Shortly after arriving in the village, Cora and the others were pushed and prodded into a small clearing containing the wooden stage she had spied earlier. A large crowd followed Magua and his captives into the clearing with more continuing to gather around them. Cora fell to her knees, exhausted. She waited for one of the braves to force her back onto her feet, but she was allowed to stay where she fell. Alice remained silently beside her, lost in her own world.
It wasn't long before two old women appeared, supporting an even older man between them. Keeping her eyes lowered, Cora observed everything through the veil of her dark, tangled hair. She saw the women bring the man over to the wooden platform and help him onto a woven rug.
When the women moved away, Cora got her first good look at him. He was dressed in buckskin pants and shoes; a large blanket was draped across his chest and shoulders. He wore no other adornment, nothing that marked him as a leader of these people. His face was lined with age and covered with some ornamental tattoos. His hair was long, grey, with several braids in it. Though he seemed tired and worn out, when he lifted his face toward the assembled crowd, a strong, clear voice emerged.
"Your tomahawks are red..."
Magua stepped forward and began to speak. "Many of the English are dead, great Sachem and Magua has become a great war leader and seeks your acknowledgement."
Though she didn't understand the language they were speaking, it was obvious to Cora that Magua was boasting of his deeds. She noticed the old man nod slightly as he spoke. As she listened, she caught a word here and there that sounded familiar, making it obvious that she and the others were being discussed.
Magua continued, "And so, I have brought three of my prisoners to honor you. Magua will sell the English officer to the French and the reward is my gift to you, wise one. The women are the children of the white war chief, Munro." Magua put out his hand, grabbing Cora roughly by the shoulder of her dress, pulling her off the ground. "They will burn in our fires. Then all can share in these trophies of honor."
Keeping her eyes lowered, Cora stole a quick glance at her sister. Alice's eyes were wide, staring at something only she could see. Her young face was devoid of any expression. Cora desperately wanted to reach out and reassure her sister that they would be rescued. Nathaniel was coming. She had no doubt of that.
As Magua continued to speak, a sudden disturbance from behind caused everyone to turn. The noise even broke through into Alice's private hell, making her turn toward the sound. Hawkeye burst through the crowd, falling then regaining his footing to stand beside Heyward.
"Nathanial!" cried Cora.
Ignoring her, Hawkeye spoke to Duncan, never taking his eyes from the Huron chief. "I don't speak Huron. Do you speak French, Major?"
"Yes," Heyward answered.
"Translate for me in French. Every word as I say it," Nathaniel replied. "I come to you unarmed and in peace to unstuff your ears Sachem. Let the children of the dead Colonel Munro go free. Take fire out of the English anger over the murder of their helpless ones."
Cora, though elated at seeing Nathaniel, tried to remain calm as he spoke to the Huron leader. As instructed, Duncan translated his words into French. For the first time, she was able to follow the conversation and understand what was being said.
Turning away from Hawkeye, Magua also began to speak in French to Sachem. "Montcalm and our friends, the French, are stronger than the English. We do not fear the English anger."
Continuing to translate, Duncan relayed Magua's words to Nathaniel. "Sachem, the French fathers made peace. Magua broke it. It is false that the French will be friends still to the Hurons."
Unmoved by Hawkeye's words, Magua said, "It made our French father happy to know that he would never have to fight the same English again. Now, the French also fear Huron. That is good. When the Huron is stronger from their fear we will make the new terms of trade with the French. We will become traders as the whites. Take land from the Abenaki, furs from the Osage, Sauk, and Fox. Trade for gold. No less than the whites, as strong as the whites."
For the first time, Nathaniel turned and spoke directly to Magua. "Would Magua use the ways of le Francais and the Yengheese? Would you?"
"Yes!" Magua spat back at him.
Turning back toward Sachem, Nathaniel said, "Would the Huron make his Algonquin brothers foolish with brandy and steal his land to sell them for gold to the white man? Would Huron have greed for more land than a man could use? Would Huron fool Seneca into taking all the furs of all the animals of the forest for beads and strong whiskey? Would the Huron kill every man, woman, and child of their enemy? Those are the ways of the Yengheese and the Francais traders and their masters in Europe infected with the sickness of greed."
Pausing, Nathaniel glared at Magua, allowing Duncan to finish translating his words before continuing. "Magua's heart is twisted. He would make himself into what twisted him. I am Nathaniel of the Yengheese, Hawkeye, adopted son of Chingachgook of the Mohican people. Let the children of the dead Colonel Munro and the Yengheese officer go free. This belt," Hawkeye said as he lifted the wampum belt, "which is a record of the days of my father's people, speaks for my truth."
"You speak poison with two tongues!" Magua growled in French.
Without moving a muscle, Sachem spoke to the assembled crowd in French, interrupting Magua. Heyward continued to translate for Hawkeye.
"The white man came and night entered our future with him. Our council has asked the question since I was a boy: What are the Huron to do? Still there is no answer."
Turning to Magua, Sachem began to speak in Huron again. "Magua is a great war captain, but his path has never been the Huron one."
Duncan and Nathaniel eyed each other in confusion. Sachem's switch from French to his native tongue bothered Nathaniel. Something wasn't right and he feared what was to come.
Sachem continued. "Magua take younger daughter of Munro so that Munro's seed doesn't die and Magua's heart is healed. English officer will go back to the English so their hatred burns less bright. Dark child of Munro will burn in fire for Magua's dead children."
Cora's gaze had never left Nathaniel's face since his arrival. She longed to touch him, to know that his being here wasn't a crazed dream brought on by her extreme weariness.
Looking again in Hawkeye's direction, Sachem said, "Long Rifle, go in peace."
Without warning, the braves surrounding Cora and Alice grabbed the women, pulling them in different directions. Screaming, Alice and Cora tried to grab onto each other as they were separated.
"Tell him I'll trade him. Me for her!" Nathaniel shouted. "Say it!"
Yelling over the rising tide of voices, Duncan spoke in French to Sachem, "Take me! A British Officer. Me for her!"
As she was dragged away, Cora screamed hysterically for her sister. "ALICE!"
Terrified by what was happening, Alice sought her sister's face in all the confusion. Twisting and turning as she was pulled away from Cora, she desperately looked for a way to escape.
Snarling in anger at Sachem's decision, Magua said, "We will go west to the Huron of the Lakes! This is not the voice of wisdom. You are women! Slaves! Dogs! I spit on you!"
Grabbing Alice's arm, he shoved the terrified young woman in front of him as he left.
Nathaniel, wheeling frantically in Cora's direction, searched for a way out of what was happening.
"Stop it!" he shouted. "I am La Longue Carabine! My death is a great honor to the Hurons! Take me!"
Turning back toward Heyward, he asked, "Did you tell him?"
Pausing briefly, Duncan lied to Nathaniel. "Yes."
Sachem stared at the two men before him. Quietly he said something to his braves before allowing the women to help him off the platform.
Crying, Cora shook her head at Nathaniel's suggestion that he be taken instead of her. How would she go on living if he sacrificed himself? And where was Alice? In all the confusion, she had lost track of her sister.
The braves holding Cora starting moving again, dragging her toward an uncertain fate.
"Stop!" she whimpered until she realized they were taking her to Nathaniel. Pushing her into his arms, the men then turned and grabbed Heyward.
Stunned, Hawkeye shouted, "I said to take me. Take me!"
As he was led away, Duncan shouted over his shoulder to Hawkeye, "My compliments, sir. Take her and get out!"
Realizing the sacrifice Heyward was making, Nathaniel wrapped his arms around Cora, forcing her to move away. He had no wish for her to see what was going to happen to the Major.
Upset, Cora screamed at Nathaniel trying to pull free of his grip. "Duncan! What are they doing to Duncan? Where's Alice?"
Not far away, Alice heard her sister's cry and responded. "Cora?"
"Alice!" Cora shrieked.
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As she was led from Sachem's presence, Alice caught sight of her sister being led away from the gathering by Nathaniel. Something was happening. What was it? She thought she should know, but her mind refused to give up any answers. She was so shaken by everything that had happened over the last several minutes that she couldn't think clearly. Finally, she called to her sister. "Cora?"
Cora frantically responded. "Alice!"
Magua tightened his grip painfully on her arm, expecting her to bolt toward the sound of her Cora's voice. Alice couldn't stop the small cry of pain from escaping her mouth. Her discomfort made Magua smile menacingly. Cold shivers wracked her body as he pulled her from the Huron village and into the surrounding woods. With every step she took, she could feel a black fear rising inside; fear of the unknown, fear of where she was being taken, and most of all, fear of what Magua would do to her at the journey's end.
She had struggled briefly with him, but her effort at freeing herself proved woefully insufficient. Magua's grip on her arm was unbreakable. Ceasing her struggles, Alice let her mind float free, allowing her thoughts to scatter into the wind. As she was led up a winding, rocky path into the mountains, one name pushed its way into the front of her mind. It escaped from her lips as soft as a lover's sigh.
Uncas.
If Nathaniel was alive, could that mean Uncas also survived the leap into the falls? Was he even now fighting his way toward her? That one thought, ignited the remaining hope she carried deep in her heart. With her free hand, she ran her fingers over the silver bracelet hidden under the cuff of her dress and the braid in her hair. These symbols of their love would sustain her. For now, it was all she had to keep her going.
