by Rita Hestand
"I'm with child…" She said her voice full of such happiness as she smiled up at Hawk over the fire after they were resting.
Hawk stared at her, his mouth fell open in surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure." She stared at him with a slight smile to her lips. "I suspected for a while, but now I'm sure."
He stood up, walked over to her, took her in his arms, and kissed her on the temple. He picked her up in his arms and lifted her in the air, bringing her down with a kiss that everyone celebrated.
"We're going to have a baby?" Matthew asked.
"Yes, we are…" Eve said as she cuddled in her husband's arms.
Matthew grinned at Jane Ann. "Where is it?" Jane Ann asked looking about the tent. "Where is the baby, Mama?"
Eve laughed, "It is tucked safely in Mommy's tummy right now. It will be a while before it comes out to play with you…"
Jane Ann looked at Matthew funny. "Did you swallow it Mama?" Jane Ann's eyes got big as saucers.
Everyone laughed. "No darling, that is where babies grow."
Jane Ann looked at her own tummy.
Eve went to pick her up in her arms and laughed, "It will be a long time before you have one in your tummy."
"Oh…"
That evening as they lay together Hawk held her in his arms, his quiet demeanor not escaping her. "Have I brought more trouble on you, telling you about the baby?" She asked.
"No, you have brought me happiness I have only dreamed about until this day, so much so it is hard to put into words."
He kissed her gently on the lips, careful not to stir her passion.
"It's a miracle. We are married, we have land, and now we have a baby on the way. Our life is coming full circle now." she sighed happily, snuggling against him.
"When will it come?" He asked, his lips touching her temple again.
"Late February or early March." She sighed.
"I have much work to do, then. And when it is time maybe I can fetch one of the women from Bended Knee's tribe to help you."
She smiled, "That would be good, but please don't worry. I never had much trouble having children…" she sighed. The memory of losing her other two children came to haunt her now. She looked to the heavens, she would see them one day, in heaven, she knew that and it gave her a new peace.
He looked down at her now as a hint of a smile touched his lips. "There is a saying in your Bible, "If God be for us, who can be against."
"Yes, how did you know of that?" She asked as she rose up to look into his eyes.
"I have read much of your Bible. It is a good book, it teaches peace, love, and understanding. This man, Jesus, that saved us from sin, he was a man of peace. Because I have read for myself, your God has become my God."
"I am glad of that…" She reached to kiss his chin. "I love you Hawk, with all my heart."
His smiled widened now confidently. "You love is all I need…and God's."
"Oh Hawk, I do believe that you were sent to me. Our love was meant to be. It is just sad that others cannot see it."
"We will be fine…for he will watch over us as he has already done many times." Hawk concluded. "We will build our home here. And I will protect you and our children from all who oppose us. Bended Knee is going to stay with us."
"Oh, that's wonderful." Eve sighed. "So, now we have our first friend…"
"Yes, sleep now my love…rest. You must take care of your body, and nourish it well." He smiled.
"You want a boy or a girl?" She asked as she cuddled against him again.
"I just want a healthy child. It matters not. I will love either."
She smiled. "I still can't believe we are married…"
"It pleases you?" He asked with a knowing smile.
"Yes," she kissed his jaw once more. "Very much so. I feel like God has blessed our marriage."
"It is good, yes?"
"It is very good."
As the fire grew smaller, they cuddled and went to sleep. It was a good sleep, for they were all very tired, and yet very happy too.
Chapter Twenty
It took the rest of summer and into the fall to clear the land and build the houses. Matthew had become a great help to Hawk and Bended Knee and the three of them worked constantly to improve the land and set up boundaries for gardens and crops and their homes.
"It is good my friend." Bended Knee said one afternoon as they rested and drank water to replenish themselves. "But we will need horses and mules."
Hawk's eyes lit. Yes, we must attend to that."
That afternoon he told Eve that he and Bended Knee were going to scout out wild horses in the area.
"I guess we do need some, don't we?"
"Yes, horses can be vital when one must go many miles to trade and to haul things back and forth. So we'll see what we can find."
"You'll have to break them yourselves, won't you?"
"Yes, but that is half the fun of it." He smiled.
The next day he and Bended Knee were up early, getting the ropes and things they would need to take with them. They'd already built a small lean to, and that would have to be the barn until one could be built.
The early morning they spent tracking a small herd. When they finally came across them that afternoon, they found about twelve of them in a boxed canyon. Working together, he and Bended Knee began blocking their exits to the canyons. However, the fun had just begun because in order to keep them, they would need to break them too. So Bended Knee went first and worked the first two and within an hour or two had them settling down. Hawk was next and he took on the stallion of the bunch. He was harder to break for he had a fierce spirit, but Hawk was gentle with him and before nightfall, the animal had given in. There was only one more to break but it was easy for it was a young filly and had a gentler spirit. As nightfall came, they had roped and broke four horses and were satisfied for the time being. The horses would need to be trained and worked with before they were ridable, but it wouldn't take long. Both Hawk and Bended Knee were expert horsemen, had they not known what to do, to settle them, it would have been a week before they got them in a ridable shape. Still much work to do with them before anyone could ride them. At least now, they would not break loose and run away.
It was late when they arrived home and there was still a lamp on.
Eve ran out, hearing the horses snort.
"You've got them…" She yelled.
"They'll need some work before we can use, them, but we've tamed their spirits so they won't run off."
"They are beautiful."
"We'll hobble them good for now and put them at the lean-to tonight. We'll need to build a corral for them." Hawk told her.
"You two look very tired."
Bended Knee smiled, "Yes, very…."
"Come on in I've got some ham and eggs and some coffee for you…" She told them.
Later after they told of their day, they turned in.
The next day Matthew was excited about the horses and wanted to help.
"Oh you are gonna help. See that little filly over there." Hawk pointed to the white horse that was a hand or two shorter than the others were. "That one is going to be your horse."
"Mine?" Matthew yelled with excitement.
"And you're going to be working with her every day until she knows your every move. She'll be a good one for you."
"My own horse," Matthew smiled. "I never had my own horse."
"Well, you do now, but you've got to teach her things so she'll be a good one, and me and Bended Knee will show you how."
"Thanks Pa…"
Hawk looked at Matthew and swelled with pride. He realized now, he really had a family.
Bended Knee watched Matthew and the young filly get to know each other. "He is a good boy."
"He's more than that, he's had to grow up faster than most, and he's nearly a man now. Sometimes I forget to remember that."
"I envy you. You have a nice family…a nice home."
"You can have the same�
��" Hawk assured him.
"I hope you are right my friend."
"Yes and Eve has a small winter garden too, that will help feed us through the winter as she cans everything." Hawks said with a cheerful laugh.
"She is a good woman, and your baby grows, she is getting big now. She swells with your baby. That is good my friend." Bended Knee smiled at him.
"You know, I've got a friend, across the Red, he's getting up in years, and I want to bring him here to live with us. But I don't want to leave Eve in her condition."
"I will stay with her if you like," Bended Knee agreed.
"It probably wouldn't take over a couple of weeks to get there and back. I hesitate going just now. I don't feel right about leaving her." Hawk fretted. "Not just yet. Like you said, we have neighbors we haven't heard from yet and I am leary that they are merely waiting for just such an introduction."
"You expect some kind of trouble, my friend?"
"If the Cheyenne and Arapaho, and the Comanche are that close, they might have been waiting to see what we were up to, before they did anything. I'm afraid if I leave the place, they might attack while I'm gone. I don't want to leave you short-handed. Maybe I should wait until the baby comes." Hawk suggested.
Bended Knee studied on that. "You are right about them. They probably have been watching for some time now. One gets a sense of being watched."
"Now that they know we aim to stay, they might not like it." Hawk told him.
"Perhaps you should go now, before they start coming around. Maybe you can get back before anything starts up." Bended Knee suggested. "Or I could go for you."
"I'll let you know." Hawk told him. "The old man might not come with you. He might think its some trap or something. I could get there faster and be back faster as I know exactly where to go. Perhaps the river itself would be best. Now that the houses are finished, we have shelter. But if I go, I would want you to stay in our house, until I return."
Bended Knee agreed.
"I'll talk to Eve about it. I don't want her to worry. You see, I could not bare it if anything happened to her or one of the children. Or even you my friend. Eve lost two children already, because her white husband was mean to her and hurt her. I could not bear her losing another."
Bended Knee agreed again.
That evening he spoke with Eve about it.
"I'm thinking of going to get Jinx." Hawk told her.
"Oh…yes, we need to…"
"Not we, sweet woman, me. Nevertheless, I hate leaving you here. I would leave Bended Knee to help you in any way, in case there is trouble." Hawk told her.
It was late, they left the bedroom window open for a breeze, and it felt just a tad chilly, but more comfortable to cuddle, Eve thought as she brought herself close to Hawk.
"I'm getting very big, awfully soon," she cried.
"You are more beautiful than you could ever imagine." He smiled and kissed her nose.
"How long would you be gone?" She asked, kissing his jaw and smiling at the compliment.
"Two weeks at the most."
"Oh…I guess that's not so bad." She said and snuggled closer.
"It is much too long, in your condition. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you…" He told her.
She moved her hands to his manhood boldly now, caressing it. "I'd miss making love…," she cried.
He stared at her and smiled, "I've thought of nothing else lately." He admitted as her touches made him come alive against her.
He leaned over her and as his manhood rose against her, he kissed her hotly on the lips. She continued to stroke him there, liking the way he moved against her.
"Woman, you can drive me insane with needs." He said and groaned from the sensations she created.
Her lips dipped to kiss him there. Her tongue sent ripples of awareness through him now, and he moved against her mouth gently.
She continued making love to him and he drew her up against him gently, kissing her nipples, then laving them as though hungry for them.
She cooed softly in his ear. "Oh Hawk, I love you so…"
That's when he bent his head to her, spreading her legs and working a magic all his own on her. She moaned and clutched him with her hands and fingernails. She wrapped her legs around his head and gave him leave.
The rapture he gave her made her weak in his arms and he cuddled her there, protectively as she moaned the pleasure he brought her.
Sighing in each other's arms minutes later from the beauty of coming together once more, he moved away from her only to bring her into the circle of his big arms.
"Have I hurt you?" He asked softly.
"No…how could you loving me so, hurt me? I am fine. More than fine. I needed that, it has been a while."
"You are so beautiful, your breast they grow bigger, and taste so sweet. I will hold that memory inside me until I return. I love you so much; I cannot stand to be away from you…"
"Just come home to me as soon as you can." She whispered, kissed his lips and smiled against his cheek.
The baby moved within her and she took his hand and put it on her belly. "This is your child…that wants to meet you badly."
He felt it kick hard and smiled. "It is a strong baby."
"Yes, much more active than any other I've had." She smiled and moved so that she was comfortable in his arms.
"Perhaps there is more than one…" He looked down into her eyes now.
She smiled and curled herself into his body, enjoying the protective way he snuggled against her. In his arms, nothing could hurt her, she was sure of that. Moreover, having two babies would be thrilling, she thought.
"Perhaps there are two…"She smiled. "With such a virile husband, I would not doubt it."
He reached up and closed the window, then uncovered her in the moonlight and looked at her. "Being with child makes a woman even more beautiful." He smiled into her face. "The joy to be able to look upon you whenever I so desire is something I only dreamed of."
"I’m yours to look upon any time you want," she cried. "And I am just as happy to look at my husband."
He kissed her softly on the lips, and then with complete abandon, with hard thrusts of his tongue, she opened her mouth to welcome him. They loved upon each other half the night, touching, kissing with such fervor.
They had stopped wearing clothes to bed now that they had a house built and some privacy from the children. Every night she curled herself into the circle of his body as he cradled her against him. He would touch, or she would touch, smiling with the pleasures of love.
Eve felt a love growing so much between them, even after marrying their love grew stronger. There were no barriers between them now. There was nothing to be broken down, or forgotten, only the joy of loving so strongly that a look between them could send a message. The children were happier too, knowing their parents were so in love and so loved them.
As morning came, Hawk knew he must consider leaving now.
"Will you be home in time for Matthew's birthday?" She asked at breakfast.
"I will. When is it?"
"Three weeks from today." She told him.
"I will be here. What would you like for your birthday Matthew?" Hawk asked.
"I want a flute like Bended Knee has, and some moccasin boots. That's all I want."
"Boots and flutes huh? Well, I think we might manage that. How soon is Jane Ann's birthday?"
"Next month."
"And what might you want little lady?" Hawk smiled at her as he picked her up in his arms.
"I want an Indian dolly and some ribbons or feathers for my hair!"
"Done! I will see to it!" Hawk told them and lifted her up in the air until she giggled.
"I must leave soon, but I want you all to know I love you. And I will return as quickly as possible. Bended Knee will be here. I will leave tomorrow."
Bended Knee nodded. "Looks like I better get busy on making that flute."
Matthew nodded.
That night, Hawk l
ay with Eve, massaged her back for her, and gave her a foot rub. She began to relax and his lips dipped to hers many times. "Oh my husband, I never get enough of you…"
"Nor I you. Is your back better?"
"Much…I'm beginning to think maybe there is two babies…I feel heavier when I stand up or walk."
He smiled, and kissed her nipples. When she lay on her side, his hand ran down her shoulder, to her hips and around them. He massaged them gently. He had become so gentle with her now since she was with child. She trusted him with anything he wanted to do with her. She enjoyed the way he played with her, the way he sent rapture through her body. A mere touch from him could do that.
"I hate leaving you," He sighed pulling her fully against him.
"You must'n worry so much. What do you fear?"
"The Comanche, Cheyenne and Arapaho, is that not enough?" He kissed her shoulder.
"Bended Knee and I can hold them off. You have built our house strong, Matthew can help, he can reload our guns and we will be safe. I promise you."
"You cannot promise something you do not know, my love. I fear for your lives, all of you."
"If you don't go now, the journey would be more treacherous in the winter, and waiting until spring, the baby comes. It would be next summer before you could bring him up here. You must go now. We have had peace here, since we arrived. Why do you think it would be otherwise?"
"Just a feeling…"
"Love makes you worry more. I am sorry for that." She sighed turning to kiss him sweetly on the lips.
"I should never have made love to you…" He fussed.
"If you hadn't, we would be lonely and unhappy still. You claimed me because you loved me. I let you because I loved you too…It was not a mistake." She whispered, as her kisses turned more heated now.
"God knows you are right about that," He whispered as his lips nuzzled at her breasts. "Your breasts are so beautiful…have I told you that before."
"Many times my love, but I never tire of hearing it. Touch me; make love to me one more time…my love." She coed in his ear.
His kisses were everywhere, wet, hot and needy. She returned every one of them. He rested himself at her hips as his eyes devoured her. "You are my woman, and you will always be my woman."