It was late
afternoon when Mapiya returned to the tipi.
She found Vin and Nathan tending to a sleeping Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. She noticed Vin was talking to him in soft
murmurs, but could not hear what was being said. They both turned when they noticed she had entered, questions in
their eyes of which she had no answers.
“Where…your
friends?” she asked Vin.
“They’re in
the other tipi eatin’. They are bein’
takin’ care of by other women of your tribe.”
“Ah,
yes. I talk…to them. I tell them that white men need food.”
“Thank you,
Mapiya. It was needed,” inputted
Nathan.
Mapiya nodded
her head.
She then
turned to Vin and said in Cheyenne, “I want to be alone with Emo'ôhtavo vo'e,
Netse Ôhvo'komaestse. Can you and the
healer go with the others? I will call
if need.”
Vin stared
into her eyes and saw the pleading there.
He nodded and turned to Nathan. “Nate, let’s go to the other tipi and
get somethin’ to eat. I’m sure ya can
do with a rest.”
Nathan
nodded. He was tired and he did not
know the last time he slept. “If Chris needs me, just come and get me,” he said
to Mapiya.
She nodded
that she understood.
He and Vin
then stood up and crawled through the blowing flap.
Once she was
sure that they were gone, Mapiya lay down next to the sleeping blond Cheyenne
and wrapped her arms gently around his body.
Chris was
slowly becoming aware of the outside world.
He felt something lying across his chest that seemed to annoy him. He cracked one eye open cautiously and found
a dark brown arm draped across him. He turned his head slightly to his left and
found himself looking into the deep liquid brown eyes of his beloved. He smiled softly at small face that lay upon
shoulder.
“You are
awake, my love,” said Mapiya laughingly in Cheyenne.
“Who
could…sleep with…you around?” Chris rasped out jokingly. His voice was rough from misuse and all
moisture was gone.
He felt
Mapiya move away from him and the coldness of the empty space she left
behind. But then she quietly returned
and he felt a wooden cup to his lips.
He drank of the cool water held there and once full, pushed the cup
aside. Mapiya leaned away and placed the
cup down on the ground next to them.
“Is your
thirst gone now?”
“The one here,”
he answered pointing to his mouth.
“Yes. It is. But not the one
here.” He then pointed to his chest and
laughed, kissing her softly on the forehead.
“Emo'ôhtavo
vo'e, I must speak to you and I have asked your friends to leave us for a
time.”
Chris eyes
quirked at her in question. If Mapiya
had asked his friends to leave, then it must be something very important
between only them.
“I am
listening, love.”
“Tomorrow you
will be taken to the elders. There, you
and two other young warriors will be a part of our religious ceremony, the Sun
Dance.”
“I have heard
of this from Young Man before. It was
when I first joined and he told me of this great honor.”
“Yes, my
love. It is a great honor. But…But even with someone who is well, it is
very hard. For you …you,” she said
unable to finish her sentence. She was
afraid, afraid for him and for their future.
“Shhh,” said
Chris, holding a finger to her lips.
“Say no more, my love.” He
pulled her closer to him so that he could feel the warmth of her body next to
his. “You and I. We are strong. We will live to see the day of our wedding. I promise you.”
“Oh,
Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. If only I could
believe.”
“Believe
it. Were not you the one who told me of
the spirits and of their blessing? Have
faith in what you believe, as I have faith in you.”
Mapiya nodded
vigorously with tears in her eyes. She
knew she had chosen wisely and she would not let him down.
“Anything and
everything for you, my love. Always,”
answered Mapiya, kissing him upon the lips passionately.
Chris
returned the kiss and grabbed her by the nape of neck, keeping it long and
hard.
Suddenly,
Mapiya pulled away, kneeling up over him and Chris thought he had did something
wrong. When he looked up into her
twinkling eyes, he saw there the love she felt for him and knew that everything
was good.
Mapiya then
swiftly removed her buckskin dress and moccasins. The only thing she had on was an elk teeth necklace. Chris eyes
rose in amazement. Her naked beauty awed him and he felt himself stir at the
sight before him.
Mapiya then
grabbed the buffalo hide blanket and crawled underneath it next to him. She then expertly removed the loincloth that
Chris wore under the blanket, pulling it off and pushing it to the side with
her hands. Her hands then started to
roam all over his body, making Chris moan with need and anticipation.
Mapiya then
mounted Chris, kissing him on his neck and chest as she did.
Chris grabbed
her by the shoulders and held her away from him so that he could look into her
eyes. “Are you sure about this,
Mapiya?”
“I am sure,
my love. I have never been more in my
whole life. I want you, Emo'ôhtavo
vo'e. There is no other for me in this
lifetime or the next,” she said leaning down and kissing him hard upon the
lips.
“And for me,
Mapiya,” responded Chris once the kiss was done. “There is and will be no other.
I’ve had emptiness in my heart for so long and you have filled it. I think once my wife and son died, there was
a hole in my soul. Now it feels
healed.”
“Then that is
good, my future husband. Now, no more
talk. Only do,” she said playfully and
giggled as she pulled the blanket over their heads.
They were
lost in their lovemaking and the outside world was gone for a little while.
* * * * *
Vin and
Nathan entered the other tipi. But they
did not see the person who stood in the shadow of a tipi across from them. ó'kôhóme hiding behind one of the tipis
across from where the white men were staying, watched the two men enter. He had counted that now all six men were in
the tipi and this pleased him. He knew
now that Emo'ôhtavo vo'e was alone.
He had spoken
to the others who were in the same mind as he.
They would do nothing until after the ceremony of the Sun Dance. He knew that if he did that the people would
turn against him. But afterwards, yes. Afterwards was a different story. There
would be retribution for the white man’s invasion to their land. He then slid back behind the tipi that hid
his presence and walked away towards his waiting men.
Inside the
tipi, Vin and Nathan found the others eating and talking. They stopped once they saw them crawling
through the opening. Nathan looked at
the men and his quirked his eyes up at them as if saying “What?” The others only returned to eating quietly.
Nathan walked
over to the pot and put some food into two small bowls that lay near the
fire. He gave one to Vin, who thanked
him and sat down next to Josiah. Nathan
then took his bowl and sat next to Buck, sniffing the stew that was in the
bowl.
“It’s good,
Nate,” said Buck smiling and taking another finger scoop of the stew. He put it in his mouth and savored the
taste.
Nathan followed
his example and took a taste. He found
that Buck was right. It was very
good. He tasted corn, some kind of
beans and some type of green vegetable.
The meat he could not recognize.
They both did
not see the way Vin and Josiah smiled.
Vin and Josiah ate their meals quietly, observing their other companions
as they tasted the food.
“Hey, whose
with Chris?” asked Buck.
“Mapiya is
with him right now,” answered Nathan.
“She’ll call us if anything happens.”
“Yeah, Nate
here needed the rest,” put in Vin.
“Yeah and Vin
needed to eat,” said Nathan eyeing the thin young sharpshooter. He was not happy with the weight Vin had
lost recently.
“Hey,
Vin! What’s the meat in here?” asked JD
starting to eat a piece of the bread that was also brought to them.
Vin smiled at
him and then turned a knowing glance to Josiah. “It’s dog,” replied Vin with a straight face.
“You’re
kidding right?” questioned JD, his eyes showing laughter.
“Nope. I ain’t.
It’s dog.”
“Dog?” came
Buck’s choked reply.
“Mr. Tanner,
please tell me that this a deception on your part?”
“Huh?”
“He asked,
brother, if you are pulling his leg?” supplied Josiah.
“Nope. Ain’t lyin’, Ezra. When there is a shortage of meat, they kill dogs for food. They wouldn’t have to if the white man
didn’t kill off all the buffalo with their greed. Now they have to eat whatever they can find.”
Vin watched
with laughing eyes as Buck and JD put their bowls down.
“I think I
need to…ah,” started Buck, but he never finished as he ran out of the
tipi.
“Yeah, just
what he said,” said JD, following Buck’s example.
Ezra looked
at them, each in turn and then put another bite into his mouth. He had worst and he reminded himself of his
favorite food, caviar, or fish eggs as they were. He said to the others, “When in Rome…”
“This ain’t
Rome, Ezra,” stated Vin.
Of course,
Josiah was the only one who knew what Ezra referred to and winked at him to let
him know he at least understood.
They
continued their meal in silence, each keeping to their own thoughts of what
would come with the next rising of the sun.
*************************************************************************************************************
After Buck
expelled whatever was left in his stomach, he went to the creek and used the
water to wash out the bile taste from his mouth. JD had completed the same task and had gone back to the tipi to
lie down. Buck saw how green the kid
still was and his heart went out to the young man. He still had a lot to learn about the West and this was only one
of the little lessons that life would show the easterner.
Buck finished
what he wanted to do decided that he would go and check on Chris. He could not understand why Vin and Nathan
would leave him alone with just the girl.
He did not think she could protect him as well as one of them.
As he walked
over to the tipi, he could hear moaning coming from inside. It sounded like Chris and it did not sound
good. He quickly pulled the flap opened
and crawled inside. “Chris! Chris! Is everything alright?”
He was
stopped cold in his tracks when he saw Chris and Mapiya’s heads pop out from
under the Buffalo hide blanket. Mapiya
was lying on top of Chris and from what he could see they were both naked.
“Uh,
Chris…Uh, I…I…”
Chris could
not believe that Buck Wilmington, the ladies man of Four Corners and beyond,
was tongue-tied.
“Buck?”
“Chris? Chris!” exclaimed Buck his eyes widened when
he realized what he had interrupted.
“Buck,” came
Chris’ soft reply and the eyes glared at Buck. “What the hell’s going on?”
To Buck,
those words were music to his ears. It
sounded just like the old Chris was back.
“I’m sorry,
Chris. I didn’t know…you…were busy,” said Buck, smiling broadly at him and
backing out the way he came.
“Buck,”
called Chris softly, before he could make his hasty retreat.
“Yeah,
Chris?”
“You better
not breathe a word of this, ya hear?”
“I hear you
Ole war dog,” he said chuckling and leaving the two lovers alone.
Mapiya looked
at Chris confused. She did not know
what went on between the two men, but she knew that it was not something bad.
She turned
her brown eyes to question Chris, but he just shrugged and pulled her closer to
him. He then kissed her hard upon the
lips and pulled the blanket back over them, hiding the rest of the world to
their eyes.
***********************************************************************************************************
It was later
in the evening when they returned to the tipi where Chris and Mapiya were. They found Chris sleeping peacefully and
Mapiya sitting, turned away from them by the fire, stirring some food in a
bowl.
Mapiya heard
them enter and turned to face them.
“You…back?”
“Yes,”
answered Nathan, kneeling down to check on Chris. “He woke up since we been gone?”
Mapiya smiled
and bowed her head embarrassed. Vin
caught a glimmer in eyes of something.
What he did not know.
“Yes,”
replied Mapiya softly. “He was awake.
Now…he sleeps.”
Vin looked at
his friend’s sleeping form on the floor and then looked back at Mapiya. He saw that her face glowed and that there
was a happy twinkling in her eyes. He
then realized what had happened and bowed his head, feeling his face turning
red. Mapiya saw that he had found them
out and smiled broadly at him.
“Uh, Nathan,
ya take care of Chris and I’ll be back in a little,” said Vin heading for the
flap.
“Sure, Vin,
but where you goin’?”
“Got
somethin’ to take care of,” and he crawled back outside the tipi.
Nathan did
not have time to question where Vin was going before he left, but he felt it
was not good.
Suddenly
Nathan heard a sigh from the direction of Chris Larabee. He crawled to where he lay and kneeled down
next to him, checking his pulse and his forehead for fever. He was about finished when he noticed clear
green eyes staring at him.
“Chris? How ya feelin’?”
“Nathan. Nathan Jackson,” rasped Chris.
“Yeah. Ya got ya memory back!”
“Sort
of. I remember you and Buck and
Vin. I kinda recollect Josiah, Ezra and
JD. It’s just somethings are still
kinda fuzzy, ya know what I mean? Who’s
Mary?”
“Uh,
Mary? That would be Mary Travis. She’s a friend of ours back in Four
Corners.”
“Well, I
recall the name, but can’t put a face to it yet.”
“I wouldn’t
worry about it. It’ll all come back to
ya soon.”
“Mapiya?”
asked Chris frantically looking around the tipi.
“Here, my
love,” answered Mapiya, moving next to him on the other side. She lowered her head and kissed him gently
on the lips. “You have slept long. Feel better?”
“Yes, little
one. I do,” said Chris grunting as he
tried to sit up. He felt two pair of
hands on his chest trying to push him back down.
“Ya shouldn’t
get up just yet, Chris.”
“He’s right,
my love.”
“I feel fine,
Nathan,” said Chris pushing their hands away and sitting up anyway. As he did his head started to spin and he
closed his eyes until he felt more stable.
The world finally settled down around him and he opened his eyes. He found Nathan and Mapiya looking at him in
concern.
“I said I’m
fine.” He then leaned over and kissed
Mapiya on the lips to assure her of his health.
“Well, ya
fever’s down, that’s one good thing.
How’s the head? Still got a
headache?”
“No. It seems their gone,” replied Chris.
“For now,”
stated Nathan, checking the healed head wound.
“Where’s
Vin?” queried Chris, eyeing Nathan and Mapiya with a glare.
“He said he
had something to take care of. He’ll be
back soon,” responded Nathan.
“Are you
well?” asked Mapiya doubtfully.
“Yeah. I’m fine.
Just a little thirsty.”
Mapiya
grabbed the waterskin off of the wall of the tipi and handed to Chris. He drank deep until his thirst was quenched.
“Hahóo, Mapiya,”
“You are
welcomed, Emo'ôhtavo
vo'e.”
“Nemehotâtse, Mapiya,” said Chris
smiling gently and touching one her braids.
“Nemehotâtse,
Emo'ôhtavo vo'e,” she answered back, kissing him again on the lips.
Although
Nathan did not understand what was being said, he did know that there something
personal going on between Chris and Mapiya.
He decided that since Chris did not look like he needed any more medical
assistance at the moment, he would go and join the others in the other tipi.
“Since ya
feelin’ better, Chris. I’ll be goin’ to
see what the others are up to. Ya take
it easy, ya hear. Don’t over exert
yourself. Understand?”
“I understand
Nathan,” responded Chris, still keeping his eyes upon Mapiya.
Nathan looked
between the two of them and smiled. “Yeah, well, I’ll be goin. If you need me Mapiya, just come and get
me,” he said crawling through the tipi flap.
Of course,
Chris and Mapiya did not even notice his leaving.
“You will
obey him?” asked Mapiya, her hand gently trailing up and down Chris’ chest.
“Hmmm,”
answered Chris leaning in close to Mapiya and smelling her neck. She smelled of springtime and it brought
back the memories of another time, another woman and another place.
Chris backed
away and Mapiya thought she had done something wrong. “Is there something wrong?”
“No,
Mapiya. No,” said Chris moving towards
her and pulling her into his arms and hugging her lightly.
“You were
thinking of her? Were you not?”
He pushed her
away a little so that he could see her face.
He saw sadness and apprehension in those brown eyes. “You are a very smart woman, Mapiya.”
She smiled
gently, but the emotions he saw in her eyes were still there. He said softly, “My Sarah. My Adam.
They are gone. Murdered by
someone who…who wanted to hurt me. When
you found me, I was trying to find their killers. But I failed and I guess that was when I didn’t care
anymore. I didn’t care what happened
to me or anything around me. I just
hated myself…”
“Shhh,” said
Mapiya, placing her finger on his lips.
“You have found the strength to live again, my love. You have friends that love you and care
about you and you have me.”
“Oh, Mapiya,”
he exclaimed, pulling her back into his arms and kissing her on the
forehead. “You have made me see
that. You have brought me back from the
darkness to the light.” He then hugged
her tightly.
“And so has
White Eagle,” she said softly in his ear.
“He among all did not give up.”
Chris
released her and smiled. “Yes. Yes, he did that.”
All of a
sudden they heard someone entering the tipi.
They both pulled apart and turned to face the intruder.
Young Man
came into the tent and they could see the surprise on his face at finding
Emo'ôhtavo vo'e awake.
“Epeva'e,”
said Young Man. “You are awake and
well, I see.”
Chris bowed
to the young Cheyenne in acknowledgement.
“Much well,” replied Chris in Cheyenne.
“It is good to see my brother, Kovaahe again. It has been long time since our talks.”
“That is
true, Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. The people were
worried that you would not wake. It has
gladdened my heart to see this is not true.”
He then looked at Mapiya and said, “It is good to see you too, Wise
Woman. You smile today and it is good
to see again.”
“Hahóo, Kovaahe,” responded Mapiya, bowing slightly to the warrior. “I will finish preparing food for tonight.”
“Do not
prepare much, Wise Woman. Fasting will begin tomorrow before the rise of the
sun in the Hoxéheome.”
She nodded
that she understood.
“I have come
to teach you the way of the Sun Dance and what is expected of you. Your kinsmen, the one we call White Eagle
and the Big Harry Faced Man, where are they?”
“He means Vin
and Buck. They were designated as your
kinsmen for the Sun Dance and the wedding ceremony. They are to be taught also in order to help you during the
ceremonies,” explained Mapiya.
“I do not
know. White Eagle went to perform some
task and Buck Wilmington is in the other tipi.”
Young Man
turned to Mapiya and said, “Please get them and bring them here.” Broking no argument from her, he watched
Mapiya quickly leave the tipi to find the others. Once she was gone, Young Man took a position to sit in front of
Chris.
“I will tell
you the way. You will endure or you will die and if you die, you shame not only
your people, but Mapiya as well.”
Chris nodded
and said, “I understand.” He was
determined not to fail, no matter the cost to himself. There was more at stake than his life.
“You must
also understand that if you fail, then ó'kôhóme will be victorious.”
This
statement startled Chris for he had been in and out of it for the past few days
and knew nothing of ó'kôhóme’s treachery.
“ó'kôhóme? What part is he of this?”
“Have your
friends not told you?” He saw the
confusion on Emo'ôhtavo vo'e’s face and knew they had not. “Then I will tell
you. ó'kôhóme plans treachery. Not just against you, but against his
father. We of the Dog Clan know he
speaks with crooked tongue and tries to turn others against our Chief. Nâhahétsêstoveha! He is very
dangerous like a snake.”
“I
understand. I will be careful.”
“Epeva'e. Now let us start. I will
speak to your kinsmen when they have come.”
And Young Man started relating to Chris about the Sun Dance and how it
was a very important part of being a Cheyenne.
*************************************************************************************************************
Vin and Buck
returned with Mapiya to a darkened interior. They found Young Man sitting
serenely by the fire, staring into the embers and Chris again had fallen
asleep.
The fire was
getting low and Mapiya quickly took wood from the side to place on the embers,
urging the fire to grow.
Young Man
sighed and finally turned to acknowledge their presence.
He said in
Cheyenne, “You are late.” It was not an
accusation, only a simple statement.
Vin replied
in Cheyenne, “I am sorry. We did not
mean to be.”
Young Man
nodded that although it was not acceptable, it was understood. After all, they were still just white men
and did not understand the Cheyenne way. He motioned for them to take a place
across from him by the fire.
Vin sat
cross-legged down on the floor. Buck
followed his example, removing his hat and placing it on the ground next to
him.
“What I will
tell you no white man ears heard before.
You have been given a great honor among the people and being kinsmen of
Emo'ôhtavo vo'e who we deem worthy, you have been deemed worthy also.” Vin translated to Buck what Young Man had
said.
“So what is
it he planning on us doing and is it gonna hurt?” asked Buck worried.
Vin glared at
him in ire. “Buck, just listen. Don’t talk. Listen.”
Buck nodded
and knew that Vin was trying to save him from doing something insulting that
would upset the Cheyenne.
Young Man
glanced at Vin, but did not expect a translation of Buck’s comment. He knew by the tone of White Eagle that the
white man had made a stupid statement and it was not worth taking notice of.
Vin nodded
his head at Young Man, signaling him to continue.
For the next
three hours, Young Man explained to the two men what they would be required to
do. At times, Buck was sick to his
stomach when he heard what Chris would have to endure. But Vin stood firm. He knew he had to be the strong one since he
was the only one who really understood what Chris would have to endure.
When Young
Man was done, he then said to Vin, “I will be coming back for Emo'ôhtavo vo'e
before the rising of the sun. Please
have him bathed and ready as I have explained.
And make sure that the Buck Man understands what must be done for the
wedding ceremony.”
“I will,”
said Vin and grabbed his arm in the same way that Chris and he had in
friendship.
Young Man
nodded to Mapiya and Buck and then exited the tipi.
“Well,”
started Buck. “That was real interesting. I wonder if Chris understands what he’s
gettin’ into.”
“I do, Buck,”
came Chris’ voice from the other side of the tipi.
Vin, Buck and
Mapiya all turned to see Chris sitting up on his pallet, awake.
“Hey, Stud,”
said Buck, moving closer to his friend.
“How you feelin’?”
“Good enough
to hear your loud mouth in my sleep,” answered Chris smirking at his long time
friend.
“Chris, you
know we’ve been friends for a lot of years.
And you know how much I loved Sarah and that boy of yours. And Mapiya,
she is the gentlest creature and one of the most kindest woman I ever
met.” He then turned to Mapiya. “Sorry to be talking about you as if you
weren’t here, Ma’am.”
Mapiya bowed
in understanding, but said nothing.
“I’m just
worried about this hear ceremony, Chris.
Do you realize what they want you to do?”
“Yes, I do,
Buck. And you should know by now that
I’m a big boy and I can take care of myself.
I thank you for your concern, Buck, but I need to do this.”
Buck saw the
pleading in those green eyes and knew that no matter what he said, Chris was
going to go through with it.
“Okay,
Chris. You know I’ll stand by you until
the end.”
“You always
have, Buck. Always said I can count on
you,” said Chris smiling broadly.
Buck looked
at Chris doubtfully, but then Chris’ smile was contagious and he felt his own
big grin coming out. He then leaned close to Chris so that no one could hear
his next statement. He whispered, “When
this is over, you have got to tell me what Native love is like.”
Chris
whispered back, “Buck, told you once and I’ll tell you again. Get your brain out of your pants.”
Buck laughed
loudly at that and gently clapped Chris on the back. He then went to sit back at the fire. He had felt Vin itching to get over to Chris and he would not
delay it any longer.
Once Buck
moved, Vin came to sit besides Chris.
Vin looked him up and down, appraising him.
“See
something interesting, Vin?”
“Nope. Just a blond-haired, skinny-ass, pain in the
ass, Injun.”
“You mad at
me too?” asked Chris, his eyes glancing at Vin in apprehension. He saw anger in Vin’s eyes, but he saw
something else too. Something he did
not think he would ever seen in the eyes of Vin Tanner. It was fear. Of what, Chris did not know.
“What would
make ya think that, Larabee? Because I
watched ya ride out of town without nary a word in the past five months? Or because I have to watch ya go through
this dang ceremony and maybe die.”
Chris knew
now that the anger and fear was one of his causing. It was because of his decision concerning the Cheyenne.
“Vin, you do
understand why I have to do this, don’t you?” implored Chris, grabbing his
friends hands into his.
“I
understand, Chris. I just don’t like
it. We just got ya back and now…” Vin
trailed off, not being able to finish.
‘And now I
might die?’ thought Chris to himself.
But he did not say it out loud to Vin.
He said, “I love Mapiya, Vin, with all my heart. You’re my friend and I expect you to be
happy for me.”
“I am
Chris. It’s just that…”
“Vin. No matter what happens. You will always be my friend. Nothing will change that. And if I survive, it will be because of you,
Mapiya and the boys.”
Vin blue eyes
looked at him with hope. Maybe things will turn out for the best. “Well, if ya don’t, I swear, I’ll follow ya
scrawny ass all the way to hell and drag ya damn sorry-ass back.”
Chris
chuckled at this comment. That was the
Vin he knew. They clasped hands in
their traditional handshake and Vin felt a heavy weight leave his heart. But so did Chris.
“Time to
eat,” interrupted Mapiya, also smiling over at the two. She was happy that the two most important
men in her life had now healed their secret wounds. Maybe it will be the same for her brother. She could only hope.
As they all
sat around the fire, eating their food, they each slid into their own dreams of
happiness and success.
Translations:
Hahóo – thank you
Nemehotâtse –
I love you
Epeva'e – It
is good
Hoxéheome –
sweat lodge/tipi
Nâhahétsêstoveha! - Be leery of him!
*************************************************************************************************************
Young Man had
kept to his word. He came to the tipi
before the sun was about to come up to take Chris to the Hoxéheome. Vin had helped Larabee to cleanse his body on the outside before
Young Man arrived. His body would be
cleansed from the inside during his time in the Hoxéheome.
Young Man had
explained to Chris, Vin and Buck that Emo'ôhtavo vo'e would
be taken with the other warriors who were to go through the initiation to the
Hoxéheome. There, they would be
purified through a sweat that would remove any bad spiritual residue that may
be in the body from the outside world.
They would also be given a plant to chew, peyote, which would induce the
participant to dream and with luck, they would have a vision that would show
them a message from Ma'heónemâhta'sóoma.
Once the
purification was over with, they would be brought still under the influence of
the drug that would cause euphoria to the Sun Dance tipi. This tipi is created with spiritual
ceremonies performed by the medicine man of the tribe. Ma'emestahke, the Medicine Man of the tribe would conduct the Sun Dance
rituals needed for the blessing of the event and its participants.
They would
have to blow whistles made from eagle bone and would dance into the Sun Dance
tipi. After an hour of dancing, they
would then lie down and pieces of bone with holes would be placed into slits of
their skins near their breasts. Rawhide
thongs would be tied to these bones and then the dancer would be told to rise
and start their dance anew.
The ending of
the ceremony is usually ended when all dancers have pulled the bones either
through the skin and breaking the hold, or breaking the thongs from the pole it
was tied to.
After this,
all participants would be taken again back to the Hoxéheome for their final
cleansing. Once this was done, then
they were allowed to eat.
Usually the
first warrior to break the hold was considering the strongest among all, but
there was no shame for the last one either.
To accomplish such a feat was considered an honor to the Great Spirit
and it meant that each warrior were blessed by Ma'heónemâhta'sóoma.
“Are you
ready, brother?” asked Young Man in Cheyenne.
“Heehe'e,” answered Chris, getting up
slowly from his pallet. As he did, he
felt light-headed and almost stumbled from the dizziness.
Vin quickly
grabbed under his arm to steady him, although his face was one of worry. “Are you sure about this, Chris?”
Chris saw the
pained look his friend had given him, but he knew he still had to go through
with the ceremony. Not to do so, would
be disastrous for all, including Chief Aenohe, who he thought of as his
surrogate father.
“Vin, we
discussed this. I know you have your
doubts, but it’s something I gotta do, not just for myself.”
Vin nodded,
but still kept his hold on the blond.
“You don’t
have to watch, if you don’t want to,” came the blond Cheyenne soft murmur.
“I’m goin’,”
announced Vin determinedly.
Chris did not
think Vin had heard his remark, but he forgot that the Texan had ears like a
fox.
“Okay,
Vin. In fact, I’m glad that you’ll be
there.”
“To hell and
back, Chris. I’ll always be there to
watch ya back.”
“Thanks,
Vin. What about the others?”
Vin eyes took
on a saddened look. “Well, Buck, JD and Ezra said they rather just keep guard
of the area. Make sure none of
ó'kôhóme’s men start no trouble. But
Josiah and Nathan will be there watchin’.”
Chris knew
that that it was for the best that Buck, JD and Ezra did not attend. Although he knew they really cared what
happened to him, he did not think he could stand seeing their faces as he was
sliced opened and as he endured the sacrifice of pain that would follow.
But he also
knew Vin and Josiah would be stronger having had dealings with this ceremony
before. Nathan was there just in case
things did not go well, although earlier he did express his distaste for the
ceremony, but he did understand why it had to be done from Chris’ point of view
and the Cheyenne.
Vin then
smiled slightly and said, “Néto'sêho'sóehe?”
This was
directed at Chris and Vin knew that he spoke Cheyenne very well.
Chris glared
at him annoyed and said, “Did you just ask me if I’m going to dance?”
“Hey,
Cowboy. I ain’t the one in this here
ceremony,” replied Vin smirking at him.
“Go to hell,
Tanner,” retorted Chris, smiling also.
“Ya first,
Larabee,” remarked Vin, bowing towards the open flap.
“Nómonêhe'še!” said Chris in
Cheyenne. He then followed Young Man
out of the tipi through the flap.
Vin followed
closely behind, decidedly not to the let the blond Cheyenne out of his sights.
*
* * * *
Chris felt as if he was going to melt away with the steam from the sweat lodge. His head lay on the back of the animal skin that surrounded the structure and felt the stifling heat burning his skin. He glanced at the companions that shared his ordeal. He knew them as Taa'eveameohtse, Nightwalker and Maahe'ôhtamehnêstse, Walking with Arrow. They were the young sons of two of the tribal leaders.
They were destined to be part of the Dog Clan also and would have to settle their tipis outside of the camp like Chris and Mapiya. Nightwalker who seemed the most adult of the two, turned to Chris and said, “Emo'ôhtavo vo'e’s heart should not be troubled. You will not fail us, brother.”
It seemed that Nightwalker knew what Chris was thinking, knew Chris’ doubts were coming to the front among the heat and was trying to give him the courage to do what he must. “Thank you, Nightwalker. I will not fail my brothers nor shame my people,” replied Chris. “It is just that I feel…” “You are no longer a white man, Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. Your skin maybe lighter than ours, but your heart, your mind and your soul run red like the Cheyenne.” Chris pondered Nightwalker statement. Did it really? His memory was coming back to him and remembered that his heart, mind and soul had once belonged to six men that he also called brothers. If he stayed among the Cheyenne, with Mapiya and her people, would his heart, mind and soul still belong to those men? Would he continue to call them brothers? Nightwalker noticed the deathly silence that followed his statement. He then said, “Do not despair, brother. The Great Spirit has plans for you although you do not see it yet. Be still. Listen and you shall hear his message.” Chris could only nod at the young man’s wisdom and he then closed his eyes in hopes of finding his vision to tell him which way to go. He was not asleep long when the flap opened and Ma'emestahke, Red Owl, the Medicine Man came into the tipi. He looked at each of the men appraisingly and that was when Chris noticed that he carried a wooden bowl in his hands. He had some type of a brown and brittle substance. He passed the bowl to Nightwalker, who took some between his fingers and put it into his mouth. Walking with Arrow followed suit and then it became Chris’ turn to take some of the mixture. Chris took some between his fingers and put it into his mouth. He chewed the substance and almost gagged at the bitter taste of it. It made him nauseous, but he knew he had to endure. It was peyote and although Chris had seen it before, he had never partook of its bitterness. As he continued to chew the substance, as did the other men, he felt such a weightlessness overcome him. His body aches and pains seemed to drift away with the heat. Gradually, he started to feel a burst of energy and a heightened of his senses. As time went on and he continued to chew the peyote, the burst of energy seemed to dissipate and he was left feeling faint and unsteady. But then that changed over the next few minutes for then he was seeing strange colors and lights even with his eyes closed. Chris did not feel as hands lifted him from his seat in the sweat lodge and pulled him outside. He did not understand when someone put an instrument in his mouth and told him to blow, but blow he did. He blew and blew and blew until he thought his lungs would burst. He did hear the beating of the drums that were played as he was led by these hands to stand under a large tipi. He watched as skulls of a buffalo and feathers of an eagle played dancingly around the top of a pole as the soft south wind blew. He also did not care, as hands pushed him down on the ground under this tipi and the fact that he saw Ma'emestahke kneel over him, holding a knife dripping with blood. The only thing Chris knew was that everything seemed different to him and a calm came over him for instance. But it was in the next instance that he felt pain, so great a pain in his chest that it felt as if someone had ripped out his heart. Vin watched from the sidelines along with Josiah and Nathan as a drugged Chris was led into the tipi. He wanted to shout to him, to let him know that he was here, but he knew to do so would mean certain death for Chris. He watched as the Medicine Man knelt over Chris, holding the bloody knife that he had used on the other two warriors. His fear rose in his throat, as he watched the man start the first slit into the skin of Larabee. He clenched his hands into fists as he watched his friend’s body arch up in torment as he felt the slit being created. Then he prayed that Chris would loose consciousness, but it would not seem to be what was planned. The medicine man then moved a little to the other side, obscuring Vin’s, Josiah’s and Nathan’s views. But they all heard the groan that had escaped Chris as the second slit was made. Vin felt his heart almost stop in anguish of his friend’s pain. Vin’s face and body language did not go unnoticed by Josiah and Nathan. They both grabbed each of his arms, preventing him from rising or running to their friend in pain. They knew they had to abide by Chris’ wishes and if need be, by force, they would make the young tracker also. When Chris was finally hooked up to the rawhide thongs, Vin and the others watched the medicine man help their friend to stand and to take his place next to his brother warriors. They also saw him place some substance into the blond’s mouth and watched as he chewed it vigorously. They all knew it was peyote and Nathan felt qualms about the drug being used on an already sick man. But he held his tongue at this time. If he deemed that Larabee was at any great risk at anytime, he would voice his objection to the Chief and the Medicine man. Chris was his friend and he did not want to see him die needlessly. The medicine man then leaned near Chris’ ear and whispered something the others could not hear. Vin and the others watched as Chris started to sway and dance as the other two warriors had. Vin did not know how Chris knew what steps to make in the dance, but he did. They watched as he danced like a marionette on a string to the beat of the drums and singing of the people. Nathan leaned over to Vin and whispered, “How long is this gon’na to take?” “Cain’t really tell, Nathan. It could take hours or days. It only ends when they all break away from their bonds.” “Ya know that was peyote that he gave ‘im, don’t ya?” “Yeah, Nate. I know,” answered Vin, his eyes still on the blond Cheyenne as he danced his methodical dance. “So, what? We wait?” “That’s about it,” said Vin. He had planned on keeping his eyes on Chris, but he saw a figure push its way through the throng of the crowd. “ó'kôhóme!” spat Vin out of the side of his mouth. “Mapiya’s brother?” questioned Josiah. “Where?” “Straight ahead. To the right of ya, Josiah.” Josiah turned his head slightly to the right and caught sight of the warrior has he moved closer to stand near the front of the crowd. Josiah noticed that his brown eyes were trained on their friend and he could see it was one of hate. This man was up to no good and he knew Larabee was in the center of it. “Do we need to do something, brother?” “Not yet, Josiah. I’ll let ya know if anythin’ changes,” said Vin, his eyes never leaving the dangerous man. “I just pray Chris comes out of this alive,” interjected Nathan. “I think the Cheyenne’s God have plans for our Mr. Larabee,” said Josiah thoughtfully. “I just hope ya right, Josiah. Chris needs all the help he can get right now,” stated Vin. He then went back to keeping his vigil over his friend.
Hahóo – thank you
Hoxéheome – sweat lodge/tipi
Heehe'e - YesMa'heónemâhta'sóoma – Holy Spirit/Great Spirit
Néto'sêho'sóehe? – Are you going to dance?Nómonêhe'še! – Let’s go!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note on the
Sun Dance:
“To those
not familiar with Sioux culture, the Sun Dance may seem brutal. It was outlawed
by the federal government in l904 and only recently has its practice been permitted
under special circumstances. The controversial part of the ceremony is known as
piercing. After an hour of dancing and singing around the cottonwood tree, a
dancer lays down on his back. The medicine man cuts two slits in the skin of
his chest above each nipple. He then pulls up the skin, opening the wounds wide
enough to slip a peg through each pair of slits. He wraps a rawhide thong
around the exposed ends of the pegs and ties on a single rope, much like the
Y-shaped tow line of a water skier, the top of the Y tied to the tree. The
dancer rises and resumes dancing and blowing on his whistle. He dances
backwards until the rope is taut, his skin stretching against the tug of the
rope. Other dancers encourage him in a fury of dancing, whooping and whistling.
Finally, by leaning back, dancing and screeching on his whistle, he rips the
pegs from his flesh. Soon another dancer takes his turn.
The Sioux
believe flesh represents ignorance, encapsulating the spirit. Breaking the skin
is meant to release the individual spirit for submission to the Great Spirit,
Wakan-Tanka. The shedding of blood symbolized the merging of the dancer's blood
with tribesmen who died in battle, and the mother in childbirth. Through eight
days of dancing, fasting and sweating, the dancers purify themselves for
Wakan-Tanka.”
This article
in full can be found at the web site below.
It was written by Mikkel Aaland who participated somewhat in the
ritual. The Native American tribes who
practiced this dance were: The Arapaho, Arikara, Asbinboine, Cheyenne, Crow,
Gros, Ventre, Hidutsa, Sioux, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibway, Sarasi, Omaha,
Ponca, Ute, Shoshone, Kiowa, and Blackfoot tribes. Their rituals varied from
tribe to tribe.
http://www.cyberbohemia.com/Pages/aguest.htm
***************************************************************************************************************
Mapiya sat in the Hoxéheome that was created for
her. She was preparing for her marriage
to Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. She was excited and happy, but she also had
her apprehension about the ceremony.
She did not fool herself into believing that her brother would have
changed his mind about her future husband or his people. In fact, she had thought he had become worse
as more time went by.
She and her father had discussed the
sacred Sun Dance ceremony. In truth it
was not necessary for Emo'ôhtavo vo'e to go through with the ceremony. It was the only way her father and the
Medicine Man could come up with to save his life and bide him some time to heal
to be able to deal with her brother on his own terms.
For if he succeeded, he not only proved
his worth to the people and what would be considered his tribe, he would also
be off limits to her brother’s treachery.
Her brother could not attack Emo'ôhtavo vo'e without the rules of tribal
law that governed all Cheyenne and her brother would have to abide by it or
else face dire consequences.
As a white man, Emo'ôhtavo vo'e would
be fair game by any warrior within the tribe.
But as true Cheyenne warrior and believer of the Great Spirit, it would
not be so easy for her brother to inflict his guile and deceit without angering
the people and the Great Spirit. It was
frowned upon for another warrior to attack another warrior who has not healed
yet from the Sun Dance. It was basically unthinkable. ó'kôhóme would not be
able to challenge him until he was well enough to defend himself. Mapiya just hoped that it was enough.
*
* * * *
The three warriors continued to dance
as the sun slowly dipped behind the night sky.
It had been hours and although the darkness had come upon them, the people
still played the drums and sang with the same vigor as in the beginning.
Chris and the other two warriors,
although were tiring and felt the burning increase in their chests, it did
nothing to dissuade them from their purpose.
Vin, Nathan and Josiah were still
sitting on the side with the other spectators watching the grueling event take
place. They had watched as Chris fell
one time, but then saw him stagger back to his feet, pulling on the taut
rawhide, hoping to break its hold on him.
At that time, his friends were praying
also that it would break and end their friend’s self-inflicted torture, but it
did not come.
That had been two hours ago and now
they watched as the men danced in and outward to the drums. Each time they moved to the outer part of
the circle, they would pull hard on their bonds, hoping to break them, but each
time they still held.
Nathan kept his eyes on not only Chris,
but the other two warriors as well. His
only objection to Chris being in this ceremony was that he was not as healthy
as the other two. The other two were
tiring now, and he knew Chris had to be close to collapsing. But the blond Cheyenne surprised him each
time he thought it would the end.
Josiah prayed the whole ordeal would be
over soon. He did not like anyone in
pain, especially his friends. But he
knew had to do with more than the physical.
This was a real test of faith, something that he had thought lost to
most people years ago. He now found it
in a simple people who wanted only to live in peace and raise their children in
the way they were taught, honoring their people’s traditions.
Vin sat solemnly watching over his best
friend. He could tell that his friend
was in pain, but he also could tell that his friend was determined to
succeed. The bond between them quivered
with the ebbing of Larabee’s strength, but Vin would not let it break. He sent waves and waves of strength to the
blond, hoping it would be enough.
Emo'ôhtavo vo'e, also known as Chris
Larabee felt as if his chest would explode.
The pull on his skin was making him nauseous and the peyote he had taken
was not helping. He stomped his feet,
moving back and forth within the circle, never letting his resolve waver. He knew if he did, all would be lost,
including his right to call Mapiya his own.
From green eye slits, he watched his
friends look on in horror as blood pooled down his chest and legs onto the dirt
floor as he continued to dance. He also
noticed the way Vin kept his fists clenched in his lap. He knew the brown-haired tracker wanted to
remove his bonds and take Chris away from all the pain. But he also knew that if he did that, that
Chris would never forgive him and he would never forgive himself.
Chris closed his eyes against his
friend’s anguish and tried to ride out the next wave of pain that came from him
leaning backward against the rawhide.
He pulled as hard as he could, hoping to break it and end the
ritual. But it did not happen. The drums continued beating and he danced
back into the middle of the tipi.
As he started to dance closer to the
pole in the center, his head started to spin and swim. As he leaned his head back, watching the
buffalo skulls spin around and around, he saw a shadow come across the tipi. He stared at the top of the tipi near the air
hole and a dark cloud started to form above.
At first, Chris assumed that a
rainstorm was probably on its way and he knew, rain or no, the ceremony would
continue. He kept his eyes focused on
that cloud and as each minute passed the cloud started to take the shape of a
man, a Cheyenne warrior. Chris squinted
at the image and watched it as it solidified.
The clouds surrounding the warrior also
started to transform. In the end they
became a white buffalo and a white eagle.
They both seemed to be as if they were guarding the warrior from any
danger. Chris was about to convince
himself that the peyote was playing with his mind when the warrior spoke.
“Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. Hoxéhetane. You have come seeking a vision.”
Chris did not know what to say. Was he dreaming? Was he unconscious and did not know it? He looked around and saw that he was still in the Sun Dance tipi
and his friends were sitting on the side.
The people still surrounded the dancers, the drums still played and
singing continued. No. He was not dreaming. He was wide awake and having a conversation
with a cloud. He looked back up at the
cloud warrior.
“Do not doubt, Emo'ôhtavo vo'e,” said the voice of the
cloud warrior. “I have been sent by the Great Spirit to talk to the white man
who is not white and the Cheyenne who is not Cheyenne. Your heart is split in
two, as so the way your blood runs. You
think that you might fail your white people, but you also feel you will fail
your red people. This is your fear
talking. Do not listen to it. Do not obey it. Do not let it lead you from your chosen path.”
Chris found his voice finally and
asked, “What should I do? How do I make
it right?”
“The wise man does not ask how, but
does. Step your feet upon the path of
your heart. But remember whichever path you choose will bring change to
both. Seek out the Netse
Ôhvo'komaestse,” said the cloud warrior holding his arm out as the eagle cloud
landing on it. “He shall give you the
strength you need.”
“The White Eagle? Vin?”
“The Netse Ôhvo'komaestse, Emo'ôhtavo
vo'e.”
Vin and the others watched as Chris
started speaking in Cheyenne to someone they could not see. They were worried that the ordeal was
becoming overpowering for Chris.
“Who’s he talking to?” asked Nathan,
concern crossing his face.
“Don’t rightly know,” replied Vin,
mirroring Nathan’s face. “I don’t see
anyone.”
“Neither do I, Brother Vin. You think he’s seeing things?”
“Could be,” answered Nathan. “He’s taken peyote and he wasn’t that well
to begin with.”
Vin then heard his named spoken softly
by the blond gunslinger.
“Did he just say your name?” asked
Josiah.
“Yeah, I think he did. But I cain’t get over there. Not without causin’ trouble.” Vin was itching to run over to his friend,
but he held fast to where he sat. All
he could do, just like everyone else, was to watch his friend dance with death
and pray that he survived.
Chris still gazed upon the warrior and
he felt he had truly received his vision from the Great Spirit. He felt elated and happy. He felt as if
nothing could stop him from succeeding now.
“Emo'ôhtavo vo'e! Break your bonds, my son and join your
warrior brothers!” was the words that Chris heard, while everyone else heard
thunder.
Chris looked over to where Vin, Nathan
and Josiah sat and his green eyes clear and bright, nodded to them.
Vin gasped as he knew what Chris was
planning on doing. He stood up, but
felt as two pairs of hands pulled him back down in his seat. He yelled, “No, Chris!”
But Chris only smiled and he started to
dance back towards the edge of the circle.
He felt the pull of the rawhide rope go rigid with resistance. But Chris only pulled harder still, digging
his heals into the dirt and kept backing away from the pole.
Vin on the other side of the circle was
still trying to get Nathan and Josiah to let him go. But it was to no avail.
They were not only saving Chris, but Vin also. What Vin did not see was that ó'kôhóme was waiting for him to
break the circle and create a sacrilege.
It would give him the opportunity to be rid of not only Chris, but his
white men friends too. Nathan and
Josiah were determined not to let that happen.
Suddenly there came the sound of
something popping and the next minute when Vin looked Chris was on the ground
bleeding profusively from his chest, but his bonds were broken. He was no longer tethered to the center
pole.
The Medicine Man knelt down next to
Chris and checked his eyes. He then
motioned for two young braves from the Dog Clan to pick him up and bade them to
take him to Chief Aenohe’s tipi.
By this time, Vin was biting at the bit
to get loose from his friends. The
Medicine Man, Red Owl then turned to
Vin and the others and said in Cheyenne, “You may follow your friend and tend
him. Chief Aenohe will come to speak
with him. He has words for his ears”
Vin felt someone pull him away from the
Sun Dance tipi, but he did not care.
The image of his friend ripping the skin from his chest and bleeding on
the ground still seared his mind.
Nathan knew Vin was in shock, as they
all were. But he knew with Vin and
Chris it went deeper.
“You…must go…Chief’s home,” said Young
Man in English to them.
Vin ignored the fact that Young Man
could speak any English, but Nathan and Josiah were surprised.
“You speak English?” asked Josiah,
still dragging Vin between them.
“Little…not much,” replied Young Man
motioning them towards Chief Aenohe’s home.
“Thank you, Brother,” replied Josiah,
helping Nathan to guide the young tracker towards his soul mate and friend.
Young Man only bowed his
acknowledgement and went back to the Sun Dance. It was not over until the other two warriors had broken their
bonds. He just hoped that his newly warrior brother would survive his wounds. Otherwise, they would have a brave man to
mourn, white or red.
Hoxéhetane – Sun Dancer
Netse Ôhvo'komaestse – White Eagle
************************************************************************************************************
Chris felt a fire burning in his chest.
Although he was dreaming, he still felt the pain of reality. His memories took
him back to another time, another place and another fire. Sarah and Adam were burning. The fire was consuming them and he could not
reach them. No! Please God, no! Not again!
“No!
Please God, no! Not again!” came
the scream from the pallet that bore their friend.
Nathan, Vin and Mapiya crawled quickly
over to the sleeping blond who was currently trying to fight his way out of a
nightmare. Mapiya grabbed his arms as
gently as she could. “Emo'ôhtavo vo'e,
please wake, my love,” she said gently in Cheyenne.
Chris did not hear her and continued to
struggle, now against Vin and Nathan who tried to keep the man from disturbing
the two wounds on his chest.
“Chris. Come on. Calm down,
Pard,” said Vin softly, grabbing his shoulders to keep him still.
“Please! They’re burning! Buck,
let me go to them!”
“Emo'ôhtavo vo'e, please, wake up, my
love,” said Mapiya brushing back the sweat-drenched hair from his forehead.
Suddenly they were staring into two
green eyes full of fright. The eyes
wandered over the faces above him and found the ones he was looking for.
“Mapiya! Vin! I remember, I remember,” was all that Chris kept saying.
Vin and Mapiya looked to Nathan with
fear and concern. Vin and Nathan knew
that Chris was remembering what had happened to his family, their murder, their
death, but Mapiya knew none of this.
She only knew that her betrothed was hurting and frightened.
“Emo'ôhtavo vo'e, what is wrong?”
“Mapiya. Mapiya, my family was murdered!
Killed,” he explained covering his face with his hands. “They were killed by my own people. By white men! vé'ho'e! Why?
How could they?”
“Netse Ôhvo'komaestse, what is he…” she
asked Vin in Cheyenne worried.
“Don’t worry, Mapiya. It’s goin’ to be alright. Why don’t ya go over there and get ‘im some
water,” replied Vin trying to soothe her worries.
Mapiya looked at him doubtfully.
“Please, Mapiya,” pleaded Vin. He needed time alone with Chris to help him
deal with pain.
Mapiya nodded and finally understood
what Vin wanted. She said, “I will make
him something to eat also.” And she
walked away towards the other side of the tipi.
Vin then turned to Nathan, but Nathan
already knew what he wanted. “I’ll
start making a new poultices for those cuts.”
And he also slipped quietly away.
Vin then turned his attention back to
his friend. “Hey, Cowboy, what ya
tryin’ to do? Scare the hell out of
us?” he asked smiling gently at his disturbed friend.
Chris hands fell from his face and then
looked into the blue eyes of his best friend.
“Vin…I saw how they died. I
saw. Everything. I remembered, but this time…this time I
saw,” said Chris distraught.
Vin could see that his friend was in
anguish about the nightmare and it troubled him deeply. He thought that since he remembered them it
would be same as remembering the incident, but now he found out how untrue that
was.
“Chris, Pard, I understand what might
be goin’ on in ya head, now. But ya got
to listen to me, okay?”
Chris nodded, not being able to speak
with the thoughts of the torture his family suffered still fresh in his mind.
“It’s passed, Pard. Gone and passed. Ya have Mapiya now and the rest of us here and ain’t nothin’ bad
gon’na happen to ya while we’re here.
Understand?”
Chris again only nodded, not able to
find his voice to express his tormented feelings.
“Now, why don’t cha try and get some
sleep. We’ll be here when ya wake up and
if ya don’t do everythin’ that Mapiya and Nathan tell ya to do, I’ll kick your
skinny ass, understand?” stated Vin quirking his eyes down at him.
Chris smiled thinly. This man was his friend and he knew him
better than he knew himself. “Thanks,
Vin,” he answered and grabbed his forearm in their special handshake of
friendship.
“You’re welcome, Pard. Now close them baby green eyes,” said Vin as
they released their hold.
Chris felt calm and relieved by Vin’s
words and presence. His eyes closed and
searched out for the darkness that came with sleep.
As soon as Vin saw that Chris was
finally asleep, he slowly crawled over to Mapiya and Nathan.
“He’s sleep right now,” he said eyeing
the soup that Mapiya was now pouring into a bowl. “I don’t think he gon’na be up to the soup.”
Mapiya smiled hesitantly at him and
said, “It will keep warm.” And she poured it back into the simmering pot.
“How is he?” asked Nathan uncertainly.
He was unsure whether the blond gunslinger would be able to handle the way his
memories were returning. He had deep
concerns about it not being healthy.
“I think he just needs some time,
Nate,” replied Vin knowing how upset the incident had made him and Mapiya.
“Do ya think he’s going to be able to
deal with ‘em?”
“I don’t rightly know. But I think we should give ‘im a chance.”
“I don’t…understand, Netse
Ôhvo'komaestse,” interrupted Mapiya fear cloudy all thought.
“Mapiya,” started Vin as he grabbed her
hands into his. “Do not worry. It will be fine.”
Mapiya could only nod at his
statement. She still had some doubts
about whether or not it will be. She
was still troubled by her brother’s actions and hatred and was fearful that it
would interfere with her and her people’s happiness.
Just then, the tent flap fell backward
and an elderly woman walked in. Mapiya
knew it was Ma'eve'keso,
Red Bird. She knew it was time for her
to finish with the makings of her wedding dress for the ceremony tomorrow. Although it was moving quickly, it was what
Mapiya and Emo'ôhtavo
vo'e wanted. They did not want to delay
the start of their happiness together.
Chief Aenohe had agreed, but reluctantly. Usually the courting would be of a longer period, but he knew of
Mapiya’s fears and wished to do everything in his power to allay his only
daughter’s anxiety.
“Mapiya, it is time,” said Ma'eve'keso in Cheyenne.
“I will be there,” answered Mapiya in
the same.
The woman nodded and walked back the
way she had come, closing the flap softly.
Mapiya turned to Vin and said in
Cheyenne, “It is time for me to finish with my tasks for my wedding. Will you watch him for me?”
“Always,” replied Vin.
“Thank you. I will be sending his wedding clothes with Young Man. The wedding will be held tomorrow when sun
is high in sky in the middle of the camp.
I will not be able to see him until then.”
“I am sure that it will be a great
wedding, Mapiya,” said Vin smiling softly at her to show his support.
“With you at his side, it could no
other way.”
Mapiya then crawled over to Chris and
kissed him gently on the forehead.
“Sleep well, my love. Tomorrow
will be our day.” She then crawled out
of the tipi.
Nathan turned to Vin curious. He had not understood any of the
conversation. “Where did Mapiya go?”
“She went to finish her wedding
plans. The wedding is to take place
tomorrow at noon in the middle of the camp.
She can’t see Chris until then.”
“And Chris? How is he going to do this?
He ain’t in any shape right now.”
“Mapiya and Chris wanted to get married
quick.”
Nathan stared at Vin surprised. Vin saw his look and knew what he was
thinking. “It ain’t like that
Nathan! They just want to get it over
with considerin’ all the trouble ‘cause of her brother. And to tell ya the truth. I don’t blame them.”
“But Vin, you basically been against
this since the beginning.”
“I know, Nate. But I changed my mind. Chris loves her and I know she loves
him. They should be together. I just…I just…”
“I know, Vin,” said Nathan placing his
hand on the young tracker’s shoulder.
“Ya just didn’t want to loose ya friend.”
“Yeah,” said Vin, bowing his head in
sadness.
“Well, knowin’ how close the two of ya
are, I doubt if ya would be loosin’ Chris anytime soon,” said Nathan trying to
cheer the young man up. He then smiled
widely at Vin.
Vin felt a little better and said,
“Well, I’ll tell ya somethin’. I just
hope I get it right, otherwise Chris might end up marryin’ Buck.”
They both burst out laughing at that
thought.
*
* * *
*
Ezra and Josiah walked around the
Cheyenne encampment taking in the sights.
To tell the truth, Josiah needed to
meditate on what would happen tomorrow, while Ezra was busy trying to determine
if there was anything of usefulness he could garner from this unexpected
excursion. Ezra had decided he needed Josiah’s translation skills in order to
accomplish this, as Vin Tanner was preoccupied at the moment.
“Mr. Sanchez, now what are those things
the children are playing with?” asked Ezra, pointing the stones that the
children were playing with inside a circle on the ground.
Josiah looked over and saw that the
children were engrossed in a game where colored stones were being rolled into a
circle on the ground.
“Their stones, Ezra. Why are you interested in them?” asked
Josiah suspiciously.
“Well, I was just wondering what type
of stones are they? They really shine
and seem to have a glassy type color,” answered Ezra strolling towards the
Cheyenne children.
“Ezra, they’re not valuable.”
“How do you come to that summation, Mr.
Sanchez?”
“I’m telling you they ain’t worth a
damn. They just colored stones.”
“Well, they certainly aren’t rubies or
diamonds, my good preacher,” said Ezra thoughtfully. “But you gentlemen are not
very visionary and do not necessarily share my heightened foresight.”
Josiah turned to face him with a look
of amazement. “Ezra, if shit was
considered valuable, I believe you would be willing to get your prissy hands
dirty to get as much as you can.”
“Mr. Sanchez, I am highly offended at
that remark at my person. I am only
trying to make this grueling ordeal worth the effort,” retorted Ezra, his face
showing his ire at Josiah’s comment.
“What you sir, do not realize is that
every cloud has its silver lining and I plan to find it.” Ezra then walked off towards the children to
see if he could barter with them.
Josiah stood where he was and just
rolled his eyes to the sky. “Lord, I
know that we are all God’s creatures, but sometimes I wonder about him” he said
mostly to himself.
* * * * *
Josiah was still standing near a tipi,
watching as Ezra tried to bargain with the young Cheyennes. But to Josiah’s relief, he was not
succeeding very well without his translator.
He was about to go over to Ezra and
children and interrupt the bartering, when he heard voices in Cheyenne behind
him on the other side of the tipi.
“ó'kôhóme thinks we will be rid of the
tsêhésevé'ho'e soon,” said a male voice in Cheyenne.
Josiah ears suddenly perked up. His sessions with Ma'emestahke, the Medicine
Man, had increased his ability in deciphering the Cheyenne language. He knew that tsêhésevé'ho'e or half-breed
that they spoke of had to be one Chris Larabee.
“And how does he knows this?” asked
another male voice in Cheyenne.
“Because he is a great warrior and a
great leader. His mind sees the future
and he has plans.”
“And these plans are for the
tsêhésevé'ho'e?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“After the wedding. ó'kôhóme is not stupid. He will not try it before then. But after, the tsêhésevé'ho'e will be in the
happy hunting grounds,” said the man, laughing heartily.
“We must be rid of all of these
vé'ho'e! They have tainted our people
with their ways.”
“Do not worry, brother. They will join their friend. I will let you know when our brother has
decided on the gathering.”
With that the conversation ended.
Josiah felt chills crawl up his spine,
but it was not from weather or the wind.
He cautiously made his way over to Ezra
and knelt down so that he was close enough to whisper into his ear.
“Ezra, we need to leave.”
“I am busy, Mr. Sanchez. It will have to wait.”
“Ezra!” snarled Josiah, grabbing him by
his arm and pulling up on his feet.
“Now, I said!”
Ezra looked at him perturbed at the
anger shown in the man’s face. But then
he reasoned if Josiah was this anxious to leave, it could not be good.
“Very well, Mr. Sanchez,” he said
removing Josiah’s hand from his arm and brushing the dirt off his pants
legs. “Let us proceed.”
Josiah turned and starting walking
towards Chief Aenohe’s tipi, while Ezra followed closely behind.
**********************************************************************************************************
It was later that day when Buck and JD
came crawling into the tipi and joined Chris and the others.
“Wow!” exclaimed Buck coming in noisily
and plopping down at the fire. “These
Cheyenne women sure have strange ways.”
Nathan motioned for Buck to lower his
voice. He pointed emphatically over to
the sleeping blond.
“Oh, sorry,” said Buck now
whispering. “But them little fillies
are just so shy. I couldn’t get one of
them to walk with me.”
“Buck, Cheyenne women are raised to be
chaste and pure,” explained Josiah.
“Chaste?”
“I believe what Mr. Sanchez is trying
to state, Mr. Wilmington is that these women abstain from personal relations
outside of marriage,” came Ezra’s statement.
“Ezra, why don’t cha speak English.”
“They ain’t loose, Buck!” exclaimed Vin
annoyed at his denseness.
Buck’s face fell. “Oh,” was all that he replied. He then grinned and said, “What about…”
“No,” spoke up Josiah.
“But what about…”
“No!” interrupted Vin.
“Okay.
Just asking,” he said and sat down next to Vin.
“How’s Chris doin’?” asked JD, his eyes
sliding over to his sleeping hero, sitting down next to Ezra.
“Mite better than I thought he
would. But we got somethin’ more
important to talk about,” replied Nathan.
“Yeah,” started Vin. “We was waitin’ on ya.”
Buck and JD noticed that Vin face was
very serious and solemn. They knew
whatever it was it was not good news.
“So what’s crawling up ya hide, Vin?”
asked Buck.
“Josiah overhead some men of ó'kôhóme
talkin’ bout a surprise they got planned for Chris.”
“I guess it ain’t a birthday party.”
“No, it ain’t, Buck,” interjected
Josiah. “And it also seems that they
have somethin’ planned for us too.”
“Well, I knew it was too good to last,”
sighed Buck eyeing his fellow comrades.
“But the Chief ain’t gon’na let
anythin’ happen to us,” piped in JD.
Vin and the others looked at him in his
naivety.
“JD, the Chief has enough problems
tryin’ to keep peace. I don’t think
Mapiya’s brother is gon’na do anythin’ that goes against their laws. But it’s not unlikely that he got somethin’
up his sleeve that’s within Cheyenne law.
The problem is we don’t know what it is,” explained Vin.
“So what do we do?” asked Nathan.
“Well gentlemen, it is not my
contention to stay here and die. It is
also not my contention to leave Mr. Larabee behind, even if I do think he’s a
pain in the ass sometimes.” Ezra like
the others had formed a special bond with the blond gunslinger and although his
survival instincts were raging through him, he would never abandon the man.
“We watch each others back,” suggested
Vin.
“But what about Chris?” asked JD, his
face marred with worry.
“One of us stays with ‘im at all
times,” answered Vin.
Buck started to chuckling softly, “I
don’t think once Chris is married that he gon’na go along with that, Vin.”
“I believe Mr. Wilmington is correct,
Mr. Tanner. I do not think our dear Mr.
Larabee will be pleased at us intervening in his wedding nuptials,” said Ezra,
a smile gracing his face slowly. “In
fact, if it were me, I would feel the same way.”
The others looked at Ezra in
agreement. They knew the blond Cheyenne
was not about to let anything come between him and his new wife.
“I’ll think of somethin’,” proposed
Vin.
“I hope so,” said Nathan. “’Cause if ya don’t I have feelin’ we gon’na
have some big trouble on our hands.”
“What trouble?” asked a voice from the
other side of the tipi.
They all turned to see Chris sitting up
on one elbow, eyes haggard, but clear, staring at them. He had heard the voices in his sleep and as
he had approached wakefulness, he realized it was of his friends, talking in
serious tones. Considering the emotions
he heard in their tone, he decided it was time he woke and joined the
conversation.
They just stared at him as if they were
seeing something unbelievable.
“Chris, ya awake!” exclaimed Buck after
he was released from his stupor.
“Yeah, guess I am,” replied Chris,
brushing his long hair out of his face and sitting up straighter on the
pallet. He noticed amazement on their
faces and had a feeling that he was missing something. “Didn’t answer my question, though.”
“What question was that?” asked Nathan,
crawling over to Chris and starting to examine him. Nathan was tried to look under the poultices he had placed on the
wounds to his chest to see how it was, but Chris swatted Nathan’s hand away,
irritated by the fact that they were avoiding his question.
“What trouble, Vin?” asked Chris, his
green eyes boring into the young tracker’s blue ones.
Vin knew there was no way he was going
to get around Chris’ question and he would not lie to the man. “Seems Mapiya’s brother is plannin’ some
sort of surprise for us and it ain’t good.”
Chris nodded in understanding, happy
that his friend had not lied to him.
“When?”
“Soon.
Not ‘til after the wedding.”
“Plan?”
“Somethin’.”
“How?”
“Thinkin’.’”
Buck and the others smiled as they
watched the old Larabee-Tanner silent connection come alive again.
“How long?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Okay,” came Chris’ finally reply.
“Can someone tell me just what went on
just now?” asked JD.
“Basically, Mr. Dunne, Mr. Tanner has
explained to Mr. Larabee that he has a proposal to thwart our nemesis
diabolical measures and he will finalize it by tomorrow,” explained Ezra.
“Can someone who speaks English tell me what’s going on?”
pleaded JD.
“Vin has an idea on how we can stop
Mapiya’s brother, but he ain’t figure it out all yet,” expounded Josiah.
“Oh,” responded JD satisfied.
Chris then turned to Nathan and said, “Nate,
anything to eat? I’m hungry. Stomach’s talkin’ awfully loud here.”
Nathan smiled widely, happy that the
man’s appetite was back. It meant that
he was well onto the way to recovery.
“Mapiya left ya some soup. I’ll get ya a bowl and when ya done, I need
to look at those wounds,” answered Nathan.
He then went back to the pot of soup still simmering on the fire.
“Sure, Nathan,” said Chris nodding
thoughtfully. “Mapiya?”
“Went to finish gettin’ ready for ya
wedding, Cowboy. It’s tomorrow, remember?”
asked Vin, a grin creeping slowly on his face.
“Yeah.
Head’s a little fuzzy, but not that fuzzy.
“Knowed it wouldn’t be, Pard, with a
lovely filly like that,” said Buck winking at Chris.
Chris remembered that Buck had
interrupted them previously in the midst of their tryst under the buffalo
blankets and if he was not still so flush from just getting over a fever, his
old friend would have seen him blush.
“Buck,” was all Chris said, glaring at
him.
Buck immediately closed his mouth, but
continued to smile inwardly at his effort in making the blond man
uncomfortable.
“Well, I have to agree with Mr. Larabee
and say that I am famished to the point of starvation.”
“Then I think we should all eat and God
willing our heads will be much more clearer after our repast,” suggested
Josiah.
The others agreed as Nathan filled the
bowls with soup and passed them around to everyone.
*
* * *
*
ó'kôhóme and a few of the men of the Wolf
and Buffalo Clans stood a mile outside of the encampment.
ó'kôhóme had called them there to
discuss his plans and he did not want the prying eyes of his father’s spies
around.
“You have a plan, ó'kôhóme?” asked Anetâheveoeso of the Buffalo Clan.
“How many have agreed?”
“Only the ones you see here, Anetâheveoeso ,Havêsevevoona'o, O'kenêstse and myself,” replied Ka'evêsehe.
“And the ones here of the Wolf Clan, Po'êxao'o, Taa'evâho'nehe, Ve'kêseo'ôhnešese, and Seoneohtse. That makes nine,” said ó'kôhóme. “The others are cowards!”
“But what if they are right, ó'kôhóme?” questioned Po'êxao'o. “What if what we do is wrong?”
ó'kôhóme turned a glare at the young Cheyenne warrior. “Are you a coward too, Po'êxao'o?”
“No!” exclaimed Po'êxao'o. “I am as brave as the bravest.” “Then stand besides us, brother and do not waver in your pledge.” The young Cheyenne warrior nodded. “I have not spoken of my plan because I know my father’s ears and eyes are constantly upon me. But the time has come. Our time has come and nothing will stop the storm that is coming! Change will be our shields and a new Chief will be brought forth. My sister is a betrayer and has forsaken her people for the tsêhésevé'ho'e. My father has become weak and does not remember the days when the Cheyenne put fear into the white men’s hearts. They are dead to me. No longer my blood or family.”
“So what is it you ask of us?” queried Ka'evêsehe. “I can do nothing until after the wedding ceremony. But afterwards there is a way to be rid of this sickness that has invaded our people.” “How?” “The day after the ceremony I want you to place this in the belongings of the one known as Vin Tanner,” he handed Ka'evêsehe something wrapped in a deerskin. Ka'evêsehe opened the bundle and all the warriors stared at it in awe. It was an arrow, laced with an eagle feather and it looked worn and old. “The Sacred Arrow!” “Yes. I took it from my father’s home before the white man came. He has not noticed that it was missing since we have not had a Sacred Arrow ceremony for many moons.” “The Sacred Arrow? This is very bad medicine, brother,” said Ka'evêsehe nervously. The other warriors murmured their agreement. “Do you not understand, my brother? The Great Spirit is working through me. He has shown me that these white devils do not belong here and has tasked me to remove them. You, my brothers, will become a great part of our legend and history. The people will look upon you as the great warriors you are.” The men now looked at him swelling with pride. Their names would be remembered for all time ó'kôhóme saw that he had them bound to him. They would not waver and they would not betray him. “Once you have placed the Sacred Arrow among the belongings of the white man, I will tell my father that I have found it missing. I will also tell him that I have seen who has taken it and will prove it so. As soon as it is out in the open, at that time I will challenge Emo'ôhtavo vo'e’s white brother to a fight to the death. Vin Tanner will have no choice but to answer the challenge.” “I do not know about this plan, brother,” said Po'êxao'o concerned. “It does not seem to be a very honorable way to…”
“He'kotoo'êstse! The white man is not human. They are demons that spread through our land like a disease. They do not live by honor. They do not deserve honor.”
Po'êxao'o was still unsure about the plan, but he did believe what ó'kôhóme said was true. He nodded in acceptance and said no more.
“But what if Emo'ôhtavo vo'e tries to prevent it?” asked Taa'evâho'nehe.
“He will not. He knows the law. Once his brother is dead, Emo'ôhtavo vo'e will have to challenge me to avenge his brother. I will accept the challenge, but I will have the advantage.” “How?” asked O'kenêstse.
“We all know how good I am with the knife.” They all nodded at him. Everyone in the camp knew of his prowess with the blade. He had killed many an enemy. Most warriors who knew did not fight him with the knife, but preferred the spear. “What if he wins?” asked Ka'evêsehe. This received him a threatening look from the Chief’s son. “No matter. If I die, then my father and sister will end up hating him. The people will no longer love him and I will have victory even in death. The white men and their tsêhésevé'ho'e friend will be banished. I have sworn to myself and the Great Spirit that I will rid ourselves of this evil or I will die trying.” At this statement the other warriors thought of him as a brave and powerful warrior. He had accepted death. The surety of his plan awed them. “Dance, celebrate tomorrow, for the next day we shall have our vengeance.” They all whooped and yelled for the coming victory over the invaders of their land.
Anetâheveoeso – Stands Different
Havêsevevoona'o – Bad Morning
O'kenêstse – One Eye
Ka'evêsehe – Stump HornPo'êxao'o – Gray SkunkTaa'evâho'nehe – Night WolfVe'kêseo'ôhnešese – Two BirdsSeoneohtse – Wandering Around
tsêhésevé'ho'e – half-breed (half Cheyenne/half white man)He'kotoo'êstse! – Sit still! Be quiet!
************************************************************************************************************
The rest of the day proceeded without
incident. Most of the six stayed closed
to their leader, making sure that no one brought harm to the still healing
man. Young Man had stopped by with the
things that Chris, Vin and Buck would need for the wedding ceremony tomorrow. He had also brought him a gift.
Since the first time he had met the
young blond Cheyenne, he had at first not thought him suited for the wise woman
of the tribe. Mapiya was important to
them as she was in charge of the tribe’s heart and soul. But as time went on, he found himself
admiring the man more and more. So much
more he presented Chris with a medicine bag that he especially had asked to be
made for Chris by their Medicine Man.
He said as he placed it around Chris’
neck, “This will protect you from bad spirits.
It will give you strength when you think to falter.”
Chris thanked his friend Young Man and
told him that he would wear it with honor.
Young Man nodded that it was good and walked out of the tipi.
Now, they were waiting for the return
of Chief Aenohe. He had not been seen for
two days now and Chris was beginning to worry.
He had asked Smoke Appears to find out if everything was fine with his
elderly Cheyenne father and when Smoke Appears finally returned, the boy said
the Chief’s message was that everything was as well as can be expected and that
he would be returning this night.
It was late in the night when Chris
felt the need to escape the tipi. The
others were asleep as it had been a long day.
They had talked after eating way into the night and Vin’s plan had still
some flaws. Chris had suggested another
plan, one that would keep the others and Mapiya from getting involved. But the others quickly voiced their
disagreement with it. If they were to
fight, then they would stand together, to the end. Although Chris did not agree with them, he could do nothing to
dissuade them. He thought maybe in the
morning things would look a little better.
He slowly eased the buffalo blanket
from his body and tried to move his stiff body. The wounds at his chest pulled as he sat up, but did not break
loose. Nathan had done a very good job
stitching them up and he was glad that he did not ruin the man’s work.
He then pulled up to his knees, his
breath coming in quick gasps. It had
been so long since he had really had the use of his body and his strength was
still not up to what it was. He finally
got to his feet, a little hunched over, but standing and smiled at his small
accomplishment. He then quietly walked
out of the tipi into the brisk night air.
Vin watched as his friend determinedly
got up from his sick bed and walked out of the tipi. He thought him sleep, but the young tracker was always alert
since he knew Mapiya’s brother was up to no good. He would not let his friend walk alone into the night.
Chris stood outside the tipi and looked
around at the sleeping camp. Even the
dogs were quiet this night and the air refreshed him and gave him a new
prospective on life. But so did Mapiya. She had came into his life like a tiny angel
and had saved him from the darkness that was his companion for so long. Now his angel was to be his on the morrow
and it seemed to him that all the world was put right.
He looked up into the night sky and saw
how clear the sky was this night. The
clouds danced silently with the north wind and created a picturesque scene upon
the darkness like a painted landscape.
He breathed in deeply letting the air fill his lungs.
He stared at the sky, wishing it could
answer the one question that haunted him.
What was his place among the Cheyenne and what is it the Great Spirit
wanted him to do. He was so confused and unsure of his destiny or his future.
The Great Spirit had said that he was
white man who is not white and the Cheyenne who is not Cheyenne, that he would
bring change whichever path he choose.
He had found peace among the Cheyenne, a peace that was missing from him
for so long. He had also found love
again, the same kind he had found with his lost wife Sarah. He had a chance to start all over again,
under a new name, a new identity, a new life.
But what of his old life. The life that included six men who he had
come to love as brothers. What of the
little boy that reminded him of so much of his son, Billy, was his name. What of him and his mother, Mary? At this
moment, Mapiya was his life, his only reason for living now. Mary and Billy were far away right now, only
a memory it seemed. Mapiya was real and
she loved him as much as he loved her.
He thoughts churned in his head, swirling around in his mind.
Suddenly he left a presence behind him
and snatched his knife from his boot, turning to face the shadow.
But his eyes found themselves upon not
an enemy, but a friend, a brother.
“Vin, what are you doing up?” he asked,
re-sheathing his knife and approaching the Texan.
“Where was ya going?” asked Vin,
concern shadowing his mind.
“Just getting some air. Couldn’t breathe in there,” answered Chris,
turning to stare back up at the sky.
“Ya been sick a long time, Cowboy. It’s just cabin-fever. Ain’t it?”
“Yeah.
I guess so,” replied Chris wistfully.
“I guess so.”
“Somethin’ wrong, Chris?” Vin had felt that there was a disturbance
within the man’s soul, something so deep that it cut his soul in two.
“I…I don’t know.”
“Gettin’ cold feet there, Pard?”
“No.
No, not cold feet ‘bout Mapiya.
I am so sure of this, Vin. I
can’t be without her. If it wasn’t for
Mapiya I don’t know where I would be today.”
“Are ya sure it’s just not that ya
grateful to her?” Vin asked, feeling he might have hit a sore point on the
subject. He was sure Chris was going to
get pissed at him.
But Chris did not. He looked at his brother and friend. He said, “Yes. I am grateful for what she has done for me. But it is much more than that, my
friend. I am also grateful that she
loves me, as I love her.”
“Well, Chris, cain’t say ya don’t
deserve it. I’m glad she makes ya
happy, Cowboy.”
“Thank you, Vin. I am also grateful to you, Pard. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you,” he said,
placing his hand to squeeze Vin’s shoulder gently.
“Had to. If ya dead, who’s skinny ass I’m goin’ to have around to kick,”
answered Vin smiling.
Chris laughed at that and pulled the
young man with him as they walked back over to the tipi.
“Did I ever tell you I was gonna shoot
you?”
“Sure did,” responded Vin as he ducked
into the tipi. “’Bout a thousand
times.”
“Shoulda done it,” retorted Chris as he
walked into the tipi behind, hearing Vin chuckling silently at the comment.
*
* * *
*
Chief Aenohe arrived at the tipi before
the morning sun rose. He looked around
and found his home crowded with white men, but right now his interest was only
in one white Cheyenne.
Vin and Chris had talked for an hour
before they both found their beds and when Chief Aenohe arrived he saw that all
were deeply asleep. He gazed at his
adopted son, the blond hair shining in the light of the still high blazing fire
and smiled. This man had captured his
heart as any child of his would. He had
made him proud and had shown his strength in the testing of the Sun Dance. He could not have asked for a better man to
be part of his family.
His thoughts then turned to his own
son, the blood of his loins. Now
considered a traitor to his own, the young man looked to destroy all that he
had tried to give his people, peace.
This tore the Chief’s heart asunder.
He loved his adopted son, but he loved his blood son as well and now one
of them is making him choose, which he did not want to. He wanted his daughter to be happy, he
wanted his son to know that same happiness, but the hatred in his heart would
not let him see clearly and in the end it would cause only death.
He leaned down close to the blond
Cheyenne and said, “Šé'šeotsêstse, nae'ha. Wake up and see the dawning of the new day.”
Chris moaned and turned on his side,
but still did not wake.
“Šé'šeotsêstse, nae'ha!” said Chief Aenohe, this time shaking his adopted son gently.
Chris green eyes opened and he sat up
abruptly. Chief Aenohe laid a his hand
softly on his shoulder, keeping him calm.
Chris blinked twice and then looked into the eyes of his adopted father.
“Ného'éehe?” came Chris’ sleepy
question as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“It is I, my son. It is time to talk of things to you. Please come with me,” said Chief Aenohe, motioning
towards the flap door.
Chris nodded that he would follow and
watched the old chieftain walk out of the tipi. He then stood up to follow, but quickly glanced over to where Vin
Tanner was fast asleep. Or so he
thought.
“Where ya goin’, Chris?” came the voice
from the sleeping form. Although Vin
had voiced his question, he did not turn to face him.
“Need to talk to the chief for a
minute. Be back,” answered Chris,
starting for the flap.
“Ya better be or I’m comin’ after ya,”
came the soft reply from the still form.
Chris smiled as he went out of the
tipi.
*
* * * *
Chris and Chief Aenohe sat in front of
the tipi and spoke of many things as the sun came up. They did not go far as the Chief knew of the pain Emo'ôhtavo vo'e
still felt from his wounds. He knew the
man should be resting, but things were moving too fast and he needed to prepare
his son for what was to come.
They both sat in front of the tipi,
looking at the peeking dawn that was slowly approaching and bringing the new
day.
Chief Aenohe looked at the new Cheyenne
warrior and smiled. “This day brings
pride into my heart, my son. You are
now one of the people and soon you will start your own family,” said Chief
Aenohe thoughtfully.
Chris glanced quickly over to his
adopted father and chief and said, “I am also happy, father. But…”
“But you are concerned as to what is
your purpose among the people?”
Chris was surprised at how wise the old
chief was and that he could read him so easily. “Yes. I had a vision and
in it I saw a Cloud Warrior. He told me
that I should not let my fear stop me from doing what I know in my heart is
true and that my strength would come from White Eagle But he did not tell what
is I must do.”
Chief Aenohe knew the name given to the
white man known as Vin Tanner by his daughter and Emo'ôhtavo vo'e. He also thought it suited the young lanky
ex-buffalo hunter. “So, White Eagle is
your strength. That is good, my son
because it is my believe that you will need it.”
Chris stared at the old Cheyenne chief
wondering what that meant. “I do not
understand, father.”
“You will, my son. Very soon.
For now, you must keep your eyes open and listen with your heart. The land and the sky tell us many things
only if we wished to see. Treachery may come, but not today. Not the day of your wedding, this I
know. I will help as much as I can, but
in the end it will be all up to you. I have done all that I can,” explained Chief
Aenohe sadly.
Chris understood that the chief wanted
to help him and that his hands were tied.
He could not interfere if his supposedly new brother and brother-in-law
would use Cheyenne law against him. But Chris was determined not to go down
without a fight.
“Father,” said Chris taking the elderly
man’s hands into his. “I understand.”
“You will be a great Cheyenne, my
son. I have faith in you,” said Chief
Aenohe, standing up from his seat, still holding onto Chris’ hands. “My daughter is a very lucky woman to have
you.” The Chief then walked away
towards the medicine man’s tipi.
Chris watched as the Chief walked away,
seemingly to show how much his already older than 50 years heavily weighed on
his shoulders.
As soon as Chris was sure that he was
gone, he turned to go back into the tipi, when a heard the soft whisper of his
Cheyenne name from behind him.
He turned to find Mapiya standing in
the sliver of dawn that was approaching the camp. He smiled to her and she held her finger to her lips to convey
that she needed his silence. He nodded
that he understood and let her lead him by the hand away from the tipi and the
encampment.
Once Mapiya was sure that they were far
enough from prying eyes and ears, she swiftly hugged Chris to her and kissed
him hard on the lips. Chris returned it
with a fervor; letting his hands wander up and down her back. When they were done, they both pulled their
mouths away with a breathlessness.
“I have missed you so much, my
beloved,” said Mapiya in Cheyenne hurriedly kissing him on his cheeks and neck.
“And I have also,” said Chris returning
the same to her. They both longed for
everything to be over with, for them to be together, but it seems that fate had
other plans and kept postponing the beginning of the lives together.
Chris hugged Mapiya hard, not wanting to
let her go or wanting the moment to end.
His heart was light when he was with her and the shadows of the past
seemed to melt away at her touch. The
love he felt for this woman was equal to the love he had felt for his
Sarah. The difference was that Sarah
was not alive and Mapiya was.
Mapiya looked into the green eyes of
her lover and held them. “You are my
love, my life. Without you there is
nothing,” she said, kissing him upon the lips.
Chris held her face cupped in his
hands. “You are my love, my life. Without you there is nothing,” he said
repeating the vows. He then released her face only after planting a kiss upon
her forehead.
They held each other close, letting the
dawn wash over them. They stood like
that for a while, watching the sun come up with the new day. Mapiya slowly lifted her head up towards his
and said, “It is time to go, my beloved.
We will have our time later. But
right now, you need rest. It will be a
long day.” She touched a strand of
blond hair that blew in the wind and pushed it away from his face.
Chris knew she was right, but he also
felt his heart become torn at leaving her again. Mapiya saw the look of dismay on his face. She clasped his large hands within her small
ones. With gentleness and love, she
pulled his hands to her lips and kissed each of them. “This bonds us, with or without the ceremony. In life or death, you are mine and I am
yours.”
Chris heart lightened at this
statement. Yes. They belonged to each other and if any man
or woman tried, to destroy that bond they had just better be prepared for the
Black Storm’s rage.
“You are right, my shining eyes.” He then switched to English. “We better hurry or White Eagle will come
huntin’ and drag my ass back,” he said smiling.
Mapiya laughed as they walked quickly
back to the encampment and to their wedding day.
TBC
Translations:
Šé'šeotsêstse - Wake up.
nae'ha – my son.
Ného'éehe? – Father
Black Storm Home Page Chapter
1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 - 5 Chapter 6 - 10 Chapter 11 - 15
Chapter 16 - 21 Chapter 22 - 27 Chapter 28 - 33 Chapter 34 - 40 Chapter 48 - 55