After weeks of living as a prisoner and walking miles each day then being holed up in the belly of a ship, given nothing but water and moldy bread to eat and getting very little sleep this new transition was causing Amahle to be confused to the point where she couldn’t understand any of it. After all of that, now she was being treated like a queen, given her own quarters with a luxurious bed, wardrobes and dressers full of foriegn looking clothes like the others wore and her own private bathing room. She even had a personal servant of her own to help her dress in those strange clothes, and it was a good thing because she had no idea whatsoever how to put them on. She felt like she was wearing layers of tents that weighed her down to the floor, making it a chore to walk in, which gave her some respect for the other women. She did like how the silk cloth felt on her skin, and the designs were quite pretty even if they weren’t what she was used to seeing, and when she saw herself in a mirror she was transfixed. She turned in all directions and watched what appeared to be another woman doing everything she did and when she saw her own face for the first time it was exactly as her partner had described it to her, and she felt a pang of loss for him like never before. She had already cried all of her tears out, but a few dry sobs escaped and turned her eyes sad, so Amahle sat in her red brocade chair which had been brought down from the attic for her use, along with the other furnishings. For the first time she took a good hard look at her situation and came to the bleak realization that she would never see her husband or children again, and that this was now her life whether she had chosen or even liked it. And then like others before her she began to accept and assimilate into a new culture, a new way of life and though she could have been hateful and vindictive she determined in her heart to live her best life, and at this time it meant wearing these clothes and assuming another personality that was fitting. And with that in mind she started learning her captors language which Naomi, her maid and Maggie helped her with every day.
She was not at all used to being inside, except when she had been aboard ship and the longing for the outdoors was making her depressed, and when she could describe what she needed in her newly acquired English words she asked Mr. Jackson if she could go outside for a time each day. He was surprisingly happy that she had asked him and agreed immediately, but cautioned her that it would have to be looked into first, so that his wife didn’t notice her. This relationship puzzled Amahle because men in her old world only took one woman and it was for life, but she didn’t know the words to question him about it and she wasn’t sure she had the authority to do so and decided she would have to wait for an answer. But just thinking about being able to go out and enjoy the sunshine and smell the earth made her feel immensely better and she smiled her first genuine smile at him, which he returned with a gentleness of expression she never expected to see on another man’s face. She got up abruptly and turned away from him because it had taken her by surprise that she felt some attraction to him and it was making her heart flutter. She thanked him for considering her request and told him that she wanted to lay down for a while, and he bade her good night as he went out the door. She sat back down and let out the breath that she had been holding, and considered this new feeling. She wished there was someone she could talk to about it because it was very frightening, and yet incredibly fascinating at the same time. She called Naomi who had prepared her bath and got undressed, lay in the cool gardenia scented water and let her thoughts wander while her maid washed her hair and massaged lavender oils into it to make it soft and manageable.
After drying off in big soft towels she got into a white satin nightgown with lace on the bodice and the hem that flowed to the floor and had a matching robe, which made her feel more feminine than she ever had even though it was strange to wear since she normally slept in softly tanned hides that provided minimal coverage. She couldn’t understand the purpose of the robe though if all you did was take it off when going to bed, and when she asked Naomi, she just laughed and told her there was also a bed jacket that matched it, which of course she had to clarify. It exhausted her just thinking about it, which in turn made her resolve to think no more about it and simply accept it as part of the new life she found herself in. Amahle soon fell asleep and woke up the next day with a new outlook. When she got out of bed Amahle put on her fancy robe and sat at her writing desk wondering what it was meant for. She opened each drawer and investigated every item she found, trying to deduce its true purpose and getting nowhere. Everything she found was a mystery to her, which only made her more determined to uncover what it was all used for and why. There was also a dressing table with a mirror for looking at yourself while Naomi brushed her hair and made it look fancy with smooth curls swept up to the top of her head leaving the sides and back sleek, which rivaled the lady of the house. Naomi took out an ensemble for her to wear today that included red and white lace petticoats under a red satin gown and red shoes. She put some white and red lace in a graceful bunting at the back of Amahle’s head with baby’s breath tucked in here and there. A full length mirror was next to the dressing table and she turned to see herself and was amazed and stunned at the transformation she saw there. She was indeed another woman living another life now, and she accepted and embraced it wholeheartedly, seeing there was no alternative anyway.
Straightening up and holding her head high, Amahle asked her maid for breakfast and watched as Naomi bowed her head and left to do her bidding without question or hesitation, pondering such a relationship even as she accepted it. At this point she couldn’t fathom the irony of her position, not knowing about the fate of those she had been bought with and who were now working in the fields, living in shared dwellings that housed too many people, rarely were given a chance to bathe or clean up their homes so that they lived like animals and who were kept in line through brutality and force. But she thought about them and hoped that they, like her, had found the new life to be, if not ideal, at least better than expected after what they had been through. She ate the food her maid brought her, and took time to enjoy what each had to offer her palate while thinking about what to do today. It was extremely boring just sitting in her room all day with nothing to do, so she asked Naomi what she would suggest as a way to fill the time and was told that she would bring her something as soon as she finished taking her breakfast dishes to the kitchen. Amahle thanked her and found herself feeling excited about having some kind of project, and learning new ways of doing things she knew how to do already. She busied herself to pass the time by examining her suite of rooms, taking time to look at everything and wondering at their fabrication and beauty. Even the most basic of items were exquisitely formed and rivaled the artwork that hung on the walls, making her begin to understand her status as a cherished pet, catered to and kept in this glorious prison that was now her whole world.
Well, she thought to herself, that was just the wake-up call she needed and now her purpose was determined. She might be a prisoner, but she also had the ability to make it less oppressive. Naomi knocked lightly and entered with her arms full of colorful things that she didn’t recognize, so they sat down together on the settee and she began to learn the craft of embroidery, which she straightway took to and completely enjoyed. She and Naomi spent many hours together making a growing pile of dresser scarves, table cloths and even quilt tops in a variety of patterns and styles until Amahle was advanced enough to work on her own. One day Jackson noticed her works and offered to sell them for her, and she could have the money from it to buy whatever she wanted or needed that he hadn’t supplied her with. She went along with him but didn’t truly understand the concept of earning or using money, although he did his best to show her. In the end he took them and had Talbert take them into town and see if the mercantile would buy them. It was the beginning of her own successful business, and it gave her a renewed interest in life; she told Jackson she wanted an enclosed area outside of her rooms where she could work in the sunshine and he replied that men would start working on it next week when Elizabeth went to her parents for a visit, now she was with child. She raised her eyebrows, but didn’t pursue the subject no matter how badly she wanted to ask, and he went on about how the atrium would be laid out, which she gave silent approval of and the subject was dropped yet again. Over the next few weeks Malcolm had a crew of slaves building outside of rooms and when they finished outside she was moved temporarily to another room so they could put in a doorway. She stayed busy by embroidering a stunning cloth from white organza with golden thread in an intricate floral design for the table that would sit in the middle of the enclosure, one of the few items she kept for herself.
When she was allowed back in her room she found that not only did she have a new atrium, but that wall was now comprised of windows which let the sun in and brightened everything. She hadn’t felt such joy since her partner was captured, and tears ran freely down her face to express her feelings and it made Jackson smile as he watched her. She went to the door and opened it onto her new atrium and looked around to see a myriad of flowering plants growing in pots that were hanging from the top of the walls and flowing down to the floor in places. There was a white granite table in the middle with her cloth on it and beautifully upholstered chairs especially made to match the tablecloth sitting on either side. She went to one and sat down, and Jackson sat opposite her and smiled. “They are quite comfortable, wouldn’t you say, my dear?” and she smiled back at him in acknowledgement. She was stunned beyond words and when he reached for her hands she didn’t hesitate, and they sat holding hands silently for some time, enjoying each other's company and the atmosphere of the beautiful setting, until nearly dusk. “I’ve arranged a special dinner to celebrate, and we’ll dine outside in your atrium tonight. I’ll see you then, my love.” Amahle nodded her head in acquiescence and he gently kissed her hand before he left. She sat there in the most comfortable seat she’d ever sat in and drank in the natural beauty surrounding her, feeling a stirring in her heart for Jackson and a sense of contentment that she had never attained until now, albeit bittersweet.