her vast wealth through fashion. The golden brown coloration of her flesh silky in its appearance and the red of her cheeks and lips seemed to beckon to any man of red blood the endless possibilities of what a night between her thighs could bring.
She spoke French, and her eyes seemed to dazzle any who had dared to look into them the very picture of swirling gray clouds amid an oncoming storm. Her long black locks curled elegantly as she traveled via a white umbrella clasped into her black-gloved hands. He could see the diamonds, pearls, and other precious gems she wore along with her elegant dark green dress with golden trim made of the finest materials he'd ever seen.
Despite his youthful prudence, he was indeed a red-blooded male and his already sizeable cock seemed to flicker to life upon notice of her. The scent of the sweetest jasmine seemed to come from the beautiful woman as she stood so near to Alain, who found himself poised on a street corner, that he could have sworn his heart was going to beat out of his chest.
She smiled in his direction, her teeth every bit as white as the pearls that dangled from her lovely neck barely exposed due to her dress but long with smooth tight flesh that seemed to demand to be kissed by any close enough to adhere to the will of their bodies. It was strange that this random woman seemed to wield a kind of command over the bodies of young and old men alike as she swayed her hips and moved about in long slow strides.
She seemed not to have a care in the world as she passed by many a man given to staring at her as she went desperate in their efforts to have even a glimpse of her as she disappeared into a large building surrounded by thick black gates from the looks of it it was possibly a manor of sorts.
Once she was gone, Alain and the other men seemed to come back to their senses. He had never felt a pull so strongly in terms of attraction to a woman as he had with the elegant beauty that had passed him on the street. Taking a few breaths, Alain managed to compose himself and quell his arousal as he continued his walk after the brief yet disturbing interlude.
As the sixteen-year-old lad moved along taking in the sights and sounds of the new world, he'd been most perplexed by the people of color who had a darker hue and referred to themselves as Haitian Creole. The more seedy parts of town were home to shamans, gypsies, and voodoo practitioners. As far as being a new world, this place had plenty of old world attractions including brothels and whorehouses that were more or less frequently visited by the new arrivals and weary sailors in need of female companionship and certain places, there were even places for male companionship should one be so inclined.
Alain found himself on the receiving end of an uncomfortable attempt by a young pale lad with blond hair and semi-darkened skin attempting to seduce him into becoming an unofficial patron. He politely refused much to the disappointment of the lad who seemed to have taken a liking to him and made his way back toward the docks where he'd run into the crew of The Laurel.
Erwin had briefly met with him thanking him for his help and informed him that he would like to continue learning the art of the sword from him despite them not being at sea. Alain agreed to continue teaching him so long as he'd been in town. He even did a few lessons with young Erwin to pass the time now that he had a proper footing.
Sir Alfred had finally arrived and collected his son who seemed to be quite at home among the French-influenced locals and escorted him to their newly arrived carriage which was set to take them to Vermont where he'd been working on a new project of sorts. Alain was thrilled to be riding in a carriage again, but the traveling was something he'd most been looking forward to as a means of getting a real glimpse of this new country and all it had to offer.