Night Thunder's Bride: Blackfoot Warriors, Book 3 (29 page)

He couldn’t remember when he had felt more jubilant, so free. The warmth of her, the raw sweetness of her nature, reached out to him, encompassing and cradling him, taking what he had to give her and giving him what he needed most.

Did she feel it? Was she, too, experiencing the uniting of their spirits, the culmination of their love? He moved within her and with her, intending to give her as much satisfaction as he took.

On and on toward a finite conclusion they struggled, their eyes locked lovingly with one another.

It was beautiful, wonderful, incredible. Never had he felt such oneness with another person, and as they climbed toward the finale, he knew in an instant that he understood her—pure, simple understanding.

And as his seed spilled within her, he thought again of how he loved her. All of her; exactly who and what she was.

And the oddest thing was that he knew she had experienced exactly as he had. How could she not?

Their paths were irreversibly intertwined. For all time, he knew.

It was an overpowering experience, even for him, a medicine man of his people and, as he took the weight of his body off her, moving to the side and taking her in his arms, he began to make plans. He would bring her happiness, he decided. He promised it to himself.

Haiya,
he would show her all of his world; he would ensure her happiness here with him. It was the last thought he had before he drifted off to a pleasant sleep.

“He said that our daughter must not marry Night Thunder. The medicine man said that we should have consulted him as soon as she had been given the vision. But it is not too late. He said that we must end this vow between Night Thunder and our daughter.”

Morning Child Woman gasped, “But the pledge, the oath between you and Night Thunder’s father…”

Her husband shrugged, and jerking his head sharply to the left, stared off to the side of their lodge before he turned back, drawing another puff on his pipe. “He said that Sun wills our daughter to find a husband elsewhere. You know that as Sun wills, we must try to do.”

Morning Child Woman clasped her hand over her mouth. Eyes wide, she said, “
Kyai-yo,
how can it be? Night Thunder will be stricken with grief. He, who now has a wife who does not know our ways. He, who now needs our daughter more than ever to help his new wife.” She glanced cautiously at her husband. “You know that he could become angry with us.”

“
Aa,
it is almost certain that he will.”

“My husband, what are we to do?”

The old man didn’t answer right away, but after a few more puffs on his pipe, he continued, “As you know, these things must be handled in the right way. One cannot break a pledge without making a sacrifice. Perhaps it would be best if I were to seek out the medicine man. He will know the right way to ensure that Sun knows my heart is good. I will also ask the medicine man to tell Night Thunder of all that has happened. In this way, Night Thunder would realize there was good reason for us to break the pledge.” He paused, his jaw becoming firm with resolve. “
Aa,
yes,” he continued, “I will speak to the medicine man, perhaps give him my new bow.”

“
Kyai-yo
!
You speak wisely, my husband.”

The old man gave his wife a discerning glimpse. “But until I speak with the medicine man, we must persuade our daughter to help Night Thunder and his new wife in any way that she can, that he not become too angry with us.”

“
Aa,
yes,” replied the wife. “Our daughter already helps his new wife, very much. She is fond of the white woman and has given her many presents; she even gave her the honor of becoming her sister.”

“Sister?”

Morning Child Woman clasped her hand over her mouth. “Did I not tell you?”

“You know that making the white woman her sister gives Night Thunder even more right to marry our daughter.”

“But our daughter did not know then that she would not become a wife to Night Thunder.”

The old man grunted. “Perhaps I should give the medicine man a new pony, also, so that he will seek out Night Thunder at once and be done with this thing.”

“
Aa,
yes, my husband. That might be prudent.”

“Humph. I must hasten to do this with all possible speed.”

Morning Child Woman nodded. “But what shall we tell our daughter?”

The old man became silent for several moments more. He sat, reflected in thought, until in due time, he voiced, “We must say nothing of it to her until the medicine man has settled matters with Night Thunder. You know that she already favors someone else. What if she were to run away with him, whom she loves, as we know many young girls are prone to do—before I can speak with the medicine man and make the proper sacrifices? Night Thunder would have every right to become angry with us. And we would lose our honor here in our own camp if this happened.” The old man sighed. “No, maybe I will give the medicine man more than one pony, that he might search out Night Thunder at once.”

“
Aa,
yes, my husband, again you speak wisely. Should I also make a robe for the medicine man that he might favor our cause more quickly?”

The old man nodded. “It would be good.”

“Then I will set to the matter at once,” said Morning Child Woman, and pulled out her parfleche full of quills and beads.

However, she did not need her husband reminding her to keep her tongue quiet on the matter. Didn’t their reputation as a family of honor and fair-mindedness depend upon their daughter’s level head and Night Thunder’s goodwill?

She would speak of this to no one.

The two men sat across from each other in silence, a fire of dying embers between them.

Blue Raven Woman’s father, Little Elk, puffed on a pipe and passed it to Night Thunder, the younger man taking a whiff and sending it back, as was the custom.

At last the old man began the talk, speaking slowly as though he chose every word carefully. “Happy is my heart to see you here, son of my friend.”

Night Thunder nodded appropriately.

“My home is yours,” said Little Elk. “Speak freely here.”

“
Soka’pii-wa,
it is good,” said Night Thunder. “I have come to you on a matter of importance. I have come to speak to you about my marriage to Blue Raven Woman.”

The elder man nodded as though Night Thunder had uttered something profound. “
Sok, sok,
good, good…”

“
Aa,
yes, it is good, but…”

Little Elk again bobbed his head.

Night Thunder cleared his throat and began, “About my marriage to your daughter. There are, I think, things we must discuss.” He gestured around him, to the tepee lining, and said, “I have no lodge in which to keep her—”

The old man nodded. “You need a new lodge?”

Surprised at being interrupted, Night Thunder blinked. He said, “
Saa
, no, that is not what I am trying to say. I—”

“Blue Raven Woman will come and help your wife make new a lodge for you. Beautiful new lodge. You only needed to ask. We will send our daughter.
Aa,
yes.”

Night Thunder became slightly baffled. It was not an Indian custom to intrude into another’s speech. He said, a little more cautiously, “
Saa
, no, that is not necessary.”

“Whatever it is you need, you have only to ask.”

Night Thunder sent the old man an odd look. This confrontation was not going as he had planned. Night Thunder had sought out the lodge of Blue Raven Woman’s parents, that he might tell Little Elk of his decision: the pact between himself and their daughter must come to an end. But he’d not been able to get the words past his tongue. Perhaps he hadn’t stated his cause with enough intention? He began again, “My new wife has many strange ways…and among them is an unusual idea about the lodge and about marriage and other women.” Night Thunder paused to choose his words carefully.

The old gentleman asked, “Has our medicine man talked with you?”

Night Thunder shook his head. “I have not seen him since the afternoon of the Dog Society dance.”

“Humph,” said Little Elk. “My daughter is at your will to do whatever is necessary to help your wife set up her lodge. You need only to ask and my daughter will instruct her.”

“
Aa,
yes, Blue Raven Woman has been a great help to me and to my new wife—”

“Can be greater help if you need it.”

Night Thunder’s expression became a trifle more bewildered. Why was this becoming so difficult? “About your daughter…I think she will make a good wife, but—”

“
Sok, sok,
good, good,” the older man gestured toward himself. “Me…your father…good friends. Made pact many, many years ago. Long ago. Many, many years ago.”

“
Aa,
yes.”

“Many years ago,” Little Elk reiterated. A long pause followed, and then suddenly, as though the older man had only thought of it, he added, “You need something else from my daughter?”

Clearly baffled now, Night Thunder felt his head grow light, and he said, “
Saa,
no, it is only that I do not believe that your daughter and I—”

“You have only to ask. She will help you in any way that she can. You know this?”

“
Aa,
yes, she is most generous, most kind.” This was not going well at all. It was particularly odd, too, because the old gentleman kept interrupting him. An Indian would usually listen with patience—even to an enemy—before intruding upon him, even if it took an entire day for the other man to finish.

Perhaps Night Thunder needed more time to practice his speech?

Maybe. Still, he would try again. He said, “You and my father made the pact between myself and Blue Raven Woman long ago…”

“Humph.”

“Have you considered what might happen if Blue Raven Woman and I were not to marry?”

A look of pure horror crossed the elder man’s countenance, and Night Thunder cringed. “I spoke not of this. My daughter, our family, have been more than willing to keep the pact—”

“
Aa,
aa, sok, sok,
good, good, but—”

“Always, we keep you in our hearts. Have not there been other suitors for her? Have not we turned them away? Have we not kept our honor and yours, also?”

Night Thunder, now utterly confounded, said, “I doubt not your honor.”

Little Elk nodded. “
Sok, sok,
my daughter will come to your wife and instruct her in all our ways. Have you not seen already that she works well with her?”

“
Aa, aa,
yes, yes, I have, but—”

Little Elk suddenly tapped his pipe against the stone altar which sat next to the fire, a signal that their talk was at an end.

So soon? Night Thunder hadn’t yet been able to put his cause before the older gentleman. More puzzled than upset, Night Thunder arose, having no choice for the moment but to leave.

“
Sok, sok
,”
said the old gentleman, as Night Thunder stooped over to exit the tepee. “Any help you need from my daughter, you ask. We will ensure she gives you. Anything.”

Night Thunder blinked twice, the look upon his face one of pure bafflement, before he said, “
Soka’pii-wa,
it is good.” And, bending at the waist, he took his leave of the elder man’s lodge.

Night Thunder straightened up once outside, giving the lodge a quick, pondering glance, as though it were the tepee puzzling him, instead of Blue Raven Woman’s father.

It should have been an easy thing to have handled.
I no longer wish to fulfill the pact.
He had been on the verge of saying the words several times, yet for some reason, Little Elk had made it impossible for him to utter them.

Was it his speech that had failed him, or was his medicine becoming weak? Didn’t a medicine man often, of necessity, have to go away, alone, to renew his medicine? The problem had to be one or the other, didn’t it? Perhaps he should consult with the medicine man to discover which it was.

The medicine man.

Aa,
yes, that was the path he should take. Was it not an important matter to end a pledge in the right manner? Perhaps he had not yet performed enough sacrifice? In his eagerness to please Rebecca, had he forgotten this?

Mayhap it would be good, then, if he were to scour his pony herd for his best mounts, that he might give them to the medicine man in order to secure his advice.

Aa,
yes, good plan.

With renewed purpose, Night Thunder strode out toward the wild horse herds.

Chapter Twenty

Two of his own ponies and three from Blue Raven Woman’s father stood outside the medicine man’s lodge, along with a new robe from Morning Child Woman and a new bow and quiver full of arrows from Little Elk.

Night Thunder watched the old medicine man now, as the elder emerged from his lodge, the wise old man not appearing in the least startled by what he saw. He inspected first one pony, then another, looking well over his payment.

Payment for what?

The medicine man grinned and turning slightly, sent Night Thunder a cheeky smile, as though he had known all along that Night Thunder watched him.