Hot Cannons & Warm Lovers Ch. 02

I learned something then too," she said smiling, "I learned that I love you. I have not ever had a son. But we will live together soon and you will have me as a second mother and you will be my son too. Can you forgive me? I will never laugh again."

Étienne's eyes were wet as he struggled, but he nodded a little.

She smiled then, reaching to hug him, "And I am certain that when you are a man, what I saw will be enough and more for someone and no one will laugh then unless it is in joy to have a man as you will be.

And now that I remember, I should have known better. I saw Nehaseemo once when we were children. It was the same."

He'd been looking down until then, but he looked up at that, "It was?"

"Yes!" she laughed, "Just the same, and you heard how I lied to say it was not, neh?"

He nodded, feeling a little better, "I think that I just miss Uncle Jean-Luc and Grand-Père. Everything is different now."

He looked into her eyes then. Though he was only seven, he knew what he'd just done, "I am sorry. You lost him too."

She nodded, her tears beginning again and he hugged her as she wept.

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They left early the next morning, borrowing a horse - which Lise did not know how to ride, but she got the hang of it with no mishap. The result was just a long day in the saddle -- which wasn't there, she sat on a blanket with her son hanging on to her.

She and Étienne just hung on and Kiwidinok loped slowly along beside them. They traveled very lightly and slept together under a pile of blankets, which was not exactly the most comfortable way to do it. Kiwinidok was still heartbroken, but as time went by, a different look came into her eyes as she considered what had been taken from her by a cold-hearted idiot. After Étienne was asleep, when it became too much for her, she wept softly in Lise's arms.

"It happens sometimes that a woman lives with another and is like the man between them. We say that they are Half-Sky Women. I do not know about it much, but that woman, she becomes what we call an Iron Woman. I think that when Nehaseemo leaves us -- if he agrees to it, then that is what I must become for us."

She exhaled out some of the tension in her chest then against Lise's breasts and she looked up, "And if he does not agree, then you can still come to live with me if you need or want to after he leaves."

When they got up the next day, Kiwidinok was already stiff to begin with, so she wanted to get moving so that she might limber up a little. But first, she sat and loaded her brace of crude pistols.

"I must remember to hold on tightly," she told Lise, "the kick from this will hurt."

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By about noon or a little after, they walked through the small village until they found Nehaseemo talking with the chief, as it turned out, with a very interested-looking young woman sitting next to the older man.

"Kiwidinok," the man began, "our honor to welcome the sister of Assiginack. This is -"

"Nehaseemo is an old friend of mine from childhood," she smiled as she put her hand onto his shoulder, "I asked him to come and say that I was coming here."

They exchanged the required greetings and Kiwidinok introduced Lise and Étienne. She got right to the point after that.

"A trader was killed here some days ago. I wish to see the weapon that was said to be bad and I wish to meet the one."

The chief sent a runner to bring the man.

"Who are these ones? I know their names now as you told them, but why are they here?"

"The trader who was murdered was my man," Kiwidinok replied coldly, careful to maintain the correct tone of respect, "He was the boy's uncle and the woman's brother. He was father to my daughter. I am aggrieved over what was done."

"A sad thing," the man nodded, "But the musket -- "

"There was nothing wrong with the musket," she said, "It worked well enough to kill one that I loved."

A man was brought forward and she held out her hand, "Please give the musket to me."

The man glowered at her, "Who are you to ask anything of me? Who are you to speak to me?"

Kiwidinok looked to be holding herself in check, but just barely. "I say what I want to anyone. I want to see that musket. I do not come from this village, so I can speak to you. You are near to a mistake. Please give the musket to me."

Lise and Étienne understood little of the conversation, which began to grow a little heated until the chief told the man to hand the weapon over.

Kiwidinok looked at it and pointed it into the air, "Is it loaded?"

"Give it here," the man grinned a little, "And I will see if it is."

Kiwidinok shook her head, "I have heard of the way that you test a musket. You killed my husband that way."

She pulled back the hammer and she pulled the trigger. The musket fired into the air.

"Well," she said, "I guess it is safe now, neh?"

The startled man nodded as he watched her turn it around as though to examine something.

Then he was on the ground with a smashed nose from the way that she'd swung it. He tried to get up and she beat him with it, hitting him again and again, her face a mask of rage.

"I GUESS THAT IT MUST BE SAFE NOW!! You live and my husband is DEAD over NOTHING!! You killed an honest friend of the people, you fat-headed fool! "

She threw the musket at him, hitting him in the ribs before she stood bent forward a little with her fists balled at her sides, her ribs heaving. When the man grabbed the musket like a club and began to get to his feet, Kiwidinok drew her cut-down musket from under the back of her shirt and snapped the hammer back.

"Let me try now!" she shouted and before anyone could move, she shot the man in the face.

The young woman next to the chief screamed out that he'd been her husband and she began to cry.

Kiwidinok dropped the weapon and her hands flew under her shirt as she whipped out two more of the crude pistols.

Snapping both hammers back, she leveled one at the woman and the other at the chief.

"MY HUSBAND!" Kiwidinok yelled.

"MY GIRL'S FATHER!

HER BROTHER!

HIS UNCLE!"

She took a step forward, "Do you wish to know how it feels to lose a father as well? He will not care -- but you will.

Trust me princess, you will."

The weeping woman shook her head as she began to keen, rocking herself forward and back.

"I wish to take a new man now because of what was done," Kiwidinok seethed, nodding to Nehaseemo and handing him one of the pieces, "if he will have me and my brotherless friend, so that our children might know a father at last."

She looked at the chief who stood staring at her, "You have angered the sister of an ally by allowing the murder and doing nothing. Kill me or this man, and you have the Ojibwas AND the Shawnees angered.

My man came with a horse and a wagon. I want them."

Étienne stared at the twitching corpse on the ground.

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Twenty minutes later, Nehaseemo rode on a horse, and Kiwidinok drove the wagon with Lise and Étienne sitting in it with her.

Nehaseemo's face was stern until they'd been on the road for an hour. Finally, he turned and looked over.

"So," he scowled a little, "You want me as your husband?"

Kiwinidok sighed, "I am sorry for shaming you like that, Nehaseemo. I was very angry."

He waved his hand back and forth, as though trying to clear away some smoke in the way, "I was not shamed. I wanted to kill that idiot for you and Lise.

But I know you, old friend. That is why I only stood by. I have not asked you for an apology, Kiwidinok. I only wish to understand this. Do you want me as your husband?"

She was about to nod, feeling foolish over what she'd said quite publicly, but she knew him, so, ...

"Lise wants you and I have always wanted you, if you think that you can abide my temper. You can have a woman in her and even me, if she would allow it. She and I must try to go on. I have always been your friend. If you wish for more, then we must all talk."

His eyebrows rose at that, "Oh? Lise as well? Say it to her so that she knows what we speak of."

Kiwinidok turned to Lise, "He asks if you would have him for a your man. I have said what we talked of. You have only had him one night, Lise, so think a little now.

It is fast, but with the way that you do not speak the language of the other yet, winter will be on us, so I force this now. This is not where you come from, but among us three, anything may be said. Choose now if you want him and I would be happy to know that you know joy."

Lise nodded to Nehaseemo, "Oui."

She held up her hand, showing three fingers and pointing to the three of them with her other hand, "Nous."

He stared for a moment and then he laughed a little, "Have you turned into an Iron Woman now?"

Kiwidinok shrugged, "We have two children between us and no man. If I must be an Iron Woman, then I must be. I have always wanted you, and Lise is certain. We must ask Étienne and -- "

She turned around in her seat and switched to French again, "Étienne, we are talking about making our family with Nehaseemo as the father now. He wants to know if it is something you want. Would you want this if it happens? He would have to leave and come back sometimes. He told Lise that you are the kind of boy that he wants for a son. It is a big choice for you, but say what you think if you can."

Étienne nodded, "Can we leave soon? I do not want anything to happen to any more of us. I like Nehaseemo. He likes me. It is enough. But I am tired of Penetanguishene."

She looked at Nehaseemo again, "We cannot ask Ayashe because she is not here, but I know how she feels about you."

She heaved a sigh then, "Oh say yes, Nehaseemo. I need a reason not to cry again. My hand hurts from the shooting."

He looked puzzled, "That is the first time that I have heard you sound that way since we were children. Out of all of the women that I have ever met, only Kiwidinok is bold enough to say what she wants.

I am not even surprised. It is something that I have always admired in my friend. Will I have to build a lodge or ... "

She shrugged, "Ask my brother. He will be so happy that you take his wild sister that he would likely give you half of the island.

He always joked to me that Jean-Luc was always away so much so that he could sleep without the fear of me murdering him while he slept.

Say yes. It is nothing for you to fear. Lise will protect you."

"How many more of these musket pistols do you have?"

"Only one more, why?"

He grinned, "Then give it to Lise."

"She already has it. I could find no more places to hide them under my shirt."

Nehaseemo threw his head back and he laughed, "Let me keep the one that you gave to me. We can call it a fair bargain then and I am yours."

Kiwidinok stared at him, and seeing the expression, Lise guessed that it had begun for them. She put her arm around Kiwidinok and did her best in Ojibwe, "I - I proud of Kiwidinok."

Nehaseemo didn't laugh, though he smiled widely, "I am proud too."

Kiwidinok turned her gaze back to the road ahead, but she did manage to find a small smirk in herself in spite of everything as she spoke in French to Lise quietly, "Nehaseemo would say that he is foolish, but I think that he must be a very brave man."

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They didn't stop until it was almost dark and they hid themselves off the road. Kiwidinok made sure that all four of the weapons were loaded and she and Nehaseemo took turns standing watch.

Before the dawn, they were moving again. Nothing more happened and they came back to Penetanguishene, where Kiwidinok traded the horse and wagon for a larger canoe, using the difference in value as a gift to her relations for their trouble and patience. They ate a meal together after that and then set off for Manitoulin Island, hugging the eastern shore until it was to the north of them before turning toward the island.

Kiwidinok's brother Assiginack was saddened to learn of what had happened, but he was happy to see Nehaseemo again and very pleased to hear that they wanted to stay there on the island. Kiwidinok was truthful in what she'd told Lise -- she really did know everyone, from the oldest grandmother to almost the youngest child and Lise found herself and Étienne welcomed and accepted instantly.

It helped that she and her son arrived dressed mostly the same as everyone else, and Kiwinidok had made a point of braiding Lise's long hair the same way that everyone did. It was a little thing, but it was a nice touch that helped to win many over to her at once.

But it was only the calm before the storm for Étienne. He wanted to go back to Cap Rouge.

There were many children on the island. There were at least four villages there. Of all of those children, there were also a number who were Metis, that is, children born with both Caucasian and Native North American blood. As one might imagine, they ran the full range in their appearances from one to pretty much the other and there were some at either end of that spectrum who were not easily distinguished by their appearances at all.

But Étienne stuck out for a couple of reasons, and not all of them related to his appearance. Étienne had no indigenous blood. He was white and that was known. That led a lot of the other kids to conclude that he didn't belong there. It was just the way that humans are; it had little to do with the anything other than being different.

As well, it became known that a Shawnee war chief would be wintering with them. By itself, that wasn't a big deal, but other than reasons of politics, this one was here because he'd taken two women -- which was a little unusual; one of them the chief's sister and the other the blonde boy's mother.

On top of that, it was also known that Nehaseemo would be adopting the children of those mothers. There were kids who wanted to fight the son of a war chief just because, adopted or not.

No one close to her age wanted to fight Ayashe. She was known to be fearless, and could make even a ten year-old think twice before taunting her even a little. But then it was seen that Ayashe ignored Étienne and would have nothing to do with him -- not even speaking to him unless she had been told to.

That made it open season on the blonde kid.

Ayashe had been very upset over the murder of Jean-Luc. The family rearrangement and the inclusion of Nehaseemo didn't do much to offset the loss to her. She liked Nehaseemo and always had, whenever he'd been on the island, but all of this was just something which kept her wound up and in trouble with her mother. It caused a lot of resentment.

"He is not my brother!" she said loudly to her mother one day when Kiwidinok had tried to reason with her, "I will not treat him like my brother. He waves that stupid knife of his in the air slowly all alone like he does magic outside behind the lodge."

Kiwidinok stopped what she was doing and reminded her daughter to watch her tone.

"No, he is not your brother. But he lives here with us. Maybe think of him as your cousin if it makes things easier for you. Instead, I have seen you strike him or push him away only because he came to ask you something. That does not go here in this home. Do not let me see that again, Ayashe.

I did not ask you to protect him; I only ask that you help him a little. He is in a new place and has his own troubles. You would be lost in the place where he comes from, but I know that he would do this for you and not even need to be told."

Ayashe apologized to her mother because she had to; but she still said nothing to Étienne and glowered at the boy's back as he slowly walked out. He didn't get all of what was said. He only knew they were talking about him.

Even Penetanguishene was better than this.

Ayashe was totally unprepared for what came next as Kiwidinok pulled her halfway across the place where she worked so that Ayashe could look nowhere other than her own mother's angry eyes.

"Try to be a little older than three in your acts, Daughter. You spend so much time trying to prove something which is really that you are easily angered. It has little to do with the way that you are treated by others. Most of what you hear are only the words of the stupid.

Do you think that you are the first girl to find that the thoughts of most boys can be stupid sometimes? I was there before you, Ayashe. Most of what is said to you by them is only said to make you angry, because you are known to be hot-tempered and easily driven to rage. You fall for it every time, so who is really smarter?

Where do you think that came from in you? You are my daughter."

She released her hold on the girl's shirt then and Ayashe had to grab the frame of the wall to keep from falling off her seat., "I was there long before you." Kiwidinok said.

"He practices something that was taught to him by his grandfather relating to that sword. It is something which reminds him of a time when he was loved by someone other than his mother. He does it often because he has nothing else and no one his age will speak to him in words that are not hateful or taunting.

My daughter cannot be this stupid herself. Open your eyes, Ayashe. A woman of the people becomes wise when she sees and thinks -- not when she is foolish.

Nothing has been done to you by this. No one loves you less because of it -- certainly not me. But it is time for you to think a little. Help Étienne; not always, not even often. But I know because I have seen that you help others out of a sense of what is fair. I have seen you dive into something only because another child was outnumbered and picked out for nothing. I ask that you do the same for Étienne; that is all. He comes in for far more than his share from the same thing that gets you the respect of being a chief's niece and Nehaseemo's adopted daughter. At least no one comes to you wanting to fight you over it.

But every boy does that to him -- and you do nothing. You make it worse because they see that you do not speak to him. I love you as I always have, from the first moment since I saw you. But I love him as well and while you shout if you are treated unfairly, I see you smile when you do the same thing to him.

He has been here a month and he knows only misery among us. It is not right.

You like to act strong, but he is stronger than you inside, because he says nothing. He takes the beatings and does not know if he can hit back -- because no one has told him how it goes here. He does not cry loudly -- only silently because he feels shame and sadness inside and says nothing until Lise or I ask him because we see that he has been beaten in a fight again. I grow tired of this and your treatment of him and Lise is upset as well. He has done nothing to deserve the way that you and others treat him.

If you like, you may run away and live somewhere else. Maybe try to find someone who would put up with you. I can make another daughter who could show respect and not only look for reasons to complain. I would rather have a son like that than a girl of seven who acts like she is three."

She got up then and walked away, moving on to another task. Ayahe turned to speak, "But --"

"Leave me!" Kiwinidok said and turned away. "I do not wish to see you anymore. You have shamed me with your actions."

Ayashe walked outside, feeling the effect of her mother's strong words. All of it almost made her want to cry, though she wouldn't. She wanted to protest that it wasn't fair, but she knew that her mother's will was a lot like her own and she also knew that her mother was also upset with her, so there would be no making this up quickly. Ayashe knew that this was serious because her mother had always been her best friend while still enforcing the walls of the relationship. And Ayashe was the child; a smart and strong girl who could listen and hear what was said.