Thunder many times, explaining that in her culture women weren’t ostracized for being female. It did no good. When she went home and mentioned this to her husband, he explained another tradition to her.
“The girl,” he said, “will have her face painted with white clay, and will be blessed with a sacred cattail pollen. She will wear a piece of abalone tied above the forehead as she prepares her life as an adult woman. They’ll have four days in which to prepare Ih-tedda with a “getting her ready” ceremony. It is during this time, the Apache believe that the Changing Woman’s mythical powers enter the girl’s body and thus giving then the power to heal all those around them.”
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Once again she was intrigued with his words.
He continued, “The Apache Crown Dancer also known as Gaan represented Mountain Spirits, who come to the puberty ceremonies to dance with the girls. These dancers have black-hooded faces and wear awesome headdresses. Their bodies are painted and adorned with harness bells also. As the Crown Dancers dance around the fire, they look like giant wooden marionettes as they swing their headdresses from side to side. They also fling around wooden swords.”
“Indians seem to have a ceremony for everything,” she snorted. “When my time came and I woke to find stains on my sheet, I wasn’t overjoyed. Monthly cramps are nothing to praise about.” She clucked her tongue. “I’ll never get used to all the customs, a party to glorify a woman’s cycle. Will wonders ever cease?” She giggled but though that this was another interesting aspect and was looking forward to when her daughter became a woman.
Too busy with Blue Moon, Melissa had no time to worry over other small details in her life, like her brother who had become scarce lately. It wasn’t until Blue Thunder mentioned this
fact to her did she show any concern. After that evening meal, she asked Jason what he’d been up to these past weeks. But her brother merely shrugged, admitting that he’d been up to nothing special. Of, course he couldn’t look her in the eyes and she knew he had lied with a straight face.
Melissa knew her brother was not being honest with her. She had this eerie feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t quite put a finger on, but he was definitely up to something. He was too quite and had this faraway look in his good eye. Maybe he was thinking about going back to the plantation. He had stated that he hadn’t planned on staying here forever.
Oh, Jason had been up to plenty but it wasn’t of his doing. Well, not at first. He and Rose Blossom had been secretly meeting in a nearby cave for the past three weeks. How could he confess that the shy maiden had in fact inaugurated their encounter, which nearly knocked the socks of him, that is if he were wearing any? His shy princess had planned it and he was overjoyed to learn that his scare didn’t make her think he was ugly. After their first meeting, Jason thought he’d never see her again. It had been three months after his niece’s birth and he was down by the lake trying to catch fish with his home made pole. Before the Indian maiden approached him from the bushes, he called out, “I know someone is there, come out.” He drew
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his knife; his Indian training proved a blessing now. The bushes parted and a brave he’d never seen before came forward, his hand outstretched to show he was unarmed.
“I do not come to harm white eyes,” he said in English and although Jason had learned the Apache language, he was glad the Indian spoke in his tongue. There were still words he had problems with. “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am Wild Pony, from neighboring village. You are One Eye?”
Jason hated that name, but he nodded. “What do you want of me?”
“I have message from Princess Rozene.”
“The princess?” he gasped, unsure if he had heard correct.
Wild Pony nodded. “She says for you to ride out, tomorrow at dawn, to the foot of the mountains that looks like woman’s breasts. I do not like delivering message to the white man but the princess caught me drinking fire water and threatened to tell her father. I do not care about her? She is spoiled and pampered by her father and brother. Besides, Paytha Ouray could break me in two like twig. I fear the large brave more than chief.”
The buck tuned and disappeared swiftly as Jason pondered over what he was just told. Was it a trap? Should he mention this to his sister? A tug on the pole that he had forgotten was still in his hand pulled him out of his troubled musings. He yanked and a fish flapped wildly on the muddy banks of the stream, fighting for life. Jason threw it back because he was too excited with anticipation to feel hungry anymore. He’d chance the meeting, now that he was capable of protecting himself in the wilderness.
He had gone on a coup with his brother-in-law awhile back, and he earned another horse that night, he named Rebel. It was a terrifying and exciting raid, but it was also great fun to sneak up on a village and come away with a few horses without the other Indians knowing what had happened. He offered the mount to Melissa with Blue Thunder’s permission; the Apache said it was a fitting gift from a brother. Now, as he sat with Melissa he knew there was no way on God’s green earth could he tell of the true love he and the princess found. And how they planned to run away together knowing that they shared a forbidden love.
“Jason? Jason? Are you leaving?”
Startled and feeling guilt, he snapped out of his reverie, unprepared for that question; it
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hit to close to home. “Huh? What makes you say that?” He hoped he didn’t sound as guilty as he felt.
“You have this look about you. Are you homesick?”
Relief filled him; she didn’t suspect the truth. “A little,” he continued to lie. What better excuse than to tell her that he was going home and that might not be a bad idea. His home was not destroyed. Hopefully the war was over and he and Rose Blossom could live there happily. He couldn’t wait to tell his lovely princess that his sister had just given him the solution to their problem. Why hadn’t he thought of it himself?
Later that evening when Jason met with Rose Blossom, all had gone as planned. He and Rose Blossom made it out undetected without Dasodaha’s and her father’s clan’s knowledge. As they slumbered, Rose Blossom was bitten by a poisonous snake. Jason did his best to draw out the poison, but she went into shock and became hot to his touch. He had no option but to bring her back to her home. As soon as they rode into camp, Indian’s gathered around as he shouted that the princess was hurt.
Quickly, a large brave ran to him and shouted, “It is my sister!” He pulled her from the horse where she’d been cradled in Jason’s arms. Before he had a chance to explain, he was dragged from his mount and forced into a lodge, where he was roughly pushed onto his knees. Left alone, he had no doubts that he would be guarded. He curled himself into a ball and wept; not for himself but the princess. How could he live if anything happened to her? He’d never
forgive himself. He had forgotten what his mother had told him when he was a little boy when he’d been disappointed over a failed intention. Man makes planes, son, and God laughs.
Melissa and her husband sat outside the lodge with their daughter in his arms. He was watching her making Indian bread by pounding pecans and wild berries into a past and mixed with dried buffalo meat but it had to be laid out to dry before eating. Chief Itza-chu and his son, Paytha Ouray charged into the camp; Blue Thunder stood and handed Blue Moon to her.
“Stay, I will see what the problem is. Their faces do not appear to be very happy.”
Melissa’s stomach clutched tight as she held the baby to her breast. Were they here to fight? But they were only two and she breathed a little easier. Then the younger Apache began
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shouting and waving his fists in the air. She gasped; this was not good, especially upon hearing her brother’s Indian given name. Her heart froze.
Dear Lord, this was definitely a bad sign. Then she realized that she hadn’t seen Jason that night. She groaned inwardly and instantly the problem came to light knowing that he and
the princess had run off together. Her husband returned looking as if he could strangle a bear cub. His lips puckered and his vexation was so evident that she needn’t ask.
She flinched and retreated a step before stating the obvious, “It is Jason.”
Blue Thunder grumbled clenching and unclenching his fists. She gulped. What could she say? Not a damn thing in Jason’s defense. Oh, she should have known he’d do a stupid thing. Touching his arm, she pleaded, “Please, calm down. They’re in love. You do recall how unhappy we were when no one....” Her words were ignored.
“I had to promise to go after your foolish brother. He abducted a princess.”
“Now wait a minute!” she answered in a rush of words taken offense to that. “He claimed that he loved her and I would bet she loved him also. He did no such thing!”
It was a good thing looks couldn’t actually kill. She dropped her lashes quickly to hide the hurt and the guilt that sickened her for not confiding in her husband. If she had maybe this could’ve been prevented.
“All right, he wasn’t thinking straight, I’ll give you that but…” Blue Moon stopped any other words that were on her mind and began to fuss hearing her parent’s arguing. “Hush, little one.” Now look what you’ve done!” she snapped and turned the tables. “You upset your daughter with your ravings. You better join them only to make sure they didn’t tie Jason to a stake and let the buzzards eat out his heart.”
She didn’t give him a chance to retort and she went inside, snapping the rawhide flap in his face. She knew he did not miss her colorful vocabulary, because she heard him do some cursing himself. She was glad he stayed away to cool his temper. After few minutes she cooled down herself and went out side in time to see him ride away with Itza-chu and Paytha Ouray.
It was days before someone came to see him. And of all people, it was his brother-in-law, the last person besides Melissa did he want to see. Jason leaped to his feet but before he had a
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chance to explain, Blue Thunder silenced him by pushing him back onto the ground. The brave sat also appearing as if he’d swallowed a thunder cloud with a cactus chaser. Jason gulped. Sweet ran down his spine. He was doomed, for sure.
“My brother-by-marriage did a foolish thing,” Blue Thunder simply stated in an unemotionally tone. The red man’s expression was one of mute wretchedness.
Jason could only nod.
“I can see you love the princess very much. Moon Glow is very upset.”
He gave another curt nod, but Jason only wanted to ask about Rose Blossom, nobody had told him anything no matter how he had begged for information. His mind had been a crazy mixture of hope and fear. He was brought food and they saw to his needs, but no one explained to him whether she were still alive. He rubbed his weary eyes. The facial growth on his face annoyed him and he was in dire need of a bath besides a shave.
“You are lucky, the princess lives.”
Jason released a breath not realizing he was holding one. “Thank God,” he murmured.
Blue Thunder grunted. “You can also thank your God that she pleaded for your life.”
“I was never worried over my fate,” he admitted wiping the tears from his eyes, swallowing the despair in his throat.
“You two are very much in love?”
“Yes,” he replied defeated.
The big brave merely released another grunt before saying, “Because you brought her home, her father will let me take you back to my camp, but he has forbidden you two to see one another again.”
“I can accept his decision. Her life was more important to me than anything else.”
Blue Thunder nodded and admired Jason for his compassion over an Indian maiden. He
could feel for the young man, he knows exactly what his wife’s brother was feeling. He will not say anything to get Jason’s hopes up, but he will talk with chief, Itza-chu. He had no idea if the two had slept together and the chief disclosed to him that his daughter refused to say if they did also. He left to tell Moon Glow but not after he made the chief of the neighboring clan promise not to harm the white man; he was still the brother of his wife. Itza-chu agreed and Blue Thunder
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promised to return in the morning saying it would be good to let the white man stew for awhile longer.
The next day Blue Thunder thought that Jason might have a chance to wed the princess if he could come up with a generous bride price. Itza-chu would save face among his people if he gave permission for the two to marry. He kept that notion to himself and Jason was silent as they traveled. Back at camp, his brother-by-marriage received another tongue lashing from his wife. Jason told him that he had earned it.
Three weeks went by and Moon Glow was worried about her brother. His wife told him that Jason was not himself and she tried to cheer him up.
“I understand how he feels. I love you as my brother loves the princess. I pray my husband will return home with good news.”
Blue Thunder kissed her goodbye and left to seek council with Itza-chu to convince the chief to let the two join hands. At first Itza-chu refused but the young girl sat in the corner weeping bitterly. He exhaled a soul-wrenching sigh and admitted that his daughter wouldn’t eat or talk to him. He confessed that it was either strangling her, which he could not do or let her marry the one they called, One Eye. In either case, he had lost the battle of wills. And if that was
not bad enough, his wife, Sonsee-array sided with their daughter and he was tired of sleeping on an empty bed of furs. When Blue Thunder returned home, he told his wife that chief Itza-chu agreed but he wanted half a dozen horses.
“Dear Lord!” gasped his wife. “That’s a king’s ransom! I understand what Itza is doing! He’s trying to make it difficult to save face.” She chose to call him a name she could handle without tripping over her tongue. “He might as well have asked for gold.”
He agreed. “I will take a few men into the valley. If we are lucky, we might be able to round up what the chief asks. Do not tell your brother until we have returned.”
She nodded.
Four days later, Blue Thunder and a dozen beautiful stallions galloping into the camp and corralled. He gave Jason a speedy synopsis on what was expected of the princess and him and Jason gulped. “You mean I must return to her clan and see what she does? Suppose I’m not welcomed.”
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Blue Thunder knew he shouldn’t laugh, but he did. “Believe me, you will be all right. Now, a young warrior, but in your case you, you are to take the horses to the chief. Normally it is only two, but in you’re---”
Jason snorted. “I get your drift.”
“Tradition is that the courting brave seeking a wife first bargains with the parents. Since I did that for you, you must leave a horse at her dwelling. If she views your suit with favor she will feed and water the animal. I suspect she will, and when you see that, you will fetch your bride.”
“That’s all?” he replied a bit sarcastic.
Blue Thunder lifted his shoulders in an unconcerned manner. “You are lucky. If the maiden does not accept her suitor, the parents will kill one of the horses and she would be given to a brave without her consent.” He had to keep from laughing when seeing Jason turn a nice shade of pea green.
“I’ve heard enough. By the way, when the princess and I first met in the cave, I kissed her and she looked totally shocked. I thought I had repulsed her.” Then his mouth turned up impishly. “She soon expressed she liked the white man’s greeting.”
Blue Thunder laughed richly. “Kissing is unknown to most Indians. My great-great grand- father was white man. He might have been the one who handed down the tradition.”
A week later, Chief Itza-chu, his wife, Sonsee-array, which he told Moon Glow meant, “Star takes away clouds,” rode in, each on one of the horses that was presented as a bride price gift to see their daughter off with her brother for Georgia. It was a tearful good-bye for all but especially for Moon Glow, who said that she feared she was
losing her family all over again.
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THIRTY-ONE
When Blue Moon was over a year old, Melissa realized she was again with child.
“This time, my husband, I promise you a son,” she said after telling him the happy news.
He beamed with pride. “I would love him no more than my beautiful daughter, with her light brown curls and her big dark eyes.”
She blinked back tears. Every day she grew to love him more though she didn’t think it was possible. They still made love passionately; the thrill continued to amaze her, for the fire in her veins never cooled. He was a magnificent warrior who sparked her nerves endings every time he was near.
“I’m so happy my husband. I have been greatly blessed.” She snuggled closer, feeling his manhood swell. It thrilled her to know she still pleased him. “Blue Thunder,” she purred as she ran her hand up his hard chest, circling his male nipple, slowly making him quiver beneath her touch. She giggled, knowing she was being a tease. “I hope Star Gazer and Weeping Bird will find as much happiness as us. It took them along time to know the love they had for each other. I knew she loved him when she helped carry him back from the attack by that bear.”
Her hands were all over her husband and she couldn’t get enough of him. Her innards glowed with love and she mashed her lips together wickedly, rubbing her hot thigh against his
muscular leg. He always made her feel so wanton that she abandoned all modesty with him. Melissa placed her head on his broad chest, hearing his heart beat wildly. She continued to play as she spoke, knowing he would soon turn the tables on her.
“Weeping Bird came every day to see how he was when he was injured. I saw the maiden’s eyes red and swollen from crying over him. They will be perfect for one another.” Melissa circled his hard nipple with her wet tongue causing Blue Thunder to groan. Any minute, she thought, anticipating his love making.
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