"Now," continued Red Fox, "I have one more question for you: what is this prenuptial agreement you speak of?"
"Oh, that. It is an agreement between his family and mine. On paper, we give him the title he desires and he gives us thefinancial gain we have both agreed upon beforehand. We both sign it, we marry and he leaves, never to see me again…nor I, him."
"Again, you do not mention this man bedding you."
Bringing her head up off his shoulder and pulling her knees in close to her, she brought her head down to her knees, her hands holding her head. "Forgive me. I could only think of what I had to do to return to this country and to you."
"You do not need my forgiveness. I understand why you have done what you did. You had no choice in the matter. But, you have a choice now," he said. "We are, as of this moment, married. You are now my woman, and I am your man. We have made this so, because we are now of one heart. And, if this Pikuni land be your country in truth, you know this is so. Because of what we have done here this day, I must make you my woman or I risk damaging your reputation…or worse, if anyone in my tribe discovers I have made love to you and yet you willingly bed another man… There is a penalty a woman pays for this kind of behavior in my tribe, and I would have no say in what would be done. You know of the penalty?"
She nodded, but said nothing.
He continued speaking and said, "One action we might take is to leave this country forever and go north to make our home with a people who know us not. In this way, I would take away the risk of you coming to harm, not only from the white man's cannon and guns, but from my own people."
She sat in silence for several moments. "I had forgotten. Couldn't we pretend to be only what we were before we made love? Pretend we are only friends?"
"Do you really believe we could be merely friends now? We both have experienced the desire we have for each other. Others can easily witness what is between us. Perhaps you canhide your need from your father, but not from the men and women of my tribe."
"Again, you forget you are speaking of my tribe, too."
"Then, being a part of the tribe, you are willing to suffer the consequences of what we have done here today if we do not call ourselves a man and his woman? Again I ask you, you know what they are?"
"Well, yes, I do, but…"
He placed his arms around her and brought his head down to hers, kissing the top of her head. He murmured, "I will pray to Sun, our Creator, about this and beseech Him to show me a way for us to be together as a man and his wife. I cannot challenge your Maximillian—"
"He is notmyMaximillian."
"If he were Indian, I would challenge him to a fight to the death before any of this kind of agreement is set between you. But, he is a white man, and we have already seen what your government does to an Indian tribe when one of its members kills a white man."
"It is notmygovernment."
"I know," he whispered, kissing the top of her head again. "Well, since we already have shunned your culture and mine, I think we should love one another again before I bring you to your father's lodge."
"Must we go there? Could we not run away and be together, at least for tonight?”
“I think not,” he said. “Your father will know you are with me. And, if you stay out with me for the night, I do not think it will go well for you, especially because you are tied to this man by your own promise to him and to your father. And yet, you must not marry him.”
When she didn’t answer, Red Fox went on to say, “No, I must think on this. And I must act quickly.”
“Yes, and I must do so, too.”
“But, until I know what is to be done,”said Red Fox, “I believe it is best for me to take you back to your father’s ranch. You will be safe there.”
He pulled her in close to him. Bending his head toward hers, he kissed the top of her head once more.
"My beautiful, beautiful woman," he whispered in her ear. "I care little about what you had to do so you could return here. I welcome you back to my country. I am happy you are back here and in my arms. I will pray to the Creator. You must pray, too, because you have intended, and still intend, to defy Him. Speak to Him, tell Him what is in your heart and ask Him to show you how to continue to be married to me. We will find a way. I will find a way.Áa, I will find a way. But, I must beg you to refrain from bedding this man. Run away if you have to. I will find you."
"I will pray, and if I must, I will run away. But, I fear if you can find me, so will they. After all, my brother is as good of a tracker as you are," she murmured.
“Your brother, George, would never betray us. So, run away if you have to.”
“Yes, of course. You are right,” she said as she settled back toward him. “But must we go to my father's ranch so soon? Please, could we not make love once again, just once more before we have to go back into the world?"
She heard him laugh slightly. Then he said, "Of course we will. But, never have I said words with so much truth: I am glad you have come back…"
"To you?"
"Áa, to me."
And, as she had asked, so did he give her, and they made love again. Then, beneath a moon full of shimmering misty-silver light, they all five—he and she, their two ponies and theyoung wolf—set out over the prairie, making their trek toward her father's ranch.
