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"I hope so…" Eve smiled.
The children were free to play with the other children and Matthew learned many things from these people. Every evening he would tell of his friend Little Feather. He was Matthew's age and they played well together. Matthew showed him the slingshot Hawk had made for him and they practiced out in the woods. Even Jane Ann found a friend. It was a happy time for them and the wedding was a big occasion for the tribe.
One of the elder women came to Eve and showed her the dress she would wear for the ceremony. It was blue, with many beads and feathers and it fit perfectly.
Eve was flattered that they took so much time and effort for the wedding. They were strangers, but somehow it didn't feel like it to Eve. She was accepted and that shocked her.
On the eve of their wedding, the children were playing now that chores were done, and Eve was making supper for them as Hawk had hunted with the braves and they had brought much meat. There was squirrel, rabbit, and deer, one even brought a wild turkey and some of the younger braves killed sage hens. It was hours before Hawk came from the chief's tipi. He looked so relaxed and content.
"Tomorrow just after sunrise we will be married. The children will be kept by the elder women for three days, then they will join us and after a feast we will leave for our new home." Hawk told her proudly.
"Oh…I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe they accepted us." She cried hugging him to her.
"It is good."
"Did you write your poem?"
"Yes, did you."
"Yes…"
"Tonight I must sleep away from you and you will not see me again until the ceremony. So gather the children around me so I might tell them what to expect." Hawk told her.
She went to call the children and they came running.
"The wedding is tomorrow, and you will stay with Chota and her family." Eve told them.
"Why, why can't we be with you?"
"It is our honeymoon…Don't worry, you can play with your friends every day, and do the chores they ask of you. In three days we will come and get you, and then we'll go to our new home." Eve told them.
"Can we see the wedding?" Matthew asked.
"I think that will be good." Hawk agreed.
Both of them seemed very happy and Eve basked in the joy they all shared.
Chapter Eighteen
After the land and people had been blessed by the Shaman, the ceremony began. Hawk saw Eve coming to the ceremony on a white horse, clothed in the beautiful deerskin dress, and he couldn’t take his eyes from her.
The Shaman, Old Oak performed the ceremony, as both were shrouded in blue blankets. They read their poem to each other and looked into each other's eyes.
"I Hawk give to you Eve my wife, the strength of the wind. I give the mighty power of the sun, and the blessings of the moon upon you. I promise to protect you the land, and our children to my death. And to love you as fiercely as a summer storm. I have a promised heart."
Eve smiled into his eyes.
"I Eve, give to you my heart that is gentle as a summer rain. It grows strong like the oak. I give the fruits of the earth to nourish you forever. I promise my loyalty to be as strong as the blizzard in winter. And I pledge my love for as long as the wind might blow. And I too have a promised heart"
Everyone smiled at each other.
Matthew and Jane Ann were allowed the privilege of watching from the sidelines of the gathering.
As the ceremony ended, the Shaman took the blankets from them and replaced them with one white robe, signifying that they were as one now.
Hawk had given the presents of his horses to the chief, and a promise of good crops to share with them each year.
The chief, Black Eagle accepted them.
