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"Do you love her?"
"I do not know. I admire her. She has strength, she has good character, but I do not know if I love her. I feel something when I look at her, which is different than when I look upon our own. She took beatings from her husband without a word, without a tear. She shows great courage father. I admire her."
"I will search for a vision myself. As I do not know what to do about you my son."
Unable to make his father understand, he sighed heavily. "I will make the white woman my slave, if she does not wish to marry at the end of the winter, then I will let her go and chose one of our people. But I refuse to take Luki as my wife."
"You will do this?"
"Yes, you have my word."
"Then it is settled. When spring comes, if the white woman does not marry you, you will choose among our people."
Lone Wolf closed his eyes. His father was right. But this time his father did listen, and he thought that telling him about his mother made the difference. Now, he understood what he sought."
"Bring her inside." His father instructed. "I wish to look upon this white slave of yours."
Lone Wolf stepped outside to see several of the women staring at Hannah as she walked toward him. He looked upon her and his glance softened on her. "The dress looks very nice on you. Come with me, you must meet my father, the chief." He told her.
Hannah followed him.
As she went inside the tipi, Gray Eye stared at her from her feet to her head. He nodded. "You will slave for my son, until spring. If by that time you have not agreed to marry, he will let you go, and chose one from our tribe. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, of course." Hannah cried out. "But… I'm already married. You understand, it would break the law."
"Not by Indian law." Gray Eye told her. "You will live here in our village, be part of our lives. If you wish to marry my son, it will be done. And white law will not matter. As long as you walk with us, you are not white any longer and the law does not apply. This you will come to understand in time. It is Indian way, not white way."
"But they could come and take me away."
"We will hide you, when we need to. Do not fear of that. Do you love your husband?" Gray Eye stared into her face.
"No…"
He nodded slowly as he stared into her eyes. "It is done. Until spring, then." He sighed and walked away.
Lone Wolf pulled her by the hand out of the tipi. "At least this time he listened."
"When my parents wanted me to marry, they shoved me at him and told him to take me. That was the end of the discussion. I never chose him as a husband."
Lone Wolf considered her words. "If you do not wish to marry by spring, I will let you go. That is the bargain."
"Thank you." She said contritely.
"Come, I will show you where you will live." He told her.
She followed him to his tipi. She entered, finding it warm by the fire and roomy, she sat down on the ground and waited for him to instruct her.
"You will sleep here," he informed her.
She stared at her surroundings. "Am I expected to sleep with you?"
"No. you would sleep in the tipi with the other women, but for now, you will stay here. As I must make them understand they cannot harm you. If you desire to go to their tipi later, you may go." He told her.
She nodded.
"You will begin your duties in the morning." He told her.
She nodded again.
