So I've had this Western A.C idea since I was a JR. in high school a few years ago, I really hope you all like it.

-Farmer-

-Outside of Fort Gibson- Shepard farm- 5/18/1878

The sun started to rise on the farm, it was surrounded by woods, the land was mostly grass, a few piles of dirt was stretched across the land like a scar, Close to the farm was the harvest that was ready to be picked.

James Shepard a man around the age of forty, He looked out the window with his blue eyes while scratching his mustache and goatee. The life of a farmer was hard work, he was reminded of it every time he looked at himself in the mirror by the bed, and He could also feel it in his bones. However the life of a farmer was a choice that had to be made. His past occupation was a bit more dangerous, not only to him, but to his family.

The bed made a squeaky sound, James turned around to see his beautiful wife Maria Shepard, Her maiden name was MCloud, and while it might seem Scottish or Irish, she was neither. Maria was in fact a Native Cherokee. She slowly sat up on the bed, she was still nude after their love making a few hours ago. She looked up at him and smiled her brown eyes and jet black hair shined in the light. Not like his mop of brown hair.

"Good morning love." He said to her, his voice a little hoarse, "Did you sleep well?" He asked her. She nodded and stood from the bed, her doing this made him wish they had curtains to put over the windows, even though no one was around for miles and they were surrounded by woods. Maria wrapped her arms around her husband and laid her head on his chest.

"Yes, I always sleep well when I'm with you." She said, When Maria and James first met she didn't know how to speak English, after they got married she started to learn. Twenty four years later she still had trouble pronouncing some words. Yet it is not an issue in the household as Maria taught all six of her children how to speak Cherokee, James tried to learn it, but never could. He knew the words, but could never speak them.

"Better wake the boys." James said as he looked back out the window, "It's going to be a long hard day." He said and turned back to his naked wife still in his arms; he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "You should get dressed love." He said.

"I guess I do." She replied and leaned up to kiss her husband, after which she walked over to her dresser and started to put her cloths on, James made his way out of the room and into a hallway with two other doors, each belonging to his daughters, Martha, second eldest child to James, and Maria. Then there was Mia, the youngest child.

James walked past the two rooms, he didn't need to wake them, Maria would do that as they helped her with cooking, James walked down the hallway and downstairs into the living room. James made his way to a different hallway. In this hallway there are four rooms, each belonged to his sons, William, the eldest child. Thomas, the third eldest. Ethan, the fourth eldest. And then Elijah, the fifth eldest.

"Wake up boys, time for work!" James said loud enough for all to hear, He wouldn't need to call a second time and he knew that. His sons would be up out of bed and ready to great him before changing. William stood outside of his room.

"Morning father." He said, and then the other boys came out.

"Morning father." They said. But wait, there was one missing.

"Thomas wake up!" His father called out, he waited for a few moments and then walked down the hall and opened the door. "Thomas?" He said as he looked in, no one was in the room. James leaned away from the door and looked at his other three sons.

"Get dressed and get your chores done." He said and started to walk off.

"Father?" William called out, James turned around and looked his eldest son in the face, William was just about the spitting image of James.

"Yes William?" James asked.

"Do you need help looking for Thomas?" He asked, William was a good son, always asking his father if he needed any help, but there comes a time when wanting to help just turns into boot licking.

"No, I know where he is, just get dressed and do your chores, if you finish before any of your brothers do, help them with theirs." He said. William nodded and walked back into his room.

James made his way out of the hallway and back into the living room, he made his way from there to the kitchen and from there outside, a gust of warm wind blew at him, James ignored it as he made his way to the barn.

As James entered the barn he started to look around, he knew he would find Thomas in here.

"Thomas!" He called out, he then heard scuffling up in the hay bells, James made his way to the ladder and made his way up to the hay bells. It was there he saw Thomas.

"Thomas." He said, Thomas looked at his father with a look of fear in his eyes, you would have to be blind not to see it.

"H...Hello father." He said, James made his way to his son, Thomas looked more like his mother then his father, his skin was darker than his father's but much lighter than his mother's, His hair was black and his eyes were a light brown.

"What are you doing up here?" James asked.

"Nothing." Thomas said.

"Nothing?" James asked, "Don't lie to me boy." He said. Thomas looked up at his father, his eyes intimidated him so he quickly lowered his head.

"Nothing." He said again.

"Thomas awohali Shepard, I've known you for all your seventeen years, I know when your lying, and I know when you're telling the truth...And your lying, twice already, Lie again and I'll promise you will never talk again." He bluffed, if there was one thing James loved more than anything it was his children, he loved each and every one of them, he would never hurt them like he says he would. It was mostly to make them behave which it always did.

Thomas gulped and walked away back to where he was, he pulled out a box and handed it to James, James looked at it and realized it was his box from long ago. He then noticed small chips in the wood where someone tried to break it to see what was inside.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from this box Thomas?" His father asked, Thomas didn't answer and so James slapped him in the face.

"How many times?" He asked again.

"I'm sorry father." Thomas replied.

"Sorry? You're sorry? Then why do you keep doing it?" His father asked, Thomas lowered his head, "Go inside change, as punishment you'll be doing you're and your brother's chores today."

"But father!" Thomas cried out.

"Thomas, every action has a consequent, either good or bad, your action had a bad consequent, maybe after today you will learn to stay away from my shit, now go." He said, Thomas walked away down the ladder and out of the barn.

James looked at the old worn out wooden box, he sighed knowing he would have to waste time finding a new place to hide it, How Thomas knew to look for it under the house was beyond him. Thankfully he managed to stop Thomas before he was able to break the lock and look inside. Thomas didn't need to know what was in there, no one does. Maria was the only other person who knew what was in the box.

If Thomas was able to look into the box, James would have no choice but to tell him the truth about his past, why they had to move around so much when they were only children, why they hardly ever saw him. James forced the thought from his mind, it had no place in his head. There was far too much work to be done.