Destiny's Bride

by Ginger Simpson

  The thought of another confrontation with the woman made her insides quiver. She had to tell Lone Eagle to keep him close. “I…I had a very upsetting experience on my way back from the stream.” Her inner trembling echoed in her voice. “I need your help.”

  He looked at her, concern etched his brow. “What happened, Green Eyes? Are you all right?”

  She started with what had taken place on the way back from the stream and then told him about the other times, describing the locations and the stranger’s unfriendly and menacing demeanor.

  “I fear you have encountered Spotted Doe. She assumes I feel more for her than I do,” he explained. “She has made it very clear to my mother and others in the village that she waits for me to take her as my wife. I first believed she was simply thankful for all I have done for her and her son since my brother’s death, but many nights, she has offered to warm my blankets.”

  Cecile’s eyes widened. “You mean she wants to sleep with you?”

  Had he slept with her? She didn’t ask because she didn’t want to know the answer.

  “I suppose she is jealous of you and is letting you know. I never promised her anything, but now I have brought you to the village, and she believes at last, I have no interest in her.”

  “Well, at least now I understand why she is so mad. In my neck of the woods, the way she’s acting is called being territorial. She considers you her property, and I’m trespassing. Do you understand what trespassing means?”

  “Yes, it’s what the whites think my people do by living on our own land.”

  “Not all white people.”

  “Green Eyes, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to be cruel. Please forgive me.”

  “It’s all right,” she said, patting his hand. “You only said what you feel. I understand.”

  Lone Eagle took her in his arms and nuzzled her hair. “Don’t worry, I will go and speak with Spotted Doe.”

  It was the first time he’d held her and her heart raced. Cecile jerked away, shocked by her own reaction. “No! I need to handle her myself.”

  Her reason for ending his embrace was not because she didn’t enjoy the moment, but imagining Lone Eagle holding another in his arms and making love to her brought unexpected emotions to the surface and heated a fire inside her. She crossed her arms and shuddered. “Spotted Doe had better mind her business.” Cecile squared her shoulders. “I will handle this myself. I won’t have you fighting my battles for me. The next time she crosses my path, she might just be sorry.”

  ***

  Lone Eagle introduced Cecile to Rain Woman, the tribal medicine woman. Judging from her shriveled body, she’d lived a long time. Her skin resembled tanned leather framed by snow-white hair. Her smile, although somewhat toothless, was warm and friendly, and the wisdom of her years shone in her eyes. Cecile liked her immediately, and it seemed feelings were mutual.

  Lone Eagle spoke in Sioux to Rain Woman but translated for Cecile. “Old Grandmother, Green Eyes is going to have a child... my child. She will need your help. I have already told her of your experiences.”

  Rain Woman reacted with excited delight, dancing in a circle and standing on her tiptoes to hug him. She patted Cecile’s stomach with a wrinkled little hand and responded to Lone Eagle in their native tongue.

  Lone Eagle smiled at Cecile. “Grandmother says she will be honored to help bring our child into the world as she has for so many others in the village.”

  Knowing when her time came, she would be in good hands soothed Cecile’s worries.

  The older woman was so engaging, they spent most of the day sitting with her, listening to stories told in a combination of broken English and Sioux. When necessary, Lone Eagle translated. Stories of the medicine woman’s youth and the young braves who had tried winning her hand by offering her father ponies and gifts captivated Cecile, but confused her as well.

  She flashed Lone Eagle a questioning gaze. “What do horses have to do with courting?”

  Rain Woman understood the question. “Often, a Sioux maiden is handed over to the one who gives her father the most horses.” Her English was halting but understandable. “The number of horses offered is a demonstration of love for the maiden and proves the brave’s fitness to provide as a husband.”

  Rain Woman boasted of the suitors who had serenaded her with songs of the flute in the musical courting ritual. “If a maiden craves the attention of one certain man, she opens the blanket she wears around her shoulders and invites him inside. It is a way to speak in private even while others watch.” Laughter danced in her matriarchal eyes. “Often, I had them waiting in line to come into my blanket.”

  Rain Woman never alluded to why she’d never taken a mate, and asking seemed impolite. Rather than risk offending the old woman, Cecile remained rapt in the stories the old woman told.

  “My grandmother was the healer for the tribe before me,” Rain Woman continued. “I learned everything I know from her. Being the one responsible to care for our people is a high honor. The shaman calls upon the wisdom of the spirits to watch over us. I find the berries, roots, and herbs that take away sickness.”

  A note of sadness tinged the old woman’s voice. Had learning those honorable skills taken precedence over Rain Woman having a family of her own? Another question better not asked.

  They shared a meal while Rain Woman told of Lone Eagle’s youth, his vision quest, and how he'd grown to be a fine warrior. At her flowing account of his manliness, he fidgeted. “The sun has gone to sleep for the night. We must go.”

  Clearly, his announcement was an attempt to escape Rain Woman’s adoration, and Cecile wanted to hear more about the lives of her new people, especially Lone Eagle, but she took his offered hand and stood. Promising to return soon, they left.

  With mountains surrounding the village on three sides, the sun had indeed disappeared, but with winter’s shorter days, the darkness caused the hour to be much later than it actually was. The evening breeze, coupled with the crisp feeling in the air, served as a reminder that snow was not far off. Cecile pulled her flannel shirt tight, pondering again how Lone Eagle stayed warm despite wearing little to shield his body from the cold. Regardless of the temperature, he normally wore buckskin leggings with either a shirt or vest. Thinking about how little he wore drew her focus to his bare chest and heavily muscled arms instead of where she walked. She became so distracted, she didn’t see the log directly in front of her until she tripped over it. Lone Eagle grabbed her as she fell, helping her to regain her balance. He held her a little closer and a little longer than was necessary, but she really didn’t mind. When he released her, Cecile was awash in guilt. Were her feelings betraying her lost love?

  At the entrance to the lodge Cecile touched his arm. “Please, will you come in and stay until I fall asleep?” Her motive was to feel safe…at least that’s what her mind argued.

  Lone Eagle agreed and went for fresh water. When he ducked in through the closed flap carrying filled buffalo bladders, Cecile stood frozen to the spot, just preparing to pull her nightdress over her head and naked as the day she was born. She quickly donned her gown, hoping to take some of the tension out of the moment, but Lone Eagle, rather than turn away, remained with eyes fixed on her. Her cheeks burned at the pleased smile on his face.

  “The show is over,” she snapped. You can hang the water where it goes now.”

  He swallowed and lowered his gaze. “Please forgive me. I thought I waited long enough for you to change…and you had already invited me inside.”

  Strangely, she wasn’t that embarrassed, allowing the lack had something to do with having seen him almost nude while she nursed his wounds… and from the communal bathing at the stream. The Sioux didn’t have a sense of modesty and perhaps the ease of revealing oneself was rubbing off on her.

  She’d become comfortable with Walt because he was her husband. Could it be she viewed Lone Eagle in the same way? Again, her internal struggle began. She’d just lost Walt, and it was way too
soon to feel such adoration for another. Wasn’t it?

  She lowered herself onto the soft bed of robes and curled into a ball, enjoying a silent chuckle as she recalled the shocked look on Lone Eagle’s face when he walked in to find her naked. That pleasant thought was her last before drifting off to sleep.

  ***

  Lone Eagle lay next to the fire pit, watching the last embers of the fire fade while he listened to Green Eyes’ slow and even breathing. He should leave, but images of her naked body flashed through his mind, and his manhood grew hard with desire. Her white skin, full breasts, and shapely behind captivated him. Even with the slight bulge in her stomach where a child grew, she was as beautiful as he’d imagined.

  Cecile’s scream shattered the quiet. In a flash he was at her side, gathering her in his arms. “What is it, Green Eyes? Tell me.”

  He held her tightly, trying to calm her rapid breathing and trembling body.

  “I had a terrible dream. I saw Walt being tortured by his killers. It was so real, so vivid. Please don’t let go of me.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

  Her shaking body sagged against him as he stroked her hair and wiped her tears. When she started to calm, Lone Eagle eased her back onto the robes.

  “Please, don’t go. Hold me, I’m still scared.” She begged.

  Lone Eagle pulled back the covers and lay down beside her, holding her close and petting her like a scared animal. He splayed his fingers through her long tresses. “Everything is all right,” he whispered, “you are safe here.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cecile finally stopped shaking and sobbing. Lone Eagle lay behind her, continuing to hold her in a comforting embrace. As she melted against him, he fought growing emotions, but her mere movement caused his instantaneous arousal.

  Her naked form flashed through his mind. He visualized firm breasts, smooth white skin, and the fire’s reflection in her flowing auburn hair. The womanly scent of her fueled his desire. Tightening his embrace, he pulled her firmly against his erection while gently nipping at her shoulder.

  With his free hand, he pushed her long, silky hair aside and trailed his lips up and down the length of her neck. Green Eyes stiffened at first, then tilted her head, allowing him access. He reached inside her gown and caressed her breast, bringing a soft gasp rushing past her lips. Turning her head, she sought his mouth, parting her bow-shaped lips ever so slightly. Lone Eagle playfully flicked at her teeth, urging them to part. When she rolled to her side, making full frontal contact, she captured his tongue and sucked it deep into her mouth, leaving him breathless.

  He rolled her onto her back and pulled her nightgown over her head. With no barrier between them, he sat back on his heels and surveyed her beauty. He searched the depth of her eyes, making certain there was no sign of fear or regret. The passion and fire he saw in her eyes revealed she wanted this as much as he did.

  Covering her, he continued to forage her mouth, while gently pushing her knees apart. To avoid putting weight on the child she carried, he eased between her legs and supported himself with his arms. He bent his head to capture a hardened nipple between his teeth, and pulled it into his mouth. Using his tongue to roll around and around its erect peak, he elicited a throaty sigh from her, and after paying equal homage to her other breast, he released the hardened nub and moved to her mouth to savor more of her kisses.

  His probing member pushed hard against her, searching to find the core of her womanhood. Another gasp escaped her, and she arched her back to encourage him. With a gentle thrust of his pelvis, he entered the depths of her femininity, claiming what he so desired.

  His first thrusts were slow and cautious, but he soon quickened the pace, moving faster and deeper inside the tightness of her constricting muscles. His heart rate increased with the fervor. Although his arm muscles burned beneath his weight, the look of pleasure on her face made him forget his discomfort.

  Green Eyes held him tightly, her arms around his back, her knees bent to accommodate the length of his hardened organ. As their combined excitement exploded into orgasm, she raked her fingernails furiously across the bare skin of his back and bit into his shoulder. The mixture of passion and pain pulled every bit of stamina from his body, and with one final thrust, he released within her.

  “Green Eyes!” In a voice drained of all energy, he cried out her name.

  Totally fulfilled, he rolled to his side and caressed her face, trying to absorb the reality. He’d finally made love to his woman. At a loss for words, he'd waited for this moment to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to say just the right thing, and struggled to find the words. What he needed now was to know if she loved him, too.

  “Green Eyes, what just happened was wonderful,” he whispered. “I have wanted this since we were together in your cabin, but I waited until your grieving time was past. Now I truly feel you are my woman, and I want to marry you…here before my people. I want the child you carry to be my child, and our joining will make it so. Please say you will share my life.”

  Cecile pushed closer. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts. Yes, she’d loved Walt, but a new life lay before her. If she truly wanted her child to be accepted by Lone Eagle’s people she had to move on. How could she not love the man she’d just shared her body with…the one who risked rejection by his tribe by bringing her here? In the white world others would spurn her, but through loving eyes, she saw nothing but a man, not a color. Everything she thought she knew about Indians proved false. They lived, loved and laughed just as everyone else, but could she really give up everything she’d every known?

  “Yes… oh yes, of course.” Before her mental reasoning concluded, words spilled out…words of truth and affection. “You have been my protector and watched over me with nothing but love and kindness. I will be honored to be your wife. My child will be your child and I pray that God will grant us many years together.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cecile woke again to the sound of children playing. She glanced around the tepee, hoping Lone Eagle had stayed. He was gone. Her mind spun back to the previous evening. Was it a dream or did Lone Eagle really make love to her? Reluctant to leave the coziness of the blankets, she embraced herself and tried to recapture the memory of last night.

  Despite wanting to languish in bed and savor the recollections of lovemaking, chores beckoned. She dreaded exposing her nudity to the cold left by the dying fire, but threw back the covers and stood. Goose bumps sprung up on her pale skin as she searched through her clothing for something warm, but ignoring the cold, she hummed a happy tune, warmed by the memory of last night.

  Cecile straightened her blankets and went outside to gather wood. November was only a few days away and the weather had turned frigid. There was still no sign of the snow the icy air predicted. She steeled herself against the cold and gathered an armful of logs.

  Teeth chattering, she hurried back inside, wishing she’d put on Walt’s old warm fleece jacket. His garments were the few things left she had to remember him by. Oddly, she felt no guilt or remorse at having spent the night in Lone Eagle’s embrace.

  “Rest in peace, dearest Walt.” She raised her gaze to the gray winter sky. “I will always keep your memory in my heart.” Somehow saying goodbye gave her room to concentrate on a new life. Her smile expressed the peace and contentment in her heart. Life with Walt grew less real with each passing day and more like a book she might have once read. Strange how life moved on as grief dimmed.

  After rekindling the fire, she gathered her laundry for the trek to the stream. Deciding to put on additional armor against the cold, she sat and added another pair of woolen socks. Her growing stomach made it increasingly difficult to reach her feet, and as she strained to tie her boots, the baby moved about in protest. Cecile straightened and rubbed her stomach. “I’m sorry little one, I didn’t mean to smash you.” She donned Walt’s coat and raised the collar to shield her ears.

  Ready to brave the elements again, she picked up the lau
ndry basket, balanced it on her hip, and pushed aside the door flap. A familiar blast of cold smacked her cheeks, and vapors from her warm breath hung in the icy air. Making her way past the other lodges, she scanned the compound for Lone Eagle, but he was nowhere in sight.

  A group of little girls sat huddled together, sheltered by a rock, playing with dolls and miniature tepees—so reminiscent of how she’d played as a child. Recollections were so vivid, she found herself caught up in the children’s contagious laughter and wanted to sit with them. Sadly, those carefree days were gone.

  Hunched against the cold, she passed women busily tending strips of drying meat, while others scraped and stretched animal skins. The chores brought thoughts of the few friends she’d made, among them Lone Eagle’s younger sister, Little Dove. Only because of her acceptance had other women warmed to Cecile. Some smiled as she walked by while others still refused to acknowledge her. Understandably, it would take time to win their acceptance, and she was willing to wait. In the meantime, she warmed at the progress she’d made. After all, Rain Woman, one of the most revered in the tribe, welcomed her.

  Little Dove crouched at the water’s edge, already pounding laundry on the flat rocks lining the bank. Cecile knelt next to her. “I’m so glad to see you here.” What was once a mundane chore had turned into the opportunity to spend time with a friend.

  Little Dove scooted over to make room for Cecile. “Hau…I mean hello, Green Eyes.”

  While they scrubbed their clothes, Cecile pointed to her friend. “Woman…Little Dove.” Getting engrossed in teaching Little Dove English would deter attention from the ice-cold water.