A/N Hello again. Friday again :)
A big thank you to BlueSaffire for all her support.
To make everyone aware, I think this fic will have to change from a T rating to an M from next Friday. Having re-read a good few chapters ahead, there is some swearing, a bit of gore and some adult situations. Nothing graphic or anything I'd class as triggering, but I want to be safe, I hope that's ok :)
I hope you enjoy.
/
Erin trotted up to Duncan's side as they walked, the mid-afternoon air was muggy and heady. He looked very uncomfortable in his heavy red wool officer's coat.
"Hello Major." She greeted him with a smile, and she could instantly see he was not altogether pleased she had singled him out, but he tried to cover it valiantly with a polite smile.
"Miss Cooper." He nodded a respectful bow to her.
"It is very hot today." Under his disappointment she found herself having to push back against the urge to speak far too plummy, what her mother often teased was her 'telephone voice'.
"It is indeed hot, Miss."
They walked a moment in silence as Erin gathered her courage, all she had to do was appeal to this man's pride and vanity, that he was always right and always knew better, and the rest would click into place.
"I'm so glad we'll be at the fort soon."
"Yes." That forced polite smile again.
Erin wanted to like him, he was a pompous ass in the novel, but also kind and sweet, and very brave. He was a 1757 English Gentleman in every respect, which came with its own set of problems and appeals to the modern eye. But the plain matter of it was, he reminded Erin of her ex. The way he was always trying to control the women under his charge, the way he wanted to control Cora and temper down her bright spirit into his very own meek wife.
"I'm so pleased this isn't the fort being attacked by the French, I mean can you imagine?" She pulled her laughter back to a titter, trying not to be too theatrical.
"What do you mean, Miss?" This caught his attention, now he wanted to talk to her. "I know of no forts under siege in this area by the French."
"Oh." Erin tried to look bashful, like the silly girl he thought she was. "But last night." Her mock bewilderment may have gone too far, but he didn't seem to notice. "Did you not hear the French men Major?"
He shifted, disliking her knowing more than he did. "I fear I did not hear any talk of forts." He paused, realizing something. "You know French, Miss Cooper?"
"Oh, bits and pieces." She tried to be coy. "They definitely talked about an English fort under siege."
"Did you hear any more?" His head was bent towards her, all the better to hear.
"Well, yes..." Erin paused, trying to feign looking as uncomfortable as possible. "They were quite crude, Sir."
"I'm sure you can tell me, Miss, I have been in the army a very long time. What men say does not shock me."
'We'll see,' Erin thought, with a petty imagined lifting of her eyebrows.
"Well..." She leaned closer, as if bringing him into the oath of a secret society. "They said the Scottish bastard would soon be waving his undershirt in the air to the French, and baring his backside in retreat." She watched his face pale slightly, his cheeks redden. "As I said Major, very crude."
"Indeed, Miss Cooper, and I am sorry your ears had to hear such words." He was spluttering, unsure what to say, and Erin tried hard not to smile, keeping her face as blank as she could manage.
"Dear Lord!" he said, as if solving the world's greatest mystery. "Could they possibly have been talking of Colonel Munro?!" It wasn't a question directed at her.
Erin shrugged, trying hard to find a gormless expression. She'd given him plenty to go on, but it still seemed to take him a moment to fully assemble all the pieces and what they now meant.
"Are you quite well, Major?" Indeed, Duncan looked rather queasy.
"Quite well." He gave her a thin lipped smile. "Please excuse me." He bowed again and then his hand shot up into the air like a school child in need of a hall pass to use the restroom. "I say!" The call was directed towards Chingachgook.
She watched him go as he jogged along to the warrior with a breathless, exhausted gait. She felt that small smile of satisfaction demanding to pull at the corner of her mouth, and quelled it with a bite of her tongue. She knew that sudden disquieting feeling all too well now, and turning her head, there Uncas was again like a spectre intent on haunting her every move.
This time she had been prepared and her glee never reached her face; she gave him a curt nod, feeling she had thwarted whatever efforts he had been trying to make. Her cheerful walk however, left him with just as deep a frown as every other time his gut had told him something wasn't quite right with this woman.
They halted once again soon after. The three guides all huddling together, sharp whispers and words in English and murmured questions passed in their own tongue, as Duncan, stood a little apart, explained all his fears.
"If the Fort is under siege, should we not go elsewhere?" Nathaniel sounded exasperated. "Take you to safety, further up river?"
Erin pushed a hand to her temple in relief and felt a little jolt of pleasure shoot through her limbs. Mr Poe certainly was a smart cookie.
Duncan was reluctant to answer, his brow deeply furrowed as he considered his options, his responsibility to the army and to the two women he accompanied pulling him in different directions.
"No," Cora said, "we must reach my father. He sent for us and we must go, he could be injured. He may need us."
"Cora please," Duncan said, with a withering glare that made Erin frown in displeasure even though she did not like Cora's words, "we are finding the best way."
"Without asking what Alice, Miss Cooper and I want, as though we aren't here?"
Duncan didn't like that at all. "You don't understand how dangerous it is!"
"I understand well Duncan, we have been traveling this same path with you. We have seen death and violence. To look on us as nothing but baggage..."
"Cora!" He was startled by her intense manner.
"We have as much say in what happens now as any man here!"
Despite the situation, Erin felt a small swell of pride at this young woman's bravery, striking out against the man that would choose all her choices for her if allowed.
"I think Miss Munro has a point." Nathaniel was clearly impressed too. "We all get a say in what happens next, including my father and brother, this has become much more than leading you to the gates."
"We don't even know if the fort is under siege! We only have the word of... this... this... woman!" Duncan was losing his cool fast, his hair fully loose from its binding now, giving him a semi-wild look, and he gestured pointedly at Erin. "Goodness knows if she heard correctly, or for that matter, anything at all!" The accusation was angry and Erin knew his true ire lay with Cora's new found resolution.
"If it is or not, we'll know soon," Uncas put in brusquely, obviously tired of the senseless arguments.
Cora looked to both women with an air of self-possession. "What do you say?"
Alice rubbed her nose as if fighting back tears. "I want to see Papa."
Cora nodded, and her eyes fell on Erin, who stood with arms tightly crossed, highly displeased at how this was all turning out.
"I disagree." She tried her hardest to sound calm but her voice was slightly hoarse.
Cora's eyes widened just a little but she did not speak, waiting for Erin to say her piece.
"If there's a siege we will be walking into a trap, with no way out, save when the whole army leaves."
"Then we'll leave with my father," Cora said gently, seeing Erin was very reluctant.
"I say we walk further, go to Fort Edward, it's only what..." she glanced at the men, "a day's walk from here?" It was a wild guess she hoped had some truth to it.
"Only!" Duncan scoffed, and rolled his eyes as if she were a little fool.
"Better to walk than be trapped!" Erin snapped.
"As the bird flies." Nathaniel put in. "Take us a while to reach it through the forest, staying off the paths. Another day and a half maybe, we can't be fast guiding you folks."
Everyone looked disheartened at this, they were all done with such arduous treks across the wilderness.
"So you will just leave your father, Miss Cooper?" Duncan rounded on her. "With no warning that anyone outside the walls knows of any such siege?" He glanced at Nathaniel. "As far as I know, Colonel Webb of Fort Edward has no idea this is happening, if it is indeed happening. He sent us on from Albany without a worry." He straightened his posture, shoulders back. "It is my duty to warn Colonel Munro and all the men at the fort of these events, I must reach the fort, Sir."
"If we go to Fort Edward, surely we can send reinforcements?" Erin tried, but Duncan didn't want to listen.
"I shall go on to Fort William Henry alone, if one of your men would accompany me to the shore of Lake George, I would be most grateful. I ask you to take the women to a safe place."
Nathaniel gave a gruff laugh. "Major, nowhere is safe around here with the war." But he had no time to add more.
"No, Duncan!" Cora said, her eyes fierce and defiant. "If you go to Fort William Henry then so shall I!"
"Cora see sense!" Duncan looked exasperated at the woman he was so sure he knew.
Nathaniel moved away, his head bent to his father's ear and they talked a moment, too low for Erin to hear, she noticed Uncas listening, his face taut.
"Brother?" Nathaniel glanced up, his voice no longer a whisper, speaking in his own tongue. "Your counsel?"
Uncas shook his head. "Signs are, we are still being tracked, I can't tell how close."
"That puts a dampener on things," Nathaniel said wryly.
"Nowhere close by to hide, they'll find us. Can't cover our tracks well enough."
"They'll catch up to us if we stay out of cover, and we can't move fast with the women," Chingachgook said, with a solemn nod of agreement.
"Either way is danger," Uncas put in, his brows knitting together.
"Then what? Do we take them to the lake or stay with them and go into a siege? My choice is made, but yours is your own," Nathaniel said, his eyes intense and flicking to both family members.
Uncas glanced away, his eyes lingering a moment upon the silent, distraught form of Alice, who was watching them all with her bright wide eyes; confusion slowly growing into fear at the understanding of what was happening, and the stark fact that these men that had protected them all this way, may yet abandon them.
"I'll go," Uncas said.
Nathaniel nodded in approval.
"Then we shall all go." Chingachgook looked at his sons, leaving the choice in both their hands.
"Well?" Duncan huffed impatiently, having not understood a word.
Nathaniel turned back to the expectant group, his gaze finding Cora in a heartbeat and ignoring Duncan's presence completely.
"Will you take us?" Cora asked, stepping towards him, her voice and manner unsure. "I understand if you are unwilling now."
Erin felt a pulsing panic growing within her body, they couldn't choose this path! All her plans were becoming dust in her hands, but the choice had been made, and with a daunting flip of her gut, she knew there was nothing she could do.
Nathaniel looked back to his father and then Uncas, and with a certain nod he turned back to the anxious woman before him. "We'll take you," he said, with a smile that was soon reflected on Cora's own face.
"Thank you, Mr Poe."
/
They began walking again without much more conversation, hours passed, merging into each other. When Erin next had the presence of mind to look about her, the sun was slowly setting, the dark of the woodlands suddenly looming in threat as everyone felt the journeys end fast approaching.
Erin was in a foul mood, overruled by everyone, she had felt helpless to do anything but complain about the choice like a spoiled brat denied a treat, until she finally realized how ridiculous she sounded, and promptly shut up.
A slow distant rumble of sound came across the sky, like a bad thunderstorm was gathering. As the sun fully dipped out of sight, Uncas returned from one of his scouting missions, his face set in grim concern. He quickly went to his father and brother. Erin could easily hear his words, even though he spoke in his own language.
"On our tail, only a little behind us, and gaining fast."
Erin turned her head, studying back the way they had come, expecting to see menacing shapes coming out of the undergrowth, but all was still.
She returned her gaze to see Uncas distracted by her movement, wondering why she had reacted as if he had just spoken in plain English, but his attention was quickly swallowed by the hurried conversation of just what they would do now. The only option seemed to move faster.
Duncan was informed, and the suggestion was given that they should all make haste. They made their way up a steep hill and the same rumble came again, louder now.
"Thunder?" Cora guessed.
Nathaniel shook his head and her expression became fraught with worry. No further explanation was given, but Erin knew her predictions had just been made true in all those about her.
The noise was cannon fire.
The top of the ridge opened up the landscape, showing a vast lake, and there in the middle, like the last vestige of civilization, stood the wooden form of Fort William Henry, smoke billowing all around it like some ghastly apocalypse had happened, and Erin thought in a way it had. The French had made considerable advancements, and she knew they had about three days before they would be within range to completely destroy all within.
Three short days.
A large flash lit up the sky, illuminating the no man's land in between the battle, and all the many souls that stood on opposing sides. Shortly after came a barrage of noise as more cannons were fired.
Chingachgook suggested going down to the lake, to see if they could cross there - if there were patrols on this side of the lake shore, there may be boats.
So, this became the plan.
A crack of a branch breaking somewhere in the woods behind them made everyone start, and they all clambered down to the water, to the hastily hidden canoe they found in the reeds.
The women were hurriedly sat within, on the bottom of the boat, as close as they could all fit to lying down, so as to hide their forms from unfriendly eyes. Duncan tossed in his coat and adjusted his stock so it sat loose about his neck. Anything that needed to be kept dry was bundled in too. All four men then got in the water, and gently began to guide them across the lake. Firelight from projectiles sent towards the fort lit up the night sky now and again, revealing the stillness of the lake, its surface a mirror to the carnage that raged about them.
Erin exchanged fearful looks with Cora, wanting the comfort of speaking to her, but knowing they must all be quiet as mice now. She just had to remember all that came next. What was it? What did she need to do? The noise, the smell, the fear and suspense, made it all so hard to think. She shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to think.
Uncas...
She had to stop him getting hurt...
Alice would run, and...
The shoreline came upon them quickly and the boat bumped out of the water. They emerged as silent as shadows, following the now soaking wet men towards the mass of the fort.
Erin reached, her hand meaning to grasp Alice's wrist to prevent what was to come, but as if made from the very darkness, several forms barrelled towards them, weapons held high, meaning to kill whoever they found. Huron and French patrolling the lake side. They had been seen.
Chingachgook took the first out as if swatting away a fly, the ease with which the older man moved was like watching a perfectly performed dance, no foot was out of place.
Nathaniel joined the fray, his manner more rough and ready, his knife flashing in the weak light of the fort torches until his enemy lay next to Chingachgook's, both dead and bloodied.
Erin felt the sudden harsh taste of bile burn her throat, her mind going blank as those men fell glassy eyed and still before her. She'd never seen anyone die before, never seen anyone dead. The sight of their crumpled bodies suddenly had the power to forsake all her sanity in that one sharp moment. Her hand fell away from its intent task.
Her breaths were coming harsh, her stays strangled her lungs, she knew she was beginning to panic, she was losing control. She took a step back, towards the lake they had just emerged from, instantly wanting to not put another foot towards anymore death. For the first time since stepping into this world, she was truly afraid.
Her fingers spasmed uselessly at her sides, more men were coming, more would die.
Cora's hand shocked her into the moment.
"I'm here," she whispered, and urged Erin forward, towards the relative safety the inside of the fort offered.
As the warmth of Cora's hand thawed her, Erin began to relax, feeling completely foolish for nearly losing her cool, there would be time for that later, she had to keep her head. She glanced over at Alice, whom Cora held in her other hand, her cheeks were tracked with tears and Erin felt her own courage rally, she had to be strong.
The sally port gates were in view, but behind them came more shouts and battle cries, they wouldn't make it without another fight. Erin heard some of the men guarding them having to stop and engage.
English officers could be seen on the ramparts, trying to guess if they were friend or foe.
At the sight of all the familiar red uniforms, Alice suddenly began to trot forward, pulling an exhausted Cora along for a moment.
"Cora," she breathed, hardly able to talk at all. "They... don't... see us... Cora!"
She broke free of her sister's grasp, running ahead, in what could only be described as a flight of true terror, her arms waving in an attempt to be seen.
"Here, we are here!" Alice called, but it was swallowed by the noise crowding around them all.
"Alice!" Stop!" Cora screamed, and letting go of Erin ran forward, but the ground beneath her was slick, her step faltered and she slipped and fell with a bone jarring thud.
"Here!" Alice called, and Erin's memories snapped back like whiplash, almost painful. Ahead she could see more men, Alice hadn't seen them in the darkness and she was making straight for them, too focused upon her attempts to save everyone.
"No!" Now Erin was running too, she could hear the shouts of protest behind her and a call of 'Miss!' from who, she wasn't sure, but she didn't stop, her skirts pulled above her knees to aid her forward, her breaths straining hard against the stiff stays - her lungs burnt, but she did not stop. She'd missed her chance to stop Alice's flight, but there was still possibly time to change things, if she acted now!
She grasped Alice's shoulders, and with all her bodyweight pulled the young girl to the sodden floor, covering them both in a good splattering of mud. She turned, just in time to see a man above her, a knife held high. Erin instinctively threw up her arms in defence of her face and body as he slashed downwards, and a pain cut through her like a burning brand. She could hear herself screaming.
Alice was screaming too.
He raised the knife again and Erin knew this time he would bury it in her ribcage, she screamed, closing her eyes. Pants of heavy breath and heavier footfalls coming fast swelled into her hearing. There was a hoarse brutal shout that shocked Erin's eyes open, and a massive blurred, red shape plunged into the man above her, the momentum carrying the bodies harshly to the ground nearby. The two men scrambled and rolled for control, Duncan's blond hair flashing in the dim torchlight high up on the fort walls, his fist trying to find a mark. The Huron was not done and gained the upper hand, flipping the Major onto his back, they struggled and then he plunged the blade down into Duncan's torso, near his shoulder, he bellowed like a wounded animal.
A dark shape came forward, agile and confident and a tomahawk was brought down fast and hard upon the Huron's head, stilling any further attempts of fight. Uncas gave a nod to Duncan and then turned on impulse towards Alice and Erin, knowing they were defenceless, his steps carrying him forward to offer assistance. Erin reached out, her hand seeking his, they grasped and he began to pull.
Before anyone could draw another breath more enemies were upon them, this one with a bayonet, he lunged forward, ready to strike and Uncas had no choice but to let go, allowing Erin to fall back into the mud. By pure luck, Uncas dodged the first thrust but the man was already striking out again and Uncas hadn't fully regained his footing. The scene was playing out like a bad nightmare before Erin's eyes, she'd helped him avoid one dangerous assault only to place him in another!
"No!" Erin screamed the word and kicked out her leg, connecting harshly with the man's shin before he could complete his actions. The blow changed the Huron's aim and instead of finding Uncas' chest, the blade sliced shallowly into his side and his shirt bloomed with a dark stain, but it was as though Uncas did not feel it.
Uncas was upon him, pulling the bayonet the man held forward with a brutal strength, jerking him to the ground before ending his life with another fast blow.
He then turned his attention back to the women, his eyes finding Alice and aiding her to her feet and pushing her towards Cora, before he turned back, extending his palm to Erin. She took it without hesitation and he pulled her up, before they all began to run for the gates again.
It seemed Alice's attempts had not been in vain, someone had seen them. There was a volley of shouts from the ramparts, of "English!" and "Women!"
"Open the doors!" Duncan was roaring. "I am an English officer, open the doors!"
The doors were opened and they hurried in to safety.
