Anpo nodded silently, tears beginning to well up in eyes that watched intently.
"So your vision became true - Teca and I left you. You hurt me, though I loved you afterwards." There was another nod and Kathleen gazed up at her warrior. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "But we are here now. And I am healing." She pulled Anpo's head down, closing her eyes with a sigh as their lips met for the first time in over two years.
An immediate fire erupted in Anpo's belly and she explored the familiar territory with her tongue, holding the blonde close. She could feel the rapid heartbeat of her woman beneath her skin, the staccato matching her own heart as it thumped wildly. Hands twined in her hair and the two were alone in their love.
Over the next several days, Stewart received an in depth education in Lakota ceremonies and mating rituals. There were four days of preparation for the Sun Dance with plenty of singing, chanting and dancing. They were followed by three more days of the same, though these were located inside the giant ti ikceya erected in the center of camp. The white man wasn't sure which was worse - the men disfiguring themselves or Anpo holding Teca so the boy could get a clear view of the proceedings.
This was the first Sun Dance that Teca could remember. When the new babies received their ear piercings, he fingered one of his lobes in vague memory. He enjoyed the games and singing, spending quite a bit of his time reacquainting himself with his inanup. His eyes wide as he watched the Dance itself, Anpo's whisper in his ear explaining what was going on. By the end of the ceremony, however, the boy was whooping and cheering with the rest of his people as they honored the warriors.
Kathleen found herself enjoying a strange level of giddiness she'd never experienced. Her time with Anpo was markedly different than before. When she'd first become Anpo's woman, it was her responsibility to take care of the warrior, to fix and serve her food, to keep her clothed in a manner that befitted her status in the camp.
Now, however, it was so different. She would wake to find small gifts of flowers, food or adornments in her place at Stewart's fire. The warrior ate most meals at the fire, getting to know the white man and entertaining all of them with stories. After Teca would be put to bed, Anpo would return and sit just outside the firelight, playing a Lakota flute and drawing the blonde out into the darkness.
A sweet grin crossed Kathleen's lips as she heard her warrior's flute. She glanced at her brother to find a matching smile on his own face.
"Go, Kath," Stewart said in a low voice. "I'll get Teca to bed tonight."
The blonde's smile widened and she scampered off, feeling very much like a child given a reprieve from an onerous chore. Following the sound of the music, she found Anpo seated on a blanket in a dark pocket between lodges. With practiced ease, Kathleen settled down, leaning into her warrior as the tune finished.
Anpo smiled at the blonde as she set the flute aside. She reached out and pulled Kathleen into her lap, holding her close and inhaling deeply of her scent. "I have missed you, mahasanni ki."
"You just saw me a short time ago at our meal, my warrior," was the chuckled response. "You had seconds and thirds, too."
"It was a long time ago!" the warrior insisted, stealing a kiss. "And I am only hungry for you."
Kathleen felt a shiver rush down her spine. Warm lips caressed her face and she closed her eyes. Her mouth opened slightly in invitation as they were brushed in turn. There was a familiar twist in her stomach as the dark woman delved inside with a tongue. The heat of summer was nothing compared to the flames that burst from within as the kisses became ravenous.
With some surprise, Kathleen broke off from the breathless intensity to find herself in a wanton position. She had been turned in Anpo's arms, her cuwignaka hiked up to her upper thighs and her legs wrapped firmly about the warrior's torso. Blushing in surprise and embarrassment, the blonde began to cringe away.
Strong hands held her close, refusing to let her go. "Hiya, Ketlin. Stay." The hands moved on her back and shoulders, massaging the suddenly tense muscles there. "I know that you have been hurt in the past by the wicasa who captured you. I know that your people do not speak of this or act in this manner." Anpo peered into dark blue eyes. "But, you must know that I will not hurt you. And I will pleasure you in our joining bed. I have let this fear rule over us too long. We must be free of it."
Kathleen could only blink and pant in response, her heart beating triple time as she tried to catch her breath. Her body was on fire and the hooded brown eyes looking deeply into her soul didn't help, serving only to fan the flames of desire. Trembling, she pulled Anpo close into an embrace, gathering strength from the long arms that surrounded her, protected her.
After a time, the low voice said, "Tomorrow, my ate and Nupa will speak with Stu'et about your price. They will negotiate with your misun and then we will have a joining ceremony."
The blonde nodded her head against the shoulder she leaned on. "I will tell Stewart." Hands continued to rub her back and Kathleen relaxed, drifting along.
Anpo smiled as she felt the weight of her woman against her, trusting the warrior to keep her safe from harm. "Mahasanni ki," she breathed.
As was foretold, Nupa and Wanbli arrived at the white man's fire a short time after the morning meal. They were followed by a trail of hoksila
who were interested in the proceedings and Stewart felt almost a circus like atmosphere coming from the children. Teca responded to their excitement by hopping about the fire, unable to be still. With proper hospitality, the blond man asked the wicasa to sit at his fire, giving Wanbli the honored seat to his left.
Kathleen served the men some tea and frybread, being careful to not look at Wanbli Zi. To her surprise, Inyan Ceye appeared and awaited an invitation.
Puzzled, Stewart asked the old shaman to sit with them and gestured for his sister to bring food and tea for their new guest. When the elder settled down on his right, the white man frowned in thought.
Her own eyebrows at their zenith, Kathleen gave the shaman some frybread and tea, receiving a smile in thanks.
The men then had the traditional pipe, smoking in silence as they all reflected on why they were there. When it was finished, they looked to the elder, Inyan, to begin.
"I adopt Ketlin as my child, my cunksi
. She has had a vision that is very disastrous for our people. Her return and telling of it may mean that we will survive the coming winter." Aged eyes looked about the circle of wicasa, finally settling on the woman in question. A smile crossed his face at her shock. "I have no children and I am getting old. You are young and strong, yet have no Lakota man to speak for you in this matter." He patted Stewart's bare knee with a wry grin. "You have done well, wicasa
ska
, but you are not Lakota," he said.
The blond man only nodded in agreement, feeling a bit relieved that the burden of these unfamiliar situations would be lifted from him.
Inyan returned his gaze to the young woman expectantly.
Kathleen swallowed, her heart soaring with fondness for the old man. Her face creased in a soft smile, she went to the shaman and hugged him. "Thank you, ate," she whispered into his ear.
The embrace was returned. "Thank you, cunksi," Inyan responded. He pulled back and peered into his daughter's face. "You must go now. This is men's work."
Nodding, the blonde paused only long enough to give her brother and son a hug, as well. She then left in search of Anpo.
The negotiations continued in earnest for quite some time. The worth of Kathleen, fairly high on the overall scale of Lakota society already, nearly doubled now that she was the daughter of the shaman. Inyan and Wanbli did the primary dickering, with Nupa putting in his opinions here and there. Stewart remained silent for most of it, watching the proceedings with avid interest. Soon a price was agreed upon and the men of Anpo's family took their leave.
Stewart offered more tea to the shaman who had remained behind. "Thank you very much, wicahcala
," he said. "I would ha
ve made a mistake if I were alone."
"I know," Inyan replied with a chuckle. He pulled out his pipe and loaded the bowl. "And though both Nupa and Wanbli care for Ketlin, they would not have offered as much without me. And she deserves it."
"Ohan, she does," the white man murmured. He stared at the fire for a few moments. "What you said about her vision.... Was it a vision?"
The elder nodded, a cloud of smoke drifting from his mouth. "Ohan, it is. She sees a very bad winter coming. I have sought visions on this and found it is true." He handed the pipe to Stewart. "I do not know why the other shamans and I were not given this vision, why we were not told to prepare our people for the coming bad times. Maybe it was the spirits' way of bringing Ketlin back to us."
Stewart nodded in thought. "Maybe it was."
The joining day dawned bright and warm. Left pretty much on their own, several wicasa of Wagna's camp spent their day speaking with their relatives and acquaintances from other camps that were preparing to leave. Others proceeded to go hunting and fishing, anything to get them out of the encampment for a bit. Many of the elders surrounded the council fire and discussed the coming worries of a harsh winter. Finding enough food and robes would be the primary goal for the remainder of the season.
Kathleen was surrounded by a flurry of activity that surprised her. When she'd joined with Anpo before, the only winyan that prepared her were Gi and Hca. This time, however, she was a full Lakota woman with all the rights and benefits that incurred. It seemed that every woman from the entire summer camp had dropped by her ti ikceya to help with the preparations or give gifts. Stewart fled long ago, keeping company with Wanbli at the council fire.
Alone on a hillock overlooking summer camp, Anpo sat and watched her people. The melancholy that once held her had disappeared since the blonde woman's return, yet the need for solitude had remained. A small smile crossed her face as she saw the telltale yellow hair as a group of winyan herded her betrothed towards the river to bathe. She debated briefly about following along to watch but decided against it. I will have her all to myself soon, the warrior thought as the group of women disappeared around a bend of the river.
The morning progressed well. As the sun rose to its zenith, Kathleen found herself finally standing alone in her lodge. She was wearing a new cuwignaka that was decorated with paint and quills of green and yellow. Her hair had been combed with animal fat until it glistened and put into braids that were wrapped in otter fur. The ti ikceya was clean and stocked with all the gifts the women had brought along. Outside at the fire, a haunch of deer was roasting and nearly ready. Teca was with his tunwin
for the day.
Despite the fact she'd done this before, the blonde felt butterflies in her stomach as she paced her lodge, brushing at imaginary dirt on her dress. Kathleen was almost breathless in anticipation, forcing herself to inhale deeply to get enough air. There was a knock at the entrance and her heart leapt into her chest.
Hca pulled the leather cover aside and grinned in at the blonde. "Anpo is at my ate's fire," she informed her.
Kathleen swallowed and nodded. As her friend dropped the covering, the thought crossed her mind, Am I doing the right thing? Two years of pain and emptiness flashed through her memory. The many nights crying, the nightmares, a forlorn desire for someone to cuddle with, the taste and smell of her warrior just out of reach.
Inhaling deeply, the blonde shook the memories off. "Aye, lass. There's no doubt about that. You are doing the right thing." She slipped out the tiopa.
It was almost surreal, this feeling of déjà vu that overcame Kathleen as she made her way to Gi's ti ikceya. So much like the first time. She saw the entire camp was out and about in support and she smiled. And so different! When she neared the lodge, she could see her family seated about the fire, smoking and talking. But she only had eyes for Anpo, the confident warrior comfortably telling a story to her cinksi and tunska
.
Anpo could feel her woman's presence. She looked up, her handsome face breaking into a welcome smile.
Silence fell about the fire as Kathleen arrived. The blonde spared a glance at the others there, finding a wreathe of smiles. With no words, she reached out her hand, sighing as Anpo's warm skin touched hers. She turned and led the way back to her own lodge, the butterflies in her stomach raging.
As she'd done before, she held the leather cover aside for Anpo before stepping in. With sure steps, Kathleen led her warrior to the place across from the entrance and helped her seat herself. Kneeling before Anpo, she gently removed the moccasins on the dark feet and replaced them with new ones. "We are joined, winuhca."
Anpo reached out and pulled the braids forward to hang in front of the blonde. "We are joined, winuhca," she repeated with a smile.
The afternoon was another whirlwind of activity. Wagna's camp celebrated the joining of the couple with a fine feast that all were invited to. Many of Mani's people joined them as well as a few others from the main summer camp. Anpo ate her midday meal at her own fire in front of Kathleen's ti ikceya, the blonde serving her with gentle grace for all to see. After all had served witness to their domestic bliss, Anpo took her winuhca by the hand and led her into the lodge.
Kathleen chewed her lower lip in a heady mix of fear, anticipation and arousal. She was reminded of the first time they had ever been together, before she understood the words spoken to her or the intentions of the strange warrior in the yellow shirt. Her mouth quirked in a slight grin as she remembered her surprise at finding a woman, not a man.
The blonde found herself being drawn to the sleeping robes that Anpo had placed in their appropriate place. The fire burned low, more for light than heat, and the bottom of the ti ikceya had been rolled up a few inches to allow a breeze to cool the interior.
Anpo stopped at the robes, turning her dark eyes on her winuhca. She recalled their first night together, as well, and proceeded to deliberately copy it. Her hands touched the pale skin, caressing, studying, bowing her head to peer closely at the small hairs that decorated it. It has been so long.... Again, the warrior marveled at the movement of the hair as her breath brushed across it.
The tickling sensation caused Kathleen to sigh and close her eyes, a shiver running up her arm and to her heart. A vague throb developed between her legs and she pressed her thighs together to ease it. It only served to intensify the need. The sensation of lips on her skin popped her eyes open. She's never kissed me there!
With tender curiosity, Anpo nibbled the pulse point at her woman's wrist, tasting the skin there for the first time. Her own body was smoldering, her heart fluttering in her chest as she proceeded to lick and kiss a line towards Kathleen's elbow. The hand she held curved about her head, pale fingers grazing her hair. Hearing a whispery sigh caused her blood to pulse hotter in her veins.
Kathleen crooked her arm, planting her hand firmly behind her warrior's head. With a craving that surprised her, she forced Anpo's mouth to her own, demanding a kiss. Their lips met, voracious appetites whetting. Hard arms wrapped about the blonde and pulled her tight, one hand behind her head, the other squeezing her rear. The wave of passion that assailed Kathleen almost made her swoon, her knees becoming weak from the rush.
Anpo freed the delicious mouth from her attentions, her motions fierce and frantic as she blazed a trail to the lithe neck. She could feel smaller arms clutching at her waist and head, could hear a moan force its way from her winuhca's throat and she bit down on the skin there, feeling the sound in her teeth. The muscles beneath her hand tightened as the blonde pushed her hips forward.
The unfamiliar sound rising from her throat shocked Kathleen even as it excited her. Dark blue eyes flickered about in confusion as if she were just waking up. A war erupted in her head, her desire fighting with the puritan upbringing of her parents. The teeth nibbling her neck and the resultant growl from her warrior sent a flood of heat to her thighs, an ache to her breasts. What's wrong with me!? I've never felt this way! Not even with Adam!
Feeling the woman in her arms begin to struggle weakly, Anpo released the smooth neck and pulled her head back. Kathleen's eyes were brimming with fear and arousal and the warrior's heart went out to her. "Hiya, Ketlin," she whispered, peering into the stormy eyes. "Shhhh. You are safe with me, mahasanni ki." With slow, deliberate movement, Anpo moved the hand that had been kneading a full buttock. As their eyes remained locked, she traced a path over the swell of hip, the curve of waist, brushing a breast.
The fear receded at the gentle touch. Kathleen's breast ached even more as her warrior's hand barely caressed it and she found herself opening her mouth in a soft sigh, eyes becoming hooded. She licked her lips, feeling thirsty and hungry all at once.
Seeing that Kathleen's fears were calming, the warrior's hand wrapped about the neck, her thumb caressing the reddening mark where her teeth had just been. "I love you, Ketlin. I will not hurt you." The thumb roamed up to follow the jawline, her other hand caressing the back of the blonde head. "We will give each other pleasure on our joining day."
Kathleen swayed a bit as she was released. With a bit of concentration, she focused on the warrior before her who was removing shirt and breechclout. The blonde blinked. A memory flitted across her mind's eye - the man in the yellow shirt becoming a woman after removing her clothing. The gentle dark eyes that promised when no words could be understood that nothing would harm her. With a smile, Kathleen pulled her dress over her head and kicked off her moccasins.
Smiling in return, Anpo took her woman by the hand and settled down on the robes. They faced each other in the dim light of the fire, sitting cross legged, knee to knee. Again, she reenacted their first night, reaching out to touch with inquisitive hands. There was a difference, however. As her hands roamed the pale skin, her dark eyes locked with Kathleen's, watching the blonde's responses.
Tiopa Ki Lakota Page 32