Violence Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts scenes of violence and/or their aftermath. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of depiction may wish to read something other than this story.
Sexual Violence Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts scenes of sexual violence and/or their aftermath. Some readers may be disturbed by this type of depiction and anyone who is sensitive to this particular issue may wish to read something other than this story.
Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer: There are blatant discussions, references and description of sexual relations between consenting adults. You must be over the age of 18 and it must not be a crime to read material of this nature at your present location. Some of the scenes depicted are explicit. If this bothers you, you should find other reading material.
Language Warning: The language is representative of street language. Therefore is quite vulgar. You must be over the age of 18 and it must not be a crime to read material of this nature at your present location. If this bothers you, you should find other reading material.
Note: I am such an idiot I forgot to thank my friends who helped me to edit this story. I have cookie cut this part so much I forgot to put in important stuff, like thanking people who help you. So, I really want to thank Katia, Dawn and Amy, and Joseph, who are my beta readers. I'm able to write so quickly, because I don't have to edit my own writing. I couldn't do it without you guys. On this particular piece, a special thanks to Dawn and Amy did the really hard part they keep the vernacular straight, which is so important to this story. This should been on the first three parts as well. Sorry guys, forgive me my rudeness and stupidity.
Part 5 The trip back to the cabin war easy; tain't much anuthin' venturin' out now wit winter settin' in. The cabin war higher up than the village, so the snows war about to cut us off fer the winter. We war near ready fer winter. I set to cutting mo far wood. Becca war amakin' her and the little un better winter clothes like Dove and Flower teached her.
I checked all the chinks in the cabin walls and roof to make shore thar war no leaks fer drafts to git in. I mixed mud wit straw and filled the chinks. Then I checked the floor. I found two loose boards and one rotten one. I replaced the rotten one and fixed the loose ones. We war ready as we war goin'ta be.
I fixed up the loft fer us to bed in. It war warmer in the winter months. I laid down buffalo robes and covered 'em wit blankets. Then I put down some blankets to lie under and covered 'em wit buffalo hides. The weather war ashapin' up to be a hard winter, so I wonted to be ready. This war goin'ta be Becca's first winter and I wonted to ease it as best as I could.
The noon meal war sumtin. My usual noon meal war jerky and hardtack, but Becca had made venison steaks wit fresh greens and taters. Thar war cornbread wit honey and ????. She war smart fer a city gal. This war the food that would go bad first.
While I et her meal, I watched my new wife as she war cookin' sumtin else on the stove. It warnt sumtin I war aeatin' so I decided to ax, "Becca, wat ere ya doin'?"
The young mother smiled and replied, "I'm making candles. I found some beeswax and thought I could get two, maybe three candles from it. I've mixed flower petals in the wax to give it aroma when the candle burns."
I liked the notion. It made sense and candles would hep save on coal oil. Then I thought to ax, "War did you get beeswax?"
Becca said playfully, "From a bee hive."
I looked at her and she laughed, "Okay, I found an abandoned hive today. I looked in found it was full of honey and wax. I remember how my uncle used to extract the honey and wax, so I did it like he showed me a long time ago. So now you have honey for your cornbread and for your tea. And we will have two or three candles to make light. Could you go out to the barn and get my candlestick makers and the two holders? They're in the wooden chest with the butterfly on the lid."
I nodded yes and went to put on my buffalo coat, but it war missin'. I never lost anythin'. I war pure upset, when I axed, "Becca, ya seed my buffalo coat?"
Becca gave me another playful grin, which I returned and said, "Your buffalo coat is in the cedar chest by the wood pile."
That made some sense. The cedar would keep critters from my coat. I'd be goin' trappin' soon and I'd need my coat. Though she shouldn't have bothered, that old coat had seed better days. I opened the chest and thar were a new buffalo coat wit a hood. It war far better than thather. It war lined wit sheepskin. I had never owned a coat so fine. I rubbed the linin' and then the outside and my heart swoll up, she had done it on her own and witout bein' axed. So as I left the cabin fer the barn, I made a big show of puttin' on my new coat and loopin' the buttons. My old one just tied wit string. Finally, I swooped on my hood and said, "Thank you, Maw." It war wat my Pa called my ma. I knowed Becca would understand.
I trudged out to the barn. It warnt near cold enough fer my fine new coat. My old would've barly keeped the chill out much less the wind, but this coat blocked the wind easy like. Suddenly, I remembered that my gloves war in thather coat. So I jest stuck my hands in my pockets, and I felt gloves. I pulled them out and thar were a par of leather gloves wit fingers and sheepskin lining. I quickly put on the gloves and they felt good.
This war the best I ever felt. When I went to git Becca's thins, I keeped athinkin' of a present I could give Becca that meant as much. It had to be sumthin jest fer her. Not fer the baby or the house, but jest fer her. While goin' through the chest, I found four used candlesticks. I brought them, too. Then I seed it. Her mirror war busted. So, I knowed wat I needed to do. I'd make her a new mirror.
When I got back to the cabin, I showed her the gloves and smiled my thanks. I took off my coat and put it back in the cedar chest wit my new gloves. Nuttin war goin'ta git to my coat. Then, I strolled over to Becca and wrapped my arms around her. I hugged her tight and swung her around. She begged me to stop while she laughed and said, "Becca that is the best coat I ever owned. You couldn't of gived me a better present. Now I'll be able to stay away far longer. I'll be able to spend mo time wit the traps and less time trying to stay warm."
When I put her down, she motioned fer me to lean over and I did. Then she kissed my cheek and said, "You're welcome."
I pulled her close to me and axed, "How did ya git it to be so warm?"
Becca smiled and bragged a little, "I put goose feathers between the buffalo hide and sheepskin, Like we do with quilts."
She wiggled from my arms and went back to making her candlesticks. I watched as she broke up the old candles and added them to the melted wax. She took the candlestick maker, which war six brass candle shaped tubes attached to a brass plate wit a bar acrost the top to hang the wicks from.
The young blonde hung pieces of string that'd been dipped in the melted wax from the bar acrost the tubes. Then she took the hot pot of wax and carefully poured the liquid wax into the tubes. She filled all six tubes, wit a little left over, not enough fer a candle though.
I axed fer wat war left. I war goin' to wax my gun belt and maybe a harness wit it. Thar warnt enough fer my saddle. I rubbed bear grease into the leather of gunbelt and then I waxed it. Thar war jest enuff to finish the job. The harness would have to settle fer saddle soap.
I wonted to go the barn and start Becca's new mirror. So I told Becca, I had to go out and feed the stock afore dinner. I got my buffalo coat and gloves agin and went to the barn.
I got the old mirror out and took the broke glass out of the frame. Using the old frame as a model, I made a clay mold. While the mold cooled, I took some silver coins and melted them. After the mold cooled, I poured the silver into the mold. While I waited fer the silver to cool, I started makin' the glass. I put in a cup of sand, a half of cup of cullet, two-fifths of cup of potash, and a tenth of a cup of lime. To speed up the melting, I added some broke glass.
When the silver cooled, I started polishing the shiny metal. I had to wait fer the glass to melt, so I fed the animals. When glass war melted, I poured it in the mold over the polished silver. While I waited fer it to cool, I went to cut mo wood. I knowed the mirror wouldn't be perfect I jest dint have the tools fer it, but it would do.
After I finished the woodpile, I went back to the barn and checked the mirror. The glass war cool, so I polished the mirror. This war the hard part. Iffin I dint do it rait, I'd scratch the mirror and I'd have to start agin. My pa told me his pa war a glassmaker and he teached pa and pa teached me. I made a lot of glass fer tradin'. Glass war hard to come by in these parts, so's I could git a goodly price fer it.
After I finished the polishin', I looked at myself in it. Thar war a little problem at the bottom of the mirror, but it would do fine. I broke the clay mold and trimmed the edges. I put the new mirror in the frame and glued her tight. It would be tomorry afore the glue dried. So, I went to warsh fer dinner.
When I got back to the cabin, I sar Becca pourin' hot water in the big warsh tub. I knowed she'd done laundry afore, so I wondered wat she war adoin'. Then I sar her har war wet. So she musta took a bath. Then I knowed the tub war fer me. I put my coat and gloves away and shucked my clothes. I knowed it war useless fer me to argue wit Becca, I'd always lose.
I got in the tub and she war asmilin'. The woman handed me a bar of soap and a scrub brush and I got busy while she cooked. The air war full of her cookin' and bakin'. The room war warm and friendly and bath felt good. It felt different. My pa built this here cabin in '22. I war born here, but it never felt like home til now.
As we et our dinner, Becca axed, "Do you know day of the week it is?"
I thought about for a few seconds and replied, "I'm sorry, Becca, but I dint raitly know."
She stated, "I've calculated as best I can figure, it's Thursday, November 18."
I took her word fer it, cause I'd no idear wat day it war. So I axed, "Why do ya need to know? If it's impotent to ya I can go down to the settlements and ax."
Becca tentatively responded, "I just wanted to know, because I'd like us to do some bible readings on Sundays"
While I chewed my food, I thought fer a bit and then I said, "Alrait, let's say that rait and have bible reading in three days. God will understand iffin we're a day either way."
After dinner, we settled for the evenin'. I filled my new pipe wit tobaccy and smoked while I watched Becca. She war like a dancer as she went from job to job. Her golden har floated around her face as she cleared the dishes and started warshin' 'em. After doin' the dishes, she got her sewin' basket and astarted to cut some calico. Her hands nimbly cut 'round the pattern 'til she had all the pieces she needed. She done the same thin' wit some white liner. After cutting the liner, she put all her sewin' stuff away.
It war a mite early fer bed, but iffin she wonted, we would go to bed. But she dint get ready fer bed. She got the youngun and changed him into his nightclothes. Then she put him in his crib and rocked him asleep while singin' him a purdy lullaby. When the boy war asleep, Becca picked up the book she'd been areadin'. She war goin'ta read. I war about to ax her to read it out loud, when she axed, "Are you ready for your first reading lesson?"
I war acopyin' the letters like Becca writ down. It war hard. My letters dint look nuttin like Becca's. My letters war all shaky. She war happy wit 'em, so I war happy. She told me to practice 'em every night. While I practiced my letters, Becca read "The Federalist Papers" to me. I couldn't recall when I'd felt so comfortable. It felt good.
I usually jest stripped down to my longjohns to go to bed, but Becca insisted I war this nightshirt thin. So we compromised and I weared the nightshirt wit the wool socks Becca had made me. I had to admit the nightshirt war mo comfortable than my wool longjohns. Mine war jest a plain nightshirt. Becca weared a fanciful one wit a lot of lace and frills.
I jest fer the life of me couldn't figger when Becca done all this. So decided to ax her, "Becca, when did ya make all this, the coat, the gloves, the nightshirt and the socks?"
Becca smiled wit a deep blush and answered, "I made the socks a while back for Zeb, but never gave them to him. Your feet are a little larger, but wool stretches so I knew they would fit. I had cut the nightshirt pattern for him as well, so when I sewed it together I made adjustments to make it fit you. The coat and gloves I made with your Mother's help. Dove helped as well."
She held the baby in her arms and it war quite a pitcher. It made me happy to look at my family. I kissed Becca on her head and said, "Thank you. Everythin war jest fine. I ain't never had nobody do fer me like ya done fer me. I love you, Becca."
Becca stood on her tiptoes and kissed me gently on the lips and replied, "You're welcome, but you better bank the fire and come to bed."
I war kind of disappointed. She dint say she loved me. Maybe, she jest married me fer a home and protection. I war makin' myself sick wit worry.
I banked the far in the farplace, while Becca carried Matthew wit her up into the loft. I joined them a minute or two later. I brought two pistols wit me. It war still dangerous country even if it war home. We settled betwixt the covers. Matthew laid betwixt Becca and me. She leaned over and kissed me and said, "Good night, my love."
I smiled as I went to sleep.
I war up before first light. Our legs war tangled together. Slowly I moved away from Becca and down the ladder. I restarted a far in the farplace and in the stove. I war goin'ta to put a pot of coffee on, when Becca came down and pushed me out of kitchen. I changed into my clothes and headed out to the barn to feed and water the animals.
I got several buckets of snow and brought 'em into the barn. It war warm enough in the barn fer the snow to melt. The barn war heated by the body heat of the animals. I pitched hay to all the animals and poured 'em the water from the melted snow.
On my way out of the barn, I checked the mirror. It war near ready. I couldn't wait, so I took it wit me. When I walked into the cabin, it war filled wit the smell of breakfast. Becca war in her nightdress and boots. It looked wrong. So, I knowed wat she needed next. I put the mirror by her plate and set down.
Becca brought over a plate of hot cakes and bacon. I pour maple syrup on the hot cakes and slyly looked at Becca as she picked up the mirror. She looked at herself and moved her har. She smiled and put the mirror down. She picked up the baby and started feedin' him oatmeal. After she fed Matthew, she put him on a bearskin on the floor. She walked over to me and kissed me on the cheek. She never said a word. I'd make her some moccasins after I et.
Three days later, I war dressed in my coat and gloves. My string war ready to go lay my winter traps. Tears war in Becca's eyes as she kissed me on my cheek. I held her chin and said, "Don't worry, Becca, I've been adoin' this since I could walk. I'll be back in six days."
I rode to the mountain streams a day from the cabin. I had a dugout built under the roots of a tall cypress. I spent the hours at my dugout cleanin' it up. I started a hat full of far and heated the meal that Becca had packed for me.
I knowed it would be the last good meal I would have fer six days, so I et it slowly. Then I got in my blankets and robes and slept.
Becca watched me go til I cleared the rise. Then she closed the door and started doin'. She wiped the tears from her eyes and went to cleanin' the breakfast dishes. She sat in her rocker and started asewin' her new dress. The moccasins she war wearin' felt comfortable. She remembered the way I gave 'em to her and smiled. She looked up from her sewin' and told Matthew, "Son, we'll be happy here. I didn't know until I met her that I wasn't happy."
I war up before first light and set my trap line. I war after fox and mink, beaver dint bring a good price no mo. After I set my traps, I went ahuntin'. I downed a six-pointer and started dressin' it out. I packed the meat into the deerskin and took it back to camp.
I staked out the skin to dry and fried me some venison. It warnt near as good as the venison Becca cooked. I missed her cookin'. I missed watchin' her adoin'. I missed her and the boy. I missed that feelin' of home.
It war goin'ta be a long six days.
Becca war areadin' her book when she heared the animals making noise. She heared howlin' and went to git her shootgun. Two wolves war achasin' chickens. She farred and kilt both wolves and two chickens. She got on her coat and went to fix the break in the barn war the wolves got to the chickens. Then she got the dead chickens and went inside to put 'em in the kitchen, she would pluck them later.
Then she got on her warm clothes and went to get rid of the wolf carcasses. She got an ox and yoked it to the wood sled. She loaded the wolves, dragged 'em into the woods and dumped 'em thar. On her way back she found a wolf cub. She had jest killed the young wolf's mother.
So Becca took the animal back to the barn and fed it goat's milk. She made a warm place for the young animal to sleep. She named him Hunter. She thought the name would please me.
Warrior Eagle war plum mad at his son and hollered, "My son, we have made peace with the Cheyenne and Warrior Eyes. It is not good that you make a raid on his camp."
His son war young and needed war to make a name fer hisself, so he said, "You have made peace, old man, but I am a warrior and do not fear dogs and women. All this talk of her skills, she is a woman. She has not done these things. It is the Cheyenne. They use her myth to scare us. No one woman could do what is said of her."
The wise war chief advised, "Son, he is a warrior. I have seen him. I have seen the bodies of those he has counted as coup. I have erected many cairns for our dead warriors. Do not scorn him."
The misguided youngster argued, "You speak of this woman, as if she were a man, she is a woman, no more than that. I can best any woman with the lance."
Warrior Eagle knowed his son war no match fer me and wanted to save him so he responded, "Son, he is no mere woman. He is a warrior chosen by the Gods. I have met his woman and she has a baby and is pregnant with another. Could a mere woman make another woman with child? No, he is blessed by the Gods. They put him a woman's body, so that he could not defeat the Gods themselves. I have seen him in battle. When I was your age, I saw when his skills were new, he was no more than 12 years. We killed his father and yet he fought on, many braves died that day. Then he declared war and many more died."
The exasperated young warrior leaped up to his feet, wavin' his arms and ahollerin', "Everybody knows the Cheyenne saved her that day and have used her to create a myth to scare our children and old men. Well, I am a warrior and not a scared child. I will bring back this fake's scalp."
The desperate father made one final attempt at savin' his son by saying, "Son, know if you do this you will be a renegade. The council has decided to make this peace. You had your say and lost. Accept the council's decision or you will lose everything."
The warrior would not listen, he war determined to die and replied angrily, "When I have defeated the false warrior, then the Council will know I was right."
The weary father gave his determined son one final warning, "Know this my son if you harm the woman or the child, I will hunt you down and kill you myself. I gave my word and placed them under MY protection."
"Then they are protected by an old woman," he said wit contempt as he left to keel me.
It war time to git home. I got all my traps and bales of furs and loaded them on to my string. I missed my family and war mo than ready to git back. It war a good trip. Five or six mo trips like thisin and I'll be able to set the winter wit Becca. That war a strange thin, cause every other year, I couldn't stay in my cabin mo than a day or two at a time.
Bagwagi Bebezhigooganzhii (Wild Horse) war nineteen yearen and had been in five battles. He had been in two agin the white soldiers, two agin the Dakota Sioux and one again the Kioway. He counted eleven scalps, but he wonted to be the best warrior in the Crow nation. He wonted 'em singin' songs about 'im. So, he figgered iffin he war the only Crow ever to survive a battle wit me, he'd be a big man. Well, it war his lucky day.
I knowed someone had cut my trail a while back, so I gave him wat he wonted, a chase. I lead my string into a thick grove of aspens and staked 'em. I clumb a tree and leap several trees to a spot yards from my string. Then I dropped down and circled my follower. I clumb anutter tree and watched 'im. I knowed him rait off. He war Warrior Eagle's boy.
A few months back I would've done kilt 'im, but I wonted to know if this war the Crows backin' out of our deal or war it jest a renegade tryin' to make a name. Kids war always tryin' to make themselves a name they couldn't live up to. So I jest drop down and cold cocked 'im. I tied 'im up and went home.
I walked the string into the yard and Becca met me wit a shotgun and I smiled. She war some woman. I lead the string into the barn and started unloadin'. First off, I tied my captive to a support post and checked to see iffin he war still akickin'. He war aplayin' possum, so I played along and layed him out on a straw bed tied to the post. Then I unpacked my animals. Becca came in wit two cups of soup. She gave me one and took tather to my prisoner.
He opened his eyes and looked into Becca's. Those eyes skeered 'im, I could see it. She lifted his head but he shook her hand away. She tried agin and put the hot soup to his lips and made him drink it. When he finished the soup, Becca got up and hepped rub down the animals.
I knowed she war dyin' to ax, so I hepped her out by sayin', "He war ahuntin' me back thar. I dint keel 'im cause he's Warrior Eagle's son. I plan on takin' home when the weather breaks and findin' out iffin the peace is broke."
Becca shook her head and said, "We can put him in the bedroom. It will be warmer in there. Dinner will be ready in an hour or so. I will get a bath ready for you."
I dragged the young brave into the cabin. When he sar Becca pouring boilin' water in big wash tub, he musta thought we war goin'ta boil 'im, cause he started a kickin' and a strugglin'. I got him to set in a char and I tied 'im to it. He war a screamin' and it war makin' Matty cry so I plugged his mouth wit a wash cloth.
I stripped down to take my bath and the Crow warrior eyes got all big and round. Becca giggled and he looked at her like corn war agrowin' out of her ears, which made her laugh. I got in the tub and set. I hadn't been much of a bather afore Becca, but now I really like it. It war acomfortin'.
I scrubbed myself good and hard. I had a week of trial on me. Becca came and scrubbed my back, which I really like. I warshed my har and Becca rinsed me off wit some fresh buckets of hot water. After I dried myself wit that fool injun agawkin' at me, I put my nightshirt and mocassins. I took the gag from his mouth and said in Crow, "Has your father broken the treaty?"
The boy tried to look tough, which war hard seein' he war tied to a char and all, as he yelled, "My father is a woman for making a treaty with a woman."
I had to smile as I replied, "Boy, when you grow up, you should pray to the Gods to be half the man your father is. You scoff, but I captured you without you even seeing me. If it was not for that treaty, Boy, I would be wearing your scalp on my belt right now."
It war Sunday tomorrow, so Becca wonted me to get the Bible so's she could pick out a readin'. While she war alookin' through the Book fer a readin', she said casually, "It's three weeks until Christmas and I would like a tree. Can you git me one on Monday?"
I knowed Becca dint like me aworkin' on the Lord's Day, but out here God jest had to understand about livin'. I figgered he knowed that it war necessary to do some work on His Day here in the wilderness. But gitting a tree for Christmas warnt necessary, so I up and got my ax and went ahuntin' a tree.
I brung the tree in and I made an x-cross out of two pieces of scrap lumber and nailed 'em to the bottom of the tree so's it'd stand up. Becca had made popcorn and strung 'em on a piece of string. She also had some balls made out of paper. I never axed how she colored 'em.
It war purdy and rait homey. I ain't ever had setch a thin afore, but I heared about 'em. I wintered wit a feller from Germany onct who told me his family had one every Christmas. I had to admit it war a nice feelin'.
I went about whetlin' a couple of toys for the baby. I war a fair hand at whetlin'. I war asmokin', while I war awhetlin' when I seed the young buck lookin' at me. I knowed wat he wonted. So I got my guest pipe out and filled her wit tobaccy. I tied his legs to the char and made it so he could use the pipe wit his tied hands. Then I lit it fer him. He nodded in gratitude and I nodded back.
Fer two weeks I went about making presents fer Christmas. I made the baby a toy horse and wagon wit working wheels. I made a man that sat on the wagon and anutter twar astandin'. I also made him some animals, cows, pigs, goats and the like. When he got bigger I'd make 'im soldiers and the like.
Fer Becca, I made a new comb, which I carved out of a piece of wood. I also made her two mo pair of moccasins, her others war awearin' out. I made her a soft cushion fer her rockin' char and a book shelf fer her books. Fer her big present, I made her a large mirror and a dresser to put it on. I hid her presents in the hay.
I knowed Becca war makin' me gifts too cause she'd be aworkin' on sumtin and I would come in and she'd abury it. So I made it a practice to stay out until it war time for each my meals. When I finished the dresser, I decided to make her two silver bracelets and one gold one.
It war two days afore Christmas when the temperature dropped and the worst blizzard I had ever seen hit. It war so cold that I moved my prisoner from the back room to the floor by the farplace. Iffin I kept 'im in the back, he'd afroze to death. As it war, we still might.