Hours later, Alice awoke to the sounds of men talking and jabbering furiously in a foreign language which sounded distinctly like French to her. Her entire body throbbed with pain; not a single inch of her anatomy didn't ache or burn. Her head, too, swam around wildly, and when she tried to open her eyes and sit up, she only succeeded in collapsing again, moaning with giddiness.

"Alice, Alice, are you alright?"

"My head," the golden-haired girl groaned faintly.

Someone lifted her up tenderly in her arms, and placed the mouth of a water-bag at her lips. Alice drank thirstily, thankful for some liquid to moisten her parched and sore, almost bleedings lips.

"Who…what…" she mumbled, trying to open her eyes.

"It's me, Cora," the speaker replied, her voice filled with utter relief. "Lie down, Alice, don't strain yourself."

"But where are we?" the girl whispered fearfully.

"In Huron territory. Hush now, we'll find a way out of this, I promise."

The voices in the background were raised now, becoming more and more urgent each passing moment. Cora kept an arm around her younger sister, trembling ever so slightly.

"Please, let her go! If you desire it, then take me, but let her go." The voice was all too familiar to Alice, despite her dazed state.

Cora's arm stiffened.

"Hawk-eye." Cora's voice was a mere whisper.

"Uncas…is he here?" Alice murmured, hope blazing suddenly in her heart.

"Nay, I see him not. Have faith, sister. I do not think he has abandoned you."

Alice again tried to rise and catch a glimpse of Hawk-eye's face, but even the little effort put into it was too much for her, and she once again lapsed into unconsciousness.

It must have been rather brief this time, though, for when her mind awakened again to her surroundings, she found herself still lying down, Cora's protective arm around her. But the situation was different; despite the unexpected and uncalled-for silence, Alice could feel the frightening tension in the air now.

"And the gold-haired one will go to live in Magua's wigwam for life. Thus have I spoken; my decision stands. Let no-one question it or argue further. Go."

"No!" This was Cora's voice now, angry and desperate. "Don't take her! You dog, Magua! What profit you to take her? What use will my sister be to you?"

"Oh, she will serve me far better than you realize," Magua sneered coldly. "At last, I have the seed of Munro in my hands."

Here, he reached out and roughly fingered a long gold lock on Alice's head. The touch of his fingers on her immediately awoke her. With a gasp of fear and sudden understanding, her blue eyes flew open, and she could not stop herself from flinching back sharply, an involuntary cry of fear escaping her lips.

"Come now, woman. You have heard Sachem, I think. You're mine now."

"No, no, no! Leave off, you dog!" Cora shrieked furiously at Magua, shaking Hawk-eye's arm off hers with some violence, as her lover tried to drag her away. "Leave her! You have no need for her! Let her go!"

"She's mine, woman! Be silent, and go!"

Alice was dragged roughly to her feet, her Huron captor ignoring her trembling and whimpering. Fear tore through her like

a thousand knives, stabbing her with ferocious waves of panic and horror.

Magua's slave! Magua's wife! Live for life in his wigwam! I'd rather die a hundred times over than face such a hellish fate! Oh, Uncas, my love, where are you? Why are you not here?

"Come now, woman." Magua's harsh voice held not a trace of mercy or softness, as he reached out and gripped her already sore arm with a grip of steel. "Move now – to your new home."

"Cora!" Alice gasped out, squeezing her eyes shut tightly to prevent herself from weeping visibly. "Cora!"

"Let me go, Hawk-eye!" Cora shouted, struggling viciously to escape his grasp on her arms. "Let me go! I'm not going anywhere without my sister! Alice! ALICE!"

Alice's cries, in turn, dwindled away to gasps and whimpers, as she was dragged away along the rocky ground. The Hurons were starting to crowed around and behind her now; before long, she could no longer even see her beloved sister.

"Cora, oh, Cora," Alice murmured, tears already starting to drown her eyes. "Goodbye, sister. Remember me!"

From behind her, Cora's shrieks still rang out, accompanied now by a man's piercing, air-splitting cries of pain as Duncan Heyward, lover of Cora, now burned on the pyre in place of the dark-haired woman he adored, mercifully out of Alice's sight.

But where was Uncas, the young Mohican who had so long captured her heart?

My love, I swear, no matter what comes between us, unto death and beyond death, I will always be with you. Believe me, Alice, no matter what happens, I will come back to you.

And it was at that moment that Alice realized at last that she would never be alone. He had sworn, her lover, that he would come and save her, no matter how high the price. He would keep his word, Alice knew. And she knew, deep in her tortured heart, even now, that he would come for her.

Again.

Review, please, guys!!! Please tell me what you think!!! Constructive criticism is especially welcome.