Chapter 11 #2
It was lovemaking at its rockiest. It was taking, but also giving. It was rough, yet gentle. They bore against each other over and over, straining together as if each thrust were another well-argued point in their disagreement.
The release was heavenly, yet earthy at the same time, and they came together in a madness of thrusting hips. The pleasure went on and on, as if each clung to the moment, as if each understood the pleasure was fleeting.
At last it was over, and both were breathing heavily as he settled down on her.
As he inhaled the scent of her spicy femininity, it was on the tip of his tongue to apologize, to explain himself, to tell her everything, even though he knew he dare not.
Pushing against him, she said, “Please get off me. If it be your intention to humiliate me, you have certainly done so.”
“I?” He came up onto his elbows and looked down into her eyes. “But…I thought…you wanted it too.”
However, if he had hoped to finagle a confession out of her, he was to be disappointed.
She said, “I suppose you think this is the way to quiet my rebelliousness.”
“Hiya! Truly, I thought you wanted lovemaking as much as I did.”
“I did not. I do not. I am angry at you, and I…do not wish to have more of your attentions.”
He stirred uneasily but moved to the side of her, though he kept hold of her around the waist.
She sat up, settling her skirts around her ankles. “I need to wash.”
“I will take you to the stream, and then we will leave here.”
She glared at him, and he could barely hold her glance as she said, “As far as I’m concerned, you have broken your word to me, and I will not go anywhere with you willingly.
Though my protest may be fruitless, for you are obviously stronger than I am, believe me, you will not stop me.
I promise you, I will hound your every step. ”
His sigh was long and deep. “I know. I even understand.”
“Humph!” was all she said in return. With a brief nod, she rose and headed toward the stream.
Though he had no choice but to follow her, he did so at a great distance.
In the end, Grey Coyote had merely to whistle for his pony, and it came, trotting happily toward them. He’d had to haul her up onto the animal, for she would not help him. Tying her hands in front of her, he had settled her in a straddle position. He had also gagged her.
True, Marietta had screamed at him, as she had promised she would.
In a way she supposed he had a reason for what he did, but she wasn’t particularly interested in giving Grey Coyote quarter at the moment.
However, they had been underway for no more than a few minutes when Marietta discovered it was possible to squirm and shift about until, the good Lord willing, she could throw herself from the pony.
Though such an action could be deemed childish and would only serve to irritate him, it was all she could think of to do.
So she did it. She twisted about until she could feel herself sliding off, but instead of falling to her feet as she had intended, she found herself hurtling toward the ground, face first.
“Do you mean to hurt yourself?” Grey Coyote scolded as he raced toward her, catching her before she made contact.
She didn’t respond and merely glared her dislike at him.
But from then on, Grey Coyote had tied her feet together, and without a single word of apology, had thrown her over the pony’s back in a position like a dead man, face down, arms over her head.
She couldn’t have been more uncomfortable if she’d been a sack of potatoes.
How could he do this to her? Blood drained to her head, and her stomach muscles were tired from the constant need to tighten themselves against the movement of the pony.
She squirmed, pressing her elbows into the flanks of the animal, and lifted her head in order to prevent the constant rush of blood. She tried to cry out, but mostly she only hurt herself.
At last, after what seemed like hours, Grey Coyote stopped.
They had been traveling through the night, their pace slow, and she wondered if Grey Coyote meant to taunt her.
They had also been keeping their trek to the gully.
She supposed Grey Coyote was afraid to range out onto the open plains, even though, in her opinion, there was little light by which to see them.
At present there was only a sliver of a moon, as well as the multitude of stars.
Stepping back toward her, Grey Coyote pulled her off the pony and carried her to a large, flat rock, where he placed her upon it, seated. Though she couldn’t say a word, her fiery gaze expressed her anger at him.
Grey Coyote didn’t speak, returning instead to the pony, where he hobbled the animal, petted it, then reached up to grab hold of a bag. She recognized the bag at once as being one that was filled with their food.
Still silent, he returned to sit directly across from her, and to her utter chagrin, ate his snack in front of her, never once taking his eyes from her. He even quenched his thirst from another pouch which was filled with water, looking as though he were enjoying himself thoroughly.
Hazy moonlight shone down on him, casting his features in stunning shades of grey light and shadows. Though she marveled at his handsomeness, at the moment she would have rather died than admit it.
In due time, he asked, “Are you hungry?”
She refused to answer. Instead, she glanced away from him.
“Very well, we will travel onward, then.” He stood to his feet.
“Hmm…” It was the only sound she could make.
“Did you say something?”
She rolled her eyes but then realized he might not be able to see it.
“Know that we are in enemy territory,” he cautioned as he stepped toward her.
“War parties generally have a scout who accompanies them, and these men cross the prairie at night also, so do not think you are free to scream. If I remove this gag, you must promise me you will not screech or yell. Do you promise?”
She nodded.
Carefully, he untied the gag, and it seemed to Marietta as though he took pains to avoid touching her.
At last the gag was gone, and he squatted before her. “Shall I feed you, or can I trust you to your word that if I untie your hands, you will not attempt to leave?”
“I will not attempt to leave.” She said it resentfully, hatefully, but she said it nonetheless.
He nodded and carefully untied her hands and her feet. He offered her the pemmican and the water, and she accepted them both greedily.
As she ate, he sat back across from her to watch.
After a while, her thirst and hunger satiated, she spoke. “I will repay you for this indignity.”
He inclined his head but didn’t speak.
“I notice we are traveling south and west.”
“That is a good observation, and it is so, we travel south and west. The forest I seek is in Paha Sapa, the Black Hills. They are a little west of where we are now.”
“I do not know of them. But tell me, where is the trading post in relation to where we are?”
“It is almost due south. We do not travel so much out of our way.”
“Oh.” She looked elsewhere, anywhere but at him.
“Are you finished?”
“I—”
“Then we will continue.”
“Don’t throw me over the horse,” she commanded. “It is uncomfortable.”
“Then you must promise me you will not try to jump down from the animal and squirm about. Do you promise?”
She set her lips together, and he shook his head.
“You make this difficult for me.”
“This is your problem.”