{"id":1679,"date":"2008-07-16T16:01:25","date_gmt":"2008-07-16T20:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1679"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:12:23","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:12:23","slug":"dividing-line-series-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1679","title":{"rendered":"Dividing Line Series – Prelude (by DBird)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prelude.<\/strong> \u00a0Summary:\u00a0<\/span>Ben fears for his sons in the face of imminent civil war. This story takes place before my “Dividing Line” series and before the events portrayed in the episode, “A House Divided.” \u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K+ (4,570 words)
\n<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Dividing Line Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Prelude
\n<\/a>2. \u00a0Dividing Line
\n<\/span><\/a>3. \u00a0The Telling
\n<\/a>4. \u00a0Peace Offering
\n<\/a>5. \u00a0The Quickening<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Prelude<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This story takes place before my Civil War series and before the events in the episode, \u201cA House Divided.\u201d
\n<\/em><\/span>
\n “<\/span>
\n It was a night like any other, and yet it already felt like a memory. All evening, Ben had been haunted by a growing sense of melancholy. He\u2019d been trying to shake it off. After all, his family was together on a cold night, warm in front of a vigorous fire blazing away in the hearth. Everything was as it had been \u2013 not a harbinger in sight. Adam had tucked himself in the corner of the room with a new book and was well into it already. The other two were hunched over a game of checkers, and Joe was cheating his hapless brother, even while surreptitiously glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was noticing. By all accounts, it seemed like an ordinary night with ordinary blessings intact.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the peaceful scene inside the house felt like a prelude to something else altogether. For the past hour, Ben had been reading The Territorial Enterprise,<\/em> and the news was not good. War was probable, if not inevitable. Ben didn\u2019t know if the newspaper was right, but certainly it seemed that the peace his country had known was coming to an end. The conflict had been spreading out west. Fights had been breaking out in saloons, at town council meetings, and out on the street. Tragic bleeding Kansas was only the beginning. Rabble-rousers on both sides wrote editorials condemning their opponents as not only enemies but also traitors to the nation. Every day, it seemed to be getting worse, the passions on either side growing more strident.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019ll all be over in a day. <\/em>Each side predicted the same thing. Ben knew better than to believe it. He had seen his share of battles, and they always began with a guarantee of victory. That was how they justified it – one decisive battle, a slaughter, and then the fighting would be over. Glory came easy to the young. Ben knew better, but that knowledge was a sorrow in his heart that he couldn\u2019t easily explain to his sons. Victory was never cheap, nor was it easy. It was much easier to start a war than see it to its end.<\/span><\/p>\n

The thought of his country being torn apart by civil war was horrifying to Ben. The thought of his family being caught up in it was even worse. And yet, that was exactly what seemed to be happening…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Joe, I\u2019m gonna toss your sorry hide clear into the next county, if you done cheated me again!\u201d Hoss warned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked up, startled. While he\u2019d been mulling over the bad news in the paper, the game had evidently ended. As usual, Joe had confiscated all his brother\u2019s checkers, and Hoss was glaring up a storm. But Joe didn\u2019t back off from his much bigger brother. He had guts \u2013 Ben had to give him that.<\/span><\/p>\n

His voice pitched high in self-righteous indignation, Little Joe exclaimed, \u201cWhat are you talking about? Me cheat? When have you ever known me to cheat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had to smile, despite his firm stance on cheating. He could see Adam\u2019s small smirk, as well, from behind his book. How many times had those two ended a game the same way, and how many times had Hoss grudgingly accepted that his little brother was simply \u201clucky\u201d at checkers? Ben leaned over to prod the embers, when the premonition washed over him again.<\/span><\/p>\n

This moment will not last. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t want to believe it. It was so much easier to believe that his life would stay the same. It was such a good life \u2013 rich and satisfying, working hard alongside his sons to build up the empire that was the Ponderosa. Ben was truly thankful for the blessings he\u2019d been given, and he hoped and prayed that life would continue as it had. Yet, even as that thought crossed his mind, Ben knew it was folly. Everything was changing. The country was already groaning with the birth pains of war, and only a fool or an immoral man would believe that his family could be untouched by it. War was a serious business for a father with three sons. Every time a baby boy was born, his parents knew they could lose him on a battlefield someday. It was an ancient heartache, but that didn\u2019t make it any easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had hoped his family would be spared, but already the discord was finding its way into his own home. He was deeply troubled by the argument that had happened that very evening between Adam and Joe. The fight erupted seemingly without warning. If Ben didn\u2019t know better, he\u2019d have said it came out of nowhere. But it had been festering for a long time\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss had been reaching for the potatoes when Adam remarked almost casually, \u201cJefferson Davis has been talking about California again. He\u2019s still hoping to win it for the South.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s hand stopped in mid-reach, never making it to the platter. He met his father\u2019s eyes across the table. They both knew that discussing the leader of the Confederacy would not make for a peaceful supper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure enough, Joe bristled. \u201cWhy should that matter, Adam? Doesn\u2019t he have the right? California will have to decide what side it\u2019s on, and they might as well have all the facts before they do. Makes sense he\u2019d be interested. They say there\u2019s just as many Southerners out in California as there are Yankees.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam put down his fork and fixed his little brother with a hard stare. \u201cShow some common sense, Joe. You know as well as I do that the Confederacy is interested in California for two reasons \u2013 bringing slavery to a free state and getting their pockets full of California gold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben cleared his throat. \u201cBoys, I hardly think that the dinner table is the right place to discuss this. Why don\u2019t we wait until -?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Joe shoved his plate away in plain disgust, and gravy splashed onto the table. Not seeming to hear his father, he shot back, \u201cAdam, slavery\u2019s been outlawed in California for a decade, so why even bring it up? You\u2019re trying to make this into something it\u2019s not. This is about the South being able to settle things for itself. Why the hell does the North have the right to tell them what to do?\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph, watch your language at the table!\u201d Ben glowered at his youngest. \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter with you? Your brother made a simple political statement, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth getting fired up about it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI disagree, Pa,\u201d Adam said quietly, and Hoss gaped at him, floored by his older brother\u2019s audacity. Disagreeing with their father wasn\u2019t exactly something to do at the dinner table. \u201cI think Joe\u2019s right to be fired up. We should all be fired up about what\u2019s happening to this country. I can\u2019t think of anything more important than slavery and what it means for this nation. What happens in California affects all of us. The South needs that gold, so it can continue the barbaric practice of buying and selling human beings for profit for another hundred years\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe slammed his fist onto the table, and the glasses shook so hard that Hoss\u2019s toppled over. \u201cThis is not about slavery!\u201d Joe was close to shouting. \u201cI\u2019m not arguing with you about slavery. This is about states having the right to decide for themselves. The South just wants to be left alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re saying that slavery has nothing to do with it? That this is all about independence and not about money?\u201d Adam didn\u2019t bother hiding the disdain in his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe squared his shoulders and glared defiantly. \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m saying.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, I\u2019d say you\u2019re being na\u00efve,\u201d Adam snapped, but Joe was already on his feet, fists raised. Immediately, Ben and Hoss were on their feet as well, ready to separate the two if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough now! Joseph!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Adam wasn\u2019t going to be baited. He didn\u2019t stand up, but instead calmly wiped his mouth with his napkin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can you just sit there and call me na\u00efve?\u201d Joe asked furiously, even as Hoss restrained him. \u201cDang it, Adam, you can\u2019t just dismiss me like that!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen at least get your facts straight.\u201d Adam folded his napkin, but Ben could see his oldest son\u2019s hands were shaking. That was the thing with Adam. He stayed calm, but his feelings were just as strong as his little brother\u2019s. \u201cThe Southern cause has nothing to do with you, anyway, Joe. It\u2019s not your fight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shook off Hoss\u2019s grip. \u201cLet go of me, Hoss. I\u2019m not going after him. Let me ask you this, Adam. How can you be so sure this ain\u2019t my fight?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d Ben asked, seriously alarmed by his son\u2019s question, as he clenched the back of his chair. \u201cNow listen to me, boy. This fight has nothing to do with any of us, and I will not see it tear apart this family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Frowning, Hoss said, \u201cThis ain\u2019t your fight\u2026 you ain\u2019t going nowhere, little brother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At that, Joe straightened up, but he didn\u2019t look angry any more. If Ben really looked at his boy, he almost looked a little bit scared. But he didn\u2019t look away. Didn\u2019t back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComes a time,\u201d Joe said softly, \u201cwhen a man has to stand up for what he believes in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben shuddered at the sudden change in tone. He felt a wild urge to change the subject, as if that would change the circumstances. Yet, at hearing his kid brother\u2019s quiet words, Adam\u2019s countenance changed. He no longer looked disgusted, but instead, he just looked sad. Pushing his chair away from the table, Adam stood up and came alongside, resting a hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a much gentler voice, Adam said, \u201cI agree with you, Joe. A man has to stand up, and I believe you\u2019ll be man enough to do it. I am not trying to dismiss you. All I\u2019m asking is that you spend some more time thinking about what you believe, before you go running off half-cocked to stand up for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cAnd you\u2019ll do the same?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will,\u201d Adam promised, and Joe held out his hand to make amends.<\/span><\/p>\n

And so an uneasy peace was won in the Cartwright family. Subdued, they sat down for the cobbler that Hop Sing had been keeping in the kitchen until it was safe to come out\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

But peace could be fleeting, and even with the roaring fire, Ben was feeling cold. This too shall come to an end. <\/em>The thought gave him sudden chills, like walking over a grave. He shouldn\u2019t be thinking so negatively, and yet he couldn\u2019t help himself. The night was turning out quiet and uneventful on the surface of things. Adam was still reading, while his younger boys had settled their differences over the checkerboard and had taken on typical projects for the last hour before bed. Hoss was whittling, and Joe had started braiding a lariat as a gift for the new preacher\u2019s pretty daughter and her equally pretty mare. His brothers weren\u2019t especially keen on the relationship and had been doing everything they could to keep Joe away from the girl. Ben shook his head rather fondly. It was a relief to stay out of Joe\u2019s love life for a change and be able to rely on his older sons to keep their brother out of trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe was holding the lariat out, studying it critically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething\u2019s not right,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked up from his book. \u201cGive it here,\u201d he sighed, extending his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe handed it over and asked, \u201cThink Nelly will like it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t think you have no business givin\u2019 it to her in the first place,\u201d Hoss grumbled from the other corner. \u201cLittle Joe, you planning on sparkin\u2019 that little gal?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t decided,\u201d Joe replied diffidently, and both his brothers rolled their eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben smiled, enjoying his own neutral role in the ongoing argument. For years, he had prayed his three boys would always look after each other, even after he was gone. Even with all the fighting over politics, some things had stayed the same. Ben thought wistfully of the conversation he\u2019d overheard between his boys just last Sunday.<\/span>
\n
\n\u201cDon\u2019t set your sights on that one,\u201d Adam had warned his little brother. They were all squinting in the late morning sunlight. The sun always seemed brightest when coming out of church.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be lucky to have fire and brimstones at your tail, if you break that pretty little gal\u2019s heart,\u201d Hoss added. \u201cI hear talk that new preacher\u2019s handy with a bullwhip, and I\u2019d say he looks downright mean, iffen you ask me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho says I\u2019m going to break her heart?\u201d Joe feigned being offended, before flashing an easy grin at his brothers. \u201cShe\u2019s really something when she\u2019s riding that little filly. Did you see her at Fiddler\u2019s Pasture last Sunday? There\u2019re some awfully nice places to ride on the Ponderosa, and I was thinking she might want to see them. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all\u2026\u201d Hoss muttered, and Adam added, \u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me ask you this, Little Brother,\u201d Hoss said, \u201cjust who do plan on bringin\u2019 along with you on this here\u2026 ride?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Adam asked innocently. \u201cHoss or I? How bout her father? I\u2019m sure the reverend would be happy to chaperone\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe was frowning. \u201cNow how the heck can I get to know her better with all of you coming along? Dang it, you two, I only want to ask her on a ride!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nAdam aimed a sidelong look at Hoss, and they both nodded. Together, they each grabbed an arm and started dragging their kid brother along the cobbled path toward the horses.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, what are you doing? I didn\u2019t even ask her yet,\u201d Joe yelped indignantly. \u201cYou never even gave me half a chance!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hear that preacher\u2019s keeps a loaded shotgun under the pulpit,\u201d Hoss said conversationally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can look out for myself,\u201d Joe grumbled, trying to kick at Hoss\u2019s shin, even as he was being hauled away from the church. \u201cCome on, Adam, you gotta know I\u2019m old enough!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry buddy,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cBut I\u2019ve spent about half my life keeping you out of trouble, and it\u2019s a hard habit to break. Now are you going to get yourself in the saddle, or do Hoss and I have to help you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe had grown up with those brothers and knew what they meant by \u201chelping,\u201d and he scowled. He\u2019d get in the saddle by himself, thank you very much, but he wasn\u2019t about to hurry with it. Over his shoulder, he caught the eye of the girl in question. She had been watching him the whole time, not even having the modesty to blush when he looked back. The girl looked a little like trouble, but Joe didn\u2019t see it. He tipped his hat to her, and she smiled, evidently liking what she saw and waved as he rode away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had been watching the whole thing. He was awfully grateful his sons were taking their seventeen-year-old brother in hand. Ben shook his head and thought to himself \u2013 Adam and Hoss were right. That boy was going to get himself into some serious trouble one of these days. There were a whole lot of temptations in this world. A father couldn\u2019t keep up\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben sighed and rubbed his hand over his tired eyes. After the fight at dinner and the grim news articles in the Enterprise, <\/em>he could only wish that a pretty girl was all that could tempt his boy. This life could dole out trouble that his brothers wouldn\u2019t be able to haul him out of. How could he keep Joe out of harm\u2019s way? How could he keep any of his sons safe? Ben knew the lure that war could have on a young man\u2019s heart. It was a seductress that could be more compelling than the prettiest girl with a wandering eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben remembered being that young. He had been every bit as zealous as his youngest son and every bit as stubborn as his oldest. Ben had once figured that a man had to experience battle before he could call himself a man. That courage was something you could claim only after you had looked death in the face and marched right into it. He\u2019d learned a lot about courage since becoming a father, and there was one thing he was sure of. The bravest thing he\u2019d done in his lifetime was to invest his heart and soul in raising sons and to face the prospect of letting them go. The newspapers cried out for war. Fine,<\/em> Ben thought to himself. Let them sacrifice their own sons to it! <\/em>As a man of integrity, Ben could not think that way for long. But as a father, the desire to protect his sons was overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\n

His gaze fell on Adam. If war were declared, would Adam go? His oldest boy might seem the least likely to go rushing off to fight, but Adam was dead serious when it came to this conflict. He\u2019d actually been restrained with Joe at the dinner table. Adam had been keeping his emotions pretty close to his vest, even as tensions in town grew higher and higher, but Ben suspected that son\u2019s convictions ran hotter than any of them would have suspected. Adam felt strongly enough about slavery to stake his future on it \u2013 Ben was sure of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea of his oldest son fighting for the Union filled him with a mixture of pride and utter despair. No Cartwright would disagree that slavery was a sin and needed to be abolished, but Ben still prayed that the issue would be resolved without any moere bloodshed than had already taken place in Kansas. Every morning, he rose early and prayed for a solution that only the good Lord could engineer. And yet every week, the news in the periodicals was bleaker. The pro-slavery states and the free-soil states would never come to an agreement. The issue could no longer be put aside \u2013 just about everyone agreed on that. It would be resolved somehow, but at what price? Adam had made up his mind \u2013 he knew where he stood. The singular question remained \u2013 what would he do about it? It hurt Ben just to think about it. The dreams he had for his oldest son\u2026 Ben wanted to see his responsible oldest son marry, settle down, start a family\u2026 Adam had so much potential. What a waste,<\/em> he thought to himself, what a waste.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Then, Ben looked over at Hoss and had to smile. His middle boy\u2019s face was scrunched up with the task at hand. Even from across the room, Ben could see the colt emerging from the block of wood, a slow but steady birth. Hoss had always had a gift for whittling. It took a special kind of patience \u2013 Hoss had always been willing to wait things out. All the same, his middle boy had been bothered and upset by the recent fighting between his brothers. He didn\u2019t read the periodicals, and he didn\u2019t see how the talk of war had much of anything to do with him and his brothers. It hurt him deeply to see his brothers so angry at each other so much of the time. Hoss couldn\u2019t understand how his very own country could potentially divide in two, let alone his very own family. He didn\u2019t believe it would happen and often said so. Ben could only pray that Hoss was right. Ben looked down at the headline from the newspaper. \u201cFreedom in Kansas Bloodily Subdued.\u201d Lord help them all, if the horrific bloodshed in Kansas was only the beginning\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, does this look any better now?\u201d Joe was showing the lariat to Adam. \u201cI just can\u2019t get it tight enough. Do you think Nelly will like it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re asking me, I think it looks like trouble,\u201d Adam said, leaning over and pulling on the loose end to tighten it. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be giving this girl gifts if you\u2019re not serious. Her father wouldn\u2019t like it, and I\u2019m telling you, Joe, you\u2019re just asking for trouble, when you\u2019re not serious \u2013\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

But Joe shrugged off Adam\u2019s warnings, and Ben knew from experience that his youngest was unlikely to listen. He was the picture of Marie, like her in so many ways, both in his strengths and in weaknesses. Joe was hot-tempered for sure, but he forgave easy. He felt things strongly, sometimes too strongly. It was easy to underestimate him. For the casual smirk he was aiming at his brother, sparking the preacher\u2019s daughter could have been the only thing on his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Ben knew better. There was intensity inside his boy that drove him hard. His life wasn\u2019t just about pretty girls and fast horses. Joe believed in the Southern Cause with a zeal that frightened his father. His youngest boy was all he had left of Marie and her beautiful face, but Joe reminded him of her in ways that had nothing to do with appearances. If his strong-willed young wife been a man, she\u2019d have been first to sign up for the Cause, no matter how much she had despised slavery and no matter how she had hated the code that had sacrificed so many of its young men. Yet, Marie loved the South with incredible intensity\u2026 hate and love ran through her blood; they were inseparable. And so it seemed that her only son had inherited that same passion for a land he\u2019d never even seen. It would have broken her heart to see him go, but Marie would have understood more than her husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lincoln had talked of sacrifice. Thinking of it, Ben took another long look at his sons, as if he could make the memory of this peaceful night last even longer. Adam, Hoss, Joe. There was nothing more important to him in the world. For a moment, he wished he\u2019d raised cowards instead of principled young men. Lord,<\/em> he prayed, don\u2019t ask me for that kind of sacrifice. <\/em>It was the price of raising boys. Knowing that every dream he\u2019d treasured could vanish just like vapor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou all right, Pa?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked up, startled. Joseph had set aside the lariat to sit next to his father. Ben didn\u2019t even admonish him for sitting on the table but instead rested his hand on his son\u2019s leg. He\u2019d had this boy for seventeen years. Most folks would say a boy at seventeen was practically a man, but it wasn\u2019t enough. There was so much life Joseph hadn\u2019t lived. Ben hadn\u2019t had enough time, hadn\u2019t taught him what he needed to. Seventeen wasn\u2019t enough at all\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine, son,\u201d Ben said, gently. \u201cJust tired.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry for what happened earlier,\u201d Joe said quietly, even though he had to know his brothers could hear him. \u201cDon\u2019t know what got into me at supper, getting my back up like that. I had no right to raise my voice. I\u2019m sorry, Pa. I can imagine why you\u2019d be tired, raising a bunch of hot-heads like us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpeak for yourself,\u201d Hoss called out, looking up from his whittling. \u201cYou gotta admit I\u2019m the easy one in the family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe rolled his eyes and grinned at his brother, but then turned back to Ben. \u201cOur fight\u2019s over, Pa. Don\u2019t you worry. Isn\u2019t that right, Adam? We\u2019re all right now, ain\u2019t we?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam met his father\u2019s eyes first and then his little brother\u2019s. \u201cSure we are,\u201d he said, but he smiled almost sadly. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it, buddy. We\u2019re all right. No more talking politics over supper.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, from the look in his oldest son\u2019s eyes, Ben knew that it wasn\u2019t over. Adam wasn\u2019t a romantic like Little Joe. He had a pretty good idea of what his convictions might cost him. But he was willing to pay the price for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had to pull away from Joe. The lingering melancholy of it all was too much. He couldn\u2019t help knowing that everything he treasured was at grave risk. He\u2019d do anything to hold onto them and not let go. But what could a father do? Lock his sons up from the world? Refuse them their place in it? No. There were some battles that landed beyond Ben Cartwright\u2019s control. The nation was being torn up from the inside out. He prayed the same thing would not happen to his family.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, Ben lit his pipe, lifted it to his lips, and inhaled deeply. His hand trembled, but he forced himself to hold steady. There was no sense in chasing sorrow. It would come in its own good time. Trouble and joy were bound together in this journey of being a father. There was no point in turning his back on the joy when it was right there in front of him\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

His sons were there. Worried. Waiting for him to say something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you all right, Pa?\u201d Adam finally asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Was he all right? How to answer a question like that\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben got himself up and walked over to his liquor cabinet. He took out a bottle of his best brandy, the one he reserved for the most auspicious occasions, and turned his back on the startled looks they traded with each other. What could he say to them, to his three much-loved sons? If they told him tomorrow that they were going off to fight, how could he offer up his blessing? Could he simply stand back and watch his sons take the road to war with its marching drums and savage glories? There was a thrill in the prelude to wartime \u2013 Ben wasn\u2019t so old that he couldn\u2019t remember what it felt like. Yet nobody would sacrifice more in this oncoming tragedy than those who were left behind. He\u2019d raised his boys well but not for this. Was it for nothing? Would it all be laid to waste in the end?<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was no fool. It really didn\u2019t matter what he told his sons, because he was pretty sure they wouldn\u2019t listen. In their place, he wouldn\u2019t have listened either.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, he mustered up his own courage. He poured himself a shot of brandy and drank it down. It warmed everything but his heart, yet Ben turned to his boys and smiled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d he said. \u201cJust some fool thinking, nothing to worry yourselves about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although puzzled, his sons smiled back at him. And the night went back to being ordinary again. But Ben hoarded the memory of their smiles, like a poor man holds onto treasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

The End<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Next in the Dividing Line Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Dividing Line
\n<\/span><\/a>\u00a0The Telling
\n<\/a>\u00a0Peace Offering
\n<\/a>\u00a0The Quickening<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Disclaimer:<\/span>\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Prelude. \u00a0Summary:\u00a0Ben fears for his sons in the face of imminent civil war. This story takes place before my “Dividing Line” series and before the events portrayed in the episode, “A House Divided.” \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0K+ (4,570 words)<\/p>\n

Dividing Line Series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":1637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2460,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12136,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12136","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":0},"title":"The Rebirth of Joe Cartwright (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"August 1, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this story should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/feature-2.jpg?fit=338%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12135,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12135","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":1},"title":"Prelude to Rebirth (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"August 1, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this story should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12134,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12134","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":2},"title":"In My Father’s House (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"May 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pondarosa-House-3.jpg?fit=564%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pondarosa-House-3.jpg?fit=564%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Pondarosa-House-3.jpg?fit=564%2C401&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12132,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12132","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":3},"title":"Chinese Molasses (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"January 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Joe-copy-7.jpg?fit=594%2C592&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12133,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12133","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":4},"title":"Frightened Beyond Reason (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"June 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"DebbieB passed away Christmas 2021. Any reader wishing to read this series should e:mail the Brandsters:\u00a0 Brandsters2020@gmail.com","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/2-joe.jpg?fit=237%2C221&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1666,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1666","url_meta":{"origin":1679,"position":5},"title":"Dividing Line Series – Dividing Line (by DBird)","author":"DBird","date":"July 16, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Dividing Line. \u00a0Summary:\u00a0Adam and Joe return from fighting in the Civil War only to find a different kind of battle waiting at home. A \"WHI\" story for \"A House Divided\". Rated:\u00a0T (16,900 words) Dividing Line Series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Alternate Universe"","block_context":{"text":"Alternate Universe","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/E.G.Lamson-1864-Civil-War-Contract-Carbine-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}