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Then he looked at her back and his heart broke. He had never seen so many marks on a woman. Especially a woman who lived.
"He has scarred you…beyond belief. I will kill him for this…." But now, staring at them, he wanted to kill her white husband.
"No," she whispered, reaching her hand to his, it pained her to do so, but she need to feel his hand in hers. "Do not kill him." She caught her breath as it hurt to breath, to move. "Take him to the prairie like he did me, to die. No one can accuse you of killing him then. Let nature kill him…" she sighed.
He smiled at her. "You are wise beyond your years Hannah."
"I would die for a kiss from your lips," she smiled shyly at him.
He moved to lay beside her now and moved close, so he could kiss her. She sighed happily. "I love you Lone Wolf," she whispered as he finally pulled away. "If I die, I will carry your heart with me to heaven."
"And I you!" he kissed her nose. "Can you be brave one more time, my sweet Hannah? For what they must do will hurt beyond compare."
She nodded silently for a moment. "I think so…will you stay and let me look upon you while they do it? The love in your eyes will keep me strong."
"I will stay. What they must do, to heal you, will hurt terribly. But it is the only way to keep infection out."
"They will burn my scars?"
"Yes, can you take it?"
"Yes, yes, I can!" she cried another tear slipping down her cheek. He kissed the tear.
He went to get Black Feather. He wanted to be there, just in case her body could no longer stand the pain. The thought of her dying had him quiet and thoughtful. He would not even think such a thing. She was too strong to die, now that she had such a reason to live.
Two women came in to help and they readied the knives that would seal the scars forever. Lone Wolf swallowed and prepared himself for her screams.
But they did not come, when the knives touched her skin, it sizzled her, frying it, her body revolted, then slumped and the stench was permeating the air, but she only moaned softly, and the world around her blackened and they sealed her wound, her eyes were on him all the while. The women prayed and chanted, and Black Feather held her limp hand.
Little Feather was beside her, her eyes going over the scars and she cried and chanted for her too.
"Is she…alright?" Lone Wolf asked, amazed she still hadn't screamed.
Black Feather smiled, "She is the strongest of us all."
"I will return then soon, Deer Runner will go with me, when we return I will pray to the Creator."
"It is good. Go, and do what must be done. This man must never hurt anyone like this again." Black Feather told him.
Lone Wolf smiled sadly, nodded, glanced at Hannah and left.
Lone Wolf was so proud of her bravery, but that soft echoed moan would live in his heart forever! For he knew the pain that it carried.
Chapter Eighteen
"Black Feather said she was beaten many, many, times, that the scars were there to prove it." Deer Runner said as they rode together that evening. There was no rush about it, as they knew what they would do.
Lone Wolf grit his teeth, "Yes, they are."
"I did not hear her scream!" Deer Runner looked at him. "Did they not sear the wounds?"
"She did not cry out. She has known pain so long, and endured, she did not scream, she merely moaned. And I will carry that sound in my heart forever, as I carry her pain with me. I knew she'd been mistreated, but I did not know how much until now. She never complained of it. She only said she was beaten, but not how badly."
"She is worthy to be the wife of a chief." Deer Runner said proudly.
Lone Wolf nodded. "I was going to let her white husband live, but after seeing for myself what he did to her, I cannot. For he could do the same again to someone else. He must die for his deeds. But Hannah has come up with the right answer, once again. We will do him, like he did her and dump him in the prairie and let nature take its course. We will of course put him closer to the wolves, so they do not have to walk so far to find him."
Deer Runner smiled, "It is a wise thing, yes. No one can put blame, where there is none."
