Tiopa Ki Lakota Part 24

"I knew ye weren't dead, Kathleen! I knew it!" Rachel babbled through her tears.

"Shhhh, mum.... I know. Stewart told me." The younger woman maneuvered the two of them to her parents' bed in one corner. Settling down, she held her mother tight, rocking slightly.

Standing awkwardly by the entrance, Stewart mumbled, "I'll go help with the horses." He dashed out, closing the door behind him.

Anpo had just lead the ponies into the yard as she saw the man - My sic'e - exit the cabin. Their eyes locked and they stared blankly at each other, unsure.

The mare nickered as Teca bounced on the saddle. Gaining his inanup's attention, he held out his arms in a demand.

Dark eyes quickly scanned the dooryard, appraising it for danger. They found what seemed to be common among these folk. A neat stone well, a chopping block with a pile of wood, a cl.u.s.ter of chickens scratching about. Anpo measured her woman's brother once again before making her decision.

She lifted him from the saddle. "Stay close, cinksi. We are not safe here."

Teca nodded, making a beeline for his colt as soon as his moccasins. .h.i.t the ground.

Stewart watched with some vague envy as the toddler pulled the yearling towards the well, though who was leading who was debatable. Da wouldn't let me at the barn 'til I was near seven, he thought in amazement. Let alone take care of a horse!

There was a small trough to one side of the well and as the child's pony caught a whiff of water, it circled about and buried its nose in the welcome wetness. The sounds of drinking perked the ears of the other two mounts. In response, Anpo led them forward, as well. Soon the three were enjoying their fill, Teca whispering in his colt's ear and petting the mane.

Stewart finally shook himself and stepped down from the porch. "Ye said ye'd help with the horses... So help," he mumbled to himself as he approached the well. Skirting around the dangerous native - She's a woman then? - he dropped a bucket into the water below and hoisted it upwards. With a practiced hand, he emptied it into the trough and repeated his action.

Once the trough was overflowing the young man pulled up a final bucket and dipped himself a bit of water using the ladle that hung nearby. As he leaned his head back to drink deeply, he could see the dark woman watching him. Swallowing, he flicked the ladle downwards, removing the dregs of water before handing it to her.

Keeping a wary eye on him, Anpo took the utensil. Dipping it into the fresh bucket, she asked, "Teca, do you want water?"

The toddler looked up from his pony. Nodding, he approached the warrior. Slurping mightily on the ladle, water ran down the sides of his face and sprinkled his bare chest. "Good, inanup!" he insisted with a nod before returning to the yearling. He led the animal away to a bit of gra.s.s.

As the wikoskalaka took a drink, Stewart studied her. He could see where he'd mistaken her gender - she didn't wear a dress like all the other women he'd seen. The shortsleeve shirt she wore was painted yellow with some kind of designs on white strips. She wore a breechclout like the warriors Stewart had caught sight of, a dirty white color hanging from her waist. Her legs were bare, showing brown skin and dust, white moccasins on her feet. A yellow feather stuck upright from her head and an eagle feather hung down, her dark hair pulled into two braids and wrapped with buckskin strips. About her neck were several necklaces - two or three it looked like - and the pouch that held a very modern hunting knife.

A sudden squawking grabbed his attention, and Stewart whirled to see the child chasing after chickens in the yard. His immediate response was an irrational anger and he actually took a step forward before stopping himself. No, lad! He's yer nephew! he reminded himself. It don't matter he looks like all those d.a.m.n heathens in the wilderness.... He's blood!

Anpo watched the play of emotions cross the man's face. Her eyes narrowed at the curled lip of disgust and anger that was quickly washed away by a stubborn acceptance. "Teca," she called. "Come with me. You and I will ride my pony."

The promise of a ride with his inanup snagged the toddler's attention and he raced to her, leaping up into her arms with a whoop.

Kathleen held her distraught mother, rocking gently and murmuring soft words in response to the choked questions.

"Where've ye been, la.s.s? What happened to ye?"

The younger woman continued her rocking. Probably best not to tell her everything, she considered. "I was captured by the Indians and they took me away."

Rachel nodded against her daughter's chest. "Aye. We found Adam in the field. The animals had left him there!" Angry blue eyes peered into Kathleen's. "It was two days before we heard of other attacks and checked on ye." She ducked her head back down, hugging the blonde close. "I'm so sorry, Kathleen," she whispered.

Returning the hug, the blonde smiled sadly. "There's nothin' to be sorry for, mum. No one knew the Indians would range so far north." And where would I be if it had been stopped before I was captured? What would I have? Rachel's voice broke into her reverie.

"Aye, la.s.s. The menfolk all took up arms after that. Hunted that pack of heathens down and killed them all!"

Kathleen stopped rocking, confused. Brow furrowed, she pulled away from her mother. "When was this?"

Using her ap.r.o.n to wipe her face, still snuffling a bit, Rachel said, "Why, two or three days after we found Adam. That's why everyone thought ye dead. You weren't with them anymore." She paused in thought, her own face puzzled. "But what happened to ye, la.s.s? Why weren't you there?"

Dark blue eyes closed in pain. That's why we kept moving west. They were running away from the attacks by my people. Hitching in a breath, Kathleen opened her eyes and looked at her mother. "I wasn't there because...." A well of sadness filled her heart. "Those weren't the Indians who had taken me, mum. The men killed a village of innocent people." Oh, G.o.d! Why'd they do something so idiotic!?

Rachel stared at her blankly for a moment before her face crumbled. "G.o.d ha' mercy," she whispered, eyes wide.

Kathleen nodded in agreement. She pulled fully away from her mother, remaining seated on the bed with her hands in her lap. "It's no wonder attacks have continued up and down the frontier."

The pair sat in silence for a moment. Sounds from outside filtered into the quietness, distracting them from their thoughts. A horse galloping and a child crowing in delight drifted in from the open windows.

As Rachel's eyes narrowed and mouth pursed, she said, "What in blazes is that?"

"The reason I'm here," Kathleen responded, a huge grin taking residence on her face. She rose to her feet and held out her hand. "Come with me, mum. I need to show ye something."

As they stepped out onto the porch, a reddish blur raced by. Stewart was out by the well, his attention on a large horse and its occupants as they trotted around the yard.

"What the...?" Rachel asked, stepping forward and off the porch. As she registered what she was seeing, she gasped and stumbled backwards.

Surprised at the response, Kathleen caught her mother before she could fall.

The older woman turned, panic in her eyes. Stepping back onto the porch, she hustled her daughter backwards toward the door. "Get inside! Quickly!"

Kathleen actually took two steps back before stopping in alarm. "Mum! It's not what ye think!" She fought off the frantic hands that pushed at her. "It's not an attack, mum! Yer safe! I'm safe!"

Seeing the altercation at the cabin, Anpo rode directly towards it, slowing as she neared. Her eyes uncertainly watched an elder woman struggling with her winuhca. Is this her ina? she wondered, pulling the pony short. Why are they fighting? Kathleen spoke to the older woman, soothing her as the Lakota watched. Sliding from the back of her steed, Anpo took a step forward. "Ketlin?"

The blonde saw her worried warrior and spoke over Rachel's stiff shoulder in Lakota. "It will be fine now, winuhcala . My ina is frightened and thought you were here to attack her."

Hearing the strange words from her daughter's mouth gave Rachel pause. The fight drained out of her as she peered closely into Kathleen's face.

Anpo's head tilted and her lips pursed in puzzlement as she considered this. "Why would she think I am on the warpath? I do not know her."

"My ina has heard of many attacks over the years, Anpo," Kathleen continued, her face a reflection of serious concern. "And you have seen evidence of many on the path of war here. My ina mistook you for one of those."

Nodding, Anpo could understand an honest mistake.

Stewart approached during the conversation, listening to the words roll off his sister's tongue. "What are ye sayin', sis?" he asked.

"I'm telling Anpo that mum is concerned for my safety and has made a mistake," the blonde responded. Looking at her mother, a distant part of her was astonished to realize she was eye to eye with the older woman. "You have made a mistake, mum."

"Ina!" Teca called from the pony. "Who that?"

The sound of the child's voice broke the reverie that mother and daughter had fallen into. Kathleen's face broke into a smile as she looked over the older woman's shoulder. Despite her fears, Rachel curiously turned to see who was speaking.

"Teca! This is your unci !" the blonde called back. She moved forward, steering her mother back out into the yard.

Anpo held out her arms as her cinksi dived into them. She set the toddler on the ground and watched as he approached the women. Seeing Kathleen's mother fully in the daylight, she studied her closely, noting the resemblance.

Kathleen knelt down and held her own arms out in encouragement. She hugged the toddler to her, the grin threatening to split her face in two. "Mum," she said, looking up at the older woman. "I'd like ye to meet Teca. Your grandson."

Her legs faltered and Rachel stumbled. Stewart dashed forward to catch her before she could do herself damage, easing her to the ground where she sat in astonishment. She was eye to eye with the child who was now leaning against his mother, an uncertain thumb stuck in his mouth and dark eyes regarding her solemnly.

"Teca. Say h.e.l.lo to your unci." As an afterthought, Kathleen added, "In English."

The toddler decided to be bashful. He pulled his thumb out, a shy smile crossing his face before he buried his head in the crook of his mother's neck.

Rachel finally found her voice, though it was shaky and weak. "My... my grandson?"

"Aye, mum," the blonde answered, settling down onto the ground and pulling her child into her lap. "Yer grandson."

Watching the two together, the older woman had no doubt her daughter was speaking the truth. Even as Kathleen brushed his unruly hair away from his face, the boy settled into his mother's arms and began playing with a necklace of some sort about her neck. While the coloring was definitely not of her family, Rachel could see the glimmer of her eldest in the child's facial structure. "How old is he?" she nearly croaked.

"About two and a half," the blonde answered with a soft smile. "As near as I can tell, he was born in January or February."

The red stallion snorted, drawing Rachel's attention. She eyed the stoic warrior holding the reins nearby, a shiver of fear coursing through her blood. "He the father?"

Kathleen blushed, dropping her gaze and looking away. And I haven't even told Stewart! she worried. How'm I going to tell my mum and da?

When no answer was forthcoming, Stewart piped up, "No, mum. That's a friend of Kath's. She's a woman."

It was bad enough her daughter had been kidnapped by the savages. Obviously she'd been raped by them to have a child so soon after her capture. I can do the math, Rachel thought. But, letting women dress and act like men, as well!? Heathens....

Anpo watched the disapproval settle onto her uncisi's face and wondered why it was there. A glance at her woman showed the same sort of befuddlement that had occurred earlier with her brother. Again the thought crossed her mind, My winuhcala is ashamed of me, and her heart ached.

Dismissing the dark woman, Rachel dusted off her hands and rose to her feet with the help of Stewart. "Well, la.s.s," she said briskly. "Come inside! I've got to get the dough ready for tomorrow's bakin' still and then start on your father's dinner."

"Da?" the blonde asked, allowing herself to be sidetracked from her thoughts yet again. "How is he?" she questioned, rising herself and holding Teca's hand.

The three drifted into the cabin as the women talked and Anpo couldn't stop the pang of fear and anger as her dream/vision came to her.

Smiling fondly down at the childlike Anpo, the woman with yellow hair caressed her cheek. "Mahasanni ki," she repeated. She took the toddler's hand and walked away.

The light intensified until it surrounded the mother and child, so bright she had to hide her eyes. When she was able to see, there was nothing there.

The door closed and, though she could still hear her winuhca's voice inside, it was as if the dream had become real.

Stewart studied the woman beside him. She's pretty, he thought as he looked at her profile. His blue eyes drifted to the well muscled arms and legs. But I bet she'd take murder whoever tried anything she didn't like. He shook his head. I know I'm certainly not going to try anything!

His movement caught Anpo's attention and she turned to look at him, her eyes distant yet piercing.

The man shuddered. d.a.m.ned if she isn't lookin' into my very soul! Swallowing hard, he said, "Well, if ye want, we can get yer horses something to eat...." and he waved at the barn.

Anpo considered his statement, her eyes drifting away from his to study the building he pointed at. The smell of horse and cattle dung was strong from it and she suspected that was where they kept their animals. Just like themselves. Cramped into their lodges and away from the world.

Stewart waved again and nodded, his eyebrows lifted in question. He wasn't even too sure she'd understood his words until she nodded as well and lead her mount towards the barn. With a sigh, he scooped up the reins on the spotted mare and followed, the colt trotting to keep up with its mother.

It was full dark and Anpo smoked her pipe as she sat on the ground near the porch. The evening had been full of strain and discomfort. She'd met her tunkasi when he'd returned from the fields. It seemed that he liked her even less than Stewart and Rachel did. The warrior had endured as much of his rude stares as she could, despite her winuhca explaining that he shouldn't watch her so intently. Anpo finally fled to the comfort of the darkness.

The only natural light was the waning moon overhead. A warm glow came from the windows of the cabin where the sounds of talking and laughing could be heard. Anpo took another puff of her tobacco, listening to her woman's laughter. She is happy now. She is with her family.

An irrational melancholy hit the dark woman as other thoughts invaded. She is ashamed of me. Her family is not mine, they hate me because of what I am. Anpo shook her head in irritation. How can they hate me if they do not know me? I do not understand.

Watching the tendrils of smoke rise from her beechwood pipe, her mind was far away. Is that why Ketlin is ashamed of me? Because of what I am? That didn't sound right, however, else the blonde would have been shamed in Anpo's presence long before they arrived here. Why is she ashamed of me here and not at home?

She recalled McGlashan intently questioning her about their relationship. When Anpo had told him they were joined, her woman dived into the conversation and deflected his questions elsewhere. Being joined as a Lakota is the same as being married for Ketlin's people. Is she ashamed that we are joined? Why? So many questions roiled about her thoughts, all of them aimed at Kathleen's strange behavior whenever mention of their bond came up. None of them were good, all casting shadows of doubt on what Anpo had always thought was firm and solid.

The door to the cabin opened and a man was silhouetted in the firelight before he stepped onto the porch and shut it behind him.

Anpo braced herself as the elder stepped into the yard and settled down nearby on the chopping block.

"Nice night," he began, pulling out his own pipe.

The warrior knew she couldn't ignore him. He's my tunkasi! An elder! But her culture forbade her to speak or look at him. Swallowing hard, she simply nodded.

McGlashan eyeballed her as he loaded the bowl with tobacco. "Don't talk much, do ye?" When no answer was forthcoming, he shook his head. "No, don't answer that. I just like statin' the obvious." He reached for the burning stick that Anpo had used to light her own pipe, pulling it from the ground and puffing contentedly.

They sat in awkward silence, smoke from their pipes mingling high above their heads.

The man sighed explosively. "Look, la.s.s, I don't like yer kind," he began, pointing his pipe at her, his face showing annoyance. "Haven't since they killed my son-in-law and stole my daughter." He glanced back at the cabin, hearing Kathleen telling a story to his family. His face softened somewhat as he looked back at the warrior seated in the shadows. "But ye brought her back to me, to us. And fer that, I'm grateful."

Again, Anpo nodded. It is his way of thanking me.

"You just let me know if ye need anything before ye leave in the mornin'," McGlashan said, tapping the pipe against his bootheel. "We ain't got much, but we can give ye some kinda reward for bringing Kathleen home to us."

The warrior blinked, not understanding for a moment.

Rising to his feet, the older man put his pipe away and peered out over his dooryard. "Ye can sleep in the barn tonight." No further words were spoken as he returned to the cabin and went inside.

Dark eyes narrowed in puzzled thought. She replayed the short conversation in her mind several times, pulling out the bits and pieces and fitting them together. Anpo's eyes widened when the connections were made. My tunkasi thinks I am leaving my winuhca here! That I brought her home to stay!

The warrior surged to her feet in surprise and denial. "He does not understand," she murmured. "I must have Ketlin tell them we are joined, that she is my winuhcala." But the memory of meeting Stewart, of trying to explain to the blonde's parents, of Kathleen interrupting and changing the meanings of her words stopped Anpo.

Ketlin had no choice but to join with me, Anpo mused as she stepped silently onto the porch. She had been captured and was a slave. I won her in a wager. The warrior eased closer to the window and peered inside. What if she does not want to be with me...?

Kathleen was telling her family about one of Teca's many inquisitive altercations. This one was about the time he had found the basket of huckleberries and ended up inside, purple from head to toe. Her dark blue eyes were sparkling in joy as she held her sleeping son, the lilt of her accent sounding like music to Anpo's ears.

She seems so happy here. More happy than I have ever seen her. A lump developed in the warrior's throat. The vision reared its ugly head once again.

Smiling fondly down at the childlike Anpo, the woman with yellow hair caressed her cheek. "Mahasanni ki," she repeated. She took the toddler's hand and walked away.

The light intensified until it surrounded the mother and child, so bright she had to hide her eyes. When she was able to see, there was nothing there.

Inside the cabin, Kathleen wound up her story, delighted at making her parents laugh. She thought she saw movement at the window but when she looked, no one was there.

McGlashan rose from his stool and stretched. "Well, I think it's high time to be off ta bed," he suggested.

Taking the hint, Rachel agreed, putting her knitting to one side. "Aye." She stood as well. "Kathleen, you and Teca can have your old bed in the loft. Do ye need help getting him up the ladder?"

Looking at the familiar rungs that led to where she had slept through her childhood, the blonde shook her head with a soft smile. "No, mum. I can make it blind with my hands tied. Teca won't make a difference." Kathleen looked out the window into the night with concern. "Where's Anpo?"