Taking up his mallet once more, he beat out the rhythm of the song, then began to sing, only this time he put words to the melody of the minor key, and although she had stood up and was now twirling about as she had done before, she listened to his words, which were sung in Blackfeet:
Never have I seen such beauty as you are.
Never have I been more in love.
Dance for me, my love.
You alone hold my heart.
This I swear, if you will be mine and only mine,
I will give you all the love and laughter I have to give.
Dance for me, my love, as I promise this to you:
I will not say bad words to you.
Always I will remember this, our love.
I will sing forever if you will only dance for me through life.
Be mine, my love, and I will sing to you forever."
When he had finished his song, she paced toward him and then sat close before him, placing her hands on his shoulders. There were tears in her eyes and a knot in her throat when she said, "I am yours as you are mine. Always."
From below them came the strains of another beautiful waltz, and looking deeply into his eyes, she said, "Dance with me, Red Fox. Please dance with me to the rhythm of the song down there."
She rose up to her feet and held her hand out to him. And, when he took her hand into his own and stood up, bringing her up with him, he led her out onto a bare spot on the ledge, where he began the waltz steps. And, they danced to the beauty of the waltz, around and around the ledge. But, as the music kept on, he pressed his body more intimately against hers, and when he took hold of her waist and lifted her up toward the moon, she looked down upon his face, so handsome in the silver-like moonbeams.
They stared at one another, she above him and he looking up at her with tenderness in his eyes. It was a moment of becoming one in spirit, a sensation and awareness beyond even admiration of one another. Then he smiled at her, and he twirled around and around while holding her still high above him, until at last, grasping her tightly to him, he brought her to the ground and sank to his knees, bringing her with him. Kneeling on the solid ledge below them, he pressed her body in close to his.
Then, bending his head, he kissed her. First, he caressed her lips, then her eyes, her cheeks, each one in turn. His hands came up to stroke her face as he whispered, "I am yours. No matter what happens from this moment forward and until eternity, I am yours."
His words brought happy tears to her eyes, but between her sobs, she managed to say, "And, I am yours."
As the kindly moon shone down on them, illuminating his handsome features—his dark eyes, his straight nose and his full lips—she said, "Make love to me, Red Fox. I ache to be one with you in body, as well as in spirit…now…forever."
"But we are here where all eyes could see us and I could be caught—"
"Please."
Without further protest, he rose up to his full tall stature, bringing her with him. Then, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms, he climbed up and over the cliff, striding onto the plains and quickly disappearing with her into the pines where he had left his horse. And, there beneath the quivering pines, he loved her, showering her with the love she craved so much she felt as if she might burst.
And, perhaps the Creator was with them this night, because they stayed with one another throughout the short night and on into the morning without a single war party finding them and without interference from the celebration taking place below them, the party down there continuing well into the early hours of the morning.
****
As George watched his sister and his friend dance in each other's arms, he knew he had to do something to aid them in this, their impossible love. But, how?
What were his parents doing, preventing these two from becoming man and wife? Did they not see the passion behind each glance the two of them shared? Could his parents really be so hard-hearted? So blind?
Yes, he had followed his sister here, not to spy on her, but to aid his friend in protecting her against any stray horse-stealing war party. He had not meant to intrude upon his friend and Briella in their declaration of love for one another, nor to witness their amorous dance. He understood the Blackfoot language, and he was well aware of the poem and the vows Red Fox had recited to his sister.
He was, however, unaware there was another who had followed him, and stood now behind him, until he heard a soundand felt a presence behind him. How could he have been so unaware as to allow someone to come so silently upon him? He, a scout?
As he swung around, he was confronted not by a warrior, but by his mother.
There were tears in her eyes as she reached out toward him. She whispered, "George, my dear George. What are we doing to her? To him? They love one another. How could I have not seen this love between them until now? And, not seeing it, how could I have been a party to separating them? My son, I feel humbled by what I have witnessed here this night and by my own part in separating them."
