The Stallion

Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimer: I do not own the Magnificent Seven.

Chapter 14 Preparing for War

The next morning finds most of the town packing wagons full of their belongings and leaving. The men are sitting outside the sheriff's office watching the townspeople flee for their lives.

"Well, this is not good." Josh tells the men. The others murmur their agreements.

"So, how was the wedding night boys?" Goodnight asks, changing the subject.

"It was....not something I want to be talking with you about Goodnight," Josh tells him laughing.

"Speaking of our wives," Vasquez tells him, "Where are they? Autumn said she was going to see Emma this morning, and never came back. I am starting to worry."

"Yeah, Lizzy said the same thing," Josh tells him.

Suddenly, the townspeople stop and look down the street. Emma, Elizabeth, Autumn, and Akira are leading the townspeople with guns towards the men. They stop outside of the sheriff's office.

"We got your army right here," Emma tells the men.

"This is the army?" Sam says looking doubtful, "Well, alright let's get to work."

The men jump up and begin breaking the group down into skills, a small group of men go with Billy to work on knife skills, while the rest follow goodnight to a makeshift target field.

It becomes apparent after sometime that the men could not shoot the broad side of a barn.

"Well this is hopeless," Josh tells Vasquez looking at the men, the two leaning up against a hay cart while Goodnight gives the men a pep talk.

Suddenly, several shots shoot the target with expert aim, the men turn suddenly fearing its Bogue's men with retaliation. They are surprised to see two women walking towards them shooting the targets, and not missing a single shot. The two women plant their feet and continue shooting until their out of ammo.

Goodnight whistles, and gestures to the women, "Now that! Is how you shoot!" he tells the men.

Elizabeth and Autumn put there smoking guns on their left shoulders grinning from ear to ear, at the men.
"Call that motivation gentlemen, us women are better shots than you," Elizabeth tells the men. The two women turn to their husbands behind them, blow them a kiss, and walk away back towards the town. The two men with their mouths open watch after their wives as they walk away.

"Holy shit!" Josh tells Vasquez, "remind me never to make my wife mad," he says laughing.

"I will if you remind me! Holy hell our wives are incredible shots! We are some lucky men!" Vasquez tells him.

The two men ditch the training, and run after the women dropping their guns to the ground, swinging them into their arms and running towards the hotel. The women laughing the whole way.

The training and preparation continues for the next several days, in preparation for the upcoming battle. Akira becomes moody because Red has been out to scout for Bogue and return with their estimated time of arrival.

A day before the seventh, Red returns telling Sam that Bogue will be there by Dawn. When he has delivered his news, Red goes in search of Akira. He finds her upstairs in her room at the hotel making arrows for him.

When Red enters, Akira lunges for him, falling into his arms. "I missed you so much!" she tells him crying into his chest.

"No tears," he tells her, "I have something for you. In my culture we have large ceremonies to join two people, but since you are not Comanche, I want to do something small. We will exchange gifts, say vows, and then be man and wife. If that is what you want. I want you to be my wife." Red tells her.

"Oh my," Akira tells him, "she looks around the room and notices the battle arrow she has created just for him, using black and red, "this is my gift to you." She tells him, "I will be your wife but, I will be your only wife," she tells him.

Red nods in agreement, handing her a beautiful necklace made from one of his arrowheads. "Now we make the pact," he tells her.

"Red Harvest promises to love you, and take care of you, till we both die." He tells her.

"I Akira Ethelbah promise to love and cherish you until the day we both die. I will cook for you and clean for you, and tend to your wounds until we depart this earth together." She tells him.

Red Harvest pushes his chest out in pride and kisses her gently on the lips. "We are now man and wife," he tells her.

Akira turns from him, and pushes the arrows to the floor, and pulls him down to meet her on the bed. The two consummating their union with their bodies.

Authors Note: I looked online about Comanche wedding ceremonies and I read about the exchanging of gifts.