Free Captive Eden by Brenda Williamson

had less worry when she looked at Brant. The
lines in her skin, softened. Her lips moved in a silent “thank you” and
he imaged them saying, “I love you” .
    Brant eased Charlie down on the bedding of furs. His mother
entered and he motioned for to her to tend Charlie as he stood.
    He pulled Eden up. “When he is well I want you to take him
back east where he belongs.”
    “I can’t do that.” She twisted from him and went outside.
    He followed her. “Why not?”
    “First, because of the very reason you want to send him
away. You care about him and I’ll not deprive Charlie or myself of whatever
affection we can get from you!” Her voice rose with each word.
    Brant looked around at the sudden silence from everyone in
the village within hearing distance of them. And while it was good to see
Eden’s spirit return, a woman didn’t talk to her husband in such defiant tones.
    “You will leave. Now go tend to your son, I have no
more to say to you,” he said, protecting his ego.
    Eden stormed away but not into his lodge. As if she needed
to do more to make him look weak in front of his tribe, she went to the
campfire.
    The appearance of his father, Blue Wolf, returning from
trading with a neighboring tribe stopped him from chasing after Eden and
demanding she obey him.
    “Word reached me that your son was bitten by a snake?” Blue
Wolf said.
    “Two days ago,” Brant replied.
    Blue Wolf’s brow wrinkled as if he were concerned. “I am
sorry.” He laid his hand on Brant’s shoulder in a consolatory manner.
    “And he has survived it.” Brant added. “The snake must have
used most of its venom biting another creature before striking Charlie.
    He looked for relief in the man’s face, but Blue Wolf’s
expression remained as it always did, serious.
    “Good. A man should never have to lose a son.” His sad tone
confused Brant.
    Brant took a deep, strengthening breath. “Tomorrow, I will take
Eden and Charlie back to her home. They don’t belong here. I will go now and
help the other braves with your trade goods.”
    Aware that his father was never in favor of his friendship
with Eden, Brant walked away hating having to admit that Blue Wolf had always
been right to advise him it wasn’t a good idea to involve himself with a white
girl.
    Eden and Charlie would face too many dangers staying with
him. Charlie may not be so lucky if he crossed paths with another snake. But
how was he going to give up his son? How was he going to let Eden go?
    * * * * *
    Eden looked up from stirring the soup pot when she felt
someone behind her. She expected Brant but discovered his father, Blue Wolf.
    “Walk with me,” he ordered instead of asking.
    She nodded out of respect. There was a time she remembered
being too afraid to question his authority. Times had changed. She wasn’t a
young girl too frightened to stand her ground. Blue Wolf had intimidated her by
telling her that she’d never be welcomed in their camp. If he thought to tell
her that again then he’d be in for a surprise.
    “Brant is taking you and your son back to the ranch in the
morning,” he stated.
    “You don’t want us here.” She looked down and stared at the
fringe jiggling on her moccasins as she walked. “You never did like me.”
    “Years ago I thought it was dangerous for Brant to want you.
He was a man, Chawi Pawnee, and you were a white child.”
    “We are the same age, Blue Wolf.”
    “In seasons, not deeds accomplished. He’d killed his first
antelope at the age of eight. He built his first canoe when he was nine. By the
time he met you he was twelve summers, he had done everything but choose a
wife, an Indian wife who knew everything about our ways.”
    “But Brant is half white and half Indian.”
    “In the white man’s eyes that makes him only Indian.”
    He was right, of course. Settlers in the area didn’t care
that Brant’s mother was white. They saw Brant as an Indian and nothing more.
    “You took a white woman for your