Chapter 2
"Why won't you answer me? I've been asking you to come home with me for nearly a whole day."
"If I said yes, you'd feel better, I suppose", bitterness suddenly creeping into Mingo's tone.
"Mingo, what's wrong between us?" Daniel was stunned; Mingo was truly upset with him.
"You want me to go to Rebecca, with you, explaining all the events of the last few days, giving her reassurance, don't you?" Mingo continued, with a much calmer and quite impassive tone. "Then I can just act around her, your family and you as if nothing is amiss. Then I could come home to my village, lodge and way of life?"
"What is wrong between us Mingo?" repeated Daniel humbly.
A few seconds of silence lapsed before Mingo answered. To Daniel it felt like several tense and long minutes; as if there would not be an answer, ever.
"Do you remember when you asked me to speak to the council about challenging one of our warriors, using one of our laws against us?" finally stated Mingo. Before Daniel could acknowledge this, the Cherokee went on, "And just so you could take this killer out of our justice", there was a seething anger now peeking from Mingo's eyes, and voice.
"Mingo, I …" Daniel started but was interrupted by his friend. It seemed like Mingo was now willing to speak and would not let Daniel interrupt him.
"You what Daniel? I had told you in Boonesborough how I felt about a white men's tribunal. No white men will find another white man guilty of murder when it comes to the killing of an Indian. I know this. Daniel, you also know this; you simply refused to acknowledge it. You have this incredibly sense of justice, your honor works this way. Your friend would never have been sentenced by your white tribunal. What about this fight between us, Daniel? Should I tell you what you refuse to admit as well?" It seemed Mingo's control was starting to fade. He was not screaming at Daniel, but there was a deep undertone of aggression toward the white man he still call friend.
"You had no intention of fighting me to death. I was there and I know it; which is probably why you didn't desist when you learned the term of our fight. You believed you could circumvent our rules, beat me square and fair, a first blood type of fight. Well, you were wrong Daniel, dead wrong. When the council picked me to fight you, they were very wise. Usually those fights are not to death, as you know. You figured you could just hand me a few punches, and take Hawken to Salem. I am right, am I not Daniel?"
Daniel nodded, this time wordlessly.
"The council and the braves are aware of our deep friendship so they set different rules as is their right. To death, we were to fight to death. To make sure we would, we had a deadline with both of us facing death together if we failed. Still you heard the terms but didn't desist. No one would have thought less of you, as we are friends, if you had desisted. Between our friendship, and my life, you chose Sam Hawken, white man, murderer, but white man. That's what you chose Daniel, because you thought to yourself that you could work around Cherokee laws and Cherokee rules. As if they are not yours to respect and abide. Isn't it true, Daniel"?
Daniel didn't nod this time. He badly wanted to answer, but would not until Mingo was willing to listen. At this point, Mingo was simply letting go of his anger and bitterness. Daniel wondered if Mingo would trust him again, after this talk. He finally realized how deep the hurt was.
"When we began to fight, you used your strength against me; holding, facing me, fighting me - but never with the intention of killing me; simply looking for the way out. You though we would both get up from this fight and you would take Hawken to Salem." This time Mingo expected an answer.
"Mingo, you're right. I had no intention of dying or of killing you. I can no more kill you than I would one of my family; you are family to me and you know it.You're right! I was hoping to play against Cherokee rules but not because I don't respect them. You know me better than this Mingo." Daniel slowly explained.
"Daniel, what is worse? The fact you cannot see for yourself how you judge my customs and the Cherokee laws of my people and ancestors? Or the fact you see me more as a white man living as an Indian?" Mingo charged, stunning Daniel even more.
It was obvious that this line of thinking, from Mingo, was taking him utterly by surprise.
Daniel was shamed suddenly, seeing a side of his friend he had never acknowledged. Could what Mingo said and felt, be the truth. He remained quiet, not knowing how to deal with this.
"Let's swim back to the village, I am getting hungry. I will not go home with you Daniel."
Mingo quickly jumped into the river, swimming rapidly and fiercely back to his home.