CHAPTER NINE #2
There were tears in her eyes as she reached out toward him.
She whispered, "George, my dear George. What are we doing to her?
To him? They love one another. How could I have not seen this love between them until now?
And, not seeing it, how could I have been a party to separating them?
My son, I feel humbled by what I have witnessed here this night and by my own part in separating them. "
"I, too," whispered George. "I, too, feel humbled. Come, I will take you back to the house."
His mother did nothing more than nod. Then, as though on an afterthought, she said, "No, we must not go back there. When these two decide to return, we will accompany them. We must. They must not go back there alone."
"Nay, Mother. I will take you back to the ranch house, since you will be safer there than you would be here, and then I will return here.
When they, at last, decide to go back to the house, and if they decide to return there, I and my woman will accompany them.
Hopefully, it will look as though they spent the night in my lodge. "
"Yes," said Mária Fehér, her voice soft and hesitant.
"I will be there at the ranch. I will help you, if necessary.
My son, I am truly ashamed to have been a party to sending her to the city of New York.
It is only that Frederic and your father were so certain it was the only right action to take for the family, as well as for her. "
"I, too, am sorry this happened to her…and to him, though I had no part in it. But, Mother, not only Frederic and my father, but Red Fox's father, too, is against their marriage because of the incident at the Marias."
"No! It cannot be!" She sighed. "Oh dear. What are we doing to these two whom we both love? Well, there is nothing for it now. Come then and escort me back there. I will await them. I shall not sleep until they return."
"Thank you, Mother. Let us hope our plan will keep tempers at bay…"
****
As quickly as possible, Red Fox constructed a small shelter within the protection of the pines growing so grandly on the north side of the butte.
The refuge he was building for their night together was long enough and wide enough to accommodate them both, but was not tall enough in height to allow either of them to stand up within it.
It was necessary, however, to construct it well enough to allow it to disappear into the environment, since war parties could be on the prowl.
And so, he put it together from the natural windfalls within the glen of pines growing grandly at the north side of the butte. Luckily, there were pine boughs in abundance on the ground, enough to create a comfortable bed.
This, he hoped, would be a more appropriate wedding night for them; although, within the back of his mind was a doubt about their ability to remain a married couple. With both their families against them, would it be possible to stay together?
After all, none survive alone in a world set against them.
Still, he had thought out a plan that might keep them together and married, though he feared she would not like it.
Indeed, even he was not fond of what he was prepared to propose to her, but he could think of no other path to keep them together.
Glancing up at her curvy figure as the moonlight sent a silvery beam of luminance through the dense pines, she stood there before him in her pink gown, watching him, her gaze upon him filled with admiration. He could barely believe this woman loved him with a passion that seemed to match his own.
When she had been taken away from him two winters ago, he had thought he'd lost her forever.
But, clever Poka'aki had devised a means to return to this country still unmarried, though she had come with a problem that, if not solved in a good way, might also pull them apart without even their parents having to intervene and separate them.
However, this danger in her plans she appeared to have not considered.
But he, being on the path of the medicine ways, had quickly seen the fault in her scheme.
Clever as it was, there was a weakness in it that could pull them apart.
And, since the defect in her plan had nothing to do with their families' antagonism toward them, the flaw might cause their separation instead of their union.
But, since it was his responsibility to bring about her happiness, he had thought of a way to avoid the imperfection in her plan. Would she agree to it? He could only hope she would.
****
Because neither one of them could stand up within the shelter, they stood outside of it.
Red Fox, sitting down and watching her, became enchanted as he watched Poka'aki wiggle this way and that as she undressed before him, there where she stood outside his quickly put together wikiup.
And, watching her undress, any remaining thoughts of the possibility of them being torn apart vanished within his mind.
This was, after all, their wedding night, and he was more than a little ready to perform his duty.
Although he had at first tried to memorize what part of her clothing went where, and what was attached to parts of her attire that clung to yet another string or trimming, he lost track as he was soon consumed with the need to hold her.
His body now ached to bring her in close to him and to love her.
Yet, he was also absorbed in admiring her as first her dress came off…
then several other pieces of clothing, even a sort of leggings; all were discarded and quickly thrown inside their tiny sanctuary.
He was fascinated at the intricate manner in which she was dressed, as well as all the layers of clothing, because no sooner had one item been removed than there was another, then another, and another.
When at last she had stripped down to a mere slip, his patience was at an end and, standing up, he stepped toward her, took her into his arms and brought her body in close.
"Am I the only one who is to undress?" she asked.
"While I love the feeling of your white buckskin regalia against me, I would rather it be your unclothed body I am hugging, my dear husband.
Oh, how I have always enjoyed looking at you as you worked when it was warm enough for you to remove your shirt. "
She smiled up at him. “Oh, my darling, darling husband, how many times have I wondered what it would feel like if your bare chest were against mine.”
Her shy smile up at him was like a gentle pull back into the reality of where they were and what this night meant to them both: she was ready for him, too, and he was still fully clothed in intricate regalia.
Stepping back a little, he proceeded to remove his own garments as quickly as he could.
His attire was intricate, yes, but it was not as complicated to remove as hers had been, and it was done as swiftly as possible.
When at last they stood within one another's arms as naked as the day in which they had both entered into this world, he rubbed against her, breast to breast, bending down now and again to press kiss after kiss upon her lips, her face, her eyes.
When she sighed, he picked her up and carried her to their temporary haven of wood, pine branches and boughs, and kneeling, he crawled into it while holding her within his arms. He had already placed their saddle blankets over the bed of pine boughs he had arranged within their hideaway, and, when he deposited her on top of the blankets and when she looked up at him and smiled, he thought he might quietly go out of his mind with love for her.
He couldn't remember ever wanting anything more than to make love to this woman, and so, when she reached up to bring his body down to hers, he felt as though he did go out of his mind.
There was nothing, nothing but the thought of making love to this woman in his head…
and he, a scout, who was supposed to remain aware of his environment regardless of what was happening in and around him.
Gently, as though he held a babe within his arms, he kissed her face, her eyes, her lips, her nose, her neck. Indeed, with his lips, he adored every inch of the sensitive skin upon her face on down to the top of her breasts.
First his hands and then his kiss found her breasts, his own body mirroring her joy and pleasure. He paid both breasts especial attention with his lips and tongue, until, at last, his kisses foraged lower still.
And, when his caresses found that delicate spot that caused a shimmer of desire to cascade over her body, his own hunger for her overcame him, and, rising up over her, he joined his body with hers at last.
He whispered, "I will love you always. Good will our life together be."
"I know it will be, my love. I know it will be," she murmured back to him. "Oh, please shower me with your love. Please."
And so he did. When at length they both met the crest of their lovemaking, he felt himself as a spirit merge with her, and so beautiful was she, he almost cried.
Over and over the pinnacle of their love went on and on, they both giving to one another, until exhilarated, yet exhausted, they shared one more kiss and then collapsed into each other's arms.
I am hers. Until eternity, I am hers.
And, so it was with this thought in his mind, he fell to sleep, his body caressing and still atop hers; although, in slumber, he gradually moved to the side of her, keeping her firmly within his arms. And, he did not let go of her throughout the entire night.