him
Her tears were his undoing; he could no longer make her believe that once he got her to his home, he was going to be rid of her. He would not tell her that he could not stand the thought of her being in someone else’s lodge.
“It will be better for you to be my captive than one of the other warrior’s with a wife. The wife is who rules the lodge; she tells the captives what to do. It is also the wife who decides the punishment for any form of disobedience,” he said. “Since I have no wife to become jealous of your beauty, you will be safe as my captive.”
They rode into the village, women and children came rushing out of their lodges to point and stare at Abby.
“What are they saying?” She asked.
“They have never seen a woman with your coloring, they say your hair is the color of the white man’s gold and your eyes the color of the summer sky,” he said with a gentle expression in his eyes. “We will go speak to my Father now.
Shadow Spirit dismounted and helped Abby from the horse’s back. She was terrified. The women came up to her and started poking at her and pulling on her hair.
“Please Shadow Spirit make them stop,” she pleaded.
He spoke to the women sharply in Cheyenne. They immediately stopped and backed away. Shadow Spirit took Abby by her arm and walked to the center of the village where the Chief’s lodge was erected. Shadow Spirit called to his father and mother asking permission to enter.
“Come,” a woman called from inside.
A woman of a slight build, with long red braids and sparkling green eyes came up to Shadow Spirit and embraced him.
“It’s good to have you home my son. Your Father wishes to speak with you.”
“It is good to be home Mother, I have missed you and Father more than I can say.”
Abby stood just inside the tepee watching the tender reunion. She couldn’t understand where her people got the impression that Indians didn’t have the capacity to love and form bonds with family as the whites did.
Shadow Spirit walked to a bed in the back of the tepee. The bed looked very comfortable it appeared to be made of buffalo skins stuffed with grass. He kneeled beside the bed speaking softly to the frail man reclining there, his mother sat beside the bed holding her husband’s hand.
Abby thought they had forgotten about her. She felt totally lost and alone. She missed her Father more than ever now as she witnessed the love Shadow Spirit had for his parents and the love they had for him. She saw the Chief glance in her direction, then turn and say something in Cheyenne. Shadow Spirit motioned for her to come closer. She did with reluctance.
“Father, this is Abby, Abby this is my Father, Chief White Feather of the Cheyenne.”
“How do you do sir?”
“I have seen better days,” he said with a smile. “My son tells me he took you away from Black Heart. You are a lucky woman, it is not often anyone escapes from the clutches of that renegade.
“I am very grateful to Shadow Spirit for all his help, but I would sorely like to go home, my Father needs me,” she pleaded.
“Shadow Spirit has explained the reasons you cannot go home at this time, has he not?” The Chief asked in an unusually strong voice for someone so frail.
“Yes sir he has, but I could go alone.”
“I will not allow you to risk your life so foolishly, you are a beautiful young woman, and Black Heart will not give up so easily. You may stay here for as long as need be. My wife will need help in the days to come, I am not long for this world, and I will soon join the ones who have gone before me.” Abby observed a single tear slide down his wife’s cheek during his words of death. “My wife is a strong woman, but our daughter is to be wed in a short time and cannot be of as much help, with her own lodge to take care of, you will take her place.”
“How long before I will be allowed to go home?”
“It is decided. No more talk,” he stated.
Abby
Her tears were his undoing; he could no longer make her believe that once he got her to his home, he was going to be rid of her. He would not tell her that he could not stand the thought of her being in someone else’s lodge.
“It will be better for you to be my captive than one of the other warrior’s with a wife. The wife is who rules the lodge; she tells the captives what to do. It is also the wife who decides the punishment for any form of disobedience,” he said. “Since I have no wife to become jealous of your beauty, you will be safe as my captive.”
They rode into the village, women and children came rushing out of their lodges to point and stare at Abby.
“What are they saying?” She asked.
“They have never seen a woman with your coloring, they say your hair is the color of the white man’s gold and your eyes the color of the summer sky,” he said with a gentle expression in his eyes. “We will go speak to my Father now.
Shadow Spirit dismounted and helped Abby from the horse’s back. She was terrified. The women came up to her and started poking at her and pulling on her hair.
“Please Shadow Spirit make them stop,” she pleaded.
He spoke to the women sharply in Cheyenne. They immediately stopped and backed away. Shadow Spirit took Abby by her arm and walked to the center of the village where the Chief’s lodge was erected. Shadow Spirit called to his father and mother asking permission to enter.
“Come,” a woman called from inside.
A woman of a slight build, with long red braids and sparkling green eyes came up to Shadow Spirit and embraced him.
“It’s good to have you home my son. Your Father wishes to speak with you.”
“It is good to be home Mother, I have missed you and Father more than I can say.”
Abby stood just inside the tepee watching the tender reunion. She couldn’t understand where her people got the impression that Indians didn’t have the capacity to love and form bonds with family as the whites did.
Shadow Spirit walked to a bed in the back of the tepee. The bed looked very comfortable it appeared to be made of buffalo skins stuffed with grass. He kneeled beside the bed speaking softly to the frail man reclining there, his mother sat beside the bed holding her husband’s hand.
Abby thought they had forgotten about her. She felt totally lost and alone. She missed her Father more than ever now as she witnessed the love Shadow Spirit had for his parents and the love they had for him. She saw the Chief glance in her direction, then turn and say something in Cheyenne. Shadow Spirit motioned for her to come closer. She did with reluctance.
“Father, this is Abby, Abby this is my Father, Chief White Feather of the Cheyenne.”
“How do you do sir?”
“I have seen better days,” he said with a smile. “My son tells me he took you away from Black Heart. You are a lucky woman, it is not often anyone escapes from the clutches of that renegade.
“I am very grateful to Shadow Spirit for all his help, but I would sorely like to go home, my Father needs me,” she pleaded.
“Shadow Spirit has explained the reasons you cannot go home at this time, has he not?” The Chief asked in an unusually strong voice for someone so frail.
“Yes sir he has, but I could go alone.”
“I will not allow you to risk your life so foolishly, you are a beautiful young woman, and Black Heart will not give up so easily. You may stay here for as long as need be. My wife will need help in the days to come, I am not long for this world, and I will soon join the ones who have gone before me.” Abby observed a single tear slide down his wife’s cheek during his words of death. “My wife is a strong woman, but our daughter is to be wed in a short time and cannot be of as much help, with her own lodge to take care of, you will take her place.”
“How long before I will be allowed to go home?”
“It is decided. No more talk,” he stated.
Abby
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