A/N Sup, team. Sozz for the long wait in between chapters. I don't know why. But I'm starting to wrap things up here SO! Uhmm...yeah.
Duncan didn't answer immediately. He breathed deeply, staring at the smear. He glanced down in apparent shame before turning back to Marie.
"Yes, I- we lost him. He fell out the boat after getting shot. We tried to – Cora!"
But Marie had turned from him, wiping dust (or a tear) from her eye. No one made a move to touch her or console any misdeeds. Uncas was gazing at Alice who couldn't take her eyes from the evidence. Eventually she looked to the river in some vain attempt to spot the missing.
A firm hand wrapped around her arm, drawing her away from the water's edge.
"Come," Chingachgook said softly, "Quick, quick."
She obeyed with little resistance.
They hurried back up towards the waterfall in pursuit of Uncas who was leading the way. He guided them all into a cave that glimmered in the half light as the waterfall fell pristine and glossy over the opening. An enormous curtain.
Alice took Uncas' hand tentatively as he helped her down the slippery rocks into the main platform of the cave. Slightly sloped, a bit damp, a bit cold but it was as good a shelter as any.
Alice heard words thrown back and forth between all involved but she offered none to aid their situation. After all, she was nobody to give any kind of viable words of wisdom.
"It's soakin' wet!" Nathaniel yelled despairingly at his father who seemed just as much at a loss as his son as he cast his musket and bag on the ground and prepared to sit down.
Uncas put a hand on his father's shoulder but looked at his brother,
"I'll keep watch."
Chingachgook layed a hand on Uncas' before it was gone, Nathaniel having nodded his approval, dragging Marie away from the group while Duncan looked on, tired and upset.
Alice stood like a mannequin in the middle. Nothing to say, nothing to do.
She stood deathly still as a feeling of emptiness, such as she had never known, descended upon her. Everything seemed to desist until she was left with a dull thud in her temple. The lone thing she could focus on with the steady rhythm of a waltz. She imagined herself dancing to it in the cave, the dim half light acting as a dying spotlight. She'd never waltzed before – though there were a fair few she would never have minded dancing with. Maybe not a waltz but a dance of any kind.
Uncas, ironically, was not in that list of people. But no sooner had she found him in her thoughts than did her dull, thudding waltz come to a graceful end and only silence remained. It was a peaceful end.
She took a breath and found herself back in the thick of it. Chingachgook was gazing up at her, thoughtfully.
"Where did you go?"
She blinked herself out of the last of her thoughts. The cave was silent. Marie and Nathaniel sat in a huddle, looking out at the glistening sheath. Duncan had fallen into a restless sleep. How long had she been standing there for, she wondered.
"I was dancing..." She told Chingachgook finally, "To a waltz. Which...is confusing."
She frowned and Chingachgook mimicked her.
"I've never waltzed before..." She confessed with a sheepish shrug.
"A waltz," Chingachgook repeated, the word clearly new to his ears but he didn't ask what it was, "With my son?"
"No," she whispered wearily much to Chingachgook's apparent surprise, "No. I wouldn't dance a waltz with him."
"I wouldn't dance with him at all," Chingachgook jested half-heartedly.
Alice cracked the faintest of smiles but it was a foreign feeling now and it no longer felt like a natural occurrence...to smile.
Shaking her head, unable to rid herself of the dreamlike requiem, she turned from Chingachgook and headed back the way they came. Only vaguely aware that Chingachgook was watching her go, she followed the damp path back towards the exit, the way the light hit the shimmering water was hypnotic. Alice had the distinct ghostly feeling that it was the door way to the old life that would in fact be new.
If she walked straight through, no looking back, just so, she'd make it and if she didn't...
Well, what was there to lose?
With that in mind, the blood and screams fading into the fray, Alice felt like she was on her way.
One.
More.
Step.
"Get back!"
Step.
More.
One.
Alice felt herself being retrieved from the edge of oblivion. Her heart came back from the dead, the dull thud returning into a more discernible state of being – in time with a racing heart. She lost her footing and began to fall.
Entwined in Uncas' arms, they hit the ground causing her lungs to start grasping for air that felt thick and uncomfortable.
"Alice!" Uncas was saying, "What were you doing?"
Alice suddenly had to think, what was she doing?
"Dancing- no- uh..." what! Where was she going? "Ghosts!"
"What?" Uncas straightened. Taking her face, making her look at him, he demanded her attention, "Ghosts? Alice..."
"Ghost. Ghost, me. Uncas, I was dancing and then..." she sighed, her shoulders falling, "I don't belong here, Uncas."
Poor boy looked so lost that Alice felt ashamed of herself for even trying to express what was happening. So she kissed him, forcefully, fearfully and for a moment, a bit of life flooded her veins. Addictive. She kissed him again, pulling him to her though he tried to still her and that confused her just as he was confused by her. Somewhere in her mind, she was aware of this being a mess but God knew she needed the life the feeling of Uncas gave her.
Before long, he had all but fallen on top of her, his lips everywhere in a fierce passion that scared the Jesus out of her.
Ghosts.
OoOoOo
"Alice get up, run!"
Alice was being shaken awake from a dreamless sleep, her body sore and stiff.
"Quickly, Alice!"
Uncas hauled her up before she had even fully awoken. Urging her onward, Alice stumbled forward in a peculiar hurry with Uncas' hand on the small of her back.
They burst into the opening where the others were and suddenly everyone was on their feet.
"What do we do now that your grand hide out has failed us?" Duncan asked snidely earning him a cool look from Nathaniel.
"Well, you'll have to forego the pleasure of hanging me, for one."
"Oh for God's sake! Here in the midst of Hell and you're still at each others throats!" Marie snapped, her face tinged and shining with dampness.
"And she's got the right of it, Major," Nathaniel told Duncan easily while the major looked distinctly taken aback by Marie's outburst.
Nathaniel suddenly looked flustered, trying to come up with a plan, constantly glancing at Marie who in turn glanced at Alice. Alice didn't know where to look, in her minds eye she could still see Uncas and his passion.
"The falls," Chingachgook offered quietly and all eyes were on him, "Leave the women."
"What did you say?" Hayward demanded angrily.
"Not if there's another way!" Nathaniel said stubbornly.
"You have another minute," Chingachgook told his son sternly but Nathaniel was at a loss. In less than a minute, he nodded his consent.
"You're mad!" Duncan cried, "Leave them here and they'll –"
"Uncas said Magua isn't with this war party," Nathaniel spoke over him, "They won't do a damned thing to them until they get to him."
"There are other things those people could do to them, Scout!" Duncan argued, "I will not leave them!"
"They wouldn't, Sir," Chingachgook told Duncan evenly, "They'll need them just as they are.."
"And believe it or not," Nathaniel added dryly, "Raping white women, to the Huron, isn't that appealing."
"And we won't have to find out, anyhow," Marie entered the discussion easily, "We're taking the leap with you."
Alice froze, staring wildly at Marie.
"No," Nathaniel told her.
"No," Chingachgook agreed, "Your dresses will weigh you down, Miss. There's no doubting your abilities but the river runs fast. We'll be hoping for the best ourselves."
"We can do it, Alice and I are strong swimmers!"
"Cora, you've missed the point," Nathaniel told her with a wry smile.
"I haven't! Why is our risk bigger than yours? We can do this! Alice, tell them!" Marie/Cora pleaded desperately.
"No fuckin way."
Alice ignored the wide eyed dismay her language brought on but she had no faith in her or Marie surviving the fall.
"Alice," Marie looked exasperated.
"It's a stupid plan, Marie...Cora, whoever you are," Alice told her bluntly, "We'll die and if not we then me."
Marie looked about ready to burst into tears. Her eyes brimming with desperate tears.
"Your sister speaks wisely," Chingachgook told her carefully. Marie cast him a disbelieving glance, clutching Nathaniel's arm.
"Nathaniel...Alice," She was glancing between them all in a final plea but Alice shook her head.
"If you wish to jump, then jump. But I'm not following."
This seemed to put an end to strenuous indecision. Marie, acknowledging Alice's resolve, conceded with a singular tear that rolled over her cheekbone before dropping off of it as she lowered her head.
Nathaniel stroked her cheek before drawing g her away from them and out of earshot.
Duncan turned to those of whom were left,
"I'll stay. Protect them as best I can."
No one objected and nothing more was said. Before long, Chingachgook had jumped through the curtain of water, his shadow dropping from them as if he had done what Alice imagined would happen to her were she to have taken the leap earlier.
Uncas, with little more than a glance, followed suit without looking back. Nathaniel took a little longer, taking Marie in for the last time as she sniffed away her disappointment at the circumstances.
Then they were alone. But soon danger crept in with the shadows on the walls. Duncan drew his cutlass and prepared for a fight. Marie turned back to Alice, giving one last longing glance at the fall behind them. Alice feared that Marie was going to jump anyway. Alice feared that were she to do so, that she herself would still not follow.
Terrifying though the thought was, Marie didn't do it and instead met their fate head on. The Huron braves poured into the opening with a savage ruthlessness that Hayward was never to face down.
Down within an instant, a mark like fire upon a bruising cheek and swollen lip, Hayward was pounced upon, subdued and stilled within moments.
Marie and Alice held onto each other. Alice had her stillness resume, not entirely due to a calm and level head, while Marie, ironically, trembled uncontrollably. Her skin was cold and her eyes were wide with fear. But it was Alice who was cloaked under her arms.
Alice then realised that the trembling fear was because it would be Marie who was going to endure the rapture first and possibly more violently, posing as the older more fiery sibling.
"Oh shit..." She whispered mere moments before she took a sharp slap to the face with the back of a bony hand. The impact tore her from Alice's side.
Alice froze, staring in fear as Marie tried and failed to struggle against her captors. Alice's hands were bound more gently for she met them with less resistance. Cora was on her knees, a bleeding lip and tears streaking a dirty face,
"Alice," she moaned, almost pleadingly, as Alice was lead away.
8888
Alice walked in a stupor, shoved when she wilted, dragged when she fell. Behind her, Marie was silent. Her words were costing her so she stopped talking, stopped asking questions.
Alice felt like she couldn't talk if she tried. Her ankles were in more pain than she'd ever known and yet despite that, she had the numbing memory of Uncas as he moved silently over her, around her, through her – it was neither good, nor bad but it was now the only thing that kept her on the ground otherwise she would float away. She'd fade.
And is that so bad? She mused to herself. God knew she would, literally, rather die. But the damn memory was in her head and Uncas was under her skin now. Was she under his?
After what seemed like a life time and a death of walking, a minute buzz of life started rising from a clearing at the foot of the cliff face. She hadn't even noticed the giant precipice as it loomed over head, dwarfing the land of New York below it. No less the Mohawk village that stood in its shadow.
Upon entering the village, a hush fell over its inhabitants and as they were ushered towards the chief who sat high above all others in a blanket wrapped around broad shoulders. His grey hair billowing wistfully in the breeze despite the dire malevolence of Alice and Marie being there.
His wise years showed on the old man's face and considered the women carefully as they approached. Even more so, narrowing his eyes in suspect curiosity when Magua stepped out from the crowd. Alice heard the first peep from Marie upon his arrival. It sounded like a small but ferocious growl. The sound of woman utterly finished with her foes.
Alice glanced back nervously but Marie granted her the peace of mind by not actually saying anything.
They were brought to stand next to each other at the feet of the Chief. A kind looking man who had no time for anger for he looked upon them with pity.
Marie gave Alice a furtive glance before searching for Hayward. He was bruised and battered with his coat gone, his shirt ripped. Hair dishevelled and a black eye. He had fought too hard.
Magua started talking abruptly and without introduction though it seemed the chief had expected him to talk. He listened with an attentive ear but didn't seem to be impressed by what the war chief, Magua, had to say.
Alice noted how sharply he moved, sharp gestures to fit a sharp face and eyes that were in a constant state of assessment.
When the chief did speak, he was dismissive of the young Huron. The scowl it elicited as a response was thunder.
"Alice..."
Alice turned a blank eye to her friend who did not return her gaze.
"We're actually going to die."
Alice shook her head decidedly but answered not, though she feared Marie was right.
"How is it that we are to die before Uncas-?"
"Alice!" Marie snapped softly, "Can you let that go for an instant? Please! We're here, Uncas is not. He's fine. We're not. Consider it a mission somewhat accomplished!"
Alice frowned, feeling something was out of place. She looked around but no one was there.
"Alice..."
Alice didn't look around instantly at the call of her name, despite the tremble in Marie's voice,
"What is i-"
Nathaniel was striding towards them, determined yet defenceless. He was slapped, pinched, cut and thrown to the ground in protest. He was a white man and therefore was subject to the tyranny they associated his skin colour with despite the stories about him.
Magua strode forward to meet him, equally as defenceless but more than ready to draw blood.
Hayward was beginning to grow restless but silent even as Nathaniel spoke.
"Take me!" He declared loud and steadily to the chief as the three prisoners looked on, "I am..."
Alice blanked. What Nathaniel was saying was lost on her even as Marie's breath grew strong, haggard and panicked. If Nathaniel was there, then Uncas and his father weren't far off and if her intuition was correct, the end of this madness wasn't either.
Struck by this revelation, she didn't even realise Nathaniel's pleas fail and yet Duncan, who had started having to translate for Nathaniel, was dragged off to a pyre.
Alice came bouldering back into reality when a roar of approval rose from the crowds and Marie began to scream whilst being dragged away.
"What the fuck is happening?!" she breathed to herself, a strong hand pulling her away too, when she saw Duncan's position and Nathaniel staring after them in frustrated despair before turning to run back to whence he came.
"Duncan! NATHANIEL! Do SOMETHING!" Marie was fighting, fighting hard with a reckless hopelessness that struck Alice dumb. Behind her, the gut-wrenching screams of a man in hell took to the air. She dared not look but Marie only grew more hysterical. It earned a few hard strikes before a gunshot silenced her. The war party didn't stop. Magua didn't even look around.
"What happened?" Alice asked fearfully. Marie's stolen and tear drenched face, eyes brighter than sunshine seemed relieved but devastated.
"The Major is dead, Alice..." She whimpered.
Magua didn't look around because Duncan would be dead regardless.
"And what's happening to us?"
Marie gazed at her disbelievingly as she was dragged backwards.
"Jesus, Alice..." She sniffed gravely, unable to wipe her nose.
"I'm worried about Uncas!"
"Again I say, let him die." Then she looked down, closing her eyes briefly, "Same as us."
"How do you know we die?" Alice challenged a little too loudly. She was hushed violently.
"What else do you think is going to happen?" Marie asked her evenly, sniffing again, holding back a sob, "Besides, I'd rather die anyway."
They had just conquered the steepest climb and were making their way onto a narrow path that had a meter between them and the cliff face and a meter between them and the killing fall.
Marie's head snapped up,
"Oh my God, that's it!"
"Uncas!" Alice's breath hitched, cutting off Marie's sudden epiphany.
"What the ff-" she turned, following Alice's line of site.
Uncas was fighting his way towards them from the front, his swift and agile body no match for the youngsters that challenged him. Slowly but surely, he was coming up against Magua who was awaiting him patiently on the ledge just ahead of them. Elevated ever so slightly, it would appear he stood upon a stage.
Marie turned to her abruptly, sensing Alice's inclination to intervene.
"Ok, Alice, listen to me! This is what needs to happen – you and I-" she told her do suddenly firmly, a resolve beyond Alice.
But Alice could no longer hold back her anguish against her captors while Uncas met Magua head on. The young Mohican tried to fight smart against the seasoned Huron but he had a lack of experience and he had grown tired. With each failed blow, it grew more apparent that the Mohican was going to lose.
This was the moment.
Alice could not bear it.
"Alice, nO WAIT!"
She surged forward, yelling at Magua to stop only to hear a chilling screech from behind her.
Spinning on her heel to find out what it was, Alice found, to her horror, Marie with a knife in her gut, falling to her knees.
She had moved to follow Alice and had surged right up to the hilt of Huron's knife that had tried to stop them.
Alice spun around in hysteria to find Magua drive his sharpened, ugly knife into Uncas' gut, displaying his gruesome triumph for Alice to see while Marie groped for Alice's skirts.
Tears of utter darkness tumbled from her eyes, loss was inevitable but loss never kills you. Failure was the killer.
Uncas was not yet dead but what was there to do now? Marie was well on her way, her lifeless fingertips grazing the frayed edges of Alice's skirts, pleading to Alice for something.
In the simplest of words, Alice had fucked up and she was screaming. Screaming so loud she knew she would have no voice again.
In her recklessness and despair, Alice dove for Marie's neck. This time, the travel was chaos. A distant screaming. The weeks past coming back in vivid memories.
A/N Righto, excuse any mistakes. Be sure to leave a review. They are important and I do like them no matter what, even if what you say is not exactly "I love this!" as long as it goes a long the lines of constructive critique.
Cool. Thanks. Bye.