Page 44 of The Last Warrior

“Are you?” came a baritone voice, one she recognized all too well.

She started, then turned to confront Black Lion. “I wish you would take more care when you approach me. You seem to creep up on me without my awareness and then… Well, have you been here all this time? Following me?”

“No. When I saw you step away from the tent, I decided to take a moment to talk to you. I do not mean to creep up on you. Perhaps you would benefit by being more aware of your environment.”

“I am aware of my environment,” she defended. “But you…you move with the stealth of a cat.”

“Perhaps I am named aptly, then.”

They both fell silent, and Suzette took a few steps forward on a path which would lead them into a treed grove, the same one they had visited on the night of their marriage. She advanced a few more steps, for she had to move. To stand still, with him watching her so closely, was somehow dangerous. Black Lion followed her.

She said, “Was there trouble for you because of today?”

“Hiya.”

“And again, that word means?”

“No.”

“Then no one saw you kiss me?”

“People saw. They believed it was part of the performance.”

“Oh.” Suzette nodded. “I am glad.” Again, she fell into an uncomfortable silence with him. After a time, she said, “Where was Red Shirt?”

“He is enjoying his new pony, I believe.”

“New pony?”

“It is what I traded with him to take his place today.”

Suzette stopped and turned to face Black Lion. “You traded a pony with Red Shirt so that you might take his place?”

“I did. My best pony too.”

“But why?”

Black Lion shrugged. “I would be with my wife.”

She shook her head. “You do recall that we are not really married.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did we not say our vows in front of your Black Robe? Did we not also say them in front of the Great Spirit?”

“Yes, but… But I thought you understood our marriage is…even still…in name only.”

“And so I do. It does not follow, however, that I do not desire to be close to the woman who bears my name, and my child.”

“He or she is not your child.”

“Not by blood. Yet he is mine, nonetheless, for I have given you my name, so he will be protected. This makes him mine.”

“Very well. You are right. But you do remember you promised me you would not try to take him from me.”

“I do. And perhaps you should know I would sooner die than break any one of my promises to you.”

She nodded.

“Are you?” He smoothed a lock of her hair back from her face.