Over the Barrel (33 page)

The thunder
rumbled again as several fat drops of rain began to fall early the following
morning.
 
Blair and Madeline were
escorted to Quan and gestured to sit.
 
"In spring, the Ute gather for the Bear Dance.
 
So it will be with your Sloan."

"How is
Sloan?
 
Tell me!" Blair
demanded as she stomped up to him.

"They
are savages, Miss.
 
They will do
untold things to us," Madeline sobbed.
 
"They locked us away and now they
are going to kill us."

"Madeline!
 
Stop crying!
 
They are not going to hurt us,"
Blair scolded.

"If we
wish to hurt women, would have done yesterday.
 
Nocona good.
 
Ready to do Bear Dance."

"Please
forgive her ignorance, Quan.
 
Please
explain about your Bear Dance."

"
When bear wakes up, he's weak; he needs food, and he does
not see well.
 
But when they hold
the dance, it helps him get out, because the helpers say to the dancers, 'Get
out and dance, you, because bear is waking up and that woman wants you to dance
with her',"
Quan explained, accepting a cup steaming tea from a
woman.
 
"The Round Dance
follows to drive out illness.
 
Your
Nocona, one you call fiancé, will dance with us.
 
First, you must summon your Magic Dog
that we might witness your worthiness to be named with him."

"Skinwalker
does not come when I call him.
 
He
is, as you say, a free spirit?" Blair said, with concern.
 
"Why would I need to be named with
Sloan?"

"To
marry, must have name.
 
Summon your
Magic Dog," was the response.

Would they not
help Sloan if Skinwalker was uncooperative?
 
Blair sighed.
 
Here was yet
another
man who did not tolerate excuses.
 
She stood gracefully and went outside to
stand in the rain.
 
Lifting her face
to the sky, she took a moment to enjoy the cool, refreshing feel of the sweet
water falling upon her face.

"Heavenly
Father, please let Sloan live," she prayed aloud as she began to walk away
from the village.
 
"I will do
whatever You wish if you help him.
 
I give you my word.
 
I love
him.
 
I truly do."

The rumbling
of the thunder, followed a crack of distant lightning caught the attention of
the grazing herd.
 
The giant white
horse lifted his head to sniff the air as he stood proudly among several
smaller, darker horses.
 
Blair
smiled, watching as he returned to nuzzle and nip at them.

"Skinwalker?"
she called, walking in his direction.
 
The animal laid his ears back and bared his teeth, causing her to freeze
in her tracks.
 
Instinctively she
understood.
 
He had claimed the
mares as his and was guarding his territory.
 
"Don't worry, boy.
 
I won't force you to come with me, but I
really would appreciate it."

The horse
shook his head boldly and stomped the ground with both front hooves, clearly
sending the message that she was to keep her distance.
 
Damn
rude, arrogant horse
, Blair thought.
 
Her patience was tried as he raised
himself on his rear legs and slammed both front hooves to the dirt.

"I am
going to miss you, my friend.
 
Thank
you for taking care of me.
 
However,
I am not leaving until you say a proper goodbye."

Unseen eyes
from the village watched her every move, and murmurs grew as the horse
approached her, slinging his massive head and raking his hooves into the
earth.
 
Holding her breath, Blair
stood her ground as Skinwalker paced just inches before her.
 
She felt his steaming hot breath brush
past her as he swung his head aggressively back and forth.
 
He suddenly stopped his swaying, took a
single step back, and lowered his head, just before he pushed her to the ground
with a giant shove of his muzzle.

Blair felt her
eyes widen as her bottom made full contact with the stony ground.
 
She pounded on the ground with her fists
and then scrambled to her feet.
 
She
stomped her foot one time, wagged her finger angrily and yelling, "That
hurt, you stupid horse!
 
I was
trying to be nice and respectful of your space and you have the bloody audacity
to push me down?!
 
Consider yourself
fortunate that there are no glue factories around here.
 
I can't believe that I thought I would
actually miss you.
 
What are you
doing?"

The horse
snorted, pushing her again with his head.
 
She stumbled backwards, fighting to regain her footing as Skinwalker
walked up to her.
 
She braced her
feet with the animal stepping straight towards her.

"You will
have to go through me before I back down, you ninny!"

Skinwalker
lifted his head with a high neigh, and walked head-on into Blair.
 
With a quick nudge of his nose, he
shoved her, bottom first, into a deep puddle of mud.
 
Skinwalker whinnied and lowered his head
to her face and curled back his lips.
 
He nuzzled her hair, took a quick step back and then cantered off back
to his mares.
 
Blair sat, her mouth
hanging open in disbelief, and fisted the ground several times, cursing.
 
She picked up a handful of dirt and
flung it in the horse's direction before she pulled herself to her feet and
stomped back to the camp.

A weak voice
called out, "Did I hear you swearing again, Blair?
 
I thought I made myself clear that
…"

"Sloan!"
she threw herself into his free right arm, catching him as he faltered.
 
"You're all right!
 
You scared me!
 
Don't you ever do that again, hear
me?"

"Nocona
will heal well.
 
Needs food and
rest," Quan said.
 
"The
Magic Dog wishes to breed, yes?
 
He
will make strong mounts for our people.
 
He stays with Ute, yes?"

"Yes!
 
The Magic Dog pushed me into a mud
puddle.
 
Damn horse," Blair
hissed.
 
"And you!
 
What were you thinking, getting
shot?!"
 
She lightly slapped
Sloan's good arm.

He lowered
himself to a rock.
 
"Careful,
kiddo, they gave me some Peyote tea and I'm not firm on my feet yet.
 
As for getting shot, I assure you that
it was not on my agenda.
 
Does all
this worrying mean you still love me?"

"Of
course I still love you, you big nitwit!
 
Would I have put up with your attitude if I didn't?!"

"Please,
show respect among these people," Sloan whispered.
 
"They will not hesitate to offer me
a bench to put your bottom over."

Blair
blushed.
 
"Is that all you ever
think of?
 
Putting me over
something?"

"A bench,
my knee, a barrel," Sloan grinned, kissing her.
 
"As long as I have access to that
beautiful behind, it doesn't matter."

Quan chuckled
as one of the women whispered something in his ear.
 
"My wife states that Nocona's woman
is surly because she wishes to mate, but the union has not been blessed.
 
We will make that so."

"What do
you mean, Quan?"
 
Blair frowned
as the whispers and laughter began to spread rapidly.

"We are
getting married, Blair.
 
I am being
made into an honest man.
 
They have
sent out the word to prepare a feast."

Blair's head
spun as the activity around her rose with music, dance, and food.
 
The Shaman and the Chief sang chats over
her head, and she was given tea, which made her light-headed.

She elbowed
Sloan.
 
"This is the most
amazing party I have ever attended," she giggled, sipping some more of her
drink.
 
"We're getting married,
now, aren't we?"

"Yes we
are, my sweet.
 
How are you
feeling?"

She caught
herself as she began to slide off the log.
 
"Very happy.
 
What is
going on?
 
What is this
beverage?"

"Easy,
girl.
 
You are being given a
name.
 
You will drink the Peyote and
a vision will come to you," Sloan said, sipping his own tea.
 
"This stuff is potent, so take it
slow.
 
You don't have to drink it
all."

"It's
good, and it's making me happy.
 
Why
am I being given a name?" Blair asked as her vision began to blur.
 
She steadied herself against Sloan's
good arm.

"Lean
against me, baby.
 
You need a name
so that they can marry us.
 
Quan
says that his wives believe you are so surly because you want to mate and must
be married."

"I do not
want to mate," Blair said, her speech slurring.

"After a
few more sips, you sure will.
 
Close
your eyes, Blair," Sloan chuckled, pulling her against his chest with his
uninjured arm.
 
"They are
calling you Ayasha, which means spirit.
 
You impressed them with Skinwalker."

"Impressed?
 
How could that be.
 
The damn horse pushed me into the dirt
and spit on me!"

Sloan simply
laughed and held her as she slumped against him in a restful repose.

Three weeks
later, Sloan and Blair sat before the banker as he sifted through the papers
designating property ownership and rights.
 
The man shook his head, removed his glasses, and set them upon the
table.

"Well?"
Blair asked, nervously.

"All the
paperwork with your grandfather's signatures will be considered null and void
because of the illegal activity."

"What
does that mean to Blair?" Sloan asked.

"Everything
reverts back to the original documents.
 
Simply stating, everything belongs to your wife, with the exception of
the properties purchased following the murders.
 
Those will revert back to the
bank."