Chapter 15: Little Warrior

Nathaniel rose to his feet from the sofa and Ezekiel rose with him, quickly pulling out his pistol. "Where are you going?" He pointed it directly at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel stood unflinchingly before him. He was no coward and would certainly not be perceived as one in front of this slovenly little man. "I think you and I should do the gentlemanly thing and take this disagreement outside."

"What is it exactly do you plan to do? I have a pistol pointed at you!"

"Well, I plan to win sir." Nathaniel's smirk grew even wider, further enraging Ezekiel. "I would have thought His Majesties Regulars would have had some type of standards." Nathaniel waved a casual hand up and down Ezekiel's stubby frame. Ezekiel thrusted the pistol at Nathaniel in an almost stabbing motion.

"What are you doing?" Jared demanded and rose to his feet. "Put your pistol down!"

"No. He will be worth money. I remember him, he is wanted on sedition charges."

"You fool! We are still trying to find our own way back, how are we going to bring him with us?" Jared almost screamed at him.

Ezekiel began advancing towards Nathaniel. He saw that the rest of the men had taken to their feet, save the older fellow. "You may all take me rather quickly, put I will definitely shoot him before I fall. Or you can sit back down and allow us to walk out of here together."

Alice and Cora stood frozen behind the table watching the scene unfold. Cora finally finding her footing made to move closer to Nathaniel but was stayed in place by Alice's hand upon her arm. Prudence had only made it partially across the room before Ezekiel had drawn his pistol. She had stopped almost next to Nathaniel. Prudence considered her position, she was just close enough to reach her arm out and across Nathaniel's chest protectively. Which she swiftly did, believing that this little man may be willing to shoot Nathaniel though probably not a woman.

"No!" Nathaniel made to pull her away from him, but she would not be moved. Prudence had used his wild arm movements to her advantage and managed to shift herself further in front of him. Ezekiel would not relent and continued to point the pistol, only now at her chest. Martin and Uncas had quickly positioned themselves so they were all standing in a small circle. Uncas' stance was almost feral. His head tilted slightly like a cat before it is about to pounce. Martin stood with perfect posture, making him appear even taller than he already was, as he inched closer towards Prudence and Nathaniel.

Prudence held forcefully to Nathaniels' wrists, disabling his arm movements. She stared down into Ezekiel's eyes. "You may be aiming for him but you will most definitely shoot me instead." A thin layer of sweat was beginning to form on Ezekiel's brow. She glanced back and forth between the two men, resting her stare on Jared. Prudence's eyes bore into him silently pleading with him for help, hoping he would intervene on their behalf.

"You are not doing this!" Nathaniel forcefully twisted out of her grasp. Prudence flinched and gasped as he roughly pulled away from her, a small pain from his movements radiating down her arm.

Nathaniel wanted her behind him. He was enraged that she had inserted herself into to dangerous situation on his behalf. He knew his rough attempt to be free of her grasp had hurt her. She had flinched from pain and it made him even angrier knowing that he had caused it.

Jared's eyes fixated on her, her gasp from the pain was what finally forced his memory of her to flood through him. His mouth hung open at the recognition of who she was. He took a step closer to her not even realizing he had done it. Martin immediately shifted his position closer to his wife. Jared did not notice, he was lost in her bright blue eyes.

"Jared?" Ezekiel yelled at him.

Jared did not look at him, his eyes never leaving hers. "Put your pistol down." Ezekiel laughed at him, but Jared stayed still and ever fixated on Prudence. "Your eyes have haunted me for years." Prudence held her breath as he continued, "Every night in my dreams, every young girl that has ever crossed my path, all see is your blue eyes." He made to step closer towards her, but stilled himself when he saw her slightly recoil into the man she had been protecting. "I am sorry." Martin had crossed almost completely in front of her, fully prepared to break his neck.

"If any of you move again, I will fire." Ezekiel seethed.

Jared casually reached for his pistol, making Ezekiel believe he intended to point it at them. When quite suddenly, and to Ezekiel's complete surprise, Jared pointed it at him.

"Jared? What are you doing?"

"I told you to put the pistol down."

"You are mad! He is worth quite a bit of money and over some woman. Just take…" Before Ezekiel could finish his sentence, Jared had put the gun to his head.

"Hand you pistol to the Indian." Ezekiel gaped at him in shock. He stared deep into his eyes. Jared was calm, unflinching. Ezekiel knew he was serious, he would shoot him. He slowly took his finger off the trigger and passed it to Uncas. Who upon holding the pistol, pointed right back in his own face.

Jared turned to Uncas and said, "Would you please escort him outside. I will be out in a moment." Uncas was in no mood to be told what to do, however it was best to remove him from the cabin as quickly as possible, should there be any bloodshed he would want it away from the women and children. Uncas began to silently walk him out of the cabin, pistol aimed at his head the entire time.

Upon existing the cabin, Uncas saw that his father was standing calmly at the bottom of the porch steps, musket in hand and aimed towards the cabin door. Chingachgook had arrived late to the cabin, having spotted another doe and thought to track it to better their winter meat stores. He began to approach the cabin, unaware of what had happened specifically within its the thick walls, however he could hear the distinct sound of yelling. Chingachgook had just made to make his way in when and man appeared at the doorway, his son behind him holding a small pistol to his head. They descended the steps and into the open glade and waited for the other man to join them in the darkness, while Uncas briefly explained what was happening to his father in Mohican.

Once they were outside, Jared lowered his weapon. Nathaniel shifted to Prudence's side and Martin stayed firmly planted between them. "What is your name?"

Prudence grabbed tightly onto the back of Martins's trousers with one hand and with her other his forearm. Her nerves were beginning to run wild, and physically touching Martin helped clear her thoughts. "Prudence." It was that moment that she had finally retrieved her memory of him.

Jared's face fell as he stared into her eyes. She had survived that horrible night. She had grown up and became a wife and mother. She was loved and cared for and she remained just as beautiful as she did as a girl. Perhaps, even more beautiful. Jared wanted to reach out and touch her, hold her even. Like he wanted to when they were children. Yet he could not. He had no right to even stare at her. His face sagged even further into regret and he said, "How can I atone for all those years ago? What my brother did..."

Nathaniel made to move closer to him upon realizing what he was referring to, she released her hand on Martin and placed her open palm against Nathaniel's chest, staying him in his spot. She shut her eyes briefly at his question, silently pleading for this to be over. It had been his brother that had viciously attacked her, not once but twice. Upon opening her eyes, Prudence looked towards the open door. "You can keep my brother safe." Jared followed her eyes to the open door, understanding what she asked of him and nodded his head.

He had failed at keeping her safe all those years ago, he would not fail her again. Jared went to move towards the open doorway and paused just before its threshold. He turned back to look at her one last time. Taking in her now adult face and committing it to his memory. The loose hairs that framed her cheeks. Her long thick eyelashes, that fluttered elegantly every time she blinked. Finally her cerulean blue eyes. The same eyes that had haunted him for years. After committing all of her features to memory he sadly said, "He noticed you because I noticed you."

Prudence was overcome by his admission. Realizing that Jared had watched her, as a boy watches a girl. He had liked her and because he had done so, it was her downfall. She held tighter to Martin's trousers, yet shifted her body so she could see Jared slightly better. She understood now that he had been tormented these thirteen years by the events of that night. Prudence met his stare with her eyes and said, "You were a child, same as me." He had not deserved what had had happened that night anymore then she did. They stared at each other for a long moment before she continued, "Be at peace, Jared." He took one final look at her and walked out of the cabin and into the blackness of the night.

The cabin door shut tightly behind him and with its full closer, Prudence rested her head on Martin's back. Finally feeling relief over the situation.

Jared pulled the cabin door closed tightly behind him and lifting his sorrowful head up he saw not one but two Indian's holding Ezekiel rooted in his spot. Jared made his way down the steps and over to where the men were standing. He kept his palms out and said, "Prudence said we can leave." The men made no move leave and Uncas narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously.

Jared inched closer to his horse and said, "Please, it is her wish that we leave." Jared held Uncas's stare, hoping his eyes would convey somehow what he had planned.

Against his better judgement, Uncas said, "Go. Never come back. If you do, it will be to a different outcome." Both he and Chingachgook motioned with their weapons for the two men to get on their horses and flee while they were still being given the opportunity to do so. Jared and Ezekiel did not hesitate and quickly climbed onto their horses and rode off in the direction of the forest.

Uncas and Chingachgook waited outside until they were certain that they were well into the trees before turning to each other and making their way back into the cabin.

"What were you thinking?", Came the booming voice of Nathaniel from beside her. Rage was seeping out of his every pore.

Prudence lifted her head from Martin's back and turned to face him. "I was thinking about you! I was thinking about Chingachgook, Uncas, Cora and everyone else in this cabin and how you being taken away by that vile little man would effect them!" She took a step toward him, her face flushed with anger. "I know you have heard me say I can handle pain Nathaniel…but even my steadfast resolve is slipping!"

Sampson reached up from the sofa and grabbed her hand. "Prudence." He calmly said her name. She turned her head to the sound of his voice and saw Uncas and Chingachgook, who had been absent for the entire exchange, enter the cabin from outside. This had meant that the soldiers had gone from the farm, neither man would have come in until he was certain the soldiers had rode past the property line and into the forest. Cora had crossed over to Nathaniel now and Alice moved towards Uncas.

Nathaniel's anger was threatening to paint the cabin red. "How could you do that? Did you think I needed your protection?" His steely blue eyes boring into Prudences'. "I can assure you I did not!"

Cora reached up and grabbed a fist full of his shirt. "Stop Nathaniel."

Nathaniel did not stop, his rage had taken hold of his senses. He advanced on Prudence again with his words. "You are a wife, a mother…" He began but was swiftly cut off mid sentence by her words.

"I am also a sister…your sister. And don't you think you can frighten me with your temper Nathaniel…or have you forgotten that that same rage lives inside me!" She was pushing him, stroking the flame inside him.

"You let them go!" Nathaniel seethed through clenched teeth. His knuckles were turning white from his fisted hands.

Right then a shot rang out. Its crack echoing through the cabin walls. Alice and Cora both jumped at the noise and Prudence's eyes went wide, but never left Nathaniels'. "No, I did not let them go. I let Jared go. He deserves peace."

"No he doesn't! He was there that night thirteen years ago! He deserves nothing!"

"What do you want to hear Nathaniel! You are right, he was there. He saw it all. Every vile moment! He was there when I woke up in the woods. When that beast cut open my dress and tore it from my body. He watched me fight…as that animal forced himself upon me!" Nathaniel flinched at her words. They had all known this to be true but in thirteen years she had never actually confirmed it, which had always left him with the smallest hope that it had never really happened. That he had not somehow failed her for not being there to protect her that night. He already believed that he failed to protect her from the humiliating childhood he knew she had. Unlike the disciplined yet majestic way in which he grew up. Prudence had begun to sob through her words and the sound of her now jagged breaths ripped him from thoughts and back to her in front of him. "He watched me scratch at his brother's face until his brother grabbed my hand and broke my fingers." Prudence stepped closer to him, wiggling her fingers in front of his face. "But that did not stop me, I kicked, bit and screamed until my throat was hoarse and my body was bruised and bloody. I fought so hard that he grabbed my head and smacked it into the ground. He was hoping I would submit. Yet, still I did not relent!" Prudence eyes were crazed, She glared fiercely into Nathaniel's unwavering stare. He wanted to look away from her, wanted her to stop. Yet he needed to hear it, needed to know every detail of it.

The room had begun spinning around her. She felt nauseous. Prudence was beginning to shake, all she could focus on was Nathaniel's blue eyes. "I rolled unto my stomach and tried to crawl away. I dug my elbows deep into the dirt to try and escape." Her voice caught in her throat. "That's when I felt it…a strap. He was whipping me, a thirteen year old girl!" She could feel her legs beginning to sway beneath her. Though now she was determined to finish. In the thirteen years she had known them, they had never heard her tell the whole event. She needed to get it out, she needed to be free of it. Despite her body begging her to stop, she continued, "With the first lashing I felt shock, the second degradation. By the third, all I could feel was the radiating sting of pain. It ran all through my body. The fourth was when I decided I wanted to die. I let my body go limp in the cold dirt and embraced my demise." Prudence shut her burning eyes to the memory, and continued, "My eyes were red and swollen when I saw him crouched by a tree vomiting at the site before him. He was just a boy, like I was just a girl. He was screaming for his brother to stop, tears were streaming down his cheeks. He crept over towards me as his brother flung his arm back to strike me again. Jared jumped from his position beside me and ripped the strap from his brothers hands. I watched him beat Jared. Hit after hit he took, until he collapsed onto ground." Prudence closed her eyes and hung her head low. "He was a small boy, but he had tried. Tried to save me. I must have drifted in and out of consciousness. I have no memory after that until I finally awoke alone. They were both gone. There was just me laying naked on the cold forest floor."

The entire room was overcome with anguish. Cora stood behind Nathaniel covering her mouth with her hand, muffling her sobs. Alice had completely turned her body away and had buried her face in Uncas' chest. He held her tightly against him as silent tears slid down his own cheeks. Chingachgook and Sampson stared somberly at Prudence, wishing like any father would, that they could only take her pain away. Martin stood petrified behind her. He wanted to touch her, pull her into his arms and hold her. Yet he was suddenly overcome with anxiety. He could not understand how she, after suffering this way, would ever want to be touched again and so found himself unable to move.

It was Nathaniel who moved towards her immediately, almost forcefully pulling her into his arms. Releasing Sampson's hand, Prudence wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his shoulder. She whispered to Nathaniel, "I never wanted you to know the whole story. I knew you would blame yourself for not being there when it happened. Do not though." Prudence took a deep breath, calming her agitated spirit. "It is not your fault or anyone else's that it happened to me. There was no way you could have protected me from this." Nathaniel held her tighter at her words. "If it had not happened, we may never have found each other and that would have been a much harder cross to bare. To have gone through life without you…" She pulled her head away from his shoulder, to better look into his eyes and held his head between her palms. She needed to be certain he was hearing her words fully. Prudence continued, "To go through life without you, always thinking myself to be alone. My lonely heart would not have faired well in this cruel world." She leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. "We must move forward now and be free of it. Do you understand?" Nathaniel nodded, rested his head on her shoulder and subconsciously traced the scars on her back with his thumbs. If she could face this and remain strong through it all, he certainly owed it to her to do the same. No matter how hard it would be.

An hour had passed since Prudences' admission of truth. She knew it was deeply disturbing to them all, the reality of what had so gruesomely happened to her. When she had finally peeled herself away from Nathaniel's tight grasp, she quietly stood and walked calmly out of the cabin. She did not feel in that moment that she was capable of consoling them. It had taken all of her courage to admit the truth to them, leaving her no solace left to give. Prudence tugged her shawl tighter around her shoulders, as Mother Nature blew her icy breath towards her, lifting Prudence's skirts off her ankles. She strolled in circles around the farm staring up into the brilliant night sky. She could clearly see Orion sparkling brilliantly in the pitch black sky. The more she walked the more her mind cleared and an overwhelming sensation of peace bloomed out from her core. Its warmth encasing her like a friendly embrace. She could hear the soft rustling of leaves behind her and paused, allowing her guest to join her. Prudence smiled as the figure made its way from the shadows. She had already known that Chingachgook was following her, as he deliberately made himself know by snapping every twig possible with his foot. Prudence knew it would be him that would come seek her out.

Chingachgook knew she would want to be alone right now to sort out and make sense of the nights events. However, he was not able to put aside his fatherly concern and simply let her walk in the darkness alone. Martin had went quickly to the cabin door to follow her but Chingachgook put a staying hand on his shoulder and walked quietly out the door in his stead. Truly believing in his heart that he was the only person right then that she would allow near her. He broke free of the shadows and crossed the distance to her with open arms. Prudence went immediately into them and molded herself to his chest.

They stood in the darkness, no words needing to be spoken, comforted by the silence of their embrace. Chingachgook held her gently against him, rubbing her back with his steady hand. They stayed in that fashion for many minutes underneath the calm night sky. Prudence knew she was safe and secure in his constant embrace. Time passed around them and she finally looked up into his face through the darkness and said, "It is not his fault that you found him first. He needs to let go of his guilt and realize how incredibly lucky we were to have ever found each other at all."

"Even now, you worry for everyone but yourself." Chingachgook rested his head atop hers. "You have done everything you can to free him, now he must walk out of the cage himself."

"He is a wild creature…he will set himself free."

Chingachgook nodded atop her head and calmly replied, "Have you Little Warrior?"

Prudence buried head deeper into his chest. "I have Father, I have."

Author's note: I found that I could not move forward until Nathaniel and Prudence truly dealt with the events of that night. Nathaniel had always harbored some sort of survivor's guilt where Prudence was concerned. He had grown up in a loving and nurturing environment. Where as Prudence only had a brief encounter with being cared for, eight years old is too young to be left alone. Plus, Nathaniel always felt as though he had somehow let her down by not being there to protect her that night, believing that it was his job as her true blood brother. And Prudence needed to be free of the burden she carried, never telling anyone the whole story. Plus, she wanted to release Nathaniel of his guilt. Guilt she believed that he should never have harbored to begin with.

At least now they can move forward to heal both physically and emotionally.

* One more little note...I hope it comes across as clear that Prudence was asking Jared to take care of Ezekiel. She could not bare her family having to be involved in any more blood shed. He wanted to atone and she was going to let him.

For MohawkWoman: I honestly don't necessarily consider Alice small in my mind, but I think Uncas does in his. I have always pictured Uncas as a rather tall man and so for him, I think she would seem rather tiny! At least that's how I see it!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed AsterLaurel, Eilan21, TithaJaime, BlueSaffire, MohawkWoman, DrMom and my story's guest, your comments really are amazing and truly help keep me moving!

Thanks for reading :)