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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2779914" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 82, “Back at the Cowboy’s Farmhouse”, Saturday, March 18th , 1882, 5:45 A.M:Chester had slept until Nanuet estimated it is just after midnight. He then wakes Chester to watch for the remainder of the night while Nanuet slept. Chester notices the first light of false dawn creeping over the horizon and guesses it to be between 5:30 and 6:00 A.M.Chester gently shakes Nanuet out of his Reverie. "Psst. Sun'll be up soon. Hopefully it'll be warmer. The blanket helped some. I bet we're both used to sleeping in the cold, though. It's a good time for praying. Only mine don't really have much of an effect."Nanuet stirs when Chester nudges him. "Yes Chet, it is a good time for praying, I will ask my ancestors for their wisdom and knowledge and see what gifts they are willing to bestow upon us. And although you may not think so, your prayers may have more power than you realize." Chester replies, "Wise words, Nanuet. I'll have to confess to Sister Florencia about my weak faith when I see her. Do you know if Maska has made it back to our friends yet?" Nanuet begins his morning ritual trying to be quiet enough to not draw attention to those outside the room.  Chester listens at the door for the guards.  Chester hears snoring coming from the other side of the locked door. Nanuet does not sense Maska. He tells Chester, "No, I cannot sense her presence, which I believe is a good thing, it means that she is not nearby and hopefully is with our friends. I have completed my prayers for the day, I am not sure if we are willing to risk an attempted escape using what little magic I have. I have prayed for the same spell that formed the mists yesterday, as well as one that may temporarily put fear in our enemies, and one that gives me a chance to force one other to obey my command. The rest are minor spells, utilities at best.  Chester and Nanuet both hear from outside what sounds like a fire crackling. They look through a crack between the window boards and see three guards outside are huddled around a campfire about seventy feet away, drinking from a steaming pot of coffee.Nanuet comments, “Perhaps sitting tight and waiting for Maska to return with allies is our best course? What do you think?"  Chester replies, "Until I can get heeled I'll be pretty useless. Sounds like you can distract only two of the guards out there and even then not for long. I don't like those odds. Plus I can't see the Gatling gun. That would end any escape real fast." He begins pacing the floor.Nanuet states, "Ah yes, I had forgotten about that gun machine that they also have. That would certainly cut our day short if it were used against us. I am as frustrated as you, but I think we need to bide our time and wait. The only other idea I have is to possibly jump the guards the next time they come with food or whatnot."Chester stops his pacing. "I know. I know. If the guards don't get lazy, then jumping them would not be wise. They're prepared for that. But, we'll have to keep it in mind if we feel that we're no longer important to them." He lets out a breath. "Got any meditation tricks you could show me?"  The Indian replies, "Meditation tricks? Why do you ask? I think humans have a difficult time entering the state we elves call reverie, but I could show you how we do it."  Chester answers, "Well. I'm getting antsy, so I can't think straight. Basic stuff would be fine."  Nanuet begins showing Chester the basic steps he takes while entering his state of reverie. Chester just begins getting comfortable when the door to the room opening interrupts them. There are three men this time, two of whom Nanuet and Chester recognize from the road ambush. These two are outside of the doorway holding revolvers while the third comes in with a pair of buckets, and empty one that he replaces the waste bucket with and another half-filled with an amber colored liquid that smells like beer. The men then leave, locking the door behind them.Chester whistles in appreciation. "They certainly are well-organized. The one with the bucket isn't heeled, so there's no weapon to grab from him. They must have a strong leader, because Claibourne hasn't killed us for killing Blackwell, yet. We better not drink the beer. We should have clear heads."Nanuet states, "Why beer this time of day? Odd that they didn't say anything about it either. I'm gonna try some." As Nanuet walks to the bucket he continues speaking. "Yes I agree, they certainly must have a leader whom they believe in." He then kneels down to the bucket.  Nanuet dips his hands in the amber liquid and then cups them together scooping some of the liquid out. He then takes just a sip.  Chester asks, "How is it?"  Nanuet decides that it's not the best beer that he's ever tasted but it appears to be okay.  He tells Chester, "Well it really is beer. Just wanted to check. I agree that we should abstain. Now back to the meditation. Sit back down and focus on your recent past. Try and relive those thoughts in your mind. At any point you can freeze the thoughts and examine them closer. That is reverie, except as you progress you can basically relive more and more of your past and learn from it. You must focus completely though.""OK." Chester sits silently for a while with his eyes closed. Then he shakes his head. "Sorry. I can't concentrate. I'm still trying to listen for the guards."  Nanuet replies, "I understand, maybe not the best time to learn how to enter reverie. I am still unsure if humans can even do so. How long do you suppose we wait until we try to get out of here?"Chester says, "I'll try again later, another day. As far as escape goes, darkness would be nice, but that's half a day away. Maybe when the guards come to take us out of here. They'll have to come in the room. Although, how many guards are there?"  Nanuet says, "Good question. We have seen a lot of different faces. I just don't know how much longer I can bear to sit here and just be a pawn in whatever plan they have.”  Chester replies, "But without better intelligence, who knows what's out there. Nanuet says, “They would have killed us by now if they didn't need us, I can't stop thinking about that fact." Chester resumes pacing. "Why are they keeping us alive? And why haven't they asked us more questions. Did they believe us?"Meanwhile, a mile to the south the others are heading towards the farmhouse.   The group traveled more cautiously after they leave the road and traveled northward along the eastern edge of the mountains. As they are riding along, the heavy rain drips from their hats and coats.  Jake suddenly says to Ruby in a quiet voice, "I know this is probably the wrong time to bring this up. When you told me about Eastman proposing, you said you were wearing the ring for fun. And you were looking at it in an odd way, perhaps longingly? You said you tried to turn him down but he wouldn't listen, and I experienced that too later. I had to offer my help a number of times before you would accept it. At the time I was beginning to wonder if I was standing in your way to a better life. We have talked since then, and I'm not asking for more reassurance. It does seem to me now there was something else, something more." Jake doesn't finish the thought. He does not look up at Ruby as he continues to guide his mount through the mud. He does ride near her. The only noise heard above the constant rain are the sucking sounds made by the hoofs and the breathing of the horses.  Ruby starts looking uncomfortable almost immediately as Jake brings up the subject. “You’re right, this is a bad time to bring this up.” She continues quietly, “And you might not like the answers you get.” Ruby looks around like she wants to escape. Finally she looks at Jake then squeezes her eyes shut. “Fine,” she says tensely. “Look, I didn’t want to ask for your help with Eastman because I wanted to get rid of him on my own. I’m not used to needing anyone, for any reason. I never had a problem getting rid of would be husbands before, but as I’ve thought about it that’s because if they got too persistent I would just leave wherever I was. I didn’t want you to have to help me. I’ve been taking care of myself my whole life, I can take care of myself, even if you don’t think so.” “As for the other thing,” Ruby starts blushing, “Well, uh, the ring is huge, what can I say, I’m greedy. I wouldn’t mind walking around with a gem like that on my finger.” Ruby can tell Jake isn’t buying her answer.   Ok, I admit, I was thinking of what it would be like to be married. I ran away from home so I wouldn’t have to get married to Eastman in the first place. I never thought I would get married, so some man could own me, and tell me what to do and where to go, what to wear, what to make him for dinner. I just never considered it. Until then. But I wasn’t thinking of what it would be like to marry George.” Ruby continues slowly, biting her lip, “I was thinking of what it would be like to marry you.” She is quiet, giving what she said time to sink in. He replies, "I don't doubt that you can take care of yourself Ruby West. Sometimes problems can turn out to be bigger than one person. Would you rather I didn't worry at all?" Jake finally takes his eyes off the path for a moment to look at her before returning to guiding the horse. Jake chuckles and adds, "I wonder what kind of husband Jake Cook would make." “No, I like you worrying about me.” She pauses, playing with the reigns in her hands. “What is a husband anyway? I was only thinking of what kind of person you are, how we are together. I was thinking of what it would be like, to know we would always be together, not worrying that one of us would leave or that someone could tear us apart. That we would always love each other and be there for each other, that I could wake up in your arms every day, my favorite thing,” Ruby smiles at the thought, “And that you would take care of me, I wouldn’t have to take care of myself all the time anymore. And that wearing a ring like that would show everyone that I was yours, and you would have one showing everyone you were mine too.” Ruby sighs. “And then you told me you didn’t know how long we could make things last.” “I know you don’t want to get married, probably ever. You probably don’t even want to be as serious as we are, maybe you wish we weren’t.” She doesn’t let him interrupt, “I know you like having a pretty girl on your arm and the sex is, well, the best I've ever had. And I do adore you. Those things make you happy now. Someday they won’t be enough for you.” “I had been longing for some stability, which you have given to me. And you’ll never know how much I appreciate it and needed it. And George, while I feel nothing for him, could offer me more stability than I’ll ever have the chance at again in my life. But,” she finally looks up at Jake, “I love you, not him. And maybe there will come a day when what you offer isn’t enough for me either. But I’m taking my chance. I’m taking my chance that I will have a better life, I’m just figuring on it being with you.” Ruby pushes some rain off her face. "Ruby Cooke, what would our friends think?" she says with a small smile. Ruby shrugs, “You wanted to know what I was thinking of, or longing for you said, and now you know.”  "Mrs. Ruby Cookie." Jake says it out loud and then laughs. "Our friends would imagine that Hades has frozen solid and that you have gone totally insane." He shakes his head scattering the small puddles of water from the top of his hat. "Stability? From me? Marriage?" Jake is quiet for a minute. "I did ask, didn't I?" Again quiet and the splashing of mud. "Insane or not, if I must have a woman in love with me, I'm happy it's you. You are like no one else, Ruby, no one comes close." “Mrs. Ruby Cookie…” Ruby gives Jake a halfhearted smile. “You know what my life was life before I met you. I was tired of moving from town to town. I wasn’t happy having to leave and having no friends. You gave me a home, even though to you it’s just a place to store your gear, to me its home. Jake, you bought me a saloon, for Pete’s sake! You gave me someone I can trust in to look out for me, for us. I even got my puppies. That’s the most stability I’ve had, well, ever.” “Why am I insane for wanting something better for us? Why am I insane for being in love with you? I don’t think our friends would think what you think they would. Maybe you should ask them.” Ruby is quiet in her thoughts. “Would you be happier if I didn’t love you?” Ruby doesn’t look at Jake as she asks her question. "Happier? No. I don't think that would make me happier." Jake wipes some rain from his face. "I just never figured anybody in their right mind would want to be married to Jake Cook. It's not like I have been a model of reliability and trustworthiness. I'm just... just surprised." “You have been to me, reliable and trustworthy. And I have been honest and given my trust to you, something very hard for me to do, but it just seems to come natural with you. I wish I could have lied to you about this, I didn’t want you to know how I felt.” Ruby looks down, the rain falling off her hat and onto her legs. “I feel stupid that I even had these thoughts at all. But I did, and I didn’t ask for any of this.” "You can drive yourself crazy talking like that." Jake laughs, "Listen to me, I'm calling you crazy again. What I mean is don't lie to me and don't feel stupid. What kind of idiot doesn't tell a beautiful and talented woman that he loves her after she tells him the same?" Silence. "Since leaving home I've gone from one town to another, never staying too long. I made friends, made money, had a life and then lost it all each time. So then I move to another town and started over. I was pretty good at making a new life and even better at losing it. Never a care in the world, Jake Cook the happy wanderer. Except now I am afraid for the first time that I will lose it all again." More silence. "You have something I don't have, at least not yet. Call it confidence, faith, hope or whatever. You have it in me, but I don't think I deserve it. At least not yet. Perhaps I just need some time." She replies, “You’re not an idiot, far from it. And it only makes you more special that you won’t say something that isn’t true, even if it does, um, well, even if it is what I want to hear. But I don’t need to hear it, I want to feel it, and whether you think it or not I do. I told you I’m a stupid foolish girl, and maybe it’s true and I’m fooling myself. I don’t care, let me be foolish then.  Are you afraid to lose this life because of me?” Ruby looks over Jake with wide, curious eyes. He glances at her looking at him and looks back to the trail. "Yes." She says, “Jake, you have made me happier than I’ve ever been. How is that not deserving?” Ruby gives Jake the smile she has just for him, “And you can’t lose me, if you have to leave, I’m going with you, I thought that was the deal.” Ruby pushes at some wet hair that is plastered to her head, pulling it behind her ear. “I don’t know what I have to do to make you see it. I was never one for hope or faith. Maybe time is all you need; maybe you will never feel the same.” Ruby silently looks across the rainy land for many moments. “I accept that one day things will be the same for me again as they were before. People like us don't get fairy tales and happy endings. But we can enjoy each other now, if that’s all we have.” "I didn't mean to get you all riled up over it. I may not see what you see yet, but I'm not all doom and gloom either. And yes, if we have to leave we do it together." Ruby's mention of hope makes Jake think about the morning sitting on the porch and wondering if she was alive. What were those last thoughts before drifting off to sleep, was that hope? "We can only play the cards we are dealt, Ruby girl. Now that doesn't mean we just give up and wait for bad things to happen, far from it. Red used to tell me, 'Never play in a rigged game, unless you rig it yourself'. That's good advice. While I may not be convinced that the cards will fall our way, that does not mean I am not doing what I can to improve the odds. Why just wish for good luck when you can make your own, right?" "So let's enjoy what we have, just in case it doesn't last. But let's not give up on making it last. Ok?" Jake looks at her with a reassuring smile. 'Well, I wasn't sure that was the way you wanted it to go, so that's good to know." Ruby returns his smile. “I’m not giving up, Mr. Cook, far from it. I’ve been known to convince a person or two of wanting things they never knew they wanted. I’ll just have to try harder is all.” She responds confidently as her smile grows wider. “I’m sure you won’t mind.”Maska has Jeff set him down as they near an area by the northern foothills. At around 7:00 AM when the group is nearing the top of a hill when Maska begins to hunch down and pat at the ground with her paws.  Jake signals for all to stop and then be quiet. He and Ruby creep to the edge to look.  Ruby moves up quietly with Jake and looks in the direction Maska indicated.  Kate held the reins and kept the stallion quiet, keeping watch around the back as Ruby and Jake slipped to the top of the hill.</blockquote>

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