Free Bittersweet Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor Page B

to your tepee and allow you to ride out before the band chosen by our chief. Many times your heart and mind are not Blackfeet. The sun must come when you enter the sweat lodge and purify yourself of such wickedness.”
    “And will you sit beside me, sister, and purify yourself of your defiance and evil? I am not the child of Brave Bear who brings dishonor to his name and camp. You make a fool of Singing Wind each sun. When you have cast away your darkness, then speak to me of mine. Why did Sun Cloud not count coup on our enemies?” he asked, changing the subject. “I am told no fear lives in his body, or within yours. Surely you two could have defeated them,” he scoffed.
    “We could have defeated the whites, but he did not wish the help of a woman, and the odds were too manyfor one warrior to challenge,” she informed Silver Hawk coldly, still angry with Sun Cloud, and not wanting her brother to think her a coward or a weakling.
    To vex his sister, the warrior teased, “Sun Cloud makes no secret of his thoughts of you. He laughs and scorns Singing Wind, and makes jokes with others when you look the other way,” he lied. “How can you allow him to shame you and use you for fun? Many will soon follow his lead and Singing Wind will have no warrior seeking her hand in joining. Sun Cloud should watch and hear his brother Bright Arrow to learn of wisdom and kindness. It is wrong to shame a chiefs daughter even when she is bad, as you are many times. Bright Arrow is strong and true; he will make a good chief. If you wish to claim great honor and to prove Sun Cloud’s words of you are false, seek to join with Bright Arrow. It will be good for a chief’s daughter to join a chief’s son and to unite our tribes with such a bond.”
    Singing Wind’s eyes enlarged as she listened to her brother’s suggestion. “Open your eyes and see how I have changed, Silver Hawk. I try to be as all expect me to be, but it is hard. I only wish to help our people. Is this so wrong? What you say is strange, for Bright Arrow does not know I live as more than the child of his mother’s brother. He mourns for Wahea and looks for no other mate.”
    “He cannot mourn for another season. He is a man, and a man must have a woman for many reasons. He is a great warrior and women find his face and body desirable. It is long past the time for Singing Wind to choose a mate. Who better to join than a future chief?” he reasoned, delighting in the thought of getting her out of his life and camp. Besides, she had too many eyes and could ruin his plans…
    “Is it not true Sun Cloud is to follow his father as chief? Bright Arrow gave up his right as first-born when he joined a white woman and left his tribe. I am destined to join a chief,” she reminded him.
    “That was long ago, and times have changed. When Gray Eagle rides the ghost trail, Bright Arrow will become chief. He is older and wiser, and he is no longer joined to a white woman. It is his right and duty to become chief. Others would look more favorably on his choice if he is wed to the daughter and granddaughter of chiefs.”
    Singing Wind stared at Silver Hawk in disbelief. “You wish me to join Bright Arrow to help him become chief?” she hinted. “All know of Gray Eagle’s vision which says his first son will never be chief. It is wrong to battle the will of Grandfather.”
    “Bright Arrow is my friend, and I must do all to help him obtain his rightful place. If your heart is good and true, you will do the same. Think of how your joining to Bright Arrow will prick Sun Cloud as buffalo berry thorns. As the wife of Bright Arrow, never would he laugh at you or scorn you again. You must think and decide quickly, sister, for Bright Arrow will soon take another mate.”
    “How do you know such things?” she asked skeptically, as if such an event truly affected her life and feelings, which it did not. She had decided that Sun Cloud was the man for her, and somehow she must win him.