Page 27 of The Last Warrior

Suzette ignored her. All she required was the woman’s signature on a piece of paper. No more. No less.

“Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“Yes,” Suzette said, even while she held the gun pointed directly at the reverend. “I do.”

“And do you…” the chaplain did not look directly at Black Lion, “…take this woman to be your wife?”

“Hau.”

“And that means…?” The minister peered over his glasses at Black Lion.

“Yes. I do.”

Reverend Hopkins sighed and hesitated, as though he prayed for some miracle to save him from what he was required to do next. At length, he continued, though the words seemed to be dragged from him, “Then I pronounce you husband and wife.” Closing the Bible in his hand, the minister said not a word more to them. Instead, he turned away from them and trod straight to his desk.

Minutes ticked by. At last he looked up at her. “If this is to be legal, I will require both of your signatures, that is, providing your husband knows how to sign his name.”

Black Lion made no reply to the insult, but rather stood behind Suzette as she signed her name. Suzette held her breath as she passed the pen to her new husband, but it seemed Black Lion had no problem with letters or the signing of his name. Unfortunately, that fact appeared to dishearten the reverend, and it was with great reluctance he handed the pen to his own wife, Mrs. Hopkins, who was the last to sign.

Shaking his head doubtfully, Reverend Hopkins looked over his glasses at Suzette. “I only hope I do not come to regret this.”

Suzette smiled. “You will not. Besides, I fear you had no choice. You can always, in all honesty, tell people that the deed was done at the point of a gun.” Uncocking her pistol, she returned the weapon to her purse.

When both Suzette and Black Lion lingered, Reverend Hopkins appeared even less sympathetic to them. “Well, that will be all now. Mrs. Hopkins will show you out.” Rising, he turned his back on them, as though the simple action might put the entire affair from his mind. Slowly, he paced toward the other side of the room.

Mrs. Hopkins was no more cordial than her husband. Reaching out to throw the entrance flap of their tent open, she said curtly, “Through here,” slapping the flap down as hard as she could as soon as Suzette and Black Lion had crossed over the threshold.

Once outside, a feeling of uneasiness swept over Suzette, and she let out a breath, watching its evidence in the frigid air. Black Lion did the same.

“I did warn you about that,” he said with a quick glance at her.

“So you did. But the chaplain’s antagonism matters very little to me. The deed is done.”

“Hau. The deed is done.”

Silence. She wondered if he felt as awkward as she did. If so, he didn’t mention it.

Finally he said, “I will escort you to Irena’s tepee for your wedding night.”

“Yes. I would like that.”

They began their trek toward Irena’s tent. Suddenly, Black Lion placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I promise to defend you against your enemies and to hold you in honor within my heart.”

Wide-eyed, Suzette stared up at him. What?

“The Black Robe did not mention these things,” he explained, “and since we are taking vows this night, I thought I should say those details that the Black Robe should have said.”

“Yes,” she whispered, “and I thank you for that, but so that you know, I can promise you nothing of a similar nature in return. You do remember that, do you not? That I need only your name? Nothing more?”

“I remember it very well. But though you require little from me, you are still my wife. I would give you what protection it is within my ability to give you.”

“Yes. And again, I thank you.”

“That is all.” He grinned at her. “For now.”

“For now?”

Black Lion did not elaborate. Instead, he said, “We must conclude this in the right way. Follow me.”