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She was afraid now, afraid that Thunder Horse might not have any choice but to do as his father told him. Then where would she go?
Thunder Horse spoke gently to his father as Sweet Willow sat and bathed White Horse’s brow. Thunder Horse explained how alone Jessie was and that he would not allow trouble to come to their village. He had enough sentries posted to protect their people.
He also explained that he believed she was with child. Who could send a pregnant woman away to fend for herself?
And if that man Reginald found her, Thunder Horse even feared for her life.
His father, whose heart was kind, and who was a wicasa-iyotanyapi, a man of honor, sighed deeply. “She can stay,” he said, his voice drawn. “Though I would prefer that she go on her way, for she truly has no place among the Sioux.”
He smiled at Thunder Horse. “But, ho, she can stay if that is what you want, my son,” he said softly.
Thunder Horse reached out, bent over his father, and hugged him. “Pila-maye, thank you, for your understanding,” he said softly. He thought about what his father had said about Jessie having no place among their Sioux people.
Thunder Horse knew just how wrong that was, for he had feelings for her that he was finding hard to fight. He would never forget how it felt to hold her in his arms . . . the sweetness of it.
He smiled at his sister, then rose and went outside, where Jessie still stood with Lone Wing.
When she looked up at him, with a question in her eyes, he smiled and reassured her quickly about the outcome of that short meeting with his father.
“It is alright for you to stay,” he said, smiling. “I will have a place prepared for you. In the meantime, you can join me and my nephew in my lodge. It is time for Lone Wing’s lessons today.”
“Lessons?” Jessie said, raising an eyebrow. “Will . . . will I be in the way?”
“Never,” Thunder Horse and Lone Wing said almost in the same breath.
She smiled from one to the other, then walked proudly with them back to Thunder Horse’s lodge. On the way, she noticed that the people no longer stopped or stared at her.
She could only conclude that they had seen her enter White Horse’s lodge and leave it smiling, which had to mean that Thunder Horse’s father had welcomed her into their village.
She went inside Thunder Horse’s tepee with him and Lone Wing and sat down on a blanket with them, amazed at how Lone Wing’s behavior became more serious and adult as he and Thunder Horse discussed his lessons.
Lone Wing suddenly turned to Jessie. “I am studying to be our people’s Historian,” he blurted out, then explained what that meant.
She hung on his every word, amazed that he knew so much about his people’s history. She was fascinated by their customs and was beginning to want to be a part of them.
Yes, she sorely wanted to stay with these people, with Thunder Horse and Lone Wing forever.
She gazed at Thunder Horse and remembered his invitation to stay with him. Soon she would tell him that she truly wanted to . . . that she would!
But . . . then what about her child? Would he still want Jessie . . . if . . . he knew about the child?
Chapter Seventeen
Learning everything she could about Thunder Horse, his people, and his family, Jessie sat across the fire from Lone Wing, impressed by how devoted he was not only to his uncle, but also to his lessons.
Lone Wing’s mother had brought them food, all of which had been eaten. Jessie was feeling comfortably full as she and Lone Wing listened to his uncle telling a myth. Lone Wing would learn it and repeat the myth back to his uncle in a few days.
This was one of many ways he was preparing to become his people’s Historian. When the “Old One” who was presently their Historian passed on to the other world or was no longer able to think clearly enough to record things, Lone Wing would take his place. Lone Wing had been chosen, not because he was their chief’s nephew, but because he had aspired to be the Historian from the time he was old enough to realize the importance of this role.
He had proven his worth to his people already, yet he continued to expand upon his knowledge so that he would be the best Historian his people had ever known!
“Listen well, nephew, to the myth that I am about to tell you,” Thunder Horse said. “You know that even at your young age you could assume the task of preserving and transmitting the legends of our ancestors and our race.”
Thunder Horse was very aware that Jessie was sitting across the fire from him, and that she was watching him closely.
He had looked up at her from time to time, returning her smile when she smiled at him, then had gone back to his nephew’s lesson. This was the time of day when Lone Wing came to him for instruction. It would not change because someone new sat in Thunder Horse’s lodge.
He knew that Jessie was interested in what he did and said, for she was attentive to all of it. That was good, for if he had any control over her decision at all, she would never return to her world. She would become part of his.
