Lakota Flower Read Online Free PDF Page A

pick cotton and tobacco and sending them to the South to work on plantations or driving them northward into Canada where they could starve and freeze or become the problem of the Canadians. They had ridiculed “redskin” customs, beliefs, rituals, and appearances. They had bragged about how the army was going to whip theIndians so badly they would “be running with their tails between their legs like dogs and licking their wounds for years to come,” if they allowed any of the “savages” to survive. They had talked of total conquest, subjugation, humiliation, destruction of Indian villages and way of life, eradication, and outright slaughter, even of “squaws, breeding brats, and gray-heads.”
    If such grim atrocities already had occurred and more—worse—were planned in the near future, Caroline asked herself, could she blame the Indians for their defensive and retaliatory actions? Whites were deceiving them, encroaching on their lands, bringing in weapons—as with those cannons and crates in the wagons with her—and more soldiers for an impending assault; so it was natural for the Indians to assume they were being challenged to war.
    What, she wondered, was the truth? No doubt both sides believed they were in the right. How did David feel about his role in the gruesome matter, and what horrible orders had he been forced to carry out since coming to this territory? No, don’t think about such awful things!
    Caroline watched as War Eagle built a small fire, no doubt to provide light during the blackest phase of the new moon. Perhaps he only wanted to make sure he could keep her in view all night. He needn’t worry, she told herself, as this was not an opportune time to risk an escape. She could not get far without a horse, and she could not flee afoot in total darkness. To attempt such an obviously futile feat would only serve to provoke him against her. She watched him gather some items and walk toward her, an animal skin draped over one arm. She was surprised when he unfolded a buffalo hide and motioned for her to lie on it.
    “Sleep. We ride to camp on new sun.”
    Caroline thanked him and handed him the two pouches. She watched him nod, then rejoin his friend and lie down on the thick grass next to Swift Otter’s furry mat, implying he had given his to her. She told herself she should be gratefulto War Eagle for not slaying her on sight, for not harming her so far, and for being generous—even gentle.
    Caroline settled down on the soft hide, her back to the men and facing the river. She didn’t want to think about the disturbing fact that she was lying on his bed. She had seen the way he had stared into her eyes for a few moments, then averted his gaze as if she made him as apprehensive and confused as he made her. What if he found her appealing as a woman? When they reached his camp, would he keep her as his slave or give her to another to avoid temptation? If so, how would that person treat her? Since he had shown her such kindness so far, Caroline prayed she would remain with War Eagle; yet that thought troubled her.
    She tried to discard such thoughts and go to sleep, but they continued to race across her restless mind; and the location he had chosen for camping was a busy one. Crickets, frogs, other nocturnal insects, and birds created loud and almost competitive noises. A few animals came to the river to drink not far away. The horses moved about and swished their tails. The fire crackled and popped from feasting on dry wood. She smelled its smoke, along with the fragrant scents of wildflowers and crushed grass blades, and the odor of horse droppings when the seemingly incessant wind changed direction and blew toward her. Fatigued, she eventually became accustomed to the sounds, sights, and smells and slumber overtook her…
    Caroline was awakened when her shoulder was nudged as she lay on her left side. While her senses were still groggy, she rolled to her back, took a deep breath of fresh air,