Bound by Honor Bound by Love Read Online Free PDF

would like the security in
knowing Onawa wouldn’t grow tired of him and go back to her lodge,
thereby divorcing him and taking their children with her. Gary and
Chogan didn’t have to worry about losing their wives or their
children.
    The chief handed him the pipe. “This
is for the best. One day, when you’re older, you’ll
understand.”
    Though Citlali doubted it, he nodded
his consent.
     
    ***
     
    When Onawa woke up the next morning,
she was surprised Citlali hadn’t returned. Had the chief talked to
him all night? Citlali’s younger sister, Amata, had warned her that
there were nights when Citlali didn’t come back to the lodge.
Despite her disappointment, she recalled everything he’d told her
while they made love and smiled with excitement. He’d told her he
loved her! She sat up in the warm bed. He loved her. She hoped he
might like her, but what she most wanted—beyond anything else—had
come true. Too bad she didn’t get to tell him she loved him, too.
She was about to when the chief interrupted them. Her cheeks
flushed at the reminder that he’d been outside the room, waiting
for them to finish.
    No. She wouldn’t dwell on that. She’d
think on the fact that her husband loved her. She no longer had to
envy Woape and Julia for marrying men who loved them. She was now a
woman who had a husband who loved her, too. And who better than
Citlali?
    After getting out of bed, she got
dressed and searched for the gift Amata had given her. She found it
and hung it on the wall. It was a piece of deerskin, and on its
smooth surface were objects sacred to both Citlali’s and Onawa’s
clans.
    On Citlali’s side were two sacred
turtles and a bushel of bluish-green flint corn. On her side were
bushels of yellow flint and dent corn. Above the items was a
sunrise to represent the beginning of her life with Citlali, and
under the items were sunset and stars. The sunset represented the
completion of their life together while the stars were their
children who would carry on their traditions. Around the entire
painting was a circle so that she and Citlali would always find joy
in each other. It was a beautiful gift. Onawa traced the circle and
thought of the years she and Citlali would spend
together.
    With a sigh of contentment, she left
the small room to join Citlali’s family members. At the moment, his
mother and sister were stoking the fire in the middle of the lodge.
She walked over to them and waited for them to notice her before
she spoke. “Are we the only ones awake?”
    His mother and sister looked her way
and smiled. “We are early risers, earlier than most,” his mother
whispered. “Is Citlali still asleep? He usually wakes up before we
do and sits in the corner over there.”
    Onawa glanced at the vacant area near
the wall dedicated to male members of the tribe. “No. He left with
the chief last night and never came back.”
    His mother sighed. “He’s been known to
do that, so it’s not unusual. I just thought…” With another smile,
she said, “It doesn’t matter. Would you like to help us make
something to eat?”
    Onawa knew what his mother was going
to say, and had it not been for Citlali’s declaration of love,
she’d be upset. But she didn’t mind that he had to be with the
chief. As long as he loved her, she could accept the demands he
faced.
    As she helped prepare the morning
meal, she waited for a moment so she could speak with Amata alone
and told her the good news. “Citlali said he loves me,” she
whispered.
    Amata’s eyes grew wide and she stopped
mashing the corn in her bowl. “He actually said it?”
    Blushing, she nodded. “He
did.”
    “ I had no idea he knew how
to feel love.”
    “ Oh, that’s silly. Of
course, he can feel love. He’s human, isn’t he?”
    With a chuckle, Amata returned her
attention to the corn. “Some don’t think so. He never shows any
emotion.”
    “ He can when he wants to.”
Onawa thought he was very passionate in bed, and he