T'on Ma

by Magnolia Belle

  After dinner and after sundown, Lana told Liam that she had a headache from all the noise throughout the day and that she wanted to turn in early.

  "I understand," Liam sympathized. "I'll try and be quiet so you can rest."

  "Is that game still going?"

  "Game?"

  "Yeah. The one from last night."

  "It's still going. Why?"

  "You could go there for a while until you're ready to turn in. It would certainly be less boring than sitting here being quiet."

  "You wouldn't mind?" he asked, surprised.

  "Not tonight. Really."

  "All right. I'll only lose ten dollars. Tops. I promise." He smiled when she smiled at that. Perhaps, after tomorrow, after Two Hawks was 'gone', things would ease up between them. Kissing her once quickly, he grabbed his money and headed to the game. Lana blew out the lamps, plunging the house in darkness, and walked to the front window, watching Liam cross the compound. When he was inside his friend's quarters, she put her plan into action.

  After changing quickly into her nightgown, she twisted her hair up into a high bun. Next, she pulled on Liam's uniform shirt and trousers over her gown, and then she put on his cap. Making sure the bed covers were turned down, she took the key to the stockade off his key ring. She raised the back window and carefully looked around. To her relief, no one was in sight. She climbed through the window and pulled it almost closed before she checked again for the sentry. One had just reached a far building and was turning the corner. Scurrying behind Officers' Quarters, Lana ran from shadow to shadow until she made her way to the back of the stockade, where she knelt, watching again for the sentries.

  Still kneeling in the shadows, she spoke in Kiowa in a low voice. "Two Hawks?"

  Nothing.

  "Two Hawks? It's me."

  "Water Woman?" he whispered back.

  "I'm here to get you out."

  "All right. How?"

  "I have a key to unlock the door. You unlock it and give me back the key. Wait for a little while before you escape so that I have time to get back home."

  "I unlock the door. Give you the key and wait."

  "Yes."

  Hearing a soft noise, he looked at the bars and saw her hand waving a large key. He took it from her. "Do you have horses?" he asked.

  "No. You'll have to steal some."

  "All right."

  "Also," she continued, "leave this nail on the floor by the door when you go."

  "A nail? Why?"

  "There's no time to explain. Just do it."

  "All right." Two Hawks reached out a second time and took the bent nail. With the key and nail in his possession, he motioned to his band to be still. Going to the stockade door, he checked for guards. One stood at the other end of the stockade with his back to them. Two Hawks slipped his hand through the bars, quietly unlocked the door and then placed the nail just inside. When he came back to Lana, he simply dropped the key to the ground beside her.

  She had planned to leave quickly, but couldn't go without seeing him. Checking over her shoulder for the sentry and seeing none, she stood up. Two Hawks stood just inches away, his strong face in shadow.

  "I love you, Water Woman." His hand reached through the bars to caress her face.

  "Still? After all that I've done?" She held his hand against her cheek.

  "Yes. Always."

  "I love you so much - but I have to stay with my husband."

  "For now."

  She couldn't risk staying any longer. "Goodbye."

  "Goodbye, my heart."

  He watched her slip away, wishing he could take her with him. It wouldn't be just his escape. It would be theirs. Even though she hadn't said, he knew she was in her own prison - a prison without bars. All those dreams of her crying in the night had told him so.

  Lana hurried home, slipped in through the back window and closed it like it had been before she left. Taking off Liam's uniform, she carefully put it away, and put the key back on the ring. Her heart raced, her throat felt dry. She needed to look like she had been asleep. Unpinning her hair, she slipped into bed, willing herself to calm down as she mentally went over all of her steps. No, she hadn't forgotten anything.

  Several minutes later, an alarm sounded. Lana heard the sound of shots and of men yelling. "The prisoners are escaping! Stop them!"

  Lana closed her eyes tightly, hoping Two Hawks wasn't hurt. The sound of hooves thundering crossing the compound filled the night. Lana's heart jumped to her throat. What had she done? Had she sent Two Hawks to his death tonight instead of in the morning?

  Somehow, the Kiowa got away, though one guard was severely wounded in the process. The melee that ensued was noisy and confusing.

  * * *

  When Liam heard the cry go out that Two Hawks had escaped, the tiniest suspicion leapt to his mind. Liam rushed into the house, looking for Lana, and was relieved to find her home, in bed.

  "I suppose you've heard," he said excitedly.

  She rolled over to look at him. "I heard a lot of shooting. What happened?"

  "Centas Yi - all of them - have escaped." He hurriedly changed into his uniform and grabbed his keys.

  "What?" She sat up, hoping she looked sufficiently surprised to be believable.

  "I've got to go. I don't know when I'll be back." He stopped long enough to give her one quick kiss.

  "Be careful," she called after him.

  And that was it. Liam once again chased Two Hawks across the high plains of Texas. Lana fell back against her pillow, worried sick over both of them.

  * * *

  While giving Lana enough time to return home, Two Hawks thought about his next step. Then, drawing his warriors into a tight circle, he quietly explained his plan. It was good that Ft. Worth had no walls around it. There would be no gate to open.

  The eight braves were ready. As soon as the sentry faced away and began rolling a cigarette, one of them snuck out the door and picked up a manacle hanging from the stockade wall. With a huge effort, he struck the guard on the head with the leg iron, knocking him unconscious. They quickly dragged the soldier into the stockade, where he was stripped of his uniform. Within two minutes, a Kiowa donned the uniform and resumed the guard's position outside the prison.

  From his vantage, the new 'guard' checked for all the other sentries. At his nod, the first warrior stepped through the door and sprinted, bent low, toward the corral, hiding among the horses. A few minutes passed before a second warrior safely made his way to the corral and knelt by his horse. Soon, all the prisoners were free, had picked out their horses, and waited. They didn't need bridles or even halters. Their horses were trained by knee commands, which made the escape easier.

  The new guard casually strolled toward the corral and unfastened the gate. Throwing off the hated uniform, he jumped on his horse and, at that signal, all eight made their getaway, sending their horses flying across the compound, stampeding the others with them.

  They hadn't gotten far when a shout went up and gunfire filled the night.

  "Ride!" Two Hawks yelled.

  After twenty minutes of hot pursuit, Two Hawks gave the hand signal and all eight warriors split up, running in eight different directions. In the dark of night, let the bluecoats find eight trails of men who left no trail!

  * * *

  As Liam and his men gave chase, the fort commander began asking a lot of hard questions of the Officer of the Day. The Kiowas' escape had been too easy. It didn't take long, though, for them to find the bent nail by the stockade door.

  "I imagine they used this to pick the lock," the officer reasoned.

  "But where'd they even get a nail?" the commander asked.

  "That wouldn't have been difficult," the officer shook his head. "There are nails everywhere from building the gallows."

  Satisfied with that explanation, the commander decided against any further investigation. Two Hawks wasn't the only one who had just had a narrow escape.

  Chapter 42 - You
Win

  Liam returned late the next afternoon, tired, hungry and mad. "Well, we didn't get them," he announced as he slumped onto a dining chair. "I suppose you're happy about that."

  "Oh, honey, don't. Please." Lana handed him a glass of beer. "I'm happy that you're safe and here with me."

  "Really?" He sounded skeptical. "Even though you love someone else?"

  "Liam, I love you." She touched his face. "I always worry about you when you're away, but this time, I almost made myself sick. It was too dangerous."

  To prove her point, she sat on his lap and kissed him. Pulling back to look at him, she saw hope in his eyes - hope that she was telling the truth. She leaned in again and kissed him slowly, provocatively, sliding her hands around his neck. At first, he let himself be kissed, but after a moment, he began to respond, his hands moving around her waist, his lips sensuously kissing hers.

  "I've told you this once before," he said. "Don't kiss me like this if you don't mean it."

  "Oh, I mean it. I love the way you love me, Liam. I need the way you love me."

  She had done all she could for Two Hawks. Now she needed to do all she could for her husband. What she needed to do for herself didn't matter. Not any more.

  Taking Liam's hand, she led him to their bed. She sat him down and began unbuttoning his shirt. Wordlessly, he watched her, needing her to love him, to heal his heart from its doubt and worry and fear. Lana straightened up to stand in front of him, and took down her hair, shaking it loose around her shoulders and down her back.

  Kneeling, she took off his boots, then unfastened his belt and pulled off his pants as she reassured him. "Liam, don't ever doubt that I'm here for you." Standing back up, she seductively removed her clothes, letting him watch as she revealed more of her body, from her shoulders peeking from under her camisole, to her breasts, her navel, her hips, her long legs.

  Pushing him back on the bed, she straddled his lap and leaned forward, her hair falling against his chest. "You are the only man who has ever touched me. I need you to touch me now." She placed his hands on her breasts while she sat straight up, closing her eyes, offering herself to him.

  Liam watched her, knowing she was loving him the best way she knew how. He wondered if it would be enough. If he had any pride at all, he should walk out, refusing to be anyone's second best. But when it came to her, he was shameless. Second, third, or fourth best. It simply didn't matter.

  As if suddenly making up his mind, he moved his hands to her waist and jerked her against him, rolling her underneath him. Not waiting for her, he took her - hard - desperately - needing her so much that it frightened him. Lana lay beneath him, holding him, letting this be just for him. Finally, spent, he laid his face against hers and whispered in her ear, "You win. Whatever you want. Just don't leave me."

  When she looked into his eyes, his joy was gone. "Oh, Liam, no!" she cried. "Look what I've done to you. I am so sorry." She held his face, covering it in kisses while she cried. "I need you to be happy. Please be happy." Her tears broke his heart, but there was nothing he could do.

  * * *

  Two Hawks thundered across the plains, leading his raiding party back to their summer camp. It wouldn't be safe to stay there very long, but he needed to let his family know that he was all right. With every mile that passed, even with soldiers in pursuit, he felt his spirit grow lighter. Talking with T'on Ma, hearing that she still loved him, brought joy back into his eyes. Nothing else mattered to him now. They would be together. He didn't know how or when, but he knew it would be so.

  When they returned to their camp, Two Hawks' band was smaller than when they left. The soldiers had killed four. There were no horses, either. With nothing to celebrate, the band entered camp quietly. Two Hawks stopped in front of his mother's tipi and dismounted.

  "You're back!" Gray Dove exclaimed, smiling up at him. "Come in. Your father will want to talk with you."

  Two Hawks went in and sat beside his father.

  "You missed a buffalo hunt," Many Deer told him. "We could have used your arrows."

  "I'm sorry. I'll be there for the next one."

  "I don't see any new horses."

  "No. We had some, but they were taken."

  "By who? Osage? Kickapoo?"

  "Soldiers."

  "Soldiers? What do they want with your horses?"

  "They didn't want our horses. They wanted us."

  Two Hawks related his capture and imprisonment. "They were going to hang all of us. They even built the stand."

  "What happened?" Gray Dove couldn't help but interrupt.

  "Water Woman helped us escape by giving us a key to the jail."

  "What? Water Woman?" Gray Dove scowled. Just when she thought she'd heard the last of her, T'on Ma showed up again.

  "Yes. She was very brave. It was her husband who caught us."

  Many Deer shook his head. "Her husband catches you and takes your horses. He plans to hang you, but she helps you escape?"

  "Yes."

  "Why? If he is her husband?" Many Deer truly did not understand. He would be well within his rights to beat a wife for such a thing.

  "Because she loves me. She has always loved me."

  "No. If she loves you, she wouldn't have married another."

  "I don't care what you say. She loves me. I know it."

  "White people are crazy!" Many Deer exclaimed. "I already knew they were crazy, but this…?"

  "It doesn't matter if she loves you or not," Gray Dove reasoned. "She is married to someone else, so you need to find a nice Kiowa girl and get married, too."

  Two Hawks smiled at his mother, knowing full well who that 'nice Kiowa girl' was.

  "Four of us didn't return," he said to change the subject. "I need to speak with their families."

  "Of course. I'll go with you." Many Deer stepped outside with his son and headed to the first family, bearing the sad news.

  * * *

  It was late, the moon already high in the sky. Two Hawks walked away from the camp, knowing he would have to leave early in the morning to protect his village from the soldiers who would inevitably come looking for him. But tonight, he had a few hours of rest, time to himself. As he stood there, he heard someone approach from the camp. Turning, he recognized Corn Flower, even in the night.

  "I need to ask you something," she said. "Before you leave again."

  "All right." He looked down at her, waiting.

  She took his hand, holding it in both of hers, before she spoke. "Iron Crow has asked me to marry him. Before I answer him, I need to be sure of one thing."

  "Me?"

  "Yes."

  "Corn Flower, I have told you before not to wait for me."

  "I know. But are you sure? Absolutely sure? Things change."

  "I am very sure. I already have a woman. She's not here with me yet. But she will be. So marry Iron Crow. Be happy."

  Releasing his hand, Corn Flower stepped closer to him, held his face in both hands and kissed him.

  "That is as close to happy as I will ever be, but I won't trouble you about this any more." Taking a few steps back toward the camp, she stopped and turned for a moment. "Be safe." With that, she was gone.

  Two Hawks stood beside the river, looking across it to the western horizon. He let his mind return to T'on Ma. Seeing her the first time at the fort exhilarated him, although he wouldn't admit it to her or to anyone. Just the sight of her made his heart jump. And then, to hear that she was still his caused all the anger in him to drain away. All he wanted to do was hold her.

  But to have her risk everything to save his life brought a fierceness that he thought he'd lost for good. This fierceness was an unshakable faith, a pre-knowing, that he would find a way to be with her. He must pray and listen to the spirit guides to find the path. But he knew it was there.

  Chapter 43 - Shreveport

  "I've got my orders," Liam announced at the supper table one late August night. Since Two Hawks' escape a few months earlier, neither ha
d spoken of him. Lana tried her best to love her husband with all of her heart and Liam tried his best to be content with that.

  "Oh, really? Where to?" Lana set his plate down in front of him and put her hand on his shoulder, waiting for the news.

  "Boston."

  "Boston! That's so far away." Getting her own plate, she sat beside him. "When do you have to be there?"

  "In six weeks."

  "All right. We'll be ready by then."

  "I'll be ready by then," he corrected her.

  "What do you mean?" she asked, her fork paused halfway to her mouth.

  "I want you to leave for Atlanta in a few days and go ahead of me. I think Mother had a good idea about you seeing where I lived and meeting my friends. It will help whenever you meet the officers I'll be working with and reporting to in Boston."

  "Oh." Lana put her fork down, suddenly not hungry. "It will help what exactly?"

  "You'll be more familiar with how things are done back east. It's much different than here in Texas."

  "I see." Lana looked down at the table, frowning.

  "What?"

  "I don't want to leave you," she admitted. "I don't know anyone back east."

  "You know my family. Well, most of them, anyway."

  "But Liam, you know how they feel about me."

  "This will give them a chance to get to know you better. Plus, they can introduce you to so many important people."

  "Oh," she said again, not quite sure who the important people were.

  "Lana, you have to realize that when I get out of the Army, I will go into politics. My family has groomed me for this all of my life. You need to know what to do, how to speak and dress, what the current topics are, how to entertain. My mother will be more than happy to teach you all of that."

  "When do I have to leave?"

  "There's a supply wagon going east to Shreveport day after tomorrow. From there, you can catch a stage to the nearest train, and that will take you to Georgia."