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"I might have, but I realized I cannot lie about who I am any longer. And if this tribe you take me to is related, then I suppose it is where I belong." She sighed, but the frown on her face told him she was scared of where she was going, too. He reasoned she had every right to be. In her shoes, he would be too.
"Katherine, my people will welcome you with open arms and love you, as you are one of their own, descended from one of the most famous chiefs in the nation. It is a great honor to be with you. But because you are a breed, you can make up your own mind if you choose that kind of life. You will not be forced to endure any more than you can…" he smiled sympathetically.
"It will be different…" she gulped.
"Yes…very different." He smiled. "They live in wigwams. Long lodges. My father is the chief, a good chief who wishes peace with the white eyes and tries to obey the laws of the white eyes. He is educated as I am. He is a Christian, thanks to my mother. And we have as a people adapted many of the white man ways, as you will see," Chase informed her.
"Our children play much like yours do…" he continued.
"Children…" she looked at him strangely.
"Do you want children, Katherine…?" he asked suddenly.
"I never thought about it before. But I have no husband, and that must come first. Will the other men of the tribe consider me a …squaw?" she asked.
Chase wondered if she was planning on flirting with all the men of the village. He wondered how much of this torture he might endure. But perhaps she was the greatest test of his strength, and not having her would take much courage. Seeing her with other men of the tribe would boil his heart. But he refrained from telling her so. Before he could speak what was in his heart, he had to know if Katherine could accept the Indian ways.
Chase felt he was losing her now, and a great sadness filled him. "If you like living with them they will all accept you. And if a brave wants to marry you, he will bring horses and offer them to Burning Tree, as Burning Tree will be your adopted father now."
"That sounds like a great honor…," she said with a smile.
"It is…no one is more respected than Burning Tree," he informed her.
"What kind of powers will I have?" she asked as she tasted the fish he had cooked.
"I do not know, I only know you will have them, but Burning Tree must train you for them, so that you can accept them," Chase answered.
After eating she asked if she could bathe in the stream.
Chase's entire body lit with a fire, his loins craved her, but he would not weaken in front of her. If she was teasing him, then he would pass every test.
"Go ahead, but don't be gone too long," he warned.
"All right, I'll be back soon…" Katherine chuckled.
He heard her singing and imagined every moment of her bath. How she would splash the water on her golden body, and rub the water over it, over her. He was so into what it might feel like his manhood seemed to jerk to attention.
He heard her singing again and he rattled everything he could to drown her out.
He was on fire for her when she came back with the dew settling on her skin. He wanted to hold her and make love all night, but knew it would never work. She still reacted like a white woman and he would merely scare her.
He didn't offer to share his bed tonight because he feared he would give into his own feelings and take her.
The third day proved to be as nerve rattling as the others, and Chase was almost wishing he'd hanged.
Anything would be better than this torture he suffered with her.
Perhaps he should leave her at the tribe and not come back. He would consider it.
***
The sweet smell of wood smoke alerted Chase that they were close to the village. He slowed his horse beside Katherine.
"We are here…," he said simply, as his eyes watched her carefully.
Katherine looked around and then at him.
Before she could react a multitude of people came out of the woods to greet them. Chase got down and hugged some of his people and shook hands with others. Then he helped Katherine down off her horse and brought her to meet everyone.
