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Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I mite be driven to sell you love for peace—
—Edna St. Vincent Millay
The journey to the village seemed endless to Mia as she rode on the horse with Wolf Hawk, but finally she saw many tepees through a break in the trees.
A sense of dread enveloped her, for she had never even seen an Indian village, much less entered one as a captive.
She would not allow herself to think the worst, but instead she sat straight and watched as the tepees grew closer and closer. When they entered the village, Indian women, men and children came to greet their chief and his warriors. But as they approached, they looked first at the white woman with their chief and then at the pelts on the travois and frowned with distaste.
And she understood why they had a sudden dislike for her. Surely they thought that she had something to do with the death of their two fallen braves, for she was the only white person who accompanied the pelts into the village. She was filled with a sudden apprehensiveness…a cold fear.
Wolf Hawk drew rein and those who were with him did the same. He gazed from one to the other of his people, recognizing apprehension and anger in their eyes and attitudes.
He understood.
He knew they believed this woman was involved in the deaths of their fallen youths. He had believed the same at first, and even now was unsure if she could ever be proven innocent.
If the trappers had fled this country from fear, with intentions of never returning, then he had a hard decision about this woman to make. Release her? Or keep her forever as his captive.
The latter possibility gave him much thought, for it was not the custom of his people to hold white captives.
Seeing how anxious his people were to understand why the woman had been brought to the village, Wolf Hawk nodded at them.
“My warriors, I will meet with those of you who stayed behind to protect our village,” he said. “Then you can go to your families and give them the same explanation that I share with you. For now, I will say this…the pelts you see were found hidden at the old fort. We will use them to lure the trappers here. After they are captured, I shall hand the pelts over to you all to divide amongst yourselves. Keep what you want and trade what you wish to trade.”
When all eyes remained directed on the woman, he realized that explanation wasn’t enough. “The trappers will come here to rescue the woman and to get the pelts back in their possession,” he said tightly. “But we will not allow either to happen. We will have sentries close at all times, waiting for the evil men who caused the death of our two braves. They will not get past our warriors.”
Mia had sat stiffly listening to all that he said and now truly felt like a captive. She hoped that when they were alone, he would show his caring, gentle side to her again. As he addressed his people now, he seemed a strong leader who was interested only in their well-being, not hers.
Mia now felt a new fear. Perhaps he had only been kind to her earlier because he wanted her to go with him without fighting and clawing to keep from being taken captive.
Perhaps she had made a mistake by accompanying him without a fight. She had only spoken angrily to him. Nothing more.
But now that she was a captive in his village, she had no choice but to hope that he would treat her fairly. She had done nothing to warrant poor treatment. It was up to her now to prove this to Wolf Hawk and his people.
And she would!
Somehow, she would.
“I will now take the woman to the lodge that is kept ready for lodging visitors,” Wolf Hawk said blandly. “She will be guarded well.”
Those words caused Mia’s insides to turn cold. Hearing that she would be guarded made her realize that she truly was a prisoner, and she could not help being afraid.
Yet she remembered just how gently this young chief had treated her and allowed herself to see hope in that.
When he rode onward through the large village, the children again began laughing and playing, seemingly having forgotten the stranger who had been brought into their midst. She was ignored by the adults of this tight-knit Indian community. The women and men were now going about their usual chores, while an older group of men, whom she thought were probably the elders of this band, sat in a huddle exchanging gossip and smokes from their long-stemmed pipes.
It was a peaceful scene, unlike anything that Mia had ever seen before. Everyone seemed to be happy with one another, as though they were all one big happy family.
Then as Wolf Hawk rode up to the large tepee that she now felt would be her “jail,” she smelled food roasting over a fire.
She only now realized that she had not yet eaten today. The scent of the food made her stomach growl.
Wolf Hawk drew rein before the community house and dismounted.
