White Wind (13 page)

She glanced at her brother Running Wolf, and received a stern look of warning as he dropped back to ride beside her. Wild-Flower quickly glanced away. She had hoped for more time before having to face Golden Eagle.

Moving closer to his headstrong sister, Running Wolf leaned over and spoke for her ears only. “My sister had best behave as a gentle quiet doe.” Hard eyes of earth color met defiant eyes of the same shade as brother and sister glared at each other.

Tossing her head, Wild-Flower sent her brother a contemptuous look. “Do not worry, my brother,” she said mockingly, with a low humorless laugh. “I shall not do anything to bring shame to my family or tribe.” Wild-Flower dropped back.

She knew he’d watch her every step. Despite their differences, they were close, and only he was aware how she rebelled against the match between her and Golden Eagle.

Her brother thought her crazy, stupid and selfish. How often had he told her so? She knew she was the envy of all the maidens in her tribe. For the son of a great chief to accept her, daughter of a rival chief, as his mate was a great honor for her and her family. She should be happy, proud. But she wasn’t. She wanted to choose her own mate.

Golden Eagle spotted the group on their way to meet them. “There, up ahead.” He pointed, urging his horse toward the group.

Red Fox watched Golden Eagle greet the chief and his family and those warriors traveling with them.

He could not help but feel envy when he saw Wild-Flower. Such beauty was rare. She truly resembled a beautiful flower growing free and strong in the prairies. The
irresistible urge to pick the blooming meadow flowers matched his need to take and possess the young girl.

He knew of Golden Eagle’s feelings on the matter, but couldn’t understand his friend. Golden Eagle was regarded as a very lucky warrior. With anyone else, in any other circumstances, he would have challenged for the beauty before him. But he could not. Not with a man who was his best friend. Shaking his head clear of such unclean thoughts, he took his place as the group finished their journey.

“Tonight, my friends, the tribe of White Cloud will feast and dance in honor of the upcoming marriage of my daughter Wild-Flower to Golden Eagle as was decided long ago. All can see the many fine ponies and gifts he has brought to our tipi. The Great Spirit has smiled upon our humble village this day.”

A roar of approval went up. There was much to do this day. It would be a day of preparing for the feast. All other chores would be set aside as warriors left with whoops and yells to find fresh meat.

Women rushed to check their finest garments and those of their families. Each would try to outdo the other. Even the ponies would be decorated with their finest blankets.

Unmarried girls rushed to find a secluded spot for bathing. This would be a night of trying to woo unattached males. More than one had their eye on Red Fox. Chanting and dancing accompanied the drums filling the air. Golden Eagle and Wild-Flower strolled around the village.

It was permissible and encouraged that the two should spend time with each other. Golden Eagle looked around and saw a few others talking in the shadows, some with blankets thrown over their heads for privacy so none could hear their conversations.

Golden Eagle slowed his pace and tried to show proper interest in his wife-to-be. He knew others watched closely. Much was at stake if the two tribes did not merge. Glancing sideways, he sighed. As usual, Wild-Flower walked with her eyes to the earth beneath their feet, giving him a view of her shiny dark head.

He wondered if he would ever get her to look him in the eye. Many warriors expected their mates to be meek and submissive. His hands clenched. Not him. He was a proud warrior and needed a wife to stand proudly at his side when the time came for him to rule.

Searching for a suitable topic, he tried once again to initiate a conversation between them. “I trust your brothers and sister are well?”

He received a silent nod.

“And your father and mother?” he probed.

Slim shoulders shrugged. “The family of Wild-Flower is well,” she faintly replied.

Golden Eagle threw his head back in frustration. They passed another couple and heard the whispering and giggling from under the blanket over their heads. The warrior’s gaily decorated pony shielded them.

Stopping in the shadow of a tipi, he looked down at the blanket slung over his arm. He would try one last time to get his soon-to-be bride to talk with him before returning her to the circle where the maidens sat. “Soon Wild-Flower will be wife to Golden Eagle. Does Wild-Flower desire to talk beneath the blanket with her husband-tobe?”

Wild-Flower’s head snapped up, eyes blazing with horror and resentment, before quickly lowering. She shook her head side to side. “No, husband-to-be. This maiden has no words to speak of this night,” she choked out.

Golden Eagle stared in amazement. Had her eyes seemed to blaze with resentment? Telling himself it was just a trick of the moonlight, he sighed. Her eyes
were once again lowered, her shoulders slumped. Relief passed over him as he had no desire to share the intimacy of the blanket with her.

Silence fell as they mutually headed back to join the festivities, both engrossed in their own thoughts. Neither knew just how closely matched their thoughts were.

Back at Golden Eagle’s village, Sarah spent one afternoon in front of the tipi pounding pine nuts into a paste. Across from her, Bright Blossom also pounded nuts. Sarah looked at the hard ground and groaned as she saw how much had flown from her bowl and noticed that Bright Blossom had no waste.

Vowing to be more careful, she bent her head to her task. Without warning a shadow fell over her and two dead squirrels and a rabbit landed in her lap.

Looking up, Sarah cringed to see Hawk Eyes towering above her. His face remained impassive, his voice stern as he commanded, “Clean,” before turning and walking away. He seemed unconcerned over the pine nuts he’d scattered into the dirt.

Sarah looked at the lifeless bodies and swallowed hard. Panicking, she looked up and found many eyes on her and the retreating back of their chief. The challenge had been given.

Her eyes sought Seeing Eyes. There she found her courage in the confident, knowing eyes of the older woman.

Swallowing the queasiness that threatened to engulf her, Sarah stood, clutching the animals as she looked to Bright Blossom for help.

Bright Blossom nodded and rose to follow her friend to the water. Sarah kneeled at the water’s edge, listening and following each instruction Bright Blossom gave her, following her example as she made the first slit into the rabbit.

She gulped, a wave of dizziness overcoming her.
I can’t do this,
she thought to herself. Bright Blossom whispered encouragement. Voices from the crowd cheered her on. All but one.

“White girl no do. White girl coward. Not brave as Sioux woman. See pale skin. She be sick. Bring shame to Golden Eagle,” Night Star jeered.

Silence surrounded her. Sarah lifted her eyes to the smirking girl and found the courage she needed. Taking a deep breath she finished the incision and looked to her friend for the next instruction.

She would do what she had to do. She would not shame Golden Eagle or his mother or Bright Blossom.

When she finished, Sarah stirred a pot of meat stewing with roots and greens that she’d gathered. It was the first meal she’d prepared on her own.

That night she sat proudly, using her fingers to scoop bits of meat into her mouth. She’d done it, to the cheers of the others as Night Star stormed off.

Two weeks later, Sarah left the camp and headed toward the fast-moving stream. Lowering her aching body to the ground, she splashed cool soothing water over her face, neck and arms. Sitting on her heels, she stared at the sparkling water and reflected on the changes in her life.

She’d never thought of her life as easy. There were always chores to be done at home, but never in all her days had she worked as hard as she had the past few weeks.

She now realized how easy her life had really been. Mary and Ben and even her pa, when he’d been alive, had never expected her to do much of the dirty, hard work. It was humbling to find out just how much others had done for her.

Sighing, she sat back and folded her arms around her knees and vowed aloud, “I’ll never complain again when Mary needs my help.”

Closing her eyes to the still beauty surrounding her, Sarah laid her forehead upon her drawn-up knees. All the canning, baking, drying and tending of their small garden could not equal what she’d been through, not even if she added cleaning, sewing and caring for the livestock.

Whoever had said Indians were lazy, dirty and slothful had never lived among them, Sarah decided with a low moan. Her respect for the hard-working women had grown daily.

Golden Eagle had been gone three weeks now, and Seeing Eyes had insisted she sleep and live in their tipi. It was for her own protection as no young girl lived alone.

Her day started when the sun could barely be seen peeking over the horizon. Sarah was then assigned her tasks over the morning meal. Wood had to be gathered and water skins filled from the nearby stream. Even thinking about carrying the full pouches made her shoulders ache.

Pulling her brows together in a frown, Sarah was so tired she could barely think.

She ran her hands down the front of her dress, and groaned as her chapped hands snagged on the softness. Yesterday she’d been given the task of scrubbing soiled clothing. She looked at her hands. They were still red and raw from the long hours spent kneeling in the cold water.

Sarah also helped Seeing Eyes prepare meals. She’d learned what greens and bark to gather, which ones she must never eat, where the best berries would soon be ready and so much more.

Humming and buzzing filled the silence next to her as several bees darted in and out of tiny flowers. A squirrel leaped from one branch to another, stopped to eye the stranger below him and give her a loud scolding. She smiled at the tiny creature, and looked over her shoulder to make sure no brave or warrior held his bow and arrow trained on the unsuspecting animal.

“You best leave and hide, my friend. Or it’s someone’s meal you shall become,” she warned, shuddering, her smile fading. The one chore she hated was the skinning and cleaning of small animals and fish.

But now, she knew what parts to keep for food and other necessities. It still amazed her that there was so little waste. The women were resourceful and clever when it came to finding uses for the innards.

She thought back to her week in the women’s hut several days after her arrival. It was the place women went when their monthlies flowed. At first, she’d felt banished, cast away, but quickly learned that the women enjoyed their week away from the hard daily labors. Gossip abounded. While the women waited for nature’s job to finish, they sewed. Sarah had learned much that week.

She was surprised at the easy acceptance she met from most. Seeing Eyes had been right when she’d said Sarah would be judged on her performance, not her skin color.

However, there were two in the village eagerly awaiting for her to balk or refuse some task: Night Star and Chief Hawk Eyes. To both she had shown she was no quitter.

A memory came to mind. Ben had always cleaned the animals he hunted. Smiling fondly, Sarah could imagine his shocked weathered old face if he knew she was actually doing this job now and not too badly either.

He’d always claimed, “The catchin’ and cleanin’ is best left to us menfolk. The cookin’ and fixin’s is best left to you womenfolk.” Of course, Ben was a terrible cook. If not for Mary, Ben would have starved long ago.

Still, she would have a nice assortment of skins and furs to take back and show off. Seeing Eyes had informed Sarah that she could keep the furs of whatever she skinned and use them as she saw fit. But she had to tan and prepare them herself.

And that unwelcome thought reminded her of the reason why her arms and wrists ached. She had helped Seeing Eyes with the tanning of a large antelope hide that afternoon.

Though she was tired and her body ached from the unaccustomed work, she was proud of her new skills and knew she would improve with practice. She thought of her mother. Had Emily done these same chores the summer she’d spent with her Indian warrior?

Sarah smiled. If she found her father, she would go to him with the skills of a plains Indian woman. She would not disgrace his tipi—unless he resented her white blood. Frowning, she put the thoughts of her future from her. She had enough to cope with just surviving day to day.

The breeze picked up, cooling the air. Sarah lifted her face into the wind, feeling it caress her neck and face. On impulse, she reached for the leather thongs that held her hair in two neat plaits. Dropping them into her lap and using her fingers as a comb, Sarah slowly separated the strands until they streamed in a shimmering mass down her back and over her arms.

The wind picked up the silky gossamer threads and playfully tossed the sparkling strands about, turning them white in the bright glare of the afternoon sun.

Seeing Eyes headed toward the water’s edge, looking for the white girl. She rounded a bend which shielded the girl from view. Stopping dead in her tracks, the older woman stared in fascination at the sight she beheld.

Sarah sat, legs drawn to her chest, eyes closed, face turned to the warmth of the sun, hair whipping around her head. Seeing Eyes’s breath caught. It was the vision of her dream. The girl’s pale hair seemed almost to be a part of the wind it drifted on.

Wind.
White Wind.
Her grin widened. Seeing Eyes knew she had the elusive missing part of her vision.

She shook her head. It was so obvious. White Wind was to be Sarah’s Indian name. Deep in thought, she backed away and silently retraced her steps, abandoning her reasons for seeking Sarah out.

Leaning into the strong gusty breeze, she became lost in thought as she mulled over what had been revealed to her this day. Seeing the wind lifting and tossing Sarah’s hair had been all it took to jog her memory.

She would give the tired girl some time to herself. Since her first morning, Sarah had worked hard without complaint from the time she was called to wakefulness until darkness fell.

No matter what chores she’d been assigned, Sarah completed the many time-consuming and even difficult tasks that made up a woman’s daily life in the village.
She’d even met skinning the many small furry animals with the same stubborn determination. None could find fault with her.

Seeing Eyes smiled, her eyes shining with amusement as she thought back to Sarah’s first attempt at skinning.

It had been obvious to all that the girl had never done this sort of task before, and many doubted that she’d finish her first rabbit as her face went as pale as her hair. But she’d shown them. Gritting her teeth, Sarah had hacked and sawed, clumsily imitating Bright Blossom, until she had a pot full of meat simmering in an old black pot.

None even minded or made comment about the waste of bone and fur. It hadn’t mattered. Sarah had shown the people in Hawk Eyes’s village that she had courage and determination.

Since that day, Sarah had proven to be a hard worker, willing to learn. Many had respect for the white woman whose skills would improve with practice.

Hawk Eyes glanced up as his soul mate entered their tipi. He raised a questioning brow when he didn’t see the white girl behind his wife.

Seeing Eyes responded to her mate’s raised brow. “She rests by the water, my husband. I will let her remain for now. She has worked hard this day.” Seeing Eyes did not speak of what was revealed to her.

Hawk Eyes went back to sharpening his knife. He contemplated the time the girl had been in their tipi.

His wife had insisted she stay in their tipi while their son was away. On his own, he’d have left her to fend for herself, hoping that she would run off and disappear from his village. But he’d given his word to Golden Eagle to extend his protection to her while he was gone.

Bushy brows drew together. So far, her actions were not the typical white behavior when faced with captivity.