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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2928571" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Fifty, “Caine Returns”, Monday, May 29th, 1882, 6:30 P.M.Meanwhile, Nanuet returns to the Priestess’s house.  He listens to Minerva tell him all about the shopping she has done for Nakomo and he explains that he has been given part of Hoover's investments in his will.  "I am still worried about Nakomo's safety, and perhaps my own as well.  We must still be careful and I am not even sure how safe it is for us to stay here."She states, "The Judge has ruled that Nakomo must do his community service. I do not think that we can just remove him from Promise City without permission from the court.  He did not leave home on good terms with the tribe. It is quite possible that his own people are angry with him and may treat him poorly.  Perhaps it would be best if you made the journey and explained things to them, find out if he is welcome, before you send him back.  After all look what happened the last time they appointed him guardians.   I believe that he has many friends here and that it will be easier to keep him safe if he stays put. Many people here believe him to be a hero. Let me read you the article that was in the newspaper today."   Minerva picks the paper up off the table and recites the article about how Nakomo prevented the other elves from committing murder.  Please Mi Amor, I promise that I will keep an eagle eye on him and I'm sure that our friends will take him under there wings as well. If you travel alone it will not take you long and when you return he will have fulfilled his obligation here.He replies, "Well you have become attached rather quickly have you not?  I never said I wished to remove him from your sight so quickly, just said I am worried about his safety.  I understand that he has some work to do around here before he would be allowed to go anywhere.   If you wish me to discuss his status with the tribe elders then I will." She replies, "Si, I do seem to have developed a  rather strong instinct to protect him, but perhaps it is because I see a bit of how you must have been as a boy in him.  He is brave and honest like his cousin Nanuet and will surely grow to be a great man with the proper guidance." Her eyes sparkle as she wraps her arms around him in return. "When I look at him I can almost see what our own children will look like.   Si, I would prefer that he stay here and that you stay here as well, Mi amor.   Minerva changes into fresh clothes and She and Nanuet take Nakomo over to the Lucky Lady for dinner.It had taken Alison Caine ten days to get here from Abilene.  If she’d really pushed the horse, she could have made it eight, but she’d been nothing but dog-tired for going on three weeks now. The gods knew why. Maybe it was just everything she’d been through lately. Three months, not just running – she was used to running – but on the run from dangerous men with death on their minds. And then they’d caught up. At midday she stopped at a water-hole, filled her canteen, ate the last of her food, let the horse drink. Six hours, maybe seven, to Promise City. It was a long time since she’d been down this way, sword at her side and rifle slung over her back, riding out into the desert with Isaac O’Dell.   Those memories still made her smile, wry and bitter. Beer and bullets and blood. She washed her face in the muddy creek water and got back on her horse. It was almost seven by the time she got to Promise City, hot and dusty from her long journey. She swung down from the horse and hung onto the reins to support her shaky, exhausted legs. Then, sweeping a strand of hair behind her ear, she looked around at the dusty streets. “Now,” she said to herself softly. “Where to?”   A crowd is mulling about on Fremont Street in front of the Town Hall building where it appears that some sort of meeting has just ended.   Al Caine sees a man who she recognizes, the manager of the Bar H stables which are situated across the street from the Town Hall.   She doesn't recall his name but he was the man who she bought her horse from in this town less than a half-year earlier.  The horse has served her well so she decides that she might as well go and board the horse back at his stable while she is in town.Al takes her hat off, reties her hair and puts the hat back on. She wipes one grubby hand across her grubby face and gently takes the horse's reins to lead her, slowly and carefully, towards the stables. She's so tired.   She stays as far away from the crowd as she can get, which isn't far, as she leads the horse down the street. It seems to take forever to get to the stable entrance, where the manager is standing. "Sir," she says in a faint voice, trying to get his attention. Then louder: "Um, sir?"The man stops and turns towards Al, giving her a quick glance.   "Yes?"  he then asks.   "How much to board my horse?" Al asks. Her tone is terse, but her free hand is twisting in her hair nervously. "Just for the night."   He looks at the horse and says, "Looks like you've been riding it hard.   A night's boarding will cost you fifty-cents, that includes meals tonight and tomorrow morning of both hay and grain.    Would you like me to put you saddle in the tack room or are you taking it with you?"Al fumbles in her pocket and produces a handful of coins. "Uh... yeah, take the saddle. Thanks." She hands the coins to the man and gives her horse's mane a friendly stroke before passing him the reins.Thank you Ma'am," he states as he leads the horse away to his corral and stable.     Most of the people have now left the Town Hall, heading off to the various restaurants and saloons of the town.   During Al's last visit to the town her cousin Job played cards at the "Lone Star Dance Hall and Saloon" at the northeast corner of Main and Allen Streets.   She heads in that direction and sees that the two-story brick saloon is no longer there, having been replaced with a larger three-story saloon that extends much further back up Allen Street.  It has a big sign reading "Lucky Lady Dance Hall and Saloon" above the door.    Al raises her eyebrows in surprise. She adjusts her hat slightly on her head, shrugs her pack onto her back, and steps inside.Inside the Lucky Lady, Alison glances around for Job - or indeed, anyone she might recognize. It's been less than half a year, but it feels like a lifetime.    She looks around the room.    A large man by the door who she has not seen before says that he needs to check her weapons, that she will get them back when she leaves.   The room has around fifteen patrons in it at the moment, an even mix of well-dressed and roughneck.    She notices a young blond boy of around six or seven sitting by himself at one of the smaller tables near the stage and eating his supper. The man behind the bar is unfamiliar to her, as is the young man in the suit playing the piano.   She recognizes the Mexican woman coming out of the kitchen carrying a tray with plates of food, but believes it was a different saloon that she saw this woman in last time.   A man enters from the side door who she finally recognizes.  It isn't her cousin but is the other gambler who had worked here the time before.   He heads right over to a table where three people are waiting for him and takes out a deck of cards.Al gives the bouncer her weapons - rifle, sword and dagger - and watches as the gambler takes his seat and deals. She heads towards the table, taking long strides, trying not to look as tired as she feels. She doesn't take a seat, but stands beside the dealer.  "Pardon me," she says as he finishes passing out cards. "Do you happen to know where Job Kane is?"The gambler says "His game usually doesn't get going until 8:30, around an hour from now.   He may be managing the place tonight instead though, our regular manager went and got himself shot and killed on Saturday.   Job should be along in around another half-hour or so."  "Thanks," says Al.  She walks to the bar, where she shrugs off her heavy pack, letting it fall to the ground with a loud thud. After dithering for a moment, she orders a shot of whisky, takes off her hat and sits at the bar, nursing her drink and looking around.Minerva enters the lucky lady and scans the room to see who is there. She finds them a table which allows them to see those who enter.  He sees a familiar figure sitting at the bar in the Lucky Lady and nursing a glass of whiskey. A human woman in her early twenties, tall and skinny with dirty blonde hair, wearing men's clothes, leather armor and a battered old hat. Al Caine. She looks up as the door swings shut behind him and Minerva.  "Well, I'll be damned!" says Al incredulously. "Nanuet, you ain't still hanging round this town?"Nanuet excuses himself and walks to the bar.  "Well look what the wolves dragged in!  Al, Is that you? He says with a grin. What brings you back to Promise City?" He looks her up and down noting the dirt on her clothes and the weary look in her eyes. "Looks like you been on the trail a while"  Al stands and removes her hat. "This and that," she says, grinning back but looking frankly exhausted. "Visiting with my cousin Job, if I can ever find him. You're looking well. How's Arizona been treating you?"His grin gets wider as he nods his head in Minerva's direction. "Arizona is treating me just fine, Al Life couldn't be sweeter." Job should be on in a while. It's been a hard day for him. Had to bury his partner"  Al smiles back, just a bit sadly, looking past him at Minerva. "Glad to hear it," she says. Then she reaches into her pants pocket and turns to grab the barman's attention. "Can I buy you a drink?" she asks. "And something for your lady friend, too?"  Minerva states, "Looks to me like you could use one. Come and sit with us and take a load off. I will introduce you to my woman and my cousin. Maybe we can help?  Minerva is the town preacher, helping is what she does."Al smiles and bends down to grab her pack. "Sounds good, Nanuet," she says sincerely, and follows him to the table.   Nanuet asks for a bottle of whiskey and a glass of sasperilla for Nakomo and leads Al to the table.   Minerva looks up inquiringly as they approach the table. Al, this is Minerva. And this here is my cousin, Nakomo.   "Hola, Al. it is nice to meet you." Minerva says sincerely."Likewise," says Al, shaking Minerva's hand. She has a man's handshake; and she drinks like a man, knocking back a shot of whiskey in two gulps. "Nanuet says you're a priestess," she says to Minerva, by way of making conversation.Minerva drinks down her whiskey as well and also notes Al's bed-raggled look. "It would appear that you have just arrived in town, senorita. Let us order a meal. You must be hungry and  I am sure that Nakomo and Nanuet must be starving. She motions for a server to come and take their order.   "Si, I am a priestess. I am rather new to Promise City though. Have you been here before? "Al takes a breath and lays her hat on the table. "Yeah, I was here a few months back. Arrived the same week as Nanuet, I recall. And lit out a few hours later," she adds with a wry smile.   She wipes her face with her hand. Minerva's right: she's been riding hard a long time, and she's a mess.   "How about you? Where do you come from?"Minerva looks at her with a puzzled expression and chuckles. "You have only known Nanuet for a few hours?  I have been in Promise City for about 3 months now. I hail from Spain and where do you hail from Al? Do you plan on staying long?"   Al replies, "I'm, uh..." she hesitates. "I'm from right here, Arizona. Not far from Tucson," she says. It almost sounds like she's confessing a dirty secret. "As for how long I'll stay - well, that depends, I guess." She glances around. "I have a cousin in town, his name's Job. I'm sort of hoping he'll put me up a while.""Job Cain is your cousin? I am guessing that he will be in soon." Minerva takes it upon herself to refill the whiskey glasses. "She spills a bit on the floor for the gods and raises her glass in a salute. "May the gods keep the wolves in the hills." She downs her drink just as the server brings over steaming plates of steak and hot bread and the hungry bunch digs in.  She looks over at Al. "Is he expecting you?""Um..." Al looks mightily embarrassed over her handful of steak and bread. "No, he ain't." She pauses for a while, then says softly. "Don't have much reason to believe he'll do anything for me, but the truth is I got nowhere else to go."    Minerva replies, “Well I'm sure Job wouldn't turn away family. But being that he is grieving for his friend today, it's hard to tell if he'll even be in tonight. You are welcome to spend the night at my house and figure out your plan tomorrow. You can't miss it, the pretty little yellow cottage beside the church.Al blinks. "Thank you, ma'am," she says. "I'm... I appreciate it. Really I do."   The two women share a smile as they abandon conversation and dig hungrily into their food.  They conclude the meal.  Nanuet says that he will walk Nakomo back to the house and spend some time with him there.    The elf and half-elf depart, leaving the Priestess with Alison. It is only a few minutes later when Job arrives.   He spends a few minutes talking to Thom at the door and then walks over to the piano.   He pats Harry Rote on the back and asks "How are you holding up?"   Harry looks up and says, "About as well as can be expected.  The piano playing makes a good distraction."   Job replies, "Well, Stanley has taught you well.   I believe I saw Mr. Martin and Miss. Townsend heading this way, so you'll have somebody to play for in a moment or two."Seeing Job walk in, Al downs her whiskey, grabs her hat and stands up. "'Scuse me, ma'am," she says softly to Minerva, and walks over to her cousin.   He sees her mid-sentence and looks at her with undisguised surprise.  "Evening, Job," says Al. "How you been?"Job Kane turns towards her and does a double-take.    Then much to her surprise he yells "Al" as he grabs her and gives her a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.   Several people in the Saloon are also surprised by this, having never seen Job make any type of public display of affection to anybody.   This is most surprising to those in the saloon who due to her attire, the fact that her back is to them, and that he called her 'Al' mistakenly think that she is a man.Stunned, Al returns the hug and the kiss and stands staring at him for a moment. "Been a while," she says, awkwardly. "Good to see you, though."  He replies, "This may sound strange, but I've been thinking about you all day.   A good friend of mine died and it got me thinking about family.  I've been wondering where you were and here you are!  Look at you!" He then does just that and says, "Look at you!  You're exhausted!  Well, I don't just work her anymore, I now own the place.   Come on upstairs, I'll set you up in a room and you can rest.  We can talk later."Chester and Clarisse enter the Lucky Lady. Thom says, "Hey Chester. Hey Clarisse." She replies, "How are you Thom?"  The big man says, "Good. Good. Lots of people in tonight." Chester says, "The people love you. And why not? Have a good show." He gives her big kiss. She goes backstage to get ready. Chester goes to the bar. "Evening, Job. Who's your friend?"Job says, "Chester, this is my cousin Alision!  The one that you and Nanuet headed off to find in Galeyville two months back!   She just got into town and is beat so I told her she can go take a nap upstairs."  He then notices Clarisse heading towards the stage and says, "Oh, excuse me."   "So this is Allison." He tips his hat. "Nice to meet you, miss. Glad to see you made it here OK. Don't let me keep you."Job walks over to Clarisse and softly says, "Harry's taking this real hard.  Do what you can onstage to put him in a better mood.   Once I get my cousin settled in I'll go talk to Al and Pierre about minimizing your time over at their place tonight, I think they'll understand."   Clarisse nods.  "Alright, Mr. Kane. I'll do my best. A lot of us are taking his passing hard." She changes into her singing clothes and takes the stage. Clarisse starts off with some lighter songs trying to raise everyone's spirits.Minerva sits quietly sipping her whiskey and watching the scene unfold. A warm feeling of wellbeing comes over her. "It seems to be the week for family visits.", she chuckles to herself. She sighs and her smile falters as her wanders to the little blond boy who has just lost his uncle.   Young Burt Hoover looks up at the Priestess and gives her a half smile as she takes a seat opposite him.She says, "Hola, Senor Burt. Would you mind if I keep you company for a while?  "She motions for the server to bring him a sarsaparilla. "I was going to introduce you to Sr. Nanuet's cousin but they left a bit early. Perhaps tomorrow you can come by the house and meet him and Luna. "He says, "I don't know if I can.   Mr. Kilgore is leaving some time tomorrow on a stagecoach heading east to Texas.   I think that he is planning for me to go with him....but I really don't want to.  He's a nice enough man, but he hadn't planned to bring me originally and I think that I will just be in his way."Chester makes his way to Minerva's table. "Evening Minerva. How've you been? I heard you're taking care of Nanuet's cousin. He should keep a low profile for a couple days. Adair's boys are looking for an excuse to lynch some Indians."  "Hola, Deputy Martin,"She stands and hugs him. "Si, I had brought him around earlier. I was hoping to introduce him to some of our friends so they could keep an eye on him. He is going to be with me for a while.  Have you met Sr. Burt here?"   Chester hugs her back warmly. He says to Bert, "Nice to meet you son. What brings you here to Promise City? Visiting relatives?"   Minerva blushes slightly. "Um Chester, This is Burt Hoover." Nile's nephew."  Chester does a double-take. "Oh. I'm really sorry about your uncle. He was a brave man. He helped protect some Indians against folks who wanted to kill them. He was my friend and a friend to a lot of people in town.""I think that Burt is a lot like his Uncle. He is a very brave boy to come all this way. He says that He is to leave on the coach tomorrow to go to Texas, but he does not wish to go.  I wonder if there is some way that we could arrange for him to stay for a while."   The boy apprehensively replies, "Could you?  Chester asks, "Why don't you want to go? I've heard Texas isn't that bad. Lots of wide-open spaces. I guess you have family there?"   Burt says, “Mr. Kilgore says that once he finishes his errand in El Paso he would bring me back home, but that wouldn't work well.  My other Uncle in Iowa reluctantly agreed to watch my younger sister for the summer but didn't even want to do that.  I don't know how he and my Aunt would react to having me dumped on them too."Minerva asks, "What would you do if you stayed in Promise City, Senor Burt? Do not get too excited yet. Although I am sure that you can pull your weight in chores, I am not sure who we could ask to look after you on such short notice.”   Burt replies, "I don't know, but I am tired of traveling.   My Uncle left me this building, why can't I stay here?"   She replies, "This is an untamed town, Sr. Burt. It is not safe for you to just stay without someone to look after you.   She turns to Chester. "What about Clarisse? She would make a fine nanny."  On the subject of Clarisse, she and Harry are busy filling the Lucky Lady with lively tunes.   Harry is finally beginning to cheer himself up.   Chester replies, ""I'd have to ask her. It's a big responsibility taking care of a child.  I'm also not sure a saloon is the place for a young man like yourself. Even if you stayed here, who'd look out for you? Our friend, Mrs. Kale is opening a school. Maybe she knows someone."Burt gestures to the young man at the piano and says "Couldn't I stay with him?  He told Mr. Kilgore that he would watch me for a few hours tonight.  That is why I was sitting at the table closest to the piano."  Chester says, "You'd have to ask him. But, Niles and him were close. Maybe he wants to help his partner's nephew."Job Kane returns from his quick trip over to the Comique.   Catching the tail end of the conversation he says, "You're talking about young Mr. Hoover?   I was speaking to Mr. Kilgore earlier today.  They are both staying at the Comstock House tonight and will be leaving tomorrow.  Kilgore had some business to take care of tonight here in town so he asked me and Harry to keep an eye on him.  Why?  What's the problem?"  Minerva says, "Burt does not want to go with Sr. Kilgore. He wants to stay here....with Harry." she says gesturing toward the piano.</blockquote>

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