3 Months Later
Tala was sitting at a table watching Mr. Sackett write some things down in his office that held some of his inventions at Morristown Headquarters.
"So your brother went back home?" Sackett asked while he finished composing a message.
"Yes, he said that the Iroquois were becoming suspicious of my people, mostly the Mohawks. He went back to Sachem while I came back here." Tala explained as she stood there.
"I see you. You must be lonely with Tallmadge not here." Sackett said with a grin. As he looked up to see Tala expression, but he was disappointed to see that she did not show anything.
"We are only good friends Mr. Sackett." Tala said as she moved away and to one of the inventions the Sackett had.
"Yes but even friendship can turn into love my dear." Sackett said getting up from the table.
"I am from a different world. I may be half of my people but I still am not of this world. I am a Mohican, not an Yengeese." Tala said with a rough voice.
Mr. Sackett studied Tala as she looked at some of the items in the room. He saw a hint of sadness in her posture as she walked around the room.
"I need some peace, I will return later." Tala said before leaving the office.
She walked with a fast pace while her musket thumped against her back due to her long strides. Tala left the camp to go to the sanctuary of the forest.
Tala walked for a long time so she knew she would be secluded and away from any prying eyes.
She found herself at a very isolated part of the river that flowed not far from Morristown Headquarters.
She sat herself down on one of the large that were by the river but still making her hidden.
In the month after rescuing Ben from the Mohawks, she has found herself being drawn to him.
"Why can I not be accepted in both worlds? Am I not a child who is of both worlds?" Tala said in her native tongue.
She felt tears ready to escape from her dark eyes. Maybe her father was right in saying that she had to choose.
The warm summer wind was caressing the trees as she sat there by the river.
"Oh great spirits who protect and guide us, please tell me what I should for I am so lost." Tala said as a couple of tears feel from her dark hazel eyes.
"Why does the wolf cry?" A familiar voice said behind her.
"Because this wolf is trying to decide which path to take brother." Tala said in Mohican.
She turned to see her brother standing there watching her.
"As I made my way back, the spirits told me to come here. I did not know you would have been here." Uncas said as he sat down beside her.
"How do our people fair?" Tala asked.
"They are good. We were able to calm the Mohawks. Sachem is trying to make us as neutral as possible." Uncas said looking out to the river.
"So if I come across any Mohawks, I should kill them to keep our people safe." Tala said looking down at her hands.
"If you wish."
"No it is a will do brother." Tala said looking up at her brother.
"I do not want blood to be on your hands sister." Uncas said in a rough voice.
"A wolf must bare its teeth and defend its pack when need be." Tala simply said.
"Father has told me that you need to stay here and help Washington in anyway possible while I stay home to help our people."
"When will I see you and father again?" Tala asked as she watched her brother rise to his feet.
"Soon little one soon. I must return to our people. I want you to know that you will always be my sister and that you are a proud warrior of our people." Uncas told Tala.
"May the spirits guide and protect you as you journey home." Tala said with a small smile.
"As to you too my sister." Uncas said before leaving.
It was night when Tala made her way back to camp. As she got to closer to the building to see what Mr. Sackett was up to, she saw many generals gathered around at the house going in. She saw Ben was going inside as well.
Tala decided to go find Caleb Brewster and converse with him until Ben was done with the meeting.
Things between Caleb and Ben were strained do to what happened in their hometown. Tala was caught in between the two of the since they were both her friends.
After wondering around camp for a few minutes, she found Caleb sitting by a campfire drinking what looks like ale.
"Where have you been off to missy?" Caleb said when he saw Tala sit on a log that was across from Caleb.
"Surveying the land and making sure we don't have anyone suspicious around." Tala lied with a smirk.
"That's the Tala we all know and love. Always keeping herself busy. Especially since Tall Boy has abandoned us." Caleb said before taking a swig of his ale.
"He has a lot on his mind. Yes he has been quite, what's the word you people say…. Insufferable." Tala said as she stared at the fire.
"I see your English lessons with Sackett are going well." Caleb noted.
"I've known how to speak your tongue since I was young. I was sent to a school to learn how to speak it so that when our people were in contact with the English, then we have someone who can talk for both parties. Mr. Sackett told me I needed to learn new words." Tala said with a gentle smile.
"Is that so. You're doing well. Have you talked to Ben at all here lately?" Caleb asked as he took another drink.
"No, he has been too busy to talk to a heathen like me." Tala said staring at the fire intensely as the mood quickly changed.
"Who called you that?" Caleb asked in a alarmed tone.
"I will not say. I do not want to cause trouble Caleb." Tala said shaking her head.
"Tala tell me now. Tell who it was. I don't take kindly to people who insult my friends."
"But I am a heathen Caleb." Tala reasoned.
"No your not. You have done a great service by helping us strategize with your knowledge of the land as well. You should not let anyone tell you that. Now tell who it was."
"Major Bradford." Tala said in a low whisper.
"Thank you." Caleb said getting up and leaving.
"Caleb wait." Tala said going after her friend.
Tala followed Caleb to sight they weren't expecting. Ben was in a fistfight with a couple of officers when Caleb suddenly intervened and stopped it from escalating.
Tala stood there and kept a distance away, not want to cause trouble. She couldn't hear what the two friends were saying to each other, put at least they were smiling.
Suddenly Caleb was pointing her and Tala felt nervous, which was rare for her to feel.
"Tala." Caleb said as he and Ben approached her.
Tala looked at Caleb questionably with a slight tilt with her head to the side.
" Tall boy here punched Bradford before I could but don't worry, I got him too." Caleb said with a big while Ben gave his friend a confused.
"Thank you, now I must go." Tala said hurriedly before disappearing into the woods for the night like she always did.
"I'm confused." Ben said facing Caleb.
"Major Bradford called Tala a heathen. It took a lot for me to get her to tell me who said it. She kept saying she did not want to cause trouble. You might want to go follow her. You have been insufferable to not only me but her as well." Caleb explained.
Tala was resting in a tree that over looked the dark forest. If she has learned anything from being surround by Yengeese, it's that they never look up. So the tree's branches that she was resting in safely concealed her.
She heard footsteps below her and looked down to see Ben walking under the tree she was in.
Tala watched in curiosity as to what he could be doing here. Did he really follow after her?
"I know you're out here Tala. I need to talk to you." Ben said, unaware that she was above him.
Tala watched him walk deeper into the forest. Tala silently scaled down the tree and revealed herself.
"What are you doing here Ben? Do you know how odd it looks to go following after me?" Tala asked with a little hint of anger.
Ben spun around to see Tala standing there by the tree.
"I needed to talk to you well more like apologize." Ben said but before he could continue Tala stopped him.
"You are a foolish person you know that. I know there has been a great weight on your shoulders. You think I am blind but I hear and see all that is around me. That and Sackett wont stop talking about the issues at hand, but that doesn't matter. I long since forgiven you." Tala explained.
Tala noted the change in Ben's expression, from stress to relief.
"As I followed you I was trying to prepare to say but then you swept that all away." Ben said with a small chuckle.
"It is best that you return to your men. Your reputation will be damaged if you are gone even longer than necessary." Tala said with a small smile.
"Come back with me then. We can say that Washington had asked me to get you to ask for your help or something." Ben said.
"That's just very ordinary of you Ben. You have such a quick mind. I will go with you but then we must separate." Tala said with a smile.
But before she could move to leave, Ben placed a kiss on her soft lips. She was stunned for it was unexpected.
"I'm sorry that was rather improper to do please forgive." Ben said hurriedly when pulled away from her.
She smiled as she gently put her hands on each side of his face and pulled him to her, returning the kiss he gave.
"I forgive you." Tala said with a smile when she pulled away.
Author's Notes:
You might notice that there are some rather big time skips going on….that's on purpose. I am trying to get the best parts of Season 2 of TURN. I am trying to get to where all the good action is so you can get more of a character development between her and Ben.
Yengeese is a term that Native Americans gave the English, or white people.