Usual disclaimers. blah!
This bit is especially for Starlight8! She knows why!
***
Oran dismounted and lead his horse towards the stables. Seeing Catherine in the garden he smiled at her, rewarded with a beaming smile in return. Handing his reins to one of the trappers he rushed across to see her, enveloping her in a hug. Knowing others would be watching, he took delight in kissing her full on the lips.
"Oran!" The trapper stood in the courtyard holding the two horses.
"Okay Philipe!" He kissed her again. "Later..." he whispered before reluctantly releasing her. "I'm coming! Can't a man spend a moment with his wife..." The good natured ribbing continued as the trappers stabled their horses, but by the time he had finished Catherine had returned to the kitchen.
***
Olivier Besoe watched Catherine and Oran closely during the following week. If the stupid woman would not give him a kiss as she was married then he would ensure she wasn't. He slipped a pouch of coins to Philipe. "He doesn't return!"
***
May
Running Elk watched quietly as the trappers closed on the small herd of deer in the valley bottom. Quietly she melted into the trees, taking her basket of plants with her. Her father was the tribal medicine man and he needed what she had picked. One of the men turned, shooting a tall, black haired man in the back. He fell from his horse, tumbling down the steep back, his eyes meeting hers as he crashed into a tree. She stared, transfixed by his eyes - never having seen green eyes before. The man that had shot him started to climb down the bank.
"Leave him Philipe! He is dead!" Another man peered over the top of the bank, laughing as his companion started to climb back up. "And if your bullet did not kill him, that tree did!" Still laughing they rode off.
Running Elk looked down at the man who had landed practically at her feet. His eyes had shut, hiding those strange green eyes. Ensuring the other men had left she crouched down next to him. He was still alive, but only just. Filled with indecision she looked at him. The men that had shot him were French so perhaps he was an enemy of the French... which meant he could be an ally of the Chickasaw. She sighed heavily as she reached her decision... if he turned out to be an enemy then they could always kill him later. Using her knife she removed the metal stone from his back before binding the wound tightly. Sitting quietly nearby she watched, waiting for him to wake.
***
Catherine watched as the trappers returned, stunned to see Oran's saddle empty. Panicking she looked up at Philipe, but he shook his head. Tears filled her eyes and she turned, running from the courtyard to the safety of the kitchens, but her world turned grey and she fell in a faint to the ground.
This bit is especially for Starlight8! She knows why!
***
Oran dismounted and lead his horse towards the stables. Seeing Catherine in the garden he smiled at her, rewarded with a beaming smile in return. Handing his reins to one of the trappers he rushed across to see her, enveloping her in a hug. Knowing others would be watching, he took delight in kissing her full on the lips.
"Oran!" The trapper stood in the courtyard holding the two horses.
"Okay Philipe!" He kissed her again. "Later..." he whispered before reluctantly releasing her. "I'm coming! Can't a man spend a moment with his wife..." The good natured ribbing continued as the trappers stabled their horses, but by the time he had finished Catherine had returned to the kitchen.
***
Olivier Besoe watched Catherine and Oran closely during the following week. If the stupid woman would not give him a kiss as she was married then he would ensure she wasn't. He slipped a pouch of coins to Philipe. "He doesn't return!"
***
May
Running Elk watched quietly as the trappers closed on the small herd of deer in the valley bottom. Quietly she melted into the trees, taking her basket of plants with her. Her father was the tribal medicine man and he needed what she had picked. One of the men turned, shooting a tall, black haired man in the back. He fell from his horse, tumbling down the steep back, his eyes meeting hers as he crashed into a tree. She stared, transfixed by his eyes - never having seen green eyes before. The man that had shot him started to climb down the bank.
"Leave him Philipe! He is dead!" Another man peered over the top of the bank, laughing as his companion started to climb back up. "And if your bullet did not kill him, that tree did!" Still laughing they rode off.
Running Elk looked down at the man who had landed practically at her feet. His eyes had shut, hiding those strange green eyes. Ensuring the other men had left she crouched down next to him. He was still alive, but only just. Filled with indecision she looked at him. The men that had shot him were French so perhaps he was an enemy of the French... which meant he could be an ally of the Chickasaw. She sighed heavily as she reached her decision... if he turned out to be an enemy then they could always kill him later. Using her knife she removed the metal stone from his back before binding the wound tightly. Sitting quietly nearby she watched, waiting for him to wake.
***
Catherine watched as the trappers returned, stunned to see Oran's saddle empty. Panicking she looked up at Philipe, but he shook his head. Tears filled her eyes and she turned, running from the courtyard to the safety of the kitchens, but her world turned grey and she fell in a faint to the ground.