T'on Ma (13 page)

"I'm sorry you had such a fright." She finally turned toward him. "I never did thank you for bringing your troops to look for us. It was a miracle you got there when you did."

Her blue eyes went wide at the recent memory and, now that she had started talking, she found she couldn't stop. Words tumbled from her mouth as if she were trying to explain to herself what she had been through.

"I didn't say inside, but one of them tried to rape me. They killed him and he fell on me, dead. Then, when Centas Yi and Nathan found us, we ran for so long with no food, very little sleep…" Her voice trailed off before she continued, realizing that she wasn't making sense, but not caring. "And they finally caught us. Centas Yi sang his death song and I wasn't going to let myself be taken alive. I made Centas Yi promise. Then we ran out of ammunition and Centas Yi had his knife out and..."

Something inside of her burst open. Now that she was safe at home, she didn't have to be strong anymore.
"…and I didn't want to die!"
Hot tears ran down her face, carrying her fear, panic, anger, and worry with them.

Liam reached for her, pulling her to him. "Sshhh. Sshhh. I don't want to think about it." He closed his eyes against the picture in his mind. "It's enough that we
did
get there in time and that you are all right." Lana clung tightly to his shirt with both hands and buried her face against his chest, sobbing. Not knowing what else to do, he held her while she cried.

After a few moments, she grew quiet and laid her head on his shoulder, feeling safe in his arms. Holding her like that, having her trust him with her raw emotion, being the one who saved her life, pulled her deeper into the young officer's heart. He closed his eyes, relishing the sensation of her leaning against him, taking comfort from his embrace.

Realizing what she was doing, Lana stepped back as she wiped her eyes. "Liam, please excuse me. I shouldn't be crying in your arms like this. You have to know that I have feelings for someone else."

"I know. I saw you kiss him."

"Then you know how I feel."

"Perhaps. But you don't know how I feel." With that, he leaned down and kissed her softly. "That's only a little of how I feel about you," he told her. "There is more. A lot more."

"Oh, Liam, what am I going to do with you?" Lana asked sadly, looking up into his somber eyes. "I can't be mad at the man who just saved my life. But please, don't do that again."

As Lana walked back to the house, Liam watched her with a frown on his face. He had to talk to her again. But not now. There wasn't enough time now, and she was too upset. Within the hour, Lt. O'Connell and his troops headed due east back to the fort, Christina's letter tucked in his top pocket.

They had to travel slowly with the wounded brave, but at last, the Kiowa band arrived and set up its winter camp. Gray Dove worried about her son, not just about his physical wound, but about his state of mind. Leaving T'on Ma had made him depressed and despondent. His mother didn't know what she could do for him.

His friends stopped by to visit when they could. That seemed to do some good for a short while. Time passed and, when he was well enough, Two Hawks went for long rides, always alone. It wasn't enough that he knew he loved T'on Ma. The lonely man now discovered just how much he needed her with him. They had endured so much together, had survived impossible odds. And now, this forced separation was unbearable.

"Mother, I need to speak with you," Two Hawks said one blustery afternoon. The two of them sat around the fire as he watched her cut up vegetables for a stew.

"All right," Gray Dove nodded.

"How did you know you wanted to marry Father?"

Gray Dove looked softly into the fire, thinking of old memories.

"How did I know?" she repeated. "I had admired him for a long time. He was such a good hunter. He lived with honor. And, of course, he is very handsome. I never dreamed he was watching me as well." She grinned. "But he was."

"So, you always knew?"

"Maybe not always. But when I was old enough to consider such matters, then, yes. I suppose I knew for a long time."

"That's how it is with me. When spring comes, I am going to bring Water Woman here." He studied her face for a reaction. Seeing none, he continued. "As my wife."

His mother looked at him. "Your wife?"

"Yes. I need you to show her how to be a good Kiowa wife. How to strike the tipi, gather food, make moccasins, and tan hides. Will you do that? Will you ask my sisters to help?"

Gray Dove shook her head. "You know how I feel about this. If you bring her here, there will only be trouble."

"Perhaps not," he argued. "Not if she is here as my wife. I have certain status in the tribe. They will respect her because of me."

"She will be lonely and unwelcome. Do you want to do that to her?"

"Unwelcome? Even by you?"

Gray Dove sighed. "We are only one family. That is not enough. All the others will be difficult. Especially Corn Flower's family. You know that."

She watched her son scowl before she continued. "Has Water Woman agreed to this? Is she ready to become Kiowa? To denounce her people's ways?"

"We haven't had time to talk about all this," he admitted. "But I think she will."

"You'd better make very sure about that before you bring her here. You are asking her to give up a lot." Gray Dove could tell by Two Hawks' stubborn expression that he wasn't getting a clear picture.

She tried again. "What if your sister fell in love with a bluecoat? What if she wanted to marry him and live at the fort? Would that be all right with you? With our family?"

"I'd forbid it. Everyone knows that soldiers beat their women."

"No, son. Not all soldiers. And it wouldn't be for you to forbid. It would be your sister's choice, even though it would break your heart." Gray Dove paused, looking somberly at her son. "That's what you are doing to us. That's what you'd be doing to Water Woman's family. For all we know, they may think that all Kiowa braves beat their wives."

"But we don't!"

"Of course we don't, but do they know that? Would they let their daughter go to a life they know nothing about?" She reached across to pat his arm. "Please, don't be so selfish that you hurt people. Think very carefully about this."

"I've done nothing
but
think about this," he grumbled.

Two weeks after this conversation, the Kiowa band had six Apache visitors. The elders called a general assembly in the late afternoon to hear their news. The men gathered in the center around the council fire while the women and children stood on the fringes, eager to listen to the visitors. Two Hawks had been out riding all day and arrived after the assembly started. Walking through the women and children, he made his way to sit next to his father.

"You!" someone called loudly. Two Hawks looked up and stopped where he stood. There, pointing an accusatory finger at him, stood the leader of the Apache raiding party, Dark Fist, interrupting the delivery of his news of the forts being built in Texas to glare at Two Hawks.

The Apache pointed to everyone in the circle, calling them to bear witness to his testimony. "This man stole from me. I demand my property to be returned!"

A hushed muttering rolled through the tribe. Two Hawks was no thief!

Tall Moon, the medicine man, rose and asked, "What has our brother stolen from you?"

"Two slave women. I was taking them to Mexico."

Tall Moon turned to look at Two Hawks, knowing he had been in the company of two white women, though Tall Moon had never heard why.

"Is this true, Two Hawks?"

Two Hawks walked over to stand in front of Tall Moon. "No! I was not stealing from him. I was taking back what was already mine."

"Already yours?" Dark Fist asked incredulously. He slowly turned around to carefully study the women ringing them. "I don't see her. Where is she? Bring her here so that I can see she is yours."

"She isn't here now," Two Hawks admitted.

"And it wasn't just one woman, but two that you stole," Dark Fist added. "Are they both yours?"

"No. Just one."

"So you admit to stealing at least one."

"I don't admit to anything."

"Then what do you call it?" Dark Fist laughed derisively.

"Do you always do what your woman - who
isn't
here - tells you?"

The Apaches snickered.

"And, also, why did you fight beside a white man against us? Do you choose him over your Apache friends?"

Many Deer stood up and went to his son. No one else had heard Two Hawks' entire story of rescuing T'on Ma. His son would need his support now. Gray Dove watched with great concern from her place among the women.

"Apache
friends?"
It was Two Hawks' turn to sound incredulous. Lifting his shirt, he pointed to the scar on his back. "My Apache 'friends' did this!" He slowly turned so everyone could see. "As for the white man, he is brother to my woman."

"So, you are now brother to a white man." Dark Fist's voice was full of arrogant accusation. "Which makes you a white man. Which makes you my enemy!" He pulled his knife, threatening Two Hawks.

"Wait! Wait!" Many Deer took a step closer to the Apache. "There is no need for bloodshed over this. Do not let this break the peace between our two nations. How many horses will you take for the women?"

"Horses?"
The Apache spit contemptuously on the ground. "The women were worth many rifles. Can you give me rifles?"

"You know we cannot," Many Deer said.

"Then I demand blood!" Dark Fist lunged toward Two Hawks, but Many Deer's hand on his chest stopped him.

"What if my son helps you find two more women?"

Dark Fist lowered his knife as he considered this offer. "One had blue eyes. She is worth at least two women by herself."

"All right, then. Three women?"

"Yes. Help me capture three women and get them to my village. Then I will be satisfied."

"Agreed?" Many Deer looked back at his son.

"Agreed." Two Hawks nodded.

"Good. We leave at first light," Dark Fist informed him as he put his knife in its sheath. "Be ready." With that settled, the assembly returned to the business at hand.

Early the next morning, Two Hawks said goodbye to his parents and stepped outside to get his horse. He found Laughing Turtle and Crying Fox waiting at the doorway of his tipi.

"What are you doing?" Two Hawks asked.

"We're going with you," Crying Fox informed him.

"That isn't necessary," Two Hawks shook his head.

"Maybe not necessary, but I think three Kiowa with six Apache are better than just one Kiowa. Don't you?"

With that, Two Hawks grinned and leapt on his horse. "Let's ride."

The small raiding party of six Apache and three Kiowa traveled fast for two days, going straight south. Dark Fist seemed to have a specific place in mind as he led the band through the biting wind. By midmorning of the third day, he stopped them and they all dismounted. Leaving one man behind with the horses, the other seven warriors followed Dark Fist to the top of a hill.

From there, they could see the beginnings of a small settlement. There were a few buildings consisting of homes and barns. Several horses were gathered in a corral, tails turned toward the wind. The few people that braved the blustery weather were all men. Several had blond hair and they all had rifles.

Once back down the hill, Dark Fist motioned for Two Hawks, Crying Fox and an Apache to follow him. The warriors crept, unseen, toward a barn on the outskirts of the settlement. Peering inside, they could see one young woman and a boy working there.

"Gretchen, do you think Papa will like the boat I'm carving him?"

"Oh, Helmut, Papa will like anything you make him for his birthday."

"I hope so," Helmut looked up to smile at his sister. His expression turned to one of horror just before he was knocked unconscious by the end of a tomahawk.

Before Gretchen could scream, Crying Fox had his hand over her mouth, holding her against him. When she fought back, Two Hawks sent his tomahawk crashing into her skull, though not as hard as with Helmut. Crying Fox slung her over his shoulder, and the four men made their way back to the others. Throwing the girl across his horse, Crying Fox joined the rest in a mad gallop back the way they had come, buying as much time as they could before their deed was discovered.

Two days later, quite by chance, the raiding party came across a missionary couple with their grown son and teenage daughter. Dark Fist left one guard with Gretchen, and the rest rode hard to chase the missionaries. The small party tried to run, but their wagon was soon surrounded. The father had a rifle, but was so nervous that his first shot missed and, before he could reload for a second shot, they had already killed him. His wife and son were quickly killed as well. The daughter knelt in the back of the wagon and closed her eyes tightly while she prayed. Two Hawks swooped down as he galloped past and lifted her to his horse.

The girl turned to fight, scratch, kick, bite, scream, to do anything she could to get away. With one swift motion, Two Hawks had his knife out of its sheath and the blade pressed against her throat.

"Sshhh," he hissed violently at her. He could feel her trembling in her terror, but at least she grew quiet.

Dark Fist unhitched the two horses from the wagon and added them to his own. When the band rejoined the guard, they bound the captives and put them on horses so they could travel faster.

Dark Fist then turned his band southwest, heading them toward his village, a five-day journey. That night they made a fireless camp by a small creek. The two women huddled together against the cold while Gretchen cried, bemoaning her fate.

"Where are they taking us?" she asked.

"I don't know. But if you don't hush, we won't live to see the morning," Lisa, the missionaries' daughter, warned as she watched the Apache scowling at Gretchen's noise.