Blood Money (Malicious Lullaby ~ Daddeo)

[andypants1990]

Well it had finally come to pass. A town, a city, a place to call his own. One year of strife, of hard work, of annoyance, and above all else... One year of progress. What was once nothing more then a collection of trees, a vast range of hills and prairie was now the start of something more. Kingsly, the city of the new frontier! But instead of being bank rolled or made by some wealthy bankers of some sort, it was spearheaded by a rather different individual. One Timothy Kingsly, who before his brave trek into the uncharted West was better known as Timmy Tombstone. In New York there was quite the influx of immigrants and civilians, which only caused strife and crime to rise. Within that chaos Timothy formed a gang that ruled his streets with an iron fist, however the real money would come else where, Timothy's ambitions and dreams to be the mayor to be well.. King. So after a few years of collecting, hoarding, and stock piling the would be King set out with his gang west to start a new. And boy did they ever.

Their greeting was less then welcoming, some uncivilized Indians banning together. It took no more then the ten men that Kingsly brought with him to decimate the savages that stood against them. Bows and arrows, spears and slings stood no match against six shooters, rifles, shotguns. Those that stayed kept to the west or to the north, but one thing was clear and that was this land was now claimed by the white man. Regardless of how anyone felt. So with that out of the way workers were brought in, and with workers came the need for booze. So a saloon would follow, and after that oh so basic need for booze and pussy was fulfilled a town would follow. A general store, blacksmith, post office. In little more then a year the town properly named “Kingsly” was flourishing. Of course there was more then just the prospects of a new frontier, of farm land and gold mining to account for this towns success. Old habits die hard who was to say that Timothy was trying to leave his life of crime?

As mayor of Kingsly, Timothy didn't have to deal with authority. Sure a sheriff's office was set up in town, but the appointed sheriff was just one of Kingsly's thugs. Any gambling, drugs, prostitution, anything really went through Tim's hand. No more need to fight with other gangs for turf, no more need to rough store owners up for protection money. It was “taxes”, and if you didn't pay your taxes.. Well, then you got roughed up. But no one crossed Timmy the Tombstone, or else they would get a Tombstone of their own over their soon to be grave. But even in this criminal paradise, there were those that still wanted that better life. And surprisingly it would be one of the original ten gang members that followed Timothy to his “dream”.

Vincent Bauer had been there when the ten of them killed over forty Indians. He pulled the trigger just like everyone else, but it seemed that he was the only one that saw the gravity of such actions. The fight was so unfair, it was literally like bringing a knife to a gun fight. However the ten of them were here on a mission, to start something new and make it flourish, even if their actions stayed in the depths of Vincent's mind... Well he was still an outlaw, a criminal, one of Timothy's ten. Progress led to crime, crime led to money. Just like the others Vincent became accustom to a new way of life, anyone in town would tip their hats to Vincent, give him free booze or food. Life got easy, but where one man profited another suffered, and that was when he met her.

Her skin tone gave her away, one of the Indians that were here before. And even if they had slaughtered her people, she for some reason showed up in town. It was their first celebration, fireworks being brought in by some Chinese. It was all to celebrate the first Saloon in Kingsly! This woman was a curious and brave one to come out like this, and after a rather territorial reaction it didn't take long at all before Vincent had made a friend. And over the year that Kingsly grew, so to did this friendship. It turned out her name was Tansy, a strangely smart and quick witted girl. Even if Vincent wasn't exactly a model teacher the girl had learned English in no more then six months, give her take a few grammatical errors here and there.

Hell it was becoming fun to teach her certain things like eating with a fork and knife or how to dance. The woman was more then able to sneak into all the festivals and events that were going on, in a dress and a little combing of her hair she looked like a field hand who had a nice tan to go with her good looks. And on the other side of that coin Tansy had taught Vincent many things about the world outside of Kingsley, from plants and animals, to understanding Native's signs and warnings in the forests and mountains. Yes the two were definitely an odd bunch but at the same time it was a way for Vincent to feel better about what he had done, even though he knew Tansy could never forgive him. But maybe that was what he needed? Some actual reaction to his deeds, because truth be told inside of Kingsly... well, no one messed with him.

But where were we? Oh yes a years worth of expansion. But the curse of greed is that it is never satiated... And so expansion continues. More people means a need for more food, more food means more farms. So once more the need to claim land would fall upon the good founders of Kingsly, however why would Timothy Kingsly get involved now that he had his throne to sit on? He had muscle to send out and so on horseback six men rode out, armed with rifles, dynamite, you name it. All sorts of horrific ways to scare away what was left of those Indians. Among the six was Vincent, however as he geared up, as he rode out... His thoughts were of Tansy. Hopefully he could talk to her, or talk to whoever they would run into before blood was shed. Of course Vincent hadn't shown such strides in Tansy's language as she had in his, he could still communicate somewhat. Convincing his fellow men however not to shoot on sight was a feat within itself... Even with being fluent in English.

So here they were, a group of six outlaws..cowboys...thugs... Six men on horse back slowly making their way west. It wasn't so much to a certain point, the men had clear orders to clear out the Natives to the west. Some more happy to do so then others. “Just let me do the talking...” Vincent would say, though it only brought chuckles and smirks from his fellow men. Sure Vincent had some say, but ultimately it was Timothy that ran things.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

It seemed they were still trying to pick up the many fallen pieces of when the white men barged onto their land that they claimed and drove them away by force. Some died from their tribe while others died from the others around them and in the end, two managed to flee further away while the rest succumbed. There were little of them left but they watched in horror as the white men decimated the land with their buildings, structures and many construction. She watched for a year as the new town was built. It was a horror show in her opinion. A freak show. Seeing what they could do to the land, taking rich and pure soul and violating it. She didn’t recognize the land that used to be apart of her home anymore. The piece of land where her mother’s bones were buried. The piece of land where so many memories lay waiting like ghosts of memories that she might never get back.

This past year, it was a dark time for her people. Her father became more strict. He was the chief of their tribe, one of the tribes who was pushed away from their land, closer to the mountains. In the winter, it was a nightmare. How they survived it, she didn’t know. Some died, most just got sick but as the winter faded away, so did the illness. And what came with the passing of the seasons was a higher chance. A chance to keep everything alive.

But while everyone else was working avidly, so was she but she had also been trying to skip to the town. It wasn’t a betrayal but a curiosity and when she saw it for the first time during a festival under the guise of a poor street urchin, she was floored. It was a beautiful town to be quite honest with so much hustle and bustle. Being apart of her tribe her entire life, she didn’t know anything else. She didn’t know that there was technically a world outside of it. She just thought her world was it. That the way of her tribe, their beliefs, their ancestors and the Earth was their world. There was a world beyond them. It didn’t mean she wanted to conform but she was a knowledgeable girl, always curious about something new and exciting, different from what she always knew.

One day, she met this white man. She knew who he was right away because she never forgot the faces of the men who came and pushed her and her people and their tribes away from their homes for their own greedy personal gain. This man that she met, he was one of those hired guns. She didn’t know why he had bothered to talk to her, why he found her. All she knew was she couldn’t afford to be betrayed, couldn’t afford to be given away because if her tribe found out, if her father found out, she’d be a disgrace who had shamed them all even if that was never intention. Like her mother, Tansy was a very curious girl. She wouldn’t let curiosity kill her like it killed her mother. The white people weren’t so terrible. They had their issues like everyone else but of course, she observed this as an outsider looking in. The only white person she spoke to and actually got along with was Vincent Bauer. The same man she met and even to her surprise, to this very day, they had promised quite a fruitful friendship.

Over the course of the year, Tansy learned English, white people customs and a lot about a culture she couldn’t have even fathomed. It was the same with any people of this time. They knew what was their own and stuck with it, hardly ever wanting to branch out of that into something else, not usually open to wanting to learn of something new. Tansy was someone who thrived on knowledge, new experiences and new worldly cultures. The culture of the white people was as unique and sacred as the culture of her people, of her tribe. It’s what made them all so different. It was why her skin was darker and tanned compared to Vincent Bauer. It was why there was a diversity that was becoming a growing majority. Without it, the world would be a boring place. It was something that she understood but something that her father, her tribe or most white people didn’t understand. Everyone was stuck in their own ways. Everyone wanted to be the superior race. No one wanted to be inferior. To her people white people were dangerous and savage murderers. To white people, her people were dangerous and unintelligent savage animals. To Tansy? Everyone was their own person.

Over the year, not only did she learn from Vincent Bauer but she taught him as well. It wasn’t that she couldn’t ever forgive him. But as long as he didn’t expect her to forgive him immediately, then what they were doing was deemed okay in her eyes because she still didn’t trust him. She trusted him enough to meet him whenever she could on the outskirts of the white people town and far away enough to be out of sight from her tribe. She trusted him enough to turn to him for help with her English or to impart the wisdom and knowledge of her people and ancestors to him. They helped each other it seemed. But as long as he was still involved in the work that he did, she couldn’t ever push past the layer of distrust she had for him and let him in more or let herself want to be let in by him. They were distant but their friendship was one she valued. Especially when the day came…

Being the chief’s daughter and his only heir, it meant that she was to eventually carry on or have a husband who would be the next chief and they’d run their tribe together, side by side. And much to Tansy’s dismay, her father chose the strongest warriors in the tribe, a man so prideful and boastful about his ability, of his war craft that just being in the same hut as him, being anywhere near him, she wanted to run the other way or pitch herself right off the mountain edge. His name was Ahiga and he was a troll. Tansy despised him yet he was the strongest since her father. It only made sense but she hated him. She didn’t even care for him. She pleaded and pleaded with her father before he’d announce it and instead, he put her in her place and told her not to forget who she was; a part of this tribe, a female of this tribe, his daughter and she’d do as he said. There was no way around it.

One day, she missed one of her meeting with Vincent Bauer because of her engagement to Ahiga. And when she finally could meet with him again, she was so silent, so sullen. She didn’t tell him for the longest time until she had finally been asked what was wrong with her, why her spirit—such a vibrant and colorful spirit—had disappeared. Tansy was always smiling, even after white intrusion, she found a way to smile, despite how much of a dark time it was for her people. She was so bubbly, out going and a strong woman, something no man could seem to see, at least in her tribe. She didn’t know Vincent Bauer perceived her. But she had finally told him. She wasn’t particularly happy to say it and it was the first time she had said it out loud to anyone, to herself even. The first time she admitted it to herself. She was engaged to a swine, so much so that going home now repulsed her. Somehow though, she found a way to gain her spirit back. It took sneaking into more festivals, this time in actual white women’s clothing rather than a street urchin disguise. She had fun. She found a way to laugh again and when she was with her tribe again, she longed for her secret double life. By day, she was among her tribe. By late afternoon and usually night, she was part of the people that let her be her without knowing her. It became an addiction. An escape. One that she needed, especially since she had no control of her life. Yet.

That fateful day came. White men approached their little tribe on a slightly elevated patch of land, closer towards the mountains. Tansy saw the guns. She saw the same threat. But what was worse, she saw Vincent Bauer and her heart sank into her stomach. It was happening again.
She ran to find her father, to tell him but he had seen it coming and this time, they were better prepared. Sure, their weapons would be no match to guns, pistols and fire power, but what the white men lacked in strategy and covert operation, her tribe had been practicing and learning it for the past year so that if this were to happen again, which her father saw coming, they would be ready.

Her father decided that they’d fight. Men were preparing. Ahiga included. Tansy was concerned for all the members of her tribe, Ahiga included and she gave him something. It was the first time she showed any sort of caring towards him and his well being since they were engaged to be married. She gave him the bracelet made of turquoise and wood that she always wore for safety and good luck. He was stunned by this gesture since she didn’t exactly keep it a secret that she hated him. He was touched but that emotion that he expressed to her was quickly pushed underneath the thick resolve he wore, that of a warrior. It was in that moment that Tansy saw a different side of Ahiga.

Her father gave her a hug. It was like they were going off to war. Well that’s because they were. She looked at him as her hands rest on his chest and she heaved a deep sigh. “Please let me talk to them.” She spoke in their language. “I know one of them, please Father. We might be able to stop this before it even has to start.” He looked furious, enraged even that she might know a white man but he let it slide. For the sake of his people, he’d give his daughter a chance. But the first chance those men attack, the tribe’s warriors wouldn’t hesitate.

She walked at her father’s side, approaching the men with a row of warriors behind them armed but none of them making an effort to actually try and strike.
“Vincent Bauer.” She spoke. Whenever she addressed him, she always used his full name. No matter how close their friendship was, she always called him by his full name. “Why do you come here?” She spoke English and she could hear gasps around her. From her father and the men, she could literally feel Ahiga burning glares into the back of her skull. Shivers. She might have just signed her death sentence.
“What do you want?”

 

[andypants1990]

Like gentlemen, or lions basking in their superiority... The six men sat on top of their horses, rifles slung over a shoulder, pistols being looked over and loaded. There was even one guy tossing an unlit stick of dynamite up in the air only to catch it and toss it again. Vincent was the only one not holding a weapon, of course he was armed, the man always was even in town. Four six shooters one on each side and two crossing on the back of his belt. There were always yahoos and loud mouths that wanted to duel, wanted to fight, and well Vincent had been known to clean up in those kinds of situations. However he was praying that he wouldn't have to here. His plan was simple, hell he had even found the plant that Tansy's people used to symbolize peace, it was pinned on his horses saddle and he was going to use it to start discussions. Hopefully with that and knowing enough of their language to converse he could figure out some sort of peace treaty, some sort of compensation with the chief....'s daughter. Chief's daughter!?

No! What was Tansy doing here!? Of all the damn times to be poking her brown little nose into matters! Of all the damn women, of all the damn people... Well, actually it made complete sense. Set aside from her actually speaking English now she was by far the most curious and brave woman that Vincent had met through out his life. Out in the plains she had single handedly caught a snake with her bare hands to show Vincent before letting it go, any other woman would of screamed and ran for the hills. God was Vincent cursing Tansy right now. Just don't say anything, he could still play it off that he learned what he knew from someone else. The last thing that she needed was to be seen as a Native that willingly conversed with..... Vincent let out a long sigh of disapproval when she called out his name. His full name. The man's plan was ruined.

“Damn Vinny, didn't know you liked them savage like.” One of the other man said, the one tossing dynamite whistled as a few others started to check Tansy out. Even if her skin was a different color she did have a figure to appreciate. “Damn this bitch hasn't been broken in has she? I know I am bored with all those Indian whores that are at Old Shinnies Saloon!” Another one mouthed off, a few men laughing as Vincent shook his head, getting off of his horse and taking the plant off of his saddle. He would hold it up with his hands slightly above his head, showing he wasn't holding a weapon and meant peace with the plant. Guess the cat was out of the bag now that she was speaking English to him... Might as well try to do what he could.

“My boss wants to expand once more up into these territories. You know the extent at which he will go. I wanted to somehow come to an agreement instead of resulting in such horrible ways!” Vincent said in English, not exactly sure how things would go over if he started speaking in her tongue. Because it would only be worse if they knew that she taught a white man how to speak as well. “I don't want to resort to bloodshed again, what can we give you to make your people move on?” The man asked, obviously there was a level of concern in his voice... He knew there was nothing he could give to make them leave... And that made him sad, very sad. Because the last thing he wanted to do was to tell Tansy that she needed to leave her land with her people or else face an onslaught again.

“Oh fuck this shit they are savages. The only thing they know is how to eat plants and run. Watch!” One of the others shouted before raising his gun to Tansy, firing a shot between her feet to scare her. Vincent immediately rushed forwards, arms spread out as he turned. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING STOP THAT SHIT!!!” Vincent shouted at the man.

“So you gonna take the side of these red faced savages, huh Vinny?” The man that shot at Tansy's feet asked. However an arrow would suddenly fly out from out of no where, flying right into the man's thigh. He shouted loudly while Vincent turned to the where the arrow was shot. “STOP!!!” He shouted in Tansy's language, however nothing he could say would stop what had just started. It was obvious that these men weren't going to listen to Vincent and they were quick to start firing. Vincent standing there in shock first to see what he had imagined to be the worst case scenario start to unfold. It would happen again, their superior fire power would mow down the Natives... He knew it.

The chief would run forward, still a warrior at heart. His club held firmly in his hands as he rushed towards Vincent. Though no one would really know if he was running towards Vincent or running past him towards the horses as the other Native warriors charged with him. All that was known was a rifle came up and shot the chief in the chest. “NO!!” Vincent would shout, soon pulling a pistol out and shooting the rifleman between the eyes. What was he doing? Vincent wasn't quite sure but he had to do something, he had to act. A sudden surge of pain would go through Vincent's thigh when a bullet found it's way there... The man quick to fall down onto a knee only to fire again, and again, hitting another man in the shoulder, shooting a horse in the head. Another shot rang out in the midst of the confusion, Vincent's arm that was raised suddenly dropping as the man flung back a rifle shot straight to his shoulder. On the ground now Vincent tried to push himself back up, he had to keep fighting.. This was so wrong, but suddenly a body would fall on top of him. The chief for whatever reason dragged his dying self over and fell on Vincent's body. Who knew if he knew another shot was coming, a bullet burying itself into the chief's back that was meant for Vincent.

The other five white men were quickly rushed, the tactics and preparations that the Natives had used won them this fight... But not after three of them men fell, including the chief. Vincent was left laying on the ground, his shoulder and thigh throbbing in pain. Never had he been shot, sure burned a little, even a knife wound here and there. Plenty of bruises had come and gone... But never had a bullet found its way into his flesh. Throw in a two hundred or so pound man laying on top of him and Vincent was in no way a happy camper. The sun was bright above this confrontation, beating down on what Vincent was assuming to be his last moments of life.

Ahiga was quick to come over to the chief as the other warriors were looting, scalping, and finishing the kills. Those white demons would get to see what came of such greed and corruption with the scalpless corpses of these men. Ahiga paid no heed to Tansy, quick to grab the chief's body and hull it off of Vincent. Vincent groaning loudly in pain from the sudden shift, even if the weight was being taken off it still hurt like hell. Ahiga moving back as he sat on the ground, holding the now dead chief in his arms. Obvious rage and anger was portrayed on his face as he held the man he had idolized all these years... The warrior he had dreamed of becoming. Ahiga would let go, letting the man's body fall to the ground as he quickly crawled over to Vincent. The warrior was true to his name, a stone knife quickly pulled from his belt. It was purposefully blunt, meant to make the scalping process that much more painful for anyone who deserved such a horrible death. And who else deserved it other then this white man?

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

It seemed…Vincent Bauer was shocked to see her there. Tansy wasn’t sure if she did bad by saying his name, his full name like she always had done, but it was too late. It was out and now her tribe and these white men knew. She couldn’t take it back, even if she wanted to. If. She didn’t want to take it back. Besides, it was too late now. The remark of his one of his fellow white men was crass and it made her eyes narrow, shooting daggers in that man’s direction. And then a feeling she hadn’t known since a year ago when the first expansion happened. Anger. Blood-boiling anger. Tansy was angry. Very angry. They wouldn’t know what savage was when she was through.

But what stunned her was when he slid off of his horse and raised the plant that he apparently kept. She taught him that and for a flickering moment, that anger in her seemed placated. Perhaps she had really gotten to him, enough that he actually had respect for her and her people. But his accomplices did not. They’d never understand. If Vincent Bauer had never taught her his language, including words like what his accomplices had said, what they called her, she might not have reacted ever. But she did. And even if it had been for a flickering moment, her anger was no longer directed at him but his accomplices.

Tansy screamed a little bit when the first shot was fired between her feet. She jumped back and her father grabbed her arm, tugging her behind him, or trying to since she wouldn’t exactly budge. She was as stubborn as he was. That’s what made her his daughter for sure. It all happened so fast. Another shot rang out, Vincent Bauer was trying to contain the situation and then a full on war started. She didn’t charge. She just dodged. She didn’t even hide. But then it felt as if time stood still. Because when she pushed her long black hair out of her face, she saw that her father was clutching his chest. Had he been shot? “NO!” She screamed, stepping forward, only to be knocked down on her knees in all the commotion, even accidentally hit in the face by one of her tribe’s warriors, causing her lip to have a severe gash that was bleeding. She winced and wiped it away with the back of her hand. And when she looked up, things seemed to slow down enough. Though what she saw, her heart broke.

Her father was lying on top of Vincent Bauer and when Tansy pushed herself up to her feet, her shins and knees scraped from the dirt and bleeding a little bit, her eyes widened in horror. Her father was dead. She breathed hard, suddenly feeling frozen, only to watch everything unfold before her.
Ahiga got to her father before she could even muster strength to move and removed him from Vincent Bauer and when she saw, she could see that he was equally injured. Her father was dead, the chief was dead and he had only appointed Ahiga as chief once he married Tansy. But that meant that there was no chief and until then…

Just as Ahiga raised his knife to scalp him, Tansy rushed forward. During all the excitement, she didn’t notice what the other warriors were doing and neither did she care. Her father was dead and she had a feeling that he saved Vincent. Something told her in her gut, deep inside of it, that her father spared his life. But she couldn’t be sure. No one could be, especially since she didn’t see it. All she saw was the aftermath. And that led to her father’s death. Emotion and pain, indescribable pain for the loss, flooded her yet she pushed it away. All she knew was now she had her hand around Ahiga’s wrist, stopping him for the murder he’d be committing and she glared at him. There was something missing from her. The light in her eyes faded and now she was as stone cold as her father had been while chief. “Don’t.” She snapped in their language. “Don’t you touch him. If you’re going to touch him, you will take him to the healer so he can be properly looked after.” She hadn’t ever seen Ahiga as mad as he was now after what she told him. With the way he yanked his wrist from her grip, as if contemplating listening to her, Tansy knew he was furious. How dare a woman like her stop him, a man of his standing and power from doing what he could. But he couldn’t do anything he liked because he wasn’t chief. She was, at least for now. She was acting chief.

Tansy didn’t even spare him another glance and instead turned to her father, crouching down beside him. Her hands shakily but gently touched his chest, one hand over the bullet wound in his chest and she swallowed hard. Her eyes stung with heavy moisture and she blinked it back, or tried to but tears fell and she saw them color into his dirty shirt. She sniffled as her hands moved to his cheeks, his strong cheeks. He was a big man, not in size but in height, in muscle, in strength, a very well kept man for his age. He was. She always thought him to be invincible. That if anyone would outlive even her, even the youngest children of their tribe, it’d be him. And now here he was. Stone cold dead, pale for such a tanned man and he seemed so small suddenly.

Her head bowed and pressed to his chest and she let it go. By now, it was just her and her father on this land and she mourning over his death. But she didn’t allow herself any time at all really to mourn him.
The that went by was so fast. It felt as though everything around her was moving so fast and she was moving so slow. She wasn’t paying attention to anything. She had some warriors bring her father’s body back to the tribe where he lay in their hut, being prepped for his burial.

Tansy didn’t go to the hut. She was just giving orders, helping where she could to anyone else who might have been wounded, anything but allowing herself to feel her own pain. She was in pain. A lot of pain. She didn’t even let one of their many healers tend to her scrapes and the gash on her lip.

 

[andypants1990]

Vincent tried to fight back, tried to reach up and stop whoever this warrior was from scalping him. But there was nothing there, no power to drive his actions. The only thing that seemed to remain was the pain coursed from his fresh wounds. This man easily mounted him, stone knife in hand with the look of anger and even thrill in his eyes. Was this how Vincent was going to go? What a horrible end to his life. He did good right? Last few moments on this shit of a dirt ball called Earth. He did what was right? Maybe that would save him from not all but some of the punishments that was awaiting him in hell. The man smiling as he turned his head to look at Tansy before this man grabbed a chunk of his hair.

But what he was rewarded with instead of a knife to the scalp was the sight of Tansy stopping this man. Vincent wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed, as painful of an end as it was it was still an end. Maybe even a proper one for what he had done to these people. But the fact remained that Tansy stopped the warrior, and the warrior seemed to listen. Vincent watching for as long as he could before he passed out. How the hell did it come to this?

Ahiga would have no part in dealing with Vincent, telling two of his warriors to carry him back. Ahiga would work with another to pick up the chief, that look of anger still on the man's face as every second, every moment of carrying the lifeless chief seemed to brand itself into the man. They would pay, all of them. Their town, their land, everything they took from Ahiga and his people. He would make sure they would suffer for what happened today.

Once the party returned to the rest of the people there would be a silence that swept through out the tipis. Seeing the chief being brought in like this people were concerned, the man immediately being taken to the healers. However after a few moments word would spread that the chief was dead, and that silence would be replaced with wails of sadness. Any joy, any feast, any reason for happiness was drained away. Today would be a sad day. Vincent was brought into another tent, though the focus was obviously on the chief and his burial preparations.

Even in this time of grief there was still an order to be upheld, still a need for leadership and to continue living on as one people. Tansy stepping up like she was taught to do, and even with the death of her father she was showing her backbone in this matter. Of course it didn't help that almost everyone came to her, telling her of their sympathies and asking what they could do to help. It was a kind gesture and one that was second nature in her people, in one person's time of need the whole tribe would come to help out. Even if she was the leader for now she was still a woman, still the Tansy that everyone knew and loved.

But questions would a rise, more from the older members of the tribe. Only after a few minutes of the white man being brought in did the sudden torrent of cries begin. This wasn't the first time the healers had dealt with bullet wounds, more and more with the white man ever present it seemed that they preferred to shoot wildly during their hunts instead of actually tracking and stalking their prey. Which usually resulted in hunters in hiding coming home with a bullet in the arm or leg. So quickly the man worked, drawing Vincent from his slumber as he dug into the man's flesh to get the bullets out.

“AHHHHH!! FUCKIN HELL!!!” Vincent shouted out in English, his body instinctively jerking.. Which only made it more painful now that he had some tool sticking out from his arm. He heard the man that was trying to help him call out for help. And before long Vincent was pinned down by two men as the healer continued. Vincent was well into gritting his teeth, hands balled into tight fists. But before long he couldn't take it, the healer seeming to take longer then he should in pulling out the bullet from Vincent's thigh.

“Stop Stop Stop!” Vincent shouted out in their own tongue. The healer looking shocked that he heard the man speak in this way. Vincent's mind racing for a few moments as he tried to remember some of the plants that Tansy told him about, ones that were good for medicine and what not. Before long Vincent was asking the healer to basically give him drugs, which only made the healer laugh. “You think you can handle that?” The healer asked, smirking as Vincent rolled his eyes... Just asking again. So before long the healer would start to mix a few things together, grinding them down into a paste before coating his fingers in the gunk. The healer had Vincent open his mouth before slooshing the contents into his mouth. “Don't swallow, just keep it in your mouth.” The healer stated before he waited, Vincent's body starting to relax until he was laying normally on the ground. Again the healer would start to work on the bullets inside of Vincent's body, and of course Vincent would tighten up again, groan in pain but he was able to withstand it long enough for the man to retrieve the two bullets.

Ahiga however was quick to find Tansy. Still his anger was present, on so many levels this day was horrible, but for Tansy his wife to be to stop him in such a way... In front of his warriors and also in the sight of that white man trash. That was unacceptable, so when he was able to find her again Ahiga would practically make a b line for her. Whatever she was doing, whoever she was talking to could wait. The man grabbing her by the arm before violently yanking her away towards his tipi. The man would push her through the opening before following after her.

“How dare you stop me!” Ahiga shouted, the tipi of course doing little to silence his voice. Anyone that was around would do the respectful thing and walk away.. After all Ahiga was known to be very vocal. “Your father died because of that white man and you would spare his life!? How dare you call yourself the chief's daughter!” Ahiga spat out, having half the mind to smack Tansy across the face. But she was chief at the moment, and that was really the only thing that stopped him. She was his wife to be, she was suppose to submit to him. “How does he know our language, why did you call out to him!? Are you with that white man?” The random thoughts and assumptions obviously were being taken at face value with Ahiga, definitely not the smartest man but he sure as hell was not the man you wanted to misunderstand you. Just the thought of her being with another man, let alone a white man was making his blood boil.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Goodness, she wondered if she made a mistake in stepping in. But it was what was expected, since her father had only appointed Ahiga after he married her. They weren’t married yet and if anything, she didn’t want him to be chief. She didn’t want him to have control. No, for right now, she had control but the last thing she wanted, the last thing she needed was for her people to come up to her and offer her their sympathies, offer any help, absolutely anything. She didn’t want to hear it. She honestly couldn’t stand hearing it and by the umpteenth member, she quickly shooed them out and closed her tipi. Her tipi was not open for easy access. No. She wanted peace. Just some quiet enough to be able to somehow get through this without breaking down. Tansy couldn’t afford that. No, she was chief and she had to make sure these people knew it, that the warriors, especially, knew it. She was a woman, yes. But she was a woman and the ex-chief’s daughter who just lost the one man she had always loved unconditionally, even after everything.

Sitting beside the healer, her eyes were blank, empty and even more, ice cold. The light that was there was robbed when she saw her father take his final descent of his life, his final breath and he was no more. It was hard. It had been hard losing her mother when she was so young. Now she lost both of their parents and they weren’t coming back. But what was eating at her more was the fact she ever wanted to learn something different than what she always knew, wanting to know the way of the white skins and ever forgoing her people for those monstrosities. That was a mistake. A big mistake. She felt like it was her fault. That if she hadn’t been so curious, so wandering, so in dire need to learn more than she knew, maybe none of this would have happened. Or maybe she could have died with her father too…

The preparations took long because it took a while to remove the two bullets that had been embedded in her father. Tansy had to look away when they were actually removed, her father’s blood coated on them. She looked as if she might feel sick, as if she might feel faint, and that was when Ahiga came. That was when everything else just got worse. How dare he? How dare he lay his hand on her like that? She didn’t care if he was a man and she just a woman. She wasn’t just any woman. She was chief of this tribe. How dare he act like he was the only one who was mourning her father.

Now in his tipi, Tansy was fuming. Incredibly so considering the way he handled her and touched her. Not a very good idea to do to a woman who was in some serious mourning, or at least in the denial part of it. The denial part in the sense where she wouldn’t allow herself to feel. Instead, bottling everything up and only serving to be a ticking time bomb.

But everything Ahiga accused her of pushed Tansy to the limit and before she could have even tried to stop herself, before she could have even thought about her actions, her hand swept straight across his cheek, so hard that even for his tanned skin, she could see the red handprint she left on his cheek. “How dare I?” She snapped. “How dare you?!” She yelled. He could yell, sure. But she could yell too and she had no problem at all if everyone heard. They would know what they were talking about but she didn’t care. Tansy had exploded. The bomb went off. Kaboom!

“I am chief! I am his daughter. You are only named chief when you marry me and right now, that is not looking so clear, is it? If you keep treating me like this Ahiga, I will have no problem at all in ending this. Ask me why. Because I am chief now and I can null this marriage! You think I am sleeping with that white skin than you clearly think so highly of me and frankly I wish I never knew you!” Grabbing his wrist, she viciously ripped off the bracelet she gave him right before battle. It signified a lot in her opinion considering she hated this man. Now she realized she was right in hating him and she hated him now more than ever.

Moving passed him, she walked towards the tipi exit and pulled the skin back before looking back at him. “I stopped him because he was the only one trying to save our lives. If you had any ounce of any kind of emotion in you other than anger and grief, you’d see that. I’m heartbroken because my father is dead. And even I can still see that.” With that said, she walked out of the tipi and went to the healer’s tipi where she knew Vincent Bauer was. What she didn’t know was the kind of entertainment he was providing the healers. She could only imagine what they must be thinking of him and that bit of amusement at his expense was what made her lips curl up ever so slightly into a faint smile. Ever so faint, like a ghost of a smile.

Walking into it, she looked at him and she bit her lower lip, biting back the amusement that wanted to make itself present on her face. For what he did, she wouldn’t laugh at his misery. Instead, she swept the hem of her dress over her knees and slid down onto the ground, on her knees beside the main healer. “How is he doing? Is he going to live?” She managed a weak grin at him. They all knew. White skins and their inability to handle a little bit of pain…

But like they were one to talk of course.