Bittersweet Ecstasy (31 page)

“What of the winter when our people were starving and Sun Cloud pursued the game for many moons and brought many travois of meat to feed his hungry people?” Black Buffalo called this memory to mind.

Angry Eyes inquired, “But who rode at his side? Bright Arrow.”

Big Elk, the war chief, asked, “Do you recall it was Bright Arrow and his brave followers who drove the gold seekers from our sacred hills? It was Bright Arrow and his father who punished those who stole souvenirs from the death scaffolds of our tribe.”

Beaver Hands retorted, “But Sun Cloud has done the same, and more. Many times he has tracked and slain scaffold robbers and returned our fallen warriors’ belongings to them. Two summers past, Sun Cloud recovered our sacred Medicine Wheel when it was stolen by the Pawnee, and he rode alone during that great
coup.”

“Flaming Bow told us, before he knew who was approaching, Sun Cloud made a stand against their large group to defend those who were ambushed.” White Arrow revealed this fact to those who did not know it. “Bright Arrow knows he cannot become chief. He walks the path he believes Grandfather has made for him. Cease this confusion.”

A moment of silence passed, but Bright Arrow did not respond to the evocative implication, distressing the hearts and minds of many, especially Sun Cloud. It was clear to him that his older brother wanted the chiefs rank and had forgotten his vow long ago to accept Sun Cloud as the next chief. It saddened Sun
Cloud to suspect that his beloved brother was being ruled by blindness, greed, and loneliness.

Crowsheart asked, “Did Bright Arrow not ride in our chief’s place when he was wounded? Did he not prove he was worthy and skilled to be chief himself? Did he not lead as Gray Eagle had or would? Sun Cloud is wild and undisciplined. He has no wife. He has not submitted to the Sun Dance. Bright Arrow will obey the vote of the council.”

Only through years of training and practice and by fierce control did Sun Cloud keep his expression stoic and his body lax. More than he wished he was not being subjected to such insulting remarks, he wished these men did not feel or think them. He had not been aware that others saw such flaws or weaknesses in him, or that some of them actually existed. Later, he must work hard to correct such stains. He had to push aside his love and loyalty to his brother, and consider only what was best for their people. He hated this episode where brother must battle brother to do what each thought was right, for Bright Arrow had to believe he was right to do this grievous thing. It was also sad that others must take opposite sides: fathers, sons, brothers, and more. He must pray that each man would hold his temper.

Charging Dog took offense to one insinuation. “Sun Cloud is a Sacred Bow carrier. He has run the sacred race many times and fulfilled its purification rite. He has endured this test and won it three times. The Sacred Bow ceremony can kill or defeat as easily as the Sun Dance. He has already vowed to submit to the Sun Dance this coming season.”

Blue Feather asserted, “Bright Arrow is above all Oglala warriors. He rescued many of our women when they were captured and enslaved by the Crow. He taught us the use of the white man’s captured guns. He
saved Sun Cloud’s life when he was still a child, and he saved our people when our chief lay dying from Crow and Pawnee wounds.”

Charging Dog reminded, “Long ago, our noble chief said, ‘For a chief, the good of his people must come before his own desires and dreams’; when Alisha Williams entered his life, Gray Eagle obeyed this law even when it was hard and painful; Bright Arrow did not when Joe Kenny’s daughter entered his life. He chose a white woman over his rank and duty and people. Bright Arrow was warned by his friends and people when they refused to vote him band leader, teased him, ridiculed him, and avoided him during his blindness and rebellion. The council begged him to think of his rank and duty. I say, no stain of defiance and selfishness marks Sun Cloud as they do Bright Arrow.”

Bright Arrow had known that point would surface during this council; now, he must see how it was handled. He wanted this new life which was looming before him. He wanted new love to fill his emptiness. He wanted to be complete once more. He wanted to lead his people, and truly believed it was his duty and right. If all went well with this vital point, he would be where he had been before Rebecca; he could start his life over again. A second chance…

Talking Rock said, “I was on the council when Bright Arrow left our people, and when he returned to them. I say there was a reason why the Great Spirit put the white girl in his life. He was proud and stubborn and reckless. The Great Spirit used her to take him away, to strike him low, to remove his weaknesses and flaws, and to raise him to walk taller and stronger than before. We prayed and worked to free him of the evil white spirit who had enslaved him and blinded him to his duty and destiny, but we were wrong. The council
ordered him to seek that which he could not survive without and release all else forever. For a long time, he lived without honor, without his people, rank, and customs; without his spirit. We took his destiny and Life-circle. He learned, as we did, he could not live without these parts of him, but he has proven he can live without the white girl. When she vanished, he did not desert his people and duty to search endlessly for her. We blamed her for dishonoring and weakening him long ago, but it was not true; he was following the path of the Great Spirit.”

Kills-in-the-woods replied, “It is true he made peace with himself and his tribe long ago. He regained his honor and became a greater warrior. But he accepted the fact that Sun Cloud would become the next Oglala chief, not him. All he wanted was to be a warrior again, to live with his family and people, and to have his white love. We allowed this because we felt it was the will of
Wakantanka. “

Talking Rock stated, “Many were not in council that day when Shalee came to speak with us before her son’s return. I will repeat her words, for they are true and wise: ‘Have you forgotten all my first son has done for his people? Have you forgotten his love for us? He risks his life to help us even after we turned our faces from him. Who among you can swear without a doubt that Rebecca was not chosen for Bright Arrow by the Great Spirit? And if this is so, can we resist Grandfather’s wishes any longer? Why do you punish him for obeying Grandfather, for following His guidance? Was Rebecca not willing to live among us, to call us friends and family? Is it not time to halt the pain and sadness? Is it not time to open our hearts to forgiveness and understanding?’ Our chief’s wife told us of how the white girl Rebecca Kenny, known to us these winters as Wahea, helped our allies the Cheyenne to survive the
white man’s evil disease. Shalee said, ‘Grandfather should decide whether or not she lives at Bright Arrow’s side. Why do you punish your chief by denying him his son, his happiness? Why do you make him choose between his son and his people? This is wrong.’ We agreed. We forgave him and accepted his return. We gave him back his rank. How can we hold forgiven charges against him? Besides, the white girl is no longer in his life. Grandfather left her at his side many winters, then removed her after her purpose was served. Do you not see His will working in this matter? We said we wished him to return, to ride with his father, to take his father’s place.”

“If our chief was slain before Sun Cloud became a warrior,” White Arrow inserted softly, for he was concerned deeply over this conflict.

Walks Tall looked at Gray Eagle’s best friend since childhood. “White Arrow, you are his second father. You were at Gray Eagle’s side when he said, ‘Remember all I have taught you, Bright Arrow, and lead your people wisely and bravely.’ Why do you speak against him?”

White Arrow’s eyes revealed great sadness and dismay. “I do not speak against my second son; I speak for Sun Cloud to become chief, as I know it is the will of Gray Eagle and the Great Spirit. You did not understand the dying words of our chief and my closest friend. We have spoken many times over these winters. His choice was Sun Cloud.”

Although Bright Arrow knew that statement to be true, it still pained him deeply. He wished his father had settled this cloudy matter before his death. Somewhere there was a mistake…

“Bright Arrow is first-born, and most worthy,” Crowsheart stated.

White Arrow shook his graying head and revealed,
“He is not the first seed of Gray Eagle. There was another son before Bright Arrow, a son who died at the hands of evil whites when Shalee was stolen after their joining. Neither Gray Eagle’s second nor third son is unworthy to become our chief, but it must be Sun Cloud. He was sent to his father when Bright Arrow left us; it was a sign in his favor. I have witnessed the life of Gray Eagle as closely as my own. When Bright Arrow returned home, Gray Eagle told him, ‘You will ride at my side. Your people need you. I need you.’ And Bright Arrow replied, ‘I will accept my place here. I will follow you as chief, then my brother Sun Cloud.’ I remember Rebecca Kenny, and I loved her as a daughter. She risked her life to rescue my second son from the fort. She was gentle and kind. She was obedient and respectful and had many skills. But she fulfilled Gray Eagle’s vision about his two sons.”

Big Elk returned to their former point. “In the council long ago, Mind-who-Roams told us, ‘I say the matter is for Grandfather to settle. Bright Arrow’s life and destiny are here with his people and family.’ My brother Plenty Coups asked, ‘What if he does not escape the Crow camp alive?’ Cloud Chaser responded, ‘If Bright Arrow escapes with Sun Cloud and returns to our camp, I say it is the sign for our brother’s forgiveness and acceptance.’ We all voted to agree with that sign, to allow Grandfather to decide Bright Arrow’s destiny, and He did. When the council met again after Bright Arrow’s return, we gave him back his past rank, rank of the first-born, rank of future chief, not the rank of a new warrior. We cannot hold against him past deeds which we forgave or decided were the will of Grandfather. The sun has come to follow our vote of long ago. Talking Rock and White Arrow reminded us of the words of Gray Eagle and Shalee, but there are more. Shalee asked, ‘Does a man who
rejects his people seek to save them from enemies? He has not rejected us; we sent him away because he could not deny his love and cast her aside.’ Shalee said we must unblind our eyes and open our hearts to understanding and forgiveness, and we did. I say the past is dead, to be forgotten; it has no vote this sun.”

“But Bright Arrow saw this truth and agreed to it,” argued Charging Dog. “He did not protect the life of his middle child or his woman. How can he protect his people? I say, if a message came this sun of his lost white woman, he would rush to help her and leave us in danger.”

“You are wrong, Charging Dog,” chided his brother Angry Eyes. “His child died while he was away helping his people and other tribes. Bright Arrow agreed to this so-called truth because it was what he was told, before he knew the truth. He would never desert his people.”

“What is this truth you speak of, Angry Eyes?” Dull Knife asked his first question, for he had been observing this situation intently.

The shaman Mind-who-Roams came to his feet, his action and presence silencing the group. “I must reveal the visions of Gray Eagle, Mind-who-Roams, Silver Hawk, and Bright Arrow. I cannot speak in favor of either son, for the face of our new chief has not been shown to me.” The older man went on to repeat the vision of Gray Eagle from long ago: “Our people will know a greatness other nations will not. The white man will fear the power of the Dakota Nation. Our sons will ride against the white man together. Both will be great leaders. The seed of Gray Eagle will not pass through our first son; the greatness of the Oglala will live within Sun Cloud and his children. Sun Cloud will ride as chief. Sun Cloud will show a greatness few warriors ever know. His
coups
will outnumber even mine. Many winters after we join the Great Spirit, the line of Sun
Cloud will rival the power of all white-eyes. A woman will enter Bright Arrow’s life; he will choose her love over his duty. His destiny lies in the hands of
Wakantanka.
Perhaps He will find some way for Bright Arrow to have both. Perhaps it is only a warning, nothing more. She would not enter his life and heart if it is not the will of the Great Spirit.”

Dull Knife pointed out, “The vision has come to pass; his seed will not survive through his first son, for White Arrow revealed that his first son was slain; that part of the vision was not about Bright Arrow as we believed, as our chief believed, for he had forgotten his past loss. It is also true that Bright Arrow has no son to pass along the seeds of his father; this could be the message and meaning of the Great Spirit. The greatness of our people can live through Sun Cloud and he can become chief, but the vision did not say when these events would take place. Perhaps they should be fulfilled this season, or another season far from this one.
Wakantanka
decided Bright Arrow’s destiny and returned him to his family and people and made a great warrior of him, but was his becoming chief the Great Spirit’s plan? I do not know which way to lean, for both are worthy leaders, and I would gladly follow either of Gray Eagle’s sons. Tell us more, Wise One.”

The Holy man went on to relate his past visions which had been revealed in earlier council meetings: dark and evil shadows had blanketed their lands, the blood of many Oglalas had been spilled, council members had been taken from them, and they had tasted bitter defeat. The shocking news came when he revealed the recent vision of Silver Hawk and the joint visionquest by Silver Hawk and Bright Arrow.

Many realized how much of those visions had come to pass: the terrible battle with the soldiers, Gray
Eagle’s death, Silver Hawk within one step of the Blackfeet chiefs bonnet, many voting for Bright Arrow to accept the Oglala chiefs bonnet, the Great Spirit’s removal of Bright Arrow’s one dark stain from his life, Medicine Bear’s agreement to the union of Bright Arrow and Singing Wind, Bright Arrow’s agreement to the joining of Silver Hawk and Tashina, and Bright Arrow having to take a stand against his brother.