Georgetown.
This morning I sat in the office and began to work through files about the biggest case from 1862. I read out loud while I scanned over the file. “In 1861, while investigating a railway case, the agency uncovered an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln, where conspirators intended to kill Lincoln in Baltimore during a stop on his way to his inauguration. However, with Pinkerton’s warning, Lincoln’s itinerary was changed. During the Civil War, President Lincoln hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to organize a “secret service” to obtain military information on the Confederates and sometimes act as Lincoln’s bodyguard. Working diligently, Allan Pinkerton traveled under the pseudonym of ‘Major E.J. Allen.’”
Suddenly a female voice shouted then and called, “I’m Looking for Trin! Is Trin here?”
“I’m here, Leotie! I’m in the Pinkerton office!” I shouted back and put the case file aside, standing. “Where are you, Leotie?”
“In the road, near where firwater is drank!”
I nodded, knowing that meant the saloon. “I’ll be right there!”
I went over to her and Leotie came to me, panting to catch her breath. “Trin… Adahy sent me to warn you…”
I saw her coming to the office and said, “Okay, calm down Leotie, Let’s go inside and talk.”
She stopped, swallowing hard. “I ran all the way here, hoping to find you.”
I reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m here. Come on inside, please. Take a seat inside.” We went inside and sat down at the table. “Okay, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“Well… last sun, we were just going about our daily chores, and this paleface woman was on our land. Her husband came too.”
“Did she introduce herself?”
“We heard them talking about claiming land by the paleface settlement, behind our village,” she shook her head.
“Oh really?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yes! They were talking of their firesticks, and i’m not sure, but I think they were drunk on firewater, too. They want to rid the land of the cherokee, my family. This is bad, Trin. A group of outlaws are coming…”
I sighed and shook my head. “This is not good news. Can you describe the couple for me, Leotie?” I asked, pulling out my notebook.
“The woman was paleface, with dark hair. she had knife on her waist, gun on her hip. The man was also paleface, and they both looked dirty, like they had not bathed in weeks. They seem to have been traveling from far away. They spoke with evil in their voices.”
“Did they seem.... together, as in married? Or just partners?”
“They seem married. He called her, ‘sexy baby’ .... such filthy thing to call woman.”
“Do you remember exactly what they said, Leotie?”
“I can’t stay long, but Adahy sent me to tell you of this news this sun, says you need to know, but he couldn’t make it himself.”
“I appreciate you letting me know. Should I help you get back or can you get back safely?”
“Not exact words, but they talk of stealing more land after they come, and ‘scalping us redskins like we skin them’… This land is in danger, Trin… Not only the Cherokee land, but Paleface land, too,” she stood. “I need to go. I am glad you were here. I can make it home. Wado, Trin, for listening.”
“I understand that. I will alert our lawmen and make sure they know about this couple. I just wish they gave names…” I nodded. “Okay Leotie. Thank you for coming to talk to me. Safe paths.”
“I will be back soon, Trin! Safe paths!” she called and ran out of the building.
Wyoming.
I knew that I needed to tell Leu what I’d just heard and went to see him sitting on his front porch.
“Hey Leu,” I greeted him.
“How are you?”
“I have something serious to talk to you about. Can I sit?”
“Sure,” he said and I sat down beside him. “What’s up?”
“I just received some troubling information from Leotie.”
“Okay…?”
“She said that there were two people coming to the village yesterday.. She said it was a man and a woman.”
“I don’t know her but go ahead.”
“She said they seemed to be married… Leotie told me that Adahy wanted her to come and warn me.”
“Hmm and what did they want?”
“They warned that they were gonna come into the village, that they wanted to run the Cherokee off the land.”
“They as in who? Hope they have an army.”
“There was more talk about taking more land and scalping the redskins like they scalped them.”
“I don’t know, that’s the problem,” I shook my head. “She didn’t get any names. The woman was paleface, with dark hair… She had a knife on her waist , a gun on her hip. The man was also a paleface.”
“Well there is so much talk anymore of these people doing this and the indians doing that its starting to become gossip I believe.”
“She said they looked dirty, like they had not bathed in weeks. She said they had evil in their voices.”
“Well again thats most of the people that come thru here.”
“She was seriously upset, Leu. The fact that Adahy sent her all the way to my office to tell me in person, not through a telegraph, tells me that this is serious.”
“Well until something happens I cannot do anything.”
“I understand that, I just wanted you to be on the lookout, as I will be.”
“I sit here everyday and watch folks coming and going all the time. Most come to stare at the Indians then leave. Settlers you know, never seen a red man before.”
“Leu... Adahy sent her to me. To Georgetown. This is not just a passing threat, I can feel it.”
“Well until it becomes a federal case I cannot move on it. Its up to the local law to maintain order
which from what we have seen can’t do squat”
“I just wanted to warn you,” I stood.
“Okay. Two people do not necessarily mean a threat. Probably just some outlaws.”
I looked at him, not sure how else to point out that she is serious about this threat. “Fine, take it lightly. But I don’t intend on taking anything lightly.”
“Well eventually the Indians will be pressed into war and then it will get nasty. The local law needs to get off their asses. And as far as the Indians losing their lands…. This land was assigned as their reservation, if the land is given away it will be the federal government doing it. They need to control their outlaws.”
“Then I’ll go home and talk to the marshal,” I sighed, feeling frustrated. “Have a good day, Leu.”
“Good day,” he said and I headed home.
Georgetown.
I walked over to the newspaper office and sent a news telegram to inform the city and then saw Leu and Ahawi walking past the news window. I walked outside but they were gone already and I looked around to see if I’d missed anything.
I went back to work and continued to read old files about the Pinkertons’ past cases. It was amazing to read and then I saw a woman walk by and a man run after her. I walked outside and found them standing by the stables. They told me they were looking for a new house and I let them continue and went back to my office to continue reading.
***
I was sitting on the chair of my balcony when Suzy walked over. I waved her up and showed her the new place. I pointed out that the view wasn’t the best since it over-looked Icca’s place, but other than that it was good. We talked about the telegraph I’d sent out and we waved at John who walked by. We went to the saloon with him and talked for a while and he continued to drink until glasses started to fall over.
“Easy there, cowboy,” I reached for his arm. “Sit back down for a sec.”
He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “I know you are trying to be nice… but don’t tell me to watch my drinking.”
“I ain’t tellin you to watch your drinkin. I’m tellin you to watch your gettin’up too fast,” I looked at him. He smirked and sat back down and I rolled my eyes at him. He pulled out his gun and started twirling it around and I reached over for his arm again. “I don’t think so.” He dropped the gun on the ground, letting a round go off blasting out the glass behind Suzy, making her stare blankly at him. I jumped and swore at him as he just laughed. Thankfully he left the gun on the ground and I looked over at him. “You wanna tell me what’s wrong, John?”
“Nothin’ is wrong with big John,” he chuckled and I rolled my eyes at him again.
“You alright, girl?” I looked over at Suzy with worry.
“I uh… Yeah, I’m fine…” she looked down at the floor.
Wahya came in and I pet the dog happily, glad she was there. I tried to get Suzy to talk to me but she was quiet. I decided to take her back to my place as John asked which one of us cooked. We slowly got up and I told him to walk it off and then led Suzy back to my place as another gunshot went off.
Adahy, Little Rock and Leotie walked over then and greeeted them.
“Osiyo, Trin. Has been long time,” Adahy said to me.
“It has been, a very long time.”
“I heard you were injured by bear. It is good to see you up and walking,” he frowned.
I watched Suzy head off towards home and sighed with worry. “
Yes, I’m wandering around again. Your tribe was very helpful in healing that wound.”
“Good. Would not want to see you come to harm.”
“Someone lock the dam Deputy up please!!” Downy shouted then as we heard him roaring like a bear and I sighed.
“What is that?” Adahy wondered.
I shook my head, wishing Duke or Chet were there since I couldn’t arrest. “We should go up to my apartment and chat. It’ll be safer up there.”
“Ah-se-hi, Trin. Let us go,” Adahy nodded.
We went upstairs and I locked the door when we were all inside. I showed them around and we sat down on the couch.
“I do not remember your other place, this seems nice,” Adahy said.
“So what brings you to my neck of the woods?” I asked, then made them some tea and water.
“You damn Indians think that’s funny? You’re all under arrest now!” John shouted then and I jumped, telling myself to relax.
“Ignore him,” I muttered. “It truly is good to see you again, Adahy. It’s been far too long.”
“Yes...too many suns since we last spoke. Many things have changed.”
“This is true. We have much to catch up on,” I said, watching Adahy call Leotie his love as they took a seat on the couch. “What can I do for you all? Though if it’s a social visit I’m glad you came for that as well!”
“Just had not spoken with you in many suns, wanted to see how you were. And share stories,” Adahy said.
“I am glad to hear that. We have much to share,” I smiled. “Well... Where do we even start? I don’t even remember the last time I saw you, Adahy. I heard that you became war chief.”
“Trin, these men .... why do they shout like that?” Leotie asked as John and Downy continued to shout back and forth.
“He’s been drinking a bit too much,” I looked at her.
“Yes… it is true, Trin,” Adahy nodded.
“I’ll admit, I was shocked to hear the news” I looked at him. I thought about the threat I received from the chief and wondered if I should tell them now.
“It was necessary. Tribe needs someone to train new braves and warrior women, and many outlaws have been seen. Many words reach our ears also of these outlaws.”
“Leotie told me this morning of a couple she’d seen over in Wyoming. I sent out a telegraph about it around town to make sure everyone knew the description of them.”
“We saw the woman again on our way here ….” Leotie nodded.
“Did you?”
“Yes, we did,” Adahy nodded. “Did she speak with you?”
“She seemed to busy studying cliffs,” Adahy shook his head.
“So she was over in the hills then,” I nodded.
“Why must white men at let wild animals?” Little Rock shook his head as John shouted that he would find the Natives later.
“Yes ... she was there alone, though,” I nodded and looked at Little Rock. “Because they drink things they shouldn’t and that makes them people they would rather forget they were in the morning. I have news to tell you as well… Things that have been happening around here, that will possibly affect your village.”
“Like what?” Little Rock asked.
“What’s that?” Leotie asked.
“We attempted to arrest Iccabod last week,” I took a deep breath.
“Tell us of this news from you, Uh-gee-luh,” Adahy used the Cherokee word for ‘sister’ as he addressed me.
“Sadly we were not successful…” I sighed.
“This man is more slippery than snake in grass,” Adahy frowned.
“I was speaking with a U.S. Marshal here in town now about all that Icca had done in Wyoming, shooting the Chief, shooting at me…”
“Who is Iccabod?” Little Rock asked.
“He will face stone faces and many arrows if Icca man comes near village,” Adahy nodded.
“Icca is the one who shot down the Chief. See that’s the thing, Adahy. He already has come near the village again. I’ll get to that in a bit though. I’m getting ahead of myself,” I felt myself flustered even just at the thought of Chet and I could see Leotie giving me a knowing glance. “See I was telling Chet, the marshal, about what Icca had done... and he was quite upset. He said that we should go arrest him, at that moment. As he has the power and jurisdiction to being a marshal. I knew that Icca was holding a funeral for Bill Anderson, the brother of Jesse James.”
“I have not met this Mar-shul? Is similar to Shur-iff Hunter?” Adahy nodded.
“He isn’t held back by jurisdiction. He can arrest wherever crimes happen,” I looked at him but I could tell he was still confused. “Anyway.. We go to the funeral house and started to tell Icca that he was under arrest for shooting at me. He seemed insistent that he had already been arrested for that crime, though I don’t remember that happening. Well Chet was getting on him a bit, even more aggressive, and then Jesse began to pull out his guns…” I swallowed hard, still feeling guilty. “I told Chet that we should just go, that he wasn’t worth this... But he… He stayed inside a second longer and got shot down. He told me later it was Jesse who did it. But that allowed us to put out a warrant on Icca for resisting arrest and harboring a fugitive and attempted murder. Not to mention a warrant on Jesse for shooting a lawman.”
“Is Chet okay?” Little Rock asked.
“Chet is fine now, thank you for asking,” I nodded. “It took a few days but he was back up and running. We actually met with a man named Vito the other night… He agreed to um, take care of the problem with Icca.” I looked at them, wondering if they’d understand what I meant.
“So a hunter of men? Like blond hair Shur-iff was?” Adahy looked up.
“But not restricted by methods of law. I tell you this to show you that Chet, and I, are serious about Icca being taken care of.”
“Good. He is a menace. But if he comes into Cherokee lands, he will face Cherokee justice.”
“And if that weren’t enough proof I segue into my next story… I was over speaking with Little Rock the other day at the entrance to the village, You remember Little Rock? I saw a smoke signal coming from Canna’s cabin up by the trading post. I went over to investigate and found Canna on the floor, her arm bleeding. Ahawi came over and helped us heal her... But she told me that Icca was the one who shot her down. She said he uses her as target practice often.”
“So this… Icca… Is still around,” Leotie’s brows furrowed.
“She was insistent on getting revenge on him so we tried to follow him through the mines. We lost him somewhere along the way though. And now… I live across the street from the man. Smart right?” I sighed, but knew I had no choice.
Adahy turned to gaze out the window. “Icca live across street?”
“The big scary black building beside the cemetery. Which brings me to my next and final point.. That I’ve been holding back.” I took a deep breath, nervousness showing on my face as I swallowed hard, conflict obvious in my eyes. I looked over at Adahy, knowing this was hardest to share with him, but he needed to know. Manipi trotted over to me and nuzzled my hand. I pet him behind the ear, grateful for his presence. “The reason I haven’t been to the village much…” I went on. “I have been holding it back because it was so troubling. But I don’t think I can hide it anymore.The chief he... he came into town a while back… Was running around looking at the buildings, I thought it was suspicious so I followed him from a distance. Eventually I realized that that would look worse so I just went over to him and asked him what he was doing. He told me to tell him where Icca lived.” I swallowed hard, making eye contact directly with Adahy. “He told me…” I choked up, looking away. “He told me to tell him where Icca lived... Because he wanted revenge for getting shot... Or else…”
“Yes...Chief still feels much anger to Icca,” Adahy finally interjected.
“Or else he would take me captive and lure the palefaces out to find me, and then take the silence in the town to go and hunt down Icca,” I pulled my knees closer to me and started shaking at the thought as Adahy and Leotie looked at me with surprise in their eyes.
“Chief would surely do no such thing… must have been anger talking with loud words. I do not believe for one moment he would do this, Trin,” Adahy insisted.
“I finally told him which building was his and he said that if we go to war, he would spare my life for telling him,” I said.
“I think Chief just wanted to say what he needed to make you show him where Icca lives,” Leotie nodded.
I shook my head, seeing the confused look in Adahy’s eyes, knowing that was the reaction I’d feared the most. “That’s why I didn’t come to the village much after that... And then when the natives came and helped heal me after that bear attack… I knew that I had to come and thank you all but I…”
“Trin… listen to my words carefully,” Adahy said after a while and I stopped and looked at him. “Chief is a man with pride, and he has been attacked by this Icca at least twice. Any Cherokee Warrior would want to take his revenge against cowardly attacks. But Chief cannot declare war against Georgetown. Only council can decide that. And Council has not made any such choice.” I nodded as he talked, hiding my face against my knees, still terrified at the fact that Chief could hear that I told them about this threat and come after me. “And if....IF....declaration of war were made. I am War Chief. I am the one that would direct our braves and warrior women. Not Chief..”
I nodded, suddenly relieved about his new position. Tears started to stream down my face as I looked at him. “Adahy if Chief finds out that I…”
“What I have seen is outlaws, marauders...they stir trouble and violence. Then they come to Georgetown to hide in their large asis,” Adahy said.
“But he is chief of the whole village, right?” Little Rock asked.
“These outlaws are greatest danger to Cherokee and to Georgetown now. They cause bad blood,” Adahy said and looked at Little Rock. “Ah-se-hi Brother. In time of peace, White Chief leads tribe.” He looked back at me as I continued to shake in fear. “Trin. Chief has reason for much anger at Icca. And I too would kill this man on sight if I see him outside of Georgetown. But you have always been friend to Cherokee...and still are. I will ask Brother why he made such threats.”
“Adahy, no,” I shook my head. “Just let it be. He won’t do it now, since I told him where Icca lives.”
“No, I must,” Adahy shook his head. “Even if he is Chief, he should not act alone in making acts that would be seen as acts of war.”
“But…” I swallowed hard but he gave me a look showing me he was resolute in his decision. “He’ll be even more upset with me when he finds out I told you of his threat to me.” I muttered to myself that I might as well just cut off some hair now and give it to them.
“You must not worry, Trin,” Little Rock looked at me with concern. “Whatever may happen is not of our control. It’s upsetting, but that’s the way things are.”
“He is man of peace, and even though mighty as bear, he is man of reason. I am certain he said this only to find out where Icca lived, and there was no substance to this threat,” Adahy said.
“I hope you’re right,” I looked at Adahy.
“But I still must ask him of it. Chief or no, he cannot stir tensions at large between Cherokee and Georgetown,” Adahy said.
“Listen…” I gathered myself. “I’ve been coming to the village because your people have healed me and our lawmen several times lately. When I talked to Little Rock that day and saw the smoke signal, I was on my way to talk to the Chief about all this, but he wasn’t there. I need to speak with him, directly, in order to get rid of the tension between us. He will be even more upset when he finds out I’ve used a third party.”
“Then come, let us see if he is at village. There is no reason for this to fester like a wound.”
I shook my head, knowing I was too emotional tonight. I swallowed hard and said, “You know, Adahy, I really hate it when you’re right sometimes,” I sighed.
“Let us return to village, and see if Chief is there. We will heal this wound and make this done.” We stood then and I looked over at Adahy, still unsure. “This is best, Trin,” he insisted and led the way after taking a long look at Icca’s house.
I then asked if we could bring Chet along and they said that he could come with as long as he didn’t wear guns. I went to talk to him but it took some convincing to get him to leave the guns at home. I introduced him to the others and they were pleased to meet him.
Wyoming.
We walked over to the village and I hesitated, looking at Chet for confidence. He insisted we would be okay as Adahy told Chief that he’d asked me to come and I noticed the chief’s frown.
“Why you bring her hear?” he asked and I knew this was a bad idea.
“It is time to end this tension,” Adahy said.
“Osiyo Trin,” Ahwai greeted us.
“Osiyo. This is my... friend Chet. He’s a U.S. Marshal and comes unarmed,” I introduced.
Chet removed his hat and said, “I am Marshal Torok. It’s an honor to be here.”
Chief stood, looking unhappy at our interruption of his evening, as Adahy spoke. “Many suns ago, you yourself named Trin as friend of village. Told me to work with her to share stories between our people. Now, there is talk of threats, of angered words. This needs to be cleared.”
“Brother, this I did… But I have come to not trust this one,” Chief looked at Adahy and I swallowed hard.
“Tell me why, Brother.”
“I think she friend of indian one day, Paleface the next. I do not know which path she walk.”
“Now look here pilgrim, she came here… brought me to unarmed if thats not sign of trust I don’t think anything is,” Chet said and I squeezed his hand to quiet him and let Adahy guide the conversation.
“You are on our land. You will speak in turn,” Adahy looked at him.
“Many moons ago… when my path first cross with hers, she quick to say she does not carry weapons. Now she carry them,” Chief said and looked at Chet. “My name is Chief Standing Bear, not ‘pilgrim’. That Paleface name.”
I lifted my arms to show that I wasn’t wearing any weapons right now and Chet said, “She carries them because times ain’t always safe, and I not meaning no disrespect but sometimes things change but not the person.”
“Brother you are honorable man, what is it you wish to accomplish by bring her here?” Chief asked.
“Can I?” I asked Adahy and he held up his hands.
“You two have spoken as friends in past. If that has changed, and it sounds like you have decided it is so, then it should be known to all,” Adahy said. I knew I never meant for there to be any distrust between us as Adahy went on. “We stand in troubled times. If what was arranged before is over, then I want to hear it from your lips Brother. And want Trin to hear it too, so all know. My ears here two stories. It is time to hear only one.”
The chief started to think and said, “Brother, your heart is good, I do not question that, but to ask me to be friends with this one is like asking me to be friends with the rattlesnake that just bit me and causes me to face death.”
“Chief…” I coughed but Adahy gave me a ‘not now’ look.
“I do not ask you to be friends. I ask you to speak your thoughts,” Adahy shook his head at the chief.
“Then I shall speak, brother.” He looked around and pointed to me. “Many moons ago she come to village, say bad men chase her, and she need protection. I listened to her words and felt compassion for her, she carried no weapon, traveled alone and give visions of lawless and cruel men who she said were searching for her. I angered many of my people to because I allowed her to live in an asi under the protection of our people, so these men could not harm her. My people accused me of aiding the enemy… saying she should not be given refuge in our village, that when the men came to get her… Cherokee blood would spill because of us protecting her. I believed what I was doing was right and honorable, and stood firm on my decision. No men every came, no one saw these men who supposedly existed and were searching for her.”
“But they did…” I started.
“You will have turn to speak…” Adahy said and I sighed.
“Then moons later… she began to carry weapons.”
“Because they…” I started but then stopped myself.
“She try to get me to come to land called Kansas, I think it was to set trap. I did not go. Then she talk to many paleface and we see less and less of her.”
“Chief, your mercy on Trin is as great as the sky and it also means that you and your people are always welcome in town and are under the law’s protection. We are not your enemy, even if for some reason my people ’n yours went to war this lady would not be your enemy,” Chet said then and I squeezed his hand to shush him.
“You will show respect..Chief is speaking!” Adahy said to him.
“My people began to ask questions,” Chief went on. “‘Why she spend so much time with them? Does she take secrets to them? Does she put us in danger by walking in both worlds’? Then I myself began to watch her more closely and I began to lose the trust I had placed in her,” he said and I wondered what changed. “Brother… this sun I cannot tell you I will be her friend, maybe later if she show me she is trustworthy, I will be her friend. I will not attack her or harm her, that much I can do. I will agree to a time of peace with her, and she must use that time to show me I can trust her. If I find she is aiding paleface against us, I will kill her myself. These are my words.”
Adahy nodded and looked at me. I took a deep breath and looked directly at Adahy, not looking at the Chief as Adahy said, “Chief Standing Bear has spoken his words. Now you may speak yours. He offers you chance to show there is trust to be built. What do you say to this?”
“When I came to your village, I was scared for my life. There were very real outlaws after me and ones who were following me wherever I went. For a while, they did not come. I wasn’t sure if I was going crazy or if there was still a very real threat that they could show up… I took the time to get to know this tribe, to understand the culture, to actually spend time in conversation… I never wore a weapon, I always called across before I came… Then Kale got shot down by Buu, one of the outlaws who I was running from.. I came to the tribe for help, knowing that they could protect me from him. I worked as an investigator, a newspaper publisher. I had to deal with paleface as they are my people, like the Natives deal with other Natives. The natives saw this as a threat and eventually I realized it was not safe for me to be around them as much as I was. So I took some time away to figure out where I belonged. I moved to Georgetown… Only to find out that an associate with the biggest gang that I was running from lived right there in that very town still. I came to the village when I became a Pinkerton... I thought that if they saw I was law now, then maybe I would have more ability to do something about the outlaws that were attacking them… As chief has said, their vision of me wearing a gun must have left a negative impression, one of distrust… But it was no longer safe for me to come from the city to the village, so I needed protection… As I continued to work at the Pinkerton office I then heard of the chief being shot down in Wyoming. I ran out to help him, not thinking of the danger it would cause me by being out there alone…” I said as I watched Chet head home to respond to a call for help from town. In the process, I myself also got shot down and Dark Rain healed us both… Then I had to watch as they were violent with one of the women who was shooting... They cut her hair and cut a bear shape in her hand. Then chief asked if I wanted to take part. As if he had not been paying attention the last few months… As if he didn’t remember that the biggest outlaw I had been running from had done the exact same thing to me, by cutting a cut on my forearm..”
I swallowed hard and continued. “From this moment, things began to change. I wondered if I could really trust the chief, or his tribe, if this was how they administered justice. Then... I got attacked by that bear. And the natives came to heal me. I heard that the natives were instrumental in healing our lawmen so I came out to thank whoever was here. I spoke with Red Dwarf and Ahawi... and Leotie…” I looked around the circle of Natives surrounding me. “I began to try to reconnect with the tribe, to reestablish peace even though things with the chief were still severed. Then... the incident in front of Icca’s office happened. From that moment, even though he promised to spare me if a war should occur, I felt as if trust had disappeared.I tried to arrest Icca myself, with Chet... but then Jesse shot him down. Then Canna got shot down by Icca out in Wyoming… I ran out to help her, not thinking of my own safety, and went out after Icca with her but we lost him.” I looked between Adahy and the Chief. “We are both workinig towards the same goal. We want the outlaws taken care of, we just go about them in different ways.”
“Now, I have my words to say,” Adahy said as I finished and took a deep breath to listen to him. “For many suns and moons, I have watched Georgetown as scout to this tribe, as my Chief wished. And I remember the words of Chief telling me to speak with you, Trin, so we would know of matters that happen. This cloud of trust, then mistrust, has cast much shadow...caused strong feelings and words. But I was there when this outlaw was shooting from ridge line. When he shot Chief, and shot you. And I remember going to Georgetown, and hearing that snake lie to everyone about honor, and playing at war. I have watched passes many suns. I do not see the people of Georgetown coming here to attack Cherokee. And Cherokee do not go to Georgetown to bring fights to paleface there. But I see these outlaws, and how they strike like vipers. And how their acts cause poison between both whites and natives. There are differences in our peoples. Your justice is not our justice. Nor will it ever be. We have traditions, and we hold to them sacred. You were offered great honor by Chief when Firehair woman that attacked you, and Chief was captured. Think on this. How many whites would be given trust to give Cherokee justice to an outlaw woman?” he looked at me. “Yes is it not your way. But see it as the honor it was given. And just now, Chief offers you chance to rebuild his trust. I say it is time for these clouds of distrust to be cleared between you two. There are many dangers coming. Outlaws, marauders and desperate men walk in lands of Cherokee and in paleface town. I say you take this offer to heart. Let this trust be built. I remember words of Ahawi....and wise words they were. She said, ‘We should consider how we deal with the law-men of the whites. To see if trust can be built.’ What will come between our peoples...I cannot say. That is decision of council. But between you, and my Brother...start fresh on path of trust. These are my words, to let the past be the past. Let the future be the future. On this I say no more.”
Ahawi yawned then and said, “Husband, our child needs rest now.”
“I agree,” I nodded. “Let’s leave the past where it belongs and start fresh.”
“Brother, the words I spoke are my words for now,” Chief said. “I must take wife to rest now. She is weary.”
“We both have different ways of dealing with justice. Let’s agree to disagree and accept that we’re working towards the same end. At least communication is open again.”
“Safe paths,” Chief nodded to me.
“Ah-se-hi, Brother. I will see Trin safe path back to Georgetown, as she came unarmed,” Adahy nodded. “Then once wife is rested, if you wish to speak to me, I am yours.”
“Sleep well family, I must rest,” Ahawi said and walked back to the village with the chief.
“Let’s go, Adahy,” I said and walked out of the village with him.
When we reached the edge of town he said, “You will be safe to town from here, Trin.”
“Thank you Adahy,” I nodded. “I appreciate your help in this… It was not an easy conversation.”
“Remember this night, the words said, and that your path starts new,” he held my gaze. “There is no more cloud of shadow of past, or of words not said.”
“We will agree to disagree in our methods, knowing that we work for the same goal.”
“Now, I must return, for Brother will surely have words of his own to say to me.”
We said goodnight and I head home to lay in bed, exhausted from the long, emotional conversation. I wondered if my voice was really heard and if we really could start over from here.
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