Chapter 6

Sky Dancer’s hand trembled as she finished braiding her hair, in which she’d interwoven colored leather thongs. Soon, she would be wed to a stranger and expected to share sleeping robes with him. Nausea gripped her as she thought about it.

She Sings watched her daughter, noting the tense expression on her face. She finished making the chokecherry and willow bark tea and gave Sky Dancer a cup. “Drink this. It will help your nerves. I know you are worried, but I believe that you will be happy one day. Sendeh has brought this all about for a reason. We only have to wait to see what that reason is.”

“Yes. I know.” Her tone conveyed her doubt. She was now resigned to her fate, but still nervous about the impending wedding night.

What kind of husband would Dark Horse be? Would he be kind and understanding or harsh and demanding? It was hard to tell because he’d gone back and forth from angry and insulting to approachable and funny. Was he always so temperamental? It looked as though she would have ample opportunity to find out.

She finished with her hair and drank her tea before putting on her ceremonial dress. It would have to do since she hadn’t had time to make a wedding dress. She refused to don the dress she’d worn on her first wedding day. It was packed with her other belongings, ready to load on a pack horse in the morning.

“You look beautiful.” She Sings ran her fingers lightly over Sky Dancer’s shoulder.

Sky Dancer smiled a little. “It is only because I do not want to embarrass our people that I have prepared myself this way. I do not care what he thinks.”

She Sings nodded. “I know. Everyone appreciates your sacrifice.”

Sky Dancer just nodded and bit back the bitter words that rose in her throat. She wouldn’t whine about her circumstances.

Someone scratched on their family’s tipi flap, and She Sings welcomed them inside. Growling Wolf and Sleek Doe ducked through the opening. Sky Dancer’s grandmother exclaimed over her loveliness and Growling Wolf agreed.

“All of the Lakota maidens will envy you when they see you. Both for your great beauty and for marrying a warrior of Dark Horse’s status. No doubt some maidens had their eyes on him. He is a skilled war leader who is descended from powerful men, and he is not unpleasing to look at,” Sleek Doe said.

The teasing light in her eyes made Sky Dancer laugh. “I see Grandfather has enlisted you to help convince me that this is a good thing.”

Growling Wolf grunted. “It is time.”

Terror suddenly gripped Sky Dancer and she couldn’t move from where she sat. Sleek Doe saw her scared expression and took her hand. “Granddaughter, all will be well. Come. Let us not keep everyone waiting.”

He didn’t say it, but Growling Wolf’s expression told her to be strong and act like the granddaughter of the chief should. The anger this brought on gave Sky Dancer the impetus to rise. Resisting the urge to send an angry glance Growling Wolf’s way, she left the tipi.

Broken Bow sought out Dark Horse, finding him with Chirping Cricket and Rushing Bull at the medicine lodge.

“I wish to speak to you in private,” he said.

Dark Horse nodded and followed Broken Bow to a more secluded part of the camp.

Broken Bow gathered his thoughts as he regarded the brave. “My daughter has suffered great loss and deserves to be treated with kindness. I do not know you, and I do not want her to marry you and leave us. You are our enemy, and the thought of her being married to you sickens me. Know this: if I find out that you have mistreated her in any way, I will kill you without remorse.”

Some men would have been offended by Broken Bow’s statements, but Dark Horse knew that it was his fierce love for Sky Dancer talking. He would feel the same way if he were in Broken Bow’s place. “I promise that she will come to no harm and that she will become accepted and be respected. I will be as kind and as patient as possible, but I can already tell that she is willful and sharp-tongued. I will do my best to hold mine in check.”

Broken Bow couldn’t hold back a small smile. “Yes. She will test you at every turn, which I consider good revenge.”

Dark Horse chuckled as Chirping Cricket beckoned them to follow him to the central fire. “It looks as though it is time.”

Broken Bow nodded. “Yes.”

The two men walked side-by-side, each dreading the coming wedding for much the same reasons, but Dark Horse had a different regret. He’d always imagined marrying a Lakota maiden, surrounded by his family and friends. He’d wanted to court a girl, to play the flute for her and give her family fine horses and other tokens of esteem.

He’d wanted to step into the circle of a blanket that his chosen maiden held open for him and steal a kiss when she closed it around them. All of that had been taken away from him, and he felt the loss in his soul. Instead, he was marrying a Kiowa widow, whom he didn’t know. He hadn’t had time to get to know her or to court her.

As he watched Sky Dancer walk towards him wearing a beautiful buckskin dress that was cream in color and decorated with blue-and-white beadwork, Dark Horse wished that he wore his own traditional ceremonial garb. He felt woefully underdressed and was suddenly self-conscious. However, if someone had offered to lend him something to wear, he would’ve refused it because it wouldn’t have been Lakota clothing.

Irritated by his momentary weakness, he straightened his spine and raised his head, letting everyone see that despite his lack of suitable attire, he was worthy of his intended. Instead of worrying about his clothing, he concentrated on Chirping Cricket, once again wondering how this mere boy could possess power.

Sky Dancer gazed upon Dark Horse, but in her mind’s eye, she saw a much different man. One who hadn’t been as tall or handsome as Dark Horse, but who had been the embodiment of all that a good man should be. Her wedding to Badger had been a magical affair, and, to her, he’d been the most handsome groom in the world.

His dark eyes had been filled with love and laughter. Joy over their union had emanated from him. It had filled her heart with such light that she’d been sure that it could be seen by everyone. Badger had been her friend, confidant, protector, and lover.

Her vision cleared, and reality hit her hard as she once again saw the man who now stood in front of her. Dark Horse was none of those things. He was nothing to her at all, and yet she would be married to him just a short time from now. She lowered her eyes to hide the tears filling them and waited for the ceremony to begin.

Chirping Cricket’s nerves jangled as the wedding participants gathered in front of him. He knew the ceremony well, but he’d never actually performed it. He’d assisted Singing Water plenty of times, but being solely responsible for carrying out the wedding properly was a different story.

He did his best to keep his fear and uncertainty from his expression as he faced the large group of people assembled. It was important to project confidence and to act with authority. His people needed to be able to rely on him, to know that he could guide them in all things spiritual and to tend to their sick and injured.

Deciding that it was time to get things started, he raised a hand in the air. The voices around him died down until silence filled the clearing.

“We are gathered here today, not only to witness the union of a man and woman, but to witness the joining of two tribes. Through this marriage, we are becoming family, forging a bridge across the divide—”

“They will still not hesitate to murder us!” a man near the back said.

Righteous anger over being interrupted during a sacred ceremony filled Chirping Cricket. “Silence! How dare you question Sendeh’s intentions! You have not seen the things that He has shown me. He has brought our tribes together for a reason, and it is not our place to doubt His will. You will be quiet and show respect to the Creator and to our new family member.”

Growling Wolf approved of Chirping Cricket’s reprimand. Singing Water could not have handled the situation any better.

Chirping Cricket waited a few moments and then resumed the ceremony. He wasn’t consciously aware of the energy that suffused his spirit and lent his voice and mannerisms a new authority. However, his tribe noticed and watched with rapt attention as Chirping Cricket recited various prayers, the last one pleading for the Great Spirit to bless the new union.

When the last words of the prayer left his lips, the sun broke through the canopy of trees overhead and bathed the newlyweds with a dappled, glowing light.

Chirping Cricket smiled as he looked up at the trees. “It is a good omen. You are blessed by Sendeh. May your marriage be full of many years of happiness.”

Looking at the woman who was now his wife, Dark Horse hoped that it was true. They faced great adversity ahead, starting with their own contentious relationship. Could he find common ground with the beautiful, fiery-tempered Sky Dancer, or would they never be able to reconcile their differences?

Glancing Dark Horse’s way, Sky Dancer found his attention focused on her and grew uncomfortable. After meeting his eyes for a few moments, she turned her gaze elsewhere as family and friends came to congratulate the couple.

It was obvious that all of them were wary about the marriage. Normally, the celebration would’ve been boisterous with a lot of dancing and teasing. The atmosphere was subdued, and the happiness was forced as the feast wore on.

Sky Dancer’s anxiety increased as darkness descended, and it grew closer for the time to go to the temporary tipi that had been set up for her and Dark Horse at the west edge of their camp. They would have more privacy there.

Dark Horse ate heartily of the roasted venison, bison, pheasant dishes, and peppery blood soup. Although some of the seasonings used were different, the food was much the same as in his tribe. However, they were surprised by the diversity of the vegetable dishes, which included summer squash, pumpkins, mashed sweet potatoes, and various greens.

These were things that their Lakota band hadn’t eaten much of recently because they were on the move so much at that time. The Lakota braves ate the food with relish.

“Where do you get these vegetables?” Dark Horse asked Sky Dancer as he finished off a second helping of squash.

His almost boyish enjoyment of the dish made her smile. “We trade with the Crow and Mandan for them. They grow very fine crops. We trade our jewelry and stone tools for them.”

The Kiowa were known far and wide for their skill in creating works of art in the form of all manner of jewelry. Earrings, armbands, necklaces, and bracelets were crafted with care and great artistic ability. Their tools were some of the most reliable and intricate of all the tribes and were looted whenever a village was attacked by an enemy tribe.

Rushing Bull plopped a bunch of sweet grapes into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Once he’d swallowed, he asked, “How often do you trade with them?”

Broken Bow sat on a stump not far away. “Twice, maybe three times a year for some things, but during the summer, we trade much more often. We have friends among them, as well as kin.”

Although he only nodded in response, Rushing Bull’s mind mulled over this information. Growling Wolf exchanged a small, conspiratorial smile with his wife over the brave’s preoccupation.

Once it was completely dark, several dances took place, which the Lakota men watched with interest. The dances shared some steps that were similar to theirs, but other moves were different. For all his size, Rushing Bull was graceful and one of his tribe’s best dancers. He sat off to the side with Dark Horse and Sky Dancer, but his body swayed to the drumbeats, and he itched to dance.

Dark Horse forgot himself and nudged Sky Dancer’s arm, drawing attention to his friend. Sky Dancer jumped at his foreign touch, but recovered quickly, looking where Dark Horse pointed. She put her fingers to her lips to prevent a loud laugh from escaping them.

Raising her gaze, she met Dark Horse’s eyes and her breath caught in her throat as she caught the gleam of humor in them. Once again, the approachable, amusing Dark Horse sat beside her, and she felt a momentary pull towards him. It was broken by Willow, one of her best friends.

“Come, Sky Dancer, it is time for us to dance,” she said, smiling.

Dark Horse and Rushing Bull almost didn’t recognize her. She was dressed in a beautiful dress, bedecked with blue and white quills. Small bits of turquoise created lines down the fringed sleeves, catching the firelight. She wore two feathers in her hair and the braves were startled to see that one of them was an eagle feather.

“Now you will see where your wife’s name comes from, Dark Horse,” she signed, her eyes shining with amusement.

Sky Dancer blushed as she stood and followed Willow. As the women assembled for the dance, she cleared her mind of all strife, all trouble so as not to taint the magic of the dance. When the drums started, accompanied by the rattles and the singers, she moved in time with the percussion instruments.