Whispers and Secrets on the wind

About an hour away from San Antonio, Texas there is a small town called Bandera, Texas. This is a story about two people who risked it all to stay together through everything that happened to them. So this is where their story begins





         One day Ryder's was riding along the trail heading to Bandera, to head to work when he heard a loud scream to the left of where he was at. He headed toward the sound when he saw this beautiful young woman being held down and her clothes had been kind of ripped, since she had been trying to get away from the men. Bang The men that were holding her down looked up releasing her and ran for the hills to get away. Ryder came toward her slowly got off his horse Patches then he walked closer. He said "Are you ok ma'am do you need some help, May I take you somewhere safe." She said "Thank you sir but I must be on my way I am looking for Ryder. I heard that he was around these parts." Ryder said "Yes ma'am that would be me....Wait aren't you Harmony the Chief Victorios' daughter the one that went missing two years before we were supposed to be wed." Harmony really looked at Ryder that's when she realized that he was her betrothed. She said "Ryder my parents are dead, two weeks before the wedding the neighboring tribe came to my village killing most of them, the Chief of their tribe took over my village, then they tried forcing me to marry the new Chief's son but I refused so they threw me out of the tribe and I have been looking for you ever since then. I went to your village and they said you had left, saying that you were going to find me. Plus your younger brother is training to become the next Chief of the tribe until you come back with me." Ryder said "Harmony, I can't believe you went through all of that, I should have been there to protect you, I ....." She said "Ryder my love its ok I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere but with you. Ryder nodded glad to have the only woman he had ever loved since they were children back in his life. He said "Are you ok, are you hurt anywhere." Harmony nodded and pointed to her ankle. Ryder bent down and took a look at it checking to make sure it wasn't broken. He said "Harmony it's not broken. My house is not far from here I can take you there so you can stay if you want then we can head to my tribe if you would like to still be my wife." Harmony said "That's been the only thought on my mind for the past two years Ryder, I was hoping that you still wanted me after all this time." Ryder said "Yes of course my love I have never wanted anything else more in my life." Harmony smiled slightly as Ryder helped her up off the ground. She limped a little bit toward a small campsite to gather everything she had left from her home before she was kicked out. He noticed that she had a few sets of clothes that wasn't torn or ripped in places, she also had a needle and thread, and a good handful of jewelry passed down from her mother before she was killed. He gently lifted her on to his horse then he got onto his horse behind her. He turned his horse back to his house so he can get her settled in before he heads to his job to let his deputy know that something came up and he would be gone a couple of days. When they got to his house, Ryder quickly got off of his horse to help Harmony down, he said "Welcome to my home," as he showed her around the house, farm, and around the barn. Then before he left he gently wrapped her ankle so it could heal. "I will be back soon I need to go to town to get some things do you want me to get you some things." Harmony said "No I'm good when we get married I will get more thing from your tribe right." Ryder shook his head yes that she would get more thing when she got married they both would. He then said "I will be back soon then we can head to my tribe ok." She nodded yes. Ryder went to Patches, got on him and headed to the town.

         When he got to town he head toward the sheriff office to see if his deputies were in or at the hotel eating lunch or in the saloon. His head deputy was in the office working on some papers when he came in. He said "Hey Conner I am going to be gone a couple of days maybe four or five days so you are in charge till I get back." Conner said "Are you ok you never take any time off for anything did something happen while you were ....." "No I just need some time off for a bit I will be back soon," Ryder said. Conner just looked at him and said "Okay that's fine." "What's fine," said a voice in the background. Ryder and Conner looked to see who it was, it was James and his brother Adam. Adam said "What is going on." Conner said "Ryder here is taking a few days of and I am in charge James do you understand?" James just looked at Conner then started to laugh, "Ha-ha very funny Conner I know Ryder would never put you in charge of the town. I don't know why he put you as one of his deputies in the first place. I should be in charge." Ryder said "James for the last time I won't put you in charge of the town the last time I did you were in the saloon with the girls every night trying to get one of them to be your wife and Miss Rose was not happy with you. When I got back she came to me a said that you were not allowed in the saloon while I was gone ever again plus she barely lets you in her saloon now as is because when you drink you have a little too much." James looked furiously at Ryder then he said "Very well but don't think that I will let this go. When you get back we will take about this then." Ryder just sighed then he said goodbye. As he was leaving some of the local young women stopped him, one of them asked "Where are you going." Ryder said "Something came up so I am going to be gone for a bit, Good day ladies." They looked at each other then sadly walked away.          

         A little later Ryder was home and Harmony came to stand on the porch as he was tying up Patches to the hitching post. Harmony said "Welcome back I hope you don't mind that I clean up the house a bit and I made some food for you." He smiled and said "That's perfectly fine I don't mind. I want you to feel at home here now so you can do whatever you feel like doing. This is going to be your home at least I hope so." Harmony and Ryder headed inside to see what all Harmony did when Ryder was gone. Ryder said as he looked around "You did really good Harmony it's nice and clean. Now we need to pack some clothes and other things before we head to my tribe." She nodded ok and went to get two saddle bags for them to use on the trip. About three hours later they were ready to go. Ryder tied the saddle bags onto Patches while Harmony waited for him to help her onto Patches, then he turned around held out a hand to he helped her onto Patches.


         After traveling for about a day in half they had finally made it to the edge of the tribe border. Some of the warriors noticed us but we didn't head in until we had permission by the Chief. Kuruk, Nantan, and Nitis came over to us and that's when Kuruk noticed who we were he said "Nitis run and get the Chief, Tarak, and Bina." Nitis ran back to get the chief and the others. While he was gone Ryder got off of Patches as Kuruk said "Diablo it's been a while since you have been home what are you....Oh Zi-yeh found you like she said she would." Then Chief Taza came forward and said "My son Diablo you came back huh oh Zi-yeh you came with him." Bina came forward and said "My husband it looks like they came here to get married from the way they are acting let them in the village so us women can get Zi-yeh ready ok." He nodded then watched as Ryder helped Harmony off of patches while Bina took her bags she had with her to the Teepee so she can get ready.