Boundless Hearts

Chapter 3

Qaletaqa and Treasure didn't talk as they were riding. He would glance over at her ever so often. "She doesn't seem to be scared of us." He is thinking. After a couple of hours of riding in circles and backtracking, he notices that she rubs her light pink lips. "It's a good thing that a stream is not too far. She must be thirsty" He is thinking as the stream comes into view. "We will stop there. You need water." He points at the stream.

"Yes, thank you." She looks at the stream smiling.

He smiles nodding his head at her.

Treasure steps off her horse and leads it to the water. She lets her horse drink first. She turns to look at Isabell and Audrey. "Water your horses first, then you. They have served us well. We don't know how far we are going. Don't drink too much water." She doesn't want the girls to have to use the bathroom.

The girls are letting the horses drink water. After the horse is done, the two girls squat down to get some water in their hands.

Treasure looks at them. "Are you two okay?" She rubs both of their heads looking over their bodies concerned.

Isabell and Audrey nod their heads looking at Qaletaqa. He hasn't taken his eyes off of Treasure.

"Do as they say and let me do all the talking. The main thing is that you two must not do is try to run away." She looks at both girls waiting for a response.

"Are you scared?" Audrey looks at Treasure worried.

"No. But I know if we run, they will catch you two. The punishment would not be good." Treasure looks at the handsome warrior.

Qaletaqa is standing beside his horse looking at Treasure and the two girls. "Why does she act like they are her children? She is not much older than they are." He's thinking.

She drinks some water, she stands up. Treasure looks at him. "Excuse me, can you not tie their hands? You have my word they will not run away." She shakes her head

He just nods his head still looking at her.

Treasure and the girls mount their horses. They ride for a few more hours until they finally arrive at the camp.

As soon as Treasure steps down off of her horse. Qaletaqa walks up to her. "You will stay with me in my lodge. They will go with them." He's pointing at two warriors who look to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

She turns to look at the two men that he is talking about and shakes her head. "No, they will stay with me in your lodge."

"No, I said they go with them." He said louder looking at her. He points at the men again.

"I said no. They will stay with me." She said in a commanding tone.

Qaletaqa looks at her. He still can not believe how strong she is. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you want me. I will never give myself to you if you separate us." Treasure folds her arms looking at him.

"Then I will take it." Qaletaqa is looking at her up and down. As he is walking around her and stops in front of her. He and Treasure are looking into each other's eyes.

"Not if I kill myself first." She is still looking into his eyes.

He steps back looking at her, turning his head from side to side. "I wonder if will she kill herself. I can't take that chance." He's thinking. "They can stay. But you will give yourself to me and be my woman."

She nods her head. "I will be your woman. But I will not give myself to you. You will have to prove that you are worthy of me."

"He touches her hand. "I will not take it. You will lay beside me at night"

"Yes," she nods her head looking at him and then at Isabell and Audrey. She sees that they are scared, so she smiles at them. The two girls smile back.

Qaletaqa looks at the two warriors. "They will stay with me for now." He spoke in his native tongue which is Siouan. But Treasure knew every word that he said.

"Thank God that I learned their language and their ways of living. I never thought that I would be using them like this" She is thinking. Treasure knows that she will have to come up with a way to keep the girls safe.

At about that time, an Indian woman in her mid-twenties walks over to Qaletaqa. She looks at Treasure. "Why is she here?" She points at her.

He looks at the woman. "She is here because she is my woman." Then he looks at Treasure and smiles with pride.

"I am your woman. Not, her" The woman yells looking at Treasure and rolling her eyes.

Treasure is looking at the woman and then at him.

"No, you are not my woman. She is my woman" He is still looking at Treasure, he points at his lodge.

Treasure, Audrey, and Isabell walk into the lodge. All three are looking around at the medium-sized lodge that is made out of a lot of different animal skins.

Isabell leans close to Treasure. "What do we do now?"

Treasure turns to look at both girls. "Stay out of trouble, do not go far from me or the lodge. Do your chores. The most important thing is to do what I tell you."

"Okay," the girls said in unison looking at her.

They know that Treasure will keep them safe. She has beaten up a lot of boys and men in Willow Creek Falls. Mostly because they touch her butt when she walks past them. Or when they call her a bad name because of the color of her skin. Some even call Treasure half-breed. But none of them will ever say it in front of Treasure's father. He would either banish them from the town or kill them. But more than likely he will kill them as he has done a couple of newcomers.

Treasure and the girls sit down on a blanket. When an older woman walks in carrying three pairs of moccasins and three dresses. One of the dresses has yellow beads on the front. She hands that one to Treasure. "I am called Bena" She gives the girls their dresses and moccasins.

Treasure is looking at the dress. "I am Treasure, that is Isabell, and the youngest one is named Audrey" She points at the girls. She looks out of the lodge at Qaletaqa. He's talking to another warrior. "What is his name?"

No one has said his name. They only do whatever he tells them to do. She knew that he was the number one warrior. Because of the respect that the other warriors give him.

"Qaletaqa. He is a great warrior." Bena is looking at him smiling.

"How is it you all know our language?" She asks Bena but is still looking at the man.

"Holy Water taught some of us. We try to teach others. But they still have not learned. " Bena looks at Qaletaqa.

He walks into the lodge picking up blankets that are made of buffalo skin. Then he gives Isabell and Audrey each several of the blankets. "You and I will sleep there." Qaletaqa points at a bed of blankets that are lying on piles of hay. "Your new name__cutoff"

"No, Qaletaqa. My name is Treasure. That's Isabell and Audrey" She points at the girls. "I will not let anyone take our names" She is thinking.

He nods his head smiling. "Treasure. Treasure" He whispers as he is hanging the blankets on a rope. He has the rope tied across the lodge. He decides that this will divide the room and give him and Treasure some privacy.

Three young girls walk in each having a bowl in their hands. The girls give Treasure, Isabell, and Audrey a bowl.

"Thank you" Treasure smiles at the three girls.

"What is this?" Audrey whispers looking into the bowl

"Don't ask. You might not want to know." Treasure shakes her head. As she starts eating.

The girls are looking at her. Until she chews and swallows the first bite.

"It's good," She said as she took another bite.

Isabell and Audrey start eating.

Qaletaqa smiles looking at Treasure and the girls eating.

*****

Richard and the ranch hands return to the ranch and see the front door is wide open. "Treasure, Treasure" He yells as he runs inside the house. He sees hers and the girl's books are still on the table open. "Something is wrong my daughter would never leave things lying around." He yells looking at Tom. "My daughter did not leave on her own. Go into town and find that bastard Joseph. If he has done anything to my precious Treasure he is a dead man."

Tom is looking around the room. He sees that nothing is broken or that anyone has struggled. "Richard she didn't fight back. I wonder why? Unless Joseph wasn't alone and there were too many."

"That is a good question." Her father is walking over to the gun rack. He takes out two rifles. "Now send two of the men to get Joseph." He's loading the guns.