Enjoy! :)
Octavia was still unsure as to where she was going. She'd eaten the last of the apples only a few days ago, and managed to snag a couple off of some man who was carting along the Frontier. She couldn't keep this up. She had to find somewhere to stay sufficiently, but feared speaking to anyone, afraid that they may return her to her father, kill her, maybe even torture her...or worse.
She was walking through the forest near a lake when she heard a noise that wasn't her own. She quickly found her way into a tree, should it be a wolf or a pack of them. But it wasn't a wolf, or any animal. It was a boy. She watched him intently, observing what he carried on his person. He had a quiver with a few arrows in it and a bow around his torso along with a sort of axe he carried around his hip.
He bent down near the lake and dipped his hand into the water. He removed his weapons and shirt and walked into the lake, diving down when he was able to and rose back to the surface, looking out to the body of water. She took this as an opportunity to rid him of his axe, since he didn't appear to carry anything else on him.
She picked up the axe and was going to run off with it, but stopped in contemplation of taking the quiver and bow.
"Stop!" he yelled and she turned to see him getting out of the water. She grabbed the axe and ran as fast as she could, but was soon tackled to the ground.
"Mi dispiace! Mi dispiace! (I'm sorry! I'm sorry!)" she said with her face still pressed against the dirt.
He rolled her over, "Per favore (Please), take your items and do not harm me!) she pleaded.
He stayed silent, observing her for a few more seconds. She was filthy, perhaps adding to the brilliance of her hazel eyes. How long had she been out here?
"Why have you taken my weapons?" he asked her.
She stayed silent, observing his freckles and short, black hair, "I was only looking to protect myself." she explained. "Mi dispace..."
He continued looking at her as he lifted himself off the petite girl, "Why are you out here?" he asked her.
She said nothing. He turned to leave, seeing that she would not answer him.
"I have no home." she blurted out. He turned to look at her, "I...have no home." she repeated more softly, a tear running down her face.
He stayed silent as he dressed himself, reattaching his tomahawk and quiver before draping his bow over his shoulder. He walked back to her, staring at her silently. She looked up at him, unsure of what was to happen.
"Come with me." he said and continued walking on.
"How can I trust you?" she asked him.
He turned to look at her once more, "I have no reason to harm you." he said simply.
She looked at him dead in the eyes, searching for the truth behind his words. There was something in his eyes that told her that he could be trusted. What did she really have to lose at this point, anyway? She gave a small smile before following behind him.
"What is your name?" she asked him.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton." he responded.
"Che cosa? (What?)" she asked, confused as to what he had just spoken.
He stopped to look at her, "Ra-doon-ha-ge-doon." he sounded out for her.
"Ra-doon-ha-ge-doon..." she repeated him.
"That's it." he agreed and continued to walk, she followed.
"I like it." she said. He'd never been complimented on his name before, "What does it mean?"
"Life that is scratched."
"It is very unique."
"What is your name?" he asked her. He spoke rather gently for carrying such weapons.
"Octavia Vi—" she began, but stopped herself from giving her full name.
"What?" he asked.
"My name is Octavia." she mumbled.
"Octavia." he repeated as he climbed up a rock, extending his hand to help her up.
She looked at his hand, hesitant to take hold of it. She looked him in the eyes. Should she be trusting him? What if he would harmed her? Something inside of her calmed the thoughts when looking into his eyes, the same look that she received when she first agreed to travel with him. His eyes told her that he wouldn't let harm come to her, "Si. (Yes.)" she confirmed, taking a hold of his hand.
The two continued to travel together, whever it was that Ratonhnhaké:ton was heading to. Encountering a leopard, Octavia managed to stand still, completely frightened as Ratonhnhaké:ton circled it, twirling the tomahawk in his hand and keeping the fierce animal in front of him. The leopard leapt forward and Ratonhnhaké:ton dropped onto his back, slicing at its belly and putting the animal down. She continued to stand still, shaking in her shoes and refusing to move. Ratonhnhaké:ton had to reassure her that she was safe and he had the skill to keep her that way in order to make her move once again.
She began feeling like a burden to the Native boy she was travelling with. As if he might have thought he to protect her from harm constantly. That he had to stop and help her up certain terrain and she was slowing him down.
"You can leave me here, if I'm making it harder for you to get to your destination." she offered.
"Are you touched in the head?" he asked her, "I will not just leave you here and continue on."
"But I am taking so much of your time, having to stop and help me."
"I will not leave you alone out here to be killed." he said sternly, never stopping to look at her.
"Grazie… (Thank you)" she spoke as she continued to follow him.
It took quite some time, but the two had finally arrived to Ratonhnhaké:ton's destination. He told her to wait in place as he made his way to the door, but she didn't listen, following behind him due to not wanting to be too far away from the boy.
He knocked and waited, looking back at her for a moment. There was no answer. He knocked again and an older man opened the door.
"What?" he asked, looking at Octavia for a split second before returning his eyes to the Native boy.
"Uhm...I...I was told you could train me." Ratonhnhaké:ton mustered.
"No." the old man answered back, closing the door in his face.
He knocked again.
"Go away!" the old man yelled out.
"Scortese… (Rude...)" Octavia said under her breath.
"I'm not leaving!" Ratonhnhaké:ton informed him, looking over to the stables and began walking toward it.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton?" she called out as she followed him, "What is going on?" she asked.
"We're not leaving. He has to accept to train me." he huffed, walking through the rain.
"Train you? What does that mean?"
"I am not sure, but I will find out." he said, determination in his voice. "We need a place to camp. This should do." he said as they arrived at the stables. He unrolled a sleeping mat and lied down.
Octavia looked at him for a moment, "May I rest with you?" she asked shyly, prepared for 'no' to be the answer.
Ratonhnhaké:ton turned slightly, looking at her. He shuffled over, creating space for her and she lied down, their backs facing each other.
She thought about her life the past few days. How much everything had changed; she'd gone from living a life of luxury—despite the abuse, to a life of little clothing upon her back, a rucksack and the basic survival skills she was taught. Now she found a friend in this Native boy who had her sleeping in a stable. Still, it was comforting to know that she wasn't alone and that he cared enough to not leave her in the wilderness to die in some horrible manner.
"La pioggia è bella... " she muttered.
(The rain is beautiful…)
"What?" he asked, unable to understand what she spoke.
"I said the rain, it is beautiful." she clarified.
"It is. It cleanses the land."
She stood up, walking out into the rain, looking up with her hands held out.
"What are you doing?" he asked her as he watched her stand in the rain, "You will become ill."
"I have no felt the touch of rain on my skin in a long time. I have dirt on my skin, it has never rained hard enough to wash it off well."
"Why not cleanse in the lakes?" he asked curiously.
"Because..." was all she said before coming back to the stables, standing in the corner as she shivered and watched the water drip from her body to the stable floor.
"That is not a reason." he informed her.
I...I cannot swim." she admitted.
There was a moment of silence before she heard a chuckle erupt from Ratonhnhaké:ton's throat.
"It is not funny!" she pouted, twisting her hair to wring out the excess water.
"I am sorry." he said, looking at her, "Now you are wet and soaking the floor."
"It will dry and so will I. I will be clean in the morning." she smiled and began removing her shirt but stopping to glare at Ratonhnhaké:ton.
His eyes widened and he hid his face in the sleeping mat, cheeks heated from slight embarassment.
She wrung out the water from her shirt and replaced it, proceeding to do the same with her pants. She lied back down, making sure not to touch Ratonhnhaké:ton so as to not wet his clothing as well.
Octavia woke to find herself alone. She looked around the stables, but Ratonhnhaké:ton was nowhere to be found.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton?" she called out, looking to the manor to see him walking along the side of the building. She quickly got up and ran toward him. "What are you doing?"
"There must be a way in." he said simply, knocking on the back door.
"Are you going to break in?!" she asked, rather worried.
"Relax, I am simply trying this door." he told her. "Please, all I ask is a moment of your time!" Ratonhnhaké:ton called out to the old man.
He peeked his head out of the window, looking to the Native boy, "I apologize if I've been unclear—or otherwise confused you with my words. It was never my intention to mislead you." he began. Ratonhnhaké:ton moved to see the man better as he continued speaking, "So let me try to clarify: Get the hell off my land!" he yelled, proceeding to close his window.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton maybe you should leave him be." Octavia suggested.
He paced around, hands upon his hips and looked deep in thought before he began walking away, "I'm coming up!" he called out.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton! No!" she said, but made no physical move to stop him.
He said nothing as he began to climb up the pillar, grabbing a hold of the railing. She couldn't help but admire his skill and how he managed to get to the balcony with ease as she tried to see as best as she could from below.
Ratonhnhaké:ton grabbed the door knob and began jiggling the piece of metal, "Just hear me out! What are you so afraid of?" he called out to the man. He let the door go and took a step back as soon as the door swung open, the old man appearing with an irate expression on his face.
"Afraid? You think I'm afraid of anything, least of all, a self-important little scab like you?!" he asked furiously and lifted his cane, swooping it underneath Ratonhnhaké:ton's legs, causing him to fall to the floor of the balcony. He took the handle of his cane, pressing it to the boy's chest as he held his hands up to surrender, "Oh, you might dream of being a hero. Of riding to rescues, of saving the world—but stay this course and the only thing you're gonna be is dead." he finished his sentence, tapping Ratonhnhaké:ton with his cane before moving to go back inside of his home, looking to the boy once more, "The world's moved on, boy. Best you do too." he advised before slamming the door shut.
Ratonhnhaké:ton huffed, "I will not leave! Do you hear me?! I am never leaving!" he yelled to the door. "Just wait, old man..." he said in a softer tone.
He hopped down to the grass to see Octavia looking at him with a confused expression on her face, "What happened?"
"I will not be defeated so easily..." he mumbled as he grabbed her arm and lead her back to the stables. She wasn't sure what to make of his demeanor, but he wasn't letting her arm go and his grip was beginning to hurt her.
"I can walk on my own you know!" she informed him and he let go, storming off at a faster pace to the stables. She looked at him as he sat with his arms and legs crossed.
"You should not act like such a child," she told him, "It does not suit you."
"Be quiet. You're just a silly girl." he growled out.
"I am not a silly girl!" she yelled, kicking him in his leg.
"You did not have to kick me!" he said, rubbing the area.
"Stronzo! (Asshole!)" she yelled, walking over to the next stable with the horse she'd taken a liking to.
By the time he was ready to apologize to her, he stood up and went out to see that she had fallen asleep right outside of their sleeping area. He picked her up gently and placed her on the sleeping mat, lying down next to her and trying to catch some sleep as well.
≺) [ṃȧƌạṁeḤuɲʈǝrr]
