Outlander: A Bonnie and Clyde Story Vol. 1

Chapter 6: Stephen

"Captain, I don't understand why we have to risk our lives on Mohawk land. They out number us if we get caught." Daniel said.

"Because I want back what they took from me." Stephen mumbled.

It felt like they've been walking for an eternity. Daniel was becoming more of an irritant with every step. I presume it was due to hunger, but I was ready to slaughter him if another complaint left his mouth.

Then, I heard it. Like howling wolves, however it was clear those noises weren't coming from real wolves. We ducked down and slowly approached the chaos. Keeping our distance, we hid behind a fallen tree trunk and observed.

Certainly enough, we were on Mohawk territory and we've reached their camp ground. They seemed to be upset about something emerging from one of their tents. I searched the grounds to see if I could find what I was looking for, and it only took a moment for the gleam of my treasure to hit my eyes. A large blue sapphire around the chief's neck.

I was just about the advance before the group of Mohawks started to get more aggressive. I stooped back down and observed more, trying to plan out how I was going to get my sapphire. 

That's when I saw her. She rushed out of the tent and quickly stopped in her tracks, clearly astonished at all the Mohawks waiting for her.

She dressed in an attired I've never seen before and she was standing oddly as she waited for the Mohawks to attack her. She seemed like she had some spirit in her to fight them. Brave girl. One Mohawk charged towards her and she swiftly brought him down with a fist to the face and a strong kick to the head.

She was clearly a very impressive and brave girl, but she was still out numbered. The rest of the Mohawks charged at her angrily, and the chief stood there unattended. This was my chance.

I took out the knife I had in my pocket and sneaked up behind the chief as they beat the poor strange girl.

"Take off that jewel around yer neck at once, or they'll be mourning you very soon." I whispered in his ear as he froze.

This caught the other Mohawks attention and they abruptly stopped beating up the poor girl, who was now laying on the ground unconscious. They were furious, but didn't dare make a move. The chief removed the sapphire necklace, being extra careful as not to give us a reason to kill him. I looked over at the girl who was still on the ground motionless.

I slowly walked towards her to make sure she was still breathing. It appeared that she had her leg cut open by those dangerous savages. I nodded to Daniel to grab her ase I spotted something on the floor inside the one of the tents. It clearly wasn't anything I've ever seen so I presume it was the girl's.

I slowly backed towards the tent, still keeping a firm hand on the knife held against the chiefs neck.

"You stole something precious from me." I announced. "So I'm taking it back ten fold." I was getting closer to the tent. "Throw all your weapons into the river, or else I'm slicing his head clean off." I tightened my grip on the knife, making the chief gasp. Their only translator spoke in their native tongue and one by one they all reluctantly dropped their weapons in the river, keeping a close eye on me.

"Go inside your tents and don't come out till you see yer chief come back safe and sound." I shouted as I backed away with the chief still under my knife.

The translator hesitated before translating to everyone else. I tightened my grip once more making the chief wince, a drop of blood trickling down his neck.

They all scurried quickly as I did my best to hastily back away until the camp was no where in sight. We got to our horses and loaded up before I let the chief go.

"Go back and be grateful yer still alive." I said before we kicked off with our horses.

The journey back was as swift as we could make it. The strange girl was still unconscious, blood trickling down her leg. We had to stop to bandage her up. We dismounted our horses and laid her on the forest floor.

"Captain, what kind of attire it this?" Daniel asked, touching her clothing. 

"Go fetch me some water from that stream over there." I said ignoring his question. He obeyed.I ripped a piece of my shirt, long enough to wrap around her leg. Daniel came sprinting back with the water and I poured it over her leg. Still unconscious. I wrapped my cloth around her wound tight enough to stop the bleeding.

"Captain..." Daniel started.

"I know Daniel." I huffed. "I don't know where she came from. I don't recognize her attire." I finished. "But we couldn't leave her there. You saw how she fought them off."

Daniel paused and nodded in agreement.

We were just about a mile away from town before I stopped. "Hand me the blanket." I said as Daniel did as he was told. I couldn't let anyone in town see her. I felt a sense of protectiveness of her that I didn't understand myself. But all I knew was she was mine and I wanted to learn about her.

We rode into town trying to seem ordinary. A seasoned smuggler as myself shouldn't be as restless as I was feeling in that moment. My heart was about to burst out of my chest, my attention was heightened. Daniel got off his horse and knocked on the back door of the tavern we were hiding out.

I was under the good graces with the owner, as Daniel is his son. In the past, Daniel's family had a encounter with a group of dangerous bandits, who for years had barged in and made the tavern their home for nights on end until they became bored and left. This involved the tavern to run out of food each time they were there.

One night, Daniel's family had exhausted all their earnings as well as food towards these bandits and had nothing else to offer them. They were enraged and kidnapped Daniel and sailed off with him. I encountered these bandits on a port one night. Upon overhearing the amount of treasures they were stowing on their ship. Naturally, couldn't resist.

I sneaked onto their ship one night, not only finding treasures, but to also find a boy, frightened out of his skin, tied up like a slave down in the orlop. He was only a lad when I sneaked him away, along with as many treasures he and I could carry. I brought him back to his family and I've been in good graces as long as I can remember.

Daniel's father came out, took a look at me as well as the unconscious maiden, and rushed us inside.

"I will need a room and some bandages." I said. There were no questions from him as expected as he lead us up to the private room. He and Daniel both left to fetch anything they could use for bandages. I laid her down on the bed, still covering her with the blanket in case anyone else tried to come in.

Daniel and his father came in with a basin of water and some clothes that looked like they were ripped from clothing.

"That'll do. Place them here on the bed." I instructed. I nodded to Daniel to leave us.I removed the blanket as well as the soiled bandages from her and gently started to clean the area of her wound. She didn't seem to have any hair on her legs, which are odd to me. I took off whatever bulky corset that was covering her torso, which surprised me. She was very tiny underneath this odd corset of hers.

I wiped down her arms and face. Her skin was flawless, with bits of beauty marks on them. Her hair, although dirty, was long and felt like silk.

She then started to murmur in her sleep. I didn't understand what she was saying but her voice sounded sweet. I watched her for a while as she lay there and whispered in her sleep. I felt that familiar feeling I had a long time ago with Daniel. Compassion. Who was this lass?