Free Proud Wolf's Woman by Karen Kay

brother-in-law from the north cannot see beyond this white woman’s rags. I am greatly concerned about his eyesight.” Here she leaned over toward Aamehee. “I will ask my son to tell him that I will solicit the village medicine woman to make strong brew to help him see.”
    Mahoohe grinned, while Neeheeowee scowled, sending a quick glance up toward the heavens. And looking over to Voesee, Neeheeowee found himself wishing that he could ignore the woman. However, he couldn’t. For while custom clearly tabooed communication between brother and sister, the opposite remained true for brothers- and sisters-in-law. These relatives were expected to tease and to poke fun at one another directly, and the more people involved in the joke, so much the better.
    He had just closed his eyes and sighed when a thought hit him. Ah, yes, here was a plan, here was a way to keep Voesee from prying too deeply into his personal affairs. And if it also had the effect of making Voesee think next time before she spoke, so much the better.
    Neeheeowee didn’t smile. He wouldn’t. But that didn’t keep him from leering at Voesee before he said, “Sister-in-law, I have heard your words, and I have thought on them. I believe there is some wisdom in what you say and after thinking on it, I would be more than happy to purchase the white slave that you mention, but I will tell you now that I would not make this woman my wife. I believe that my sister-in-law forgets that I have other things to attend to that would not allow a wife into my life. I would ask my sister-in-law if she does not remember the Pawnee who…” Neeheeowee broke off. One did not speak of the dead, even if that dead be a beloved sister or wife. And so without so much as a shrug, Neeheeowee continued, “Sister-in-law, I will buy this slave. But I would buy her on condition, that condition being that my honorable sister-in-law should take the white woman as sister to her—”
    “She is too old!” Voesee burst out, causing Neeheeowee to sit back, relaxing against the willow backrest as he watched Voesee struggle to subdue her urge to speak out. After a short while Voesee once again addressed Neeheeowee, saying, “My brother-in-law from our northern cousins has quick tongue, I think. But surely he knows that this white woman is too old for me to take her on as sister. It would be too hard to adopt her into our own customs. No, as I said. Not good sister…good wife.”
    Neeheeowee smirked and, leaning over toward Mahoohe, said, “Eaaa! Do your ears hear what mine do? Does my esteemed sister-in-law say that she will not have the slave, yet she would expect me to give up my life, to marry this white woman, and to tame this woman to our ways as well? Be careful, my brother, your sister has lost all sense, I think.” Both men snickered.
    “Tell my wise and great brother-in-law,” Voesee broke into the two men’s amusement and spoke to her young son as though Neeheeowee weren’t present, “tell him that I would desire to have the slave as sister if she were fifteen winters younger. But tell him also that it cannot happen now. The white woman is too pretty, and I would worry that my husband might find her so, also. No, not good sister would the white woman make…good wife…”
    Neeheeowee made a deep sound in the back of his throat while Aamehee quietly spoke up from the sidelines, saying, “You must understand, my brother,” she spoke to Neeheeowee. “Your sister-in-law, Voesee, is wise to protect herself. After all, what woman would sanction the competition of another, beautiful woman within her own household? Even if attractive herself, a first wife would find the presence of such a one as this white woman disturbing.”
    Neeheeowee nodded toward Aamehee, not wishing to tease the shy, withdrawn wife of his brother-in-law. “You speak wisely, wife of Mahoohe,” he said, “though I would still query my sister-in-law, Voesee, to ask if she has thought well on this. I