Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Forty-One

All the jewelry was hidden away in the trunks and other places. Each person was being allowed to bring one trunk but everything they were taking with them had to fit in that one trunk. One night, Scarlett said to Rhett, "My ring is too loose to stay on my hand. I don't want to lose it so I am going to pack it away."

"Alright. When we get to New Orleans, we can get it made smaller."

"No need. Once I start eating regular meals, I will put my weight back on."

"Alright. We can wait to pick out our rings until we are back to our normal weights."

"As the judge said we are married whether we are wearing a ring or not."

"True."

"Rhett, I can't fit Charlie's sword in Wade's trunk."

"That is alright. We will just lay it in one of the wagons. We may need for it to be easily accessible."

With fear in her voice, Scarlett said, "Do you really think so?"

Rhett lied and said, "No, I was just joking."

Scarlett allowed herself to be soothed even while knowing Rhett had just lied to her.

Soon it was October the first and the family left Tara. Rhett had ridden into Jonesboro the day before. He had sent his parents a telegram telling them he and Scarlett were going to New Orleans. They were walking therefore it would probably be a month before he contacted them again. He had also sent a telegram to India Harper telling her that Honey was in Macon with PittyPat. To tell Prissy that Pork and Dilcey were staying with the Calverts but everyone else at Tara and Twelve Oaks were walking to New Orleans. When they got there someone would contact her.

As the group left the plantation, they all knew they would never see Clayton County again. Every one of the adults thought that was for the best. They all knew their lives in Georgia were over. This was the second time Ellen, Mammy, and Gerald had made an exodus from one life to another. They knew the best advice was Don't look back.

Most people were walking. Gerald was driving one of the wagons and Albert the other one. Gerald because he was old and Albert because he was going with them of his own free will and the men wanted to give him a perk. Besides neither Ashley nor Rhett would accept the easier position. The women didn't know it but there was, indeed, a rivalry quietly going on between Ashley and Rhett.

The children, Melly, Mammy, and for today, Scarlett were riding in the buggy. Rhett had wanted Scarlett to drive the buggy every day thus not have to walk but she had refused. She had said to Rhett, "Mama, Careen, and Suellen can drive the buggy as easily as I."

"I don't want them driving the buggy. I want you driving the buggy."

"No, this is fair."

"I don't want to be fair. I want to make this trek easier for you."

"Rhett, this is going to be a long trek and people's tempers will get short. We have to do what we can to be sure there is no resentment amongst us."

Reluctantly, Rhett agreed.

The first day was not bad because Gerald and Ashley knew the roads in the area. They were able to make twenty-five miles.

When the group camped Scarlett said to Rhett, "We really are doing this."

"We really are."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Rhett pondered what he was doing. He had never done anything that didn't benefit him directly, but he was getting all these people out of Clayton County simply because Scarlett couldn't abandon them. He sighed. It was going to be the story of the rest of his life. Doing things just to make Scarlett happy. Then again, she did a lot of things just to make him happy. He smiled when he thought of everything, they had done the night before, including his second favorite sexual activity.

Where they had camped was really just a wide spot in the road. Ashley had said, "It is going to be dark soon and we need to get settled while we can still see. Everyone needs to find as many branches as we can find. We can't let the fire go out."

Melly said, "Why? We don't need the heat."

Succinctly Ashley said, "It is not to keep us warm but to keep the wild animals away."

Rhett knew that had frightened the women, but he had believed Ashley had been right to tell of the danger of camping out in the wild.

Everyone looked for branches in the woods next to where they had chosen to camp for the night. Scarlett had kept Wade beside her the entire time.

Scarlett was so proud because Rhett had become the de facto leader. She also admired how Rhett kept Ashley and Gerald involved in the decision-making process. That just proved what a great leader Rhett was.

For once Rhett did not feel sexual desire when he looked at Scarlett. The night before they had barely slept. They had no idea when they would be able to be intimate again. He had woken her up a couple of times and she had woken him up once. He knew it would not last until they got to New Orleans, but they would manage. He had gone longer than a month without relations but that hadn't been when Scarlett had been sleeping by his side.

Later when Scarlett had praised Rhett for keeping everyone involved in the decision-making process, he basked under her praise. Rhett had been praised and worshipped by a lot of women but when Scarlett indicated that he was wonderful it sent him over the moon.

Rhett said, "Thank you, Baby. It is like this, in order for this to work everyone has to buy into the idea. If Ashley and your father buy in, then everyone else will buy in." Rhett had smiled and said, "Except maybe you but I think I can convince you of the merits of my argument."

"Maybe."

Each of the men even Albert had taken a swig of moonshine from one of the jugs. In fact, they had taken a couple of swigs. Rhett had already gotten the mason jar that was filled with moonshine and stored it among his belongings. After everyone was settled for the night, he had poured some of the alcohol in a mug and had given it to his wife. He had said, "Here, drink this."

Scarlett had thought it was water and had taken a large drink. She had managed to swallow it.

When she could speak, she said, "Rhett! Why did you do that?"

"You will sleep better with a little bit of alcohol in your system."

"I don't know."

"Honey, trust me."

"Alright, Rhett."

When everyone finally laid down for the night, Ellen, Gerald, Suellen, and Careen were all bundled up together. Ashley, Melanie, and Beau were bundled up together. Scarlett, Rhett, and Wade were bundled up together. Albert and Mammy were each by themselves. Ellen made Mammy sleep next to her. Ashley made Albert sleep next to him and Melanie. They weren't doing anything intimate anyway. They would never again do anything intimate. Ashley thought, 'If only Scarlet had said yes. Although it is plain to see that she loves her husband, and he loves her.'

On the second day, Rhett had given Albert a gun. When he did, he said, "Shoot first and ask questions later."

That day Ellen was driving the buggy. It was much the same as the first day, except Scarlett was walking instead of riding in the buggy. Rhett walked beside Scarlett and they talked about their future. They held hands. Rhett said, "I never thought I would go on my own personal Trail of Tears."

"That sounds vaguely familiar. Tell me more."

"Five Indian nations that were peacefully living in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi were forced out of their homes and off their lands by President Andrew Jackson. Their property was taken from them, and they were paid little to nothing for it. The biggest shame of all this was that they had assimilated into the white culture. They had done what the white men had told them to do to be safe. The biggest tragedy of this was these Indians were forced to walk all the way to the Indian Territory."

"Isn't that north of Texas?"

"Yes. Many, many people died on the walk."

With a bright smile Scarlett said, "Hopefully that won't happen to us."

"The weakest of us are riding so probably not. As long as nobody gets sick, I think we will be alright."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Alright, I want to have twenty children."

"Twenty children! Let's start with one and then we can talk about the other nineteen."

"Alright, Love."

"Let's talk about names. What about Ellen or Elizabeth?"

"We can't use Elizabeth because Robert used that name."

"Doesn't that get confusing with two Elizabeths in the household."

"No, they call my niece Lizzie."

"What is your mother's middle name?"

"Caroline. Obviously, we won't be naming any of our daughters that." Scarlett laughed and Rhett continued, "Her maiden name was Kennesaw which is also my middle name. I would like to name our first son Kennesaw, and if we have a second son call him Gerald. That way we can honor both my mother and me."

"I guess, Baby, but I wanted to name my children after my parents."

"I don't want to give the children names that would make them little somebody. I want them to have names that are uniquely their own, so they don't have to live up to an expectation."

"Did that happen to you?"

"No, actually my parents didn't name any of us after any of our relatives."

"I was named after Pa's mother."

"I guess Suellen was named after your mother."

"No, her full name is Susan Elinor."

"That's right. I remember your mother calling her that once. Let's talk about other names besides our parents' names."

"Alright Rhett. Although, I have always imagined naming my son Gerald and my daughter Ellen."

Rhett laughed and said, "Then you should have named Wade Gerald instead of Wade."

Scarlett stuck out her tongue at her husband. Rhett just grinned. He said, "So we are agreed that our first son will be named Kennesaw."

"Yes, as long as we don't call him Kennesaw. We could call him Kenny."

"Accept when he is in trouble."

"Which considering he will be your son He will be in trouble most of the time."

Rhett laughed. He knew he would let her name their children anything she wanted to name them. He just liked giving her a hard time. She could even name one of their sons Marshall if she wanted to, but first they were going to name one of their sons Kennesaw for him. He would never let his son be named Rhett, Jr. but this was a way of honoring him and his heritage. He would like to name one of his sons after his grandfather, Alex Butler, but he would wait to mention that when they had a third son.

The second day ended much the same as day one. The group just kept moving southwest. They picked up firewood. Albert killed a chicken and removed everything that needed to be removed from the inside of the bird. Scarlett and Wade plucked out the feathers. Wade really wasn't that much help, but it kept the boy occupied. They had left most of Wade's toys behind because they just weren't a must have.

When Scarlett had finished plucking the chicken, she told her mother and Melly, "You are going to have to pluck the next couple of chickens. I am not doing them all."

Ashley stuck a long branch through the chicken and started turning it over the fire. Several people helped turn the chicken, even Mammy.

Gerald asked Albert, "How did you learn all that?"

Albert flashed him a smile and said, "I was sweet on the scullery maid, and it was her job to kill the chickens. She hated doing it, so to impress her I did it for her. After a while I got rather good at it."

"What happened with your romance?"

"I was about to ask her to jump the broom with me when she jumped the broom with Joshua instead. He was much younger than me."

Gerald burst out laughing. He said, "Isn't that just like women. You spend all that time courting them and they run off with another man. Why did you come with us?"

"For a better life, Sir."

"I'm certainly glad that you did."

Soon the group was eating supper, the only thing that was completely done was the chicken, but nobody complained. They were simply happy to have food. They all knew their food supplies would not last all the way to New Orleans.

Author's Notes: I could go on and on about The Trail of Tears, but I won't but if you want to know more google it. It is another shameful part of the United States' history.