Disclaimer: I do not own Inkheart or any of its characters, they all belong to Cornelia Funke. Kristiana belongs to me. The legend in here about the Shadow and Native Americans is loosely based off a Lakota story about one of the Lakota tricksters, Iktomi. If you'd like to read Native American legends, and about Iktomi, there's a link up on my profile to the First Peoples website. :)
(A/N: Hi everyone, once again thank you so much for all the great reviews, story/author alert adds. :) And I really gotta apologize to you all, this chapter is very short. Work is getting pretty hectic with school just right around the corner. (I'm a tutor.) I'm so sorry that it took this long for me to post this chapter – I swear the next chapter will be longer, and I'll try to post it sooner.)
Kristiana looked towards the village as Basta pulled the car into the parking lot; from what was visible not much had changed. Basta, Flatnose, and Fulvio had come into the hospital earlier that day to get her; the hospital staff had attempted to stop them until they saw Cockerell and his burn crew outside. However, the doctor had given her enough pain pills to last a month, and handed Basta three months worth of gauze and sterile dressing (3M tape, Tegaderm, etc.), along with alcohol swabs. He had ordered her husband to change Kristiana's gauze every two days, and whenever water got past the tape. Now, Kristiana was home and being back at the village seemed odd.
Although she had only been in the hospital for a week, it was a completely different environment. Although busy, the nurses and doctors had stopped in early to see how she was doing; they would talk a little about their day and a few nurses had extended their hands in friendship to Kristiana. She had wanted to make friends with these men and women, however she didn't dare too; she refused to chance their freedom. Kristiana didn't want the nurses being trapped in the village with little or no way of escape. Escape…freedom. She swallowed back the thought and shifted in her seat; her old hate of the village had returned. But her love for Basta remained, as it always would.
"Did you see the field?" Basta rasped as he parked the car and pointed out towards the old soccer field. Kristiana looked over and saw a large cage in middle of the field.
"What on Earth is that for?"
"That is where the Shadow's treats are being stored until tonight, when Little Miss Silvertongue reads him out. The old fat lady, Resa, and anyone else who crosses Capricorn shall become food for our old friend." Basta climbed out of the car and walked around to Kristiana's side and opened the door for her.
Kristiana's heart pounded, Elinor had returned to the village? What in Heaven's name had possessed her to do that? To save her niece…Kristiana thought to herself. I'll find a way to get them out of there! I will not allow my friends to become shadow-food! As Basta took her hand and helped her to stand, all Kristiana could think about were the Ghost Hunters. What would they think of a man-eating shadow?
"What's this Shadow like?" Kristiana questioned as Flatnose gathered the supplies and pills from the hospital and went to put them into Basta's house.
"He resembles the form of a man, only his body is made of black thunder clouds; he is a creature like no other!" Basta's face boasted of pride. "Capricorn befriended the Shadow 15 years ago, when it attempted to eat it. If you work with me, I can guarantee you will have food to last you a life time – never will have you to hunt or scrounge for your meals again! Now, Capricorn is keeping his promise to the Shadow, while the Shadow keeps its promise to Capricorn – to do whatever he tells it too. Anyone in your world who is not loyal to Capricorn will have a nasty surprise on their doorstep….Quite nasty indeed."
Shivers crawled up and down Kristiana's spine, she had known Capricorn was evil and power hungry; but she didn't think he was this bad! Good Lord, if the Shadow did come into their world it would consume hundreds and thousands of people! When she was halfway down the hill to Basta she suddenly realized that the Shadow could be fought by a group of people – the Native Americans. This world too, in many of the stories, had a Shadow. The most powerful medicine men and women had gathered together and fought the creature with songs, dancing, and prayers. They casted all the light of their souls into the creature's inky black depths until the light pierced through its body and killed it. But Holy Men could be so hard to find now, they often lived in the forests to be close to nature.
I need to focus on my dream walks and warn Daniel, he can warn the Lakota tribal elder who was a friend with our mom. He must know of a medicine man somewhere.
Later that afternoon, Basta was helping Flatnose and the other black jackets assemble a large table on the field. It was a table Capricorn had Mo read out of Inkheart, in fear that Darius would screw the table up as he messed up everything else he ever read out of books.
"Kristiana is a strong woman," Fulvio grunted from behind him as he carefully set his end of the golden table down. "I've never seen a person with a bullet wound to the chest survive before. You've got quite an amazing wife, Basta."
"She's more than amazing, I don't know if there's a word to describe her," Basta replied before he and the others backed away from the completed golden table. All it needed now was the jeweled table cloth, golden chairs with purple velvet cushions, and food. "Kristiana is going to be amazed by the feast and celebration."
"Maybe she'll even dance around the fire?"
"Why would she do that?" Flatnose asked as he picked his nose.
Basta glanced at him in disgust, "Good question."
"She is half Indian," Fulvio shrugged, "In the Peter Pan book, the Indians dance around the fire hooting, singing, and chanting. Isn't that what Indians do?"
"I don't know," Basta shrugged, "I do know Kristiana is very spiritual. The last time we had a thunderstorm she stated the Thunder Beings were angry and they were purifying the Earth from negative and dark energies."
"Huh," Fulvio replied, "That's one Capricorn would love to hear."
"If would could catch one of these Thunder Beings, Capricorn could use it."
"Basta, Capricorn wishes to see you right away!" Shouted a short young black jacket from the other side of the field; Basta nodded and began walking towards the village. Maybe Capricorn was going to give him his keys back? He certainly hoped so, having to give them to Mortola had been humiliating.
When he walked into Capricorn's house and made it to steps, he took a deep bow and was surprised to see Dustfinger standing beside him with his arms crossed. What the Hell is Dirty Fingers doing here?
"Basta, you asked me about your family," Capricorn exclaimed, "You have asked that question your entire life."
Basta shifted, ever since Capricorn found him at the age of seven had been asking about his parents. He had no recollection of them, and sometimes he wondered if he was a Changeling, a fairy child switched by the fairies for a human child.
"I have decided since today is a celebration I shall tell you. Basta, your mother was the village whore, as was Dustfinger's."
Basta felt as if he just been slapped, he stared at Dustfinger, so they were both the sons of a prostitute, why was Dirty Fingers here?
"In fact, your mother Basta, was also Dustfinger's mother. You both have different fathers, as I understand it, Basta, your father was one of my men; Dustfinger's father was a Fire Eater. As you can see, this world's expression, 'the apple does not fall far from the tree' is true. You both may leave."
"Yes, Capricorn," he bowed and as he walked out he and Dustfinger stared at one another, both scanning each other's faces and bodies and looking similarities. Sadly, Basta realized there were more similarities between the two of them than he had ever noticed before. Dirty Fingers was his brother….The new knowledge angered him and yet it strangely made sense. They both fallen in love with Roxanne, both had fought for her hand in marriage, and both had similar tastes when it came to food and pranks.
"I don't believe we're related," Basta rasped as he and Dustfinger stepped outside of the church together.
"It's impossible," Dustfinger agreed, "I have all the looks in my family, if I had a brother he'd be rather ugly….Oh, never mind," he gave a mischievous grin; "He is ugly."
Basta growled and grabbed his knife, "Take that back, Fire Eater! Brother or not, I'm still Capricorn's main black jacket and killing you off will be the last of his concerns!"
"Why Basta," Dustfinger smirked as he leaned back onto his heels, "Didn't you know? It's unlucky to kill family! You have 15 years of bad luck!"
"WHAT?" Basta asked, his heart skipping a beat. If he killed Dustfinger he'd have 15 years of bad luck. He snarled at him, "You just be glad that Kristiana cleaned my knife this morning!"
"You let Kristiana handle your knife? Why Basta, I'm shocked! Isn't that the same as letting your wife meet your mistress?" Dustfinger exclaimed with a mock expression of shock, he slapped his hand over his chest.
"Shut up," Basta growled before turning and walking off to find Kristiana. He wanted to show her the field and explain the celebration to her.