Chapter 1
The night takes over the woods like fire does to a leaf, over powering it until it falls. The only relief that seems to be found is the small camp fires that give light to set up tents and Red Coat men.
It took no genius, at the first sight of Declan Harp, that many would die that night. And many had.
Three men, soldiers, knelt on their knees in front of one of their tents. The fire near them gave their bloody faces light, showing the fear in them.
Harp stood behind the men, sharpening a long curvy knife. The noise echoed in the men's ears, please for mercy chirping through their lips. This was one of my favorite parts, the kill.
My own knife was yanked out of a Red Coat, not too far off from the three tied up soldiers. His body laid to the ground, blood overpowering his lower abdomen and stomach. The knife I held stiffly in my hand was swiped over the chest of the soldier, cleaning in blade.
My clothing was simple, blending in with the darkness.
I wore black, leather boots, worn out from the days of walking and muddy from the fallen ran. Tight black pants overcame my legs, the cold winter not yet bringing to life a long skirt that was ripped down the middle. My top half held many layers, especially in the winter. A tight black shirt, the sleeves cut off and pinned together sat on my bare half. Above that was a silk, baggy shirt, covered by a white button up shirt. When Winter would come, a fur jacket would sit over it, but with Winter not yet here, a black, silk jacket would hang over it, the neck the only fur of it.
Many years ago, I came to the habit of cutting my brown hair short, something that Harp seemed to like. Though it wasn't usually for a women to do that, I found it much easier to handle.
Though I'd never do the same with Harp's.
The slashing of throats were heard, followed by the screams of another as his back was repeatedly stabbed.
My boots carried me over to the third man, my head tilting slightly to the side as I looked down at his shaking body. My hand roughly grabbed his jaw, tilting it upward to face me. A smirk played on my lips before I grunted and repeatedly stabbed the man's chest, his screams echoing in my ears.
I released his head, taking a step back and watching as his body joined the rest. My head looked up, meeting Declan's brown and blue eyes that watched me with a smiling smirk.
My head turned, looking around as the Black Wolf Company either finished killing off the rest of started to pack up the Red Coats things. "Take the guns, pelts, powders and supplies! Leave nothing!" I yelled, stepping over the dead soldier's body.
Declan joined me, his hand lightly finding its way around my waste. His head tilted down to whisper something in my ear but was stopped when Samoset, a close friend of ours, appeared out of the dark woods with a Red Coat tied up in his hands.
Both of us turned, looking to Samoset and the young Soldier. "I found him hiding," Samoset said as Declan walked over to the boy, looking him over. What a coward.
"Do you know who I am, boy?" Declan asked, his voice strong and powerful like his statue.
Though the boy spoke with fear in his voice, he seemed to try to overcome it, "Declan Harp."
"I want you to do me a favor. I want you to run on home and I want you to tell them. You tell them I'm here," Declan grabbed the boy's shoulder before throwing him to the ground. He turned to leave while the soldier scrambled to his feet and ran off.
Samoset watched the boy, as did I as he ran. "You're letting him live. Word will spread. They'll know this is you," Samoset said, his voice speaking with age.
Declan watched for a moment, nodding as he said, "I'm counting on it."
My body turned, walking over to one of the tents and disappearing inside. Immediately, my hands got to work on rolling the blankets and fur that sat inside. Though winter wasn't here yet, the nights told you it would be here soon.
The sound of the flap to the tent opening and closing made it known that someone was inside. The feeling of someone tall and strong behind me made it known that it was Declan.
"Do you think it was a foolish idea, letting him go?" Declan asked, as if seeing if my mind would still speak truly to him.
Not looking at him, I said, "I think if you didn't, men would come here, see what has happened, and assume it was you anyways." It was true.
I stood, pilling the blankets and fur together on the ground before turning to face Declan. He watched me, my every movement like a predator does with his prey. But we were know predator and prey, but predator and predator.
His boots moved him over to me, his hands finding my waste as he looked down at me, my head just touching his chin.
"Your mind works in mysterious ways," He whispered to me, making me blush slightly. It was true, my mind was a mystery, not even known by me fully. That was one thing that Declan Harp fell in love with.
"Well, my mind has many ideas," I said, my hands finding their way around his neck. A smirk played on his lips, as if knowing what would eventually lead to that night. "I'd love to know some of those ideas."
Even in the darkest of situations, even after just killing tons of men, we still find ways to live in the moment and love each other.
By the time morning had risen, we found ourselves back on the boats towards North America to make a trade. Declan and I left our boats early, letting the four Black Wolf Company members carry forth with the fur.
To no surprise, the short man we were coming to make a trade with was standing at the edge of the water, his gun out and aimed at the four men. His voice spoke quietly as he pretended to fire of at the men, his voice coming out, "Bang. Bang."
Seconds after, my body came crashing down on his, my feet kicking his back so he'd drop his gun and land on the ground. He turned, stopping when my knife connected lightly with his neck, "Hello, Rivard," I said with a smirk.
"Anna," He said nervously, wondering if this would finally be the time that I killed him. "Right, right on time."
I hold my smirk as I pull my knife away and take a few steps back, securing it in my hoister. Declan stood next to me, the fighting duo seeming to always stand next to each other.
Rivard stood, wiggling his finger at me as he tried to smile through the fear, "Harp. I see why you picked this one. The fire burns in her like it does you," He said, making Declan's eyes squint in a studding matter at his old trading friend.
The four Black Wolf Company men rode their boats up to shore, unpacking the fur that was brought with them. Rivard sat himself on a fallen tree, pulling out the silver and pilling it in two rows next to him.
"Ah, these are spectacular quality! How many more of these are you able to get?"
"For you? None," Declan said, his stance tall and strong as he stood, watching Rivard's confused face.
Rivard looked to me, as if waiting for a small chuckle to leave my lips and say that we were kidding. My crossed arms said otherwise, worrying him slightly, "I'm confused. Perhaps you don't understand my French accent so well."
"Oh, I understand you," Declan said, leaning down and picking up the two rows of silver. He shoved one row into his pocket, handing the other to me. I pulled out a small bag, letting the silver fall into it before stuffing it back in it's home near my breasts.
"Then why refuse a paying customer?"
"Well, that's a conversation I need to have with your employer," Declan said, paying his attention fully on Rivard.
Rivard smiled nervously, "Ah, I work for no man. I work for the Fleur-de-lis."
"You work for the highest bidder," I said, pulling Rivard's eyes to me. "Samuel Grant, a wealthy American new to Montreal."
Looking between the two Harps, Rivard stuttered as he tried to explain. "Grant is one of several men with whom I do business."
"We wanna meet him," Declan said, needing not to explain that when he said we, he meant him and I.
A chuckle left Rivard's lips, "No." It stopped when he didn't see us join him in the chuckle, his face falling with worry, "Why would you want such a thing?"
"Do not overestimate your standing. You're just the middleman," Declan said, revealing that we were never coming here to trade furs with him.
Rivard looked between the two of us before shaking his head, looking off as he said, "I cannot do business like this."
Declan shrugged, "I guess I'll take my business to one of your competitors." He turned, only taking a couple of steps before Rivard quickly stopped him, my movements not yet starting. "No, okay, okay! I'll speak to Grant. I'll try to set up a meeting, but he's going to ask what you have to offer. This amount of furs will not be enough."
Declan Harp's eyes looked to the furs before looking at me, seeming to read my mind. He turned, facing Rivard once again, "The Lake Walker tribe."
"The Cree? You have an agreement with them for trade?" Rivard asked, shocked.
"We will," Declan nodded, making Rivard ponder the thought. We had already taken his money, so there was no need to try and turn it down. He stood, sighing slightly, "Fine. But if you cut me out of this, you..." He started, taking a few steps towards Declan who took a couple of steps back. This action made Rivard quickly cower back and choose his next words carefully, "You will, uh, very badly hurt my feeling."
Leaning in, Declan said, "Set it up, Rivard." He turned, helping the men with the fur while I made my way back over to Rivard. His relaxed position changed when I got closer, his eyes watching me fearfully.
My hand tossed something to him, his hands catching it to find a piece of silver in it.
"For your troubles," I said before turning and helping the men.
We found our way through water, woods, and back trails to the woods near Fort James. Though it was still far away, it was a perfect place to hold up, set up camp, and rest.
Some of our men, led by a friend, Sokanon went out to keep watch. The rest stayed to rest or eat. Declan and our friend Dimanche were skinning a deer while I was near them, sharpening any knives or weapons that had grown dull from our long travels.
The morning had risen once again when Sokanon returned. Only, she did not return empty handed. Two men, tied by their hands, was pushed to follow before eventually stopping near us.
My motions stopped, my eyes looking over the two men. One, the oldest was a Priest. The second, a young boy with raven black hair.
When Sokanon walked over to Declan, my feet stood me up and walked over to them.
"I found them in the bush. Three soldiers, dead," She whispered to us. That was all the information we needed from her before Declan glanced at the two men. I watched as he turned, walking over to them before stopping near them. My feet kept me still, my ears picking up my husband's voice.
"Why were you with English soldiers?"
The Priest spoke, nervous and fearful while still keeping a smiling face, "I had nothing to do with those hateful pigs. Their leader threatened to kill me. I, I just want to be paid as per my contract with young Michael here and I'll be on my way."
Dimanche spoke up next to me, his face hard and angry, "You're not going anywhere, Priest."
It was true, the chances were that Declan would kill the Priest or send him out to deliver a message. But he already did the second one weeks ago.
The young boy, who I resumed was Michael, said, "The soldiers found us wandering in the wilderness, lost. They were gonna take us back to the fort."
"And why were you wandering in the wilderness?" I asked, making the two men stretch to look behind Declan, at me. My arms crossed, my eyes watching them closely, waiting for a movement to determine whether they were killers or people arriving in the wrong place.
Michael looked to Declan, "I was looking for you. I want to make my fortune in the fur trade and I hear you're the man to help me do it."
Declan's patience was never high, and the way he circled the two made it known. "You're gonna have to do better than that, lad." He suddenly stopped in front of the Priest, his head gesturing to him in disgust, "Why are you with this Priest?"
"I hired him as my guide but I learned he was lying to me - and had no intention of helping me."
The Priest quickly objected, speaking quickly, "No, Michael, that is not completely true." He looked to Declan, a somewhat pleading voice, "Mr. Harp, I am a man of many contacts. Many of them are great suppliers of fur. I could easily connect you to them upon my return to civilization, of course."
Dimanche spoke up once again, "I know this one. He's a loudmouth drunk. He can't be trusted."
Laughing nervously, the Priest looked to Dimanche, "You're right, that's me..." He quickly changed people and looked to Declan, "But I, but I can change. I'm better than that, you'll see. What better place to turn over a new leaf than here?"
Dimanche moved quickly, his voice following as he grabbed the Priest by the neck and yanked him back, "He needs to die."
The Priest gasped, speaking quickly, "Harp, I am a man of divine provenance! Keeping me in your company will put God on your side!"
"We haven't been on God's side in a long time. I don't think he'll be welcoming us any time soon," I stated.
Michael, looking between his friend and Declan quickly yelled, "You can't just kill him! I won't let you kill him!" He tried to chase after the Priest but only gets a couple of steps in before Declan grabs him and yanks him back in front of him. He puts his bloody hands on Michael's face, revealing the fear in his eyes.
"You watch, boy! Take 'em both!" He throws Michael to the ground, turning to return to his deer. He suddenly stops as my arms lower and my mouth drops slightly in shock when Michael quickly yells in a struggle, "I have information on Lord Benton! I have information on Lord Benton!"
Declan wastes no time yelling at the two men that were ready to drag Michael away to stop. I starred at the boy before my eyes moved to Declan, the look of anger mixed with revenge in them.
I watched my husband as he quickly turned on his heels and over to Michael, kneeling in front of him. "All right, boy, you have my attention. Tell me about Benton or join the Priest."