Kansas.
This morning I rode over to the Cheyenne village and greeted Sasha. “Hello, Sasha. I was wondering if we could talk?”
“We can talk at the fire,” she turned and led the way. “You are aware my husband does not want you here?”
“I’m sure he doesn’t... I am grateful for your invitation inside. Sasha, what happened inside that courthouse yesterday was wrong. I aim to show that. The way your people were treated there was inhumane and unnecessary.”
“I was not there long enough to see anything. Only that the marshall was gun happy and willing to shoot everyone there.”
“I know, I heard the shots,” I nodded. “I am just relieved that Hawk and everyone, including you, made it out okay.”
“She shot a lawyer who was there to help the prisoners.”
“It was wrong, Sasha,” I sighed.
“It usually is when palefaces are involved.”
“I need to know your side of the story, Sasha... I need to share it with everyone and show them the truth.”
“We got word Hawk and Standing Bear were taken to the jail after the raid on the town. They were injured and Tala was allowed to go in to heal them as there was no other doctor. Aware of everyone’s anger, it was decided I would go with her so she would not be alone. The deputy met us and escorted us both to the jail, but when we got there, the Marshall was waving her gun around and threatening everyone. I was asked to leave or get shot. I chose to leave, but there was a man, a lawyer who wanted to help my husband and Chief Standing Bear refused to leave and Marshall Chelsea shot him. That is all I witnessed, I’m afraid.”
“That’s good enough, Sasha. I know it was difficult to talk about and I’m sorry it has to be the truth.”
She thought a moment and then looked at me. “We got news yesterday that Apache village was completely burn down. Were you aware of that?”
I shook my head, remembering Adder saying something about it, but I’d been too dizzy and in shock to hear the full story. “I heard something about it... but it happened just after our saloon was set on fire. Things are getting out of hand, Sasha…”
“We are happy our village is mostly out of harms way, but we are starting to fear no villages will be safe from the palefaces soon.”
“I tried to meet with Chief Standing Bear yesterday... to get his perspective… I had a knife drawn on me. That will be my last trip to Bear River,” I said definitively.
“They are being even more cautions now that the baby has come,” she nodded.
“If he wants to talk he knows where to find me. I’m not going to keep putting my life at risk by trying to create peace between us. I’m done.”
“A beautiful boy,” Sasha went on.
I nodded, not really feeling joy about the new baby. I stood and said, “I should let you get back to things here.”
“Perhaps when enough water has passed under the bridge and palefaces stop their attacks.”
I nodded, knowing it wasn’t only literal but metaphorical. “I can quote you in the paper with this, right Sasha? I want to share your perspective as well as the Apache’s.”
“I only speak the truth,” Sasha shrugged.
“Thank you again for your time. And you can tell Hawk about what happened with me and the Cherokee. Tell him that I wish for peace as much as you all do.”
“We were already aware. We visited with them last night.”
“They told you?” I asked nervously and she nodded. “I don’t know why I bother, Sash. I’m done going out there. I mean that.”
“We all do what we must.”
“I’ve done all I can and I keep getting pushed against a wall. There’s no point.”
“You will find your way, Trin,” Sasha told me as I started to feed a horse an apple.
“I hope so Sasha... The only thing I know for sure is that I have a strong, wonderful man beside me who protects me… Tom and I have been together for a month today.”
“That is nice,” she smiled.
“My brother is with me now too... I hadn’t seen him in over six years.”
“Family is good.”
“He did not come with good news though… He came to tell me our father had been murdered.”
“Sorry to hear that, Trin,” she frowned.
“Do you think that Doe would mind if I ride Luna back home?” I asked her, petting the horse.
“Doe is not here… The choice is Luna’s.”
“What do you say, Luna?” I asked the horse, petting its mane. “Young Doe saw me inside the courthouse that day..” I started. “I probably shouldn’t take her horse. She’d hate me even more.”
“I wouldn’t do that Trin.”
“This stallion is not a good idea? Or I shouldn’t take Young Doe’s horse?” I looked at her.
“This horse is new, not one of ours. So I can’t promise he is safe.”
“I see…” I nodded. “Feel like going for a ride, boy?” I went over to another horse that was there. “I’d rather take a horse that doesn’t belong to the tribe, Sasha. Don’t want to make things worse.”
“Our horses are all free here. They all make their own choices.”
“I understand that I just don’t want to give the wrong impression,” I said and got on the other horse and rode home.
Colorado.
I greeted a man on the street who was headed for the mines and then went went to knock on Adder’s door. He let me in and I took a seat in the living room with him. “Been a hectic couple of days, eh?”
“Aye, damn apaches,” he nodded.
“First the attack on the town, then I went out to get the story in Bear River and got a knife pulled on me, then the saloon gets burned down..”
“Aye, I wanted to talk to you about those things actually.”
“Did you…”
He went up to get something from the table and handed it over to me. “I’ve been preparing a statement I’d like you to print in the paper.”
“Oh really?” I reached for the paper. The article was a response to Chief Nah’s attacks and accusations, saying basically that the town would stand and fight for what was theirs.
“I hope to read that, unedited, in this week’s publication. Seeing as you printed Chief Nah’s rant against us last time.”
“You will,” I nodded, knowing I couldn’t pick and choose sides.
“And I also hope I don’t have to explain to you why you mustn’t print any more of the natives’ tall tales.”
“Adder... We have to be fair and print both sides of the story,” I sighed.
“They have declared war on us all, indiscriminately.”
“What do you want me to do? I stop printing their side, they’ll kill me.”
“Print their propaganda and I’ll arrest you for treason.”
“You can’t... Taurus, come on…” I sighed.
“Your friend Hawk tried to kill me on Sunday. Put an arrow in me.”
“And your friend Chels shot up a Native woman and a lawyer for no reason other than to get them out of the way.”
“They were trespassing on federal government property.”
“Jim was? A lawyer?”
“He was not invited in by the marshal, only the healer was. When he was asked to leave, he refused.”
I slouched in the couch, wondering where the man went that I’d known for so long. “Adder… Are we still friends?”
“Aye we are… They would happily kill us all Trin. I thought your experiences with the Cherokee had opened your eyes.”
“Then as my friend... Tell me what I should do. Not as sheriff but as a friend, who knows how long the Cheyenne have protected me and how I owe my life to Hawk and his tribe. Forget the Apache and the Cherokee… I could care less about what they think of me. Hawk... Sasha... I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for them and you know it.”
“As your friend, Hawk tried to TAKE my life. He’s as much a part of this as the Apache and the Cherokee.”
I pulled my knees up under my chin, resting my forehead against them as Adder continued to pet Saiya. I knew he was right, not that I liked it.
“Your next move is up to you Trin. Just remember whats at stake here though. They’ll kill you too.”
“I know they will... They won’t hesitate. They showed that yesterday enough,” I nodded. “Hawk doesn’t even want me in his village. Sasha just told me that. Maybe I’m not as welcome there as I thought.”
“See? Hawk looks at you and sees a paleface, not a friend,” he nodded. .
“She let me in to talk but the whole time I could tell she didn’t really want me there. What the hell am I doing, Adder? I’m being suicidal.”
“You know the punishment for treason, don’t you?”
“Either way I’m suicidal, Adder. I print it, I get arrested. I don’t print it, I get killed. But I’d rather be taken down by people who don’t want me than people who are my friends and family. The natives are all about protecting their own, right? Their family. Maybe it’s time I realized who my true family is.”
“I understand. We can protect you from them. They can’t protect you from the law And they probably wouldn’t try. You aren’t one of them.”
I started to cry as I reached for my notebook. I ripped out the Native article and gave it to him. “Adder… Throw this in the fire, would you?”
He nodded and stood to take it, throwing it into the fire as I cried into the pillow.
“I should go… Thank you for… Thank you,” I said to him.
“Take care Trin,” he nodded.
I walked outside and found my dog Snow. I pet the dog and took her for a walk. I talked with a woman I didn’t recognize and she introduced herself as Kate. I told her I was going to find my brother and headed home. I unlocked my drawer of my desk and put my gun on my holster. I saw Josh walk in and he looked at me.
“Sis, what is going on?”
“Upstairs,” I said simply and led the way. When we were sitting down I said, “You know how I said I was going out to get the natives’ side of the story yesterday? Before the fire happened at the saloon?”
“Yeah… What happened?”
“No one was at the village in Kansas so I tried to go out to Bear River... I was talking with this one guy and he promised to tell the chief I needed to talk to him. And then this other guy came out and held a knife out to threaten me, then followed me ’till I was cross the river outside of Native territory. Then today I went to see Hawk or Sasha and Sasha was very stand-offish... She seemed like she didn’t even want me there. Then she said.. ‘You know Hawk doesn’t want you here?’ From that point I knew everything had changed…”
“Sis... You can’t go back out there, I wont allow it. Guess ties to the natives will always be rough.”
“I’m done, Josh. I just talked with Adder... He said he’d arrest me for treason if I printed anything more from the Native’s perspective. I want the truth but I’m not suicidal. They can protect me from the Natives... but the Natives can’t and won’t protect me from the law.”
“How is it treason for printing native’s points of view?” he sighed.
“The three native tribes are coming against the town in a war. They’ve pretty much declared it. If I print their side it’s like saying I’m with them.”
“It is freedom of speech and press. You can say anything you like. Or right anything you want.”
“What’s the point?” I shook my head. “The one person I was keeping Native ties for doesn’t even want me in his village. Hawk tried to kill my best friend, Josh. I can’t condone that.”
Josh rubbed my leg and said, “Sis, You always have been fighting for those you care about. But did Hawk know it was your best friend sis?”
“Of course he knew, Josh. I told Hawk everything. I’m sure I mentioned Adder at some point in the ... eight months I’ve known him. Eight months, damn it, Josh... Eight months and it’s all over. Just like that.”
“You have to remember, We as settlers, We came and stole their land away. We are the cause of this so called war. Well not you and I directly, But the town itself is responsible, None of the other towns folk Care how the natives feel. But you sis. You care. You have always cared, and for you to give up so easily like this. This isn’t you sis.”
“They obviously couldn’t care less about me or the position this puts me in. You think this is easy?”
“Look I’m sorry. I know it isn’t easy, You are put into a rough position.”
“I’m between a rock and a hard place and no one seems to care except you and Tom. And well... Adder gets it I guess but he’s the sheriff too. He’s got to side with the town. He can’t be objective and see how hard this is for me.”
“Sis. Maybe you just need to take a break, Besides we should start packing and getting on our journey back home to see mom and for dad’s funeral.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. “Maybe it’ll be good to head out of town for a while.”
“It would do you some good to be back home for a bit and spend sometimes on the ranch,” he said and we started to think about plans for heading home.
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