The New World

Chapter Thrity-Six

I looked into Tecumseh's dark orbs, my heart breaking even more. He frowned, sadness sweeping over his eyes, confusion embedded in his face. He pulled his eyebrows together, hoping that I was just making a sick joke. What hurt even more, was that I wasn't.

When I didn't say anything more or answer his unspoken questions, he blinked and ran his fingers through his raven locks. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. I knew this must be just as hard as it is for me. But I had to stay. I couldn't leave just yet.

Tecumseh finally brought himself to speak, "I-- I don't understand..."

My eyebrows, too, pulled up and my eyes fastened shut as I bit my lip harder, trying to control my tears. His voice was so sad, so confused, it killed me inside to hear him speak like this. I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. I needed to deliver this correctly or things could become worse.

"Tecumseh," I began slowly, "Something isn't right here... I just--"

I came up to me with two long strides, his hand out desperately wanting to touch me, "Alice, do I not make you happy?" His voice dismal. His hand remained away from my face, almost afraid I may turn away from his act of love. I leaned into it, feeling his warmth on my cheek.

Before I could respond he spoke again, "Is it me? Do I scare you? Do I-- I make you upset? Do you not love me? Is it because I bought you against your will? Do you not want to marry me? We don't have to, Alice. We don't have to getting married if that's not what you want. If it's the tribe, if you don't want to live there, we can take Kateri and run away!"

His voice was hysterical, quick paced, forcing all these ugly fears out, but not so anyone outside of my room could hear. Tears formed in my eyes. I hurriedly brought my lips onto his, silencing his dark thoughts and words from spilling out of his mouth any further.

Tecumseh's hands immediately grasped my hips, kissing me back. I cupped his face and pulled away, looking deep into his eyes. As well, tears had formed. My thumb brushed over his cheekbone, like he used to do to me in comfort.

"Never doubt in your mind, that I don't love you. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. I don't care if we wed or not. I don't care where we live or how many children we have, just know that I love you and will never stop."

Relief flooded into his eyes and his face softened, but I knew that he was confused, "But why can't you leave? We could go home right now. Wake up in each other's arms tomorrow morning. Make endless love all day. Why not leave now?"

All of those things sounded unbelievable bliss. My hands slid down from his face and rested on his clothed chest. "It's too easy... My escape, it would be too easy."

Tecumseh pulled my waisted up against his, "Please, explain."

"My step-father is a horrible man... You probably know that, but he always does things for a reason. He came and 'rescued' me for a reason. But what? Why would he want me back? He hates me. He left me there to die. Somehow he knew that I didn't. But why would he risk men's lives to come and get me?"Tecumseh pondered for a moment, but didn't say anything so I continued.

"I came back here with an arranged marriage waiting for me on a silver platter. Why would Harold want me to marry Will when there are plenty of other men for me to marry here? There has to be a reason. And think about this, it takes a roughly a month to sail here from Britain. Harold must have sent for him earlier on or Will just happened to come to the same town I live in. Doesn't that sound strange to you?"

Tecumseh nodded, "Yes, that doesn't sound like a coincidence..."

"Harold must have a plan," I continued, "He has reason for why I'm here so he must have a plan. I need to know what it is. He had planned to take your land away from you, he hasn't brought it up since I've been here and that was the reason why I was kiddnapped."