Taken Bride by Alta Hensley

18

Christopher

“I didn’t catch your name,” I say to the man as we all stand around the fire, trying to warm our soaking-wet bodies.

The man looks at me but doesn’t say anything. His long beard is wet, his clothing as well, but he seems steadfast and strong. I don’t see a shiver in his body. His only concern and focus is Violet, who he’s placed on blankets laid out by the fire by Holly in a mad dash when we entered the chapel.

“Do you live around here?” I press. I feel the need to get to know this man. Not because I don’t trust him, but because there’s a deep curiosity to find out who he truly is.

Ember is studying the man intensely as well. “You’ve been watching us, haven’t you?” she asks. “It was you who I called out to, wasn’t it?”

Ember’s right; it’s been him in the woods all along. “I saw you too, right? It was you who I saw and was yelling at.”

He doesn’t say anything but nods. It was never Richard or Scarecrow. It was this man… watching.

“You watch us and have been. That’s how you knew Violet went over the cliff?” Ember adds. “You were watching the whole time.”

“The mountain is no place for women to be left alone,” he says as he runs his fingers over Violet’s other leg and arms. “I think the only broken bone is your leg,” he tells her. “I’ll splint it if you’ll let me.”

Violet nods as she reaches out for his hand. “Thank you. Thank you for saving me… again.” She then looks up at Holly and begins to sob. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I did that.”

Holly kneels beside her and takes her hand in hers. “Shhh… you don’t need to worry about that now.”

Violet looks at Ember. “I’m sorry, Ember. I know I can never take back what I did. Why I did it… I’m sorry.”

Ember takes her other free hand. “Promise me you’ll never do this again. We love you, Violet. Nothing is ever so awful that you have to…. Promise me.”

Violet nods but continues to cry.

I stoke the fire as Mountain Man begins to work on splinting Violet’s leg, noticing the storm isn’t letting up as I had hoped. I really thought I’d be hiking down the mountain soon, but now with Violet’s condition, this plan is definitely going to have to be modified.

Ember returns her attention to the mountain man, then looks at Holly and Violet and clearly sees what I do. This man isn’t exactly a stranger to the sisters. “Do you know this man?” she asks Holly.

Holly glances at him and nods. “We do.”

“He saved me from a mountain lion,” Violet says. “And he’s been watching over us ever since.”

“Why didn’t you tell me it was him out there watching us?”

“He likes his privacy,” Holly says, shifting her weight and avoiding eye contact with Ember.

“Scarecrow would kill us if he knew we’ve spoken to another man,” Violet says. “So, we kept him secret.” Her eyes look up at him lovingly. “But he’s always looking out for us. If it weren’t for him, we would have starved when Scarecrow and Richard left to find you. They didn’t leave us with any food or means to hunt for any.” She hisses in pain as the mountain man secures the splint tighter.

Ember smiles and shakes her head. “Was it you giving the rabbit and mushrooms to Violet a couple of days ago?” She shakes her head. “I was wondering how Violet could be so lucky to find all that.”

“Do you have a name?” I ask again, liking the man but uncomfortable not knowing his name.

“Isaac.” He sits Violet up and asks, “Do you mind if I run my hands up your spine and on your ribs? I want to make sure you didn’t do any harm to them.”

She looks toward Holly to make sure she’s doing the right thing by allowing him to touch her even more than he already has.

“Go ahead,” Holly says for her.

Violet cringes in pain when he touches her, but Isaac seems happy as he nods. “Nothing looks broken. Just bruised, which will still hurt like a son of a bitch.”

Ember stands from her crouched position and walks over to me. She doesn’t say a word but rests her forehead against my chest. I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer to the fire.

“I’ve never been so scared in my life,” she says quietly to me. “I don’t know what Holly and I would have done without you and Isaac.” She tilts her head up at me. “But we can’t leave. I know you want to. But with Violet hurt… and the reason she jumped was… it’s my fault for her fall.”

“No,” Violet calls out, hissing when she moves too quickly, overhearing what Ember is saying. “Don’t you blame yourself. Please don’t. I don’t know what got into me. It’s just that sometimes I’m so sad. So… it feels like blackness covers me. Like a thick tar. I can’t see hope. I can’t see good. But this is not your fault, Ember. It’s not. Please, please don’t think that. I was stupid. Reckless. And God gave me a second chance that I will not take lightly.”

“Why did you do it?” Holly asks, new tears falling from her eyes. “Why?”

“The thought of leaving was too much for me. I didn’t want to go. But I didn’t want to stay.”

I notice Isaac look up at her and scowl, but he doesn’t say a word.

“I feel lost in the woods with no trail,” she adds.

“Well, right now, you don’t have to worry about anything but healing. You’ll have to stay off this leg for a while. No chores. No firewood gathering, and absolutely no hiking down the mountain,” Isaac interrupts, still frowning.

Ember looks at me, and I nod in understanding.

We may be here a while.

But at the same time… we have to leave before Scarecrow and Richard return. We have a time limit, and my gut tells me we’re running out of that time. Those men won’t stay gone for long.

Isaac stands up, warms his hands by the fire, and says, “I’ll be heading home. But if you need anything—”

“Please don’t go,” Violet says as Holly wraps a quilt around her shoulders. “It’s snowing outside and getting dark. I can’t live with myself if someone gets hurt because of my actions. Please stay with us. We don’t have much, but we can make up a bed. Please.”

“Yes, stay,” Holly adds. “I don’t know where your home is, but since we’ve never seen it gathering wood or foraging for food, I know it has to be far enough away that walking in the snow and at night isn’t safe. So please. I’ll start supper too. Stay.”

Isaac looks at me, and I simply shrug. “Women have spoken. As you can see, I’m not going anywhere either. I think we’re stuck here for at least the night.”

For the first time, I see Isaac smirk as he nods. “You may need my help lifting Violet,” he says, not saying yes but not saying no.

“Then it’s decided,” Holly announces, turning her attention to making supper.

Violet reaches out for Isaac’s hand again. “Thank you, Isaac. I’m so happy to have you in my life. If it weren’t for you—twice—I wouldn’t have one.”

He squats next to her and with his free hand swipes her hair away from her face. “Never again, little one. Do you understand? Never again.”

She nods and swallows hard. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why….” She begins to cry, and Isaac pulls her into his chest. “I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to stay. I don’t want this life anymore. I don’t know what to do.”

“Shh,” he says. “Everything’s going to be okay. Just rest right now. Rest.”

I watch Ember walk over to Holly and take her into her arms. Holly breaks down and begins crying into Ember’s shoulder. And for the first time since arriving, I really see why Ember has been so torn about leaving. She truly loves these women. They truly are her family. And after what happened, after doing everything within my power to save her family and the tiny and broken woman lying on the floor… I can actually picture them as my family too.

Ember walks over to me eventually when Holly returned her attention to the supper preparation. I don’t know if it’s because everything was so bad, so awful, and so dark, but when Ember reaches for my hand and holds it tightly, I get an odd sense of warmth and comfort. Almost a sense of home. A glimmer of light shines through the black. At least for now. Right this second.

I have Ember, my wife.

I have shelter and a fire to keep me warm.

I have people around me who are only good and genuine.

I have simplicity.

For now… I can breathe again.