Gold Raven (50 page)

To Hope, her cheerful, eager acceptance and welcome was like a grand reception, added to the wonderful stories
Josey had told her about her family, the Webster's and Princess Ceś alena. She could not help but wonder, did this all mean, that she was home?

"Cesalia – what you must understand is this. She has just arrived and is tired; also she has not agreed to marry your brother."

"Oh but she will! Surely you will! You have to!"

"Joseph Avery O'Brien! Have you set her up to pressure Hope?!"

"Her name is Gold Raven, and – no I have not."

"No mother, he hasn't. I knew already. I have always known, just as you have always known!"

"Enough, go wash up so that you can help me prepare dinner!"

"I want to wait and hear her decision, oh please let me!"

"Go…right now young lady!"

"Uuugh! Oh all right!" She mumbled walking from the room to do as her mother had instructed her but turned back at the door and gave one last shout, "Say yes, oh please say yes!"

"Cesalia O'Brien!!!"

"I'm going, I'm going."

"Now – as for you two, I'm saying this before you son so that you know where I stand. The decision must be hers, hers alone. No matter-…"

"Mother please! It has already been decided!"

"I haven't heard anything of the sort from her. Just from you. Whether you wish it or not, I have something to say, and you will have to endure it."

Red Crow sank into a chair beside the door, wishing now that he had just taken off and married her, the way Cherokee's of old did; by taking her to his dwelling and then taking her virginity. It would be over, and done with but now he had to worry with the outcome of letting his mother have her say, and pray that it would not pull her away from him.

"As I was saying and I will try to keep it brief. Hope, as I said before, marriage is something that both parties should want.”

“
If you choose to marry my son, let me warn you now; he can be very overbearing. He's headstrong; obstinate; opinionated; -(Red Crow smacked his forehead with his palm keeping it there as a show of frustration)- he is self-centered; self-righteous; has a fierce temper at times and was terribly spoiled by us all. –(a derisive snort sounded from under his hand)- Furthermore, his pride outweighs him by several hundred pounds." His mother went on. She stopped to grab Hope's hand and his hand lifted from his forehead hoping she had reached her end.

"Done?" He could only pray that it was so.

"No I'm not!" His hand went back to his
forehead muttering, "Of course not; proceed mother, I wouldn't want you to forget anything."

"Joseph…mind your manners."

Hope chewed the inside of her mouth trying with all the control she had not to grin. However, the man who was slumped in the chair adjacent to where she and his mother sat was nothing like the man she had rode alone with for two days and nights.

"Before he interrupted, I also wanted to add, with all of those faults; he is also very loving; devoted entirely to his family and seeing to us. He gives the impression of a having a hard heart, but he has nothing of the sort. He is a bit selfish and possessive when it comes to what he believes belongs to him, but then… so are most men." She stopped with a sigh, thinking. "I tell you these things because of who you are. You are my best friend’s daughter. I have not seen her in years, but I love her as if we had talked just yesterday. I do not know the woman you have become, but I know the child you once were and I love you based on that. If you are half the woman your mother was, you deserve the best. Despite my son's shortcomings, as his mother, I have to say…that he is the best. Goodness, I wasn't going to say this, but I just have to. Nothing would make me happier than you marrying him…than you becoming his wife. Having said that, marrying him is something that you must be sure of, because come what may – what he is, is what you'll get. That is it…I have had my say. I'll leave you two alone now."

Standing over Hope, Josey's hand cupped her cheek as her thumb stroked her temple. A soft smile played over Josey's features as she looked from Hope to her son.

He gazed up at her with soft eyes, no matter how pushy and controlling his mother was over him, he loved her – and would die for her. She could see that shining in his eyes as she stepped away and made her way to the back of the house to prepare their evening meal.

Chapter Twenty

"Would you like to go out into the yard? The sun is setting, there's no better view than from where we are right now."

Hope nodded and stood, feeling nervous because she knew something was expected of her and she did not have long to make up her mind. As she approached to follow him outside, she noticed a change in what he wore, buckskin breeches and different moccasins, with his chest just as wonderfully naked as before. She also noticed that his hair hung unbraided, loose to his shoulders, thick and damp from bathing. Another thing capturing her attention was the heavy shade of auburn mixed in with the black at his temples. Where his sister's was all auburn, his was at his temples and sparsely spread along his hairline for the sun to pick it out as it shone. Because he was so fresh and clean, she longed for a bath herself.

Hope followed slowly behind him to the corral fence where his pinto ran free with a white stallion and two other pintos. Looking off towards the horizon, she agreed with him, the sun was setting as if God desired to end the day with a magenta colored sky, the sun showing itself as a fiery ball magnificently breathtaking. Surrounding his mother's home was a clearing rich with lush grass, clovers, bluebells and buttercups. "Oh my, what a sight, it's beautiful here." Hope commented, knowing without looking that he stood to her left, gazing at her. "In more ways than one, never has it looked more beautiful than it does right now.” Sighing, Hope turned to look at him.

"How can you still want me after all this time?" She asked pointedly.

"How can I not?"

"Will you ever answer a question I ask?"

"If I answer all that you ask of me, will you soon lose interest and flee?"

Hope stared into his eyes unable to turn away,
'My God, his eyes are so blue, like the dimming sky before a dark night.'
She thought before forcing herself to look away. "I am your captive, how can I possibly flee?" He chuckled in a voice that made Hope tingle in such delicious ways. She fought not to smile.

“
You are so wrong. I am the one captured, enraptured and unable to break the bindings that you use. The true prisoner here my love, is none other than myself. As foolish as it is on my part to admit such a thing, every word is true.”

“
You sir, are the devil. One who uses magic in his touch and now with his words.”

The white stallion came up to her, nudging her gently for a treat or a pat. She scratched his bridge, “My brother is important to me, Red Crow. I worry over his safety.” She suddenly reminded him once more, “Your mother and I talked a long time.” She went on to say, “She knows and understands how much my family means to me. If, and I’m saying if – I were to marry you, you must promise me that you will see about him.”

“
It has been a long time, it could be too late.” He returned softly, not wanting to give her false hope.

“
As you have said, I must have faith; therefore, it is my choice to believe that he has survived this and only waits to be reunited with me and his family. I will believe no other way.”

“
You must not put your faith in miracles, they do not-…”

“
Is this not a miracle? That I am now here with you? After my mother and I were taken away with no clue left to anyone of our whereabouts? You maintained your belief – and here I am.”

“
Destiny and miracles are two different things. You are my destiny as I am yours.”

“
By that as it may, my brother and I made plans to find our mother. Someday, together we will. Princess Ceś alena is
our
destiny. I
will
see my mother again one day and not just as a painting on the wall – but as a living, breathing woman!”

“
And that living, breathing woman will look at me and know, that I am her daughter and that I never lost faith! That I always believed we would be back together one day! Neither you, nor any other will come before that! If I am to be your wife, that is a promise that you must make, to back me, support me in finding her.”

“
Finding first, my brother! You give me your word, that you will never come between that destiny – that you will help me! If you do, then – I will marry you.”

Red Crow stood from the fence crossing his arms over his chest as he stared straight ahead at the now dark sky. The sun was gone from sight with only the darkening of blue to remain of dusk. Already there was the crescent shape of the moon clear to see. He understood her feeling the need to seek out her brother and their mother but as his wife, he could not allow her to traipse all over the world searching for a mother that may now be resting in peace. Had not the man, Maynard Webster searched for years without success to find their whereabouts, only to end the search with nothing? Would this brother, if indeed he was alive and he was able to help him, be willing to live among his people with his sister and another in command?

Somehow, he did not think so. He would no doubt want, as Hope did, to continue searching for their mother. With his people to care for, he could not just up and leave them to run off after someone who was surely now, no more than a ghost. His eyes went to hers. She was watching him carefully, waiting.

“
You will become mine when the sun brings a new day, Gold Raven.”

“
My brother? My mother? My family, what of them?”

“
As you said, if they are to be your destiny, there is nothing I can do to block if from taking place.”

“
Don’t play with words, or your word Indian! I won’t stand for it. Give me what I ask, or move aside! I have places to go, my family to find – and I will do so, with – or without you.”

Red Crow could not just stand back and allow her to leave him after all this time, waiting for her to come back into his life. “I shall help you in seeking his welfare. If he is still alive, I will help him. That is my word.”

“
And the rest? My mother?”

“
One thing at a time, Gold Raven. Let us first marry. Let us then see to your brother. From there, we will plan the rest.”

Hope stood silent, her eyes narrowed with warning, lacking trust. She was alone right now and in his hands, with few alternatives. As things stood, they at least, had a history together. Next to her blood family, she supposed he and his family was the next best thing. Her mother trusted them, and so… having little choice… she would too. "Okay… I will marry you."

The following morning, Hope awakened to hurried activities. Throughout the village, word quickly spread and the old shaman Cobenche began his ancient ritual chant.

Calling upon the spirits who had set the coming events in motion from that long ago day that Red Crow accepted what his mission in life was to be; requesting that they come and bless the ceremony of the two now joining. This would continue inside his steaming hut, cleansing him throughout the summons, taking only water into his system, that he would sweat back out to flush himself clean, making him worthy of the spirits presence. To Hope's disappointment, Red Crow had left the village before sunrise the next morning. He was searching out a location where they would spend several nights consummating their marriage. There, they would be alone to become used to one another and the life they would share.

In his absence, a few women from the village would prepare Hope for their chief. In order for her to be suitable, she too would have to endure a ceremonial cleansing. Before that began, to her pleasure, came the welcoming from the tribeswomen with various gifts for her; headbands; Indian Jewelry; moccasins. Amidst the gifts were three custom made doe skin dresses; to her amazement, sewn into the bodice fronts were beads arranged to depict a gold and a black raven; the black with markings of red by its temples, with them in flight over blue beads that represented the ocean. Among the things, she received were combs, and feathers attached to leather bindings to tie into her hair. A variation of tools and utensils for making her duties as a wife easier were part of the offerings, all of which she gladly accepted.

Next came the cleansing ceremony, to her dismay, she was set upon by three of the elder tribeswomen who took her over for the next four days running up to the coming event. She was scrubbed, steamed, scraped of all un-lady like hairs on her body; such as on her legs, under her arms, and they even attempted her pubic area. However, Hope's bared teeth and growling warning brought them up short.

Coming between Hope and the women just in time, Josey explained as best she could that she felt the spirits would excuse them and Hope for leaving that area untouched. They heatedly disagreed and made a move to tackle Hope, when Josey caught up in the fracas yelled, that she would remove the hair, as the chief's mother, it was her right to see to it. That seemed to satisfy them, although one had a suspicious look of disbelief as to whether she would or not; but Josey held firm. Every six hours it was the same thing. Hope was to be steamed, re-bathed and thoroughly scrubbed again, with Josey in attendance promising the women who pointed at the still hairy area, that she would see to it right before the ceremony, in addition to calming Hope and explaining, that it was a tradition that she too had endured long ago. Josey thought the whole process absurd, but in their eyes, a virgin must be not just that, but cleaned of hair and any other imperfections of the skin.