"Yes, this doesn't surprise me," Sharon replied. "They are different from us in many ways, and they tend to keep to themselves. But, she did take Little Dove's son."
"And, the chief helped her to regain the boy?"
"Yes," answered Sharon.
"And, did you not say Little Dove's first husband was no longer alive when this happened? Is this why the chief had to come to her aid?"
"Yes, it is so. As the story goes, when Little Dove's son was taken, no one else except the chief was near enough to hear her pleas. This is why he came to her defense. But, the task to rescue the boy took many months, and, as you might imagine, being forced into one another's company, the chief and Little Dove came to be closely united. In the end, they married, the chief adopting First Rider as his own son.
"Now, continuing on with our family, the chief already had one son with his first wife, Morning Sun Woman. This son is not much older than First Rider, and his name is Medicine Fox. One might suppose there might have been great animosity between the two boys, since they are not related at all by blood.
"But, it is not so. Medicine Fox seems to have inherited his mother's kind heart as well as his father's empathy for others, and so the two boys grew up as almost-brothers and have remained closely knit to one another even to this day."
"My goodness. It seems as if there are many adventures to be had in this country. Indeed, listening to this, it puts my own plight into proper perspective. Please allow me to tell you how happy I am for enlightening me with a little of the history of my new family."
"It is my pleasure to do so. Little Dove is one of your almost-aunties. And, because she is married to Chief Chases-the-enemy, both he and his first wife, Morning Sun Woman, are part of your family now, too. I think you might come to love them all as much as I do."
"Oh my," declared Czanna. "I admit it is quite a good feeling to have so much family, even if they are only related by adoption. But, please tell me about the two other women who are white and who have also been adopted into the tribe."
"Indeed, I will. Also, I think you might find that family, even if only by adoption, is still thought of as a relation, regardless of being a blood relative or not. And, the relationship is just as loving.
"But, let me now begin my story about Amelia and Laylah," Sharon went on to say. "Laylah," continued Sharon, "is the wife of the medicine man, Eagle Heart, who, again, is the chief's younger brother. Laylah was the first white woman to marry into the tribe, and not only was she welcomed with kindness into Eagle Heart's entire family, she has since gone on to become a medicine woman and is almost as well-known as her husband.
"And, then there is Amelia, Laylah's sister," Sharon carried on. "She met her husband, Gray Falcon, when they were little more than youngsters in their teens. Although Gray Falcon's family welcomed her into the fold of their lives, it was Gray Falcon, himself, who was not convinced Amelia would make him the kind of wife he thought he was expected to marry. You see, his family has a long lineage of medicine men. And so, Gray Falcon was uncertain Amelia would be welcomed. However, love will have its way, and Amelia was accepted wholeheartedly by his family. In truth, they are one of the happiest married couples in the tribe.
"As for me, I met Amelia when she was living in St. Louis, and I remember how determined she was to return to Indian Territory. Because I looked upon her as a sister—though we are unrelated by blood—I could not let her endure the journey back into Blackfeet Country unattended. I had thought in the beginning of the journey that I would return to St. Louis once she was settled, but it was not to be. I met my husband, Strikes Fast, through his heroic deeds on my behalf; he saved my life several times. And, I fear I love him so dearly, I would brave any calamity to keep him with me. It was hard for my husband at first to live amongst the Pikuni, since he is Crow and the Pikuni and the Crow tribes are at war. But, there are some friendships that rise above all feelings of hostility. Such is the friendship of your almost-father-in-law, Strikes Fast, with themedicine men, Eagle Heart and Gray Falcon. It is they who adopted Strikes Fast into their family. And, it is because of his friendship with these two medicine men that my husband came into his own power as a medicine man.
"And, so you see," Sharon went on to say, "the family you can now call your own is a diverse, yet a kind and powerful people. Now, I admit it is probably a little too much to take in all at once because our family is large, but it is my wish for you to find as much happiness with my almost-son, Stands Strong, as I have found with my husband. Please know this: we love you already, and we will do all we can to make your life amongst us as joyful as we are able."
Czanna, listening to her almost-mother-in-law, felt a little overwhelmed, it is true. But, Sharon's kind and calming ways made it a little easier to understand how similar their families were to her own.
In truth, they set her so much at her ease, she found she was unable to speak for a moment. And, with this knowledge came another thought: although she had so recently lost most of her family, she now had attained a new one, and apparently a good-hearted one.
For several moments, Czanna hesitated to say anything more. Instead, she found it easier to merely nod, while also trying her best to smile. Such graciousness and generosity was hardly what she had expected of these people.
Into the silence between them, her almost-mother murmured, "We are very close, you know."
Czanna didn't reply at once, but in due time she asked, "Are you speaking of Stands Strong and yourself?"
"I am," replied Sharon. "If you will bear with me, I'd like to tell you a little about how Stands Strong came to live with us, since he is a Lakota man living amongst the Pikuni. Have I overwhelmed you with all our history, or would you like to hear a little about my almost-son, your husband?"
"Oh, yes, please," Czanna was quick to say. "I would very much like to hear what you have to say. You see, Stands Strong has told me a little about his heritage, but I would be pleased, indeed, if you would tell me more."
"Soka'pii,good, very good," said Sharon. "It is what I had hoped you might say, and I am glad. Please allow me to tell you yet another story, a very important one about how Stands Strong came into our lives. It is about how we first came to know one another and how he became our almost-son. It is important to me because…well…"
"Yes?" asked Czanna. "You mentioned before about there being a problem. Won't you please tell me about it now? I promise I will do no more than listen."
Sharon glanced away and sighed before saying, "I should not be bringing it up to you now. I can only hope you will forgive me. This is all so new to you, and I should not have even mentioned it."
"But," answered Czanna, "since I am married to him now, perhaps it is best for you to tell me. Won't you, please?"
Again Sharon sighed. "Yes, there is a problem, and I think it weighs on my almost-son, although I doubt Stands Strong has told you about it. He tends to speak little of it. It is not his way to do so. Yet, I am aware of it and know it troubles him."
"He did tell me about him asking for the hand of Good Shield Woman. Is it about this?"
"I fear it is not," answered Sharon, "although I believe God has ways of bringing people together whom He knows will lift up the spirits of both people. And, although I knew well how brokenhearted my almost-son was when Good Shield Woman married another, I thought then that perhaps God knew there was another yet to come, one who might be able to bring my almost-son closer to finding what he has always sought. I think you are the one."
"Oh my. Me? The one? Thank you for your so-gracious compliment. And, although I am appreciative of your praise, Ithink, perhaps, I am not the one. After all, I am only a woman who loves your son, and with all my heart. I have no power other than this."
