"But, you do not understand. I—"
He held up his hand for silence.
"And so," he carried on, "this is why I cannot agree to your treaty. If I make love to you, you become my woman in my eyes, in the eyes of my people and my God. If you then find another whom you decide would more favor you in keeping the memory of your parents alive, and if you walk away from me, you might have to pay a penalty whether we are married in your mind or not. You would not escape my people as you seem to think you might. And, since your cousin is married to a Pikuni woman, sometime, even if many moons away from this moment, there could be a price to pay, for me as well as for you, since it is within my knowledge that you have not wished to marry me. Still, though I understand there are many reasons why you would do as you must, Sun, the Creator, sees all, and from Sun I cannot hide my thoughts or actions.
"Now," he persisted, "since it is a custom in your land to seek pleasure outside of marriage, I think, perhaps, as you say, your God might not disfavor you. But, this trait in your God is not in mine."
Stunned, Czanna lay perfectly still. "Then," she said at last, "what you are telling me is that, regardless of what my ideas are of no marriage being created between us, there would still be harm created?"
"It is so."
Startled, recognizing for the first time the harm her request might cause herself, and perhaps this man too, she found she couldn't speak. And, as she lay beside him, neither of them spoke a word, until at last Czanna burst out, saying, "Oh dear! What am I to do? I trust no one else in this land but you to keep us safe. But, because I now understand why you have been so hesitant toagree with what I proposed and because I need to be true to…" Czanna didn't finish the thought.
Stands Strong didn't speak for several moments. However, at length he said, "Take heart, beautiful woman. Perhaps your cousin might be intent on joining my people for trade. If so, there would be no reason to make the treaty between us. I fear we must wait until we join my people. However, if your cousin has not come down from the mountains to trade with the Pikuni, then we would be required to talk about the treaty again. But, it is useless to speak of it now when we do not know yet the movements or intentions of your cousin.
"Besides," he went on to say, "having no treaty between us is likely the only manner by which we might safely remain with one another and retain our honor."
Czanna cleared her throat, then said, "I am not certain I understand what you are saying. Why would having no 'treaty,' as you call it, make any difference?"
"Because it is this way: by having no agreement between us, I might be freed from the problem of my mind envisioning ways I could make love to you."
"But—"
Again he held up a hand. "My devotion to Sun does not allow me to make love to you, and having you near me and thinking of what could be were I to agree to your suggestion makes my being with you difficult for me. Perhaps it is the same for you, too."
"All right," she said. "I guess I understand. However, I should say this to you: I do not find it difficult to be with you since I won't make love with you unless there is a pact between us."
He grinned at her before saying, "Think you that I could not convince you? Recall again what happened between us during the early morning hours of a time not long ago."
She didn't answer. Of course, he was right. How could she have discounted so easily how she had practically melted in hisarms? It wasn't that long ago when he had held her so closely to him, although it seemed as if a lifetime had passed since then.
However, though what he said was true, she would never openly admit to how passionately she had hoped he would make love to her. At length, she said, "But, I believe this is so unnecessary. After all, I am the one offering this deal to you. In a way you are innocent. And, in view of this, is it not inconceivable to think your God might look the other way? Besides, truly, I do not ever intend to meet your people."
"Can you be certain this will never happen?" he asked. "My plans are to go to my chiefs and tell them what I have observed as a scout. This requires my taking you and your family with me. And, even if your cousin is not in my camp and would require us to seek him out in the mountains, because he is married to a Pikuni woman, he will have to come into the Pikuni camp from time to time. He would also need to bring you with him."
"Yes, I understand," she said. "However, consider this: what if you and I fulfill the terms of the treatyafteryou return to your camp? I could stay in the fort and wait for you, and when your business is concluded with your chiefs, you could return to the fort and only then lead me and my family into the mountains."
"And, you would patiently await my return? Or would you ask another man—who might be of the same ilk as your former scout—to lead you there?"
"I…I would wait for you."
He shook his head. "You are speaking without knowing the Indian character. What if we did as you say, and I return to my people without you, and my chief has another even more important scouting mission for me? I cannot say no."
"Yes, you could. You could simply tell him you have made arrangements elsewhere."
"I would not. Not when our land is being invaded by gold seekers who are a different kind of white man than the white traders who are friends to us. These new men coming into mycountry are without morals or good sense, and, by their acts, they bring danger to my people. I would not be able to say no to my chief."
Czanna didn't speak, and, after a moment, Stands Strong continued, saying, "I believe there is no other way but to take you and your family with me into the Pikuni camp. Besides, when you speak of Sun perhaps overlooking my actions with you because of my innocence, you forget that even if Sun were to forgive me…I cannot. A man must not abandon his own ideas of what is right and what is wrong. And, if I agree to your suggestion and make love to you, I see danger for you. Therefore, I cannot agree to this treaty."
"But, Mr. Stands Strong, I promise you that if you would only change your mind and agree to my offer, I would do most anything to stay away from your people so there would be no trouble."
Stands Strong responded to her suggestion at once and said, "Beautiful woman, do not forget my words to you so easily. Now, though I have not seen into the future and do not know what it holds for you or for me, I must again say this to you: I will not risk the loss of your beauty or ruin you for another by having this affair with you. And, since you believe it is not in the best interest of your family to become my woman, there is little else we can do but to remain as we are now."
"But, what are we now, Mr. Stands Strong?"
"We are friends who also share a similar desire, one for the other. But also, because we are friends, we must always act for the best interests of one another, and never should we indulge the passion between us by carrying our love and friendship into lovemaking. There must be a limit, and we must not cross it."
"Yes," Czanna agreed, but then remained quiet for several moments, uncannily experiencing a feeling of having lost something of great value. But, why?
