Teach Me Your Love

by Rita Hestand

She hadn't contemplated how the worrying would affect her. But she sat wringing her hands together, listening to every sound.

  How long must she stay here? Chosen One had told her to wait until she came. But what if she couldn't come? What if these people hurt her people?

  She had to be strong. She had to think good thoughts.

  But toward nightfall, Chosen One came and smiled, "It was nothing. Some of Cochise's men telling us of the Confederates coming. He wanted us to join in the fight. But we will not. Come… come on out now."

  Naomi put the ladder up and climbed out.

  As she walked back to the village, she looked all around her.

  When they were safe inside, she looked at Chosen One. "I was prepared for almost everything. But there was one thing I forgot."

  "What do you mean, almost?"

  "I didn't realize how much I would worry for you and Bear Foot and the others. I do not wish to bring sorrow upon anyone here. It would hurt me greatly if anyone was harmed because of me." Naomi told her.

  Chosen One stared at her a moment, then put her hand on her arm. "It is good that it was not them. Now you see what bothers you most. You cannot let yourself worry about all of us. As we have done this for others of our tribe. Part of living in peace means trouble off and on from different tribes or peoples. So, we hide each other from harm. It is to avoid the problems mostly. But we all take chances for each other."

  "I could not bear it if you or Bear Foot were harmed because of me, though." Naomi told her. "You are with child, it would bother me greatly. And I feel indebted to Bear Foot for taking me away from the Comanche camp. So, I care about you both. I care about you all."

  Chosen One frowned. "It would be a way for these people to get at you, if they knew this. Do not show fear, even if they catch you, do not show fear. Fear is how they control you. So be brave. We all know what we must do, we are not afraid. And you must not fear for us, as it will put you in danger."

  "Why is Painted Dove doing this?" Naomi asked. "She had three years with Red Elk, wasn't that enough?"

  "It is her nature. She is Comanche and being thrown out of our camp made her angry. She kissed Red Elk, to lay blame on him, it did not work. That too made her angry. He was wise not to struggle over the kiss. It had an effect, we all thought he must love her, but he was being smart. We just could not see it. She would have thrown a fit, had he done that. Instead, he was calm, and kept the camp calm. That is how you should be, calm. Do not worry for us, we know how to take care of ourselves. It is not a time to show your heart, Naomi. It is time to show your strength, remember this."

  Naomi nodded, although this was one thing she really worried over.

  The entire camp was protecting her. How she had grown to love these people. Simple, honest, good people. People who did no harm to anyone and were at risk because of her. She knew in her heart that Chosen One was right, but still, she worried.

  "I have come to love you and your people here."

  "And we love you!" Chosen One smiled. "But do not worry for us. If they find your weakness, they will use it against you."

  "I will try to do as you say. I will try to be strong, but it will take a lot of effort to stay calm especially if shots are fired."

  "You must, for it is weakness to show your heart when danger lurks. We know how you feel, many of us have been in similar positions before."

  "Then I guess I must be strong, for all of you."

  Chosen One nodded.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The calm Chosen One talked about came over Naomi now and two days passed without incident. But on the third day a storm kicked up. It was violent, and the rain raged like an angry child. It battered the wickiups and did a lot of damage.

  That is when they came…

  There were only three of them, one big, and ugly, one tall and thin and the third although short and wiry, he was the meanest of them all. He carried a huge scar on his face from his outer eye to his mouth. It was an ugly scar and his demeanor was one of a demon.

  Bear Foot saw them and got his bow and arrow. He hit the tall thin one and felled him.

  The other two escaped him, but he tracked them over the village as they went from one wickiup to another to find her. Finally, they spotted Bear Foot and before he could get another shot off, they fired a pistol at him and Bear Foot fell. He was hit in the leg, but he managed to crawl to safety.

  The shot was heard all over the camp and through the raging storm Naomi fled to the well.

  Naomi hid quickly, and they came upon Chosen One, "Where is she?" the big one asked.

  "Who are you talking about?" Chosen One's nose snarled at them.

  "The white woman you've been hiding, that's who. Now, where is she?"

  "I know of no white woman."

  The short man stared with a steely eyed stare, his mouth curved into an ugly shape. "Lying won't help." The little man told her. "We know she's here."

  "How do you know?" Chosen One asked innocently.

  "It doesn't matter, we know. And you better produce her, or we'll start killing some Indians." He told her.

  "You are welcome to look all you want," Chosen One told them.

  Chosen One lifted her chin, "Why would a white woman be here?"

  "She's one of you now. Let's don't play games." The big man told her. "We know all about her. It ain't no secret."

  "Look all you want. We have nothing to hide." She assured them.

  The little man stared. "We'll take this place apart if you don't tell us."

  When Chosen One was silent, they started tearing everything in the wickiup to pieces. Chosen One showed no reaction. They made a lot of noise throwing things around and trying to scare her.

  When they didn't find her, they lit the wickiup on fire.

  "Burn 'em," the little man told the other. "All of them. That'll teach them to hide her out."

  But suddenly Naomi came strolling up to them, "Looking for me?" she asked as she stared at the burning wickiup.

  "Take her, let's get out of here." The little man told him.

  They grabbed Naomi as Chosen One stood off to the side of the wickiup, her expression bland.

  Naomi saw the wickiup in flames and her heart broke for Chosen One.

  As the big one was mounting her on his horse, Bear Foot came out and got another arrow off, hitting the big man in the shoulder.

  The little man shot Bear Foot once more and he fell, his eyes going to Naomi for a split second.

  Her mouth opened, her eyes beheld Bear Foot and a tear slipped silently down her cheek. She looked at Chosen One who stood off to the side, shaking her head, praying for Naomi to be brave now.

  Then they rode away, just like the sudden storm they were gone. The rain stopped and, in its wake, a wickiup was gone in flames, and a man lay at Chosen One's feet, as she scrambled to help Bear Foot.

  A silent, deadly fear gripped Naomi now. They rode forever, in the direction of the storm as it would wipe out the prints and Red Elk would be unable to track her. She remembered how they had all told her to be strong. So, she refused to cry, to let them see she was affected. She also clung to the notion that Red Elk would be with her in spirit. She prayed for strength. She did not know these men, or what they had planned for her, but she was Apache now, and she would think like one.

  The big man's arms surrounded her, and she felt the blood trickle onto her arm. He stunk as though he might not have bathed for a month or so. His breathing was loud now as the pain was setting in from his wounds. He sweat something fierce.

  She still had the scraps of cloth from her dress though and every now and then she would let one fall from her hands.

  Her heart was heavy, for she feared Bear Foot was dead, she was sure of it, the senseless scheme of a woman wanting revenge. But why had she chosen her to take her revenge upon?

  Naomi felt a tear fall again for Chosen One's home was destroyed. But then something incredible happened to Naomi, she felt a surge of strength she'd never kn
own take hold of her. They shot Bear Foot, and burning Chosen One's wickiup, now she wanted some sort of revenge. Painted Dove could not get away with this. She wouldn't let her. Somehow, she would pay for her destruction.

  She hadn't come out soon enough to save them.

  But with this buried fear, she found her strength. She remembered what Red Elk had told her, they were one, he would find her. Her confidence in him kept her strong now.

  No matter what was said, she could depend on Red Elk to be there for her, silently willing her to be strong. She was an Apache now, with an Apache heart.

  They rode forever, and she barely stayed upright on the horse as she was given out from evading the storm's fury.

  In her mind, she kept reinforcing the fact that she was strong, and she could survive this. She had something wonderful to live for.

  The next morning, they came to a cave and they threw her inside.

  "What will you do with me," she murmured.

  "That ain't decided yet." The little man laughed.

  "Who put you up to this?"

  "That ain't no concern of yours. You'll find out soon enough." The little man told her.

  The big man that she'd been holding onto barely managed to get off his horse. His arm was hurting now from the arrow that was still inside him. The arrow in his back shoulder was gone, but the pain it gave him had his face a wad of frowns.

  "You got to get this arrowhead out of me, Dolin."

  "Alight, Patrick settle down." the little man nodded with frustration. "Easy for you to say I been hit twice."

  "Where?"

  "One in the back on my shoulder, the other in front on the other shoulder. I am in pain I had hardly move my arms."

  "Alright, I'll get the arrow out."

  After tying her up and throwing her in a corner, they lit a fire and the little man dug the arrow out of the other man's arm. The first arrow had been in his back shoulder and he had rubbed up against a tree to get it out. But the one in the arm remained long enough for the poison to affect him. He was losing a lot of blood.

  When Dolin got the arrow out of his shoulder, he took his knife and run it over the fire, then cauterized the wound. The man called Patrick swore, and then passed out.

  Dolin shook his head, "What a coward. Can't take a little pain."

  Naomi stared at the little man, "He had two arrows in him I doubt it was a little pain, sir."

  Dolin stared at her. "Don't think I won't kill you if I have to, girl. Your just dirt under my fingernails as far as I'm concerned. Any white woman having an Indian ain't worth nothing. Just look at you."

  "Didn't an Indian make you do this?"

  "What?"

  "Who put you up to this?"

  "It's no never mind to you. You better get some rest."

  The next day the big man lay resting and the little man kept eyeing her.

  "You shore got some pretty hair." The little man said as he watched her try to comb her hair with her hands.

  Naomi turned away from him. He was a cleaner man, but she felt he probably had a much dirtier heart than the other.

  "Yeah, I can see where them Indians would want you, with hair like that… "

  He came closer now, she turned away. He pulled a strand of her hair through his fingers and smiled. "Real pretty."

  He came up to her and turned her arm until she faced him, "Don't you turn away from me, you little tramp. In fact, I think I'll just sample you, see what you got that makes them want to keep you."

  "Please," Naomi cried. "Don't do this…"

  But when she saw he was not listening she clammed up and became silent.

  Still, he was unbuckling his belt now and before she could object anymore, he threw her on the blanket and covered her with his body. He pulled her dress up and thrust himself inside her and she closed her eyes and lay very still. Perhaps John had been in her life for a reason as she knew exactly how to lay still and take it. He continued much like John had except this little man was rougher, much rougher than John. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as he took her. In her heart she knew she belonged to only one man, but this was such an invasion and she nearly bit her lip to keep still.

  She thought about the knife, but she could endure this if he didn't take too long. Which he didn't.

  When he was finished, he got up and walked off. She heard him cuss beneath his breath. She wanted to wash herself, but she knew that was not possible. She felt so used and dirty. "She wasn't worth the time. But maybe if I keep taking her, I'll get a rise out of her."

  She cringed, knowing this little man intended to keep raping her. She forced the fear to the back of her mind, she had to do as Red Elk had told her. She had to stay calm and not let this man know how terrified she was.

  When the Dolin came back inside the cave the big man looked at him. "Why don't you leave her alone?"

  Naomi had gone to sleep.

  "They ain't gonna care what we do with her. That Indian gal wants to kill her, she hates her so much, and that man, he's got his own toy to play with. The damn religious nut."

  "It ain't right Hershel. Kidnaping her was bad enough, but now you want to rape her too?"

  "Since when did you get so righteous?"

  "There's a limit to my badness Hershel. I don't go around raping women. I'm not that low."

  "Don't you imagine that a lot of them bucks have had her already. She probably just a whore and that's what they like about her, except, she doesn't do nothing but lay there. I can't figure that part out." He scratched his chin and stared at her. "Either she's really dumb or very smart, I don't know which."

  "If someone was pecking you, wouldn't you just lay there?" Patrick asked with disgust.

  "Don't you go getting high and mighty on me, you killed that little gal in Frisco."

  "It was an accident."

  "Don't matter, you killed her. You'll swing as much as I would for this."

  "I ain't never raped a woman before, Hershel. It ain't right."

  "First time for everything Patrick. Besides, you've killed and that's worse."

  "I ain't so sure it is worse. That girl fell and hit her head, I didn't kill her intentionally. I ain't that low."

  They bickered back and forth half the day.

  Naomi woke up to see Hershel Dolin standing over her with a sneer on his face. "Had a nice long rest, have you? Maybe you'll feel up to playing with old Dolin now, huh?"

  Naomi felt sick at her stomach. She wished she could throw up, but it just nauseated her.

  For three days Hershel raped Naomi. Patrick objected every time, and Naomi realized there was a difference in the amount of evil each man carried. For three days she laid still as a mouse, allowing him his pleasure. It clearly irritated Hershel that she had no response.

  But three nights later, a rider came up to the entrance of the cave and hollered out.

  Naomi opened her eyes and saw a figure of a man standing at the opening of the cave. She couldn't make him out until he was standing just over her. Then the shock registered. She hadn't been prepared for this! Of all the people in the world, was he behind this?

  "My God… John, is that you?" she shrieked.

  "Naomi, thank God, they've found you."

  Hershel came up to him. "You got here fast."

  "Took a stage as far as I could, then came the rest of the way on horseback. Your instructions were very specific, so I had no trouble finding you."

  "You got the money?" Hershel asked.

  "Y-yes of course," John reached in his jacket pocket and withdrew a wad of money. "It's all there, that's both your shares, where is Curtis?"

  "One of them Indians killed him."

  "That's unfortunate," John muttered, then glanced at Naomi.

  Naomi's eyes traveled him, he looked the same except for one very big thing, he had a hideous slash on his skull that took most of the hair on one side of his head.

  "What's happened to you?" Naomi gasped seeing the unsightly gash.

  He tu
rned his attention to her now, as he sat beside her, taking her hands in his, "The Comanche scalped me."

  "When they took me?"

  "No, they didn't see me then. I followed them that's when they did this. They killed Helen and Martha and little Henry. I figured they took you as I couldn't find you. So, I followed them."

  "Followed them…. I don't understand."

  "Well, when I heard them leaving, I came up from the cellar and saw what they had done, I just got on my horse and lit out after them. I couldn't believe they murdered them. I was blind with hate and fury at the time."

  "Did you find them?"

  "Yes, but it took me a long time, months in fact, but by the time I found them you had been traded to another tribe."

  "How did you ever find me?"

  "It's rather a long story," he turned his head away now as though he didn't want to talk about it. "I'll need a cup of coffee before I can relate all of that."

  She sighed, watching him move about, getting his coffee and staring at the other men for a long moment.

  Finally, he came back to sit beside her. "I found a man in town, a breed they told me later, he translated the Comanche's language for me, I knew I would need him. He knew where they were camped. I wasn't sure it was the same Comanche, until I asked about you. I knew from their expressions they were the right ones. Anyway, I hired the translator. He took me to the Comanche camp where the chief told me what happened to you. They told me you went to some camp in Arizona. But I did not escape unharmed as you can see. I thought they were going to turn me lose as nice as they first acted. But that was just an act to earn my trust, so they could find out who I was and what I was after. They grabbed me as I was about to leave, and took me prisoner, they scalped me and left me for dead. You see, I wasn't hurt until I got to the Comanche camp. I've been recovering in Northern New Mexico Territory for months now."

  "How did you escape the Comanche? I mean, why didn't they kill you?"

  "Once they had scalped me, I played dead my dear. They left me. I got to a town and a doctor and hold up there until these men could find you."

  "What happened to the translator?"

  "They killed him."

  "How did they find me, no one knew where I was?"