Dances Naked (22 page)

Finally, Number Two
released her hand,
but only so he could scoot his bedroll closer to hers. Prudence rolled onto her side, trying not to listen, sort of, to the sounds of lovemaking from Rachel and her Indian brave. It wouldn’t take much, maybe, to begin a relationship with Number Two. She already knew that he liked her. She knew that a man’s member got bigger when it was time to mate. Sylvester had grabbed her hand once and put it on his crotch. ‘This is for you,’ he had said
,
then gyrated underneath her trapped palm. She shuddered at the memory.

The woman must be cold—
she is shaking. Number Two scooted closer to her and put his arm over her waist, pulling her gently to him so she could share his warmth. He could smell her. She smelled of the flowers in the spring, the pink ones
with
thorns on them that bloomed for less than a month
, and
then
were gone. Her hair was parted;
Big Sister had plaited her hair and now her neck and shoulders were bare. Without thinking
,
his nose moved in to her neck, sniffing gently so he could get more of her aroma. He felt her react with a quick gasp. But
,
she didn’t move away. It took a moment
,
but she responded to him. She took her hand
,
placed it on his arm
,
then scooted as close to him as she could with her clothes on. Number Two gulped. She had her clothes on. He wanted them off but his daughter was on the other side of the woman he wanted to mate with. He was fairly sure that she felt the same way about him but he knew that the first time, if it was her first time, they should be alone. She would have some pain and he didn’t want her to cry out and scare the children.

Ж

Red Shirt let Rachel fall asleep after they had become one again. Tonight she had asked him to give the boy a name. “Later,” he had told her, glad that he could remember the word to use. It was easier for him to understand the white man’s words than to s
peak them.

“Later?” she a
sked then tilted her head aside;
her eyes squinted as if picturing that name applied to her toddler son. He shook his head and snorted in negation. “Oh,” she said as realization hit her, “you’ll give him a name, later…”

He nodded. Yes, she was pretty and soft and tasted good all over; could cook potatoes
,
and was nice to the other children
,
but she wasn’t too bright. But
, she was his…a
nd so was the boy.

He was tired but needed to stay awake and make sure Number Two didn’t mate with the white woman who had walked into their village. She had a family and they would be looking for her. Yes, he would have to make sure they stayed apart. Big Sister had put the woman who did not like her name’s bed between her and her father. He wouldn’t embarrass the man by moving it away from her. But
,
he would make sure they kept their clothes on.

The woman was older. Maybe she had a husband before and he had died. Maybe she had children and they were dead
also
. M
aybe—
but she was alone now. If they join
ed tonight and his seed overtook hers, she could not go back to her family. The white man would hunt down his people if she came back with an Indian child in her belly. He knew this. He had seen it happen. He wouldn’t let it happen to his brother-in-law.

Ж

Number Two awoke before anyone. He hadn’t joined with the woman
,
but now wished he had. She probably would have been able to be quiet and not cry out in pain
when her maidenhead was pierced, b
ut it was too late now. The sun would be rising soon. If he had made her his wife
,
Red Shirt wouldn’t be able to send her away. Now he could. But
,
before she left
,
he would give her a gift: a name. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on her pale, soft neck. She sighed and her bottom squirmed toward him in response to his
lips
. Then she froze. She panicked momentarily when she felt it: his firmness. She realized what it was and who it belonged to then relaxed back into it, wiggling against him as if was the cure to the itch she felt
deep inside her womb. Oh wait—
it
was
the solution.

Number Two’s arm reached over her waist and pointed to the sky just above the horizon. She followed his finger and saw what he was pointing to. “You,” he said in a guttural tone.

“The Morning Star?” she whispered. “You mean I’m the Morning Star?” Number Two nodded and smiled although she wasn’t looking at him. He kissed her neck again, making himself even more uncomfortable with the feel of her closeness. “My name is Morning Star?” she asked
,
then turned over to face him, her hand on his waist for reassurance.

“Morning Star, beautiful,” he replied. She was a woman and he could speak English with her, when they were in private.

“Thank you,” she said then leaned forward to place her face close to his. S
he’d never kissed a man—
Daddy didn’t count and his kisses were always on the cheek anyhow. She shut her eyes
,
waited
,
and
then felt his nose touching hers, rubbing against hers softly
,
letting his lips brush hers. The gentle brushing continued until she couldn’t hold back. She smashed her lips into his as she reached around his waist
and
clutched
him tightly to her. She wasn’t sure what was happening
:
it had to be instinct. All she knew was that she wanted to tear off her clothes and rub her skin all over his. His mouth was on hers
,
but she wanted to be inside his mouth. And
,
she wanted that prick part to be inside her, too.

Number Two pulled away quickly and sharply, pushed her away
,
then got to his feet. No words were spoken
,
but suddenly a foot was kicking her.

Red Shirt had found them in their tangled limb embrace and had kicked Number Two away from her, accidentally kicking her, too. He shook his head at her then glared at Number Two: no mating.

The scuffle had awakened Marty and now the others were rousing, too. Rachel stepped over her son and reached for Baby Brother who was gnawing at his fist, gettin
g ready to waken everyone. Oops—too late!
Marty looked around and saw that there was trouble in paradise. Red Shirt was on the warpath with Number Two again. At least this time it didn’t involve Rachel.

“What’s going on?” Prudence asked Marty.

“Well, I don’t speak Cherokee or whatever it is they’re speaking
,
but I think that Number Two wasn’t supposed to, um, be familiar with you last night. You were supposed to go back to your family untouched.”

“But I don’t want to go back!” she carped. “I like it here and I like him, too. I want to be his wife!” she said
,
then added, “And
,
I’m pretty sure he wants me, too!”

“Well, if Red Shirt stopped you two in time, then he’ll send you back,” Marty said plainly, trying to hold back the feeling of dejection that he was sharing with her.

“And if he didn’t?” Prudence asked vehemently, shoulders back in defiance. She was upset about the leaving part
,
but was also suffering from a severe case of
coitus
interuptus
.

“Well, they can’t chance you going back pregnant,” Marty began then stopped. He could see the plan
forming in her head. She’d lie—say anything—
to stay. He was a light sleeper and knew they hadn’t consummated their hoped for relationship. He wouldn’t rat them out though. He doubted if he could anyway. He’d seen that determined look before. She’d stay with Number Two if she had to sew herself to him.

Prudence interrupted the two men’s argument, not with words
,
but with her attitude. She bent over and picked up the breechclout Number Two had never put back on. She waved it at Red Shirt then took solid, stomping footsteps to her betrothed, putting her arm inside his elbow. She handed him his loincloth, which he accepted with a slight smirk. She pointed to her birthmark then pointed down to the part of his shirt that covered the mark Number Two had shown her earlier. “Mine,” she said
,
then hugged his arm closer to her.

Number Two’s grin grew in pride at his clever wife’s declaratio
n. She hadn’t lied to the chief, that would have been bad,
but she had let him assume that they had mated. He could claim her as his wife now
,
but they’d have to wait until evening to seal their union. And
,
maybe they would make another son for him.

F

ortunately
,
the morning confrontation ended without blows being thrown or anyo
ne being evicted from the tribe—
at least no
t
yet. Marty knew that Red Shirt had a difficult decision to make
—
keep Prudence or escort her home. He was a newlywed himself and surely didn’t begrudge his second in command a wife and mother for his two young, motherless children. It wasn’t an easy issue to resolve
,
but it just got harder. It looked like the two new acquaintances had really hit it off and sealed the bond of marriage. Red Shirt couldn’t let her go back to her father if she was possibly carrying Number Two’s baby. Her father certainly wouldn’t believe how she was wantonly throwing herself at the Indian brave. He was sure to claim rape and w
ant revenge. No, Marty decided—
it wasn’t going to be a hard choice for the chief. She would have to stay with them and hope that her father believed her tale of going to England.

Red Shirt hadn’t meant to fall asleep after making love to his wife. But
,
they had made love nearly all night long the night before and were both tired. He should have asked The Youn
g One to watch out for them. No,
it was his responsibility and he had failed. Deep down, he was happy it had happened though. He knew how the hole in his life
was
filled
by
the warm love and
nearness of his new wife and their son. Number Two’s loss was fresher
,
but still just as painful. Now they would both have wives and their tribe would grow again.

Ж

The new white woman made her one word claim of Number Two, “Mine,” then waited silently by
his side; chin out in pride as she locked arms with her new husband. Red Shirt sighed at his lieutenant, pointed to the breechclout
,
and flicked his fingers in a sweeping motion: ‘get your pants on, man.’

Number Two stepped behind some bushes for discretion and returned, chest puffed
out, his eyes fixed on the chief:
‘
I await your command.
’
Red Shirt grunted and the two walked away as if nothing had happened, leaving the breakfast meal to the women.

“I’ve got a pan for porritch,” Prudence said to Rachel
,
who was nursing Baby Brother. “Should I go ahead and get it started. I mean, I don’t know how this is supposed to work. It was just my Daddy and me
,
and I did everything when it came to cooking. You’ll probably have your arms full of babies all the time, and well, I’d just like to make this as fair as possible.”

Rachel shook her head. “I never thought that I’d be sharing my life with a good man much less another woman, or anyone, who wanted to be fair and make life easier for me. Yes, I’d appreciate it if you took over the cooking duties, at least until one of these little men are
weaned. Oh, and congratulations;
I think you got a good man, too.”

“Do you need a hand there, Prudence?” Marty asked as he walked up to the little kitchen area.

The woman bowed her head and blushed
,
then looked up and answered him. “No, thank you, I can handle this
,
and you’re welcome to stay and visit but, um,” she fumbled awkwardly for the words to use, “my name isn’t Prudence anymor
e:
it’s Morning Star.”

“It is? That’s a beautiful name!” Marty declared. “Did your husband give it to you?”

If Morning Star had been blushing before, she was positively scarlet now, her redness blending into her wine-colored birthmark. Rather than speak, she nodded her head, her embarrassment quickly turning into pride. She had a husband now. She was the head cook and not a stranger nor a runaway woman. It was going to be a long day
,
but she knew that when nighttime came
,
she would have her wedding night and officially become Number Two’s wife.