This is the longest chapter yet, and I hope you enjoy it!
When they got to the tribe some time later Sara could see tipis in the distance, but as they got closer a few young brown faces appeared from the tall grass smiling up at Klaus who grinned at them and began to talk to them in their language. He gestured to Sara and King, and one of the young men walked over to Ranger and stroked his nose, Ranger let out a soft whinny before the kid nodded to Klaus and Klaus kicked his horse's sides, they moved forward and Ranger followed as did King behind Sara and Klaus.
As they moved away from the young scouts they let out a few loud shouts to others in the area who though hidden in their spots let out answering calls. Soon they were approaching the camp and children were running up to them with wide smiles and excited calls. When Klaus stopped his horse, Sara did the same and dismounted Ranger carefully, though as soon as she was on the ground she nearly collapsed much to the amusement of the children who laughed and King got off of the cart to help her.
"My legs don't seem to want to work," she told him and he nodded as he held her close to him.
"I know Darling, I should have realized you aren't used to riding for that long," he told her as he smiled down at her in his arms.
"You okay?" Klaus asked as he handed his reins to one of the older children who took his horse and Sara's to an area where the tribe's horses were grazing.
"She'll be alright," King nodded as he helped Sara walk over to the camp. When they approached Singing Wolf was walking over with a wide smile.
"Shoots," he greeted them. "You have brought your sister," he looked at Klaus who nodded.
"Sara wanted to come," he told Singing Wolf who smiled at her broadly.
"My wife will be happy to see you Fire Hair," he told her and she smiled as she looked at him curiously.
"Singing Wolf calls you Fire Hair," Klaus explained and she smiled.
"Thank you," she said, unsure what else to say. After a few minutes of getting her feet under her again Sara was able to walk without assistance and found herself sitting in a tipi with Singing Wolf's wife, a woman whose Christian name was Jessamine.
"How did you and Singing Wolf meet?" Sara asked Jessamine as she watched the other woman move around the tipi, making drinks for them.
"He was trading in the town I lived in," she explained. "I began to talk to him and when my father died no one wanted to take me in," she told Sara as she handed her a cup of some sort of tea. Sara took it and sipped it, finding the taste very strong, but she didn't say anything, and instead just listened to what Jessamine was saying. "I had nowhere to go and soon I was without any money, and one day he came back to town and saw me begging for a job at the hotel. When he found out that I had no one he asked me to come with him back here. I had nothing to lose so I joined him, when the tribe found out no one would help me, I was adopted and then Singing Wolf had to court me and come up with the bride price for me for my new father, and when that was done, we were married," she explained with a smile.
"Wow," Sara said as she took another sip of the tea and couldn't help the small shiver that ran through her body at the taste, earning a laugh from Jessamine.
"I know, it's strong," she admitted. "But you'll get used to it."
"So do you like living here?" Sara asked and Jessamine nodded.
"Oh yes," she sighed. "Singing Wolf is amazing, and so is the rest of the people," she said as she sat near Sara. "Klaus and King have talked about you often when they come here," she told Sara as she reached out to touch Sara's hair, then picked up a comb. "Do you mind?"
"No," Sara said and Jessamine moved to kneel behind Sara and start to softly take the knots out of Sara's windswept hair.
"Have you and King married yet?" she asked and Sara shook her head.
"Not yet," she admitted. "But I can't wait until we do,"
"I'm sure," Jessamine nodded as she ran the comb through her hair. "Your hair is beautiful,"
"So is yours," Sara said as she looked over her shoulder at the older woman who smiled. Her hair was light, somewhere between brown and blonde and hung down her shoulders in straight locks that glistened in the firelight. Jessamine was maybe ten or fifteen years older than Sara and had a plumper body and face, she had the kind of curves that Sara couldn't help but be jealous of, compared to Jessamine, she had the body of a child while Jessamine looked like a woman. She was kind and gentle and Sara couldn't help but like her immediately.
When the tipi door opened it was Klaus who looked at the two women and smiled as Jessamine was braiding Sara's hair. "Sara, come see the tipi," he said and Jessamine finished her hair, tying it off with a small strap of leather before the two stood and walked out of Singing Wolf's tipi.
They followed Klaus to the tipi that they had set up and for the first time Sara was able to see the inside of the tipi that had been set up in the Schultz yard. She stepped in and found King rolling out a buffalo hide. "Well hello," he greeted her and she smiled as she looked down at him.
"Do you like my hair?" she asked and he chuckled as he sat up on his knees.
"You nearly look like an Indian," he told her and she laughed.
"Only nearly?" she asked and he nodded.
"Well," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "It would seem to me that while your hair is very fitting, you dress like a settler," he winked at her and she smiled before she leaned down and kissed him softly.
"I don't know how good I'd look in buckskin," she said and he chuckled as he ran his hands over her waist.
"Oh I don't know," he said as he looked up at her with a fond smile. "I think you'd look rather fetching," he winked and she laughed before looking around.
"This is where we'll sleep?" she asked and he nodded.
"Mm, yes, you'll find it's actually much more comfortable than you'd think," he told her. "It's very cozy in the evenings,"
"Will Klaus sleep in here with us?" she asked and he nodded.
"Over there," he gestured to where Klaus had already set up his own buffalo hide to sleep on.
When they two exited the tipi Sara found Jessamine talking with some of the older woman who looked at Sara excitedly and Jessamine smiled at her softly, if not a little embarrassed. "They want to touch your hair," she explained. "Singing Wolf has named you Fire Hair, they want to see if your hair burns like fire,"
Sara couldn't help but smile at that before she nodded and the older women each took turns touching her hair and commenting on it, all of them smiling and laughing as they spoke.
The first few days in the camp Sara stuck close to Jessamine who translated for her while King and Klaus were doing their work, King had started quite a practice for himself, helping the natives with their dental needs, and Klaus was trading with anyone who wanted to trade with him. One morning Sara woke up to find her shawl she had left outside of the tipi the night before by accident was gone, and in its place hung a buckskin dress with fringe.
She went to Jessamine's tipi and after stepping inside she held up the dress curiously while Jessamine laughed. "Wild Fox made you a trade," she said as she looked at the dress. "Did you leave something outside your tipi?"
"I dropped my shawl," she explained. "I was going to go back for it but," she blushed and shrugged. "I was already in my nightgown, so I thought I'd just get it in the morning."
"Wild Fox probably thought you were offering it as a trade," she explained as she held the dress to Sara's body. "You should be flattered, many women would love to have one of Wild Fox's dresses," she said and Sara chuckled softly.
"Should I try it on?" she asked softly and Jessamine laughed again, everyone here was so quick to smile and laugh, it was so different from town, and it was something she found really wonderful about being out here.
"Why wouldn't you?" she asked and Sara shrugged.
"Well I- I'd look-"
"Like an Indian?" Jessamine asked softly, as if she were saying something scandalous. "You aren't in town anymore, there's nothing wrong with dressing like them, I do," she pointed out and Sara nodded.
"But you live here," she pointed out and Jessamine shrugged.
"Turn around," she said and Sara did, allowing Jessamine to unbutton her dress and help her out of it before she started to unlace the corset to loosen it up. Sara let out a slow breath when Jessamine loosened the corset and then undid it and stood there in her bloomers and chemise. "I don't miss all those layers," Jessamine said softly and Sara looked at her curiously.
"What do Indians wear under their dresses?" she asked and Jessamine smiled at her.
"Nothing," she replied and Sara felt her face heat up in a blush.
"Jessamine, you mean you-"
"I do," she said as she helped untie Sara's chemise and Sara slipped it off, covering her chest with her hand as she stood there in nothing but her bloomers and stockings.
"Why?"
"When I first came here, I was like you," Jessamine said as she held the dress out for Sara to slip into. "But nothing bad happens when you let go Sara, I can promise you that."
Sara slipped into the dress and let Jessamine pull it down over her. It was long, longer than she expected and it fell to her ankles, the sleeve fell to her elbows and fringe continued to her wrists, a line of fringe went across her abdomen and she smiled as she looked down at the dress. It was wonderfully soft and rich, the skin was treated wonderfully and after gathering her clothes and bringing them back to the tipi she was sharing with the Schultz brothers she and Jessamine went to find King who was washing his hands off in a basin when they walked over. He looked up and then back at his hands before doing a double take when he realized who was walking over to him and grinned widely.
"Look at you," he said as he dried his hands off. "My goodness darling, you look right at home," he said as he held his arms out to her and wrapped them around her when she was close enough. "You look wonderful," he told her as he kissed her temple.
"My shawl was traded for this," she said as she looked up at him and he chuckled lightly before he nodded.
"I'd say that's a very good trade," he said gently as he ran his thumb along her cheek with a smile.
"You think so?" she asked and he nodded.
"Of course Darling," he said. "Do you like your new dress?"
"Oh yes," she nodded. "I mean I could never wear it at home, but I like it very much," she told him and he smiled as he nodded.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked and she nodded as she wrapped her arms around his middle and smiled up at him.
"I am." she said softly as he looked down at her adoringly.
"Good," he said as he cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her.
That night Sara and King were alone in the tipi, Klaus was out with some of the other men near the fire, telling stories, smoking and having a good time while Sara took off her buckskin dress and hung it on the wall like Jessamine had shown her. King was laying on their buffalo hide bed, under a blanket as he watched her slip out of her shoes and looked at her.
"You know," he said softly. "Most of the people here wear nothing at all to bed," She looked at him and raised an eyebrow at the thought of his comment.
"And you know that how?" she asked and he chuckled.
"Well," he said as he looked up at her. "Klaus told me."
"Klaus has been sleeping nude with Indian women?" she asked and he cleared his throat as he looked away at her question before he shook his head.
"No darling," he told her softly as he sat up.
"How would he know then?"
"Darling, Klaus prefers the company of men," he explained, Sara stood there for a moment before she tilted her head slightly.
"Does anyone else-"
"No," he shook his head immediately. "No one from town knows, they- they wouldn't understand."
"Do you?" she asked and he smiled softly.
"Do I understand the desire to take another man to bed?" he asked and shook his head. "No my love, but do I understand the desire for love and companionship? Of course."
"And you still love Klaus?" she asked and he nodded without hesitation.
"I raised him," he said as he reached for her and she let him take her hands and draw her into the bed with him, she had completely forgotten about her nightgown at the revelation about her soon to be brother in law and the rough fur was an interesting feeling over her nude body, but she didn't care as she settled her head on King's arm and listed as he talked. "We left Germany because as a child he fell in love with another boy, our father nearly beat him to death, he was so young at the time," he sighed and shook his head. "Klaus was not a planned child, I was fifteen when he was born, and by twenty five I had grown very protective of my little brother," he told her as he stroked her neck and shoulder gently, looking down at her as he spoke.
"So when your father beat him-"
"I could not allow that to happen again," his voice turned dark and he set his jaw before clearing his throat. "We were the sons of a very wealthy family, so I took all the cash I could find, I took my brother, and we left Germany. I had already been thinking of coming to America, but I couldn't justify leaving without my brother. When that happened, I didn't think, I just took him and brought him to America. I promised him no one would ever harm him again, that I would take care of him, that I would love him no matter what," he explained and Sara smiled softly as she looked up at King.
"And you do," she said and he nodded.
"Of course I do," he said softly before he seemed to hesitate and look down at her curiously. "Darling, do you think-" he stopped and sighed.
"What?" she asked and he looked away, making her take a page from his book. She reached out and cupped his face, turning his head to look at her. "What?"
"I love you very much," he told her as he looked at her adoringly, but there was something else in his eyes, fear and sadness. "But if you can not accept my brother as he is- I don't see a way this marriage will ever work,"
Sara stared at King for a moment before she sat up as she realized the reason for the fear in his eyes. "Have I ever given you a reason to think I would not love him no matter what?" she asked and he looked at her with relief in his face.
"You don't mind?"
"King," she smiled softly. "I love Klaus as if he were my own brother, if he prefers the company of men, that's no business of mine, he is still Klaus, I still love him, and I always will," she said making King smile before he leaned in and kissed her deeply. "Is that what happened when you said you had almost married once?" she asked when the kiss ended and he nodded.
"Back in Germany, right before I took Klaus away from our family. I was engaged to a woman who was the daughter of a family friend," he explained. "When she found out why Klaus was beaten so badly she was horrible," he scowled and shook his head. "I called off the engagement, took Klaus and came here," he sighed as he wrapped his arms around Sara and pulled her onto his lap, she straddled his lap and smiled at him as he sat up and wrapped his arms around her.
"Well," she said softly, thoughtfully. "If you hadn't left her, we never would have met," she pointed out and he smiled as he moved a hand to cup her face.
"And if you ask me Sara is much better than Anja," a voice at the door of the tipi said and Sara and King both turned to see a grinning Klaus standing there.
"Klaus!" Sara gasped, covering herself as he laughed.
"Oh relax Sara, you know I'm not interested," he waved a hand at her as she pulled the blanket over herself. "I'll be gone in a moment," he went over to a beautiful beaded knife sheath and picked it up. Sara had been working on the beading for a few days under the supervision of a few other women. "I'm just here for this."
"I'm not done with that," she protested and he waved a hand at her.
"It's fine," he told her. "I'm just showing it to some of the men," he walked over despite her noises of protest and kissed the top of her head, earning a few swats from her as she desperately clung the blanket to her chest.
"Get out, get out, get out," she insisted as she swatted at him and he laughed.
"I'll find somewhere else to sleep tonight," Klaus winked at King who nodded as he laughed at Sara's exasperation.
"I think that would be best," King agreed as Klaus winked at the two.
"Good night Sara,"
"Go!"
"I love you,"
"I love you too, now leave Klaus!" she insisted and he laughed as he left the tipi, leaving a very exasperated and beet red Sara to lean forward, burying her face in King's chest.
"Ah, I should have mentioned, he's also incorrigible." King added as he looked down at Sara who looked at him venomously.
"That is your influence," she told him sharply and he laughed as he rubbed her arms.
"That is most likely true," he agreed as he looked at her with amusement and adoration. "But you said it yourself- you do love him."
"You're both terrible," Sara said as she stood up, dropping the blanket to go get her nightgown.
"Oh, Sara, no, not the nightgown," King protested as he watched her get the nightgown to put on. "Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?" he asked and she shook her head.
"No."
"Are you sure?" he asked as he pulled the shirt he had been wearing to bed over his head and tossed it to the side. She glanced over at him and bit her lip before shaking her head.
"No," she said sharply as she started to bunch up the nightgown to pull over her head. He quickly moved, pushing down his pants and tossing them to the side as well before holding his hand out to her.
"Come on Darling," he coaxed her. "Klaus will not be back," She hesitated before he moved to his knees, gesturing her over, her resolve as weak as it already was was waning fast and she moved over to him, tossing her nightgown aside and giggling as he wrapped his arms around her hips to trail soft kisses along her abdomen. "That's my girl," he whispered against her skin as he guided her back to laying on the bed.
Sara checked the cradle board for the hundredth time, making sure Ilsa was secure and was okay to be in the carrier for the ride, Wapasha had given it to her for their ride to Mississippi, as the snow had let up and it was time they fulfilled their promise to Django they would go to find out what happened to his wife and where she was.
When they finally got to Mississippi they headed straight to Greenville. Seeing as they had been there before to get information about the slaving and to find out who had bought Django, Sara should not have been surprised, but when they had been there before, they had gone in the morning before anyone was out and around. Now, in the middle of the day the Schultz's looked around the slaving town in disgust and horror. People were chained together, as Django had once been, medieval looking metal contraptions with long spikes were around some slaves necks and they moved through the mud at their owners demand, lest they stop and be whipped in the street.
Sara looked over at Django who sat on his horse, looking down at the slaves around him sadly, probably remembering when he was in their place, or thinking about how his wife had been treated. "The records office is this way." King muttered as he led Fritz through the crowded streets.
No one said anything as they followed.
When they got there, King requested the records for the month Django had been sold in, as Sara unlaced Ilsa from her cradle board. The baby stretched a little and Sara cuddled her before she stood up, walking her around while King looked through the book. "Broomhilda Von Shaft, r on right cheek, Calvin Candie." King spoke after about twenty minutes of looking through records.
"I know that name…" Sara spoke up from where she was playing with her daughter. "Why do I know that name?"
"He owns the fourth biggest cotton plantation in Mississippi; Candieland."
"Candieland?" Django asked in disbelief.
"Oh so you've heard of it?" King asked.
"Ain't no slave that ain't heard of Candieland." He replied.
"Well apparently that's where your wife is." King replied. Django sighed as if King was saying they had to go to the moon to get Broomhilda back. "And that's the repelling gentleman who owns her." He gestured to the book. "Let's just hope she works in the house, not in the field."
"Oh no, she ain't no field girl." Django shook his head. "She- She pretty. She talk good too. When they tore her back up and they-" he pointed to the 'R' shaped scar on his face. "Burn the runaway "R" on her cheek, They goddamn… She ain't no field girl, but she ain't good enough for the house anymore. They're gonna try to make her a comfort girl."
"What's a comfort-" King caught sight of the looks both Sara and Django shot him. "Oh- right." He trailed off.
"Not while I got freedom." Django leaned forward. "Not while I got my gun."
"King, hold her for a moment," Sara plopped Ilsa into his arms, making him smile slightly at the little girl who reached up, grabbing his beard.
"Ah, no no Mäuschen," he chuckled as he pried her surprisingly strong grip off of his facial hair.
"So do we offer to buy her?" Django asked. King thought for a moment, before letting out a deep sigh.
"So, say, a man wants to buy a horse- Needs to buy a horse. He walks up to the farmers farm, knocks on the farmers door, and asks the farmer to buy his horse, and you know what the farmer says? The farmer says no."
"Well I say, fuck that farmer, and I'm gonna steal that horse."
"Fair enough, but now you're a horse thief, and they hang horse thieves." He told Django who looked down in thought. "Not to mention the horse goes back to the original owner because the horse is still it's property."
"What my husband is saying is, we need her, and we need a bill of sale, something that proves that Broomhilda is no longer Candie's property and will hold up in a court of law." Sara explained.
"Well if we ain't gonna try to buy her, how we gonna get her?" Django asked, sounding slightly exasperated.
"May I offer an alternative plan," King smiled leaning forward slightly.
"Go ahead." Django replied.
"The man walks up to the farmers farm, he knocks on the farmer's door and asks not to buy the horse, but the farm." King explained. "He makes an offer so ridiculous, the farmer is forced to say yes."
"We gonna offer to buy Candieland?" Django asked in confusion.
"No sweetie, number one, it's far too big, number two, if King bought a plantation, I might actually leave him." Sara shook her head, making King shoot her a small glare. She smiled and leaned forward, kissing the corner of his mouth lightly.
"How much do you know about Mandingo fighting?" King asked as he twirled his mustache between his fingers.
"Why?" Django asked quickly.
"Can you convincingly masquerade as someone who is an expert on mandingo fighting?"
"Why?" Django asked again, quieter than before. "I mean, bein' a black slaver… Ain't nothin' lower than a black slaver. The black slaver ain't lower than the head house slave. But it is pretty fuckin' low."
"Well in that way, give me your best black slaver."
Sara moaned softly at the feeling of King's tongue working against her in the most intimate of ways. She gasped as she arched her hips against his mouth, both hands gripping his hair as she cried out and felt her thighs shaking, he didn't stop what he was doing, his tongue and fingers working in tandem to make her cry out as her pleasure peaked and he smiled against her, she could feel him smiling against her and he moved up her body, pressing his hips against hers.
"Do you need a moment mein schatz?" he asked and she shook her head. "Good girl," he whispered before he pushed his hips forward, filling her as his fingers had just been filling her moments before. She let out another soft moan as people outside were having a blast, she could hear them telling stories and singing, no one would overhear the two in their tipi and she was thankful for that as King moved his hips against Sara's, he laced his fingers through hers and held her hands over her head as he thrust into her deeply.
Sara's legs wrapped around his as he moved against her, moving inside her, she moaned softly, her cheeks flushed with pleasure and he kissed her deeply.
Sara kissed him back before he rolled over, letting her be on top, her hands moved to his chest, holding herself steady as she started to move her hips, moving herself up and down over him as he moaned in pleasure.
"Oh Darling," he gasped as she rode him slowly at first, but when she started to pick up her movements he groaned deeper.
He reached up, running his hands over her body, his fingers ghosting over her soft skin, over the swells of her breasts and over her nipples as she let her head fall back while she rode him. It was when one hand moved down between their bodies that she let out another soft cry of pleasure as his thumb worked at that very special place between her legs. She was close, she was so close, she could tell he was as well and he sat up, holding her to his chest as his hips rose up to meet hers almost desperately.
"Oh my darling," he whispered. "I love you,"
"I love you," she gasped as he buried a hand in the back of her hair, fisting it and kissing her deeply before they both climaxed. King and Sara both panted softly, and King chuckled as they laid back on the buffalo hide and he ran his hands over her back.
"I can't wait until we're married," he told her softly and she smiled before she looked up at him and nodded. He ran his fingers over her back and pulled the blanket up over them as they both fell asleep to the songs and chattering of the people outside who were enjoying themselves.
When they both woke up however, it was to screams. Sara jolted awake with a start and looked around as King stumbled to his feet and pulled his clothes on quickly. "What is happening?" she asked as she looked at King who shook his head.
"I don't know Darling," he told her as he shoved his feet into his boots. He moved over to her and kissed her quickly, Sara put her hand on his wrist as he held her neck and looked down at her. "Stay here,"
"Okay," she agreed and he rushed to Klaus' stack of skins and pulled a revolver out from between the skins and checked it before he ducked out of the tipi and into the chaotic night.
Sara could hear cries, battle cries, and then the sounds of gunshots around her. She jumped up and pulled on the buckskin dress before she ran over to the pile of skins and began to search it for another gun, and when her fingers wrapped around one she sighed in relief before screaming as the side of the tipi began to burn.
She wasn't sure where the flames came from, and she wasn't sure who would do something like this, but after jumping out of the tipi while coughing and her eyes watering she realized lots of the tipis around them were burning.
She coughed and ran from the burning tipi, hoping to find someone she knew, and found herself running right into someone. When she looked up she realized that she didn't know the man who was white and was grinning as he looked around the camp before looking down at her.
"What do we have here?" he sneered and Sara scrambled to her feet, running in the other direction from the man who followed her with a whoop of laughter before a staff came swinging out from behind a tipi and hitting the man in the face. Sara screamed and fell to her knees before realizing it was one of the young men who had swung the staff, a boy whose name she couldn't remember in the frenzy, but he had always been so gentle to her and Ranger. She looked back at the man on the ground before it seemed to sink in that it hadn't been a staff he'd swung but a sort of ax that was now embedded in the white man's face. She felt her stomach lurch, but after looking back at the boy he took her hand and guided her away from the tipis that were on fire and pointed her in the direction of the river.
She ran towards the river where she found other women and children, she didn't know what else to do so she stood near them, panting as she looked out at the burning camp before a man rode by on a horse, laughing and shooting near them. He whooped in laughter and shot the ground near them, making some of the children scream in terror before he lifted the gun and pointed it at one of the older women who had so lovingly stroked Sara's hair and realizing she was still holding a gun of her own and that the man hadn't noticed her she lifted the gun, pulled back the hammer and fired.
She hit the horse dead on and it collapsed making the man fall and goan under the weight of the animal before he managed to scramble out from under it while the women started to pick up sticks and rocks and began to throw them at him. He limped back towards the burning camp and Sara, unable to stand there and watch the camp burn, just like she was unable to stand there and watch her school burn, ran after him.
She was furious, how could these men just come here and attack these people, they hadn't done anything to anyone, and as she turned a corner, following the man around a tipi she collided with another person who caught her and she screamed bringing her fists up to beat against the person who held her tightly.
"Sara, Sara!" Klaus shouted and she looked up at him in surprise. "What the hell are you still doing here, get out of here!" he shouted at her.
"That man, he tried to kill some of the women," she explained. "I shot his horse,"
"Good," he nodded, his usually clear eyes were dark with fury and fear as he looked around the fire all round them. "Go back, protect them,"
"Klaus, where's King?" she asked and he shook his head.
"I don't know," he admitted before he wrapped his arm around her and started to turn, to take her out of there before a gunshot rang out and his arm slipped from around her.
Sara turned in time to see Klaus hit the ground before a mon moved forward, with the smoke stinging her eyes and her throat she could barely see, but she could see him point the gun at her, and she dove into an already burning tipi, the man laughed outside of the tipi and flames suddenly engulfed the door of the tipi, cutting off her escape.
Sara had tears rolling down her face and coughed as the tipi filled with smoke before she moved further into it and tripped over something. She fumbled around at the floor before her hand wrapped around a sharp knife and she used it to cut a hole in the side of the tipi and climbed out. She looked around, not seeing the man who had shot at them and moved to the other side of the tipi where she found Klaus coughing on the ground, trying to drag himself towards the door that was burning. "Sara!" he shouted and she ran to his side and knelt down next to him.
"I'm here," she assured him and he wrapped his arms around her before staggering to his feet.
"We have to go," his voice was hoarse and she shook her head as she looked around.
"Where is King?" she asked tearfully.
"Go Sara! He'll find us!" he shouted and she started to half carry half drag Klaus towards the river where the women were, they didn't make it that far and collapsed in the tall grass where Sara dropped the gun she had been holding and cupped his face.
"Klaus," she wheezed. "Klaus, what can I do?"
"Watch out for him," he panted as he clutched his abdomen.
"Klaus, no!" she shrieked and he winced.
"Sara, Sara, he's going to need you," he wheezed.
"No!" she shouted again as she tried to see where he had been shot. It was the right side of his chest and when she opened the shirt she could see the bullet wound, blood bubbling around it and tears rolled down her face. "No, maybe someone can help, maybe- maybe Stands Alone," she said, knowing the medicine man had to be somewhere around there.
"Stands Alone isn't that kind of medicine man," he chuckled as he looked at her, blood was staining his lips and she felt herself shaking in fear. "Sara," he reached up, cupping her cheek. "Watch over him," she felt tears rolling down her cheeks and nodded as her chin trembled.
"We might be able to help you," she sobbed and he shook his head.
"Sar, his name-"
"Whose name?"
"I met him before- so stupid," he whispered, coughing and blood surrounding his mouth as he coughed it out of his thrat.
"Klaus," she sobbed. "Whose name?"
"I thought he- Crash," he managed to gurgle. "Hisname- Billcrash," he let out another gurgle and tried to gasp, Sara felt terror filling her body as she tried to turn him on his side, to get the blood out of his mouth, but he gasped even harder and grabbed her arm. "Sar-" he collapsed and Sara sat there on her knees sobbing as she held Klaus, trying whatever she could think of to help him.
The morning came and Sara was found holding Klaus' body, he had died hours before but she hadn't let go of him, most of the men were tracking the people who had done the horrible thing to the camp, King was with them, but when he got back Sara was sitting, almost catatonic as she held Klaus' body, not letting anyone near them, she was covered in his blood, in soot and dirt and her own blood from the cuts on her hands she hadn't realized she'd gotten from cutting through the burning tipi.
King stood there, staring down at Sara and Klaus before he fell to his knees, letting out a sob before he pulled Sara to him and held her close. "Who did this?" he asked softly and she started shaking again as he held her.
"One of them," she said into his shoulder as she shook.
The night had been so overwhelming Klaus' last words hadn't even registered to her, the name of the man who had done this was gone and all she could think about was the screams and cries and wails from the night before as she shook in King's arms, covered in his brother's blood.
Ooh lawd, that was an intense chapter to write, but I hope you enjoyed it.