Footsteps of a Stranger
Chapter 2
¤ Though 'half-breed' is not the correct term, it is for the time period this story takes place. It is meant to be offensive in this story for future drama. I will continue to use the term but mean no offense to anyone as I am a halfer myself. ¤
Alfred watched the man in front of him. He was pale and blond. The opposite of his mother's people. He didn't speak, neither did the man before him. He had called himself 'Arthur'. Alfred liked the name, but he didn't speak it now, afraid the man would take it as an invitation.
Finally the man spoke. "I don't mean you any harm."
"I would imagine so, since we have no weapons." Alfred said.
Arthur smiled. "You're right."
More silence.
"Are you one of the natives here?" Arthur asked.
"Not really." Alfred replied.
"Oh?" Arthur took a step forward and relaxed his hands.
"Why should I tell you about me if I know nothing about you?" Alfred retreated a step.
"Fair enough. I'm Arthur Kirkland, I'm from England. Do you know England?"
Alfred gave a curt nod.
"Are you from England?"
"Not really." Alfred responded.
"So, you're not really a native, yet you're not really from England. What are you?" Arthur asked.
Alfred eyed Arthur. He seemed genuinely curious, not like he wanted to use the information against Alfred. The boy took a breath and answered. "My father came here from England and met my mother. He wanted children, she didn't, but she didn't really have a choice. When we were born, she was run out of the village. We were raised by our father for eight years. When he died, the only person we could go to was our mother."
"You're a half-breed!" Arthur said, astonished. "I've never met one! No wonder you look like that! And who is 'we?'"
"My twin brother." Alfred said. "How did you get here?"
"We took a large ship. Of course, Francis and I had to buy our way in, but it's alright. We don't want gold or wives. We just want to be something else."
"You're wealthy." Alfred breathed out. He and Matthew used to be, but all the money got taken away and given to their uncles despite the will that stated everything should be split between the twins.
"More or less. Not as wealthy as the king but I do pretty well." Arthur shrugged.
Alfred nodded. "And you're here just to be here."
"Being wealthy has its advantages, and disadvantages. Always being here or there and keeping face. Not to mention all the women constantly after my money." Arthur said.
Alfred rolled his eyes. "That sounds terrible."
Arthur opened his mouth to respond but another native came into the clearing. This one looked just like Alfred, except his braids were on the other side. He looked between the two and spoke in a language Arthur did not understand, though he thought he heard 'Francis' in the middle of the jumble of syllables.
Alfred gave Arthur a glance when they were done talking. "We have to go now."
"Why?"
They twins exchanged a look and Alfred spoke. "We have to be back before dark. Village rules. May I get my knife?"
Arthur nodded and watched as the boy tentatively walked to Arthur. He knelt to pick up the weapon and Arthur was suddenly overcome with how beautiful the boy really was. Arthur held his breath. They were less than two feet apart. Arthur had to see Alfred again. Learn more about him. Take in more how his perfect eyes seemed to see right to Arthur's soul.
"Meet me tonight." Arthur breathed out.
"I can't. I-" Alfred looked at his brother and they had another silent conversation. With a huff, Alfred faced Arthur again. "Come with your friend. Francine-"
"Francis." Matthew hissed.
"Whatever. Come with him and I'll see you."
Arthur felt a swell in his chest and was about to respond, but the twins were gone.
"You agreed to meet him?" Alfred scolded Matthew. "Are you crazy?"
"No. I'm just lonely." Matthew replied, keeping his voice low. You never knew who was lingering in the woods.
"You have me!" Alfred snapped back.
"Not that kind of lonely!" Matthew punched his brother. "Everyone our age is getting married. No one would ever dream of being with us because of who we are, but Francis was different. He looked at me like I was worth something, not a filthy half-breed."
Alfred was silent, but only because he agreed with Matthew. The people in their village turned their noses up at them while Arthur had been entranced with who he was. It was comforting to know someone out there found him interesting and not disgusting.
They entered the village, which was oddly silent. Alfred furrowed his brow and gripped Matthew's arm. Something wasn't right.
Matthew shook Alfred off and went to a group of elderly women. Alfred looked around the village, trying to figure out what was wrong. Matthew returned a moment later with the news.
"A warrior was shot by the white men on the beach." he whispered, his eyes troubled.
"Is he okay?" Alfred asked. He'd never shot a gun before, but their father had one and he knew how they worked. And how deadly they were.
"They don't know. They hardly have the medical care we did. Especially for a bullet." Matthew wrapped his arms around himself.
Just then, the chief left the healing tent and raised his arms. Everyone hushed their voices and faced their leader.
"These white men are more dangerous than the others," his eyes came to land on Alfred and Matthew. Not only referring to them, but to their first home that was at least a nine day horse ride. The two cultures haven't had contact since they dumped the twins on the village. "Everyone stay within our borders and do not communicate with the newcomers. We don't need another fatality."
Gasps and cries of shock and anger came from the crowd. Matthew huddled closer to Alfred. Both of them thinking of their soon to be broken promises.
"Please be careful and vigilant during the next few days." The chief dipped his head and returned to the healing tent.
"What are we going to do?" Matthew hissed in English.
Alfred set his jaw and sat by the low fire. "We sneak out."
"But Al-"
"If you want to see them again, we'll have to." Alfred said softly. He picked up the nearest project, a half woven basket, and began to weave the strands together.
Matthew sighed and plopped down next to Alfred and started husking corn. They did not need anymore attention on them now than the already did.
Alfred snuck out first. No one asked him where he was going, and he didn't announce an excuse. He waited for Matthew just inside the cornstalks.
Ten minutes later, Matthew was by his side. He smelt a tad like flowers and his hair was obviously freshly combed. Alfred grinned but Matthew punched him on the arm before he could say anything.
Staying close to the ground and shadows, they stole away into the night.
They had to cross the river to get to their designated meeting area. The brothers had created a plan to get a canoe without having to use the shared village ones.
Luckily, their tent was beside their mother's, who shared with the chief, who had his own canoe. It was common unspoken knowledge that the chief would sometimes whisk his mistress away on the boat in the middle of the night. However, based on the flirtatious giggles and husky voice coming from the tent, there would be no canoe ride tonight.
The brothers pushed out into the river, careful to go to the far bank before going down the river. They ducked low as they passed the distant fires and only sitting back up when the dim light faded.
"Do you think they'll be there?" Matthew whispered, barely louder than the almost still water around them.
"They have to be." Alfred answered. "Arthur looked determined to see us again."
"What if it's a trap?" Matthew said.
Alfred rolled his eyes at that. "If it is, we won't have any trouble proving that we are one of them."
"What do you mean?"
"If we can prove to them we are as 'civilized' as they are, we can go back to sleeping in a house."
Matthew lowered his oar, brow furrowed in thought. "Do you really hate living in the village that much?"
Alfred sighed and rowed harder to pick up Matthew's slack. "It's more the people. The food, culture and everything else are wonderful. I'm just tired of being seen as a piece of rotten meat "
"Do you think living with the whites will be better?" Matthew asked, finally helping Alfred propel themselves down the river. "I mean, once they find out what we are?"
Alfred raised his eyes to Matthew. He was right. They were outcasts wherever they went. Nothing would change that.
Unless they got someone to vouch for them.
He turned in the boat, water sloshing over the sides. "Matthew!"
"What?" his brother hissed. "You're going to give us away!"
"We can get Arthur and Francis to help!"
"What are you blabbing about?" Matthew rolled his eyes.
"If we really want to go back, Arthur and Francis can tell everyone that we are part of the white men."
Matthew sighed and shook his head. "We can't use them like that."
Alfred pursed his lips, but silently agreed.
They finally got to their meeting spot. After pulling the canoe to the rocky shore, the brothers entered the light forest. They walked for some time until they heard voices. Freezing, Alfred pressed himself against a tree as Matthew hid behind him.
"They're not here!" a British voice said, obviously disgruntled.
"Give them a minute, I'm sure they'll come." Came a soothing French accent.
Alfred glanced at his brother and the two emerged from the trees. Arthur gazed at the twins, or rather, Alfred as they came into the gentle light of the lanterns. Alfred averted his eyes, but managed a somewhat snarky comment. "If you two were going to shout, we might as well have yelled across the river."
Matthew was instantly drawn to Francis's side, who seemed to either not care or notice. "Do forgive my friend, he does not have an inside voice."
"I am not your friend and I do have an inside voice, we just happen to be outside." Arthur glared hotly at Francis.
"Keep it down." Alfred glanced around the two white men. They didn't seem to have weapons or anyone hiding to ambush them.
Arthur rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut.
"Why did you want to meet us here?" Matthew asked.
Francis's gentle blue eyes landed and Matthew. "We came here to learn, but but the entire ship is merely digging up the forest."
Alfred felt his heart drop. That's all the white men seemed to do. Their father had done it also, but at a young age, Alfred and Matthew had assumed it was normal. Now that they had lived in the woods and came to call the trees home, it was upsetting to hear it being taken down.
"What did you want to learn?" Matthew asked.
"How to plant things, and the way of your people." Francis said.
"My king and queen would also like to meet with the people from here." Arthur added. "If I can bring someone back to England, my king would reward me greatly."
Alfred narrowed his eyes. "You two sound like you just want to become even more wealthy."
Francis chuckled. "We are already wealthy. Arthur just meant he would be married to a princess."
Arthur whacked Franciss arm rather roughly. "That is not true. If I do manage to get someone to come home with me, the king would still have many other people with the same thing."
"I'm confused." Alfred said.
"If you, or even Matthew came back with me, my king would have something different to choose from. A man who understands English and the Native tongue, who looks either white or brown, someone who could be what he pleases, my king would love to speak with you." Arthur said. "And since I brought you to him, I may receive something in return."
Alfred nodded, though he still didn't quite understand. "If I go back with you, I want to stay there. I want to be accepted back into the white men."
Matthew cast Alfred a look, but his brother didn't waver. He knew what he wanted, and he would do this to get it.
Arthur blinked, obviously shocked. "Where would you stay?"
"With you. You take me to speak with your king, you must look after me and care for me. Do we have a deal?" Alfred asked, determined.
After a brief silence, Arthur nodded. "Agreed. We will leave with the next ship back to England."
Alfred nodded. His heart was in his throat. He couldn't believe he could be going back to where his father came from, where he could be whoever he wanted, not some half-breed.
Francis turned his eyes to Matthew, who was staring at Alfred in shock. "What would you like in exchange for teaching me the way of the land?"
Matthew glanced between the handsome white man in front of him and his beloved brother. He swallowed and locked eyes with Francis. "I want to go with you."
