Once on land, Alice is afraid she will be inundated with the attentions of Duncan, but it is Uncas that attaches himself to her and helps her walk the last miles to the fort. Alice keeps her head down, aon chois, an uairsin am fear eile, she thinks to herself. With a last burst of energy they make it to the fort and are escorted to her father.

Alice takes the chance when she has the opportunity to ask "Are you alright?" He says he is fine, though he looks older, haggard, and thinner. There is a darkness to his eyes and coldness never present before. When she presses him about the situation at the fort; he tells her not worry. Alice sighs internally as he once again he treats her like the 14yr old, she was when she realized he only saw her as copy of his dead wife.

Her father turns after embracing her to speak to the Mohicans and Alice takes the opportunity to look at Uncas, as she knows this may be the last time she will get to see him. To feel his eyes upon her, anchoring her, her own personal tether cord. The men ask for gun powder and food, Alice is seized with the ninny thought she would like to cook for Uncas, and blinks to clear her head.

When her father turns back he studies her face as though trying to memorize it before dismissing both her and Cora. Cora also being dismissed makes Alice feel only marginally better. She hugs her father and accepts his platitudes that all will be well, but is unable to look him in the eyes. She doesn't want him to realize that she knows he is lying and the coldness she found there earlier is disquieting.

Alice is washed, in a new dress and lying in bed, with the reality of all that has happened, is happening, weighing on her. Cora seeing her distress has yet again taken to mothering her, increasing Alice's feelings of desperation. Duncan's entrance is not something that Alice wants to be privy too. Standing she speaks, "Talk to Duncan, Cora. I must manage, I can't be an invalid schoolgirl. I'll shall see if Mr. Phelps needs any help." Alice knows as she weaves from the room that Cora is shocked by her behavior, but everything is to much right now, and Alice isn't sure how to process it.

Alice however does not make her way to surgery, ghost-like she moves through the Fort looking for reprieve, finding a small dark corner in a gunner hut on the far side of the fighting she curls in upon herself and lets the emotions she can no longer hold at bay crash upon her. Silent and shaking the emotions come upon her like waves, and her breathing speeds up, but no sounds emerge from her lips. Alice knows in some distant thought she will most likely pass out. She is on the very verge when strong hands grip her shoulders and strong arms lift her up and bring her towards a chest.

Immediately thoughts of that night return and she begins struggling, clawing, against the hold on her. Till the deep timbered voice begins to register, "Miss, Miss, Aholkwësit." Alice gives up the fight upon realizing it is Uncas that holds her and instead sags against him. Trusting and surrendering fully to his embrace. For the first time since having been sent to England, she feels safe and grounded. And now she sobs, loud harrowing sounds of a wounded animal. Cries until blackness overtakes her.

Uncas holds the sleeping woman in his arms, knowing if any were to find them he'll be killed for sure. He was sure they had said their goodbyes in her father's room the night before. He had only found this place, trying to escape the press of bodies, the press of walls, the press of dismissive views because of who he was, the anger clawing at his soul. He had not though he would stumble upon the younger Munro daughter. The one who's eyes beheld the brutality of his world and yet still recognized its beauty. The one who's eyes had seen the Cameron's home but showed no judgement at his families response, only deep empathy for their loss. The one who looks at him, and sees him, treats him as if there are no differences between them. The one who's tears scalded his hands as he kept her quiet that night among the hìtkwike kwëchkwëna.

When he stumbled upon her, all of his concerns fled, he could think of nothing other than offering her succor. So he pulled her to him. He had not expected her to begin to fighting and clawing at him like a kwènishkwënayas. He tried to get her to look at him, but when their eyes connected he saw she was lost with in a male storm of emotion, her soul some where far from her. Somehow unknowingly she had become his aholkwësit known that night her body rested under himsome hows his lips, beloved. Somehow unknowingly she had become his aholkwësit. And so he calls her that, and if it were some how tied to her soul she collapses unto him. And for the first time she makes noise as she cries. Deep wounded noises and Uncas knows that her soul wounds run much deeper than what she has experienced this past week. But he is silent and solid and holds her until she is claimed by sleep.

Uncas finally sets the sleeping woman from him and makes his way to the door. Using brute strength he moves the smaller of the cannons in front of the door to prevent any unwanted intruders. Returning to Alice, who has remained asleep he picks her up and arranges them so that if the door is moved he and she will not be immediately seen. With her wrapped safely in his arm again, Uncas leans his head against the wall and falls to restful sleep.

It is a testament to both of what they have endured that they sleep like the dead, until hours have passed and the sounds of fiddles disturb them. Alice comes too, feeling rested for the first time since she arrived, and if she honest the first time since that night in London. She feels warm, warmer than she has felt in some months. Wrapped in arms that she now recognizes as Uncas. She shifts slightly that she may look upon his face, and sees his faced relaxed, eyes closed. And she would believe him asleep were it not for the slight upturn of his mouth as she continues to study him. Alice feels herself beginning to blush but does not break eye contact when his eyes snap open and meets hers.

Just as she studied him, he now studies her. The wildness and desperation are gone and her soul is present again. Alice feels daring and safe and so lets him study her. Finally she answers him with an upturned smile of her own. Uncas finds his eyes crinkling at her. "All right miss?" his deep voice rumbles. "Better now," she answers. Uncas enjoys the warmth that spreads in chest, but as the mumbling and music get louder he realizes they should probably move. Eyes breaking and flitting towards the door, Alice also glances that way. When his eyes return to her she simply nods.

Putting them both on their feet, Uncas unblocks the door and looks out before escorting Miss Munro back into the fray. They part ways shortly there after Alice returning to her room and finding it empty. She makes her way to the cooks, and assists with preparing food before returning to her room and falling asleep again. Rousing only to recognize Cora as she falls in bed next to her.

Gaelic and Lenape Vocabulary

Air falbh leis na sìthichean (away with the faeries)

Aon chois, an uairsin am fear eile (one foot, then the other)

Aholkwësit (beloved person-lenepe)

Hìtkwike kwëchkwëna (among the trees; burial)

Kwènishkwënayas (panther, mountain lion, cougar, puma)

Chan e leanabh a th 'annam (I am not a child)

Tha mi moiteil a bhith Albannach (I am proud to be Scottish)

Nuxa (Father)/ Nuxati (dear Father)

Kishux (sun; moon; month)

Neyo na kishux këshkinkwink (I see the moon in your eyes)

Òsòmi (certainly; oh yes)

Naxans (my older brother)

Naxisëmës -or- xàta (my younger brother/sibling/cousin)

Wètënëmao (accept it from him)

Tha mi a 'gealltainn leannain (I promise beloved)

Fàg slighe, mas urrainn dhut (Leave a trail, if you can)

Chan e, chan urrainn dhut a bhith agad (No, you can't have him)

Nichan (my child, daughter)