Chapter Eight
Elaina sighed as she stoked the fire. She settled beside it and spread her hands in front of it. Feeling warmer, she drew her legs up under her. She looked down at her belly and thought, I am sorry I didn’t keep my promise, little one. You won’t have your father when you come out to this world.
A tear rolled down her cheek when she felt the baby’s soft kick.
She was reminded of the relief that had washed over her the first time after her accident when the baby kicked.
Though the stranger Running Wolf had told her that her baby was fine, she had not been convinced until she had felt that familiar feeling.
That had been a little moment of peace that she had appreciated more than anything.
That had been three weeks ago. Since then, so many things had happened.
For starters, she was now living alone in a shack farther away from the Indians village.
No one came to these parts so it was perfect.
She was truly grateful to Running Wolf. He had no idea but by allowing her to stay here, he was protecting her from the soldiers that were after her.
She knew without a doubt that they were still searching for her.
Grimsson had killed her husband just to have her.
She was more than convinced that he was not going to stop there.
More than anything, she feared for the life of her child.
Grimsson could use her baby as a bargaining chip or worse still, kill her child just so she won’t have any memory of James.
She shivered at the thought. No matter what happened, she had to protect her baby.
She would not let anything happen to her.
Grimsson had killed James, but he would not hurt her baby.
She would kill him before he had his way.
She ran a hand over her face and sniffed.
She had to stop crying and develop a thick skin if she was going to be able to protect her baby.
While she was with the Indians, they were safe.
But as soon as she has her baby, they would have to leave this place and once again, they would be exposed to the dangers out there.
They would have to face trouble head-on as soon as they were out of here.
The sound of a hooting owl caused her to jolt in her seat.
She looked around and swallowed hard. It’s fine, it’s fine, she kept saying within herself.
She thought she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and rose to her feet.
It was about time she went inside, she concluded.
She quickly drenched the fire and headed into the shack.
She slipped the piece of wood that served as her lock in place and settled under the deerskin that served as her blanket.
Everything is fine, you are safe out here, she kept telling herself repeatedly.
It was the only choice she had. Thinking that there was danger out there was not going to help her in any way.
Since she moved to the village weeks ago, Elaina had not uttered a word asides James’ name. She was too tired to speak and she was afraid of being found. And she was not even worried. She was too exhausted to worry about anything but her baby. Her baby was her world now.
“Live well, for me, for yourself and for our baby! Love again!” James’ last words to her caused her to sniffle.
Live well, she had no choice. For her child to live well, she had to live well too.
She would keep that promise. But to love again?
That was never going to happen. The only space left in her heart was for no one else but her child.
All her love was for her child. She could not bring herself to love anyone else, or start anew with another person that was not James.
Elaina sighed. It hurt thinking of James, a great deal. Would she ever get over the pain? That was the last thought in her head before she drifted off.
*
Running Wolf quickly darted behind a tree when he saw her looking in his direction. She looked away and he gently stepped out of his hiding place. He tilted his head as he watched her. The fire cast a golden glow on her face.
“She is too close to the fire,” Running Wolf muttered under his breath as he watched her place her hands over the fire.
He ran a hand through his hair as he said, “Is the shack too cold? Why else would she be out here when she should be sleeping at this time? I really should do some work on the shack.”
But is it necessary? She will soon be leaving after all, a voice said in his head.
Running Wolf frowned and looked back at her.
It had been weeks of her staying on the property and for the past weeks, he was always hovering around, watching her and ensuring that she was in no danger.
Chito was not going to like it one bit. He knew that all too well.
Still, he could not leave her to fend for herself in a strange place.
So what if he left bundles of wood in the wood box or baskets of fruits close to the door?
There was nothing wrong with that, absolutely nothing wrong.
It was not like he was talking to her. He was keeping his distance but helping from afar.
Yes, no one said anything against doing that, right?
So what if Chito would have a field day?
He would just have to use the same reasoning with him.
An owl hooted loudly just then and he watched her look around in fear. His eyes followed her as she drenched the fire and hurried into the shack. He sighed in relief. He preferred that she was inside at this time. She was safer in the shack than out here in the open.
Satisfied and knowing he would be able to sleep now, Running Wolf headed back to his tepee.
He laid his head on the deerskin pillow and closed his eyes.
Her face hovered in his head and he felt the pounding in his chest once again.
Running Wolf’s eyes flew open and he ran a tired hand through his hair.
Of course he was worried about her. She reminded him a lot about Fala.
That was the reason for his interest and the worry he felt for her.
There was nothing else there. She was a pale face but she was still a pregnant one. He could not just ignore that fact.
He turned on his side as he tried not to think of her sleeping in the shack so close to the forest. She had been sleeping there for a while now.
It was safe as safe could be. She would be fine.
Yes, she would be fine. He really had nothing to worry about, he decided.
What he needed to do now was sleep. Yes, he had to sleep.
The next morning, Running Wolf found himself in front of the elders of his tribe.
“Why do you delay your vision quest, Running Wolf?” his Chief asked. “You should have left two weeks ago.”
“I have just been very busy,” Running Wolf told them firmly.
“Busy with what? Perhaps with your new guest?” One of the elders quirked a brow.
“What did you say?”
“Did you honestly think that we would not know about the pale face you brought into our lands? That it would go unnoticed by us?” The Chief hissed.
“Well, I did not bring her into our lands. She washed up on the river bank. Surely, you understand that I could not leave her there. That would have been wrong.”
“She is a pale face!” one of the elders thundered.
“But first, she is a human,” Running Wolf replied quietly. “She is a human and my duty to her as a fellow human was to save her and the child she is carrying. She is not in our lands but rather, she rests at the outskirts. She also is not causing any problem to us. So what then is the problem?”
“The problem is that you brought a pale face onto our territory, Running Wolf. You might be the head warrior of the village but that gives you no right to do this, no right whatsoever!”
“I understand your anger, Elder Kahona, but I do hope you understand, the young woman was drenched, hurt and caught in the cold. I certainly could not push her back into the river. She poses no threat to the village so I see no wrong in the action I carried out. I hope you will come to understand as well,” Running Wolf bowed his head in respect.
The fuming elder opened his mouth to speak again when the Chief raised his hand, signifying that he wanted order, “That is enough. Running Wolf, you have never acted without reason and you have always put the welfare of our people at the forefront. Just as always, I will trust you this time. This pale face can be under your protection for however long as you see fit. However, she should have no contact with our people.”
“Thank you, Chief.”
“Now, when will you be going on your vision quest?” The Chief eyed him.
“Soon, my Chief. I will go on my vision quest soon. You have no worries there. I shall leave on my vision quest as soon as I know it is the right time to go.”
“And the right time to leave could be in two years, right?” Elder Kahona hissed. He turned to the Chief, “You have provided him the option of keeping that pale face in the village forever. I do not like that.”
“The decision is not yours to make, Kahona,” the Chief said calmly. “I trust Running Wolf as he has never failed us. If he says this woman is not dangerous, why don’t we take his word for it? After all, he has never failed us before.”
“There can be a first time for everything. Running Wolf does not know everything.”
“I understand that, and it is for that reason this pale face is not allowed into the village and is restricted to just the outskirts. Now, if we are all in agreement, we can pull this to meeting to a close.”
Running Wolf bowed in greeting and headed out of the camp. He ran a hand through his hair and headed up the path that led out of the village.
“Running Wolf!” a voice called to him.
Running Wolf sighed as he turned around.
He already knew who the caller was and frankly, he did not want to stay behind to talk.
He had more important things to do. A woman in a long deerskin dress approached him just then.
She was Atola, the daughter of Elder Kahona who had been at Running Wolf’s throat all through the meeting.
“I am glad to see you here. You don’t come into the village anymore. We barely see you ever since you moved out.” she said with a sly smile.
“I am in a hurry right now. So, if you could go straight to the point,” Running Wolf said quickly.
“Oh,” she was visibly taken aback. She cleared her throat and said, “I heard that there is a pale face living in your supply shack. Is that true? Who is she to you?”
“Someone I saved and offered help when she needed it. Is there anything else you would like to know? Although I am sure your father will fill you in on all the happens of the meeting.”
Atola’s mouth fell open and she gaped. It was only for a second, then, she said, “You certainly are in a bad mood than usual. What? The meeting did not go the way you wanted. Well, you cannot blame the elders for being against your dangerous act, Running Wolf. I mean, you brought a pale face into our lands. You surely did not think that we would be happy, did you?”
Running Wolf shook his head as he turned around. He continued up the path he had been headed on, ignoring her calls. Running Wolf sighed as he roamed through the fields. His vision quest, he had to go. He knew that. Still, he could not bring himself to leave her behind. She was all alone.
Who would help her with the wood? The fruits?
Who would protect her? Sure, he was always helping her from the shadows but he did not mind that.
She had someone on her side and that was what mattered to him.
She was a pale face, and she was pregnant.
That was a fact he could not ignore no matter how hard he tried, and he really had tried.
Out of routine, Running Wolf found himself staring at the shack.
She was seated by the stream which ran through the front of the shack.
Every now and then, he saw her seated there, just staring.
He could only wonder the heavy thoughts that were running through her head.
How could he possibly leave her behind? She did not even speak!
How could she ever call for help? Running Wolf shook his head.
He had to be here for her for whenever she needed him, even if she did not ask.
She turned in his direction just then and Running Wolf quickly jumped out of view.
He peeked and saw that she was still staring in his direction.
Her gaze was like fire, like always, those eyes felt as if they were looking straight into his soul.
Swallowing hard, Running Wolf approached her.
He could not understand why he was feeling nervous.
He was Running Wolf, head warrior of the Northern Choctaw Tribe. He had no reason to feel nervous. He stopped in front of her. She tilted her head as she looked up at him. Her red curls laid over her shoulder and her eyelids fluttered as she stared closely at him.
“Uh… I’m coming from a meeting with the Chief and the elders of the village,” Running Wolf blurted out.
He figured he needed to have a reason for being at her house.
He certainly could not say it was because he wanted to check on her.
After all, he had said he would keep his distance.
Him watching her from afar was not keeping his distance.
She looked at him anxiously, waiting for what more he had to say and probably the meeting’s conclusion.
“Oh, so after lots of talk, it was settled that you can stay here for the meantime, just like I told you. But, on no account should you go into the main village. Do you understand? In other words, you can stay for the time being and of course, you will leave when I say it is time, and like I told you when you first started staying here, after your childbirth, you will have to leave.”
She nodded and he watched her force a smile.
She ran a hand through her large curls. Her second hand touched her stomach and she smiled affectionately.
Running Wolf felt like the life was knocked out of him seeing her smile.
It was the first real smile he had seen from her and if he thought she was beautiful before, she was absolutely stunning now.
Running Wolf jolted when she waved a hand in front of his face. “Oh yes. So I will leave you to it then.”
She nodded and he could feel her eyes following him as he left. Running Wolf hurried off, determined not to embarrass himself any further.