Chapter 1: What Is Lost...Can Be Found
The autumn air hung stagnant around the cabin. No noise to fill its hallow depths, as even the smallest of insects seemed to have scurried away into their homes of dirt and fallen pine needles. Not even the multi colored leaves on the trees did their usual moonlight dance this night. Instead choosing to remain silent and still. As though all of nature was watching and waiting to see what further secrets this evening would reveal. This was the first time that Chingachgook found himself in a state of discord at his dear friend Sampson's farm. A place that for nearly a decade he and his two sons had visited various times throughout the different seasons. Having always found a peacefulness and comfort watching his boys play happily along side Sampson's young son Martin. Both men widowers, all three boys motherless. Yet together, a solid bond had been formed and after his recent discovery in the forest, Chingachgook believed that there was no better place for him to go than to the Blackwood farm.
Chingachgook and Sampson sat rocking back and forth in the intricately carved rocking chairs that were donned across the cabin's porch. Large puffs of smoke filtering out of their long wooden pipes, polluting the brisk night air with its sweet stench. Chingachgook pulled tighter to the blue woolen blanket that he wore draped across his shoulders. The evening air having turned almost frigid with the day's passage into night and he found himself grateful that he was able to have reached his old friend's farm mid day. Successfully preventing the children from having to sleep another night on the cold dank forest floor. Though he knew his sons would bare it without complaint, he worried for the young girl who now lay nestled beneath multiple blankets just down the hall from where he sat.
Sampson had insisted that she sleep in one of the bedrooms, as opposed to the loft. He had wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible and thought having a room to herself would help ease her better into sleep. That along with the small sedative that Chingachgook had crushed earlier for her from a collection of herbs that Sampson kept on hand in the cabin and with her knowledge, put into her tea. From nearly the moment Sampson clapped eyes on her that afternoon in the glade, the doctor within him shone through even his smallest actions. Everything from what he had made for supper to the examination of her fragile body. Sampson, the same as Chingachgook, was determined to see her comfortably into slumber.
Chingachgook fluttered his eyes open and closed, as he thought back to their conversation after supper. It had been difficult listening to her tell them of her childhood in town. Most of which was more slum like than grand. To know that she had wandered alone since the young age of eight, had made him feel physically ill. A little girl with unkept hair and dirty hands, rank with the stench of not having bathed. No one to care for her most basic needs of food and shelter. Though Chingachgook had kept his face neutral throughout her account, his insides where churning with a deep seeded horror that all those years ago when he found Nathaniel wandering aimlessly just beyond the tree line by his family's burnt out cabin, that he may have missed her. Had he missed her? Was she there and been overlooked by his sharp eyes? The questions echoed louder and louder in his mind, as he replayed the days events over and over again in his head. His spinning thoughts only halting when he heard Nathaniel's voice interject into the conversation and acknowledge what every single person in the cabin was thinking. That Nathaniel and Prudence were indeed brother and sister. Their individual faces too similar to be considered any other type a relative. The resemblance was absolutely uncanny. Chingachgook had watched in silence as his white son hopped from his seat on the sofa and repositioned himself in front of her. Just as she threw herself into his arms and began weeping uncontrollably. Weeping the tears of a long awaited reconciliation, the tears of a long endured loneliness.
Chingachgook swayed back and forth as the events of the night continued to swirl through his mind. He tilted his head backwards, resting it on the smooth wooden rocking chair and stared up at the thousands of silver tinted twinkling stars that were splayed across the blackened night sky. With the night air so still, he could hear the soft murmurs of the boys whispering quietly in the loft. No doubt conversing about the young girl that laid curled up in Martin's bed just below them. As his thoughts drifted once more towards her, so did his head in the direction of the wide open cabin door.
Sampson noticed his old friend's sudden shift and followed his eyes, resting them intently on the open doorway. He furrowed his brows, slowly exhaling the swirl of smoke that had been lingering within his lungs and placed a palm on Chingachgook's shoulder. "Would you like to go and check on her?", he asked.
Chingachgook turned his head around to face him and softly replied, "I would, but do not think that I should."
"Hmm, I understand." Sampson said nodding his head. "It is horrible what she has been through."
"She spoke of it to you?" Chingachgook asked with a fatherly concern etched into every feature of his face.
"No, not beyond a purely medical stand point and even then all she would do is answer my questions with a simple yes or no." Sampson watched as Chingachgook's face pained further and not wanting his friend to dwell on events he could not change, continued with, "Have you decided what you want to do? Whether you will ask her to join you and the boys and continue on to the Delaware camp? She is, of course, welcome to stay here with me and Martin should she prefer it."
"You think she would prefer it to remaining with us?" Chingachgook questioned before continuing with, "Nathaniel is clearly her brother. I have never seen two people look more similar and if that were not enough, they share an undeniable connection. As if their individual souls have been crying out for the other." He sighed softly to himself as he once more pictured him carrying a two year old Nathaniel on his hip as he searched through the half burnt cabin that was once Nathaniel's family home. He could remember with perfect clarity the smell of burning flesh that trickled into his nostrils and how for days afterwards he could not escape its smell. Chingachgook suddenly shifted his eyes, meeting Sampson's straight on and said, "What if I missed her? What if she was there all along and I overlooked her? She has lived a terrible life Sampson...terrible."
Sampson nodded his head, understanding perfectly the guilt, though unfounded, that his old friend was shouldering and said, "She wasn't there Chingachgook. She was a baby. She would have been starved and covered in her own filth. Which means, she would have been crying and rather loudly. I would imagine." Sampson reached out gripping his old friend's arm and affirmed once more, "She wasn't there. And furthermore, just as you found Nathaniel you also found her. You saved her, just as you did Nathaniel. What was once lost has been found." Sampson paused taking a deep breath and wanting to lighten the atmosphere around them added, "Though I will say she is quite a bit prettier than your boy!"
Chingachgook could not help but chuckle at his friend's attempt at releasing the tension filled air that had begun to weigh down their conversation. Deep down in Chingachgook's heart, he knew Sampson spoke the truth. He had turned that cabin upside down in search of any remaining survivors. He would not have missed a baby, screaming, crying or otherwise. He turned his attention away from his friend, staring back at the faraway stars once more and said, "I will speak with her tomorrow. She will need to fully understand what type of life she would be choosing, should she decide to stay with us. And it should be entirely her choice and her choice alone. I will not stand for Nathaniel trying to influence her decision. As I am certain he will want her to remain with him."
Sampson nodded his head in understanding. Nathaniel would most definitely want her to stay beside him. It had only been a few hours since she had been on the farm and already he had become increasingly protective of her. Hardly letting her even leave his sights to relieve herself outside. It would not be easy for him if she chose to stay on at the farm. Sampson put his pipe to his lips and inhaled deeply, filling his lungs to capacity with smoke and mulled over another thought that had been plaguing his mind. He glanced at his friend from the sides of his eyes and having no desire to have this particular conversation, though also knowing it's importance, exhaled a swirling puff of smoke and said, "Whatever she should decide...I think it best she stay at the farm for a little while longer." Sampson paused, trying to find the best words so not to upset his friend and continued with, "At least until her monthly courses come."
Chingachgook's eyes fell shut at Sampson's words, unable to face even one more syllable. As he began silently praying to The Great Spirit to please protect this young girl from any further harm.
Sampson watched Chingachgook's demeanor shift, knowing full well the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. As they too were haunting his own. Though wanting to put this conversation behind them as quickly as possible finished in a rush with, "At her age, her courses can be rather sporadic. It may be several weeks or even months to know for certain. And should she not get them..." Sampson paused contemplating his next words. "...I may be able to help her. Should she wish it. She is after all, barely a woman herself. And as a woman, should be allowed to choose who the father of her children will be."
Chingachgook stared mouth agape at his friend, as he suddenly lacked the ability to form words. Of all the concerns that had been running rampant in his mind, this had not been one of them and he quickly found himself peering once more to the wide open cabin door. The door that led down the hall, to a bedroom that housed an innocent thirteen year old girl.
Nathaniel, Uncas and Martin laid wide awake and whispering in their beds. The cool air from the open cabin door wafting its way up the loft steps and despite the late hour invigorating their senses, only postponing their much need for sleep.
"Where were you when Chingachgook found her?" Martin asked. Thinking that at the same age of thirteen, she had lived a completely different life than he.
"Back at camp. He said he heard noises off a distance away and went to scout it." Uncas said.
"How did she seem when he brought her back?" Martin persisted in his questioning, wanting to know every single detail.
"She was unconscious." Uncas answered. The strain in his features making him appear much older than the mere ten years that he was. "Father had covered her with a blanket, but when he laid her down on the ground and we started tending to her wounds...her skin was so cold. Like ice. She must have been out there for a very long time." Uncas turned his head away from the ceiling, shifting slightly towards Martin and added, "Her lips were blue."
Martin held Uncas's pained stare as he remembered how she looked when she first stepped into the glade. Her legs and feet were bare and only Chingachgook's blue linen shirt to cover her body. The only aspect of her appearance that did not seem in shambles was her hair. It had been combed and neatly tied into a single braid that fell just over left shoulder. He wanted to speak to her, welcome her to his home. Though seeing her standing there, Nathaniel and Uncas in front and behind her. His friends silently telling him to wait. Silently telling him to give her some time. All he could do was nod his head in understanding and make his way slowly back into the cabin, though not before taking one last glance at her from over his shoulder.
Nathaniel stared up at the peaked wooden ceiling. He had begun counting the thin cracks embedded in each piece of wood. One after another, after another. Desperate to distract himself from the conversation at hand. He had avoided answering any of Martin's questions earlier in the day when they went to retrieve lake water so Prudence could bathe. He would not talk about it then and he could not talk about it now. All he could do was picture her face, his face. The same long pointed nose, thick dark wavy hair and most similarly, the same bright cerulean blue eyes. Their eyes were the exact same shape and color. Though none of that mattered as much as the feeling they both felt in their souls. He knew without needing any confirmation that she was indeed his blood. His little sister, only two tiny years his junior. A link to a life he never lived, that she never lived. A lost childhood together that they had been so cruelly deprived of, though no longer. Here they were together once more. Nathaniel closed his eyes, and for the first time in his life pictured his future in a different way. As all he could see was her face against the blackness of his eyelids.
"Nathaniel?" Martin whispered.
Hearing his name, Nathaniel rolled onto his side with his back to his friend. Trying his best to avoid Martin's innocent yet annoying questioning. He knew he meant no harm. He was just as concerned as the rest of them were for her and what may have happened to her. What may have happened to her? Nathaniel could not even bear to think about it. He folded his arms across his chest and tried to tune out the still whispering voices of his brother and friend as he focused all of his attention to the soft snore that drifted lightly up the loft stairs.
Prudence could see him walking towards her. The reflection of his long dark shadow glimmering off of the mud sodden puddles that occupied the poorly constructed alleyway, as the dimly light street candles loomed high overtop him. She could feel her adrenaline begging to course swiftly through her veins as he stalked closer and closer towards her. Her body almost convincing herself that she might be able to escape the tragedy that she knew was most likely to follow. She spread herself flat against the cold, wet stone wall trying desperately to disappear between the moss filled cracks. Though it would all be in vain as the sound of his boots sloshing through the puddled cobblestones grew louder and louder. Prudence pinched her eyes shut tightly, thinking childishly that if she could not see him, then he could not see her and she may yet evade her doomed fate. Though still the sounds of footfalls echoed through her ears and Prudence could suddenly feel the moisture of her silent tears streaming down her face. Her chest began to heave harder and harder, keeping rhythm with her now pounding heart. As her nerves raged, she bit down forcefully on her bottom lip. Sending the tiniest bit iron tainted blood seeping into her mouth. She did not know then that those were to be the first of many drops of blood spilled that night. As she sucked in her breath, Prudence's nostrils were assaulted by a funk so foul she could not help but fling her eyelids wide open. Only to see his meaty hand reaching down towards her throat.
Prudence let loose an ear piercing scream into the otherwise calm cabin air and began violently tossing and turning beneath her blankets. She tugged and pulled at the white linen sheet, ripping in half one small corner. As she believed that they were arms trying to press her down on the cold forest floor. She thrashed harder and harder, until she shifted too far to the left and tumbled off the bed. Landing with a painful thump as her body connected with the hard wooden floor.
Still half in a dreamlike state, Prudence could hear a thundering of heavy footfalls rushing across the floor in her direction. When suddenly the bedroom door flew open and she screamed once more. She tried to narrow her eyes against the darkened room, desperate to make out who had entered into it. Though all she could see was the grimy face of her attacker and began scurrying across the floor to the wall behind her.
"Are you alright?" Came an unfamiliar voice from the doorway.
Prudence shook her head back and forth, extending her arms out protectively in front of her. In the hopes of keeping whoever was speaking at a distance.
Sampson watched as Chingachgook slowly entered the room. His friends movements so careful as to not frighten her already cowering form, anymore than she already was. Choosing to stay in the doorway, Sampson turned his attention away from Prudence and towards the bed. Even in the darkness he could see the blood stained sheets where the lashes on her back had reopened and bled once more. Taking a deep breath at the horrible sight, he shifted his eyes away from the bed and refocusing his thoughts. He began to stare back and forth between Prudence and Chingachgook, who was continuing to slowly make his way over to her. When the sound of shuffling from behind him grabbed his attention and he turned his head to the left to see all three boys trying to maneuver their way past him to see what was happening with Prudence. He quickly threw his arm in front of the open doorway, gripping tightly to the wooden door frame, effectively preventing any of them from entering into her bedroom.
Nathaniel was the first to reach the doorway, placing his hands gently atop Sampson's forearms as he was determined to enter her room. "No Nathaniel." Sampson calmly whispered, shaking his head in hopes of silently enunciating his words.
Nathaniel furrowed his brows and tried once more to push past him, wanting desperately to stand beside his father as he tried to reassure her that she was safe. Though Sampson was steadfast and gripped tighter to the wall, slightly shifting his weight in front of him. Making certain that Nathaniel understood that this was not negotiable. Nathaniel's narrowed eyes shifted back and forth between Sampson, his father and Prudence. Who was seated on the floor against the wall, with her knees bent upwards and her arms stretched out in front of her. He could see the bandages on her hands were seeping blood as she no doubt tried fighting away her nightmare. Her eyes were pinched tightly shut and he suddenly felt a pang in his heart as she seemed far too scared to open them. He vowed then and there to make certain that she was always kept safe from harm. No matter what or whom that may be, he would protect her from it.
Chingachgook slowly stepped towards Prudence's frightened form, still smushed up against the wall and began speaking as calmly and clearly as possible, "It is alright Prudence. You are safe. You are here at the farm. No one here will harm you." He said, doing best to ease her out of the nightmare that she was still trapped in. He continued stepping closer and closer towards her, until he was just out of her outstretched arms reach and leaned over placing a gentle palm atop her shoulder. Prudence flung her eyes open and screamed. The piercing sound echoing fiercely within the entire cabin and forcing all of the boys young faces to peek into the room. Chingachgook quickly pulled his hand back from her body and thinking as swiftly as he could, began speaking softly to her in Mohican. Calmly reassuring her over and over again that she was safe and that no one here would let anything happen to her.
Prudence flinched as her ears were suddenly flooded with a series of unfamiliar sounds. Her brows furrowed as she felt herself being slowly pulled from her dreamlike state. More and more so as she began to recognize the foreign melody. A melody of sounds she had only ever heard recently. A melody of sounds that formed a language, a language that only a few people she knew spoke. As the realization became clearer and clear in her mind, Prudence let her arms fall limp at her sides and finally allowed herself to focus her eyes, only to see the familiar face of her rescuer squatting just in front of her. His long arms slightly parted towards her. She took a shaky breath and quickly slid across the floor on her bottom and into his comforting embrace.
Prudence nuzzled her tear stained face into Chingachgook's shoulder, smearing his plum colored linen shirt with the moisture from her eyes and mucus from her nose. She could feel his gentle touch as he rubbed his palm softly against the back of his head and slowly she felt herself begin to calm. With each new breath filling her lungs, Prudence regained more and more control of herself. She rested her head sideways atop Chingachgook's shoulder and peered out across the room to the several different faces that peered unwaveringly back at her from the doorway. Though seeing her own pain and fear being mirrored in their eyes, she quickly diverted her own. As the heated flush of embarrassment crept into her cheeks. She could not bear to look at their forlorn expressions and turned her attention to the bed. Where she saw the blood stained sheets and instantly began rambling out an apology.
"Oh no…I am so sorry." She began between sniffles. "Please let me wash them." She said lifting her head from Chingachgook's shoulder and reaching for the soiled linens.
Sampson quickly entered the room, gently taking her wounded hand in his and said, "There is no need for that my dear girl." As he carefully peeled the linen sheet from her grasp and tossed it carelessly back onto the floor. "As it is Nathaniel's day to launder the clothes." He said with a reassuring grin.
Prudence could not help but giggle at her host's amusing way of trying to subdue her embarrassment. Though as funny as she found his words to be, they also reminded her that all three of the boys were still lingering in the doorway. Their faces still edged with an unvoiced concern, that somehow only made her feel worse about the whole situation and she once more had to force her eyes away from their grief stricken faces. She hated being perceived as weak or vulnerable. She had spent too many years trying to shake those emotions from the core of her being. Always trying to remain tough to the eyes of the outside world. Though even she was not so unrealistic as to believe that she was not feeling extremely weak right now. She could still feel her body quivering from her nightmare. As she was sure Chingachgook could also. His arms still wrapped protectively around her. Prudence brought her face back so she could peer into his soft brown eyes. Eyes so filled with kindness and warmth. "Thank you," she whispered.
Chingachgook softly smiled down at her. He rubbed his thumb against her cheek, wiping away the last of her fallen tears and said, "I am here for you Little Warrior. As is everyone in this cabin."
Prudence reached up, lightly patting his palm against her cheek and gazing back into his kind eyes. The smallest moment conveying so much to her of who this man in front of her was. He had rescued her from the forest, cared for her wounds, taken her to safety and now this. Now he gently tried to soothe her frightened mind. Prudence found herself glancing in the direction of Nathaniel and Uncas, silently wondering to herself if they knew just how lucky they were to have a father like him.
As the thought lingered in her head, she took a deep breath steadying herself and said, "I may need…" She self-consciously began, "I may need someone to sleep with me. Like how we slept in the forest. I do not think I can be alone right now." Prudence finished, shifting her eyes to the floor. Knowing for certain that everyone was staring at her again.
Chingachgook nodded his head in understanding and said, "Someone could sleep in here on the floor or if you prefer it, you could sleep upstairs in the loft with the boys. There are four small beds up there. Though if you would rather sleep in here, you are free to choose whoever you would like to stay with you."
"But first..." Sampson said, interrupting Prudence's thoughts of who she would want to stay with her, "I would like to tend to the wounds on your back again." Prudence nodded her head yes, feeling a fresh sting of pain across her back and allowed Chingachgook to help her to her feet and over to the bed. After which, Chingachgook ushered out all three boys and then closed the door tightly as he too exited the room.
Sampson gingerly helped her out of her blood stained shift, the thin fabric sticking slightly to her reopened wounds. Pulling away the last bit of clothing, Sampson quickly covered her up with a clean blanket and began examining her. Though she had ripped open several areas of skin, the damage to her back from her nightmare remained minimal. Having left the medicinal paste on her bed side table, Sampson began gently reapplying it to the irritated skin. Making certain to thoroughly coat the area before bandaging it up once more. He then took her palms in his hands, examining her bruised knuckles, wanting to be certain that she had not broken or injured them any further. Which thankfully she had not. After taking care of her medically, he did something Prudence was not expecting. Sampson shifted slightly behind her and began brushing out her sweat drenched and tangled hair.
Sampson could feel Prudence's body clench up at his touch and not in the way she had before when he was doctoring her. The way she would when he knew she was feeling physical pain. This, he knew, was an emotional pain. He furrowed his brows in sadness knowing that even more so than her body being in pain, her soul had not known an affectionate touch in quite a long time. Sampson took a deep breath, knowing at the very least that here on his farm, surrounded by this household, she would know nothing but kindness and respect.
Having finished brushing her hair, Sampson laid the brush down on the bed and began braiding her long dark mane. Wanting to make sure that it would stay out of her wounds while she slept, while she slept...he thought and suddenly had an idea.
"You said you wanted to sleep like you did in the forest. Is that still what you would like?" He asked her as he finished tying off the end of her braid.
Prudence shifted her body to face him and said, "Yes. I felt…safe like that. Surrounded by them."
"Then we shall see it done my dear."
Prudence laid sleepy eyed atop a mound of linen sheets and woolen blankets. The warmth for the hearth drifting over Nathaniel's softly snoring form and caressing her with its flames. She smiled watching as his chest rose and fell with each sleepy breath. His right arm softly pressing against her own, his way of trying to comfort her even as he slept. She turned her head to the right to see Uncas curled up on his side, facing her. His little breaths, so delicate and sweet. Again, his way of watching over her while she slept. Prudence could hear the harsher breathing of Sampson, who was stretched out along the sofa, feet crossed at the ankles and hands nestled behind his head. She tilted her head backwards, feeling the bare skin of Martin's arm brushing against the top of her head. He was laying on his back with both hands resting atop his stomach and his fingers interlocked. As though he was waiting for the perfect moment to reach out and caress her head. As she leaned even further back she could see Chingachgook sitting in the soft chair closest to the fire. His feet resting atop the small wooden table that normally stood where they all were sleeping on the ground. Prudence stretched her head slightly further back, rolling it lightly on top of Martin's arm and peered up into his kind brown eyes. Eyes that were staring down at her. His stoic features softened as the two made eye contact. Prudence quietly smiled up at him, doing her best to silently thank him for his ever watchful eye. She knew he would remain that way until the moment she would eventually fall asleep. Just as he had watched over that first night in the forest. Prudence smiled just a little bit wider at the thought, before shifting her weight back to her original position. She felt completely at peace right now, surrounded by all of these new souls that had wandered into her life and for the first time in a long time, she felt herself ready to embrace a new day's dawn.
Author's Note: And just like that I am back in the saddle again. This story picks up right after Pru's chapter 5 flashback in The Ties That Bind. I have big plans for this one, so a huge thank you in advance to everyone that comes along with me to see how this epic family first began. There will be laughter, tears, heartache, love, action and just a wee bit of shenanigans! Oh...and secrets will be revealed! I will be taking this story from their first night all together in October 1744, all the way up until the fateful day in August 1757. When they seek refuge at the Blackwood farm with a seriously wounded Uncas. I hope you all enjoy the ride with me!
As always...comments/reviews are always welcome...as not only do they help me grow as a writer, but truth be told, you all have a way of planting the seeds of little ideas into my head ;)
Thank you to AsterLaurel, MohawkWoman and BlueSaffire for everything you did to help see me through this first chapter! You are truly the BEST!
Thanks for reading:)