Tiopa Ki Lakota (17 page)

Anpo pointed into the woman's eyes and then her own. "Look at me, Ketlin."

Their eyes met and locked. Just as it had been earlier on the killing field, Kathleen's fears seemed to drain away. Her mind was babbling that she was going to be raped again, but for some reason it wasn't sinking in. And then Anpo's hand was gesturing, bringing her eyes downwards.

Still holding one of the woman's hands, the warrior felt in clutch in a spasm of surprise. Kathleen weaved in her shock and would have fallen had Anpo not caught her, lowering her gently back down.

He's a... a... woman!
The vision of breasts and a barren patch of dark curly hair played itself over and over in Kathleen's mind.
A woman!?

Anpo smiled into the wide blue eyes that stared at her in amazement. Again, she gestured down her body, drawing the woman's gaze. "See, Ketlin? I am no different than you." She reached out and caressed the blonde's cheek. "I will not hurt you. I swear it."

The pale woman was at a loss. All her emotions had been preparing for another painful encounter. She felt as if she had climbed to the edge of a great chasm only to find herself on solid ground. Kathleen felt the hand brush her cheek and it brought her back to the present. Her mind whirled with confusion, but she tentatively returned the smile that was bestowed on her.

Encouraged by the smile, Anpo's widened. She let her attention roam from the deep blue eyes to the yellow hair. Leaning forward, she reached behind Kathleen and unbound her hair. The color of it sparkled in the firelight and the warrior's mouth opened a bit as she studied it with awe, taking a few strands between her fingers and admiring the contrast against her skin.
It is the same as my vision. The Sun has graced Ketlin.
This, naturally, lead her to follow the line of the woman's neck to where it disappeared into her dress.

Still a bit dazed at the revelation, Kathleen sat still when the warrior leaned forward, arms on either side of her head to reach the tie that held her hair back. She could smell the distinctive odor of Anpo, a mixture of herbal aromas and woodsmoke, deciding she liked it.
She's curious
, the woman thought when the dark woman leaned back and studied a handful of her hair.
Just like all the others have been.
Kathleen watched the dark eyes study her face and neck and then seem to flash irritation at the collar of the buckskin dress she was wearing. But, rather than have her remove the dress, Anpo moved on to the exposed areas of her skin.

If the white woman understood things, she belonged to Anpo just as she'd belonged to the previous two men she'd lived with, the first as a captive and the second as a slave.
Even if she is a girl.
And that thought brought up another.
She is a girl! Though she's not much younger than me! Well, no wonder she's curious, Kath!

Despite the frustration of the clothing that Kathleen wore, the warrior continued her inspection around it. She reached for the woman's hand and pulled the pale arm out. Leaning close, Anpo peered at the fine almost white hairs that sparkled in the light. Her breath caused them to tremble and move.
Even her skin has yellow hair!

Kathleen found herself grinning at the wonder evident on the younger woman's face.
Well, lass, ye don't have ta worry about rape, then. But ye do still have ta worry about displeasing her.
This sobered her a bit as she considered her options. Making a decision that her mother would have cringed from, she sat up a bit straighter and pulled her arm from Anpo's grasp.

When Kathleen removed her arm, it broke the spell that the warrior had been under. She looked up blankly as the woman rose to stand in front of her. A puzzled look crossed her face as the blonde smiled at her. And then her eyebrows rose to their zenith when Kathleen removed her dress and settled back down on the robes.

The dress was folded neatly and set to one side before the white woman risked a glance at Anpo. The look of stark amazement and wonder caused her to chuckle a bit in her nervousness. Kathleen flushed as she felt the dark gaze flicker across her nude body.
Aye, if mum saw ye now, lass....

She is.... She is... beautiful!
Anpo leaned forward and peered at the newly revealed flesh. Unbidden, her hand reached out to touch the skin but she stopped it. She looked up at the woman, question in her eyes.

Touched by the request, Kathleen smiled and nodded, taking the hand in her own and guiding it to her heart. Her smile widened at the look of gratitude the warrior woman sent her before returning to her inspection. Warm hands and fingers touched her, felt her, combed through the sparse blonde hairs between her legs.
I don't b'lieve this
, the pale woman thought as she felt a low burn at her center.
She's a girl!

Anpo was impressed by the soft skin, the tiny hairs that were all over the woman's body, the crinkly curls between her legs that were just slightly darker than the hair on her head. She enjoyed the contrast of her dark hand against Kathleen's, more so on her belly where it was whiter than on the arms. And, by feeling the pale woman, Kathleen became more real, more than the vision that had driven the warrior for all these years.

Finally finished with her examination, Anpo sighed and straightened.
She is more relaxed now
, she thought as she studied the woman across from her.
She knows I will not hurt her as she has been hurt before.
With a final smile, the warrior readjusted herself on the robes, covering herself and gesturing for her woman to lie with her. "Ketlin. It is time to sleep."

Realizing that nothing further was going to happen this night and, not even sure what
could
happen between two women, Kathleen gratefully climbed into the sleeping robes with the young warrior.
Well, lass, ye've been feelin' all day that ye came home.
They settled comfortably together as the flickering flames faded. "Good night, Anpo," she murmured. "Thank you."
Will this be home now?

Hearing the strange lilt of her woman's voice, the dark woman smiled. She hugged Kathleen closer, enjoying for the first time the sensation of skin against skin. "Be safe, Ketlin. Know that I am here to protect you."

The pair drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 5

Wounspe Ki
(woh-oons-peh kee)
The Teaching

1777

Anpo slowly drifted to wakefulness, a peaceful dream tickling the edges of her mind. There was a strange and comfortable weight on her body that wriggled in an extremely pleasing manner when she inhaled deeply and stretched a bit. The warrior's brow furrowed as she tried to remember what had happened.
Tatanka ska! Ketlin!

Dark brown eyes popped open. Anpo peered down her body, her heart fluttering.

Golden hair spilled out from and across the sleeping robes. Kathleen was draped across the warrior's torso, using her as a pillow. Her pale hand resting gently on Anpo's shoulder, her face peaceful in repose.

She is not a dream
, Anpo thought, a gentle look on her face as she studied the woman.
She is real. And she is mine!
The warrior squeezed, hugging the blonde closer.

Kathleen murmured something in her language and readjusted herself, draping a leg over the dark woman's thigh.

Her heart full, Anpo's face retained its tenderness. She used her free hand to caress the yellow tresses, fingering their softness and enjoying the sensation of her skin against another's.
Is this what my
ina

and ate feel when they sleep together? This caring?
she wondered. Peering up to the logs at the center of the
ti

ikceya

, Anpo prayed to
wakan tanka

.
Please help me be worthy of this gift, this woman.

Inhaling deeply, Kathleen woke. For a change, she wasn't groggy or startled, having slept comfortably through the night for the first time since her initial capture. She could hear movement nearby, noises outside that indicated others were awake. Drifting along in that in-between stage of sleep and wakefulness, she snuggled closer against the warm body.
I suppose I should get up and get Adam breakfast.

Deep blue eyes shot open.
Adam's dead!

Anpo felt the woman stiffen in her arms and stopped caressing her, allowing the blonde to pull away a bit.

Suppressing the fear, Kathleen peered down at the warrior. As they stared at each other for long moments, she realized she was naked under the furs and recalled the previous evening. Her skin flushed scarlet.
Ah, Kath! Ye acted the harlot with her! And she's just a girl!
The blonde chewed her lower lip in consternation.
But ye didn't do anything, lass! What's there ta do?

"Ketlin."

The voice was soft and low and Kathleen could hear why she'd mistaken it for a man's tenor. She focused on the dark eyes and seemed to lose herself within.

"I would drown in your eyes, Ketlin," Anpo said, knowing there would be no comprehension. Reaching up, she brushed the back of her knuckles along the woman's cheek and smiled. "You are very beautiful,
winuhca

. I am glad you have come into my life and I will work hard to be worthy of you."

The gentle words washed over her and though Kathleen understood not a one, the warrior's face told a story of gratitude and caring and happiness. The blonde reached out her own hand in a tentative mirrored action, lightly running her knuckles across the soft skin. "I don't know what yer sayin', Anpo, but I think I understand." Her mouth twisted in a slight grin. "I want ta thank ye and yer family for treatin' me so well. I hope yer patience will be rewarded."

Smile widening as she listened to the strange accent tickle her ears, the warrior sat up a bit and gathered Kathleen into her arms. They embraced for just a moment before Anpo reluctantly pulled away.
Is this why newly joined couples cannot stay away from one another? This pleasure of touch and speech? Does Ketlin feel the same way?

Kathleen accepted the hug and, surprisingly, enjoyed it. It had been so long since she'd had physical contact with another human being that wasn't negative.
Even Adam wasn't much for hugs and such
, she thought as Anpo pulled away from her.
Aside from our... intimate moments, anyway. And even then
, she had to admit,
it only lasted until he was finished.
The blonde glanced around their sleeping area and located the warrior's clothing, pulling it closer and helping her get dressed.

Accepting the aide, Anpo was soon clothed. She then helped her woman with the
cuwignaka

. Afterwards, she gestured for Kathleen to follow and led her out of the
ti ikceya
. The taller woman gestured at the dark firepit and the waiting pile of wood that had been gathered the day before. "
Winuhca
, prepare the fire."

The blonde looked down at the cold firepit. "You want me to start a fire?" she asked, intently looking at the warrior.

Anpo nodded and slowly repeated herself. "Prepare a fire."

Puffing out a breath, Kathleen looked about at the ashes and the wood stacked neatly nearby. Under her breath, she murmured the strange words that Anpo had said, "Prepare a fire." With a nod, she hiked up her dress a bit and knelt down at the edge of the firepit. "Well, Kath, t'isn't like ye've never done that before."

The warrior watched her begin her work of scattering the last evening's ashes and stacking the new wood, a smile on her dark face.
She is smart, my Ketlin.
She picked up a stick and went to the council fire that was still smoldering. With a bit of blowing on the coals, Anpo was able to light it and return.

Kathleen dusted off her hands and sat back on her heels. She saw her warrior coming towards her with the burning stick. "Oh, good," she commented. "I wouldn't know how ta start a flame without flint and steel and I doubt ye've got any."
Haven't seen any steel
, the blonde mused. She watched the native light the pile of kindling and bring it to life, blue eyes focusing on Anpo's profile. A thought repeated itself from the day before.
She is handsome.

Once the fire was up and crackling, Anpo looked about the hearth.
Ah, there it is!
She found their breakfast, some dried meat and leftover
wansi
from yesterday's feast. The warrior scooped up the food and a half empty skin of water. Settling down at her seat, she waved the blonde closer and patted the robe beside her. "Come sit down, Ketlin."

But, I'm supposed to serve her, aren't I?
Slightly puzzled, the smaller woman sat beside the warrior. Portions of the makeshift breakfast were doled out and the pair ate in silence.

Watching her woman eat, Anpo mused about their future.
Things are destined to be difficult. But she will still care deeply for me.
Taking a draught from the waterskin, she offered it to Kathleen who took it with a smile of thanks.
Maybe Inyan was true in his thought. I will only hurt her as one hurts another when joined. Like my
ate

and ina.
Here, a certain wistfulness filled her heart.
I hope that is so.

Around them, the camp was brought to wakefulness. Others were out and about -
winyan

preparing breakfast for their families, younger children eating and planning for their day, older children getting ready to relieve the
koskalaka

guarding the herd of ponies. People were sluggish, however, from their late night of celebrating the hunt.