A Love Unbowed

Chapter one

I was wandering in the woods looking for food when they found me. I knew that I was lost after the first turn that I made, why I didn't try to turn back I have no idea. My family had died in the fire and I was the only one left. I was picking blackberries when they found me, two strong Cherokee warriors that looked like brothers. When they saw me, they grabbed for me. If it wasn't for that tree root I would have been free. One of the brothers, I'm guessing the older one, flung me over his broad shoulders, his long black hair tickling my face. 

" Put me down you brute, I've done nothing. Leave me alone! " I screamed while pounding on his hardback. 

The younger one chuckled, his grin making him look boyish.

The next thing I know, I'm being thrown onto the hard ground like a sack of potatoes. I hissed in pain when my damaged ankle hit a nearby rock. 

" Be careful... " a deep, heavily accented voice said in English.

"Chief Moore ." The two brutes bowed. The older one stood up, " We found this young girl stealing our harvest fruit." he said in Cherokee pointing at me.

I sat up, " I am not a girl, " I said in flawless Cherokee silently thanking my mother for her heritage.

 " I am a woman, " I continued, pushing my long curly strands away from my face angrily. I stood up grimacing, putting weight on my undamaged left foot. Limping over towards the chief, I said, " Let me go, I've done nothing wrong. "

 I looked up into the chief's face, his honey-brown eyes twinkling with amusement.

 "What is so funny?" I said clenching my teeth in anger.

"You are a feisty woman, so small. How did you learn our tongue ? "  He said curiosity burning in his eyes.

 " My mother was Cherokee. " I said sighing. He nodded his head, circling me he said, " I cannot let you go. You have somehow found our tribe which has been hidden from the pale faces for the past two decades. How did you find us? " All traces of humour left his perfectly chiselled face. He stared down at me, arms crossed over his well-formed chest waiting for an answer.

" I don't know, I was wandering in the forest and got lost, " I said my voice cracking at the memory of my parents burning in the fire. I hung my face letting my hair fall to cover my tears. My leg started throbbing painfully making me dizzy. I looked down at it, it was turning a sickly blue colour, I had a deep gash in my leg that was oozing thick blood. The sight made me nauseous.

The world around me began to spin. I felt myself falling, but before I could hit the ground, Mohe caught me in his strong tanned arms. " Thank you," I whispered before I blacked out.

I awoke to the crackling of a fire and the smell of incense. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up a bit. My entire body hurt. I felt like I'd been run over by a stampede of horses. Groaning, I sat up fully.

 " No stop! Do not move. " a voice said.

"Who is it? " I said sounding like I swallowed bullfrog.

 " It is Mohe ." he said coming out of the shadows.

"Ah, the chief," I said watching him stalk closer to my sleeping place.

 " Yes the chief .." he said returning to his task of baiting the fire.

" How long have I been asleep? " 

 " Five days " Mohe answered shrugging his shoulders. 

 " Five days ?! " 

 " Yes, you had a fever." He said taking off his deerskin wrap.