Sun Woman held the dress she had made out to Joanna. “I have made this for you just for the assinahpeska dance. You will wear this tonight when you dance for Windhawk.”
Joanna’s eyes ran over the beautiful dress, and she felt tears sparkle in her eyes because Windhawk’s mother had made it for her. “I thank you for the lovely dress, my mother, but I could never join in the dance—I would be too embarrassed!”
“Sometimes, a woman has to take the first step toward the man she loves. Joanna, have I ever spoken an untruth to you?”
“No.”
“I will not do so now. Listen to me and hear what I say. Windhawk loves you. If you had seen him when he thought you were dead you would know this for yourself. He has been shamed before the whole tribe because his woman lives with his mother and not with him. I think he has reached out to you several times, but you would not take his hand. Go to the dance tonight—throw your robe over Windhawk so he can once more hold his head up with pride. I know it will be hard for you, but if you love Windhawk, you can do it.”
Joanna’s eyes were sparkling with tears. “I cannot.”
“Why?”
“Because I…he does not…I fear he will not want me.”
“I say that he does want you. I will tell you what to do, and you will do exactly what I say!”
Joanna looked into Sun Woman’s eyes. “I want him to love me. But what if he turns me away?”
Sun Woman smiled and hugged Joanna to her. “I do not think Windhawk will give you the beads or trinkets. I think he will give you a horse…or a whole herd of horses!” she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
The assinahpeska dance was about to begin. The drums beat a haunting tempo while the elders of the tribe chanted. The young unmarried men sat on one side of the lodge and the young maidens sat on the other.
There was a festive mood, and much laughter accompanied the young people as they stood up. There seemed to be a feeling of frivolous abandonment as the music became louder and the young people moved toward each other. When they met in the middle, they rose on tiptoes, then dropped to their knees. And so it went, first advancing to each other, and then retreating, while singing and looking into each other’s eyes.
After a while the dancing stopped, and a feast was served.
Sun Woman was helping Joanna dress. When she slipped the doeskin dress over Joanna’s head, she stood back to observe with satisfaction how lovely her daughter looked.
Joanna ran her hand over the soft doeskin and smiled at Windhawk’s mother. “It is lovely…I thank you for making it for me.”
The dress was sleeveless and had fringe along the bottom, which reached Joanna’s ankles. Joanna wore her hair unbraided, with only a beaded headband as adornment.
She could hear the drums had started up again, and she felt nervous. “I do not think I can do this.”
“You will do it. It is important that you do this for Windhawk.”
Sun Woman took Joanna’s hand and led her out of the tipi toward Windhawk’s lodge, thinking she would return shortly to stay with her sleeping grandson.
Windhawk was watching the young maidens dance toward the young warrior of their choice. His eyes moved to his sister, Morning Song, who was dancing toward Tag. He smiled, thinking how one could see their love for one another by the way they looked into each other’s eyes.
The drumbeat grew louder, and the dance became more intense. Windhawk’s eyes were drawn to the entrance of his lodge, and he held his breath as Joanna entered.
His eyes swept her face, and he saw the boldness in her eyes as she looked back at him. His heartbeat seemed to stop when he watched her fall into line beside the young maidens. All eyes turned to her as she danced forward toward him. She looked so beautiful that Windhawk blinked his eyes to clear his vision. Her white skin stood out among so many dark-skinned people, and her red-gold hair shimmered as if it were alive.
What was she doing? he wondered. Why was she here? He looked into her eyes and saw her smile slightly. He was confused and taken off guard as she stopped in front of him and held out her hand!
It seemed his heart had taken wings as he slowly stood up and looked deep into her eyes. He was not mistaken—he could plainly see the love shining in her eyes! She had come to him in a public display of her feelings to show his people that she wanted to be his woman, and, in doing so, was allowing him to save face.
He took her hand, and they bent their knees, then stood up and backed away from each other.
To Joanna, it felt as if her heart were in her mouth. She had been half-afraid that Windhawk would reject her in front of everyone. She had seen the confusion in his eyes and wondered what he was thinking. She knew everyone was watching her and Windhawk.
As they danced toward each other again, she saw his dark eyes sparkle and a half-amused smile on his lips. When she stood in front of him, she took her robe and threw it over both their heads.
Joanna felt his cheek against hers and his warm breath fanned her ear, sending shivers of delight down her spine. It was dark beneath the robe, and she felt his mouth move over her face to find and cover her lips. It was a soft kiss, but it had all the impact of a strong wind, which seemed to sweep through Joanna’s body. Wild abandonment raced through her veins as Windhawk deepened the kiss.
“Do you play games with me like some frivolous maiden, Joanna?” he asked in a deeply amused voice.
She moved closer to him and turned her face up to him. “It is not a game I am playing. I am seeking a father for my son.”
“Your son has a father,” he stated flatly.
“That is true. I suppose I am seeking a husband for my son’s mother,” she whispered.
She heard his sharp intake of breath. “You had better mean this, Joanna,” Windhawk whispered harshly against her ear.
She pulled the robe off their heads and smiled as everyone began to laugh.
“What shall I give this woman?” Windhawk called out, smiling down at Joanna.
Sun Woman was leaning against the lodgepole with her arms folded across her chest. “You could give her a string of brightly colored beads,” she called out in an amused voice. Joanna saw the mischief sparkle in her eyes.
“No, I cannot; surely one with the beauty of the Flaming Hair is worth more than a string of beads.”
“What will you give her?” many voices called out.
Windhawk looked down at Joanna through half-closed eyelashes. “She already has my heart,” he whispered. “What can I give her of equal value?”
Everyone began to laugh, and Windhawk squeezed Joanna’s hand.
Sun Woman smiled to herself as she returned to her tipi to be with her grandson. Her heart was light, and she knew her son and Joanna would again walk as one!
Windhawk pulled Joanna out of his lodge as the dance continued. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her toward his horse.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.
“I am taking you to a place where we can be alone. Did you think I would take you to my mat with the whole village looking on?”
She could feel the silent laughter vibrate through his chest.
As they galloped away from the village, Joanna thought her heart would burst with happiness. She hadn’t known it would be so easy to reach out to Windhawk. She wished she had listened to Sun Woman’s words sooner. Joanna knew all it would take to make her happiness complete would be to hear Windhawk admit that he loved her.
Turning her face up to his, she watched the moonlight play across his handsome face. “Windhawk, do you truly love me?”
He pulled her tightly to him and rested his lips against her cheek. “There has never been a day since I first saw you that my love for you did not fill my heart. It was not always easy to love you, but I could not help myself.”
She reached up and touched his face. “I love you, Windhawk, my dearest, dearest love!” she cried, sprinkling kisses over his face.
&nb
sp; She felt his arms tighten about her and watched as his soft eyes seemed to light up.
“Has the circle led you back to me, Joanna?”
“Yes, my love.”
She didn’t notice that the horse had stopped until Windhawk dismounted and carried her deeper into the woods. She rested her head against his shoulder as her heart rate accelerated, knowing what he had in mind.
Setting her on her feet, he took the robe from her and spread it on the ground. Turning back to her, he pulled her into his arms.
Joanna quivered as his lips moved over her face while his hands unfastened her doeskin dress. She could sense an impatience in him that matched her own.
Her gown was thrown aside, and Windhawk pushed her back against the robe. She closed her eyes as his hands ran over her body. He touched her and caressed her until she thought she would go slowly out of her mind.
Suddenly she gasped as he covered her body with his. Sweet, aching desire pulsated through her body as she felt Windhawk’s throbbing, male hardness enter her body. Joanna arched her body and cried out as her hungry body was at last satisfied.
Windhawk clasped her to him so tightly she thought her ribs would break.
“Joanna, my beloved. My body was created to fit with yours.” He cried out at the pain that loving her had created.
It was pain, and it was beauty as they finally came together after so many months of being apart. They made love beneath the stars with wild abandonment. And after making love, they held and caressed each other, speaking words of love.
When they were rested, Windhawk again took her body to him, and Joanna trembled with the wonderful feelings he brought out in her. They forgot all the things that had ripped them apart. Their love would be all the more cherished because it hadn’t come easy.
Just before the first flash of sunlight lit the eastern sky, Windhawk took his sleeping wife in his arms and carried her to his horse.
On the ride to his village, Joanna stirred only once. He watched the sleepy smile that lit her face and held her tightly to him. He would love and cherish this woman for the rest of his life. Windhawk vowed that no one would ever come between them again!
He dismounted and carried Joanna into his lodge, where he laid her down. She didn’t awake, but reached out her hand to him.
Windhawk dropped down beside her and pulled her into his arms. This was his woman, and at last she was home where she belonged.
Her outer beauty was good to look upon, and the goodness of her heart filled his soul.
In her sleep, Joanna moved closer to Windhawk, and his arm went around her waist, pulling her tighter against him. Laying his face against her sweet-smelling hair, he too fell asleep…
Epilogue
It was summer—the prime season for hunting the buffalo. Once again the Blackfoot warriors were on the move, following the restless trail of the buffalo.
Windhawk was on his horse, gazing down below him. He watched Tag skillfully moving among the buffalo. He smiled with pride, thinking the boy was doing well.
His dark, expressive eyes moved over the land that had belonged to the Blackfoot for many generations. The sky was a deep blue, and white fleecy clouds floated lazily by. He watched the winding Milk River moving slowly across the land. In the distance he could see the Sweet Grass Hills and knew his village was just on the other side. His heart swelled with love and pride for this land whose beauty touched his heart.
Sighing inwardly, he nudged his horse forward. There was an urgency in him to see Joanna. When he was troubled, she seemed to calm his restlessness just by her nearness.
As he rode down the hill he thought how sad it was that all men couldn’t live as brothers. He had found much to admire in the white man. Could a race be bad that had spawned someone with the sensitivity and love that Joanna had? Was there no good in a race that could produce a boy with the bravery and courage of Tag?
Windhawk’s sadness deepened. There were rumors of the white man’s moving westward. He knew the time would come when the white man would challenge the Blackfoot for their right to the land where their grandfathers were buried.
He knew one day there would be war between the two races. He also realized that the white man would win in the end.
Windhawk hoped the white man wouldn’t come in his day, or his son’s day—but he would come…nothing could stop him!
Let the white man come, he thought. For Joanna’s sake, he would hold out his hand in friendship to them. If they drew first blood, they would soon feel the wrath of…Windhawk!
Where have you gone, O noble lords of the plain?
Time has erased your footprints with the passing seasons’ rain.
Your voices have now been silenced to no longer echo in the hills.
The battles are but memories when you watched your lifeblood spill.
It is we who are the losers; it is we who bear the shame.
O mighty Blackfoot warrior, only your legend remains the same.
Constance O’Banyon
Other Leisure books by Constance O’Banyon:
SAVAGE SUMMER
SAVAGE SPRING
SAVAGE AUTUMN
WOLF RUNNER
WIND WARRIOR
ENCHANTRESS
COMANCHE MOON RISING
DESERT PRINCE
DAUGHTER OF EGYPT
SWORD OF ROME
LORD OF THE NILE
HAWK’S PURSUIT
HAWK’S PLEDGE
THE MOON AND THE STARS
HEART OF TEXAS
MOON RACER
THE AGREEMENT (SECRET FIRES)
RIDE THE WIND
SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE (Anthology)
TYKOTA’S WOMAN FIVE GOLD RINGS (Anthology)
SAN ANTONIO ROSE
TEXAS PROUD
CELEBRATIONS (Anthology)
Copyright
A LEISURE BOOK®
September 2010
Published by
Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
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Copyright © 1985 by Constance O’Banyon
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