The Removes by Tatjana Soli

Author:Tatjana Soli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

THE NINTH REMOVE

Thomas—Indian charity—Winter camp—Ransom—Deception at the fort

After Anne birthed her second child, Thomas, named after her father, the women did much reading of signs and prophesied he would grow up to be a great peacemaker in the tribe. That did nothing to sweeten her captivity.

Her camp joined a Sioux one, intending to winter together in an isolated valley. The location was chosen because they could be reasonably sure of being left alone by the army due to the difficulty of approach during inclement weather. Only Long Hair/Custer successfully managed winter raids, and rumor was that he had gone back east that year.

When she had first been captured, still a girl, she had daydreamed that Custer, wearing his gold-braided uniform, his hair falling in long golden curls, would come to her rescue. He would be so taken with her that he would hand her up to sit behind him on his horse, and pressing against him, she would go home and live happily ever after.

Anne despaired at the prospect of another long, freezing winter. Although her children were cared for and fed by Snake Man’s wives, she was still treated in a lowly manner, except the women never dared strike her again. During feasts of bear or venison, she was not allowed to join in, despite her growing reputation at sewing items of cotton, as well as buffalo and deerskin, which garnered her constant work. She more than earned enough to feed herself, but the majority of her money and barter items were taken by Snake Man. Regularly she resorted to begging for food and shelter from families that had taken a liking to her and did not turn her away.

Her favorite was Running Bear, whose family invited her in often. The family consisted of the old chief, his woman, their grown children, and many grandchildren. They considered her ill-treatment scandalous, that it gave a bad reputation to their tribe, especially considering her contribution of children and labor for Snake Man. Living with this other family would make her life so much more tolerable. It was the first time that Anne looked at herself other than a prisoner and slave, but rather as an attenuated member of the tribe with her own desires.

During the worst blizzards she was given her own buffalo robe to use when curling up to Running Bear’s fire. This was the first semblance of a home, a place where she was welcome, in many years. Often she would bring Thomas to suckle at night, and they would cuddle in the warmth. At peace, Anne would hold her infant and stay awake long into the night.

Having such time to reflect was a rare luxury. She marveled at how much she had endured. Removed from family and home, from love and friendship, from language, books, learning. Civilization, in short. She had been removed from the normal things one took for granted such as birthdays and holidays and faith. And yet. In her new existence there were things she could only describe as sublime.

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