Music Inspiration: Two Steps From Hell- "Big Sky"
Survival of the Fittest
22 March 1772
Caroline and Samuel had decided to take a trip east towards the dense forest that contained the majority of pine trees in Davenport. Her little brother was insistent to pick pine cones so he could have new toys to play with and use them in other ways around their household. The grass was freshly green as the winter had thawed the snow and the cold wind had left, with the exception of early mornings. She'd made sure her little brother was adequately dressed (she always had to check whether he wore shoes) before agreeing to walk with him over the trails. Catherine had quickly reminded them to take Elijah for extra protection and the black shepherd was happy to join the siblings for their walk. It didn't take them very long to find the dense area littered with pine trees and Samuel had a basket full of pinecones to play with by the time they were in the middle of the trail.
"And we can hang them outside!" Samuel piped up as he told his sister of all the uses a pinecone provided and swung the basket merrily. He would play with the pinecones by pretending to be a pinecone farmer and could also play a general with his pinecone battalion. There was no end to what he could do!
Caroline allowed him to ramble about everything his little heart wanted but halted when she heard faint growling from within the dense forest. They had actually ventured off the trail for a few minutes since Samuel had eyed fat pinecones and wanted to add them to his growing collection. She raised an index finger to her lips to motion for silence and sharpened her hearing as she ordered swiftly, "Samuel, be quiet for a moment."
He obeyed quickly to the warning in her voice and she placed him behind her protectively. Elijah's ears flattened against his head since his acute hearing heard the animal hiding within the trees and caught the territorial scent that neither of his human owners smelled. He would've run into the forest to scare off the wild animal but Caroline ordered him to stay to protect him from harm as well. Elijah might be one year old and built like an adult shepherd already but he was still a dear puppy in her eyes. The black shepherd, however, wasn't going to be dominated by the predator and barked ferociously to scare it off. The growling from the opposite side of the trees didn't cease and when Caroline saw paws between the bushes of plants, she made a decision to protect the youngest member from harm.
"Sammy, I need you to run towards the river and don't look back" Caroline whispered swiftly as she kept her eyes trained on the tree line because the wildcat wasn't relinquishing its threat. She didn't know whether she was dealing with a bobcat or mountain lion and wouldn't risk any danger to her brother. Samuel whimpered fearfully to what was wrong since he couldn't see past the two but she urged him, "You have to go home now. Please, Sammy."
"No, I can't-" he murmured because he didn't want to leave his sister alone and regretted asking her to walk the trails today. Oh, why had he insisted leaving the trail? What was hiding behind the trees? Caroline motioned quickly toward the river behind them since it would lead him straight home and he obeyed with great reluctance. Samuel felt horrible abandoning them, dropping his basket of pinecones and sniffled goodbye as he bolted with his little legs running as fast as they would take him. He didn't want to leave her and Elijah like a coward but what could he do? His small fists clenched and he decided to hurry home as quickly as he could and fetch his mother for help. He might be small but he could gather adults to fight for him!
"Don't attack" Caroline warned her loyal dog to prevent any harm to befall him and retrieved a knife she carried on the outside of her stay between her dress layers. It was her father's hunting knife and although she was ordered to never carry weapons since they were for adults only, she never left home without it. Her dear boban had a tendency to have easy locks on his weapons trunk and it wasn't hard for her to pop them open with a carving chisel. Unsheathing the knife, she joined Elijah's barking by yelling at the animal to leave as she bought Samuel some time due to his short height. She hoped that they would be able to scare it off since they carried the advantage in numbers but wildlife had yet to fear humankind.
She stuck close to Elijah with a cautious eye to the tree line and kept a firm hand on his neck as she ordered, "Stay, boy. Don't move until we know what it is."
The problem for Caroline was that she couldn't distinguish what hid in the brush and just when she'd spotted a golden coat, the animal pounced.
Caroline could barely prepare herself for its rapid speed as the wildcat launched itself from its hind legs onto her without hesitation. Her arms rose to protect her body from harm as she used them as a shield but the heavy weight of the animal knocked her to the ground on her back. The wind left her lungs from the impact and she saw for the first time that it was a bobcat of all creatures! Regardless of that, the creature was deadly against a girl wielding a mere knife and Elijah protected her by lashing out at it with his teeth.
With two individuals to focus on, the bobcat's claws dug into Caroline's dress to shred her to pieces like it had undoubtedly done to smaller prey. Its gleaming fangs, however, were focused on Elijah as the shepherd refused to budge in its attack and bit into the bobcat's neck. The wildcat growled in ferocity to pry off the dog keeping him from his prey and the seconds ticking by felt endless as Caroline struggled to land a decent swipe on it. Razor sharp claws and teeth were fearsome enough to force her to keep the animal at bay but she couldn't do it forever. She needed to strike at a critical point where the animal would have to rethink its attack but the heavy weight of the beast was making it impossible.
Elijah's strength wasn't enough to pry the cat off her but he kept his jaws locked on the bobcat's neck and refused to yield. He was determined to protect his owner at the expense of his own young life, bearing swipes from the cat's claws on his thick coat. They were shallow wounds as his fur kept the claws from digging into his flesh but if he'd been a short-haired dog, the injuries would've been serious. Caroline's hand gripped the blade's wooden hilt tightly as she used her arms as a shield against its teeth and tried to find an opening to attack. The beast was faster than she was and the sharp claws that resembled knives didn't help her in the slightest. She needed to find a weak spot quickly! When Elijah pulled its furry neck to the right as he tried to pull it off her in vain, the bobcat exposed its throat and she lunged.
The blade sunk into the neck of the bobcat up to the hilt but it was adamant to kill her and Caroline felt its claws sink into her arms this time. Rivers of blood trailed down her arms and stained the sleeves of her dress as it tore through the layers like a hot knife through butter. Its roar of pain mixed with fury made her ears ring as it decided to focus solely on her rather than throwing off Elijah. The bobcat had realized that the pale furless creature was not defenseless and would have to use stronger swipes.
That . . . was not good at all.
All she could see were its deadly white fangs and her hand holding the hilt of the blade as it tried to sink its teeth into her right wrist. Using her left foot, she kicked the bobcat's midsection to push it back with all of her strength. Using her elbow to maneuver and keep one arm protecting her neck, she pulled the blade out in one sharp yank and sunk it into the cat's chest where the ribs fused into the sternum. Droplets of blood rained onto the front of her dress as the blade pierced past the bone to the internal organs. She was using all of her strength to weaken the beast but it refused to budge from its attack, probably due to the blood loss it had inflicted from its wounds on her skin.
There was only so much strength she had in her body and deflecting its heavy paws wouldn't last forever. She needed a plan to escape with her life and Elijah's before she bled out-
An arrow pierced the head of the bobcat through its right temple and it dropped dead on top of her within seconds as the body convulsed to the hemorrhage. Caroline shouted in fear as its heavy weight fell on her and she expected it to come back to life to maul her into ribbons. What had just happened? A set of hands quickly removed the carcass to throw it aside as Elijah barked in recognition and Ratonhnhaké:ton's face came into view, "Caroline, are you all right?"
Oh, he was a heavenly sight at that moment.
"I-I h-hope so" she whimpered shakily as the encounter left her rattled down to her very bones and he helped her sit up with supportive hands. Her limbs ached terribly from the cuts she endured but she was thankful the animal hadn't gutted her on the spot. Bleeding lacerations covered her arms and upper legs as the sharp claws had cut deeply through the layers of clothing and left her dress tattered with crimson streaks. The stay her mother forced her to wear that morning had protected her torso as the whalebones added protection against the cat's claws but two more swipes would've torn through the sturdy stay. She used her skirt to press down on the bleeding gashes to clot them as the sight was a first for her and he tore the ends of her dress to use as bandages on her arms. How many wounds that it littered her body with? Her voice had been lost as the trauma swallowed it but she managed to murmur weakly for his help, "T-Thank you."
She looked for Elijah to make sure he hadn't been injured after he protected her bravely. The shepherd dog's snout touched her cheek as she reached out for him and she hugged him tightly for his unwavering help. If she hadn't brought him, the bobcat would've surely killed her within minutes and she treasured his loyalty. Her voice broke as she rubbed her fingers through his damp fur covered in saliva from the bobcat and whispered gratefully, "Good boy. You're such a good boy."
"What were you doing out here?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked worriedly as he made sure the bleeding stopped but allowed Caroline to hold onto Elijah. The dog was helping her bear through the event and he wouldn't remove him out of fear of harming her state of mind. The bleeding gashes were already enough to frighten her since she'd never experienced such an attack.
"Pine cones, the children wanted a few and Sammy- Sammy!" she explained with a nervous hitch in her voice and quickly tried to sit up when she remembered her little brother. Had he found their home? What if he'd become lost on the trails? What if there were more bobcats out there? Ratonhnhaké:ton gently pushed her back down before she reopened her wounds but Caroline was insistent to find him. She was supposed to protect him and her eyes watered as she informed him, "I sent him back to the house alone-"
"I found him and he is safe" he assured quickly to seize her fretting before she reopened her wounds and her heart rate lowered to the good news. He had found the small boy in tears as he'd been heading to find wood for arrows and Samuel pleaded that he help. Of course, he wouldn't deny any of his friends' aid and had run swiftly without stop until he heard Caroline's yells. He never wanted to hear them ever again in his life. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he helped her stand up slowly since she needed medical care for her injuries. He'd never imagined finding Caroline in such a condition but pushed those worries to the back of his mind as he asked softly, "Can you walk?"
"I-I think so" she answered weakly and placed weight on both feet to stand upright despite her knees felt like jelly. Had she truly survived that creature? The pain shooting through her limbs told her not to count her eggs in one basket just yet. He instructed her to keep the pressure off her injured right leg due to the bleeding wound on her thigh and she shifted her weight to the left. She was immensely relieved to see him after believing she was a goner when the animal began tearing at her limbs. Again, he happened to be in just the same precise spot when she needed him.
The emotional trauma from the event caused her to sniffle into one hand as she wiped her eyes and whispered, "Thank you. I don't know whether I'm crying from relief or pain."
He rubbed her back to offer sympathy and she smiled weakly before enveloping him into a grateful hug. Lady like or not, he'd saved her life without hesitation so she'd throw propriety aside for the moment. How could she not treasure the kind of friend he was? He held her tightly to reassure her that everything would be fine since he'd do everything in his power to protect her from harm. She was a civilian without training in the wilderness and he whispered against her disheveled auburn hair in vow, "You're safe now. I won't let anything hurt you."
She smiled in appreciation as the emotional outpour and pain from the wounds drained her of energy. Looking to Elijah as her loyal dog licked his fur clean to rid himself of the bobcat's spit, she sighed with eternal gratitude on her pale face, "Thank you. Let's go home, please."
He looked to the dead bobcat as it lay on the grass with his arrow embedded in its head and murmured softly to himself, "It would be wasteful to leave it there, I'll return later."
"Then I want its claws" Caroline stated softly after what that thing put her through and it surprised him since he expected her to want nothing from the animal. After observing colonists, women shied away from wild animals unless they were farmers but Caroline treaded into that territory without hesitance. She gazed at her swollen hands as red welts could be seen on her fair palms from her tangle. Clenching her hands, she met his gaze as she leaned against him for support and managed to say, "I don't want to be weak. We both walked this earth and it'd be a shame to forget a lesson in life about treading carefully in the wilderness."
He noticed a wooden handle protruding from the bobcat's chest and knew it wasn't his after casting only a single arrow of deadly accuracy. It had to be Caroline's and his reasoning was possible because otherwise, Elijah would not have been enough to keep the cat at bay. He pointed with his right hand towards the dead animal and asked carefully, "Is that your knife?"
"My father's" she admitted faintly as she swallowed to moisten her parched throat after yelling at the bobcat for agonizingly slow minutes. He nodded quietly since he didn't think she'd be able to wield a weapon of any sort besides an axe and that was only at her father's mill. There were instances as they grew where he wondered about Caroline's capabilities in the field of fighting since she was lean due to constant work and her strength was buildable. If he sought to rebuild the assassin's order, how would he go about recruiting new members? His ponderings flickered back to Caroline as she murmured softly in afterthought, "I take it in case danger lurks and it paid off."
"You have a brave heart, Caroline" he smiled sympathetically since there were times when her identity struggled against what was right for a woman. This time, she was completely in the right but he would never dictate what her roles as a woman were in life. It was why he didn't hesitate to help her learn new skills to survive the harsh land and she smiled modestly to his compliment.
She tried to hide the extent of her injuries to keep her siblings calm when she noticed them peeking outside of the doorway with worried faces. Samuel's eyes were red from crying and Caroline's heart went out to her brave little brother since he was too little to help against a dangerous creature. Amelia held him close by the shoulders as he poked his head out of the doorway with hesitance because he didn't want to discover his sister was gravely injured. Hopefully, Caroline could change his frown upside down since Ratonhnhaké:ton brought along his dropped basket of pinecones.
Her mother was already down the hill in hurried steps and enveloped Caroline tightly to exclaim fretfully, "Oh, Carrie, I told ye not to wander off! Thank heaven yer all right- let me look at ye."
Catherine's Scottish accent thickened every time she was afraid and losing her child was on the top of that list as she clutched Caroline close. The teenager was wedged tightly against her chest and decided to let her mother fret over her to fade away the worry from her heart. Catherine helped her walk by wrapping an arm behind her back to shift some of the weight away from Ratonhnhaké:ton and the three ascended the hill as Catherine sniffled, "I sent for your father but he's out further west. When Sammy came hollerin', I thought the worst. I was already halfway down the bridge with Charlotte when he told me Connor headed out to help."
"I took boban's knife with me and Elijah helped me fight it off until Connor killed it" Caroline confessed sheepishly since she wasn't supposed to take weapons with her at all due to her young age. On the other hand, she wouldn't be alive if she'd disobeyed since wounding the bobcat had bought her a few seconds of life until Ratonhnhaké:ton arrived. She could still remember the earthy smell of its thick fur and the hot breath pouring down her face as it tried to bite into her limbs, mainly her neck.
"Darlin', I'm glad" Catherine dismissed gently because breaking a rule was nothing in comparison to having a living child. She squeezed her Caroline even tighter to her side because after today, her oldest child wouldn't be wandering far from her sight. Caroline said nothing as her mother squeezed her like dough and grasped the back of Ratonhnhaké:ton's deerskin shirt before Catherine tore her away with her firm hold. When her mother protected her and her siblings, she became an impenetrable fortress that neither enemy could enter or a child escape. She noticed Caroline leaning more towards Ratonhnhaké:ton for subconscious escape and exhaled aloud in embarrassment as she forgot to thank the hero of the day. After ensuring her Caroline would live, she'd prioritized her care more than anything and smiled apologetically with sincere thanks, "And you, my dear boy, are a godsend. You brought my Carrie back safe. Come inside, both of you."
They followed her when she released Caroline so the two could fit through the doorway and she shooed her young children inside since gawking wasn't appropriate after what occurred. Catherine scurried inside the house to fetch bandages for her daughter's injuries and healing salves that she stored in the attic for emergencies. The other children gasped to the blood seeping through the makeshift bandages over her arms and the scratches covering her legs. They couldn't believe a bobcat had dared to attack her and it reminded them that the forest was not a playful being at all times. Ratonhnhaké:ton led Caroline to her bed next to the window so she could lie down and the children crowded Elijah to clean his fur from dried blood and bobcat saliva. Elizabeth took charge to care over the beloved family dog but Samuel broke away to seek Caroline, clutching her free hand as the other hand grasped Ratonhnhaké:ton's for support.
"I'm sorry, Carrie, I-" he rambled sadly since it was his fault they walked off the trail and wiped one blurry eye as tears pricked at them.
"Ssh, it's all right" Caroline comforted quietly because none of it had been his fault to bear and she'd have done the same for any of her other siblings. Her little Samuel was too small to do much and she didn't hesitate to say he'd been a brave boy by seeking help. Ratonhnhaké:ton sympathized with the boy since he'd been only a few years younger than Samuel when he lost his mother and it was a memory he could never forget. Fortune smiled upon the young Burnett since events like that could scar you and Ratonhnhaké:ton would've shared the same guilt if he'd been too late.
Catherine was a mother bear in action when she returned with her bundle and handed her daughter a cup of water to soothe her parched throat. She began to make count of her injuries with a critical eye as she peeked through the makeshift bandages with careful fingers. She could only do so much on her own for so many and when she needed help, she relied on Diana. Gently, she ushered her son away so he could occupy his young mind elsewhere and turned to her second oldest to order, "Amelia, fetch your aunt. Martha, heat up some water immediately. Eliza, take Elijah outside to clean him with the others and stay at your aunt's until I say so."
Elizabeth didn't argue and hoped her sister would be all right since the day's playful mood had dropped exponentially. Caroline squeezed Samuel's hand so he could scurry along and promised to play with his little pinecone army later on to cheer him up. The small boy tagged after Elijah since he was old enough to care for him and headed off to grab the dog brush to smooth his coat (he had been a valiant dog that day). Caroline had held onto Ratonhnhaké:ton's hand for support as she sat up on the bed but her mother forced her down to rest with one firm glare. She didn't want to feel the burning sensation from medicine tinctures on her open wounds and stammered nervously with wide eyes, "M-Mama, I just ache, is all."
"Injuries can get infected and lord knows what that thing could've bitten off" she fretted worriedly since attack from animals had always been a concern in her mind. It had been her main worry when moving to the forested area of Davenport but she'd never imagined it happening to Caroline. Her younger ones were more adventure prone but if it had been either . . . Caroline had been right to send Samuel back. She cupped her daughter's blanching face since she understood her fear and assured with a caring smile, "You protected Sammy, now let me take care of you."
She needed her daughter to undress and change into her sleeping gown for better access to her clotting gashes but said nothing of the teenagers' entwined hands. They were dear friends after being the only children in Davenport and fear led one to seek protection from the stronger of the two. Now, however, Catherine was there to offer her care and would quell Caroline's fears since bobcats wouldn't breach her home. If so, a single shot from Charlotte would have animals thinking twice or not at all. She grabbed her daughter's hand to squeeze it gently to coax a release and assured softly with a motherly smile, "It's all right, Carrie. You're home now."
Ratonhnhaké:ton hadn't taken notice of his hand until Catherine spoke and thinned his lips in modesty to his subconscious reaction. How had he not realized that? He released her smooth but clammy hand with a small polite smile since he didn't want Mrs. Burnett to think ill of him. A part of him was disappointed to be parted from her since it felt natural to be by her side but Caroline needed medical care. Stepping aside, he allowed her mother to take his place since he was in no position to offer help and asked softly, "Is there anything I can do?"
"You can tell my Godfrey that everything is fine, I'm sure he's running with the speed of lightning on his feet" Catherine suggested nervously since she could handle Caroline's care and didn't want her poor husband enduring a heart attack. Their children were dear to their hearts and any pain they endured was felt by both but Catherine wanted him to finish his job. Everything was well for the time being and she brushed back strands of red hair to add in quickly, "It's best that Diana and I care for her. We wouldn't want to have our Caroline appear improper before she's married."
He felt his cheeks grow warm but averted the rising blush by agreeing politely, "I will and I'll be back to see how she's doing."
Achilles heard the front door open past 2 o'clock and hobbled into the hallway to see his student carrying in a wooden bucket of freshly cut meat. He assumed he must've hunted something since fresh meat was impossible to buy by trade and could only be caught in their area. His sailing days with the Aquila were already cutting into their training schedule but since the boy held a newfound love for the sea, he allowed it. Looking to the bucket, he assumed he'd taken a detour into the forest and sighed, "If you trained as much as you hunted, you would be farther ahead."
Ratonhnhaké:ton stared with confusion at his mentor since the man told him he was exactly on schedule with each of his lessons and scratched his head with his free hand. Was that a rhetorical question? There had been quite a few of those whenever he'd done something that Achilles did not approve of. He shut the door to prevent insects from flying inside and pointed out for clarification, "Isn't it best to be at a normal average pace so you can prepare for the obstacles that come next?"
"That will just make you lazy and predictable" Achilles scoffed matter-of-factly because if his student wanted to renew the brotherhood, he had to be the best of the best. Once he deemed him fit, he would allow him to begin recruiting members for training and Ratonhnhaké:ton had to know the core values to teach them. Otherwise, he'd have an entire order of novices pitted against capable Templars and that would end horribly.
"So I'm behind for being exactly where I should be?" he asked softly because he was being confused by each passing second and placed the bucket on the ground. Every other day, he was training his dexterity with a variety of weapons to eliminate unarmed enemies to the most armored among the colonies. When he wasn't sweating like a hog and exercising muscles that he never knew existed, his mind was making sense of questions Achilles wanted answered in the form of a composition. He would never question his mentor since he'd yet to face the brutality of the Templars in close combat but couldn't help and point out, "I just killed a bobcat- does that count?"
"Templars won't be throwing bobcats at you, child" Achilles stated sharply as his cane thumped against the hardwood floor and Ratonhnhaké:ton struggled not to find humor at the idea. He had never been much for humor in his life but Samuel and Elizabeth tended to rub off that characteristic as he grew older in Davenport. Achilles saw the corners of his mouth crinkling as he tried to keep a straight face and the older man sighed to regain his attention back to his task, "Now get downstairs and practice your leg sweeping- all forms."
Ratonhnhaké:ton knew his joints would be aching that night since he preferred attack movements starting in an upright position and tried to find leeway by stating, "I thought my high and low sweeps were fine."
"I'm the teacher and I say it could be better" Achilles reminded matter-of-factly since he pushed him to be at his best for a reason, not because he wanted to match one of those horrible slave drivers. He could only hope that the boy understood why he tested him to his limits because it was out of care, not ruthlessness, that he trained Ratonhnhaké:ton. Despite his brief flickers of stubbornness that befitted any teenager, Achilles saw a good principled young man that would grow into an honorable man to lead their new order for a brighter tomorrow.
Ratonhnhaké:ton didn't want to upset his teacher even further since he'd set out on his perimeter checks late after sleeping in. Nightmares had slowly become a common occurrence for him after losing his mother and encountering dangerous people so waking up on the floor tended to leave him sleepy. Achilles saw him shift his weight onto his right leg and knew Ratonhnhaké:ton was contemplating a thought after familiarizing himself with the boy's tells. Ratonhnhaké:ton decided to risk a lecture since he was worried over his friend and squared his shoulders to ask carefully, "Could it wait until later? One of the Burnett girls was attacked by a bobcat-"
"Which one? Are they all right?" he asked immediately since the children had brought a little happiness into his life and would hate for anything ill to befall them. After losing his son to illness at a young age, he would hate for a parent to bury one of their own on his land again after enduring that agonizing pain himself. He always worried about little Alice due to her naivety of the world and Elizabeth was always headstrong in exploring the forest. He was more than ready to hitch the horses to his carriage to make his travel down the trail easier but Ratonhnhaké:ton stopped him with a raise of his left hand.
"Caroline, she and Elijah kept it from Samuel" he explained quickly before his mentor hobbled down the trail to make sure with his own eyes. Achilles nodded with relief smoothing down his worried expression because the wilderness held no bias between child and adult humans. Ratonhnhaké:ton motioned to the bucket on the floor since he'd gone back after fetching Godfrey to collect the dead animal and informed quietly, "The bobcat's in the bucket, it's why I'm late."
Normally, he would lecture him about punctuality since he worried over Ratonhnhaké:ton as well when he traveled the forest but wouldn't openly admit it. Achilles understood his concern over his friend's wellbeing since the two were as thick as two Concord grapes on a vine as time passed. He'd never expected Ratonhnhaké:ton to find friends in colonists due to his wariness of their true intentions with the land his people lived on but he'd graciously invited strangers to live in the small town named after him. If there ever came a day when he wasn't around to guide him in the world, he was certain the residents would pitch in after seeing their kindness towards both he and Ratonhnhaké:ton.
He relented in pushing back his training for the day and motioned towards the door with the end of his wooden cane to sigh softly, "All right, I'll allow it this time and you can train in the evening before supper. If they need anything from the town, they can use the carriage and the horses for faster travel. Oh, what am I saying? You have the Aquila."
Ratonhnhaké:ton felt honored that Achilles trusted him enough in his abilities to care for their residents and watched him hobble towards the library. He picked up the wooden bucket to head towards the kitchen since he needed to salt the meat to preserve it well against the warmer temperature. Hmm, maybe he could pan fry a few pieces when he returned and take them to Mrs. Burnett for supper since she'd undoubtedly fret over her daughter throughout the night.
4 April 1772
Caroline deemed herself lucky after walking out of her dangerous encounter with superficial lacerations and a few that would scar on her left forearm and upper right thigh. Her mother had coddled her like a mother hen but being an active person, Caroline came close to insane boredom being bound to her bed for the week. Catherine had tried to move Amelia to sleep with Martha and Elizabeth but Caroline wouldn't have it since one of the girls would've clearly fallen out during the night. Without a doctor, Diana and Catherine had done their best to sanitize her wounds and appreciated Ratonhnhaké:ton's help when he brought herbs that would help the process. A small infection could become lethal if allowed and Catherine made sure to clean each wound with precise care that had made poor Caroline cry. Neither parent chastised the children for wandering off the path since they hadn't expected a lone bobcat to be lying in wait for them. Samuel promised to never pick up pinecones again but Caroline dismissed it since accidents were prone to happen in the forest if they lived alongside wild creatures.
She met Ratonhnhaké:ton two weeks later after the attack when she brought Mr. O'Donnell his inventory for the month with Dolly towing the load. Molly was due with her offspring any day now and Godfrey kept her in the barn to keep her safe from an early delivery so Dolly was their go-to horse. The mare grazed on the grass for a snack while Caroline helped the woodworker unload the various logs and smooth boards. Her left arm was covered with a white cloth bandage to keep it clean since it hadn't healed as fast as the others but Caroline would wear the scar proudly. After all, it wasn't every day you survived a dangerous encounter.
"You should be at home resting after what happened, Caroline" Lance chastised her gently since news wasn't very hard to keep in their tiny community. The men chatted just as much after work like the women did inside the home and the bobcat had been the biggest news of the week. The fact that Ratonhnhaké:ton had rescued the children heightened his role as protector of Davenport.
"I felt cooped up like a chicken by the end of the week and this keeps me occupied" she confessed earnestly since she wasn't accustomed to sitting at home like she used to during her early days in Davenport. After mapping out the land she lived in with Ratonhnhaké:ton's help, she was comfortable enough to wander around her home. She had never been one to be caged up and wiped her hands clean of debris as she smiled, "Amelia's been a wonderful helper for mother ever since I started helping the business and I do love doing this. That reminds me- mother baked you a small cake. She's keen on finding you a wife since bachelors can't eat very nutritionally in her mind so I'm certain she'll drop by later on."
"I'm in no hurry to return to Boston anytime soon" he declined with distaste since his business had been ruined by the loyalists and wouldn't return there unless it was dire. His life was in Davenport and it had ensnared his heart with its kindhearted folk so his dream wife would have to pop into his world. He began stacking his new inventory in the lean-to of his home since the small shed was wonderful for protecting his piles of wood. He cleaned wooden chips and debris from his yellow vest, his trademark color throughout the town, and smiled at the young girl, "Be sure to thank both your parents for me."
"Will do, Mr. O'Donnell" Caroline smiled politely as she finished unloading the last small logs that would undoubtedly become a stool for somebody. The carpenter made beautiful work and she hoped that one day, when she did work for money, that she could buy herself a small cherry dresser. She could already imagine having it at the foot of her bed one day and the smell from the dark wood would be enough to brighten her day. The beautiful unique patterns that Mr. O'Donnell carved into the edges and handles would add a little extra too.
"Take a rest, I can handle bringing it inside" Lance stated helpfully to keep her with light work after what happened since Godfrey had been worried for her. The lumberjack couldn't thank Ratonhnhaké:ton enough but he admitted to the men that he was proud his daughter had carried a knife with her. He'd taught her well to never underestimate the strength of nature since a farmer boy never forgot life's lessons. Caroline adjusted the white bandage over her arm and the carpenter remarked with a warm smile, "I imagine your mother has been worried since that day."
"It's a mother's duty, I suppose" she smiled softly since her mother would never change and loved her caring nature over her children. Instead of patching up her injuries and telling her to maintain her duties at home, Catherine insisted she stayed in bed until she was ready to walk without aggravating her wounds. Caroline couldn't ask for a greater mother to have in her life and grabbed Dolly's lead to head back to her father's mill. She had a few more orders to write down for her uncle Terry in his inventory book since they both had her performing light duties. She'd slipped out of their rule for Lance's delivery and waved goodbye to the carpenter to hurry back home before they became suspicious. Being an honest person, she'd crack easily under her father's stern face and called out in farewell to scurry along, "Goodbye, Mr. O'Donnell."
Both the girl and mare headed back north to the mill as Caroline spoke to Dolly to treat their family horse like she deserved. She'd done quite a lot for them during the month and smiled when the brown mare brushed her snout over her braided hair. It was quiet times like this as she walked the empty trails of Davenport that she felt blessed for not living in the crowded cities. She found her favorite friend heading south on the trail and smiled brightly when he waved her over for a chat.
Ratonhnhaké:ton hadn't expected her to be up and about soon but there she was, bandaged up and walking around with her wooden cart. Dolly neighed in welcome since the boy treated her and the other horses kindly with treats, leading him to place a hand on her head. He looked to Caroline's bandaged arm since he knew the others were hidden underneath her dress to conceal the extension and asked softly, "How are your injuries?"
"Mother said two will scar but better a scar than an amputated limb" she replied cheerfully to look on the brighter side of things rather than wallowing in misery. The encounter left nightmares but she would survive them with time as she learned to keep a more cautious view of her surroundings. After that day, she had been allowed to carry her father's hunting knife for protection and smiled bashfully to admit, "Father . . . I dare say he was a little proud of me, once the worry wore off."
His eyes drifted to a leather belt around her waist with the same polished knife attached and she beamed confidently, "I am now the proud owner of a hunting knife to keep myself safe on the trails. Surprisingly, mother didn't argue. It looks more menacing while wearing breeches than a skirt but you get the idea."
"I've yet to see a Boston girl or woman that dresses like you and Eliza" he admitted with an amused smile and she chuckled modestly since her fashion sense was horrible. She had handmade breeches fit for only herself since skirts had grown constricting and her learned skills would be a rarity among colonial girls in the cities. Ratonhnhaké:ton meant his comment as a compliment since she wasn't the type to shy away from hard work and admired it.
"We've never really followed the rules set for our gender" she smiled faintly since her tomboyish ways would undoubtedly be frowned upon in a larger community and didn't want the same for Elizabeth. Her little sister was happier following after her footsteps rather than Amelia's and held a persistent strength to never allow anyone to minimize her. Ratonhnhaké:ton was her valiant shining knight of old since he accepted her as he was and she spoke with gratitude, "Thank you for being there when I needed you. Somehow, you always seem to be when I need you the most."
"I'm happy to do so, life would be lonelier without you and the others" he smiled sincerely with an awkward chuckle since it was pure coincidence that their paths crossed. Since the Burnett household was at the intersection that divided the road in all four directions, he was bound to travel there often.
Caroline wrung her fingers over Dolly's lead since she'd pondered over a certain question while she'd been rooted to her bed. She wanted to earn an income to seize that flame of independence while she lived in a small community and the attack had reminded her just how capable he was at surviving the frontier. How could she not want that same skill? Her blue eyes sought his chocolate hue as she put forth her request with a soft cordial voice, "Connor, would it be possible to teach me the basics in hunting small game?"
He hesitated with a slight falter in his straight posture because he hadn't expected that at all and murmured softly, "You really aren't a Boston girl."
"I could always fetch one for you if you're interested" she joked openly with a cheeky grin and laughed gently when he looked away flustered. Goodness, had she made him blush too? He was at the age of discovery as he began to notice the differences between men and women but looking at a white woman in that way would not end well. Being surrounded by the Burnett girls didn't affect him nor would it bring backlash but he wasn't ready to catch someone's eye. Would he even be attractive to young women? He wasn't exactly a white settler and women from his tribe would eye him warily because of his prolonged interaction with the outsiders. Caroline fueled that bubble of thought when she teased good-naturedly and smiled widely, "I'm sure you have a few admirers somewhere and a dashing gentleman is always in demand."
She caught the peachy hue on his cheeks growing darker by the second and decided to switch the topic to spare him anymore embarrassment. Her sisters teased her with similar chatter as they grew older since she was the oldest and expected to marry off first. Apparently, that type of conversation didn't carry over to the male side and she'd left her friend scuffing the ground with his feet in shyness. He really was a sweet young man in her eyes and she deliberated further on her hopes as she sought his understanding, "My father doesn't have enough time and by winter, he'll be too busy. Mother would rather have me prepare food only and . . . . well, most adults have told me no. I even asked Mr. Davenport but he said he'd more than likely throw out his back chasing a hare."
"I can teach you to set a trap, which is the easiest way to fetch a catch" he agreed with a small nod since it wouldn't endanger her life and would allow her to earn the confidence she sought. Hopefully, this would not bring him an angry mother Burnett since she wanted a proper daughter. Caroline clapped her hands happily for earning an agreement and couldn't wait to begin learning! This was why he was her dearest friend, besides Amelia, and could never see herself growing old without him by her side.
"If this community grows to be large, you can definitely be our governor" she laughed excitedly since he never hesitated to offer a helping hand and hoped he knew how much they appreciated him. Ratonhnhaké:ton, however, merely ran a hand behind his neck as he chuckled bashfully to the praise.
5 May 1772
As promised, Ratonhnhaké:ton taught her in his spare time by teaching her how to clean and set traps for small animals that reproduced quickly enough to keep the balance in nature. She'd felt guilty during her first catch alongside him but it was necessary for survival and she wouldn't kill for profit because she loved the beauty of the wilderness. There was no need to change any of it, even for settling, and she hoped regulations would be set to control hunters looking for quick money to get rich by slaughtering species into extinction. Ratonhnhaké:ton was glad to instill his teachings into Caroline since colonists tended to go about things their own way because they saw it as 'the right way'. Caroline, however, looked to him to show her right from wrong in the field of hunting and their values were very similar since her family lived off the land.
Caroline beamed proudly when her first traps yielded two hares and had collected her first catches with eager hands to show her mother. Catherine insisted there was no need for her to do a man's job when their father was around to do the hunting but was happy to have hare meat they could salt for smoking in the tall log oven outside. She wanted her Caroline to grow into a proper lady since she was closer to becoming her own woman than the child she had been upon arrival to Davenport. Unfortunately, her child had taken more of a liking to her father's sense of adventure and self-reliance with every year that passed. Privately, she was proud to have a child that was strong enough in her own right to survive but her motherly point of view wouldn't be seen by other colonists if Caroline interacted with them one day.
As for the pelts, she handed them to Ratonhnhaké:ton or her father when they traveled to towns to see what coin they could barter for them. Her heart swelled with a sense of accomplishment when she received real money for the first time from her catches and she'd save every last coin for what her family needed. It wasn't much but she remembered Amelia's hopes to be a teacher and she would need the appropriate books to study to earn her teaching certificate. They might not have had great schooling due to being female but Caroline was certain that her sister had what it took to be a great teacher.
She'd been working on making a fishing rod with Elizabeth down by the river since they enjoyed eating crispy fried fish when the rivers were full of different species. In her spare time, she'd whittled a rod from pine and had found fine twine from her mother's sewing box to tie through the hole she'd carved on one end. Ratonhnhaké:ton was on his way home from an Aquila excursion to the south when he felt the incline to glance down the hill's path he walked over.
He noticed the two girls sitting on boulders next to the shore, shoeless as usual, as they tied a brown string over a wooden rod. Were they trying to fish? He could only wonder if they knew since their mother stated that only men had to know the skill and Elizabeth waved when she spotted him overlooking the river. Caroline raised her head with a friendly smile to welcome her friend back to their community and Elizabeth called out excitedly, "We're going to fish today!"
She enjoyed traveling with her oldest sister as Caroline picked up skills to live off the land and Elizabeth admired it. Ratonhnhaké:ton descended the hill with ease as he balanced his traveling satchel over his right shoulder and heard Caroline correct her sister, "If we finish, Eliza."
"You fish with that?" he asked carefully since they wouldn't yield much for a family with a fishing rod alone between two inexperienced girls. Caroline and the younger children had watched him use the rod and bait technique on their excursions to the river but he only needed fish for himself and Achilles.
Both girls eyed each other with uncertainty before looking to him for clarification and he replied earnestly, "Its best to use a wooden spear or a net for an easier catch when you need to feed larger numbers. You're also new to this so it would be best to use a net or find a small waterfall and make a box trap to catch the falling fishes."
"We're not very good hunters, Carrie" Elizabeth told her sister in a whisper since they were apparently doing it wrong for their first attempt. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to their bashful faces since they expected to yield a result on their first try but he had time to spare if they wanted to learn.
"How did my pelts do?" she asked calmly despite she was eagerly anxious on the inside since he'd headed to other colonies for an entire month. She missed him when he went to unknown places on his own and always gave a brief observation of any physical changes to make sure he was healthy. His hair had grown an inch longer since the last time they met, lengthening his face as the roundness it held when they first met was completely gone now. While she kept her slim frame due to continuous work around the house and her father's mill, his body shape resembled a sturdy lumberjack's as the lean boy had built muscles to rival any grown man's.
Ratonhnhaké:ton handed her the money to let her know for herself and she smiled with delight at the amount, small as it was in comparison to pelts like fox or deer. He was happy to help Caroline make a small living for herself and she smiled at both of them to admit, "Wonderful, I can buy Amelia another book for Christmas to add to the one our parents are giving her."
"What about me?" Elizabeth protested humorously with a bat of her brown eyelashes and a pout to resemble a desolate child. Big blue round eyes went a long way in swaying decisions in her favor but this time, she wanted to playfully joke with Caroline. She hugged the fishing rod to appear more small than she really was as her two red braids framed her face and declared with dramatic woe, "I'm your lil' sister, you're 'spossed to take care of me!"
"You're not fifteen and begging isn't becoming of a lady" she chided gently to her humorous faces and batted her braids playfully as Elizabeth kicked her legs proudly. She'd behave like a good lady when she was fifteen but at eleven years old now, she had plenty of time until that happened. Caroline showed her how to place the metal hook at the end of the twine so they could use it and pointed out matter-of-factly, "Besides, Alice is the youngest and we take care of Sammy."
Elizabeth was beginning to realize that growing up was not as fun as she'd originally hoped because it carried more responsibilities. Ratonhnhaké:ton found her pouting amusing as she fiddled with the fishing rod and turned to Caroline to offer helpfully, "I don't have anything important to do right now. Would you like to learn to fish my way?"
"I don't see why I wouldn't" she replied with a cheerful smile because learning alongside her friend was always an enjoyable experience. He didn't criticize, rush, or chastise her when she followed his instructions and who didn't want to learn survival skills? He placed his travel pack on top of the boulder for safekeeping and headed towards the river as the gentle current flowed downwind towards the cove.
"I'm going to stay here" Eliza called out since she was having fun with the rod and cast the baited string into the water with glee written on her face. The current was weakest around this area as it roared strongly near the lumberjack mill so Elizabeth hoped something bit. Fishes would rather flow in calm waters that weren't filled with logs, right?
Caroline shivered as her bare feet broke into the cold water as she held her skirt in one hand and smiled at Ratonhnhaké:ton since he hadn't hesitated to tread into it. She rolled up her skirt to tie a knot at each knee to prevent wetting her dress or appearing inappropriate if she fell over. It reminded him of a fluffy pastry as he rubbed water over his bare legs and forearms to acclimatize his skin to the change in temperature. He finished rolling up the legs of his breeches to prevent wetting them and smiled to himself when her enthusiastic voice asked, "All right, what's my first lesson?"
"Your mother would lecture you for wearing that to a river" he teased gently to her lack of proper attire for a lady and she chuckled softly. Ladies never flashed their bare legs to the opposite sex but Ratonhnhaké:ton had earned her respect and she never felt modest when breaking social rules. He wasn't like the young boys of the colonies and offered a liberal perspective that she valued dearly.
"What mother doesn't know won't hurt her" she reasoned sneakily since she'd been changing into suitable clothes for a lady after working at her father's mill to prevent a lecture. She would always follow her mother's life lessons but Caroline loved working outdoors like her father and would follow that exciting road until it ended. With women's lives being deeply rooted in the home, she was sure it was just a matter of when her adventuring would end.
Ratonhnhaké:ton pointed to the fish that passed by between their bare legs once in a while and stated, "You can use a net to fetch a larger number fit for a family but if you're on your own. . ."
Caroline remained silent as he eyed the crystal clear water in concentration as each silver glimmer underwater signaled a fish passing by. She wanted to pounce like a cat to grip a fat fish between her hands but watched her friend quietly to learn all of his tricks. Elizabeth wiggled her feet cheerfully as she held her fishing rod but a loud splash from the river drew her attention immediately since she'd never seen anybody fish. Her father and Uncle Terry usually went by themselves in the late afternoon while she was forced to stay inside the house to help prepare the fire.
Her round face broke into a large smile when she saw Ratonhnhaké:ton holding a fat silver fish over his head and she laughed, "That's a big one!"
Caroline couldn't believe how fast his reflexes were as he pounced on the fish and pulled it out of the water with his bare hands. It was unbelievable! The plump silver-brown fish wriggled desperately in his grip for freedom and Ratonhnhaké:ton returned it to the water to swim freely downstream. He pointed to the other fishes that swam by in the gentle current since predators stuck closer to the south where most fish colonies gathered and explained, "This is my usual way of catching them but you have to wait until the perfect moment to strike. They can never be too far or you will fall over nor can they be between your knees because the same will occur."
He motioned for her to try and leaned over the water to pounce at invisible fish to show the proper form. Caroline planted her soles firmly against the pebbles in the clear river and squared her shoulders as she mimicked his movements by practicing on invisible fish. She would be using a handmade net next time rather than the fishing rod but if she was ever out in the wild frontier, she'd call upon his fishing technique. Ratonhnhaké:ton hid a smile when she began pulling at fish in the water but they were too fast or slippery for her grip and she caught herself more than once to prevent falling into the river. After the tenth try, she stood upright to lean her shoulders back to relax the muscles and sighed into the sky, "How old were you when you learned this?"
"About twelve, men in my village hunt and begin helping when young" he replied earnestly as he brushed back raven strands of straight hair behind his ears to prevent obstructing his view. There were many days Caroline wondered how different life would've been for her if she'd been born as the first son of the family rather than daughter. Undoubtedly, she'd be earning wages with simple jobs like a helping hand at a farm or a dockworker.
"What role would I have if I was a woman of your village?" she found herself asking as curiosity bit her every time she heard about his tribe. It interested her the first time he'd explained that women and men shared equal roles in society rather than the man being the sole provider. Colonial men often complained as to why the natives allowed their women to work the fields but Caroline admired the Kanien'kehá:ka for the freedom they gave their partners.
Ratonhnhaké:ton gazed at the colonial girl with wet limbs because she didn't fit any of the rules for her gender or people and smiled, "You would farm and care for the land like any other woman. You would also have a voice in voting who represents our village when our tribe has gatherings."
She liked the sound of that since men had the entire say of what occurred in one's home and wondered how it would feel to live inside one of their homes. He'd drawn one for her on his school slate once to give her an image of his old life and she found the large homes comforting for a society that focused on the entire group rather than individually. Looking back to the river between her feet, she smiled to herself as she imagined herself to be a native girl fishing beside her friend. With a life like that, she'd never worry about disappointing anyone!
"Got you!" she exclaimed with a grin and pounced on a brown fish that swam between her feet but it was too fast and slimy for her hands to grasp. The force from her action caused her to fall forward towards the cold water since she'd leaned towards her legs rather than her sternum like he'd showed her. Ratonhnhaké:ton was already on the move when he saw her mistake and jumped to grab her by the waist as water splashed against his trousers. His fingers tightly clutched the back of her dress and it was enough to keep her from falling . . . until one of her feet slipped on a rock with slimy moss clinging to it.
Caroline fell forward like a sack of potatoes and Ratonhnhaké:ton followed as he lost in own balance in the sudden shift of weight. Elizabeth turned to the loud splash to her right and giggled loudly with amusement to the sight that greeted her. Her sister had fallen face first into the river until only her back was barely visible while Ratonhnhaké:ton fell on his right side to drench himself in the cold water. Caroline exploded out of the water like a monster from bedtime stories as she gasped to the cold water prickling deep into her skin from head to toe. The cold did not hesitate to bite and knew her mother would lecture her sternly for being careless in the river.
There was no single dry spot whatsoever on her dress as she felt the water seeping through the linen cloth like wildfire and droplets rained into the river as she turned into a makeshift storm cloud. Ratonhnhaké:ton held the appearance of a half-dipped cookie as one side of his deerskin attire was darker from the water soaking the fabric. After a walk from the cove, the cold water felt like daggers piercing into his flesh and fought the desire to remove the upper layers of clothing from his torso. He was in the company of young girls and was not about to shame himself, regardless of how cold he felt.
"River Monster!" Elizabeth laughed gleefully at the two as their arms were stretched out in resemblance to creatures from old tales. If she'd brought Samuel, he would've believed it since he tended to fall prey to supernatural tales. She pointed the top of her fishing rod towards them as they walked back to shore in their drenched clothing and grinned cheekily, "I should catch you and get a bounty for it!"
Well, so much for catching fish.
"I have to go before I get sick out here" Caroline sighed with great reluctance since a hot summer day would've been perfect to dry off in the sun. Unfortunately, a cold front had settled in for a few days until midafternoon and everyone was more than ready to bid it farewell for the usual warmer weather. She wrung the ends of her skirt to remove excess water and frowned to seeing her feet covered in dirt all the way to her ankles. So much for using her shoes to walk home. She offered him a sympathetic smile since her lesson had not gone well at all and spoke sincerely, "Thank you for the help, truly. You should change before you get ill too, I wouldn't want you to become sick on my account."
He offered a small smile of appreciation for her worry as he rinsed his feet in the river before fetching his boots from the nearby boulders. There was no question he missed the company of the Burnetts after a journey out at sea and suggested warmly, "Use the net next time."
Caroline nodded hastily and ran quickly without waiting to hear anything else and hoped he wouldn't see her as rude for an abrupt leave. Her blue dress was sticking to her skin like a thin rag and she thanked her lucky stars that she was wearing a stay that day and decent undergarments. Otherwise, the wet layers of clothing would've been easier at being transparent and she was not about to unveil herself in that manner before marriage. She had a dear lifelong friend in Ratonhnhaké:ton and wouldn't dare to bring an awkward wedge between them. The skirt of her dress stuck to her legs and she quickly untied the knot at each of her knees to let the layers fall free. She motioned for Elizabeth to get up so they could head uphill for home and the little girl groaned miserably about leaving so quickly. Caroline was having no buts about it and yanked the small girl away by throwing her over her right shoulder like a bag of oats. Ratonhnhaké:ton could see that her days at the mill were coming in handy for her upper body strength and watched the two head home.
"Goodbye!" Elizabeth called out cheerfully and waved her fishing rod . . . which had a little silver fish biting the bait.
A/N: Well, it's official that the new character for ACIV: Black Flag is not Connor but his grandfather, Edward, traveling in the Caribbean during the pirating era. I'm surprised to how fast they unveiled the cover this Thursday and the trailer yesterday because Ubisoft really shouldn't be rushing just to put out a game each year to cash in. One question that pops into my mind is: why are we going back in time rather than forward like all the other titles before AC3? Expect many horrible Mary Sue creations in the near future, dear readers.
Back onto the story, the bobcat attack was inspired during my first playthrough when I was simply strolling through the woods of frontier and a bobcat literally jumped at me from above behind my back. As hilarious as it was to see Connor trying to pull it off madly, I could only imagine if it happened in real life. Caroline will be taking her first trip back to Boston in the next chapter with Connor along for the ride and we'll see even more of their budding romance. Thank you for the last chapter reviews, I melt at reading them!
AssassinsGurl2012: I'm glad you liked it and enjoy the ongoing chapters!
Legionary Prime: Yes, Caroline will be the main romance interest for this tale.
NoNeedToAsk: The snow is beautiful, isn't it? I hoped you didn't fall off the chair with this update. ;)
thewriter1713: Thank you for loving my writing style, I see Homestead as a tight knit community as it grows through the years and it has that family feel to it. This chapter was quite the whopper but I didn't have the heart to break it in half.
LurkingLady: Lol, I keep hearing 'Eye of the Tiger' every time I think of Connor training under Achilles' orders. As for ACIV: Black Flag, it's confirmed that Connor's grandfather will be the new protagonist, which seems absurd to me. Why didn't they start with him after Ezio? Ubisoft kind of threw me off with this new game but hopefully, there will be story tying Connor's end similar to Altaïr's.
Kayce Skywalker: I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!
Vampireadtic: I love writing this story (along with my Altaïr one) since it helps me keep stress away so my fingers were flying this week. lol
NinjaxSketcheartx: Yeah, I write long chapters with all of my stories but I love that my readers can share similar experiences with the characters. I agree with you about the Native Americans since they pretty much helped the first settlers brave the harsh world and instead of thanks, future generations had them walking the Trail of Tears- I can only imagine what Connor would think if he lives to 75. I'd like to think he gets a nice ending like Ezio with a family to call his own. As for Caroline and her new hobby, she and Myriam will be the best of friends once they meet since one will carry a rifle and another a pistol. lol
Next Time: An Idyllic Life
Amelia sat with Caroline on the log bench outside their cabin and gingerly handed her a soft package wrapped in a red checkered cloth with shaky hands. She'd never been a working girl but she prized her patchwork quilts as her best skill and hoped they would be decent enough for a trade. Her blue eyes held a worried glint since she'd never had her work judged by storekeepers and admitted to Caroline with optimism, "If they sell well, I can buy one of the books to prepare for the teaching certification next year."
"I'll make sure they do" the sixteen year old assured since teaching wasn't in her future but Amelia had a natural knack for it. Caroline might soak up her knowledge by reading but she didn't see herself correcting unruly children since it was enough to bear at home. This was her sister's dream and Caroline wanted her to have it so she would haggle with every shopkeeper until they gave her a decent amount for her sister's work. She grabbed Amelia's clammy hand to squeeze it in support and assured gently to drive away her nerves, "It will be all right."
"I know, I just worry about having to leave the peace here one day for the big cities" she whispered softly since teaching jobs were in church schools or in private residences in the large cities of the colonies. Due to the growing population, more schools were being instituted and Amelia doubted there would be one in Davenport since there were only a handful of people. She wanted to be a teacher until she was ready to be married but murmured quietly, "Nobody I know will be there and what about the family?"
Elizabeth and Martha popped up behind them as they had their heavy blankets wrapped around their shoulders. The younger girl eyed Caroline with a mischievous glint in her eye and she grinned cheekily, "Don't worry, Amelia. Carrie will be with us forever as a spinster at this rate so we'll be taken care of."
"Why, you-" Caroline proceeded to chase Elizabeth around the front yard while the other two muffled their laughter to avoid waking Alice and Samuel.
Amelia and Martha returned to the cozy house to avoid the cold morning from seeping into their bones. They had to help their mother make sure everything their father needed was packed away and that he was well fed for the trip. Alice and Samuel slept on from their shared bed across the separating wall since they were little and not old enough to rise early like their older siblings. Quite frankly, Martha would've rather slept on and Elizabeth was eager to take the spot since waking early meant more play time.
Caroline halted her chase when she noticed a pair of eyes watching her and hoped a random stranger hadn't found their community. She smoothed her full freshly ironed skirt before fixing her white bonnet over her crown of braided hair. Honestly, the thing fell off faster than a man taming a wild horse and abhorred fixing it. She'd never appear ladylike as the women of Boston that carried themselves confidently because the full skirt and tight whalebone stay was driving her insane already. How did women bear this for the rest of their lives? Elizabeth ran back inside the house after catching side of their unexpected guest and Caroline turned around to greet the person with a delighted smile, "Morning to you, Connor."
"You are awake quite early today" Ratonhnhaké:ton commented with curiosity since the roads were usually empty at that early hour and dismounted James in one graceful move. His attire was fit for a visit to Boston as he wore a handsome white coat with blue lining and she smiled at seeing he'd tied his hair back since it had begun to grow past his shoulders. He was growing into a man with only two years left while she was following the same route with her own lady attire. Still, he looked better than she possibly could.
Ratonhnhaké:ton could say the same about Caroline as she resembled the women of Boston in their puffy blue dresses but he preferred her everyday appearance. The way colonists dressed to impress others reminded him of birds during mating season and did not appeal to him in the slightest. It was all for show and although Caroline was pretty, he'd rather they cast aside their current attire for their worn out patched-up clothes. He wasn't ready to fully acknowledge that his friend had grown into a delightful and physically pleasing young woman since meeting in 1770 so he'd keep quiet on that. Otherwise, his mind would venture into an area of maturity he wasn't ready to head into. His mouth turned uncomfortably dry when he admitted bashfully in compliment to her attire and bright clean face, "You look. . .very nice."
"I'm accompanying my father into town" she informed with a proud smile to her first trip in over a year and had packed away her trapped goods for selling. She'd left as a girl but within two years, had learned the ropes to be decently efficient at working like any other young man. She smoothed her hands over her blue skirt since she hoped to appear like any civil Bostonian and admitted sheepishly to her friend, "I wonder if anything has changed, given the growing conflicts with taxes."
She turned a quizzical eye to his new attire since she'd never seen him wear a white coat but the sapphire hue of the lining and breeches complimented the white of his waistcoat and heavier coat. He wore brown boots with leggings of a similar hue that extended past his knees to meet the blue breeches so she knew he wasn't on an everyday errand. She was certain his old deerskin outfit had seen better days after multiple alterations to match his tall height and she asked curiously, "Are you on your way to another errand?"
"Boston, I have to. . ." he answered truthfully but he trailed off since Caroline wasn't privy to his true profession. Hmm, he would have to become crafty at lying to conceal specific truths but he hated to do so with his friends.
"Run more errands or escort someone somewhere in an ambiguous time frame?" she teased playfully since he never discussed what he did for a living as he left the homestead every once in a while. She never poked into his life to maintain respect and he was allowed to have a private life just as she was.
"Yes, that sounds about right" he agreed cryptically with a faint smile and she shook her head with amusement as he chose her response. He noticed the wagon that was filled with lumber orders, packaged carpentry work from Lance, and a small crate filled with Caroline's own goods for trade. Ratonhnhaké:ton pondered over asking a favor from the Burnetts and decided to risk a decline as he asked courteously, "Would you happen to have space for another passenger? I'd rather leave James than have him stolen while I'm inside a building. There's been news about horse thieves in Boston recently."
"Absolutely" she smiled widely since she didn't take much space but glanced at her full skirt. Her new attire was another thing entirely and although she'd enjoy his company for her first trip back, she chuckled bashfully, "Well, you might have to do with this beehive of a skirt but other than that, yes."
Thank you for reading this extra long chapter this week and please drop a review if you can. :)