by Conn, Phoebe
"Your dress is nearly worn out, our food is scarce. We will have to find the others before winter comes." Knowing each day he remained with her would make it all the more difficult to leave, he forced himself to make a painful decision. "Tomorrow we will go to the Yellow Medicine River. We will learn all we can, and then decide whether to go or stay."
Erica sighed regretfully, "I like it here. Viper."
"So do I," the brave readily admitted. "I do not mind living in a house if I do not have to be a farmer, but I am a warrior, and I cannot leave my friends to fight alone."
"I understand," Erica murmured softly, glad he could not see the tears that filled her eyes. She broke away from him then, hurriedly stepped out of her clothing, waded out into the river, and began to swim.
He knew her moods so well it was plain to Viper that Erica did not understand at all. Quickly discarding his buckskins, he swam out to her. With a flip of his head he sent his hair out of his eyes, then leaned forward to give her a light kiss. "It is not a choice of loving you or being a warrior, Erica. I do love you, and I am a warrior. You have always known I am Indian."
"Just as you have always known I am white," Erica reminded him. Now that they had finally taken up the subject she had been so afraid to discuss, she did not back away from it. "When other whites are being held captive, how can I ride with you into Little Crow's camp? I can no more go there than you could go to Mankato with me to look for my aunt and uncle. Each of us would be seen as the enemy by the other's people. You know we would."
Viper frowned slightly, for while he knew in his care she would not be in danger, he did not want her own people calling her a traitor. "I will tcike you with me, but leave you hidden nearby and enter the camp alone. The captives cannot be wandering about freely. When I am certain you will not be seen, I will return for you. Now stop worrying about meeting my people. They will not spit on you, even though your kind has never treated us well."
It was the bitterness of his tone that convinced the worried blonde to be still. She had chosen to become his wife when she had realized she loved him too dearly to forsake him. Every action in life brought consequences, some good, some bad, and she knew she would simply
have to face them. "I could not bear to lose you," she confessed in a shaky whisper.
"You never w^ill," Viper promised. He sw^am a few yards away and then came back to steal another kiss. He teased her until she began to laugh and join in his game of tag. She knew how to swim, if not nearly so well as he did, but he would let her catch him rather than take pride in how easily he could get away. They played until his mood became more passionate than playful, and then she no longer tried to slip from his arms.
Viper gripped Erica's hands and towed her toward the shore where a soft blanket of moss made an inviting bed. As he dropped down by her side she did not pretend ignorance of his intentions, but entwined her legs in his with a seductive purr, her joy in his love having grown deeper with each new day. He might have known far more about making love the first time they had been together, but she was an imaginative young woman who had led him with an enticing eagerness to learn even more. She met his every kiss and caress as though it bestowed a flood of rapture. Her whole body seemed alive with the essence of her love, making her endlessly responsive to his every gesture.
Viper had known Erica was a great prize even before they had made love. Now that her happiness had become as important as his own, he treasured her all the more. There was not an inch of her sun-kissed flesh he had not explored with his adoring fingertips and lips, and yet he never tired of the glorious quest to know her lithe body as well as his own. He watched the water trickle from her damp curls, slide over her breasts, then form a pool in the hollow of her stomach. He swept the moisture away with his hand, then buried his face between her breasts to savor their softness. He licked one delightfully puckered nipple and then the other, thinking the perfection of her body would fascinate him till the end of his days. "I love you," he murmured softly, the sound of his deep voice muffled by her glistening flesh.
Erica gazed up at the leaves, which provided a shimmering canopy for their mossy bed. The day was warm, the sun bright, the sound of the river bubbling with nature's own harmonies, and she breathed deeply of the fresh scent of the forest air. Had she and the man she loved
been floating uj>on a billowy carpet of clouds, she could not have been more content. "And I love you," she responded dreamily.
Vif>er's sw^eet kisses traced intricate patterns over the lush swells of her bosom before his lips sought hers for a far more intimate exchange. He felt her fingertips lazily gliding over his back, following the rhythmic motions of the muscles as he shifted positions. She was never passive, never still. She was like the spirit of love itself, enfolding him in her arms while the luscious flavor of her kiss lured him ever closer to surrendering not only his heart, but his mind and soul as well. In her embrace, he was so totally lost in the magic of her loving spell that he wished with all his heart that the rest of the world would simply cease to exist. What need had they for anyone else when each was complete in the other?
Erica's hands slid down Viper's sides, encircled his trim waist for a moment, then lay relaxed upon the curve of his hips. Her toes toyed with his before she opened her legs in a silent invitation she knew he would not ignore. He ended his kiss and rose up slightly to look down at her, his gray eyes filled with a smoky haze of desire. Rather than wanton, he regarded her as merely being as honest with her emotions as he was with his. They were in many ways an unusual pair, but he found their multitude of differences only made their love more exciting. Recapturing her mouth in a fervent kiss, he moved with a gentle ease to fuse their two separate bodies into one ageless being whose brilliant aura rivaled the sun for light.
As always, the rapture Viper created with the rhythmic motions of his powerful body was shared fully by Erica. Like an endless spiral the ecstasy swirled through him to Erica, curling like flames that seared them both with passion's delectable heat. Their hearts beat wildly, and yet in perfect unison, until the stunning splendor of their union burst forth within them, leaving them awash in the beauty of perfect contentment and peace.
When at last Viper lay with Erica cradled in his arms, he traced the elegant line of her throat, the shape of her lovely face, then the outline of her lips, until she kissed his fingertips sweetly and caught his hand in hers. "I have no need to find others," she whispered softly. "They would only be in our way."
"You will find my tepee as private as a house. No one will bother us when we wish to be alone."
Erica took a deep breath, then ended it with a lazy yawn. "I will always wish to be alone with you."
Viper knew of no way to allay her fears before she actually met his people, but he hoped that once she had had a chance to know them, she would not feel out of place. He loved her dearly, but he knew the life he would give her was very different from the one she had known. He could only hope, as she had once confided, that it would be better.
When Viper returned from the barn with the stallion the next morning and found Erica holding the hairbrush, the quilt off the bed, and the tomcat, he could not help but laugh. "Bring the quilt if you must, but we cannot take the cat. He would only get lost and be eaten by one of the creatures that dwells in the woods."
Knowing he was right. Erica regretfully gave the good-natured cat one last hug and set him down on the porch. "Do you think he will be all right here?" she asked nervously.
"He'll catch mice in the fields and live in the bam. He'll not suffer at all without us." Viper leaned down to give their striped pet's ears a final scratch, then smiled at his bride. "We have little to take with us, two cougar pelts and a quilt." He shook his head as though their possessions should rightly be more numerous.
Erica folded the blue and gold quilt over her arm and patted it fondly. "I don't want to leave this here where someone might come along and rip it to shreds."
Viper was certain what she really
meant was that an Indian might tear it up or burn it, but he didn't ask her to describe who she had in mind. "I want you to ride in front of me so we can talk."
Erica was so reluctant to make the trip that she didn't care where she sat, so she didn't argue. With his help she mounted the horse. She slipped the brush in her pocket, then folded the quilt and tne hides he handed her across her lap. When Viper climbed up behind her and turned the horse toward the river she looked back toward the little farmhouse, her deep blue eyes filled with a mist of regret.
"I hope our next home is as happy as this one," she said wistfully.
"If we are together, it will be." Now that they were under way, Viper found his mood soaring, but he was wise enough to stifle his enthusiasm out of respect for Erica's feelings. He pointed out landmarks as they rode along, whistled to birds, and laughed at the antics of the squirrels that bounded through the trees, but his bride's interest in their surroundings remained slight. At midmorning they stopped to fish and eat breakmst, but Erica was still unnaturally quiet, and he gave up his efforts to amuse her.
After that brief rest they continued on, taking the northeast branch of the river when they came to a fork. By late afternoon they had yet to find the river's source, and Viper drew the horse to a halt. "We will stop here and find a place to make camp. Do you remember what I told you?"
For a moment Erica's mind was a blank, but then she recalled his advice. "Yes, we shouldn't make camp too near the river, or the animals going for water at night will disturb us."
While he was certain disturb was not the word he had used, Viper gave Erica a hug and agreed. "Yes, we will be safer away from the water's edge."
As Erica slid off the horse's back, she could not help but recall the days they had spent in the Big Woods. While here there were many trees growing along the riverbank, they gradually gave way to rolling meadows, and the terrain was far more open than the Big Woods had been. "This is a pretty SF)Ot," she called out when they had gone some distance bcom the water.
Wanting a concealed campsite rather than a picturesque one, Viper agreed but led the stallion to a rise shielded on the north by a stand of birch and a thick tangle of old vines. He pulled the blanket off the horse, then hobbled him and removed his bridle. "Let's sleep on the quilt this time. Then we won't smell like the horse in the morning."
Erica looked down at the wrinkled folds of her faded dress. "That might be an improvement. How can you introduce me to your friends looking like this. Viper? They will think I am a captive you have mistreated rather than your wife."
The handsome brave laughed at her worried frown. "I promised you a buckskin dress. I will have my aunt fetch
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you one and let you change your clothes before anyone sees you. Will that please you?"
Erica tried to smile. "Yes, a new dress of any kind would make me feel better."
"Find us some wood, and I will catch more fish for supper," Vijjer called over his shoulder as he started back toward the river.
After stretching to shake off the fatigue of their long ride. Erica began looking around for dry wood, not once stopping to complain that she had again been given that task.
After Viper had threaded the fish he had caught onto the spit he had fashioned and placed it over the fire, he realized Erica might find some of his people's ways very strange. "When I am hunting alone or with other men, I do not mind cooking, but when we are in camp the women prepare all the food."
Since he had always helped her. Erica frowned slightly. "I'm sure it will take me some time to learn how to cook the dishes you like to eat. Won't you still help me?"
Viper shook his head. "No, my aunt will teach you how to cook. I cannot do it."
"Cannot or will not?" Erica asked perceptively.
Viper shot her a warning glance. "Our men hunt, the women cook. It is not so different in the white man's world. Your men do not cook, either."
"They do if they have a wife like me who has never learned howl" Erica took a few steps away, and then after a fierce inner battle to gain control of her temper, she turned back to face him. "I understand; I will do my best not to disgrace you."
Viper was disgusted with himself for not explaining his point so she would not feel insulted. At least she had not reminded him she had been raised to rely on servants to do all the household chores. "Do any white men sew clothing?" he asked, hoping to make her see her customs were not unlike his.
"Yes, there are men who sew. They are called tailors, and they make men's clothing rather than women's, but I understand what you are saying. There are some things women do and other things men do. Perhaps I should be quiet unless we cire alone, that way I won't embarrass you publicly with my questions."
Viper flashed a disarming grin at that offer. "Do not worry. Many do not understand Enghsh as well as I do, so they will not know what you are saying."
"Good," Erica replied, a bit too emphatically. It was growing dark, and while she kept pacing restlessly, she stayed within the ring of light thrown by the fire. The fish cooked quickly, and when Viper summoned her to eat she went to his side and sat as close as she usually did. "Is your aunt your mother's sister or your uncle's wife?"
"My mother's sister." Viper held his breath, knowing that with Erica's curiosity, more questions were sure to follow. "My uncle had no wife."
Erica waited a moment for him to continue, and when he did not she spoke. "What happened to your parents. Viper? You said they died young. How did it happen?"
Viper waited until he had finished eating, then looked around for the cat to give him the scraps before he recalled they had left him behind. "I was a baby when they died. I have heard tales, but they were only tales."
Intrigued, Erica licked the last bits of fish from her fingers, then encouraged him to continue, "You know I will not repeat the story. Tell me what you were told."
Viper leaned back on his elbows, his pose relaxed, even if his mood was not. "My uncle and my father courted the same woman. She was very popular, and many men wished to make her their wife. She is still remembered for her beauty. When she chose my father, my uncle was very unhappy. He keprt to himself, but everyone knew what was wrong with him."
Erica nodded sympathetically, understanding how the man must have been heartbroken. "There were no other women he cared to court?"
"No, never." Viper took a moment to gather his thoughts before he attempted to relate the most difficult part of his story. "One day when I was two, my mothCT went down to the river to fetch water. Some white trappers saw her, and being fools, did not think she would fight them as she did."
Erica reached out to touch Viper's arm. "You mean she was raped?"
The brave nodded. "Then murdered. My father and uncle went after the trapp)ers. They found them, but only my uncle lived to tell how they had killed them. From that
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day to this some people have thought he murdered his older brother for not guarding the life of the woman they both loved."
"And that is the man who raised you?" Erica gasped in disbelief.
Viper's glance was dark as he replied. "He was a good father to me. My grandfather did not believe one of his sons had murdered the other. Neither do 1.1 told you it was only a tale. Are there not white p>eople who spin evil tales about others?"
"Yes, and plenty, but Viper, that must have been a terrible burden for you as a child." Erica stared at her husband, wondering how he could have become such a charming man if he had grown up surrounded by such horrid gossip. "Your poor uncle, what a tortured life he must have led."
Viper had to disagree, "He liked fun more than most. He did not walk around weeping."
"But still," Erica began.
"Do not ask me about him again," Viper cautioned.
"I won't. It's just that I think it must have been horrible for the man to live his whole life under such a dark cloud of suspicion."
Viper did not argue. He was grateful she had not guessed that it was his uncle's white b
lood which had often been blamed for his tragic fate. He remained silent until the flames had grown so low he had to get up and add wood to the fire. "The women bring the wood, too," he remarked absently.
"You must think me a total failure as a woman. Viper, since I was raised to be no more than an ornament in my husband's life."
"An ornament^" Viper asked, clearly not understanding the word.
"A decoration, something pretty, with no value at all other than as something to admire."
"No, you have a mind and can think for yourself. You are no ornament."
"Well, thank you," Erica responded as she rose to her feet. "You tanned the cougar hides yourself. Am I supix)sed to know how to do that?"
"Yes, that is women's work." Viper watched his bride pace to and fro, thinking her beauty undiminished by the
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faintness of the light. Her spirit glowed with an inner radiance that lit all her actions with a taunting hint of her passion's fire. "The night is the best time of the day. Let's not waste it," he called out as he walked toward her.
Erica slipped her arms around his waist when he reached her. "Your p>eople are going to think me the most useless bride you could have wed."
"So what?" Vip)er agreed with an amused chuckle. "You need only please me."
"And do I?" the lively blonde inquired through seductively lowered lashes.
"Very much." He ended their verbal play with a deep kiss, grateful she was so easily distracted. His right hand moved down the buttons on her bodice, swiftly freeing her from the garment so that with but a few brief tugs it fell to the ground. Her lingerie was whisper-soft from ref>eated washings, and he slipped the straps of her camisole off her shoulders. "You would please any man."
"I want only to please you, though," Erica murmured softly as she snuggled against him. He was as handsome as the night. The black of his hair like the ebony sky, the silver gleam in his eyes as bright as the stars. Think only of the joy of tonight, she cautioned herself. Tomorrow will bring cares enough of its own.