Fallen Beads
At the instance of both Alice and Cora, Uncas and Hawkeye did not travel as far from the village to hunt and if they had to, they would form a hunting party with other men from the village. All felt it was safer this way.
The months passed and the end of winter came. The sun began to warm the land again and food was easier to find.As the small spring flowers began to show their heads shyly above ground Cora bore her baby.
The night was clear and crisp and Alice rushed to her sister's side once the labour had begun. When the baby boy came into the world both sister's wept with held him cooing and smiling as tears rolled down her cheeks. Hawkeye had paraded his son around the village, pride shining out from his eyes. Alice thought she had never seen two people so happy. Cora and Hawkeye decided to name him after Cora's father, Edmund and Hawkeye would provide his Mohican name as he grew.
Alice felt great happiness for her sister but still felt the bite of jealously whenever she saw the babe in its mother's arms. She hoped that Chingachgook would not return until she was at least with child.
The months passed, spring soon turned into summer and Alice came to realize she had been living in the village for over a year.She was glad that the village was distant from all forms of towns or white settlers; she knew she would have felt uneasiness if there had been any. She turned over and yawned a little. She looked at Uncas sleeping peacefully by her side and smiled, her hand trailing through his smooth hair.
She looked towards the doorway and saw that the sun was already up, they had slept late again. She gently shook her husband to wake him. Uncas opened his eyes and smiled at her. He stretched then embraced her leaving butterfly kisses across her cheeks and lips. Finally he tore himself away from her side, rose and dressed. He picked up his knife and slid it into his belt.
Alice pulled the blankets off herself and got to her feet, lazily she pulled her shift over her head and then her stays. She turned her back to him and motioned for him to help her. He quickly tied the loose laces together and then pulled her to him, his hands roaming her body playfully.
Alice chuckled and pushed him away "You'll be late" she said smiling. He nodded and smiled back at her.
He kissed her lips before picking up his musket and leaving to find the hunting party that would already be waiting for him.
Alice finished getting dressed, loosely tied her hair up and went outside. The summer's air was fragrant with grass and flowers. She breathed in deeply and began her daily walk to her sister's home. Alice helped Cora most days with chores and caring for baby Edmund before returning to do her own daily work.
She entered the hut and Cora smiled at her. They talked for some time about their daily lives and their old lives back in London, Alice felt her heart ache a little each time this subject was brought up. Edmund now had a fine head of deep brown hair and babbled happily to himself as the women talked. Finally after the sun had been high in the sky and then lowered Alice got to her feet. She kissed Cora promising to return the next day and then she kissed Edmund upon his chubby little cheek.
She returned back to her home and set about preparing the evenings meal for herself, Uncas would be gone for at least one day and one night on this hunting trip. Although she never voiced her feelings about it to him she hated when he left her for so long it almost made her feel abandoned.
She stirred the pots boiling contents, smelling the delicious meat cooking within. After it was cooked she removed it from the fire to cool. She then picked up one of Uncas' shirts and began to darn a hole near the collar.
A crash from outside followed by a women's scream made Alice drop her work in surprise. She sat stunned for a moment and then slowly, her heart beginning to hammer hard with her breast she got to her feet and made her way to the door. By the time she had reached it many more scream's reached her ears. Hesitantly she looked out and her eyes saw the chaos that raged outside.
The village was being swarmed upon by men on horseback; each was wearing the red British uniform she knew so well. She saw the British soldiers chasing any men down first, hacking them to the ground with their swords; any that tried to fight were quickly brought down with musket fire.
Not even women or children were safe.
Alice's eyes filled with horror as she saw one woman slashed across the back, her blood spilling onto the ground and then she fell her hand falling from her young sons. The little boy wailed as he stood among the chaos. Alice thought about running to him but knew she would not reach him in time, even as the thought flooded her mind the young boy was run through and fell limp as a rag doll besides his mother.
Alice's heart was in her throat, she steadied herself with her hand upon the doorframe. She looked towards her sister's hut and made a decision. She darted from the doorway, her bracelet snagged on a raggered piece of wood and broke, spilling the beads and her lovers hair onto the ground, distracted by it for a moment she turned but knew their was no time to gather it. She faced her sister's hut once again and began to run.
Her feet covered the ground at speed, her head down to avoid seeing anything other than her destination.
"ALICE!" Cora screamed.
Alice stopped abruptly and turned to where her sister's voice had come from.
"ALICE!"
She saw her sister now half way across the village, being dragged away by two older women towards the safety of the woods, Edmund wrapped in her arms.
Alice looked frantically about her and gathering her wits a little she began to run in her sister's direction.
Suddenly a horse was blocking her path. She screamed in surprise and stepped backward. She looked up at the horses rider but before she could registered the mans face a searing pain through her head made her stumble backwards, she was falling to the ground but before she felt the impact her mind swam into darkness.
Uncas ran through the forest, his brother and the small party of four men following his footsteps. They had been tracking an Elk for over a mile. Finally they had the animal within their sights. Uncas stopped and motioned to the others that he would take the shot. He aimed his musket, the butt resting into the hollow of his shoulder and pulled the trigger.
A loud boom echoed around them and the Elk fell dead upon the ground. They all walked over to it and performed the rite of thanks to the animal. Then with help from Hawkeye he lifted it and they began to make their journey home.
Uncas thought happily of the meal and warmth of home that awaited him. He thought of Alice sitting in their hut, waiting for his return and his heart filled with love for her.
Uncas looked to his brother, the scar above his right eye was still visible and his right hand was of little use to him anymore but he did not mention if it pained him and Uncas took this as a sign that it did not.
Hawkeye had a small smile playing upon his lips and Uncas knew this smile was for his son. Uncas had hoped he too would be a father soon after his brother but so far this had not come to pass.
He was glad that his father had decided to stay with a tribe to the west a little longer as he would be displeased with this news. Uncas did not dwell on such things; he loved Alice and knew the day would come that he would hold their babe in his arms.
Finally after nearly two hours of walking, their arms aching a little from the weight of the animal they carried they came to the outskirts of the village.
They all instantly knew all was not well and as they drew closer they saw smoke from smouldering houses. A loud wailing reached their ears and all the men scattered, running into the village to find their loved loves. Dropping the Elk Hawkeye and Uncas ran too.
Uncas ran back to his home…its remains were little more than a shell. He looked around, his breaths coming in sharp rasps as the panic set into his mind…where was she?
He saw something glinting by his feet and swooped to pick it. The blue beads from Alice's bracelet lay in his hand; he closed his fingers over them making a fist.
A young man walked past him as if in a daze, Uncas grabbed him.
"What happened" he asked hurriedly
The boys eyes seemed to focus upon his face for a moment then glazed over once more "Attacked" he managed "English…they killed many…most men were gone hunting…." He trailed off his eyes motioning to the crowd of women sat around bodies.
Uncas drew in a deep breath as he saw them, men, women, children all dead, their families and friends mourning over them. He turned back to the boy and took him by the shoulders "Where is Alice?" he demanded shaking him a little.
The boy looked back at him "The dark haired one is over there" he motioned to the crowd of women "the light haired one" he shook his head sadly.
Uncas scanned the crowd and found Cora, she sat upon the ground, rocking slightly as she cried, pressing her babe to her chest as he too wailed, Hawkeye stood above her, his hands upon her shoulders trying to comfort her.
In front of her lay a body covered with deer skin. A small female hand was uncovered, the white palm turned upwards towards the sky. Uncas felt his heart begin to beat hard and fast within his chest, his blood pounded in his ears.
He let out a cry of pure anguish and began to run towards the small body upon the ground. Before he could reach it and tear the covering from the body Cora was in front of him pressing her palm into his chest and pushing him backwards.
Tears stained her cheeks, her were eyes bloodshot from crying.
She shook her head violently "NO!" she screamed "It's not Alice!" her voice broke a little as her sister's name passed her lips. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks as she looked up at the near grief stricken man. She shook her head again as if it was all she could manage.
Uncas looked at the body then at Cora and felt tears prickle his eyes at her words. He fell to his knees as if all the strength had been taken from him and his breaths came in deep gasps as his body dealt with the shook.
Finally after what was only minutes but seemed to him much longer he found his voice.
"Where is Alice, where is my wife?" he asked in no more than a whisper.
Cora fell to her knees in front of him, hushing the baby within her arms. Her hand went to her mouth as she suppressed a sob.
"The women dragged me to the woods, I called for her, wanted to go to her, but they wouldn't let me" Cora spluttered.
Uncas looked at her the anger rising within him.
"WHERE IS SHE!" he yelled at Cora.
Cora fell silent and seemed to regain some of her senses. She wiped her hand across her eyes and looked up into the warriors face.
"They took her" she said.
