Chapter 6-2
2080 Words
He stood tall and strong, thinking before responding. “Help I can offer you with nourishment and drink, but with witches, my spirit I hold close.” He made the cry of a bird and two natives came to him carrying bags. “I will share what we have to eat but we must leave you now. The war painted on your face is not one we would embrace.”
“Are you such cowards that you let the Shawnee steal your own land and do nothing to fight back?”
Renée shot an angry glance at Jeremiah. “Be still and do not taunt our friends.”
The Indian leader nodded. “Your woman is wise and your white skin knows not what you speak in this land.”
Jeremiah laughed. “My white skin does not turn yellow and run from danger.” He pointed all around him. “The Shawnee killed men here and you will not help us to find the White Hand Witch?”
“Little one, the women and children in our tribe need us to bring them food and not war.”
“No, you would rather stand by and let the Shawnee r**e your land. Maybe when they’re finished, they’ll come for your women as well.”
Renée grabbed Jeremiah by the arm and pulled him back to her. “Silence.”
“I will not be silent. Murder took place here and from what I can see more than one man died. We need help.” His neck flushed from his anger.
“And taunting a man to leave his family to come fight with us will not help anyone. Be still.”
“I do not taunt a man. I speak words at a coward.” Jeremiah spat on the ground.
In a flash, the Indian leader curled his arm back and punched Jeremiah in the face. He fell backward on the ground and Renée stepped between them. “Stop this nonsense!” She held both arms out to shield each from further harm.
“Finally, the native shows some courage. Maybe when the Shawnee take his wife and sisters, he will speak up in time to help them.”
Renée turned on him with violence. “Shut up.” She coiled the strength within her and focused her power.
He laughed at her, standing back up. “And if I don’t, what would you do to me?”
“Have you lost your senses?” She stared at him in disbelief and watched as the native’s comrades came closer, circling them.
“No, I’ve finally gained them.” Jeremiah stood before Renée and smiled. “Don’t you know me?”
Renée held her tongue and the natives stayed back as well.
“It’s taken me long enough to find you, but find you I did.” Jeremiah posed like a woman eyeing herself in the mirror and said, “Yes, that’s right. I’m here. I’m Queen Mab and I’ve come a long way to help you out and help you I will.”
Renée rushed forward and pulling a small knife from a concealed spot she stabbed at Jeremiah’s heart. He easily sidestepped her attack, grabbed her arm and forced her to drop the weapon.
“Tsk. Tsk. Is this how you treat someone who wants to help you?” He swung his finger back and forth at her.
“Leave us now!” Renée broke from Jeremiah’s grasp and stood back.
Looking around, she noticed that all of the natives had left. No one remained to help her. Jeremiah stood tall and folded his hands behind him. He nodded over to where the natives had been and said, “Looks like their help didn’t last long.”
“Do not say another word.” Renée gathered her magic to herself and prepared to fight.
“Truly I mean you no harm.” Jeremiah remained still and then glanced off to the west. “Cinderella isn’t as far away as we thought. Together with our magic, we could reach her before the sun sets.”
“I will not work with you. You have tortured and killed my family.” Renée rushed forward again and threw herself at him, trying to punch him and scratch at his eyes.
Jeremiah grabbed her arms and held her still. “I have done no such thing.”
“Liar. You are a liar. You tortured my sister many years ago and then killed my parents and brother.” She struggled with him but he pushed her away and knocked her to the ground.
“You have a French accent.” Jeremiah stepped back from her and a worried look crossed his face. “I have not been to France in long, long time.”
“Yes, I know.” Renée stood up and breathed heavily, waiting to attack him again after she had rested a bit. “When I was a child, you murdered my family.”
“No, that’s not possible.” Jeremiah looked away toward the sun that hung low in the sky. Only a few hours of light remained for the day. “I have not been to France since before you were born.”
“I tire of your lies!” Renée gathered her strength and cast her spell of protection.
Jeremiah as Mab waved his hand and deflected the spell. “Sit. Now!”
Renée fell back to the ground and obeyed. She struggled to get up, but could not.
“I swear to you that I did not harm your family.”
“Your word is nothing to me. I have sworn my last breath to find and kill you.” Renée spat at him and clenched her teeth trying to rise from the ground but could not.
“There is nothing I can do to convince you, but I can show you that I speak the truth.”
“Your magic will simply create illusions and you think me so weak to be tricked by you. But I will not believe you.”
Jeremiah reached down and picked the knife up from the ground and handed it back to Renée. She tried to stand up, but still could not. “We have not time for this nonsense. Listen to me.”
Renée grunted and stopped struggling.
Jeremiah stood before her and then sat down close to her. “Use you magic on me. See that I tell the truth.”
“You have ways to trick me.” Renée held up her hand and concentrated. She allowed her magic to flow through her.
“If you sense falseness in me, then take the knife and I will allow myself to become your prisoner. Hurry, we have not much time. Cinderella needs our help!”
Renée leaned forward and she discovered that Mab’s magic no longer kept her stationary. She rocked forward onto her knees and then put her hand on Jeremiah’s forehead. She concentrated and searched for the truth.
Jeremiah kept calm and opened his arms up to her. “See?”
Renée finished her spell and then, quick as a snake, she held the knife at Jeremiah’s throat. “You do not lie to me, but I know not how you are tricking me but you do. You are the mother of all tricksters.”
“Wonderful. Now can we go and help Cinderella?” Jeremiah waited a moment. “Well?”
“This is not settled between us.” Renée pulled the knife away from his throat.
“I’m glad you’ve seen reason. Better to have your enemies close than to let me go. Right?” Jeremiah pushed himself off the dirt trail and then dusted himself off. “Shall we go?”
Renée put the knife away and looked to the west. “Yes, but I will be watching you, and if you try to trick me, then I will be ready.”
“I’m counting on that. Now let’s go before it’s too late.”
***
Tenskwatawa sat in the corner of his tepee and I prayed he would not offer me his pipe. The smoke floated around him and I disliked the odor. Jeremiah sat close to me and no one else remained in the tent. From Jeremiah’s relaxed posture, I could see he saw no danger here. An Indian entered the tepee before Tenskwatawa began talking and some drink and food was put out before us.
Neither of us tried anything as we waited for Tenskwatawa to speak.
“I have great need of you and your power, but I wonder if you will help me, or like the other witches, will you refuse.” He puffed on his long pipe and a cloud of smoke rolled out from his mouth as he exhaled.
“What assistance could I be?” I rubbed my left arm, trying to see how thick the yellow paint was caked on.
“White faces come more often to our land and we lack the strength to fight them. Our bows are like toys to their weapons. We need a stronger power.” He sat back, watching me.
“The people of this land have all helped me. Neither are my enemy and I would not wish to use my powers for harm. I am needed back home in England and yet here I am.” I thought for a moment more and then chanced a question. “If I were to change my mind and to help you, what aid would you want from me?”
Jeremiah remained silent and, for a moment, he turned away and stared off in the distance. I wondered if he sensed magic nearby, but kept quiet, hoping he would tell me later.
“Have you spells to keep the white folk off our land and drive them away?” Tenskwatawa asked.
“I know of no such spell. If one existed, I believe that magic would be used against Napoleon back in Europe. He would be stopped easily with such a spell.”
“Are there other spells of protection you know to help us?”
I thought of my abilities and did not see how I could protect his people without harming others. If Renée were here with me, she would offer help. I know she would, but my powers were different than hers.
“I have spells to protect me and mine from those who mean me harm, but I do not have spells to help all of your people.” I scratched again at my arm. “I am sorry.”
“Does the clay hurt you?” He pointed at my arm with his pipe.
“No, but I am not in comfort.”
Jeremiah turned back and faced me. “We must go. Something has happened.”
“What do you mean?”
“We must go, now. Without delay we must leave.” He rose to go and I saw Tenskwatawa watch our conversation with great interest.
“Though I do not deny that I would like to leave now as well, we are in the presence of the great Tenskwatawa and it would be disrespectful to go.”
Jeremiah sat back down and put his hands out. “Please, I ask that you let us go.”
Tenskwatawa frowned. “I sense the animal spirit within you is not at rest. What bothers you so?”
“La petite Reine is close. Very close.” He turned to me and grabbed my hands. “She is coming for us.”
From outside we heard a disturbance as the natives began shouting and hollering in concern. Tenskwatawa placed his pipe down and said, “The birds in the sky, the animals of the earth, and the breath that we take in are all in confusion. What comes now? What do you know?”
Jeremiah turned away from him and offered his hands to me. “Take them. Now. There is still a chance for us yet to escape. Before it is too late, take my hands.”
I had never seen him afraid before. I had seconds to think and in those moments I tried calling on my magic deep within, but it had grown cold and dormant, extinguished, but had not entirely abandoned me. My senses had been numbed and caged like a bird. I took Jeremiah’s hands, felt callouses on them and squeezed tightly. I would trust him.
The flap to the tepee opened and I nearly let go of Jeremiah’s hands. Renée bounded in with her red hair streaked with white and behind her I saw him. It could not be anyone but him. I turned back and Jeremiah saw it too and he clenched tighter, but by then, we were already leaving. My body began to fade and I heard Renée call my name and I yelled back to her but my words were lost in a storm of color and noise. I stared past my friend and saw him. I saw another Jeremiah. How could that be, if I held his hands so tightly and we vanished from sight? The colors became too much but I forced myself to stay present and I felt pieces of me rise up from the earth into the sky, embracing the light of the heavens and we traveled, he and I, through the stars, through the dreams of ones yet asleep. I wondered for those brief moments where we would end up. I wondered, but I had no answers and I closed my eyes, for a few precious seconds, and prayed for my Bebe. I had gone off with Jeremiah and yet his duplicate had arrived with Renée to rescue me. Before I could think more, I wondered, what had I done?
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