The New World

Chapter Fifteen

"Why are you making a fire?"

Tecumseh sparked the twigs and caught flame. He hung a pot over the fire filled with water from the river. Frogs barked and bees buzzed while crickets chirped. The twigs crackled, "It is for your hair."

He pulled out a cloth bag from his pocket and poured its contents into the heating water. "It is yucca root. It should be ready soon."

I let my feet rest in the river bank while Tecumseh made my shampoo. "It is ready," he finally said.

I turned and handed me a bowl of water. He saw my confusion on my face and sighed, "Pour it in your hair and clean it. I'll be over there. I left you something to dry off with."

He then left me to myself. I pulled off my tattered dress and underwear. I slowly dipped my feet into the water and walked toward the middle. My eyes closed as the water brushed against my skin. I couldn't help but smile.

I washed my hair and skin with a bar of soap Tecumseh provided also. Once I was done, I walked out of the river and ringed out my hair. I grabbed the blanket and dried myself off. For the first time in a week, I felt truly clean again. I slipped my underwear and dress back on. The stenched wafted into my nose making me gag.

I grabbed the bowl, soap and damp blanket and looked for Tecumseh. He wasn't in sight. I walked past the bushes that led into the forest. "Tecumseh?" I searched.

Nothing.

"Tecums-" A hand grasped my shoulder. I screamed, dropping everything I held. I spun around to Tecumseh holding up his hands defensively. I exhaled with relief. I bent down to grabbed his things that I dropped.

"No, I will get it," he said. He bent down and grabbed his things and stood back up. He was a very tall man. His deep set eyes stared into mine. He had prominent cheek bones and sharp, chiseled nose with thin lips. He was very handsome.

He then looked away and spoke in a subtle voice, "We better head back now."

I felt my cheeks flush and followed him back to the village.

I felt the villagers eyes on me as I walked back behind him. I felt like a lost puppy or an adopted duckling, awkwardly following her just to get food.

I kept my head low and did my best not to make eye contact with anyone. Tecumseh seemed like my best safe zone. We reached his tent and he held the flap door open for me. I quickly slipped in and headed towards my cot. Tecumseh came in after me and went to his mini kitchen. He shuffled things around, grabbing something and turned to me.

He tossed me an apple, "You're hungry."

I caught the apple with without ease, "What if I'm not?"

He sat on his bed of furs, "I heard you stomach on our way back from the river. Eat."

I blushed and took a bite of my apple. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as sweet juice of the red delicious flooded my mouth. I heard him chuckled and I quickly looked at him. He was continuing is weaving on his belt.

I munched on my apple and enjoyed the feeling of my stomach beginning to fill. I came to the core and Tecumseh began to hum. His long fingers worked swiftly on the belt.

I placed the apple core on the ground and sat on the floor. His soothing music relaxed me. I pulled my knees to chest and hugged them. I sighed.

Tecumseh stopped humming and stopped weaving. He looked up at me with almost a worried look, "Are you alright?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. Why did he care? I was his prisoner. He shouldn't care. "You are nice to me," I stated.

Tecumseh just stared at me, "Yes."

"Why?"

He pondered for a moment, "Do you not want me to?"

Dumbfounded, I spoke to him like I did with Harold, "What kind of question is that?!"

He threw his head back and laughed, "Well, why would you ask me why I treat you kindly?"

I chuckled, "I'm not one of the favorites around here, if you could tell," I showed off my wounds with a smile.

He gave a soft smile, "Since some do not like you, you assume no one does?"

I shook my head, "No, one girl named Sona--" I caught myself in the middle of the sentence. My eyes were wide. I held my tongue with my teeth. How could I do that?! I just gave her away!

Tecumseh nodded, "It is fine. I already know. Sonakshi has helped you."

I looked up, worried, "Please, don't tell," I begged.

He laughed, "I would not. She has a kind heart."

I smiled softly, "Thank you."

Tecumseh continued to weave, but did not hum.

"I still don't understand," I began.

He stopped and looked back up at me. I was still hesitant about just starting a conversation. Getting in trouble was the last thing I wanted.

"Paresh and the others..." I thought back to my week of torture, "They treated me like I was an animal. Yet, you do not."

Tecumseh took a deep breath, "They treated you less than an animal. Less than the dirt on the bottom of their feet." I winced at his words.

He continued, "Paresh and my people, not all of them, are full of hate. Just the ones you met and a few others. The rest is just a haze of fog blocking their minds. Their hate they claim to have is a sham. I do not know why they are filled with hate."

"And you are not?"

His smiled made my heart melt, "Exactly. You, Alice, are safe here. I will not hurt you."

I felt a smile creep onto my face, "You will not kill me?"

"No," his eyes were soft, I felt like I could trust him.

I pushed further, "How long must I stay here?"

Tecumseh's face fell, but he answered, "I cannot make you stay. But you are safe here. Safer than out there. If you leave, I cannot guarantee your safety."

I hugged my legs closer. He went back to weaving. I tried to wrap my head around the thought that I could go home. He said it wasn't safe out there. He must have meant that it was life threatening? But did I want to go home?

Harold and Mother did not want me home. They didn't even make an effort to show that they wanted me back. I wouldn't die here, at least it sounded like I wouldn't. What did I want? Did I want to go back to my spoiled life in Amsterdam or stay here with my uncertain future?

Here's a picture of Tecumseh :D profile view! I do not own this pic! Here is the artist:

http://thubakabra.deviantart.com/