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The kids watched there were other Indian children playing and Matthew went right up to one.
Matthew offered him a piece of jerky, the boy took it, and they seemed to become friends right away.
The chief motioned for Hawk.
Hawk told Eve to wait for him.
When Hawk returned he was smiling. "They will marry us, but I must give them our horses for the ceremony."
"That's not so bad, is it?"
"No, we can find more horses. Wild ones, but horses. I will give them all we have, except some of our food."
"Oh Hawk…I can't believe it."
"We will marry at last."
"Yes, we must pick flowers now that will represent our love for each other throughout our life. And one of the elders of the women will make your dress. It will be full of beads, and feathers and beautiful things. We will each write poems to each other for the service, using nature's signs to represent our love for each other. The ceremony will take place in five days. Also…they will cut a lock of our hair and braid it together, and the chief will hold it for us."
"What does that represent?"
"Our coming together and it will remain that way unless we do not get along…"
"Then he'll hold it forever. For I will never leave you that is my promise from my heart, to yours."
He kissed her on the nose and smiled.
"Will you be married now, and us be a family." Matthew asked.
"Yes my son!" Hawk smiled at him.
"We will be a family now and forever. We must find our own place, and make a home, but after the ceremony, we will be welcome into the Shoshone camp at any time. So we can make trades with them and get along. It will be a good life."
Matthew, "Can I call you Pa?"
Hawk looked at Matthew and stared for a long time. "If you want…" he smiled.
Jane Ann came and lifted her hands for Hawk to hold her. He picked her up in his arms and she kissed his cheek. "I love you…"
"And I love all of you!" Hawk chuckled.
Chapter Seventeen
Once the Shoshone's were informed of the coming wedding, many maidens crowded around Eve and the children.
There were many people here, many tipis and they were sheltered by a dense forest and cut off from most trails.
Eve watched the women and learned many things, she watched as the old woman Chota made her dress, it was so lovely. Made of deerskin, it was soft as a baby.
The younger maidens talked of Hawk and how handsome he was, how lucky she was.
"You are very brave to marry an Indian," one of them told her.
"I love him. It's as simple as that."
The women giggled.
"You will have many children…" Chota told her.
