An arrow landed a few inches to his right with a spiteful "Thwip". Quin resisted the urge to roll away from his little cover. The arrow seemed to grow as it sat there reminding Quin just how close it had come. Swiftly, he reached out and plucked it from the ground. He tossed it to the side and ducked as another whizzed past and landed somewhere behind him.
Life in battle could only be measured by minutes. The curious clock of the battlefield ticked off the seconds so slowly that to a soldier in the battle mere minutes would feel like hours and hours dragged out to eternity.
The howitzers boomed in alternating fire and a large group of warriors scattered in panic. Suddenly the front line of warriors turned and disappeared from view into the cloud of dust they kicked up behind them. Quin listened but heard nothing but retreating horses as the rifle fire died down. The little hairs on the back of his neck bristled.
The seconds ticked by and Quin thought to check on the young corporal. He was still holding his own, though he no longer looked like he was about to be sick. He was completely in the moment and focused intently on the cloudy horizon. A blood curdling scream rang through the silence from an enemy they couldn't see.
A long line of horsemen materialized from the dust but they just stood there out of rifle range. Quin was glad he'd taken time to reload while he checked the corporal. His fingers curled purposefully around the rifle as he took careful aim. His stomach knotted as they stood there. He was certain something really bad was about to happen.
Suddenly the line charged and their wild yells almost drowned the sound of their horses as the enemy charged them like a tornado over 1000 strong. One hasty glance over his wall and Quin saw all he wanted to of them. The rifles began firing as soon as they were in range and the howitzers evened the odds a little, taking out large groups of warriors at once.
Quin lost track of the number of times the warriors had charged them. The hours crept by with agonizing slowness. Even with the adrenaline coursing through him with each wave, Quin was beginning to feel battle fatigue from the hours of intense terror that life and death battle wrought on a man's mind and body.
They'd managed to hold their own just barely. But they weren't making any real impact on their enemy numbers. It was no surprise when he remembered the sight of them in the field glasses this morning. It was hard to believe that was just this morning. At the moment it felt like a lifetime ago. The howitzers boomed again and there was a temporary lull as the warriors retreated.
Scooping up his knife he shoved it into his boot and tucked the revolver in his holster. He flung the saddle bags over his shoulder and gripped his rifle as he crouched low and hurried toward Kit. No one knew the likelihood of the odds of survival more than he did. There was a village of about 500 lodges and another further on.
No doubt the men were feeling that if they must die anyway, they wanted to inflict a little damage first. Kit knew as well as Quin they'd never make it to the village. Retreat was their only option for survival at this point but there was nothing for miles around to retreat to that had as much cover as these ruins. And he said as much to Kit a few minutes later.
"But there's something about sounding retreat that always rubs the wrong way." Quin admitted.
"I know the feeling. I don't like it any better than you do. Our howitzers are the only reason we haven't been overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. There must be over 4000 of them out there now! For now we stay put. All we can do is continue to hold. If we leave this cover, pitiful as it is, we'll be cut down where we stand."
"I hate just sitting here against these odds...we can't hold out forever."
"Ah, ye of little faith or as they say in these parts: Remember the Alamo!"
"I am." Quin shook his head. "And we know how that turned out, don't we."
Kit chuckled and Quin shook his head again at the lousy hand they'd been dealt. Kit was right. There was nothing they could do for the moment but hold their ground. Hold their ground and pray that something changed. He was forced to join the Colonel and his men for the next hour as wave after wave kept him pinned in place.
When at last he made his way back to his post he was pleased to see the young corporal was still holding his own, although he had an arrow in his leg. Quin frowned and hurried to his side in a crouch.
"Keep me covered, son." He said as he pulled out his knife.
He enlarged the cut in the trouser leg and saw the arrow was sunk deep. It would cause more damage to pull it out than it would to push it through. Quin frowned and cut away the trouser leg then cut it into strips. The first he wrapped above the cut and tied down as tight as he could.
"Take it easy Major." the boy said through clenched teeth as he turned his eyes back to the horizon again. "It didn't hurt that much when the arrow hit me the first time."
"Well, I'm sure it didn't hurt as much as this will either." Quin said as he gripped the arrow shaft low and leaned forward.
The young corporal screamed as Quin pushed it the last few inches through. He broke the shaft and tossed the fletching aside before he grabbed the bloodied head and pulled it the rest of the way through. His first binding served to slow the bleeding in lieu of a tourniquet. Now he acted swiftly to use the rest of the cloth to pad and bind the wound as tight as he dared.
"Sorry Corporal." Quin offered as the young man shook his head and blew a breath as he fought to remain conscious.
Quin grabbed up his rifle again and fired as a warrior leap from his horse at them. His momentum knocked Quin into the ground. Throwing the body off he turned back to the corporal to see the young man had already turned back to the battle though he was pale as a bed sheet. His jaw was clenched tight and sweat poured from his brow.
The boy was in obvious pain, but he was alive and most likely would walk again if infection didn't set in. They needed to get the hell out of here so he could properly treat that wound. The enemy lines scattered again as the howitzers alternately fired four consecutive rounds. Quin sent up a prayer that they wouldn't run out of cannon shot!
The hours passed in an endless repetition as the enemy was reinforced more quickly than the soldiers could reduce their numbers. The odds were growing worse. At that moment Quin had to roll out of the way of another warrior. As he did so he grabbed up his pistol and fired. As he threw the body off him he realized the sky was dimming.
It would set in a few hours and then they'd be in real trouble. The bugler sounded retreat and Quin knew Kit had the same thought. It was difficult to get the sick and wounded mounted while keeping off the enemy attack but the artillery boys were able to discourage the enemy from mounting a full attack and swarming them as they made a fighting retreat.
Quin hadn't dared to hope for as much as the village they'd come through in the morning came into view. As they passed through it now, Carson ordered it burned behind them. Not that it would serve much of a purpose at this point, except maybe to provide a distraction and the smoke might give a little cover for their continued retreat.
Out in the open as they were, even mounted and moving they were in a bad spot. And the enemy knew it. The warriors continued to flank the retreating soldiers as they rained arrows upon them and charged in an attempt to break their ranks and get to the howitzers. The men knew that the artillery was the only advantage they had and guarded it well.
As they cleared the village Quin turned and saw the flames. It wasn't a large village so there shouldn't have been so much smoke...A sickening dread swept over him with the wind on the prairie...FIRE! The warriors had set fire to the dry prairie grass. Jonah pranced nervously as the smell of the smoke reached him.
Quin closed his eyes tightly and sent up a prayer. He'd made it this far, Lord, just a little while longer..."Come home soon, Pa" he again heard little Quin's plea and spurred Jonah with renewed urgency as he searched for Kit. It was growing difficult to see and he was fighting the urge to cough. With enemy hooves thundering all around it was positively terrifying.
Quin found Kit and realized at once they were setting back fires. It was perfect. It would provide cover from the Kiowa and it would protect them from the prairie fire. Without waiting for orders Quin grabbed a few men and sent them to spread the word. Before ten minutes had passed the entire column was clustered in the burn out.
Quin held his good arm over his mouth and wished he hadn't had to use his scarf to plug up the hole in his leg. As miserable as the smoke was, it provided a welcome reprieve from the enemy. The warriors were a hearty lot, virtual demons in battle, but they weren't fireproof. As soon as the fire cleared Carson ordered fighting retreat with artillery to the rear.
Quin was sent to make sure they artillery units were properly protected during their continued retreat across the plains. Thankfully, their long day of battle had put a healthy fear of the howitzer into the Kiowa so that even with their superior numbers they were reluctant to get too close. But this area was wide open with no cover which left them extremely vulnerable.
The exhausting battle continued for two days and if it weren't for the terror-induced adrenaline Quin doubted they could have made it as far as they did. Four days they'd been operating on very little sleep and the high tensions of battle. Meals were bites of hard-tack and jerky taken in the saddle and sleep was virtually unheard of.
For two days they fought their way across the plains. The Kiowa followed them, always advancing and retreating as the howitzers boomed. On the 26th they spent a quiet morning with no attacks as the Kiowa fell back. Quin was relieved to hear bugler sound halt. Sick call followed and he ordered a guard for the artillery units before he rode to the medical officer.
He met up with the young corporal on the way.
"I'm glad to see you made it, Corporal."
"We're not out of the woods yet, Major." he said nodding toward the hill where the Kiowa made themselves plainly visible about two miles off.
"I suppose you're right, corporal." Quin chuckled, "But I'll take my victories when I can get them. I'm still breathing and I still have my hair."
"You have a few extra holes in you though." The corporal chuckled.
"Son, I've got so many battle scars on this old body, what are a few more?"
Bugler sounded officers' call and Quin frowned.
"Looks like this is where we part ways, corporal." Quin turned Jonah to report.
By the end of the day Quin was surprised at the casualties. Two soldiers and one Ute scout dead and twenty five wounded. Quin was among them and found himself relegated to the medical officer pronto. While he waited for his turn with the young corporal, he realized Thanksgiving had come and gone. In fact, that was the day they were at Adobe Walls.
"What is it Major?" the young corporal asked as Quin chuckled.
"Well, I just realized we spent Thanksgiving Day at Adobe Wells."
"In that case, sir." The corporal answered with a serious face, "I'm just glad they didn't invite us to stay!"
Quin tipped his head back and laughed. The tension that had coiled inside him was blessedly relieved as the young corporal joined him. Before long, many around them laughed too, though no one knew why. The corporal and Quin exchanged a look and laughed even louder.
Later when Quin was bandaged and released, he searched out Kit.
"Major."
"Sir." He nodded and sat where Kit indicated next to his fire.
"You heard our numbers then?" Kit asked
"3 dead, 25 wounded. How about the Kiowa?"
"That's a little hard to say. Some of the men think it was around 500. What do you think?"
"A bit high isn't it? I mean, sure we hit a lot of them but I don't think we killed that many. I'd say over the last three days we might have wounded as high as 500 but I think the dead won't be that many by half."
"I'm agreed, although I'm going to write 60 in my report."
Quin looked over his shoulder at the hillside and saw the Kiowa fires. Through the day random shots rang out as the Ute scouts continued to count coup but the Kiowa seemed content to have forced a retreat.
"Do you think we should re-engage, Major?"
Quin's head swiveled around and he stared at Kit with round eyes.
"Respectfully, sir." He began, "Absolutely not!"
"The men are not in agreement with us. They are puffed up by the low casualties we suffered as well as the higher enemy death count. They think leaving the Kiowa in possession of the field means defeat."
"Technically they are correct. But the Kiowa aren't staying up on that hill because we've been defeated. They've counted their dead. They know how badly they outnumbered us. We went into their winter campground and even with superior numbers they weren't able to inflict any serious damage. They're on that hill because they respect our strong medicine."
"I agree with you, Major. I'm sure when the adrenaline rush wears off and these men have time to sit and think about what just happened they'll be glad they weren't annihilated by those overwhelming odds. In the morning I'm going to order our return to Fort Bascom. We'll wait there for Carleton's response to my report."
Quin cringed. He knew Carlton hated the Indians and he would agree with the men. He would order a bigger detachment to engage them again. He looked once more over his shoulder at the hill and sighed.
"Come home soon, Pa." he heard little Quin calling.
"Sir. I would like to submit my resignation when we get back. I promised my son I'd come back and after Adobe Walls...well, I'd just as soon not tempt fate."
Kit extended his hand and offered a sad smile.
"I'd be happy to accept your resignation when we get back, Major. You've served well and with distinction. You've earned your time with your family."
Quin nodded as he shook Kit's hand.
"That means a great deal coming from you, sir."
---
Vicky sat on the porch and watched the kids play. She never wanted her kids to grow up too fast the way she'd seen Reuben do. But to some extent, it seemed an inevitable part of living in the west. They saw EVERYTHING. They noticed the changes this war had on the grown-ups all around them. And sometimes she didn't really like what she saw.
As if cued by her mother's thoughts Ida Rose let out a screech. Vicky rose from the rocker and moved to lean against the porch rail. Little Quin straddled a stick as he ran. Kelly straddled his own stick and clutched Ida Rose's doll in his hand as he whooped leading Little Quin on a merry chase. Ida Rose stood off to the side with arms outstretched and watched them.
"Bang! Bang!" Little Quin shouted as he pointed a short stick at Kelley.
Finally hit by one of Little Quin's bullets, Kelley dropped his stick-pony and fell to the ground. As he rolled around Ida Rose's dolly fell from his grip. With a dramatic yell, Kelly lay still and closed his eyes. Little Quin scooped up the dolly as he ran past on his stick pony and ran it over to Ida Rose. She squealed happily as she hugged her dolly rewarded Little Quin with a kiss on the cheek.
Vicky recognized the game. Kelley was the Indian or bandit (depending on his mood) and he snatched children away. The doll was the child. Ida Rose was the settler and Little Quin was always a soldier. She read all of Quin's letters to them. They knew their father was a soldier and that he was away fighting Indians, but she'd never told them the stories they played out.
But then again, adults talk about the details like that. Though the children never seemed to be paying attention here was the proof that they did. She hoped it was just that. She hoped Little Quin didn't remember the atrocities he'd witnessed back in Georgia or that the twins had any real memories of the Black Wolf raid.
"Bang" Ida Rose shouted.
Vicky held back a laugh as she chased Kelley to save her dolly without waiting for Little Quin this time. Now she knew the children were listening to tales. There was no doubt they were acting out their version of Vicky's shoot out with the bandits when Naomi Beth was an infant. With a chuckle she turned toward her rocker.
The dry old chair creaked when she sat and began to rock. A shabby tabby came prancing through the yard toward her. The kitten she so often stroked while she carried Lizzie decided the creaking of the chair was a call for some lap time. Like whistling for a dog, the creaking chair always brought One-Eyed Jack running from wherever he might be.
Actually One-Eyed Jack had TWO eyes, but they were different colors. She smiled as he leapt from the ground to the porch rail from eight feet away. He gracefully leapt to the porch and bounced onto her lap as though his feet had springs, all the while purring loudly in anticipation. As she stroked his chin he stretched his neck, purring more loudly as he enjoyed the attention.
"Silly puss." She teased in a silly voice reserved for pets and babies.
One-Eyed Jack was an odd name but it seemed to suit her furry friend. She remembered the day he won his name. She'd sat on the porch with the kitten many times and one day Louie came to visit with her. He reached down to pet the kitten and noticed his eyes.
"He is one eye one color and he is one eye another color." He said curiously in the Spanish accented broken English he reverted to sometimes when he was I deep thought.
"He's a one-eyed Jack." Vicky remarked off-handed as she remembered learning poker from Moses.
"Hola One-Eyed Jack." Louie said with a pat.
As if in acceptance of his name One-Eyed Jack purred louder and has answered to the moniker since.
"Silly puss." She said on a sigh.
Break time was over. There was work to be done, floors to be scrubbed and bread to be baked. Wool gathering was getting nothing done and it certainly wasn't making her miss Quin any less. She shoved One-Eyed Jack from her lap.
"Meow." He half growled as leapt to the porch rail.
He turned back to glare at her and with a flick of his tail he leapt down and bounded for the warmth of the barn.
For a moment she watched him go before her eyes travelled along the horizon and back toward the mountain. Her mountain. This was where she belonged. She smiled despite the emptiness inside that she recognized was a longing for her husband.
Christmas was tomorrow. Katie and Pappy were bringing Esther and Joe Tate. Ruthie promised come for visit with Ila Mae now that the girl was feeling better again. Between Laureli and Ila Mae, Vicky and Reuben were free to devote their time to other chores. Reuben divided his time between the smithy and the horses.
Vicky had more time to devote to the books, although she would gratefully relinquish this particular chore to Quin when he returned. Christmas without Quin seemed to accentuate his absence and it always hurt a little more. Especially when the children went outside to blow kisses to the moon. With a sigh she looked out again at her mountain.
She thought of all the years and events that brought her here to this moment. She often wondered if she could go back would she have made Jeremy stay...or made Quin stay...but she always came to the same conclusion. She would not do a single thing differently. Even if she knew that Jeremy wouldn't come home...as Bo said, he was lost to them anyway.
But in his selflessness, Jeremy had saved countless lives. Bo, Janelle, and Little Quin would all be dead if it weren't for Jeremy. And all the lives he saved by stopping the KGC plans for California. She could never take that away from him, not even if it meant having him with her for another year. No. This was as it should be, she thought as she gazed at her mountain.
She buried two children and was widowed. But she was never really alone. The LORD, in all his goodness, saw fit to provide Quin. While she could never replace Naomi Beth and Joseph, the LORD blessed her with four more: Lizzie, Tomas, Little Quin, and Reuben. She rolled up her sleeves with a smile on her face.
"Just like Job, I've been blessed two-fold." She grinned, feeling truly blessed.
Determined to make some rock candy for tomorrow's festivities, she felt better than she had in weeks. Instead of wallowing in self-pity she would teach herself to count her blessings, for they were many. A shiver caught her and she hurried toward the warmth of the kitchen. She heard Bo call the children and smiled. They were working on something special together for Christmas.
Closing the kitchen door behind her she crossed to the stove to add another log and set coffee to boil.
"LORD," she said aloud, "I don't mean to squabble over the little things. You know that I am truly grateful for all of your blessings. I know that you've kept my Quinton safe and I pray that you will continue to watch over him. We miss him, LORD. Oh how we miss him..."
Her voice failed her so she ended there. She hadn't heard from Quin in SO LONG. A familiar worry surfaced and she felt her resolve leaving her. She could not go through the pain of losing another husband. She just could not...
"COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS" she scolded herself in an angry whisper as she swiped at her cheeks and started pulling the items she needed for bread.
Vicky was up to her wrists in dough and covered to her elbows in flour before the ruckus in the yard broke through to her senses. Blowing an errant strand of hair from her eyes she began wiping her hands on her apron and gave up, since it was just as floury. Oh well, their visitor would just have to deal with the floured mess their hostess presented.
It was probably just Katie come a day early to make sure everything went well tomorrow. As she reached for the door her eyes settled on the rifle there above the pegs. With a shrug she dismissed the notion and went out. She had her colt, hidden in its special pocket: cleaned, loaded and ready if she needed it.
A lone rider approached the gate and from the looks of him he'd been on the trail a long time. There was something familiar about that scruffy...
"Oh LORD, THANK YOU!" she whispered.
Unbridled joy overtook her as she lifted her skirt sand ran to meet him just as fast as her legs would carry her. As an afterthought she shouted for the children. It didn't matter if they came or not. They would know soon enough!
Quin leaned down to close the gate behind him before turning back toward the house. Lord it was good to be home. He saw Vicky running with her skirts above her knees and her sleeves above her elbows. Flour covered her dress and her hair was falling from the braid that fell over her shoulder. He swallowed. She was more beautiful than he remembered.
He leapt from Jonah and ran to meet her. Her arms looped around his neck and his went around her middle to lift her up as they spun around. She held him so tightly he could scarcely breathe. It was more than two years since he held her. He buried his face in her neck and breathed in the scent of her. His tears fell freely as she lifted her head back and kissed him soundly.
Oh God how he'd missed her!
"Pa!"
"It's Pa!"
"Pa's home!"
The children shrieked as they ran. Quin turned once more and set Vicky on her feet, still holding her to his side with an arm about her waist. The twins were four and led the way. Little Quin was a few steps behind. Reuben—my god how that boy has grown!—Reuben led Lizzy by the hand with her pudgy little legs toddling as fast as they could carry her.
She looked so much like Naomi Beth in that moment. Warmth filled his heart as he dropped to his knees. Vicky stepped back as he held out his arms to welcome his children. All of them crashed into him and he fell over laughing. Vicky's vision blurred with fresh tears as they laughed and hugged and chattered in a pile on the ground.
Quin was so happy and then he heard Little Quin's voice and thought his heart would burst with love.
"Soldiers don't cry, Pa!" confusion scrunched his face into a frown as he touched Quin's wet cheek.
"I'm no soldier, son." He smiled pulling the boy onto his lap. "From now on I'm just your Pa and I'm crying cuz I'm so glad the good LORD saw fit to keep me safe and bring me home to you all."
Little Quin seemed wise beyond his tender years as he smiled and hugged his new pa with a fierceness.
"I'm glad too, Pa."
Vicky quit trying to swipe at the tears of joy and let them fall. TWO YEARS! Lord but she had missed him so! Once more she sent a prayer heavenward thanking the good LORD for her blessings...her family...her Quinton.
"Come on Ma." Little Quin called as he tugged on her hand.
She fell to her knees as they laughed and hugged and she let the love wash over her.
"Having Pa home is the best Christmas present ever!" Ida Rose squealed as snowflakes settled on her hair.
Vicky's heart was bursting with love and joy as she tipped her head back and looked at the sky. The gentle snow began to fall and Vicky could feel the peaceful quiet that it settled over the land.
"Come children." She said struggling to untangle her skirts and find her feet. "Your father must be cold and tired."
"I'll get pa some coffee." Reuben said proudly helping to pull Lizzy to her feet.
"I get logs for big fire." Kelley said proudly.
"I help you." Little Quin followed at a run.
"Me too." Ida Rose chirped as she followed.
Quin chuckled as he pulled her against his side and kissed the top of her head.
"They're bigger than I remember."
"They've grown so fast. Baby Tomas is a year old already." She said looking toward the house. "He wasn't feeling well so Laureli put him down for a nap."
"Baby Tomas?"
"Oh, you must not have gotten your letter. Penelope—"
"Oh yes. I remember. I didn't know his name. And Laureli?"
"Zeke's paying her to stay and help with the baby."
"Is he now?" Quin arched an eyebrow.
"He's determined to help shoulder the responsibility for his younger brothers."
"I wouldn't have expected anything less from him."
"You'll be so proud of the man he's become."
"It's quite a family we've got." He whispered as he started them toward the house, still holding her to his side.
"Isn't it though?" she answered looking up at him with a warm smile.
"I can't help but think now..."
"About what?" she asked as they stopped at the base of the porch steps.
Taking her hands in his he turned to face her. With a wistful glance toward the kitchen door he smiled.
"About how much fun it's going to be watching them grow up."
Vicky looked at the kitchen door and smiled. It would indeed be fun to watch them grow up. She felt his eyes on her and looked up. As she looked into his eyes, she knew she was where she belonged. Here by her mountain. Here at the Arrow Q. And as he leaned down to kiss her she knew she belonged with Quinton...Always.
---
Bo laughed. It was a mocking sort of laugh meant in fun, she knew, but she was annoyed just the same. Unable to reply verbally she hit him in the face with her wet dishtowel as she ran out the door. Vicky just made it to the woodpile when she could hold it back no longer.
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