Re: TheLegendofDaringElk&HorseDreamer(M/LAdult)AN(p7)12/20
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:47 am
Part 30
Max stood outside of his home with Michael and Jesse on either side of him. His mother, Gentle Otter, stood besides Michael and not too far from them was an even bigger crowd of Udeyona villagers which included Serena, Alex, Tess and a subdued Kyle. All of them were there to witness the hand-fasting of Horse Dreamer and Daring Elk.
Even though it was nearly a week ago that the council had given their permission to the couple, it had taken that long because they had waited for Liz to get settled in with Max and for Serena and Tess to settle in to their new freedom. Plus, Liz and Max had wanted to do the hand-fasting as traditional as possible in the Udeyona way which meant her dress and his outfit had to be made first.
Now Max stood waiting for his bride dressed in buckskin pants and a shirt that had been dyed white. Granted, there wasn’t really a true white for the Udeyona, but it was close enough. His long sleeved shirt had dyed black fringes that spanned from his shoulders to the front of his chest as if he were wearing a fringed necklace even though it was part of the shirt. A feather that bore his mark had been sewn into each sleeve and the front of his shirt. Black laces ran down each sleeve holding them together. Unlike his fancy shirt, the pants simply had black fringes running down the outside of the legs. Even the moccasins he wore were simply white with black lacing.
As the murmuring from the crowd grew louder, Max looked in the direction of Crow Flies home. Since Liz had once been a part of his family, they had all agreed that Liz would dress there and walk from there to Max’s home as part of the ceremony.
Max smiled as he saw Liz approaching with Maria and Isabel on either side of her. Crow Flies and his family walked behind them. Like Max, Liz’s buckskin dress had been dyed white, but the fringes that ran from her shoulders down to the end of the long sleeves were also white. So were the fringes that ran from her waist down both sides of the skirt part of her dress. Even her doeskin boots were white with white fringes down the sides of them.
At her waist hung a thin rope decorated with Max’s feathers in such a way that it created a lovely belt around her. She also wore his feathers around her neck as part of a necklace and small braids were spread throughout her hair with more feathers there.
She glowed as she smiled at him while she walked closer to him. When she was near, Max held out his right hand to her and she slid her left hand into his. They stood facing each other as Crow Flies and Gentle Otter moved to stand on either side of their clasped hands and faced each other too.
Michael and Jesse remained on either side of Max while Maria and Isabel stood on either side of Liz. The village Shaman came up carrying a long thin rope threaded with bits of feathers from all of the members of the Udeyona village. As he held it over his head and asked the Great Spirit to add strength and longevity to the thread, Michael and Jesse each placed a hand on Max’s shoulders. Maria and Isabel did the same to Liz.
The Shaman then draped the rope over the couple’s clasped hands and stepped back to allow Gentle Otter access to the rope. She took her end and wrapped it around Liz’s arm while Crow Flies did the same with his end around Max’s arm.
As they worked, the Shaman explained the significance of all of it.
“Horse Dreamer, your friends lend you their support in your decision to accept Daring Elk as your other half. See that Daring Elk’s family is now binding you to her, in turn you are now a member of their family.
Daring Elk, your friends also lend you their support in your decision to accept Horse Dreamer as your other half. See that Horse Dreamer’s family is now binding you to him, in turn you are now a member of their family.”
When Gentle Otter and Crow Flies finished wrapping the rope around the couple’s arms, they lifted their hands to place one on each of Max and Liz’s shoulders, joining the four friends as the Shaman went on.
“You have accepted each other and now each of your friends and family have accepted you. From this small circle of those who care for you both, runs an even stronger thread of the Udeyona who surround you.”
As he spoke those lines, the crowd gathered closer until Max and Liz were in the center of all of them. Then the Shaman continued.
“May the strength of that thread support you and may you both have a long and happy life together. Know that not only will your friends and family be there for you, but so will the people of your home.
Now, with the blessing of all of us, go and begin your new life together and may the Great Spirit bless you, as we do.”
When he finished speaking, the crowd parted, allowing Max and Liz to make their way to Max’s home. With their hands still clasped and the rope binding their arms, Max held the flap aside with his free hand for Liz to enter first. He followed after and secured the flap into place.
As soon as the flap was closed, the entire village began whooping as drums and flutes sounded nearby. It was now time for the celebration to begin while Max and Liz did their own celebrating inside their home.
When Max turned to Liz after securing the flap, she grinned up at him and wrapped her free arm around him.
“Oh Max! We did it! We’re married!”
He chuckled as he embraced her with his arm. “Yes, we did it!”
He leaned down to kiss her lips, deepening the kiss for a few moments as the music and revelry outside grew louder. When he moved away, Liz giggled.
“I’m glad we’re not the only ones happy right now!”
Max grinned. “Mm, me too, so why don’t we get started with our celebration.”
He bent down and told Liz to step over their clasped hands. When she did, he slid his arm up under her legs and swept her up with his free arm around her back. Liz laughed at his ability to still carry her despite the fact that their hands were still wrapped by the rope.
He carried her through the house until he reached the bedroom. When he set her on her feet at the edge of their pallet, she stepped over his arm again while he went down to his knees. She smiled down at him as he unlaced her boots and helped her step out of them before setting them aside.
Standing up again, he stepped out of his own moccasins before pulling her close to him. Liz tilted her head back, welcoming his lips to hers. As his free hand cupped her head, she parted her lips allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth.
Max deepened the kiss as he let his hand wander down her neck then to the front of her dress where he cupped her breast through the material. Liz’s free hand moved up to tangle in his hair as he continued to knead her breast a little harder.
Both of them could feel the need they had for each other after nearly a week of abstinence, wanting to wait for the hand-fasting before being intimate again. They had both agreed it would be that much more special if they did. It hadn’t been easy, but they had managed to do it, with Liz even staying the night at Crow Flies home the day before the ceremony.
Now that they were together, the urgency was upon them despite the fact that they both wanted to savor each other. So, when Liz moaned, Max playfully nipped at her bottom lip before resuming kissing her.
Soon his hand moved over her breasts, grazing them softly before he moved to undo the lacing that ran from her left shoulder down to the end of the sleeve. The fringes there hid the lacing well, which meant Max had to stop kissing her so he could see what he was doing.
Liz turned slightly, allowing him to undo the lacings there, then she helped him to pull her sleeve from out of the rope bindings without that falling off too. Tradition said the couple was supposed to keep the rope binding on until they had fully consummated since that signaled the end of the hand-fasting ritual. If the rope remained around their clasped hands for the entire ritual, the couple’s union was said to be truly blessed by the Great Spirit.
That was why the dress and his shirt were designed in such a way that they could easily remove the entire thing without disturbing the rope much. Once her sleeve was off of her arm, Max undid the lacings hidden beneath the fringes of her other shoulder. Then he pulled the dress down as Liz lifted her right arm out of the sleeve. Max let the dress drop to the floor before helping her to step out of it.
Liz smiled at him as his eyes drank in the sight of her standing nearly naked before him. While he took his fill, she slipped off the last remaining garment she wore, her loincloth.
As soon as she was bare, she stepped closer to Max and began to undo the lacings of his sleeves. Max helped her to remove his right sleeve from beneath the rope bindings, then pulled his left arm out of the sleeve before pushing the shirt down. With Liz’s help, both the shirt and his pants were pushed to the ground before Max stepped out of them.
Liz grinned at the sight of Max, knowing he’d worn nothing beneath his outfit, not even a loincloth. Max returned her grin before walking her backwards to the pallet. He helped her lay down before pressing his body over hers.
Lifting their clasped hands over her head, Max leaned down to take her lips in his again. As the kiss deepened, Liz lifted her legs and wrapped them around his. Both of them moaned as their intimate areas came into contact with each others.
Max trailed his lips from Liz’s mouth to her neck before settling on one of her breasts. Liz closed her eyes and arched her back, offering more of her breast to his hungry mouth. As his tongue flicked her nipple, Liz writhed beneath him and moaned some more, lifting her hips higher trying to get closer to him.
Taking her free hand, she let it wander over his back, traveling down to his behind, enjoying the way his muscles flexed and the feel of his skin beneath her touch. When Max moved to her other breast and nipped at her nipple, Liz gasped and rubbed her groin over his, trying to entice him to fill her.
When her hand gripped his behind harder, Max knew Liz was getting close. Sliding between her nether lips, he rubbed himself against her clit until she couldn’t take anymore.
“Max…please!” she groaned.
He lifted his head up to look down into her eyes. “I love you, Liz.”
She gave him a beautiful smile. “I love you too, Max.”
With that, he thrust inside of her welcoming depths, eliciting a sigh from both of them once he was buried to the hilt. Liz’s legs wrapped tighter around him and she lifted her hips to meet his increasing strokes.
They continued to look into each other’s eyes until it became too much for them. At that point, Max buried his face against Liz’s neck as her body clung to his.
“Yes! Oh yes! Max!” Liz cried, signaling her approaching end.
Max used his fingers to stroke her clit in time to his quickening thrusts. Liz threw her head back as he reached deep and hard into her body and just when she was sure he’d touched her soul, her body exploded.
“Maaaax!” came her elated scream which seemed to vibrate down his spine straight to his groin. There it exploded out of him and bathed her walls with his seed as his own joyous shout joined hers.
“Lizzzzz!”
Liz held him long after their orgasms had ended, both of them enjoying the aftermath of their lovemaking. Still, Max rolled off of her, pulling her into his chest so that his weight didn’t crush her any longer. They continued to hold each other, sharing kisses and touches until they drifted off to sleep.
Not even the continuous celebrating of the village was enough to keep the happy, sated couple awake. Which was a good thing since the rope bindings finally came undone some time later as they slept. The fact that they had remained on that long was truly a sign that the Great Spirit had blessed their union completely.
*********************************************************************
As the night grew darker and the celebrating began winding down, the crowd began thinning out. Still, there were several people doing their own celebrating. Even Isabel was still out celebrating with Jesse and their friends despite the late hour.
As soon as she saw the opening, Tess left Kyle with Alex, Serena and Gentle Otter to go and talk to her sister. She knew it would be one of the very rare opportunities for her to do so. Making her way through the thinning crowd, she prepared herself for the talk she was about to have with her sister.
Jesse had just turned to his visibly pregnant wife to ask if she was ready to return home when he saw Tess approaching them. Judging from the look on her face, he knew Tess needed some time alone with her sister. So, he kissed Isabel on the cheek then asked Maria and Michael if he could talk to them alone for a bit.
At his inclination in the direction of the approaching Tess, Michael and Maria both nodded and walked off with Jesse so that Isabel could be alone with Tess. However, Jesse wasn’t too far away just in case his wife should still need his assistance.
Isabel gave Tess a welcoming smile as she came closer, then motioned for her to have a seat next to her. Tess sat down and gave Isabel a smile of her own.
“How are you, Isabel?”
Isabel chuckled softly. “As well as I can be, given my condition.”
Tess’ eyes widened. “Is it getting harder?”
Isabel shrugged. “No more than I would imagine most pregnancies go. It’s nothing bad, I assure you. But sometimes I do wish the time was here for me to give birth.”
Tess nodded. “Oh, I hear you.”
They were silent for a few moments before Isabel spoke up again. “Tess, is there something you wanted to say?”
Tess sighed as she looked up at her older sister. “Yes, actually there is.”
Isabel nodded, but remained quiet. She knew Tess needed time to get it out.
Finally, Tess squared her shoulders and spoke. “First, I just want to say that I am sorry for all the headaches I’ve given you and Jesse these past few months. I…I know that he really does care for you and he’s not as bad as I made him out to be.
I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I took all of my anger and frustration out on everyone I was close to…even Liz, who was always there to take care of me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m very glad to be out of the village now and going back to my own people, but I shouldn’t have let those things come between you and I. Especially since we spent most of our lives apart.”
Isabel slid her arm around her little sister’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Tess. I know why you did it.”
“Really? Because I…I still haven’t changed my mind about the sav…natives.”
Isabel sighed at her slip. “I know. It’s okay. I’m just glad that you’re happier now. As long as you’re happy, I can be happy.”
Tess nodded. “I am happy for you, you know. I’m glad you found your place in this world Izzy. I know you’ll be okay.”
Isabel smiled. “Thanks, little sister. How about you?”
Tess gave her a nervous smile. “Um, actually. Kyle asked me to marry him.”
Isabel’s smile widened. “Really? Well that’s great. That’s what you want right?”
“Yes, it is. He’s also said that when…when the time is right, we are returning to the East. Alex’s father is going to help…help us get settled somewhere up there.”
“Oh. Oh I see. Well, you always said you wanted to go back home. So, I guess that will be good for you.”
Tess nodded sadly. “It will.” She paused for a moment before looking up at Isabel with tears in her eyes. “Izzy…”
Isabel shook her head. “Now don’t you go worrying about me, little sister. Hear me? I’m going to be just fine out here where I am.”
She took both of Tess’ hands in hers and looked her dead in the eyes. “I mean it Tess. I want you to go with Kyle and find that life you’ve always wanted, okay? I’m going to do the same here. That’s all that matters for all of us. We all need to find our place in this world and if that means you have to go back East to find yours then you do that. Promise me Tess?”
Tess nodded. “I…I promise.”
Isabel smiled. “Good.” She let go of Tess’ hands and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m going to miss you, but I know you’ll be okay.”
Tess hugged her sister tighter. “I’m going to miss you too Izzy. I love you.”
Isabel nodded. “I love you too, Tess.”
They hugged once more before Isabel let her go and watched as she returned to Kyle’s side. It was a few moments more before Jesse joined her again.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Isabel nodded as she looked up into his eyes. “I’m fine.” Before he could ask, she held out her hand to him. “Why don’t you help me up and I’ll tell you all about it on the way back home.”
Jesse smiled as he helped her up from her seat so the two of them could say goodnight to the others and make their way back to their home. It was during that walk that Jesse became the only other person in the village to find out about Kyle and Tess’ plans for the time being. Alex and Serena already knew since all of them were currently living at Alex’s home, but this was the first any of them had discussed it with anyone from the village.
However, it wouldn’t be long before everyone else would be informed, thus setting the course for many of the lives involved. It was a safe bet to say that from that night on, all of their lives began to evolve from there. Whether it be a good future or bad one…only the Great Spirit would know for sure.
TBC...
Max stood outside of his home with Michael and Jesse on either side of him. His mother, Gentle Otter, stood besides Michael and not too far from them was an even bigger crowd of Udeyona villagers which included Serena, Alex, Tess and a subdued Kyle. All of them were there to witness the hand-fasting of Horse Dreamer and Daring Elk.
Even though it was nearly a week ago that the council had given their permission to the couple, it had taken that long because they had waited for Liz to get settled in with Max and for Serena and Tess to settle in to their new freedom. Plus, Liz and Max had wanted to do the hand-fasting as traditional as possible in the Udeyona way which meant her dress and his outfit had to be made first.
Now Max stood waiting for his bride dressed in buckskin pants and a shirt that had been dyed white. Granted, there wasn’t really a true white for the Udeyona, but it was close enough. His long sleeved shirt had dyed black fringes that spanned from his shoulders to the front of his chest as if he were wearing a fringed necklace even though it was part of the shirt. A feather that bore his mark had been sewn into each sleeve and the front of his shirt. Black laces ran down each sleeve holding them together. Unlike his fancy shirt, the pants simply had black fringes running down the outside of the legs. Even the moccasins he wore were simply white with black lacing.
As the murmuring from the crowd grew louder, Max looked in the direction of Crow Flies home. Since Liz had once been a part of his family, they had all agreed that Liz would dress there and walk from there to Max’s home as part of the ceremony.
Max smiled as he saw Liz approaching with Maria and Isabel on either side of her. Crow Flies and his family walked behind them. Like Max, Liz’s buckskin dress had been dyed white, but the fringes that ran from her shoulders down to the end of the long sleeves were also white. So were the fringes that ran from her waist down both sides of the skirt part of her dress. Even her doeskin boots were white with white fringes down the sides of them.
At her waist hung a thin rope decorated with Max’s feathers in such a way that it created a lovely belt around her. She also wore his feathers around her neck as part of a necklace and small braids were spread throughout her hair with more feathers there.
She glowed as she smiled at him while she walked closer to him. When she was near, Max held out his right hand to her and she slid her left hand into his. They stood facing each other as Crow Flies and Gentle Otter moved to stand on either side of their clasped hands and faced each other too.
Michael and Jesse remained on either side of Max while Maria and Isabel stood on either side of Liz. The village Shaman came up carrying a long thin rope threaded with bits of feathers from all of the members of the Udeyona village. As he held it over his head and asked the Great Spirit to add strength and longevity to the thread, Michael and Jesse each placed a hand on Max’s shoulders. Maria and Isabel did the same to Liz.
The Shaman then draped the rope over the couple’s clasped hands and stepped back to allow Gentle Otter access to the rope. She took her end and wrapped it around Liz’s arm while Crow Flies did the same with his end around Max’s arm.
As they worked, the Shaman explained the significance of all of it.
“Horse Dreamer, your friends lend you their support in your decision to accept Daring Elk as your other half. See that Daring Elk’s family is now binding you to her, in turn you are now a member of their family.
Daring Elk, your friends also lend you their support in your decision to accept Horse Dreamer as your other half. See that Horse Dreamer’s family is now binding you to him, in turn you are now a member of their family.”
When Gentle Otter and Crow Flies finished wrapping the rope around the couple’s arms, they lifted their hands to place one on each of Max and Liz’s shoulders, joining the four friends as the Shaman went on.
“You have accepted each other and now each of your friends and family have accepted you. From this small circle of those who care for you both, runs an even stronger thread of the Udeyona who surround you.”
As he spoke those lines, the crowd gathered closer until Max and Liz were in the center of all of them. Then the Shaman continued.
“May the strength of that thread support you and may you both have a long and happy life together. Know that not only will your friends and family be there for you, but so will the people of your home.
Now, with the blessing of all of us, go and begin your new life together and may the Great Spirit bless you, as we do.”
When he finished speaking, the crowd parted, allowing Max and Liz to make their way to Max’s home. With their hands still clasped and the rope binding their arms, Max held the flap aside with his free hand for Liz to enter first. He followed after and secured the flap into place.
As soon as the flap was closed, the entire village began whooping as drums and flutes sounded nearby. It was now time for the celebration to begin while Max and Liz did their own celebrating inside their home.
When Max turned to Liz after securing the flap, she grinned up at him and wrapped her free arm around him.
“Oh Max! We did it! We’re married!”
He chuckled as he embraced her with his arm. “Yes, we did it!”
He leaned down to kiss her lips, deepening the kiss for a few moments as the music and revelry outside grew louder. When he moved away, Liz giggled.
“I’m glad we’re not the only ones happy right now!”
Max grinned. “Mm, me too, so why don’t we get started with our celebration.”
He bent down and told Liz to step over their clasped hands. When she did, he slid his arm up under her legs and swept her up with his free arm around her back. Liz laughed at his ability to still carry her despite the fact that their hands were still wrapped by the rope.
He carried her through the house until he reached the bedroom. When he set her on her feet at the edge of their pallet, she stepped over his arm again while he went down to his knees. She smiled down at him as he unlaced her boots and helped her step out of them before setting them aside.
Standing up again, he stepped out of his own moccasins before pulling her close to him. Liz tilted her head back, welcoming his lips to hers. As his free hand cupped her head, she parted her lips allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth.
Max deepened the kiss as he let his hand wander down her neck then to the front of her dress where he cupped her breast through the material. Liz’s free hand moved up to tangle in his hair as he continued to knead her breast a little harder.
Both of them could feel the need they had for each other after nearly a week of abstinence, wanting to wait for the hand-fasting before being intimate again. They had both agreed it would be that much more special if they did. It hadn’t been easy, but they had managed to do it, with Liz even staying the night at Crow Flies home the day before the ceremony.
Now that they were together, the urgency was upon them despite the fact that they both wanted to savor each other. So, when Liz moaned, Max playfully nipped at her bottom lip before resuming kissing her.
Soon his hand moved over her breasts, grazing them softly before he moved to undo the lacing that ran from her left shoulder down to the end of the sleeve. The fringes there hid the lacing well, which meant Max had to stop kissing her so he could see what he was doing.
Liz turned slightly, allowing him to undo the lacings there, then she helped him to pull her sleeve from out of the rope bindings without that falling off too. Tradition said the couple was supposed to keep the rope binding on until they had fully consummated since that signaled the end of the hand-fasting ritual. If the rope remained around their clasped hands for the entire ritual, the couple’s union was said to be truly blessed by the Great Spirit.
That was why the dress and his shirt were designed in such a way that they could easily remove the entire thing without disturbing the rope much. Once her sleeve was off of her arm, Max undid the lacings hidden beneath the fringes of her other shoulder. Then he pulled the dress down as Liz lifted her right arm out of the sleeve. Max let the dress drop to the floor before helping her to step out of it.
Liz smiled at him as his eyes drank in the sight of her standing nearly naked before him. While he took his fill, she slipped off the last remaining garment she wore, her loincloth.
As soon as she was bare, she stepped closer to Max and began to undo the lacings of his sleeves. Max helped her to remove his right sleeve from beneath the rope bindings, then pulled his left arm out of the sleeve before pushing the shirt down. With Liz’s help, both the shirt and his pants were pushed to the ground before Max stepped out of them.
Liz grinned at the sight of Max, knowing he’d worn nothing beneath his outfit, not even a loincloth. Max returned her grin before walking her backwards to the pallet. He helped her lay down before pressing his body over hers.
Lifting their clasped hands over her head, Max leaned down to take her lips in his again. As the kiss deepened, Liz lifted her legs and wrapped them around his. Both of them moaned as their intimate areas came into contact with each others.
Max trailed his lips from Liz’s mouth to her neck before settling on one of her breasts. Liz closed her eyes and arched her back, offering more of her breast to his hungry mouth. As his tongue flicked her nipple, Liz writhed beneath him and moaned some more, lifting her hips higher trying to get closer to him.
Taking her free hand, she let it wander over his back, traveling down to his behind, enjoying the way his muscles flexed and the feel of his skin beneath her touch. When Max moved to her other breast and nipped at her nipple, Liz gasped and rubbed her groin over his, trying to entice him to fill her.
When her hand gripped his behind harder, Max knew Liz was getting close. Sliding between her nether lips, he rubbed himself against her clit until she couldn’t take anymore.
“Max…please!” she groaned.
He lifted his head up to look down into her eyes. “I love you, Liz.”
She gave him a beautiful smile. “I love you too, Max.”
With that, he thrust inside of her welcoming depths, eliciting a sigh from both of them once he was buried to the hilt. Liz’s legs wrapped tighter around him and she lifted her hips to meet his increasing strokes.
They continued to look into each other’s eyes until it became too much for them. At that point, Max buried his face against Liz’s neck as her body clung to his.
“Yes! Oh yes! Max!” Liz cried, signaling her approaching end.
Max used his fingers to stroke her clit in time to his quickening thrusts. Liz threw her head back as he reached deep and hard into her body and just when she was sure he’d touched her soul, her body exploded.
“Maaaax!” came her elated scream which seemed to vibrate down his spine straight to his groin. There it exploded out of him and bathed her walls with his seed as his own joyous shout joined hers.
“Lizzzzz!”
Liz held him long after their orgasms had ended, both of them enjoying the aftermath of their lovemaking. Still, Max rolled off of her, pulling her into his chest so that his weight didn’t crush her any longer. They continued to hold each other, sharing kisses and touches until they drifted off to sleep.
Not even the continuous celebrating of the village was enough to keep the happy, sated couple awake. Which was a good thing since the rope bindings finally came undone some time later as they slept. The fact that they had remained on that long was truly a sign that the Great Spirit had blessed their union completely.
*********************************************************************
As the night grew darker and the celebrating began winding down, the crowd began thinning out. Still, there were several people doing their own celebrating. Even Isabel was still out celebrating with Jesse and their friends despite the late hour.
As soon as she saw the opening, Tess left Kyle with Alex, Serena and Gentle Otter to go and talk to her sister. She knew it would be one of the very rare opportunities for her to do so. Making her way through the thinning crowd, she prepared herself for the talk she was about to have with her sister.
Jesse had just turned to his visibly pregnant wife to ask if she was ready to return home when he saw Tess approaching them. Judging from the look on her face, he knew Tess needed some time alone with her sister. So, he kissed Isabel on the cheek then asked Maria and Michael if he could talk to them alone for a bit.
At his inclination in the direction of the approaching Tess, Michael and Maria both nodded and walked off with Jesse so that Isabel could be alone with Tess. However, Jesse wasn’t too far away just in case his wife should still need his assistance.
Isabel gave Tess a welcoming smile as she came closer, then motioned for her to have a seat next to her. Tess sat down and gave Isabel a smile of her own.
“How are you, Isabel?”
Isabel chuckled softly. “As well as I can be, given my condition.”
Tess’ eyes widened. “Is it getting harder?”
Isabel shrugged. “No more than I would imagine most pregnancies go. It’s nothing bad, I assure you. But sometimes I do wish the time was here for me to give birth.”
Tess nodded. “Oh, I hear you.”
They were silent for a few moments before Isabel spoke up again. “Tess, is there something you wanted to say?”
Tess sighed as she looked up at her older sister. “Yes, actually there is.”
Isabel nodded, but remained quiet. She knew Tess needed time to get it out.
Finally, Tess squared her shoulders and spoke. “First, I just want to say that I am sorry for all the headaches I’ve given you and Jesse these past few months. I…I know that he really does care for you and he’s not as bad as I made him out to be.
I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I took all of my anger and frustration out on everyone I was close to…even Liz, who was always there to take care of me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m very glad to be out of the village now and going back to my own people, but I shouldn’t have let those things come between you and I. Especially since we spent most of our lives apart.”
Isabel slid her arm around her little sister’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Tess. I know why you did it.”
“Really? Because I…I still haven’t changed my mind about the sav…natives.”
Isabel sighed at her slip. “I know. It’s okay. I’m just glad that you’re happier now. As long as you’re happy, I can be happy.”
Tess nodded. “I am happy for you, you know. I’m glad you found your place in this world Izzy. I know you’ll be okay.”
Isabel smiled. “Thanks, little sister. How about you?”
Tess gave her a nervous smile. “Um, actually. Kyle asked me to marry him.”
Isabel’s smile widened. “Really? Well that’s great. That’s what you want right?”
“Yes, it is. He’s also said that when…when the time is right, we are returning to the East. Alex’s father is going to help…help us get settled somewhere up there.”
“Oh. Oh I see. Well, you always said you wanted to go back home. So, I guess that will be good for you.”
Tess nodded sadly. “It will.” She paused for a moment before looking up at Isabel with tears in her eyes. “Izzy…”
Isabel shook her head. “Now don’t you go worrying about me, little sister. Hear me? I’m going to be just fine out here where I am.”
She took both of Tess’ hands in hers and looked her dead in the eyes. “I mean it Tess. I want you to go with Kyle and find that life you’ve always wanted, okay? I’m going to do the same here. That’s all that matters for all of us. We all need to find our place in this world and if that means you have to go back East to find yours then you do that. Promise me Tess?”
Tess nodded. “I…I promise.”
Isabel smiled. “Good.” She let go of Tess’ hands and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m going to miss you, but I know you’ll be okay.”
Tess hugged her sister tighter. “I’m going to miss you too Izzy. I love you.”
Isabel nodded. “I love you too, Tess.”
They hugged once more before Isabel let her go and watched as she returned to Kyle’s side. It was a few moments more before Jesse joined her again.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Isabel nodded as she looked up into his eyes. “I’m fine.” Before he could ask, she held out her hand to him. “Why don’t you help me up and I’ll tell you all about it on the way back home.”
Jesse smiled as he helped her up from her seat so the two of them could say goodnight to the others and make their way back to their home. It was during that walk that Jesse became the only other person in the village to find out about Kyle and Tess’ plans for the time being. Alex and Serena already knew since all of them were currently living at Alex’s home, but this was the first any of them had discussed it with anyone from the village.
However, it wouldn’t be long before everyone else would be informed, thus setting the course for many of the lives involved. It was a safe bet to say that from that night on, all of their lives began to evolve from there. Whether it be a good future or bad one…only the Great Spirit would know for sure.
TBC...