A Supernatural Brotherhood AU Wild West Triad – Prequel
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Supernatural and nothing of the Brotherhood AU by Ridley C. James.
I'm about to write more short stories about them. But each can be read separately. For all who want to read it in the right order; here is the Timeline:
- 1826: A New Family Member (finished)
- 1827: On Own Feet (in process)
- 1831: A Broken Heart Is Hard To Heal (finished)
- 1832: The Good And The Bad Medicine (finished)
- 1832: Juvenility (finished)
- 1832: Blue Like The Sky (just a thought)
- 1833: Love And Needs (finished)
- 1838: Grief, Heir, And A Bottle Of Gin (in process)
- 1840: The Wild West Triad (finished)
Rated: T
Story by Meilean
A Broken Heart Is Hard To Heal
Chapter 1 - New Neighbors
May 1831 - Unorganized Territory - Teton area - Wilmington Ranch
"Boys, are you in here?"
Wade Wilmington let his gaze wander through the barn, searching for his three boys.
His son Daniel had just turned fifteen, which turned out to be a difficult age. He had started bending the house rules to his likes. But Wade had to admit, his son's skill to convince people to do what he wanted and letting them believe it had been their own idea was impressive.
Then there was his nephew Cole Tanner. He saw him as his own son and loved the boy deeply. But since he'd turned seventeen in January, Cole quickly flew off the handle and was moody if you caught him on the wrong foot. Wade was still about to figure out what the problem was.
The third in the Trio was Samuel Colt, a friend's son who lived with them, too. He didn't cause problems so far but tried to avoid leaving the property if possible, afraid about what his ability would show him outside the protected area of the ranch.
Wade needed help here. Every further day alone with his boys convinced him more that it was time. He only waited for the right opportunity to tell his Brothers to move to Wyoming too. But maybe today's events would help a little to bridge the time Mike and Bastian would need to get here.
A new neighbor with his kids and wife had settled down a few miles east. That was the reason he was searching for his boys today.
"Boys?" Getting no answer he turned and made his way to the field behind the barn.
His instincts guided him right and he found all three at the gate of the riding area, where Cole tried to break the black beauty the teen had traded from Grey Feather.
He approached the three teens his boys had become. Mixed feelings stirred him up. Pride, fear, maybe regret, that he would take their freedom from them, from the moment he revealed their plans for them.
As The Guardian - the leader of the Brotherhood of Hunters - he had to elect the next Triad. Wade had decided this long ago with the other two members of his Triad, Mike and Bastian, and now he realized it was time.
Daniel turned to his father like he had felt his presence. His boy excitedly shouted over at him. "Dad! Cole already held himself for three minutes."
Wade stopped next to Daniel, reaching out for his son's hair to tousle him, but he bent away from the fatherly touch. Daniel had had a growth spurt and muscles had started to show. He was in no way the lean boy anymore he used to tousle through his hair, but it was hard to change old habits. Sighing he answered. "Good job, as long as he is not breaking one of his ribs again, I'm ok with that."
They watched Cole while he did his best to keep the upper hand over the stallion. Wade had to admit he was very proud of how Cole had thrived. As he carried the scared and traumatized five-year-old out of the house of his little sister, he wasn't convinced to do the best for the boy. Well sure, he would have never left him in the care of his violent father, but he hadn't been certain if Daniel and Cole would get along well. He had been taught better. The two boys had a connection instantly. A perfect Knight and Guardian unit.
Sure, they had their quarrels and fights, but hell, they were boys. He shouldn't complain about the nonsense in their heads. He remembered very well what he did around their age and smiled. He should have more patience with his boys. They did not have a community here.
That was another reason why he wanted to help their new neighbors. Maybe his boys and their kids would become friends.
Cole reined the still a little bit bucking horse to the gate and got down, proudly smiling. "Hey Uncle Wade, did you see that? That was awesome!" The dark-haired teen climbed up the fence and jumped down on the other side.
"Yes son, that was pretty good." Wade studied Cole a bit longer. No, he was no boy anymore. One who didn't know the kid would guess he was at least eighteen. Wade made out a faint beard shadow on his upper lip which had been shaved lately. When had he started shaving?
"I need all of you to drive with me. We have new neighbors. I thought we could say hello and offer our help."
"New neighbors? Great! What are we waiting for?" Cole answered excitedly.
*** Prequel - The Wild West Triad ***
The Prairie Schooner crossed the wide land of the Teton area. With the huge mountains in the background, they headed east and needed about 20 minutes to reach the other wagon.
The family had built a tent and Cole counted five people walking around busy to get everything settled before the night would fall. There still was time left until then, the sun just past its highest stand.
The young man spotted a woman and her daughter who worked on the fireplace and already stirred in a big iron pot that hung over the fire. A man with funny mutton chops was unloading the wagon with his two boys. Cole guessed them at the age of eight and maybe fourteen.
"Ho," Wade ordered the horses.
The man and his sons looked up to them as well as the women. Cole watched the man ordering his sons to keep unloading while he approached the schooner.
"Hello Wade, nice you came over. Are these your boys? You can count yourself lucky, they look strong and healthy to help you on your land." The man took off his grey hat and revealed wavy dark blond hair and bright blue eyes.
Daniel and Cole jumped down the wagon and introduced themselves. "Hello Sir, I'm Cole Tanner, Wade's nephew. Nice to meet you. Tell me where you need help." Cole offered the man a hand. He had never been a shy person.
"Nice to meet you, Cole. I'm Jared Kramer."
Daniel reached out his hand, too. "Hello, Sir. I'm Daniel Wilmington."
Kramer nodded and watched eagerly to the last boy in the wagon who now also left the schooner. Wade brought a hand around Sam's shoulder and introduced him. "And this is Samuel Colt, he is the son of a friend. His father wants him to learn about ranching. Now you know the whole Wilmington clan."
"Hello, Mr. Kramer, Sir." Sam avoided looking up too long. He still was not relaxed around people, Cole knew how much self-control it cost him only to join them over here.
Jared clasped his hands together. "Okay, maybe you two can help Chris and Aaron unload while Wade, Samuel, and I are searching for a good place for building up the house. If you need some water or food, ask my daughter Carolyn over there."
Cole turned his head to the fireplace, where Mrs. Kramer stirred in the Dutch Oven. His eyes met Carolyn's and she smiled at him. He didn't notice he was instantly smiling back. His heart began to beat faster, a strange hot feeling started to build in his gut. God, she was beautiful! Cole tried to focus back on the conversation to not get caught staring at Kramer's daughter and tried to follow the to-do list Mr. Kramer was telling.
"Yes, Mr. Kramer," Daniel answered Mr. Kramer. Tugging at Cole's sleeve, he pulled his cousin along to head to the boys at the wagon.
While walking over Cole tried to bring his still heavy pounding heart under control. What brought him a questioning look by Daniel. "You're ok?"
Cole shot a side glance at the two women. "Sure, I … just … forget it."
Daniel would only make a mockery of him. He was still a kid. In their age, a two-year age difference was pretty much. Most times they were best friends, but lately, Cole felt strange like something was missing.
He noticed he had needs. His body had needs and he wanted to have a little space from time to time. But no, Daniel clung to his heels like a puppy. He could be a pain in the ass and was the wrong person to talk to about the feelings that stirred him up when he saw Carolyn smiling at him. It wasn't as if he had a lot of people to talk to. Wade was an adult and like a father. He didn't want to talk to him about this. So that left not many others. Though Sam was the same age, his friend had not yet any interest in talking about girls. He'd tried but Sam avoided people in general which didn't make it easier.
Cole wished Mike Campbell was here more often. The Knight was more like an older brother and Cole had a connection to the man.
Of course there was Shewa, but about some physical things he just couldn't speak with her. And the ride over to the Absarokee camp was quite long. But about his strange feeling in his gut, he could talk to the girl. Maybe he should ride over tomorrow. Though he had to ask Wade if he was allowed to stay away a few days. The worst thing about that thought was, Cole already knew Wade would make him take Daniel along.
The older brother of the Kramer boys started to talk to Daniel and ripped Cole out of his brooding. "Hey, I'm Aaron, this is my lil' Brother Chris."
Daniel extended his hand to the boy. "Hey, Aaron, nice to have some people around."
"Yeah, I bet. I hope the others will arrive soon. Then we can have a big party at our new home. We drove in a wagon train of seven families but the others had problems with their schooner. How long have you already lived here?" The bright-blond boy with black trousers and suspenders asked.
"We've been living here for nearly four years now."
Aaron looked surprised. "Wow, that is pretty long. Have you seen any Indians so far? I've heard a lot of stories about them. They are scary. I don't wanna meet them without a weapon in my hand. Look at this nice baby." The boy turned and flipped a blanket away at the coachman's seat and took something out. "My dad bought it for me. He said I have to be able to protect the family." Aaron revealed a nice and shiny rifle from the wagon and stroked over the shaft in awe.
Cole rolled his eyes and shot Daniel a glance that said he thought poorly of a kid with a loaded gun. Tanner hadn't met someone yet who didn't ask about the wild tribes which, in most of these stories, were pictured running sacking and raping over the plains, colored with weird signs and hardly able to communicate. They were all so wrong. Cole counted the here living family of Absarokee to his extended family and he hated if someone was spreading around stupid shit about them. A cocky protector with a nervous finger on the trigger of a gun was the last thing they needed around, especially when he was not older than Daniel.
"You shouldn't play around with a gun. You have to respect life as well as death and think twice for who or what you use a bullet."
Aaron turned a little bit pissed at Cole. "Yeah? And you think you know everything."
Aaron's comment let anger well up in Cole. If the kid would not shut up, Cole was sure he would start a fight with the asshole. His fingers already tingled and he pressed his teeth together so as not to jump at the boy's throat instantly. Cole was easy to provoke these days anyway.
Daniel might still be a kid but he was sharp and knew when it was better to end a fight in peace. "C'mon. Don't fool around. We hardly know each other. Let's change that later at the fireplace. But right now we've got work to do." Daniel elbowed his cousin and walked over to the wagon to unload the next box. Cole followed, grounding his teeth. His cousin was right. They didn't come over to start a fight.
*** Prequel - The Wild West Triad ***
The rest of the afternoon went without further problems. As one can call it no problem that Cole was pretty crazy about Carolyn after they'd talked the first time. Well, let's say she had talked.
Cole thought he wouldn't notice. But Daniel was not blind nor an idiot. Even had felt strange lately in Shewa's presence himself. And Cole? Well, he took every chance he got to have some time for himself, which bored Daniel to no end. Cole was his best friend, cousin, and partner in crime. He didn't know what to do without him around. Sam was a good friend but he loved to sit the whole day over his books or work some weird things out on his workbench and that was just lame to watch.
Daniel had to witness the scene over at the fireplace. The stupid grin on Cole's face, the awkward talking they did. Daniel had the impression his cousin hardly remembered his own name. It was just embarrassing!
The Kramer boys were not bad, Cole and Aaron had had a bad start, that changed when they began to talk about horses. It was hard to stop them from sharing their experiences. It turned out that Aaron was already fifteen, his brother Chris was nine, and the girl who seemed to have stolen Cole's heart was sixteen.
After a tasteful meal, they said their goodbyes and headed back home. Daniel felt exhausted from the hard work. They had to even the ground for the farmhouse Kramer planned to build. To dig out all the stones from the solid ground was no fun at all.
*** Prequel - The Wild West Triad ***
They rode over every day for the next week to help the Kramers and the seven other families who had arrived the next day.
At the end of the sixth evening, Sam hung the reins at the hook next to the big schooner and took care of the horses as usual. It was no hard work for him, he just loved animals. When he had finished everything, the 17-year-old took the lantern with him to close the barn as a movement in one of the corners next to a horse stall caught his attention.
Sam carefully placed the light source on the workbench and sneaked closer trying his best to avoid any noise. His heartbeat was speeding up to no limit. He did not need any encounter, natural or supernatural. In the best case, it was one of the chickens who had found a way out of the chicken house. He grabbed the next tool on his way which turned out to be a pitchfork and came closer.
Suddenly a bunch of dark hair shot up from the ground alarmed by Sam's approaching. Sam nearly stabbed at the threat as he recognized his friend at the last second. "Damn it, Cole! I nearly killed you, what the hell are you doing in here?"
Startled, Cole jumped two steps back from the fork. "Bloody hell, Sam! What is your problem? Who else than one of us should be in the barn. I live here too. Is it forbidden to be in the barn now? Nowhere on this damn property, I can have a little peace and quiet! I thought you'd finally leave and I had time to think."
Both boys slowed their breathing. But Sam knew Cole acted a little bit strange lately so this was the best opportunity he would get to find out what the problem was. "Hey, I'm sorry. I thought something was in here. Didn't mean to kill you. What's wrong with you lately? You seem off every once in a while. Or do you not trust me anymore? You know you can talk with me about everything."
Cole stroked the rest of the hay from his clothes and ruffled his half long hair, sighing. "If I only knew. I feel strange. Like searching for something I don't know. Hard to explain."
"Could it have something to do with Kramer's daughter?"
His friend's gaze shot up and darted at him. "Is it that obvious?"
Sam let out a slight laugh. "Yes, it is. You act like a fool when we are over there. I mean honestly, flowers? Who are you? I've been thinking about pouring holy water over you to find out if you're possessed."
Though it was a bit dark in the barn for the lantern was the only source of light, Sam could have sworn Cole's face changed to a deep red.
His friend answered angrily. "What do you know about impressing a girl? Or have you been reading love novels lately?"
"Hey come on, I didn't want to tease you. I just never felt that way like you apparently do. So tell me about it. I don't wanna die as a fool."
Sam wasn't quite sure if he had found the right words to bring Tanner to talk but he hoped so.
Time stretched to an endless long minute of silence but Cole started to speak. "Do you think that is love? I mean I saw her and it was like - boom. My heart was beating so hard in my chest and my hands started to sweat and my brain just set out. I don't know. Then she just smiled at me and I felt like I was the luckiest man in the world."
"Wow. That sounds … uhm… really strange but yes I think this is called love."
"Have you heard her voice? Like a bird singing and that smell around her – like cinnamon." Cole closed his eyes as if he remembered the smell.
"Are you sure she is no witch and didn't do spell work on you?"
"Shut up, idiot. I share my feelings with you and you make a mockery of me." Cole got up and headed angrily to the barn door.
"Cole, wait!..." Sighing, Sam hurried to follow his friend who was already about to exit. He caught him before he had the chance to flee. "Hey, I'm sorry. Come back and we're gonna talk seriously. I didn't mean to insult you."
Cole turned to Sam, hurt was clearly visible on his face. Sam knew him well enough to know he was a sensitive person and only hid it to appear more like his idol, The Knight of the Brotherhood - Mike Campbell.
His friend started shouting angrily at him. "What else is there to talk about? You've heard everything, maybe I only want to get my dick between her legs, who cares? No one, like always!" The dark-haired teen rushed out of the door.
Sam let him go and stood dumbstruck in the barn a few moments longer. He'd never heard his friend so hurt or saying such crude things. He would try it tomorrow when his anger would have cooled down.
TBC
