Dakota Dreams (Historical Romance) Page 4

"Yes, he is an Arapaho," Two Moons said with pride shining in his dark eyes. "He has a love for this land and her people." Two Moons shook his head. "Still, I want him to know his own people. That is not the only reason. When I am gone, there will be a power struggle, and the tribe will be divided. Many warriors and most of the elders will be on Dakota's side, but there will be those who will join Black Otter, and there might be war among the Arapaho. This I do not want. You must take Dakota away."

  "Dakota will fight me on this, Two Moons," Levi said pointedly, knowing the young warrior would not want to leave.

  "Dakota will not fight you, Levi Gunther, because I will tell him that it is my dying wish that he go to his own people. He will do as I ask. He has always been an obedient son," Two Moons assured Levi.

  "Yes, it is well known that Dakota has been the son of your heart. He will go with me if you ask it of him," Levi concurred.

  Two Moons tried to rise, but his strength failed him. "Give me your word that you will remain here until my death and that immediately afterward, you will take him away. There is danger for him here, and I cannot protect him after I am dead. I will leave that to you."

  The two men stared at each other with understanding. Levi put into words what Two Moons could not. "You think Black Otter will try to harm Dakota if you are not here to prevent it."

  "There will be no lies between us, Levi Gunther. We both know that my son, Black Otter, will strive to be war chief after I am gone. If this happens, he will destroy Dakota, something he has not dared do while I live."

  "Have you told this to Dakota?"

  "No. He has been hunting in the north land for many of your weeks. I chose not to send word to him that I had taken ill. Word has come to me that he will be returning today, and I will tell him. From no one but me will Dakota believe the malice toward him that lies in his brother's heart."

  At that moment, the tepee flap was thrown aside and Black Otter entered. He was lean, of average height, and walked with a swagger. When his black eyes rested on Levi, his face twisted with anger. "Why do you worry my father, white man? Can you not see he is ill?"

  Levi's eyes were unfaltering as he stared back at the young warrior. Before he could answer, Two Moons spoke in a voice of anger. "You will not insult Levi Gunther in my tepee. I am still war chief, and I give the orders here. My friend is here because I sent for him."

  Black Otter's eyes narrowed, and he spat toward Levi. "Why would you send for this white man? He is not worthy to watch a great war chief prepare to leave this world."

  "It is not for you to question who I choose to attend my death. I told you that you are not yet war chief."

  Black Otter's anger distorted his face. "If you had your way, Dakota would be war chief after you die. It is a pity his skin is white, or he would stand in your moccasins instead of me, the true son of your body."

  Two Moons struggled to rise, and finally succeeded on sitting up with Levi's help. "You will never walk in my moccasins, Black Otter, because there is anger in your heart toward your brother."

  "Dakota is not my brother! If you pierce his skin, he will bleed like any white man. He has always tried to take what I wanted. When she was alive, my mother loved him well. The woman I love turns her face away from me, but looks upon him with love. Even my own father prefers him to me."

  Two Moons did not deny his son's accusations. Sadly he breathed in a ragged breath. "I will charge you not to harm your brother after I am gone. He will be leaving this land to journey across the great water. You will not raise a hand against him."

  Black Otter looked doubtful and suspicious for a moment. He had not expected this from his father. "Dakota will not leave this land. He lies to himself by pretending he is Indian. He believes he belongs to the Arapaho tribe."

  The chief slumped back against the buffalo robe, too weary to argue with his son. "Dakota will leave if I ask it of him, and I will ask it of him. I feel shame in my heart that the son of my body harbors distrust and anger toward his brother."

  Black Otter's face was again distorted with anger. His eyes were poisonous as they rested on Levi. "I will be glad to see Dakota gone from my life. I will not harm him, because if he is dead, the woman I love will mourn him. But if he leaves, she will always know that he abandoned her. Then she will turn to me. No, I will not harm him if he leaves." Turning away, he stomped out, leaving a feeling of uneasiness behind him.

  "Black Otter is dangerous, Two Moons. I do not trust him," Levi said.

  "He is... a disappointment to me," Two Moons said sadly.

  Two Moons glanced at the opening at the top of the tepee where smoke was mingling with a clear blue sky. He, himself, felt as if he were no more than smoke that dissipated and disappeared without leaving a trace. He wondered if after his death he would have left nothing behind to remind others that he had once walked this land. Trying to push his troubled thoughts aside, he spoke. "Remember, you are to take Dakota away as soon as you hear I am dead. I would ask you to take him sooner, but he will never leave while there is breath in my body." He glanced at Levi and saw sorrow in the pale gray eyes. "Leave me now. I want to be alone when Dakota arrives if I am to convince him to believe in White Wing's vision."

  ***

  The buffalo grass rippled in the strong wind, resembling waves upon a troubled sea. Beyond the grasslands, rising suddenly from the plains, stood the majestic mountains, their highest point still snowcapped, presenting an impregnable barrier to the west. In sharp contrast to the mountains, a green valley with multicolored windflowers dotted the land as far as the pine forest to the north. Spring had come early to Shadow Valley and already the afternoon sun beat down with a punishing force. This pristine wilderness was a land of harsh survival—a land where rivers were born, where the faint at heart dared not journey—it was Indian land—Arapaho land!

  In the distance, the thundering sound of approaching riders broke the silence. Two Indian warriors topped the hill and reigned in their mounts. One of the warriors was dark, but the other, though he had shoulder-length black hair, looked strangely out of place because his eyes were emerald green and his skin was not bronze like his companion's, but golden from the sun.

  Dakota had not thought much about his appearance in several years. There had been a time, when he was younger, that he questioned the difference between him and the other members of his tribe. But now he was a proven warrior, and he no longer thought about those differences. Inside, his heart beat as one with the Arapaho.

  Gazing down at the Wind River, Dakota easily controlled his powerful war horse with just the merest pressure from his muscled legs. The giant beast snorted and pranced about, tossing his shiny mane while his hooves plowed up the soft ground along the riverbank. Dakota glanced across the shimmering water, noting the peacefulness that settled over the Arapaho village that he called home. His heart was light because he had been away for a long time, and he was eager to see his father.

  Dakota turned to his boyhood friend, Shadow Walker. "It is good to be home," he observed in Arapaho.

  Shadow Walker stared at Dakota, his eyes resting momentarily on his black shoulder-length hair which was circled with a rawhide band. In profile Dakota's face was boldly outlined with haughty features. He carried himself proudly, arrogantly. His green eyes were fearless, penetrating, and their color rivaled the grasses in high summer. Shadow Walker looked into those eyes that now seemed clouded and troubled.

  "Do you think of Running Deer and the love you have for her, my friend?" Shadow Walker asked.

  "No. It is useless to think of her when my brother desires her. I would never stand between him and the woman he wants. I have told this to Running Deer, and I will tell this to my brother if he asks."

  Shadow Walker's eyes clouded with anger. "Must you always give Black Otter what he wants? Will you never stand up and say 'enough'? Too many times I have seen you step aside to allow him to have his way. As your friend, I say 'enough.' "

  Dakota reached out and clasped his fri
end's arm. "Do not be distressed for me, Shadow Walker. If I thought I could make Running Deer happy, I would not step aside for my brother. Although I love her, there is something missing between us."

  "Can it be that your heart is not as one with Running Deer? Do you not feel a man's love for her?"

  "How can I know if I love her? I have desired her, and I know of no maiden who has her beauty, but how can a man know if he loves a woman? Sometimes I think only of her, and at other times, I cannot even recall her face."

  "If you have this doubt, then you do not love Running Deer. When a man loves a woman, she is in his heart night and day. Her face haunts him, and he could never forget her image."

  Dakota smiled. "When did you learn so much about a man's feelings for a woman?"

  Shadow Walker looked embarrassed for a moment, and then he, too, smiled. "Since I began to love Running Deer's younger sister."

  Dakota's eyes clouded over once more. "Come, let us ride to the village with haste. I have an uneasy feeling that something is not right."

  The two horses bound into the river, stirring up mud and causing ripples to reach the opposite shore. Dakota rode through the village, his eyes searching, wondering why his father had not joined the others who welcomed him home. Why was everyone looking at him with such sorrow? His eyes met Running Deer's and he read pain in their dark depths.

  With heart beating in fear, he reached his father's tepee, and was surprised to see Levi Gunther waiting for him outside the entrance. The sadness and disbelief he saw on the old hunter's face wiped out any happiness Dakota felt at seeing his friend. He did not need to be told that something was wrong with his father; he could see the truth in Levi's eyes. He experienced grief so strong it tore at his heart. Raising his head, Dakota glanced into the dark eyes of Black Otter, wishing his brother would assure him that nothing had happened to their father in his absence.

  Black Otter's eyes were cold. "Welcome home, Dakota. You have returned to watch my father die before you leave this village forever!"

  3

  Dakota took a step toward the tepee, still unable to believe his father was dying. Black Otter moved to block the entrance and poised his lance against Dakota's broad chest. "You will not be at my father's side when he draws his last breath. You have taken everything else away from me, and I will not allow you to rob me of my father's last hours."

  Levi Gunther, and more than a dozen warriors, tensely stood by, knowing the trouble that had been brewing between the two brothers for years was about to come to a head. Everyone knew by the stubborn set of Dakota's jaw that they were about to witness a long overdue confrontation.

  "Move out of my way, Black Otter. I will see my father if I have to go through you to do it." Dakota had spoken softly, but the glint in his eyes caused Black Otter to drop his own gaze and move aside. He was humiliated that Dakota had made him back down, and he swore to himself that he would find the means to humble his father's favorite.

  Dakota quickly entered the tepee and went down on his knees beside his father. Two Moons opened his eyes, and the sadness Dakota saw there tore at his heart. The old war chief reached out a shaky hand and placed it on Dakota's.

  "I began to fear that you would not come in time, my son. I am weak and have fought to hold on to the breath of life until I could see you once more." Two Moons' voice was surprisingly strong.

  "I will not listen to such talk," Dakota said, unwilling to accept that his father was dying. "You will live to see many grandchildren."

  "No, my son," Two Moons said sadly. "Before the sun sets today, I will join your mother."

  Dakota, looking at his father's sunken, lusterless eyes, and the skin that was stretched taut across his face like fragile old parchment, could not hide the shadow of grief that came into his eyes.

  "Why did you not send word for me to come home, my father? Did you not know that I would want to be with you to lend you my strength?"

  "I knew you would arrive before I passed on." Two Moons looked upon Dakota's face. He remembered the sickly white baby that had grown to manhood and earned the respect and friendship of his adopted tribe. He remembered the pride he had felt for Dakota as he developed a sense of honor and became a fearless warrior. "You have brought joy and pride to my tepee, Dakota. I have always known you to be an obedient son."

  "It was not difficult to obey you, my father. The tasks you have set for me have been tempered with fairness, and I have learned by watching you."

  Two Moons grasped Dakota's hand. "Do you know that I have loved you well?" he questioned, his voice now weak.

  "I have known this."

  "Then know what I asked of you is done out of love."

  "Yes, I will know."

  Two Moons' eyes brightened feverishly. "After I am gone—"

  "I will not hear this," Dakota interrupted.

  Two Moons held up his hand, his voice insistent. "Hear what I have to say. After I am gone, I want you to go away with Levi Gunther."

  "But-"

  "Hear me, Dakota. There is danger for you here. I want you to go to your grandfather and learn the ways of the white man. It was selfish of me to keep you when you belong to a great and powerful family that needs your strength and wisdom."

  Dakota was bewildered. "I do not like the white man's ways. I am Indian and will walk in the Arapaho way."

  "I have seen a vision from your mother, and she has told me that you must leave the Arapaho. It is my wish that you return to the family of your birth."

  Dakota felt a chill pass over him, and he was thrown into confusion. "This is the only home I have ever known. How can I leave?"

  "Dakota, you are aware that your brother is jealous of you."

  The young warrior dropped his eyes. "I did not know you saw this."

  "I saw. What you do not know is that when I am no longer here to hold the peace, Black Otter will cause a division between the people. Some will follow him, more will follow you, but in the end it is the Arapaho who will lose, because they will fight among themselves. I would not rest easy knowing my sons were tearing the Arapaho apart."

  "I will never fight against my brother, nor will I raise a hand against any Arapaho."

  "You would fight because it would be forced upon you." A spasm of coughing shook Two Moons, and he fought to catch his breath. Helplessly, Dakota watched his father weaken before his eyes. Now Two Moons' voice was faint as he spoke. "Promise me that you will leave with Levi Gunther. Give me your word that you will do this for me." There was desperation in his father's words. "Promise me, Dakota, that no blood will spill between you and your brother."

  Dakota knew his father was begging for his assurance. He fought against the tears behind his eyes and the tightening in his throat. When he spoke, his voice came out in a painful whisper. "You have my word that I will leave with Levi Gunther, if that is your wish. If the tribe becomes divided, it will not be because of me. If my brother's blood is spilled, it will not be by my hand."

  Relief eased the suffering on the old war chiefs face and love was shining in his dark eyes. "It is good, my son. Now leave me and send in Black Otter. I must charge him with keeping the peace for our people."

  Dakota hesitantly rose to his feet, knowing grief in the very depths of his soul. He looked upon his father for the last time, and turned away, fearing the weakness of tears would shame him. His voice broke as he said, "I have loved you well, my father."

  "I have loved you since you drew your first breath, my son." Two Moons looked long on Dakota's face. "From the time I drew you from your white mother's body, you have belonged to me. No father has ever had a finer son. Know that whatever else you do, you have brought pride and joy to me and your mother. No matter where your destiny takes you, remember in your heart that you are the son of Two Moons."

  ***

  By the light of the moon, Dakota tied his meager belongings to the back of his horse while the death chant for Two Moons filled the night air. Heavy of heart, he turned to Levi, who stood bes
ide him. "I am going with you to honor my father's wishes, Levi, but nothing will ever make me think as a white man."

  Levi nodded as he watched Running Deer approach Dakota. The young maiden's eyes were bright with tears, so Levi moved away to allow her and Dakota to say their good-byes.

  Dakota took Running Deer's hand in his, wishing he could absorb her into his body. She represented everything he was leaving behind, and his heart was heavy. "I will often think of you and hope that you find happiness," he said.

  "Take me with you," she cried, throwing her arms about his neck. "I do not want to live without you."

  Dakota had no time to react because Black Otter rushed forward and tore Running Deer out of his arms and flung her away.

  "You will leave now, Dakota. You are not wanted here," he said in a voice that throbbed with anger.

  Remembering the promise he had made to their dying father, Dakota resisted the urge -to challenge Black Otter. "I will go, but only because I gave my word to our father. I do not wish you ill, Black Otter, for I have looked upon you as a brother. I hope you will one day know this."

  Black Otter thrust his lance forward and rested the point against Dakota's neck, causing Running Deer to cry out in alarm. Levi cursed the fact that he would not be able to reach his rifle in time to help Dakota, while several members of the tribe gathered around, watching the two warriors confront each other.

  "I want to forget all you were to my family, Dakota. Your skin is white, no matter how many times you would deny it. If I were to end your life, you would merely be one less white man the Arapaho have to worry about."

  Dakota's green eyes bore witness to his anger. There was no fear in his heart as Dakota jerked the lance from Black Otter and thrust it against his throat. "You are no credit to the Arapaho or the father and mother that loved us both."

  Black Otter took a step backward. "Would you have my blood on your hands?" he asked angrily, knowing Dakota had once more gained the advantage.

  So tight was the restraint that Dakota was keeping on his anger that the muscles on his arms bulged and his hands trembled. With great effort, he remembered his promise to his father and broke the lance over his knee, tossing it aside. "No, your blood will not be on my hands."