The Fort

Alice felt her mind cleaning slightly as her senses came back to her. She tried to will her mind to think clearly but everything seemed fuzzy. A pain shot through her head and she gave a low moan, she weakly brought her hand to her temple and the pain intensified, she let out a small yelp,

"Hold" a man's voice close to her shouted making her head ache even more.

She became aware that she was sat astride a horse, her thighs ached from the traveling and she wondered to herself how far she had come. She felt an arm around her waist holding her upright. At the man's command the horse came to an abrupt stop, making Alice lurch forward, the man pulled her back wards to keep her from falling.

Slowly she tried to open her eyes, the bright light filtered in and made her head throb. She squinted willing her eyes to adjust and tried to focus on her surroundings. She felt hands upon her and carefully she was lifted down from the horse. Alice moaned the motion making her head explode in pain and for a moment she thought she would faint but the feeling quickly passed.

She was carried to a nearby rock and helped to sit up-right, the man that had carried her supporting her back. He leaned down and said something to her but Alice didn't understand, her mind seemingly unable to cope with anything more than regaining herself. Suddenly a wave of nausea washed over her, she turned to her side and vomited, pain still pulsing through her head.

"Doc, we need the doc…I think she's sick" the man's voice almost echoing in her mind called.

A moment later Alice felt hands upon her face, opening her mouth and checking her eyes.

"She has concussion, it's why she vomited" the doctor's voice proclaimed. "She just needs rest I expect Edward"

Poor girl" came the voice of the man called Edward "Taken hostage, she must have been through a lot, so young too" she heard him cough and tried to focus upon him, willing her eyes to make out his features.

"Give her some water, then we'll ride, only two hours til' the fort now" came the doctor's voice fading a little as her walked away.

Alice felt hands upon her face once again, guiding her to the opening of a water skin.

"Drink" Edward's voice said "you're safe now"

Alice felt the water trickle onto her lips and willing drank some, the coolness washing away the dustiness she felt in her throat.

Alice felt her body sway a little and reached out blindly grabbing the man's cuff. She licked her dry lips and with an effort that seemed to take all her strength she whispered "Uncas…"

"Uncas" the man repeated "I don't understand Miss"

Alice felt her head begin to swim and she fell back into the darkness.

When Alice next awoke she felt the softness of a bed underneath her, a pillow supporting her head. She breathed in deeply; the throbbing in her head seemed to have lessened. Slowly she allowed her eyes to flutter open. She saw she was in a dwelling, large and wooden almost like a cabin. A fire crackled somewhere nearby and she could smell the faint aroma of food cooking, it made her mouth water.

"On my Dear!" came a voice from beyond her line of vision, and then a portly woman appeared and walked to the bedside. "You're awake, we were starting to worry some" she smiled warmly her rosy cheeks giving her a friendly air.

Alice tried to move and the women helped her into a sitting position.

"Where am I?" Alice asked.

"Safe, a British fort" the woman answered

"But…" Alice began her face screwing up a little in concentration "How did I get here? I was in a village…" she trailed off her hand touching the bandaged wound upon her head as she remembered the musket butt.

The woman looked down at her "You were rescued my Dear from a savages camp, lucky my girl, yes you are" the woman smiled and patted Alice's arm reassuringly.

"Rescued?!" Alice cried

The woman got to her feet and went over to the fire Alice could now clearly see, she stirred the contents of a pot hanging over it before turning back to Alice.

"Aye, rescued my Dear, you must be in shock, poor lamb" she crinkled her chubby face in pity "Who knows what those heathen's did to you"

Alice felt the heat rise in her cheeks as anger flooded through her.

"They are not heathens" she spat "You stole me from my home!" she made to get out of bed but the woman was by her side in an instant, pushing her forcefully back into the bed. She gave Alice a puzzled look.

"There, there now, calm yourself, you don't know what you're saying dear" she hushed Alice until she became still.

"Let me leave, a horse, some wood…I must return" Alice pleaded "my husband…let me go please" she looked up wide eyes at the woman her eyes silently pleading her case.

The woman crinkled her brow in confusion and then in shock as Alice's words were spoken.

"Now listen here girl, you best not be saying you married one of them or that you want to go back" her eyes glinted with something Alice couldn't quite read…disgust?

"Please!" Alice made to move once more but shrank back in fear as the woman before her raised her hand.

"Next time I will hit you, be calm, be still and forget" she got back to her feet and served the contents of the pot into a bowl. She brought it back to Alice and shoved it into her hands.

"Best to keep what happened to yourself" the woman sniffed stiffly. "You're pretty an' young, be able to still marry well, have babes" she gave Alice a dark look "Don't want anyone to know you were a heathen's whore now do we"

Alice looked at her in shock and before she could react the woman had turned and walked out of the room. Alice felt the anger burn deep in the pit of her stomach and tears welled in her eyes.

She ate the meal she had been given grudgingly, after all the fresh meat and other food of the village the food she now ate tasted foul but still she knew she would need all her strength for the journey back.

She would find a way out of here and somehow get back to the village or at the very least to somewhere Uncas could find her. She thought of his smiling face and felt the tears well in her eyes once again. She wondered if he knew she had been taken yet, how many days had passed since then she could not tell. She also wondered what his plan would be, she knew he would come to find her but she hoped with all her heart that he would not do anything rash.

Slowly she rose from her bed and swung her legs out from under the covers. She had been cleaned and dressed in a fresh shift.

She placed her feet upon the cool dusty floor and pushed herself up until she was standing. She swayed slightly as her feet took her weight but she managed to stay on them. She shuffled a few steps forward before the whole room began to spin around her. She reached out to ready herself and her hands found a table as the room reeled she felt nausea crash over her, she closed her eyes in a bid to still it.

Without warning she felt a pair of hands upon her shoulders, guiding her. They helped her back into bed and pulled the covers over her. Once the feeling had subsided she opened her eyes and saw a young man standing before her. His brow was furrowed in concern.

"Lay back Miss" he said and his voice seemed familiar to her.

She looked up at him and studied him for a moment. His face was angular and handsome with high cheek bones. His eyes were of a deep blue and Alice knew if he smiled they would twinkle. His hair was dark blond, slightly curled and was tied back with a black ribbon.

He wore the British uniform.

"Who are you?" she managed

"Edward, my name is Edward Stocks. Do you remember me from the Journey here Miss" he asked

Alice nodded a little uncertainly "You gave me water?"

"Yes" he smiled and his eyes twinkled "Miss, do you remember your name?" he ventured.

"It's Alice" she smiled weakly "Alice Munroe"

He nodded as if he approved "Alice, I mean Miss Munroe, it's nice to meet you" he held out his hand to her and she put hers in his, her turned it and kissed the back of her hand.

"We saved you" he continued "We'll keep you save, we lead false trails and…just you worry about getting better" he grinned at her.

Alice felt the protest rise in her throat but fought it back down, the older woman's words still fresh in her mind, now was not the time to hinder her chances of getting away from here anymore than she already had. She nodded curtly but said nothing.

"We'll find you some clothes and the doctor will be by to see you soon" he smiled again "I must go, but if I may, I will call on you again and see how you are faring"

Alice gave a forced smile, he gave a small bow and left.

Uncas, Hawkeye and Chingachgook set out two days after they had returned. Hawkeye insisted that they wait for their father and Uncas had finally relented. The British already had nearly a weeks ride gain on them and they had ridden horses, the three men would be pursuing on foot.

Many people in the village wanted to join them in the hopes of avenging their loved ones but they had been pursued by the chief that they should wait until Uncas, Hawkeye and Chingachgook had returned to better know what they faced.

The trail was easy to pick up but even at their fastest it would take them a long time to track them to their destination and Uncas hoped no false trails had been laid. His thoughts turned to Alice and he wished in his heart, hoping she would somehow hear him, that she should wait and be brave, he loved her and he would find her.

Alice felt the days pass as if they were a weight upon her shoulders. Slowly she began to regain her strength with the forced help and care from the older women, Mary. Each time she awoke from sleep she hoped she would feel strong enough to leave but as soon as she tried more than a few steps her muscles gave out in weak protest that she was not ready and she had to admit defeat.

Life was not unpleasant for her but she hated the people around her, she had seen some of them kill innocent people and although she could not voice her anger she felt it burn deep within her.

Slowly the old ways of her British life came back naturally to her, she felt strange and awkward here but also it felt very familiar…she began to wonder if she belonged anywhere but her heart answered this question with Uncas' name.

The young solider Edward visited her often, at first Alice had hardly spoken to him, but soon the long days took their toll and she began to look forward to him coming to see her. He would talk about the happenings in the fort or about his old life back in England and if she was too tired to talk he would read to her from the bible.

She soon learned much about Edward, he was 22 years old and originally lived on a farm in the south of England. He had joined the army at 18 and on his 21st birthday he had been shipped off to America leaving his mother and two younger sisters behind to work the farm. He talked of them fondly and even brought a smile to Alice's face as he related stories from his childhood.

He did not press her about herself and she found it easier to be around him because of that. She had been questioned by an officer after a few days of being there, but Alice had deliberately been vague and uncooperative with any details and the man had left none the wiser and a little frustrated at her lack of willingness to speak.

She thought of Uncas often and wondered where he was, if he had found her and was biding his time until he could reach her. She imagined he was with her every night, whispering comforting words into her ear and lulling her to sleep. She thought of Cora too and how she would endlessly fuss when she returned, of baby Edmund…Hawkeye and the village.

For now she had to resign herself to this life, she would bare it until she could get away.

Chapter 9 complete, I hope everyone enjoyed.

Chapter 10 will be up very soon!

The question Celine asked about the wedding I will reply here.

I did a little research on Native American weddings and found a very early description of a wedding around 1600. It was very similar to what I wrote but I added some of my own wording etc.

The man would give the woman symbols of what he would provide her :

Blanket warmth/shelter, knife - hunting/food and they would sometimes give a offering from their heart, something they had made or was dear to them, the bracelet.

The women would give the man:

Food (usually corn) food/fertility, feather love and loyalty and again their own gift. Hope that explains it some