~ Chapter Twenty Three: New Family Members ~

As I watch Lady turn to go I call her back in. Look Lady I know you told me who my lover is, but we need to keep it between the two of us. No one else needs to know that we know who it is. Do you agree with me, I hope that you do. Because I know that if Wulfie knew, he would be very ashamed to face me or any of the people in this village. Lady I hope and pray you agree with me, because I know Wulfie and he will desert us all. And we cannot have that on this Island, we need all the men folks that we have.
Lady before you go I'd like turns ask what time and it anyway? Goddess it is almost sunrise, the other women are starting breakfast. OK, Lady I'll be down as soon as I am ready. Lady what are we having for breakfast this morning? Lady turns to me and says I'm not really sure what we are having today. OK, lady I'll be down soon.
Walking downhill to the center of town, I notice all the men are gathered in a circle talking. But as I approach I notice the crowd goes silent. Frowning at the men folk as I approach, I say: Why did everyone goes silent when I approached? Ohh, Goddess we did not mean any harm. We were talking among ourselves too see if one or any other might know who your lover might be. No disrespect goddess! As the women gathered around the circle of me and folks and myself, they start handing out plates full of food.
As Lady hands me my plate, I smile at her. She winks at me and sits down to eat. I know our secret is safe with her. Looking over at Wulfie I say: Wulfie after breakfast may we talk in private? Wulfie looks up at me with a smile on his face and nods yes Goddess we can. Thank you Wulfie! As I look around at my little people, my family, my home. A smile tugs at my lips, and a twinkle shines in my eyes.
As Wulfie and I walk to the top of the hill, I shrink to normal size. Taking his hand in mine I raise it to my lips. Looking at him out of the corner of my eye I see a redness creep up to his cheeks. I do not let him see that I saw his shyness. Swinging his hand in mine, we walk along until we come to the waterfall that I love so much. I let go of Wulfie hand, and set cross-legged on the ground. Looking into Wulfie's eyes, I say: Wulfie do you remember the question I asked you before I left to go back to my hometown! Shyly Wulfie raises his eyes to meet mine, and says Shecaz, yes I remember the question your talking about. And I have an answer for you now. As I feel my cheeks turning red, I lower my head. As Wulfie takes my chin into his hand, he slowly raises my head until my eyes meet his. As I look into his eyes I see that love long ago I saw in that tiny man's eyes that died in my hands. As a lonely tear slide down my cheek I feel Wulfie's soft lips brush the tear a way.
Smiling down at Wulfie hand some face, I say these words from my heart. Wulfie I love you dearly and always have. You have always made my heart skip a beat whenever I was around you. As I see the same happiness to Wulfie eyes that I feel in mine, my heart is one million miles a minute. I feel the same now beside Wulfie and I do beside my lover. Watching Wulfie stand and then he kneels on one knee, and looks into my eyes and say these words: Shecaz will you marry me? As my eyes filled with tears I look at my love and say: Wulfie yes I will marry you for now and forever!
As we walk hand-in-hand down the hillside and into the middle of town, everyone see the smile on both of our faces. As Wulfie clears his throat he says I have an announcement to make. Everyone please gather a round, we want you all to know of this happiness. Shecaz and me will be married as soon as possible. And we hope each in every one of you are as happy as we are this day.
As everyone is jumping and shouting and cheering. Something popped into my head, looking at the happy crowd, I clear my throat and say: Wulfie and everyone we still have the men in the jailhouse to worry about. Wulfie, calms down all the shouting and cheering. Thunder, Wulfie says go get all the men from the jailhouse, the leave them a man behind. As Thunder, BlakDragon, Igrow, TinyMan and the others bring forth the men from the jailhouse, we make a circle for the men to sit in. Wulfie stands and faces the men in the center of the circle. Now listen and listen well, I will not repeat myself. The man you call Captain is a very dangerous man. Seeing this woman at my right, she is the Governor of this village. That man held her captive in chain and bars for weeks at a time, without much to eat, no baths no bathroom facilities, and finally he right to rape her. She was lucky and was able to escape his clutches. Now, the choice is yours. Lady will go a round and take your votes.
You have 2 options open to you: 1) Stay here with us and be happy. Or 2) Be killed with your Captain. Now, you decide and let Lady know what your answer is. You have 10 minutes to decide your faith. Lady be ready for their answers when they have them, yes Wulfie I am ready and waiting. As we all sit a round wait for the answer to all of the votes, there are whispers among the crowd as to what the prisoners will decide. The crowd gets very excited to think we can have a hang today.
Lady do you have all the votes in? Yes Wulfie I did! OK Lady what will be? Lady looked at all the votes and says: they all want to live here and the part of our family. OK gentlemen listen and listen well, I will not repeat myself. If you stay here you will follow our rules. As we all look at these men, they all shake your heads yes they will listen and follow our rules. Now, we decide what to do with the Captain. Either hang him by the neck until dead. Or send him off on his own with out food or water. Now these are the two choices that we give this man. What say you? If you think we should hang him raise your hand! Or if you think we should send him a way raise your hand. Lady you count the hands for hanging him. Lady cleared her throat, Wulfie they all voted to hang the man until he is dead.
So Shecaz it looks like we have the hanging to do. Now we set a date to do this hanging. As I hear everyone draw in their breath, I realize the extent of what we have to do. We will set the date to hang this man a week from today. All in favor raise your hand. Lady what say the, Wulfie they all raise their hand to the week from today. God have mercy on his soul. OK all you men folk; yes even you new guys. You all need to start building a hanging block for this man to be hang until dead. And all the man can get together to start building; they all whistled the death song. As Wulfie yelled for Thunder, we all listen to see if we could hear what he said. Wulfie whispers to Thunder asking him to go to the jailhouse and ask the Captain, what he wants for his last meal.
As the week flies by everyone start getting nervous about what is about to happen. But as the day arrives, the village is very noisy with a lot of commotion. The hanging block was built in two days, which left hardly anything to do. Now is the time to get ready and hang the Captain. As Thunder brings the Captain out from the jailhouse, leads all stand and wait until the Captain is at the stairs of his hanging post. Wulfie start the drum roll that leads the Captain to his last resting-place other than his coffin. The preacher stands before him and ask him if he had anything to say before the end, his reply no father. OK son God has mercy on your soul.
As Wulfie puts a cloth sack over the Captain's head everyone got quiet, we all watched as the preacher crossed itself and started to praying and reading from the Bible. Thunder slid the rope over the Captain's head and started to tighten it around his neck. The Captain was told to take two steps forward, which he did shakily. He was told on account of two that the trap would be let open. As I raised my hand Wulfie started to count one ...two, the trap was released. As the crowd hears the snap of his neck, there is a hush that comes over the crowd.
I clear my voice and say these words to the crowd that holds the breath; we will let this man hang here until the sun goes down, to prove a point to each and everyone of you that I do punish those that need to.
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