Continuing to speak in sign, he said, "From an Assiniboine scout, I learned about a warrior from his tribe who had fallen in love with Tsistsaki on sight and had bought her away from the Crow man who had stolen her. He told me they had been happy for a few years but she had recently become sick and had died."
Liliann gasped. "I be so sorry."
He nodded. "But, there is more," he signed. "Her Assiniboine husband, like myself, had loved her well, and when she died, he took his own life."
"No!" Liliann couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. And, her voice shook as she whispered, "I be sorry for thee and for thy wife and her husband. Truly sorry."
He did no more than nod again.
Silence ensued between them for a moment before he signed, "But for my spirit protector and Sun, the Creator, I would have followed her and her Assiniboine husband in death. The Creator, however, intervened. And so, I survived."
Followed her in death? No!
He was looking down away from her when she said, "I be glad thou be still here, alive." Then, taking courage, she sought to comfort him, and she murmured, "I have always loved thee, and 'twould have grieved me no end had thou passed into the next world."
As though her confession had shocked him, he suddenly brought up his head and stared at her for a long, long while. But, then, at length, he signed, "Is this true?"
She didn't understand what he meant exactly and answered him with a frown.
He then went on to ask again in sign, "Is this true? Do you love me?"
She gulped. Had she, in trying to bring ease to his suffering, shared a part of her heart when it would have been better had she kept her own feelings to herself?
Besides, how could he have not known how she felt about him? Hadn't she followed him most everywhere when she had stayed in the Pikuni camp? At least she had done so until he had married.
Alas, she didn't possess the courage to give him the answer he sought, which was God's own truth. And so, she answered him in the only way she could, giving him an easier version of what was in her heart, saying, "Thou saved me own father's life. How could I not love thee? Surely thou must have known howI felt about thee. I trailed along behind thee everywhere in the Pikuni camp. Does thou not remember?"
He did nothing at first. He simply looked at her. But, then he took her hand into his own again, and, changing positions so he was on both knees in front of her, he bent over at the waist and kissed her once, then raising his head and staring into her eyes, he bent over again and kissed her once more, only this time more deeply.
Oh, glory be! Liliann felt as though every sense within her burst into life. Her stomach dropped as white-hot lightning coursed through her blood. And, a place most feminine upon her body awakened.
She kissed him back—how could she not? Everything about him was right. His scent—woodsy, earthy and balmy—was laced with aromatic and raw manliness, and she breathed in the brisk fragrance of him, wishing to memorize it.
As his lips urged hers to open to his taste, she thought she might swoon, and when his tongue played with hers, it was as though he was using his tongue alone to mate with her, and his hands came up to caress her neck, her ears, her uninjured cheek. Using his hands, he massaged her head, messing her hair.
But, she didn't care. She didn't wish him to stop…ever.
His hands came down to pull her in closer toward him, and, still using his tongue to love and to kiss her, he began to massage her shoulders and upper chest until suddenly—
Ouch! She jerked back.
"I am sorry," she said. "There be a sore spot there."
He didn't speak. His breathing was so quick and fast, it was no wonder he didn't talk. Instead, he bent forward a little and came to rest his head against hers. Moment after moment passed, until at last he said, "I…not know…until this night…how much…you in my heart. All those…winters ago, thought I…about you…like…sister to me. But, you not…sister."
"Nay," she whispered. "I be not your sister."
He chuckled. "Áa, I was…wrong. Big mistake…my part. Let me see…sore on chest."
"Nay, I cannot let thee see me there. Love thee I do, as I have just now told thee. But, I be married. And, thou must be still grieving. This has to be wrong."
He inhaled deeply and backed away from her a little. Then he said, "Were I white man…it…wrong…too soon. But, I…not white man. You…would be wife…second wife, true. If Creator…lets you be second wife for me, I would…love you…be good to you. Never…beat you. Treasure you…instead."
Raising up a hand, she brushed the tears from her eyes and looked away from him. Oh, how she wished she could say "Aye, I will marry thee," but she couldn't. God forbade it because she was already married to another man. A scoundrel, true. But, still, she was married to him.
Therefore, she could never become First Rider's wife. What he had this moment suggested would be looked upon as adultery in her faith and in her society, too. It was forbidden, and no mistake.
Placing a finger under her chin, he brought her face back around to his, and he was very, very close to her when he said, "If your God…allows…throw him…away. You…get away from fort…come with me…to camp. Be my…second wife. He not…follow you…there. You start…new life…with me."
