LAKE OF THE SWANS
Book 2 of 3
Chapter 48
It had been a day of putting the campgrounds back in order after the big celebration. Everyone had lent a hand while the elders concluded their annual meeting in the big tent. What needed to be done had been done. The campgrounds lie quiet. The summer sun lingered in the west, and the lake shimmered under its light. The Emerson family’s camp, alive with the voices of songbirds, would soon sit abandoned.
At present, however, Harley stood with an arrow at the ready while Cody and Rowena cleaned out Weya’s pen. The pen was to be cleaned once in the morning and once in the evening—a task assigned to the younger members of the family. They rotated on a schedule. And none entered the wolf’s enclosure without following protocol, which, although arguably no longer necessary, were nonetheless precautionary rules laid down by the Matriarch.
Just then, Jessie came walking down bachelor row with purpose, a lone figure with a sober look on her face.
“What’s up?” asked Harley.
“I wish I knew,” Jessie replied. “Mom sent me to fetch you. We’re to have a meeting in the longhut.”
“What about?”
“It appears that a skraeling has been captured,” she whispered.
So quickly did Cody appear beside them at the fence, he seemed to come from thin air. “I hope they haven’t killed him yet.”
“Cody!” Jessie protested, astonished by the extraordinary sharpness of his ears.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I couldn’t help but overhear.”
“You are not to speak a word of this to anyone, do you understand?”
“Yes,” nodding.
“So, is he to be killed?” asked Harley.
“I don’t think so. As I understand it, he’s a runaway slave.”
Cody’s expression drained of hope. There would be no torture or killing, for as everyone knew, runaway slaves had to be returned to their owners.
Rowe, meanwhile, stood with poop basket in hand, a curious look on her face.
Looking back and forth between the teens, Jessie suddenly feared letting them out of her sight, lest the word slip out. “Finish up here,” she said, “You’re both coming with Harley and me.”
Not a half-hour later, inside the Emerson longhut, sixteen Kasskatchens sat in a rough circle. Rutin and Emma, Jessie and Harley, Mia and Anders, John and Laureal, Carl, Black-Spear, Mr. and Mrs. Timmerman, Mr. Fisher, the brothers Kale and Levi, and Julian. Also seated there, the runaway slave Onak received an introduction from the Matriarch, who instructed the family in no uncertain terms to show him the same respect as would be given to any other guest. Furthermore, for the sake of timeliness, they were not to pummel him with questions but to wait for Elkhart, who would bring the meeting to order. Cody and Rowena, meanwhile, sat on the front porch and would soon be tasked with retrieving the twins from the neighbors. Back inside the longhut, supper, if it could be called that, was an assortment of smoked meat, nuts, and fruits, set out on reed mats in the middle of the circle.
When the attendees had satisfied their hunger, Elkhart called them to order and said, “To begin, I believe it is important to know that no one here planned this meeting in advance. And yet, it is no coincidence that this gathering has come together away from those that would betray our confidence.”
Standing up, Rutin stepped back and leaned out the door, his icy blue eyes fixed on Cody and Rowena, “Should you betray the confidence of this meeting, the lives of your parents will likely be forfeit. Do you understand me?”
At a loss for words, the teens only nodded, their lips parted in shock and wonder, whereupon Elkhart, having achieved the desired effect, immediately pivoted back into the doorway where he took a box as a short stool and seated himself so that he might be elevated just enough for everyone to clearly see and hear him—
“What is about to be said here must not leave this room,” he began, and pausing, he met every eye with an exacting glance. “Does everyone understand?”
Satisfied with what he saw, Elkhart broke the news, “The location of what Mr. Summerfield calls the Data Block has been discovered.”
Such looks of surprise and amazement went around the circle, one could easily recognize those who already knew from those who did not.
“The Elders were made aware of this yesterday,” Elkhart continued. “Soon, the High Council of Elders in Grandal will know. None of them, however, will know of what we speak of here, and therefore, none of them will know that we have changed our plans. And to clarify, when I say ‘we,’ I mean those involved thus far, and…those here who chose to join us. So, what I'm saying is, there are now two plans. The original plan, solidified in the council tent earlier today, is the official plan, and everyone shall know of it. The second plan, is a secret born only hours ago, and known to no one outside of this room. It, is what now brings us together.”
Pausing, Elkhart looked to the Inuk, “Firstly, to bring everyone up to speed, Mr. Onak here is going to tell us what he knows.”
Onak gave his account the same as the day before, and after a few questions and answers, Rutin once again took the floor—
“Earlier today, with Mr. Fischer acting as our scribe, we elders drew up a letter, as part of the original plan, to be delivered to the High Council in the Great Hall of the People. Mr. Fisher also made a copy for us to hold in record. Weisel Wheeler of the Wheeler-Dealer Clan and Bailey Vogel of the Brinks and Vogel Clan will carry the letter to Grandal and personally deliver it to the High Council. The letter tells of our intention to form an expedition to retrieve the treasure. The letter also tells of Mr. Onak and our need for him as a guide. It includes a purchase price in gold for Mr. Onak, based on the fair market value of a thirty-year-old male slave in good health, plus an additional one-quarter value of goodwill payment to be delivered to his former owner as compensation. The letter states our intention to bring the treasure back and deliver it, in full, into the hands of the High Council. The letter tells of our hope that, by the High Council’s wise and just deliberation, the treasure may be used for the good of the realm. And I will add here that, knowing Weisel as I do, I’m almost certain he will seek to cover his tracks by cautioning the council. He will tell them not to trust us, which the council would not do anyway. Weisel and Bailey, who know only of the original plan, will downplay the affair. They will state their own belief that there is no treasure. They will call it a wild goose chase. They will add an element of uncertainty, and that is exactly what we want them to do.”
Pausing, Elkhart shifted and squared himself on his stool, “Earlier today, near the end of our meeting in the big tent, Mr. Onak was brought in, and, being made aware of how we planned to get across the barren lands, he immediately saw a flaw of fatal consequence. However, being a man of some discernment, he wisely kept it to himself until after the meeting, at which point he spoke in confidence with Black-Spear, Carl, Emma, Mr. Fischer, and myself.”
Gesturing to the Inuk, Elkhart continued, “Mr. Onak, with his unique understanding of the barren lands, prevailed upon us that, if we wished to survive, we must follow an entirely different plan for crossing the barren lands.
“Mr. Onak,” Elkhart continued, “would you be so kind as to repeat what you told us not two hours ago?”
Onak looked around the circle, his dark eyes meeting those he hoped would see him home, “Beyond the forest, there is only one path across the barren lands. Only one path by which one may keep their life. Not a path like a trail on the ground, but a law written in the wind. A law that orders the hunter and seamstress to combine their skills. There is no exception to this law, and yet, the present plan for an expedition does just the opposite, and, if gone through with…will end with many a young man lost to the frozen waste.”
Laureal turned to John, the fear of him freezing to death once again filled her eyes—the sword of Damocles, lifted only the day before, had returned.
In the silence, Mia, having the same initial reaction, then went further in her mind and put two and two together—she and her sisters were the ‘seamstresses’ of which the skraeling spoke! “I have small children,” she declared, her expression suddenly fearful.
“My wife is pregnant,” John added, having also come to the realization.
“All the more reason to work together and survive,” Onak countered.
Fischer, visibly nervous, spoke abruptly, “Excuse me, but there’s something tied to this…something that must be faced.” And turning to the Seeker, “John, I am terribly sorry, but I hadn’t previously thought of this.”
“Well,” looking at Fischer, “Whatever it is, it can’t be any worse than what Mr. Onak has said.”
“If you go on this expedition,” Fisher began, “and you leave your wife behind, it is entirely possible the High Council will take Mrs. Summerfield to Grandal. Mind you, she would not be mistreated. And there would be some truth to the High Council’s claim that the measure was taken for your wife and child’s protection. However, when you look under the veneer, it would still be kidnapping. Your wife and child would be the council’s hostages…their way of making sure you bring the treasure to them.”
“I would rather die than be taken to Grandal!” Laureal exclaimed, her eyes going straight to her grandmother, who had been her main source of knowledge, herself having never been to the super-village.
“You will not be taken to Grandal,” Emma calmly stated. Then, turning to the others. “If hardships are now unavoidable, it is better that we choose them than have others choose them for us.”
“We are here to choose,” Elkhart added, “and what we choose may change our lives in ways that none of us can presently know, save to know that, should we sit here and do nothing, chances are high that we will come to regret it.”
Mia turned to Mr. Fischer, “Would the council come after me?”
“It is highly likely.”
“Not if you come with us.” All turned to see Cody’s head poking through the doorway.
Elkhart thought to reprimand the boy, but his desire to stay on point prevailed. “If we are to do this thing,” returning his eyes to the group, “then we must make a wholehearted effort to appear all-in with the original plan as agreed upon by the elders in the council tent today.”
Anders fixed his gaze on Elkhart, “I am no friend of the High Council, but…obviously, you are contemplating no small ruse. Your plan requires something near to treason, on which we could be staking our lives.”
Elkhart sharpened his eyes on Anders, “It is not us but the High Council who have betrayed their duty to our people. And that being the case, I know you have no wish to see untold power placed in the hands of those who care so little for what our people hold near and dear. Therefore, I ask that you hear me out!”
If only for a few moments, an uncomfortable silence lingered until Elkhart once again picked up where he had left off—
“Emma, Carl, Black-Spear, Mr. Timmerman, Mr. Fischer, Mr. Onak, and I propose to continue with the original plan adopted today inasmuch as it serves our purpose as a decoy. It calls for an expedition of approximately twenty men. Mostly young men, who will not be told that they are only a decoy until after they have gotten underway. And because they are our warriors,” glancing at Carlton and Black-Spear, “we can rest assured that they will understand and do their part to faithfully execute the ruse. Of course, to be believable, the decoy expedition must also include Mr. Summerfield, Mr. Onak, Mr. Fischer, and Mr. De Champs if he so chooses. The men will be led by Carlton and Black-Spear. I will remain behind on the assumption that my duty remains, as always, to watch over and work for the welfare of the frontier. In this way, all will appear as expected, an expedition composed of men loyal to the interested parties. They will depart here and go north by canoe up the east shore of the lake. They will leave here with measured urgency, not with fanfare but as men intent on getting to the treasure first. In this manner, people will see, and word of the expedition’s departure will spread to Grandal where it will throw a wrench into any plans the High Council may have to control the hunt.
“From the north end of the lake, the decoy expedition will continue into territory that is widely unknown. They will leave a trail as though made by men moving quickly in an effort to take possession of a treasure…a trail easy for other treasure hunters to find and follow, of which there may be many. Meanwhile, the Emerson family will depart the campgrounds just as they had previously planned. I will go with them, supposedly on account of not visiting the far western reaches of late, and…for any other reason that folks may wish to assume and gossip about.” Rutin shot a smile at Emma.
Placing his hands on his knees, the wheels in his head in motion, Rutin continued, “When the Emerson clan departs these campgrounds, all will appear as expected. A family group traveling around the south end of the lake by canoe and land trail…all perfectly normal. Then, having moved to the west side of the lake, they, being we, will continue southwest on the newly made trail towards the old river crossing and Emerson home territory. Congruently, John, Onak, Fischer, and Julian if he chooses, will depart from the decoy expedition at the north end of the lake under cover of night. They will go in two canoes, again under cover of night, south down the west side of the lake to the same Emerson trailhead. There, they will weight and sink one canoe in deep water. They will then portage on the newly made trail, from the lake to the old river crossing. They must do this before our arrival. That way, their tracks will be erased by our tracks, including fifteen dogs and a horse. We in the Emerson family group will also portage one canoe, and meet up with John, Mr. Fischer, Mr. Onak, and Julian at the old river crossing.
“Now, at this point, if John’s crew has made it without detection, the chances for our secret plan to succeed will be good. No one will know that we have come together. We can hightail it from the old river crossing, and disappear into the north without a trace.”
“Disappeared,” Fischer echoed, cautiously hinting at a grin, “in a place that is already viewed with superstition.”
“And for good reason,” Elkhart added with a sober smile. “Now, while we are traveling north-by-northwest from the old crossing, the decoy expedition will be traveling north-by-northeast. Like us, they will also disappear without a trace, into the fringe of the frontier. And they will hold up there. This should give us a head start in what may become a race to find the treasure, beginning with a manhunt for Mr. Onak.”
Mia looked around the circle, “What in the world are we getting ourselves into?”
Emma turned to Rutin, “Mia will speak her mind, but as I’ve said, you can be certain she will never betray our confidence.”
John looked around the circle, “Here’s a possible option. We know that somewhere between here and our objective, the end of the forest lies a considerable distance from where we are now, and also, according to Onak, a considerable distance from our objective. So, in light of that, I believe it would be advantageous to build a forward base of operation at the end of the forest…a safe place, just within the forest’s edge, protected from the north wind and concealed like a needle in a haystack. We could build it after we find the caribou in the fringe of the forest. From there, some of us would follow the caribou north across the barren lands while the rest remained in the forest cabin. Those who continue north would have the task of retrieving the treasure from the Data Block. Those who remain at the cabin would use the summer to build up food stocks while awaiting our return in late fall.”
“If that were to be our plan,” Onak began, “those of us who continued into the barren lands would still be subject to its laws. No one can survive there, save by the skill that hunter and seamstress may together combine.”
“What about a pregnant woman?” and not waiting for an answer, Laureal turned to her husband, “John…you and your damned obsession!”
John’s mouth fell open, for he’d never heard a single curse word leave Laureal’s lips, with the exception of once when they were nearly eaten alive by wolves.
“Laureal,” Jessie began, but Laureal cut her mother off, “I want to have my baby at home!”
Turning back to John, Laureal continued, “Yesterday, you told me your safe return was all but guaranteed. You said we would build our home…as planned!”
“Laureal,” Jessie began again, “I only wanted to remind you that John helped us to get this far, and now it may be our turn to help him.”
“Mom,” with a grievous sigh, “you always side with him!”
“Oh, that’s not true!”
Laureal turned back to her husband, “Tell me, John, what have I done that would cause you to be kidnapped?”
Leaning in, Emma whispered to Rutin, “Laureal will speak her mind, but she will never betray us.”
Somewhat beleaguered, Jessie turned to her mother, “Mom, what do you say?”
No more had the question been asked than all fell quiet. The Matriarch looked around the circle. Their eyes and ears were fixed on her. Meanwhile, from the doors and windows came the distant voices of children playing in the evening light, and birds singing their bedtime lullabies—
“I have put a great deal of thought into this,” Emma replied at last. “I have listened for the voice of the Great Spirit, and, in my heart, I feel certain that he is calling us to this task.”
Some exchanged glances, others looked inward. Anders and Mia set to whispering among themselves.
John turned to Laureal, “We can build a cabin on the edge of the forest. Our child can be born there, and on my return, we will go home together.”
Laureal had only opened her mouth to speak when Cody pushed his head in the doorway, “Count me in!”
Rowe’s face appeared next to Cody’s. “I want to go, too.”
Jessie broke into a smile. Such a pretty picture did the teens make, backlit by the reflection of the lake. “We’ll have to ask your mother and father, dear.”
Julian looked around the circle, his solemn countenance like that of a young knight swearing his first oath. “I will go.” Then, shifting in sudden realization, he turned to his mentor, “That is, if it’s okay with you, Anders?”
“Ask the One who made you, my friend,” the big man replied. “Ask Him. He will guide you.”
Levi turned to the Matriarch. “Kale and I are still in if you want us, Emma.” Then, looking to his cousin Laureal, “Your grandmother originally sent for Kale and me to go with John on his mission, that he might return safely home. Obviously, that was before all of this happened.”
Taken off guard, Laureal turned to Emma, “Grandma, is this true?”
“I was going to tell you as soon as I had my ducks in order, dear.” And smiling kindly, Emma added, “I didn’t want to give you false hope.”
“Grandma,” Laureal uttered in realization, her voice like that of a little girl.
Wishing to keep the meeting on track, Carlton turned to Black-Spear, “First thing in the morning, we’ll get to organizing.” Then, looking to the others, “We need to have the decoy expedition ready to depart in two days, three at the most.”
“I will assist you in any way I can,” Mr. Timmerman put in.
“Yes, we will,” Mrs. Timmerman seconded, looking first to her husband, then to the rest of the group.
“Mom,” Jessie began, “Harley’s in. And I want to go in your stead.”
“Oh, I’m going!” Emma stated, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
“As am I,” Rutin put in with conviction. And glancing at Emma, “Us old folks may need to remain at the cabin, but whatever the case may be, of this we are certain…the Great Spirit has called us to this endeavor.”
Anders, who had been in conference with Mia, spoke up, “Mia and I had hoped to return to the Emerson summer home and renovate an abandoned cabin. However, as much as we’d hoped to do that, Mia, well…she follows her Matriarch come hell or high water. And as for me, it was my trust in the Great Spirit that brought me here. So, we are in, at least as far as the cabin that John spoke of.”
All eyes turned to Laureal. Her mother, in particular, appeared contrite. “Dear, you cannot remain here alone.”
Laureal looked from her mother to John, to her grandmother, and finally to Elkhart before returning her gaze to her husband, “Well,” with a dreadful sigh, “we’ve come this far together.”
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