“Don’t start crying again!” Running Elk yelled. “You and Gray Eagle will return to the camp once we start heading for the fort. Does anyone have a problem with that?!” he asked the small group. When he saw his three traveling companions look at him in shock because of his sudden outburst, he continued in a softer tone. “Abigail, I am sorry I shouted at you. Tears have always made me angry.”
The woman wiped her eyes and nodded. “I will feel safer if I know Gray Eagle is with me.” She wrapped her arms around the young warrior’s waist.
Running Elk rolled his eyes and attempted to hide his disgust before turning to his laughing brother. “Do not say a word,” he warned before spurring his horse to a full gallop. “And do not be left behind.”
***
Running Elk held his horse at a full run until he reached a ridge of rocks. He was delighted to learn he could view the soldiers from his vantage point. After jumping from his ride, he laid his bare chest against a large rock. It was a fortunate surprise to see the march had stopped and soldiers and prisoners alike were resting. He strained his eyes to see the people more clearly. His heartbeat raced when he caught sight of her. In his heart, he knew the woman he was looking at was his. She was sitting on the grass, holding their son close to her chest. Running Elk was so taken with the scene, he barely heard his brother and nephew crawling to his side.
“She is there,” Running Elk said, pointing in her direction.
“I see her. But it looks like they are preparing to move once more. See that soldier speaking to her?” Kicking Bird observed as he made himself comfortable by his little brother’s side.
“I know, and I do not like the soldier being so close to her. I wish there was some way she could know I was near,” he said disappointedly, his eyes never leaving her form.
“The wind is at our backs, and the gusts are strong. Call to her. She will hear you. Two Fires is attuned to your voice,” Gray Eagle suggested with excitement invading his voice.
Running Elk looked at his nephew and smiled. “I was wrong. You are a help to me. I wouldn’t have thought of that. Kicking Bird, we are out of reach of their guns, don’t you agree?”
“Yes. I have seen no signs they have big guns. Why?” Kicking Bird asked, observing the soldiers closely.
“Then I will stand and call to her. If she hears me, she will be sure I am near. Then we will ride ahead to the fort.”
It took great discipline to stay crouched until he saw Two Fires mount her horse and move ahead of the soldier.
“Two Fires, we will be together again soon,” he spoke confidently into the wind.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“Just checking to make sure we didn’t leave you behind,” Captain Armstrong said, slowing his horse from a full run to a slow gait.
“No, as you can see, I am here. Corporal Scott is not far behind me,” she informed the soldier who seemed determined to befriend her.
“Then we will talk later,” he said, tipping his hat and making his way to the front of the formation once again.
Alexandria raised her arm to wave at the captain, but when she heard Running Elk’s deep voice, she dropped it as if it weighed a ton.
“Two Fires. We will be together again.”
When the vow reached her ears, she frantically looked in every direction. It sounded as if he were right behind her. After being disappointed he wasn’t there, she looked towards the rock formation in the distance. As soon as she raised her arm to shade the sun, she saw him. He was standing atop of a large rock with his arms crossed at his chest. Without thinking, she kicked her horse and raced in Running Elk’s direction. Her mind was reeling, and her heart pounding. She could just make out another man holding Running Elk back. At the exact same time that she allowed herself to feel hope once again, she felt her horse being slowed.
“No! Not again!!” she screamed hysterically. “Let me be happy! Let me go to him! You said you were my friend.”
“Calm down, Alexandria,” the captain said, steadying her horse as he dismounted from his. He quickly turned to look and see if the hostiles were still watching. “I am not letting you go. Calm yourself.”
He reached to pull her from her horse, and she kicked and wiggled in an attempt to get away.
He forcefully pulled her to the ground, being careful not to hurt Little Eagle. “Think about your child. You are upsetting him,” he said loudly, hoping she would hear him over her sobs.
Alexandria heard her son crying, pulled him from the captain’s hold, stood up, and looked to where Running Elk had been standing. When she realized, he was gone, she collapsed into the captain’s waiting arms.
***
When she opened her eyes, her heart was heavy. Once she could breathe a little easier, she looked for her son. What she saw was unexpected. The captain was walking back and forth with Little Eagle in his arms, clearly doing the best he could to comfort the child. As soon as the captain saw her eyes were open, he handed Little Eagle back to Alexandria with a thankful look on his face before turning serious. “You lied to me, Alexandria.”
“And you lied to me. You are not my friend,” she stated sadly as she cuddled her son.
The captain ignored her comments. “You told me the warrior didn’t want ya. From what I just saw, I’d say that was a lie. Wasn’t it?” he asked, taking a seat beside her without waiting for an invitation.
“That was the first time I’ve seen him since Standing Bear took me. But you did the same thing as he did. You stopped me from going to him. Stopped me from being with the man I belong with. Why?!” she asked, trying to control her ever-present anger.
“Because you are under my protection. The United States’ Army’s protection,” he stated plainly.
She laughed at his simple answer. “Protection from whom?”
“I believe I’ll ride with you today. Just to be safe,” he said again, ignoring her.
Alexandria knew arguing would do no good, so she said nothing.
“Let’s go. You are holdin’ up the whole group,” he stated, trying to be amicable while he offered his hand to her.
She glared at him and slapped away his hand before standing on her own and mounting her horse in silence.
Chapter Forty
“I told you she would hear you. She hasn’t changed. Did you see her trying to get to you?” Gray Eagle asked excitedly as soon as they returned to Abigail and the horses.
“I saw. She wants to be with me as much as I want to be with her. That pleases me more than you can know. When we get to the camp, we can formulate a plan to free her. The soldier who stopped her horse will be our biggest obstacle,” Running Elk said, smiling at his family. He knew Kicking Bird held him back, but he wasn’t angry with his brother.
Seeing the woman brought him back to life. He had hope again. It was a feeling he had forgotten. Two Fires was not only aware of his presence; she had run to him. That knowledge would keep him strong until she and Little Eagle reached the soldiers’ fort. Before moving closer to the fort, Kicking Bird and Running Elk said goodbye to Gray Eagle and Abigail. Gray Eagle was reluctant to leave, but when Kicking Bird explained how much it would help Abigail heal, he agreed.
Before parting ways, they gave the young warrior a message for Sparrow and Quanah. Running Elk’s message was one of hope and promise; we will return as a family. Kicking Birds message to Sparrow was short and simple. I will explain when we see each other again. And I love you.
Running Elk and Kicking Bird watched as the two began their journey back to the Comanche.
The two brothers rode side by side in silence. Running Elk was working through several plans of action, and from the look on Kicking Bird’s face, he was still worried about how his wife was going to react to a new member of the family and a possible love match. Even with his mind full of plans, Running Elk smiled at his brother’s worries.
“Would you like to talk about it?” Running Elk asked, hoping Kicking Bird would continue to be silent and stoic.
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“What? No, she knows I love her,” Kicking Bird answered, looking to the sky as he spoke.
“Look there, brother,” Running Elk said as he pointed in the direction of small encampment.
People from Comanche and Kiowa bands who had agreed to be relocated were living in close proximity of each other. Running Elk and Kicking Bird knew they had friends among the people gathered. One was their father’s best friend and a powerful voice in his own right. He still kept the free bands informed on everything at the fort and oftentimes sent scouts to Quanah’s camp to tell him of troop movements. Instead of asking where they could locate the man, they rode through the small encampment in silence.
Running Elk had no way of knowing what Kicking Bird was thinking, but the sight saddened him. There was no joy in any of the faces he saw. Lame Deer’s tipi was located at the far end of the camp. Instead of being covered in hide, it was enveloped in a white, thick material foreign to both brothers.
Running Elk dismounted from his horse and waited for his brother to follow suite.
“How is any of this good for our people?” Kicking Bird asked in a barely audible voice as he stood next to his brother in front of the closed flap.
The old toothless man welcomed the brothers with outstretched arms. When Running Elk explained the situation, the old man promised he would find out what he could once the soldiers returned. After sharing a pipe, the old chief offered his tipi to them. Kicking Bird gladly accepted the old man’s hospitality, but Running Elk politely declined, saying he would rather sleep under the stars.
Chapter Forty-One
Alexandria said few words on the ride. She was too busy trying to figure out a way to get to Running Elk. Knowing he was near was both terribly exciting and equally frightening. She soon realized she didn’t want to share her renewed optimism with anyone other than her son. Keeping it close to her heart was the best way to ensure nothing changed her feelings or endangered Running Elk further.
When the platoon stopped for the night, the captain informed her they would be at the fort by midday the next day. Alexandria only nodded her understanding and watched him ride away. After laying the roll out, she regaled her son with stories of his father, promising the boy Running Elk was close and that everything would work out in time. She had to admit to her laughing child that she had no idea how the family would be united, but she couldn’t allow herself to accept that it wouldn’t.
After eating alone, she laid down and allowed the events of the day to replay in her mind. Her mind had been so filled with the sight of Running Elk that she’d failed to realize she had also seen Gray Eagle standing beside Running Elk. Her day had been filled with mixed emotions, but she was relieved to know the young man was still alive. She fell asleep with a smile on her face as Running Elk’s words echoed in her mind.
Little Eagle’s cry tore her from a dream about the captain. It had been so vivid that she looked around quickly to ensure she was alone.
Once she was certain it was nothing more than a dream, she picked up Little Eagle and prepared to feed him. While she was attempting to lull her son back to sleep, she thought she heard footsteps behind her. Excitement ran through her body at the thought that the noise might be Running Elk. She was disappointed to learn the noise had all been in her mind. Sleep was elusive because she was trying to convince herself she hadn’t heard the same noises the night before.
The sounds of the movements of the soldiers guaranteed the few hours of sleep she’d managed to get would quickly take their toll on her. She found some comfort knowing the fort was only half a day away though arriving at the stronghold didn’t mean her troubles were over. Knowing Running Elk was near emboldened her, but she knew she had to be careful. Her hope was that she would be given options. If so, she would choose to stay with the Kiowa. Running Elk was bound to look for her there.
“What’s the matter?” she heard Captain Armstrong ask as she tried and failed to mount her horse.
She turned in the soldier’s direction but didn’t bother to force a smile. “Nothing. I’m fine,” she answered sharply.
“I’m worried about you. Are you sure you are all right?” he repeated.
“I’m terribly sorry, Captain. But did you not live through the same events as I did yesterday? If so, you should understand that I am as fine as I can be.” She finally succeeded in mounting her ride after her third attempt.
“Alexandria, I told you, I was doing my job. I don’t suspect he’s going to give up on you. And that’s why I am riding with you. No one will be taken from my custody. Once we get to the fort, you are no longer my problem. Not that you are a problem,” he added quickly, clearly not wanting her to think the worst of him.
“I understand,” she said sharply, not bothering to look at him.
“Alexandria, please don’t be angry with me. You’re much better off with your own kind. You’re white, remember? How do the red skins brainwash so many people?” he asked, using a tone that led Alexandria to think he was serious.
“Captain. I am not brainwashed. I think I have always felt this way. The ‘redskins,’ as you call them, are proud and honorable people. Perhaps you should try living among them. Then you might understand,” she said, prodding her horse further away from the captain.
“If they paid me, I might,” he decided with amusement in his voice.
Alexandria turned to him and saw his familiar smile.
“What is going to happen once we reach the fort?” she asked, changing the subject after realizing she was going to do little to change the man’s views.
“We will go find the general and then wire your sister,” he answered as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
“I don’t want to go live with my sister. If I ask him to allow me to stay with the Kiowa, what will he say?” she asked, growing more anxious.
“He’ll probably say that you are crazy and no white woman lives on the reservation if she ain’t married to a tribe member. And you aren’t. You have no place amongst those people. Your son is a Comanche, and his father is still a hostile. Look at the whole picture, Alexandria. You can’t have it all,” he explained, attempting to reason with her.
“Then will he let me stay in the fort?” she asked, hoping she would have time to formulate a plan.
“The base is no place for a single woman. It’s full of lonely men, dirt, death, and Indians,” he informed her.
“Captain. Again, I have no problem with the Indians. I will ask the general if I can wait here while my sister wires me money. Do you suppose he will have a problem with that?” she asked angrily.
Lack of sleep was making her irritable, and that, combined with the stupidity of the captain’s words, was making it close to impossible to control her anger.
“Calm down, Alexandria. Here, take a drink,” he said, offering her his canteen. “I have no idea what the general’s gonna say, but we’ll know real soon. Our destination is just over that rise,” he said, pointing as he spoke.
Alexandria took a drink but said nothing else.
The fort appeared as they topped the small hill. It looked like a large wooden monstrosity invading a land where it didn’t belong.
Once the massive wooden gates opened and she and the captain were inside the small town, she saw the Kiowa stagger forward in rows while the weaker crowded in in wagons.
The scene was difficult to look at. The Kiowa were her family, and she felt both guilt-ridden and heartbroken. “This is all so wrong,” she said almost under her breath.
“They don’t want your pity. Remember, they’re a proud people. Beaten, but proud,” the captain said.
Alexandria was surprised the captain had heard, but his answer immediately angered her. It was beginning to seem like everything the man said annoyed her.
“The general’s office is just over there. Don’t suppose ya want to go freshen up or anything before you see him, do ya?” he asked, dismounting and tethering his horse to the weathered wooden railing.
&n
bsp; She glared down at him from her horse. “Am I that offensive to look at?”
“Well, ma’am, we have been traveling for days now. I’m sure we can wrestle ya up some water so you can bathe. Would ya like that?” he asked politely.
The idea of a bath sounded wonderful, but she didn’t want to be treated any different than the Kiowa. “Are you offering the Kiowa baths too?” she asked, holding Little Eagle closer to her as she jumped from the horse.
“No. But once again, you are white. And I know an officer’s wife that is about your size. We could get some clothes for Little Eagle too. He would enjoy a bath, I’m sure of that. Follow me,” he said, guiding her away from the general’s office and towards a row of buildings across from the corral.
Before she had time to voice her objections, she was being introduced to the captain’s sister-in-law, had handed her son to the stranger when she opened her arms and smiled, and was sitting on a fancy chair that had been carefully transported from the East Coast. The shock was great. She had been living on the prairie for over a year and hadn’t thought she missed the luxuries of the white world. But to her shock, the chair was quite comfortable, and the woman offering her tea was kind and gentle.
“Alexandria, I am going to tell the general you are here and fill him in on the trip. I’m sure he’s wondering where I am by now. I’ll be back soon. Let Jatana take care of you until I return,” he said before bowing quickly and walking out the door.
“I laid Little Eagle on my bed. He will be fine,” Jatana informed Alexandria as she sat across the table from her.
Jatana was a small woman. She stood five foot two on the tip of her toes and was thinly built. She had light brown hair and wore it in a bun at the back if her head. Her skin was light and her eyes were green, her smile warm and her manner friendly.
“Your bath will be ready in a minute. Now, while we wait, tell me about the Indians,” Jatana said, leaning her elbows on the table and leaning closer to Alexandria.
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