CHAPTER 37
No one slept anymore that night. Jamie and Ian sat alert with their rifles, staring at the shelter door unblinking while Claire kept her arms around Skylar as they sat on her and Jamie's bed. They all stayed absolutely silent, trying to listen to hear if anything was approaching them.
They saw the light of the rising sun come through the small gaps between the sticks. When it was fully daylight and they could hear the world come to life outside their door, Jamie was the one to go out first. He looked around and did a full sweep of their land. When he deemed it safe, he called to the others to come out.
He informed them that he was going to go see John Quincy Myers to get advice on how to handle their situation with the Cherokee.
While he was gone, Claire, Skylar and Ian cautiously trekked to the river to catch fish for their dinner now that their meat was gone. They were pretty successful by using a large net that helped to trap a good amount. They did end up losing a couple however when a bigger one pushed its way out, tearing a hole in the net as it did.
When they got back with what remained, Ian took it upon himself to fix the net while Claire gutted the fish. Skylar sat with them and used the time to sew up some small holes and rips in their clothes. They still felt a bit nervous after the events of the day before, so they wanted to stay close together as they each worked. Rollo laid next to Ian, still on alert, even more than usual, for anything that might try to harm his humans.
"Uncle Jamie will be pleased," Ian spoke as he continued his task. "It's a good catch, apart from the leviathan that tore through the net."
"You mended it yet?" Claire asked, glancing up for a moment from the slimy bloody mess in her hands. Skylar gagged every time she caught a glimpse of what was supposed to be inside the fish now on the ground.
"Aye, almost."
Claire seemed impressed with how well he was doing. "Good hand for it."
"Well, it's akin te knittin'. Ma taught me well."
"I wanna see how you do it," Skylar stated. She stood up and went behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders. She brought her head down next to his to get a better view of his hands working. He kissed her cheek quick, making her giggle.
"Ye've te be wary of yer stitches," he explained. "Too close tegether and ye'll soon run out of yarn. Too far apart, and ye'll be walkin' around wi' holes where ye dinna want them."
After watching him so effortlessly close up the hole for a few moments, Skylar stood up straight, keeping her hands on his shoulders.
"I can never understand how people make knitting look so easy. I've tried once or twice but it's so complicated I've never had the patience to actually learn how."
Genuinely surprised at this fact, Ian looked up at her. "Ye dinna ken how? Yer Ma never taught ye?"
"Nope. My mom could barely walk in a straight line, let alone stich one. Claire has been my very patient teacher when it comes to sewing and I've only gotten the basics down so far."
"And I'm afraid sewing is all I can help you with on that account. I also never learned how to knit," Claire said.
Ian turned back to his aunt with the same surprise. "Ye as well? That canna be. Everyone kens how te click it."
"I can sew a dress or a wound, skills I'm able to pass on to Skylar. But knitting is not something I was ever taught."
"What'd ye do fer winter stockin's in Boston then?"
"I bought them," she answered, laughing a little at how the concept seemed so foreign to him.
"Everyone at Lallybroch knits from the moment they can hold a needle."
"Well then," Skylar said, "maybe we can really put our relationship to the test and you can try to teach me someday." He chuckled and she kissed his cheek, going back to her own to seat to continue working on the clothes.
Claire brought back the conversation to the last thing Ian had said, "When you say everyone…even Jamie knows how?"
"Aye. Uncle Jamie knitted me a fine pair of stockin's fer me baptism. If I can survive teachin' Sky," he threw her a teasing smile and she stuck her tongue out playfully at him, "I'd be happy te teach ye. When I get me hands on a skein of wool, I'll have ye knittin' in no time at all."
"At the moment, I'd better get these ready to cook." She had finished gutting the fish and put a few of them on one of their pans.
"I'll look in on Finley," Ian decided. He set down the net for the time being and went into the closed in space where Finley and the other animals were kept, calling for Rollo to follow him.
Skylar watched him as he went, and when he reached the horse, she turned back to her stitching.
"How are you feeling after everything that happened yesterday?" Claire asked her. "It was quite a bit of excitement, for lack of a better term. And I can't imagine you would've had to deal with anything similar in your own time, so I want to make sure you're not too shaken still."
"I'm definitely calmer than I was last night. But when we were walking to and from the river, I was so on edge I think I almost broke Ian's hand from squeezing it so hard."
"Hopefully Myers will be able to tell Jamie something we can do to try to make peace with the Cherokee."
"Honestly, it's not so much the Cherokee I'm nervous about. It's that bear wandering around that I'm gonna lose sleep over." She saw in Claire's face that she was silently telling her to go on. "I couldn't stop thinking last night about how the Cherokee really have every right to be angry. This is their land we're moving in on. I know we're not forcing them out of their villages that they're living in, but they are not in the wrong here. They're just trying to defend the land that they were on and owned first from strangers doing who-knows-what to it. And knowing what's going to happen to them, to all the Native Americans, as do you, I just feel really guilty that we could just be making all of that come faster by being here."
"I completely understand your guilt of knowledge. I had it too with Culloden and the French Revolution when Jamie and I were in Paris with our high-class wealthy friends. But, as much as we so desperately wish we could, we can't change history. I've tried, and the events of history are set in stone and always find a way to play out, no matter how many obstacles you put in their way. We can only hope that possibly, by going against the mindset and norms of this time, we can light a spark that maybe others will follow. If we're able to reach a peace with the Cherokee, other settlers will see and may try to do the same rather than fight them with violence. Though that sounds more like wishful thinking."
"What about this bear though? It's not a person we can communicate with and reach an understanding. What are supposed to do the next time it comes back?"
"The only thing we can do is try to defend ourselves and our home. Do you know how to shoot a gun, Skylar?"
"A-a gun? Um, no. No, I've never learned how."
"Well, I think it's time you did. You need to learn to protect yourself, and not just from bears." Skylar nodded, unfortunately understanding her meaning. Claire stood up and went inside the shelter. When she came back out, she was holding one of the rifles. Skylar watched her pick up a piece of firewood and place it on a stump a few yards away.
"Stand next to me," Claire instructed the younger girl. Skylar felt very unsure about this, but if Claire said she needed to learn, she would listen. She stood next to the Englishwoman and she was shown what to do. "These aren't like the guns we have in the 20th Century; or, likely, the 21st either. You don't just pull the trigger. First, you need to put in the powder." She took out of her apron pocket a small packet. She ripped it open with her teeth and pored its contents, a dark grey powder, into a small opening near the trigger and down the barrel. "Then, you put in the bullet, and you have to push it down all the way." She took, again, from her pocket a single bullet and put it in the barrel. Using what looked like a long metal stick she pulled out from the underside of the rifle, she pressed the bullet far down. "This also helps to pack your powder and give you a more powerful shot." After forcing the instrument up and down a number of times to make sure the bullet was where it needed to be, she put it back in it's place. "You then pull back the flint, and line up with your target." Skylar heard a small click as Claire locked what she called the flint in place. She held up the gun and aimed it at the piece of wood. "You can close one eye if you need to line it up as best as you can," which she did. "And then, you fire." She pulled the trigger and the gun went off, making Skylar jump back a good three feet. The sound set off Rollo barking as well.
Skylar looked to the target and saw the wood was no longer standing. It had split in half and fell on the ground.
"Omigod. Holy shit," Skylar reacted, grasping her chest.
"Christ, the sound of the gun scared me half te death. I thought someone was attackin' us," Ian said as he ran over. "What's happenin'?"
"I'm teaching Skylar how to shoot," Claire told him as she handed the rifle to the aforementioned. Skylar just stared at it, a bit taken aback at how quick her lesson turned out to be.
"N-now? Like, I'm shooting it now? I only watched you do it once."
"You have to get your first time out of the way sooner or later, and there is no time like the present."
Skylar looked the gun over once more then took it. Holding it straight, it was almost taller than she was and to say she was scared was a vast understatement.
"Ian, go put a piece of firewood on the stump," Claire asked of him. He looked at his lass and saw her gripping the weapon so tight her knuckles were snow white. He could tell she was terrified and that made him worried as well. But he did as he was told. He picked up a small piece of wood and placed it where Claire told him to.
"Get Rollo and hold him tight behind us," Claire added. Ian nodded and called to the dog. He knelt and held him tight around his head so he wouldn't run, and watched the scene before him play out. "Alright," Claire turned back to her student, "now you have to reload. Do you remember how?"
"Yes," she answered almost inaudibly. "I need more powder." Claire handed her another packet from her apron pocket. Hands shaking a little, Skylar opened it and poured it into the appropriate places. She put the bullet Claire gave her in and forced it down. She tried to put the metal stick back in its place but her hands shaking caused her to keep missing.
"I'll hold it," Claire offered, taking it.
"Auntie, I don't know if this is-" Ian started to say, but Claire held up her hand, signaling him to wait.
She continued to Skylar, "Now, line it up with your target."
When the young girl raised it up to aim, she stumbled a bit to keep her balance from its surprising weight.
"Jesus Christ, it's heavy," she muttered.
"Keep this hand palm up underneath it, and bring it out a bit further," Claire advised. Her left hand which supported the barrel was holding it from the top and too close to the trigger. Claire molded her hand to where it was supposed to be. "Spread your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees. That way the kickback won't knock you down." She followed what she was told.
"I…don't think this is a good idea," Skylar stated, though not lowering.
"You need to learn, Sky. Just like how you needed to learn how to ride a horse. It's a matter of survival."
"Riding a horse and shooting a gun are probably the two most different things I can think of."
"The first shot is the scariest. Each time after, it'll get easier. And the longer you wait, the scarier it'll be."
Skylar took in a deep breath and let it out slow. "Okay," she whispered to herself. She re-aimed, closing her left eye to get a better line up.
"Pull back the flint," Claire went on. Skylar heard the click as she did. "And pull the trigger."
She licked her lips as she timidly placed her finger on the little hook. Reminding herself to not hold her breath, she pushed her finger against it and fired. She let out a yelp and staggered back a few steps to stay upright.
"Are ye alright, Yank?" she heard Ian ask as he came up behind her and put his hand on her back to steady her.
"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Omigod, I can't believe I just did that."
"And not too bad of a first shot," Claire told her. She went to pick up the piece of wood and held it up for the 17 year old to see. "You managed to hit it and get it to the ground." Claire brought the wood closer so Skylar could get a better look. It hadn't split in half like Claire's had, but there was a good sized chunk broken off of it and there were some scorch marks burned into it.
Skylar took it and looked it over. "I hit it?" she repeated.
"Yes," Claire confirmed, smiling. "And you'll get better as you practice."
"Can I try again?"
Claire looked a little surprised, but she was definitely impressed at her inclination.
"Of course." She set up another piece of wood stood back next to Skylar while Ian went to hold Rollo still again. "Maybe as you get better, we can put an apple on Ian's head for your target," she joked.
"Next time I'm really mad at him I might do that," she replied, laughing.
Now knowing more what she was doing and feeling slightly more confident, she set up again and shot at the wood.
"Any better?" she asked as Claire went to check. She brought it back for Skylar to check out. Skylar's shoulders dropped a bit. "It looks exactly the same."
"It's only your second time shooting, Skylar. This is very good for never having done it before."
"Yer doin' better than I did when I first learned," Ian said, coming back next to her and putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think it took me almost a week before I actually hit anythin'."
"We can have you try some more tomorrow. For now, Skylar, do you think you're able to redress Finley's bandages or would the blood be too much?" Claire questioned.
"I'll never get over this blood thing until I really face it so, I'll be fine," she answered.
"I'll come with ye te catch ye if ye faint," Ian volunteered.
"Truly my knight in shining armor." She pecked his lips and they went back to the horse.
Skylar was able to take off the bloody bandages and put on new ones without passing out or feeling too lightheaded. The sight still made her feel very queasy but she forced herself through it.
"Maybe soon ye'll be over yer fear completely," Ian said optimistically. "I mean, just a year ago, a minor cut wi' just a drop would've made ye be sick at the least."
"I guess I've witnessed way too much blood by now to not be getting used to it."
Jamie returned not too much later. When he was asked what John Quincy Myers had told him, he said how Myers was going to bring tobacco to the Cherokee on their behalf and try to put in a good word, as they were very familiar with him and trusted him. He also shared that Myers suggested that if they were to meet them again, to use the phrase 'siyo ginali,' though Jamie didn't understand what it meant.
"It more or less means 'hello, friend,'" Ian explained. "Myers told me that 'ginali' translates te 'you and I are friends.' It's a proper way to respectfully greet them."
They decided that, once they heard from Myers how things went with the tobacco, Jamie and Ian would be the ones to approach them and attempt to talk with them to come to an understanding and compromise.
The rest of the day and into the night passed uneventfully and they had all gone to bed feeling more relaxed than the night before. They were still worried about the bear, but since it hadn't made any appearance during the day, they hoped it had wandered on well past their land. Unfortunately, that peace was too fleeting.
They were woken up again that night by Rollo whining in front of the shelter door. Ian woke up first and he whisper-yelled, "Uncle Jamie!" Jamie woke up instantly and bolted into action.
Skylar, who had had her arm around Ian's middle, was woken up when he stood up.
"What's going on?" she asked groggily. But when she opened her eyes and saw everyone else moving around in alarm, she suddenly felt much more awake and sat up.
"We think the bear's back," Ian told her. He knelt down next to her beside their bed and put a hand on her knee. "Please, Yank, stay in here. I beg of ye."
She could tell in his eyes how scared he was and, as much as she hated being treated like a fragile flower and wanted to play her part in protecting their home, she didn't want to add on more stress and worry to him.
"Okay," she relented. "I'll stay here, I promise."
She saw the relief wash over his face and he kissed her head. "Thank ye, love," he said, truly meaning it, and he followed Jamie and Claire outside, gripping his rifle.
Skylar sat with her knees against her chest, staring at the door they had left open. She stayed as still as she could, trying not to make any sort of sound. She listened intensely to hear every movement from outside. All she could hear was her heart pounding deafeningly loud in her ears. She tried to tune it out when Rollo started barking furiously from a distance.
"What have ye got?" she heard Ian call to the dog.
"That's human!" Claire exclaimed. Skylar heard them sprint to where Rollo was.
Omigod omigod, she thought. Is someone dead? What the fuck is happening?
She wanted so badly to run outside to see what was going on, but she needed to keep her promise to Ian. They would be back soon and fill her in.
And within another minute, they came back into the shelter. All three were helping to carry who Skylar immediately recognized as John Quincy Myers. She jumped from her bed and knelt with the others around the second one they had laid Myers on.
"What happened?" she questioned, panicked at seeing the deep slash marks on his abdomen that were gushing endlessly with blood.
"He was mauled by the bear," Claire answered, not looking up from the man before her. She grabbed a piece of cloth and rolled it, pressing it hard against the wound to try to control the bleeding. "He has severe muscle damage. Ian, hold this. Apply pressure." He took over for his aunt, pushing as strong as he could.
"Where did he come from? Is the bear nearby?" Skylar asked. Before anyone could respond, a roar came from somewhere outside. Skylar's head snapped to the door with wide eyes and she moved in closer to Ian until she was pressed against his side. Jamie heard it too. He grabbed his rifle and stood up, going to the door.
"Where are you going?" Claire called after him.
"It's still close," he responded plainly.
"You can't go after it! Are you insane?!" Skylar yelled.
"She's right, you'll get yourself killed!" Claire followed.
"Well, if I don't go after it, it'll come back," he argued.
"I'll go with ye," Ian said, starting to stand up.
Both women and Jamie shouted to him, "No!" Skylar forced him back down, holding tight to his arm so he couldn't move.
"Stay here and help yer auntie. Ye understand?" Jamie ordered. Ian nodded. Jamie looked back to the door and Skylar knew what he was thinking.
She tried again to stop him. "Please, don't go! You're only going to get hurt and I can't lose another parent! I can't lose you! Please, Dad!" Her eyes widened when she heard the word she called him and she felt her whole body get hot, but she kept her focus locked on him. He had heard it too. His back straightened more and his look of a fierce hunter from a second before softened as he continued to look at her. Hearing her call him that made him, for a brief moment, consider staying. But his mind quickly shifted back when he heard the bear roar again.
"I will be back. I promise ye," he said, and without another word he was gone.
Skylar stared at the door for long after he had gone. The chaos of Claire trying to save Myers faded as she started to think in a stream of consciousness.
I actually called him Dad. It just slipped out, I couldn't control it. But he is my dad. He knows I feel that. But was that really weird? Did he hate it? He didn't react. Is that good or bad? Are things going to be awkward with us again? Why am I focusing on this? He could be getting mauled by the bear and be bleeding and dying and I'm freaking out because I accidentally called him Dad? What is wrong with me?!
She was brought out of her mind when Claire yelled, "Skylar!" The girl's head snapped to the woman who had been trying to get her attention a few times. "Bring over my medical kit and tear some large clean bandages."
Skylar stood up and grabbed the wooden box from the other side of the room and some unused muslin from their pile of fabric. Before she got back to where she was needed, she froze in her spot when and whipped her had to face the door when she heard a gun go off, as did Claire and Ian.
It felt like a year had passed while she was still, looking towards the gunshot and not breathing or blinking. She could only play through every horror scene imaginable Jamie could be going through.
But only a couple of seconds had actually gone by before Claire shouted out again, "Skylar! Quickly!"
She came back into her body and took just three large steps to get back. She set the medical box next to its owner and started to rip up the cloth.
"Replace the one Ian has," Claire told her. Skylar folded a piece many times so that it was thick and swapped it with the one that was now dyed red.
As Claire looked over Myers for any more injuries, Ian asked, "What do ye need te do, Auntie?"
"I need to stop the bleeding. I have to tie off his blood vessels and…" Something she saw made her stop talking.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Skylar questioned.
Claire touched his neck where there was a purple circular mark. "He's been bitten," she stated.
"The bear bit him too?"
"No." She was sure about her answer, but was confused about it.
"Well, what is it?" Ian pressed.
"It wasn't a bear. This is from a human."
"A human?" Skylar repeated. "How? He was basically shredded by a bear claw. A human couldn't have done this."
"Can it be from an older injury?" Ian suggested.
Claire shook her head. "This is fresh. Whatever's out there, it's not an animal."
"Omigod, Jamie," Skylar said, feeling even more panicked about him. She could see in Claire's face and eyes the absolute terror for her husband that she was trying to hide.
Trying to convince herself more so than the two teenagers, she said simply, "He'll be fine. Skylar, hand me my scalpel."
For the next hour, Claire operated on Myers as best she could with what she had to stop the bleeding and repair his muscle. Skylar and Ian assisted however she asked, but making sure to give her enough room to work.
When she had done all she was able to, she let out an exhausted by relieved sigh. "He'll be alright. He'll recover." Then she began to sew him closed.
They kept Myers in Claire's bed while they waited for him to wake up. Though that excitement was over, the three still felt horribly tense and anxious waiting for Jamie to come back.
Claire paced outside, unable to stay still. She looked around in every direction for any sign of the fiery red hair she could spot a mile away.
Skylar and Ian stayed inside sitting on their bed. She had her elbows on her knees and held her face in her hands. One of her legs was bouncing uncontrollably from worry. Ian went to put his arms around her, but she gently pushed him off.
"Youngin', I love you so much and I want you as close to me as possible at all times. But right now, I'm sorry. I can't…I can't have anyone touch me."
"I understand," he told her, meaning that. He moved a couple inches away from her. "Is it alright if I just sit here wi' ye? I willna touch ye or say anythin'. Or would ye rather be left alone?"
She considered for a moment, then answered, "You can stay."
He did as he promised. They sat in silence, waiting to hear the ground outside them crunch under Jamie's boots returning home.
Skylar moved to sitting against the wall. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing to keep herself from spiraling into a panic attack.
In 2, 3, 4. Out 2, 3, 4, she kept the rhythm in her head again and again and again.
She could feel Ian's gaze on her and his concern for her as well as Jamie was radiating off of him. But she kept her eyes closed and her fist wrapped tight around her necklace, trying to connect with her mom.
Ian came back, Claire came back, so Jamie will too. I don't know if you actually had anything to do with bringing Ian and Claire back to me, but if you did, please do the same for Jamie. Please, please, don't make me lose him. Bring him home.
It was now starting to get light and Jamie hadn't returned. They tried to keep their growing feelings of unnerve in the back of their minds as Myers started to stir. Claire gave him some water to drink but stopped him from sitting up when he tried. They asked him what happened and if he knew what attacked him.
He told them, "It was no bear. It was a man. A Cherokee. He was wearin' the fur of a bear and it's head. He had its claws attached te his hands. I had been comin' back from deliverin' the tobacco when he came upon me. Christ, it's all a blur now. I dinna remember too much of the actual fight. I dinna even remember findin' yer land or how. But I'm verra glad I did."
Close to the afternoon, they were all still inside and keeping watch over Myers. They provided him with food and drink that Claire said was okay for him to have as he recovered.
Suddenly, they heard someone cry, "Claire!"
They all recognized the voice immediately. Claire was the first one outside with Skylar and Ian right behind her. They saw Jamie walking towards them covered in dirt and mud and holding his upper right arm they could tell was bleeding. Claire ran to him and hugged him for a long time. It seemed like she wasn't going to let go, but she pulled from him only to grab his face and kiss him.
When they broke apart, the younger two hurried to him and Skylar collided into him, holding firm around his waist. He enveloped her as well and stroked her hair.
"I promised ye I would come back," he said to her. He looked down at her with his comforting smile that always made her feel so safe.
She still felt a little embarrassed remembering that she called him her dad out loud to him, and she knew she was going to have to bring it up at some point.
As Jamie went into the shelter with them so Claire could fix his arm, he repeated what Myers had told them about the "bear" and gave them more details to who the man was that he learned when he brought the man to the Cherokee to show he was dead.
He had been a Cherokee banished from his tribe who had lost his mind living alone in the woods. He had taken on the form of a bear and, what he had done to them, destroying their property and stealing their food, he had done to other settlements as well; including the Cherokee village.
"But we dinna have te worry about him anymore," he finished.
"And the Cherokee?" Claire followed.
"I told them that we wish te live peacefully with them and we dinna mean te harm them or their way of life. They didna give me a full answer, but I'm hopeful that they believe me."
As the day went on, they helped Myers make his way to sit outside and they cooked some of the jerky he had given them when they realized how hungry they all were now that the adrenaline had worn off.
When Claire was redressing Myers' bandages and wiping off the remaining blood as the jerky cooked, she announced, "We're nearly out of water We'll have to go to the stream, and get more."
"I'll make the trek," Jamie volunteered. He grabbed the two buckets out of their four that were empty and turned to Skylar, who was once again happily sitting as close to Ian as she could physically ger. "Would ye come with me, Skylar?"
"Yeah. Yes, of course." She stood form Ian and took the bucket that Jamie held out to her.
They were quiet as they walked, both thinking hard about and planning every word that they were wanting to say.
When they reached their destination, Jamie spoke first. "I'm sorry, lass, fer the distress I caused ye last night. But I would never have forgiven meself if I had let the creature go and allowed my family to continue to be in danger."
"I know that," she replied. "I was just petrified that when you walked out that door I would never see you again."
"You never have te be afraid of that. I swear, I will always be here te protect ye, care fer and love ye…as yer father."
Skylar's stomach turned into a thousand knots in the best way hearing him say that. They had understood their roles in each other's lives from almost the day they met. She had told him a few times that he was a father figure to her, though too scared to ever say that she felt he may as well be the man who made her, and she knew he loved her like family. But he had never told her in words that he saw himself as her father and to hear him say it made her feel light.
"That was what ye called me, aye? Yer 'dad'?" he went on.
Her cheeks turned pink at him mentioning it. "Yeah, um, I-I…I'm sorry about that. It just kinda came out and I couldn't stop it. I'm sorry if it made you feel uncomfortabelt. I'll never call you that again, I promise."
"I wouldna mind if ye did. Call me 'Dad', I mean."
She had not expected him to say that. "Really?" she confirmed.
He gave a small smile and said, "Ye are my daughter, Skylar. Yer as much my true daughter as Fergus is my true son. And ye ken well I have never thought of him as otherwise. I told him as he grew up he could call me 'Da' or 'Papa' like in France. But, only God knows why, he's stuck to Milord all these years."
She chuckled, feeling happy tears start forming in the corners of her eyes.
He continued, "So, if ye'd like, I'd be verra happy and honored te be yer Dad."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said, "I'd like that very very much." She hugged him even tighter that she had earlier that day. "I love you, Dad."
Jamie squeezed her close to him, getting choked up hearing one of his children say that. "I love ye too, mo nighean."
Since her mother had died, Skylar had never felt more loved than she did in this moment, a kind of love far different than how Ian loved her. And having her brother, sister-in-law and soon to be niece or nephew, another mother in Claire, and her soulmate all already with her, being able to officially call Jamie 'Dad' made her at last feel complete in the life she had made in this century.
When the two got back, they were all glad that they were able to go about the rest of their day and sleep that night without fear of anything trying to attack them.
The next morning, they all sat together to eat breakfast while Claire, again, tended to Myers' wounds.
"Try to walk a bit every day," she advised him. "It'll help keep your strength up."
"I'll do whatever ye say, Mistress," Myers promised. "I owe ye me life."
"We all do," Ian agreed.
"I didn't wish fer ye te be diggin' a buryin' ground before buildin' yer cabin."
Jamie couldn't help but laugh a little at the morbid joke. "Yer welcome te stay with us until yer well."
Jamie suddenly stood up when he saw something approach behind Myers. Everyone else looked and stood as well when they saw the Cherokee walking towards them.
Fearing the worst, Jamie drew his pistol and made his way to meet them, keeping himself between them and his family. Ian kept Skylar behind him as well and she held his hand. She looked at each tribe member as they appeared, but her eyes rested on one man as he began to speak.
"Our chief, Nawohali," he introduced. The mentioned came forward and stood in front of Jamie. He to spoke to Jamie in Cherokee and, though she couldn't understand what he was saying, Skylar could tell he wasn't angry or giving any warning.
The first man translated for him, "He prays that no more blood is spiled between us."
"That is our wish as well," Jamie said, putting his gun back in his belt.
The Native said back to his chief Jamie's response and Nawohali raised his hand to gesture to Jamie and said, "Yona dihi."
Skylar wanted to ask Myers if he knew what that meant, but she didn't want to make any sort of interruption to the conversation taking place.
"Yona dihi?" Jamie questioned.
Nawohali answered in his own language, and the other man explained. "It means 'bear killer.' That is how you will be known to our people."
Skylar bit her lip, trying to keep her grin in check as she thought, still being nervous to speak, Omigod. That is everything.
Ian's excitement over the name overpowered any nerves he may have been feeling. "Bear Killer?" he repeated, clearly very proud that the man who had earned that title was his uncle.
Skylar felt the same way about her father. She couldn't believe that she was the daughter of this king of men who had won the trust of the Cherokee. And as the Native Americans joined them to eat at Jamie's invitation and they were all talking together and learning about each other, she said another major thank you to the universe for bringing her to Jamie Fraser and the life she never thought to even dream she would get to live.
PLEASE BELIEVE ME I AM TRYING SO HARD TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE! I feel so so so awful that it took me this long to get this chapter up and I promise that very son I will be back to posting every Saturday!
I love ye all verra much and I will see you in chapter 38!
