marry a woman of their choosing. By doing this, they ensured he’d be settled and ready to focus on the demands soon to be placed upon his shoulders.
Too, marriage to a woman belonging to another clan of the Hunkpapa tribe would strengthen his own. Normally the male left his people to join his wife’s, but because of their dwindling numbers, the two clans had decided to band together, both under his leadership. The council had made their choice. The arrangements were made. All that remained was his return, and then both clans would be his—and would count on him to find a way to end the war between his tribe and the Miniconjou. The two Teton Sioux tribes had been at war all of Swift Foot’s life. It was time for the rift to be mended, and it was Swift Foot’s duty to do so.
The trouble was, he didn’t want to wed a stranger. Not only had he found the answer to his haunting dreams, he’d found love. Swift Foot loved the white woman named Emily. He wanted to take her back with him.
A test. He tried to block his emotions by remembering that this time with the woman was nothing more than a test. The spirits tested his honor, his worthiness to assume the role of chief.
Gripping his knees with white-knuckled hands, Swift Foot mourned. War and the death of his parents had shaped his life and determined his future. He had to remember who he was, and what he was.
Remembering why they’d died gave him some strength to resist the temptation to bring the woman back with him. Yet remembering the nights spent in the woman’s arms, the feel of her, the taste of her, the love he felt for her, tore his heart in two.
Tipping his head back, Swift Foot lifted his hands to the deepening sky to pray for strength. His hair brushed the exposed flesh of his buttocks as his upper body swayed in prayer. Love hadn’t brought his parents happiness, only death and years of spilled blood.
He thought of the man and woman he’d never known. In order to marry his mother, Swift Foot’s father had rejected the woman he’d promised to take for wife—the daughter of a Miniconjou chief. The scorned woman’s tribe had declared war on his Hunkpapa clan, and when he had been only a babe, they’d killed his parents. They would have killed him had they known of his existence.
Swift Foot’s lips twisted grimly. They now knew he lived, had grown to be a great and feared warrior. That gave him some satisfaction. Yet war between the two tribes continued, a vicious circle of revenge. The selfish act of his father continued to cost the tribe much, and with each new death, the dishonor of his family weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Somehow he had to find a way to restore peace. And honor. If he did not, the two tribes would end up destroying each other.
Swift Foot sighed. He’d accepted with little emotion the arranged marriage his clan demanded. It was his duty to follow the orders of his elders. At the time, he hadn’t understood the emotion called love that had made his father risk so much. But now he did. Now, in love with a woman with hair the silvery color of a full moon, he understood. His soul wept for what could not be. His heart cursed Iktomi for his cruel joke. To taste love, then to have it ripped away—how could he bear the pain?
Shifting, he watched Emily cook their meal. She’d learned fast and seemed eager to please. And she did please. More than he’d have thought possible.
Again, he was forced to remind himself that love didn’t matter. Only honor. He loved this white girl, and wanted to hold on to her as long as he could, but with Hawk Eyes—the new chief of the scorned Miniconjou tribe that sought to kill his people—Swift Foot knew what he had to do. He could no longer delay their parting.
Guilt ate at him. Each day made it worse for them both.
She was not his to claim forever, as his father had once claimed his mother. Even taking her home as a slave for his wife-to-be was out of the question. His people would
Too, marriage to a woman belonging to another clan of the Hunkpapa tribe would strengthen his own. Normally the male left his people to join his wife’s, but because of their dwindling numbers, the two clans had decided to band together, both under his leadership. The council had made their choice. The arrangements were made. All that remained was his return, and then both clans would be his—and would count on him to find a way to end the war between his tribe and the Miniconjou. The two Teton Sioux tribes had been at war all of Swift Foot’s life. It was time for the rift to be mended, and it was Swift Foot’s duty to do so.
The trouble was, he didn’t want to wed a stranger. Not only had he found the answer to his haunting dreams, he’d found love. Swift Foot loved the white woman named Emily. He wanted to take her back with him.
A test. He tried to block his emotions by remembering that this time with the woman was nothing more than a test. The spirits tested his honor, his worthiness to assume the role of chief.
Gripping his knees with white-knuckled hands, Swift Foot mourned. War and the death of his parents had shaped his life and determined his future. He had to remember who he was, and what he was.
Remembering why they’d died gave him some strength to resist the temptation to bring the woman back with him. Yet remembering the nights spent in the woman’s arms, the feel of her, the taste of her, the love he felt for her, tore his heart in two.
Tipping his head back, Swift Foot lifted his hands to the deepening sky to pray for strength. His hair brushed the exposed flesh of his buttocks as his upper body swayed in prayer. Love hadn’t brought his parents happiness, only death and years of spilled blood.
He thought of the man and woman he’d never known. In order to marry his mother, Swift Foot’s father had rejected the woman he’d promised to take for wife—the daughter of a Miniconjou chief. The scorned woman’s tribe had declared war on his Hunkpapa clan, and when he had been only a babe, they’d killed his parents. They would have killed him had they known of his existence.
Swift Foot’s lips twisted grimly. They now knew he lived, had grown to be a great and feared warrior. That gave him some satisfaction. Yet war between the two tribes continued, a vicious circle of revenge. The selfish act of his father continued to cost the tribe much, and with each new death, the dishonor of his family weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Somehow he had to find a way to restore peace. And honor. If he did not, the two tribes would end up destroying each other.
Swift Foot sighed. He’d accepted with little emotion the arranged marriage his clan demanded. It was his duty to follow the orders of his elders. At the time, he hadn’t understood the emotion called love that had made his father risk so much. But now he did. Now, in love with a woman with hair the silvery color of a full moon, he understood. His soul wept for what could not be. His heart cursed Iktomi for his cruel joke. To taste love, then to have it ripped away—how could he bear the pain?
Shifting, he watched Emily cook their meal. She’d learned fast and seemed eager to please. And she did please. More than he’d have thought possible.
Again, he was forced to remind himself that love didn’t matter. Only honor. He loved this white girl, and wanted to hold on to her as long as he could, but with Hawk Eyes—the new chief of the scorned Miniconjou tribe that sought to kill his people—Swift Foot knew what he had to do. He could no longer delay their parting.
Guilt ate at him. Each day made it worse for them both.
She was not his to claim forever, as his father had once claimed his mother. Even taking her home as a slave for his wife-to-be was out of the question. His people would
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