But, he seemed quite forthcoming on his part. I was sure it was a combination of our appearing like slaves but living free and independent and our interest in events on the other side, that moved his comments specifically to the most unusual activity occurring. He started talking about the trouble and turmoil that a non-slave was making for slave owners in the region nearest the mountains. From his accounts, he said this man had formed a small army of runaway slaves and was causing all manner of problems. The number of slaves running and not being found had increased dramatically. Supply wagons to the plantations had been hijacked, the supplies, animals and wagons never to be seen, again. Caravans transporting new slaves north to the plantations had been intercepted and the slaves disappearing, while the slavers for the most part were killed.
By this time, we were comfortably grouped on the ground around a fire keeping coffee warm as we talk. His coffee was something that is not commonly consumed by us, but we share with him mostly for politeness. He acted as if we would certainly like some coffee. I found I don’t like the bitter taste but sipped it the same way to show hospitality. We learned a little more about him in the casual moments during his making the coffee. His name was Jona, just Jona he said. He appeared to be between 45 and 50 years old and the life he was now leading appeared to be hard on him, but he also appeared at peace.
His mood shifted suddenly and he laughed, shaking his head, “Boy, does that bring back memories!”
Tupac looked bewildered by the change and comment. “Memories? You know the man causing this trouble?”
He looked at the four of us, as if suddenly wondering what he had been telling us and if he should have. But, he continued, “Know him? He was the best man I ever knew. That is until his family was killed. A shame, too. It was as if his mind snapped. I tried to find him after that, but he just quit the army and disappeared. I heard some nasty things about him after that. Then, this started. The same man, I am sure of it. Something changed in him, again.”
I was staring at him and the guys all know why. The similarities about the man seemed too close to be true. I cautiously pursue it, though, “Were you in the army, too?”
He looked at me, as if maybe it was the first time he really looked at me or considered my age and being out here with these three. “Yes, I commanded a company. We were very good, well disciplined, and non-political. This man was fearless, the best single fighting man I have ever come across. That’s why it was a shock when he seemed to just snap.”
“Wait, so you really knew this man very well? What is the name you knew him by?”
“Rayner. I suppose he had a last name, but I just called him Rayner for so long I think I forgot it. Why?”
“He’s my father …”
“You? No. You’re a …”
“Slave? NO! No, I am not and never have been. But my mother was, yes.”
He looked at the men with me, and then focused his attention again on me. “So, you must be the reason he changed, again. When the hate finally left him.”
“No, that was my mother. I was the bi-product of that.”
“I don’t understand. The man he became was irrational when it came to slaves. How could that have happened?”
I sighed and shook my head, “It’s a long story.”
Jona looked to the others, again. Perhaps he was checking that he wasn’t overstaying his welcome. But, at this point, they were gaging everything by my interest and consideration. “Well, young lady, time I have and I would love to hear this story. Rayner was a good man and I respected him tremendously; well, up to when he snapped at least. I would like to hear how he regained his equilibrium. In fact, I will trade you information. I want to hear more about my old friend and I have a lot more information about the other side.”
I stand up and touched Tupac’s shoulder for him to follow me. “What do you think, Tupac? I feel like I can trust this man. But, I don’t want it to be because he knew my father in the past. What should I do?”
“Your insight is as good as mine here, Maia. He wants to know about your father and that will require you to talk about your mother. This could be very good for you. And, he may have good information about the other side. Information we might need or can use.” He started to turn to return but stopped, “But, just to be sure, let’s not mention the others or the village. Let’s keep that private until we need to share it, if ever.”
We returned to the fire and decided to proceed with sharing but first established that it would take some time so we set out to find some food and prepare it for a meal, expecting to share the camp with him tonight.
Then the stories started. I gave him a fairly complete story of my parents and my childhood as I remembered it from my parent’s stories to me. He asked question periodically, especially around what happened to my mother when her foot was amputated crudely. He seemed concerned if Rayner had been involved in that in any way. He then seemed very relieved that father wasn’t. “And that’s pretty much it. I never saw him again after he left mother and me with these men.”
He studied us for a time. He was hesitating, deliberating on what was still on his mind and I sensed what it was. Finally, he asked, “But, once your mother died … you just lived with these men? In the wilderness all by yourself?”
With all my strength, I kept from looking at any of the three. “Yes. They were very kind and have allowed me to continue with them.” I didn’t even look at Jona; I knew he suspected something else, suspected there was still more, but that it had nothing to do with my father.
Then he started. He did indeed have much more to tell. He talked well into the night and Tupac asked many questions about the general happenings. I tended to ask more details about my father. I was intrigue that he was apparently still alive and still creating havoc with the slave owners. There wasn’t just turmoil over there. He said it almost seemed like a powder keg with a fuse burning to it. That it was only a matter of time and it was going to blow. He said there was open conflict but at the present, the slave side of the conflict was focused on guerrilla type of hit-and-run attacks.
That was when he smiled, again, “That was what Rayner, your father, was an expert in. Taking a small group of fighters and stopping a much larger force.”
We parted ways but we stayed watchful after that for him and any others that might also follow him or also discover the route through the mountains. We finally spotted him crossing the valley to the East a number of full moons later. Interestingly, halfway across a wide open plain, he stopped, looked to the North, and raised his hand in an apparent salute. I smiled and commented to the others, “He knew we’d be keeping tabs on him and he isn’t trying to pretend, otherwise.
Tupac moved his horse in front of mine, “You’re thinking about going to the other side and joining Rayner aren’t you?”
I frowned; I was that transparent to these guys? Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised; we had committed and practiced being fully open and honest with each other. Our sharing and intimacy demanded and resulted from that very kind of openness and transparency.
“The thought crossed my mind, yes. But, I would not have acted on it without a discussion with you three. I couldn’t make a decision like that without getting your council. But, yes, I have thought about it.”
“You’ll wait on making a decision then until we have another opportunity to speak with Jona?”
“I promise.”
It was another full moon before we again found Jona coming out of the mountain gap and down the slope. I point him out to the others and as I am about to ride hard to him, Herve reminds me to put clothes on. I know he is already wondering about a young woman riding with three men and that would take a lot of the mystery out of it. We met him at the bottom of the slope as he came out of the trees. He doesn’t have his pack animal with him this time and we know this was a different visit.
He waved and came to us at a gallop, “I was hoping you’d be watching. I wasn’t sure how I would find you, otherwise.”
Tupac was still the leader, “What wrong?”
“I told you before that the events on the other side was like a powder keg just waiting for a light. Well, the freed slaves lit it. The region to the East has exploded into violence and open conflict.”
He went on to inform us about the conflict on the other side. There were apparently some retaliations against the slaves for the actions of Rayner and his group but it didn’t have the intended result. Slaves at several plantations were publicly hung and left as warnings to the others. It was a gruesome demonstration, a desperate demonstration. Instead of striking fear and breaking resolve, however, Rayner’s group attacked the lead plantation and the slaves there rose up to join them. The plantation was routed and the main house and housing of the non-slaves burned to the ground. The plantation men were killed in the fighting, but the women and children were allowed to leave as long as they headed East. The slaves gave them free, unharmed passage through their ranks. As a group, they then moved North to the next plantation. The fighting grew more intense as they moved North.
Tupac looked at me, then again to Jona, “And, what now? I assume you were with them?”
“Yes, I gather up a couple dozen of the old group from our company and went to fight with Rayner. We joined up with them at the second plantation and onto the third. By now they should be heading for the fourth and final plantation, the one your mother was from, Maia.”
I turned to Tupac, “I want to go, Tupac. You don’t have to, but I want to fight with my father.”
“No.” It was Jona, not Tupac. “No, Maia, that’s why I came. Your … your father …”
“Dead? He’s dead?”
“I’m sorry, Maia, but, yes. You have to understand, he died the way he wanted to. He died fulfilling his promise.”
Leave a Reply