Forever Ecstasy (62 page)

Morning Star was consumed by anguish. She was cut off from her family and friends. They could not exchange goodbyes. To them, she must be as the wind—invisible, ignored. She must be as the flower—silent. She must be as the cactus spines—untouched. She was banished, forever. It was done.

The band, many with broken hearts, obeyed the chief and their law. They turned away from the beautiful creature with misty eyes. No one spoke, though many wished to do so, as it was their way and was necessary. Many said a mute farewell to the exquisite female, the brave vision woman.

Singing Wind did not care who witnessed her defiance. She embraced her child and whispered, “I love you, Morning Star. I will miss you and never forget you. You will always be my daughter. Be safe and happy.”

She hugged the woman and whispered in her ear, “Be strong, Mother. I love you and will miss you. I will never forget all you have taught me. Help Father through this hard time. Soon I will be fine.”

Night Stalker also embraced her and whispered, “Forever you are my sister and I will love you, no matter our law. I will be a good chief. Do not worry about our parents and people. I will take care of them.”

Morning Star gazed into his dark eyes and smiled, as she knew he spoke the truth. Tears blurred her vision. She could not speak again, so she answered by caressing his cheek. She watched her mother and brother slowly turn away from her. She captured Sun Cloud’s hand, squeezed it, and whispered, “I love you, Father. Never be sorry for obeying our law.” It gave her strength when the man clasped her hand tightly for a moment.

Morning Star weaved her way through the silent crowd with lowered head. She went to her parents’ tepee and packed her belongings, then walked to Hanmani, took his reins, and guided him out of camp. She did not look back, or halt until she was a mile from her people. She released the, faithful animal’s reins, dropped her possessions, and sat down to weep over her losses. Her decision was much harder than she had imagined, and it could never be changed or taken back. Tomorrow, her father and his band would leave for Fort Laramie; her people would depart for the sacred hills. She would be alone. “Come quickly to me, my love,” she prayed.

Joseph Lawrence reached his destination and dismounted. It was dark and quiet, and no one seemed disturbed by his late arrival. To make certain, he left Star at the edge of the camp and moved quietly to obtain the privacy he needed for what he must do. He realized his father did not have long to live. Yet, he was doing the best he could for everyone involved. He also realized that no matter how fast he traveled his father already might be dead, but he fervently hoped not.

Joe could not bring himself to leave without Morning Star. He would lose only half a day—a day at most if there was trouble—by veering off the route to fetch her. He knew Stede’s urgings had come from a heart filled with remorse over missing last moments with his wife and son; the older man had not stopped to think how close to Sun Cloud’s summer camp the route from their campsite to Fort Tabor would bring Joe. As best he could judge, the chief and his band should have reached home earlier today. That meant there had not been enough time to begin moving to the Black Hills.

Joe felt it was his responsibility as a man and a suitor to face Sun Cloud with the truth. He comprehended Tom’s concern over damaging all their work with the confession, but he knew he must take that risk. He had to have faith in the chief’s character and honor, in himself, and in God.

He approached Sun Cloud’s tepee, knelt at the open flap, and called his blood brother’s name. It was only moments before the chief responded and called him inside. Joe ducked and entered. His gaze widened and showed confusion when he did not see his love inside so late at night. He sensed a strange and alarming tension in the air. In the fire’s small glow, he read expressions on the Indian couple’s faces that worried him. Astute, Joe asked, “What’s wrong, Sun Cloud? Where is Morning Star?”

“She is gone,” Mahpiya Wi replied to the white man his child loved and had sacrificed all to have, the sacred vision warrior, the trickster, the power taking away his beloved daughter, his blood brother. Which—if any or all—of those things should rule his emotions and behavior tonight?

“Gone? Did she follow us to Bear Butte and get into danger?”
Please, God, don’t let her be hurt. Don’t let her be somewhere else. I don’t have more time to spare. Help us get out of here quickly and painlessly.

“No, she was banished this sun. She camps alone nearby. She is dead to us. We cannot speak her name or look upon her face again. It is our law.”

Joe did not have to be told why the action was taken, but it shocked him. His gentle love was alone and in anguish. “My people will not banish me for choosing her. How could you do this to your own child?”

“It is our law. I could not break it for her.” As the angry white man stared at him, Sun Cloud related all that had happened. “She is downstream waiting for your return. Why have you come tonight? Why did you halt your ride to the peace council?”

“A scout from Fort Laramie caught up with us that first night. He delivered an urgent letter from my mother. My father is dying. I must hurry home. Even now, I may be too late to see him. I have to ride fast and hard, Sun Cloud, but I had to come for Morning Star first. I wanted to be the one to explain everything to you. I wanted you to hear from me how sorry I am for having to deceive you about being Tanner. From what you told me, I can tell you think it was wrong, but that you understand my motives. I’m glad, because
I don’t want you of all men to think badly of me. Tanner was my best friend, like a brother to me. How I miss him. He wanted to help his father; they both wanted to help their Indian kin. At first, I took over his place to find his killer, but I became attached to Morning Star and her people. I really care what happens you and the Red Hearts; you must believe that. In all honesty, I took those risks more for your people than to keep the whites out of a war. This is Indian territory, and I wish it could remain that way forever. We both know it won’t, and I’m sorry.”

Joe related the talk that had taken place in his camp after the urgent message reached him and Stede’s offer to escort his love to Virginia. “It wasn’t right to let him be the one to face you about our secret. Stede and Tom, Broken-Hand, told me not to come here because they were afraid you’d be angry about my deceit and it would stop you from attending the treaty talk. I don’t believe that, not of a man like the son of Gray Eagle. You might hate me and distrust me, but from what I’ve seen and learned about the Red Heart chief, you have too much honor to sacrifice peace for your people. You know this treaty is genuine, and signing it is vital to years of peace. What I’ve done wrong can’t stop you from signing.”

Joe was relieved when the chief allowed him to have his say before taking his turn. “I love Morning Star, Sun Cloud; I need her. She’s a part of me now. I want to marry her. I want to share the rest of my life with her. I want her children. God knows we tried to prevent this from happening. We battled our attraction to each other as long and as hard as we could. It didn’t work. We realized how difficult a mixed marriage would be. We knew what trouble and pain it would cause many people, especially her family. She’s the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. You raised her to be strong and skilled. She’s my friend, my helper, all I want and need in a woman. I swear to you I’ll make her happy. She’ll be safe and free at my home. I won’t let anyone mistreat her or harm her. You have my word.”

Sun Cloud was pleased by Joe’s confession, though he couldn’t let it show. Yet his voice was not harsh when he informed
the man, “I do not need your word, and you do not need my permission. She has chosen you; she has been banished. All you must do is go after her and leave. And you must never return to our land and camp.”

“I know it’s your law and I understand why you have to keep it, but I want you to understand our feelings. I want you to forgive us for tricking you. I want you to be happy about our love and marriage. I don’t want to lose your respect and friendship. And I don’t want the woman I love to suffer because of me. She doesn’t deserve cruel treatment like this; she was the vision woman. She only obeyed it. Banish her if you must, but don’t deny her; don’t say she’s dead to you and that her family is dead to her.”

Sun Cloud studied the white man with blue eyes and blond hair. Joe’s tone said he was sincere and honest. “It must be this way; laws are for every person. You must understand why we cannot change them. I believe your words, but they change nothing for her.”

Joe took a deep breath, then released it. “You’re right, but your decision hurts many people. I guess it was foolish, but I was hoping this wouldn’t happen to Sky Warrior and the vision woman. Maybe I never believed it would, not even when Morning Star kept warning me of the grim consequences. What I don’t understand is why you banished her before I spoke to you and made a claim on her. Until we exposed the truth, why was she sent off alone? What if I’d done as Stede urged and left
for
home? She could have been in great danger until
Stede saw
you at Laramie, then rode here for her.”

Sun Cloud
looked at the
insect bite that had saved Joe’s life from Knife-Slayer’s treachery and the bruise from Zeke Randall’s blow to his
cheek. “She
revealed the truth and forced me to act on it. By choosing you, she is your wife in our eyes. The Great Spirit
brought
you here tonight to rescue her and to take her home with you. She is a skilled warrior; I knew she would be safe until you came for her. I did not want you to come to our winter camp to claim her. I did not want my people to see my daughter—bloodline of Gray Eagle—ride away with a white man. I wanted them to remember
you as Sky Warrior, not as the sly paleface who tricked us and took her from us. You have done much for me and my people. I thank you and honor you for this. But you have stolen my daughter from me; understanding and forgiveness will take time to fill my heart. But when they come, it will change nothing. You must understand this and not battle for what can never be again. You have been my friend and blood brother; never return as my enemy with my enemies. Keep her from harm and give her much joy, but never return,” he stressed.

Joe perceived clues in the chief’s speech: love and concern between the lines of it, the anguish Sun Cloud was experiencing, and the strength of this great leader to carry out his heartbreaking duty. “It will be as you say. We’ll be gone at first light. But I’ll contact you in the future to see if your feelings have changed. I won’t tell Morning Star about my message until they do. If things are ever different, I’ll bring her home to visit.”

Sun Cloud used all his willpower not to reply in the way his heart begged him to do so. As chief he must not weaken. He did not.

Joe grasped the turmoil in his love’s father. “I understand, and we’ll obey,” he murmured. “There’s one last thing, Sun Cloud. I didn’t reveal all of Orin’s motives at Bear Butte.” He related the last one, probably the most important to the greedy villain. He cautioned the chief to keep whites out of the sacred hills as long as possible. “I won’t tell anybody about the gold, not even Stede. I don’t want him to mention it by accident.”

Sun Cloud clasped wrists with Joe. “You are a good and honorable man, Joseph Lawrence. I will long remember you and your coups. When you hear that the treaty is broken and war has come, do not return. It cannot be stopped next time; the sacred vision warned of this. Do not risk your life to challenge what is our tribal destiny; it cannot be defeated as you defeated Snake-Man. Do not bring her here to witness the sufferings and deaths of her family and people. If you love her, keep her there forever.”

Joe noticed how Sun Cloud obeyed his law by not once
speaking his lost daughter’s name. How he wished it didn’t have to be this way for all of them. Maybe things would change in the future; he hoped so, for his wife’s sake. “I love Morning Star, sir. We’ll obey your words and laws. If you ever need to reach us, contact the President, our Great White Chief; he can tell you where we live.” Joe glanced at the older woman who looked in great pain. “Good-bye, Singing Wind. I’m sorry we’ve hurt you. Don’t worry about Morning Star. I promise to take good care of her.” He turned to the chief and said, “Good-bye, Sun Cloud. I’ll never forget you and my time here. And I won’t forget all I’ve learned.” Joe looked at his love’s parents one last time, and left the tepee.

After a time, Sun Cloud joined his wife on their sleeping mat. He pulled Singing Wind into his arms. “He is right; do not worry. Payaba says she walks the path Grandfather planned for her. We must accept this.”

“I will be strong, my husband, but it will be hard for a time.”

“I love you, Singing Wind,” he murmured against her lips.

“I love you,” she replied, then kissed him to ease her torment.

Sun Cloud did not relate the rest of Payaba’s vision for it would hurt and frighten his wife. What the past shaman had revealed in private about his daughter had given him the strength to banish her: “Let her go with Sky Warrior or she will die in the dark days ahead, as will many others.”

The old man had spoken of a time when another great warrior—a legend larger than himself and Gray Eagle— would ride the Plains and war against the interloping whites. Payaba had spoken of another child in their tepee, a boy who would become a great warrior, whose prowess would blaze as a bright star in the darkened sky. But the old shaman did not know if the two men were the same. Payaba had warned of an arrow, dripping in blood and firing over the land, that must be watched closely over the years; and Sun Cloud suspected his identity—his unruly grandson.

“When dark shadows blanket our land once more, the
bloodline of Gray Eagle and Sun Cloud will become strong again,” Payaba had said. “Do not resist what must be, or the vision will be defeated and all will perish.”

Sun Cloud wondered if those parts of the prophecy—told only to him—meant they would have another son and the chief’s line would not pass through Night Stalker and Bloody Arrow. They were no longer young, but the Great Spirit had the power to do anything. Until he was shown the meaning of those parts, he would keep them to himself.