Dark Journey [Ariel's Desire 2] (11 page)

All of sudden, Mike understood.
 
Gentle Wave was worried he still had feelings for Ariel.
 
Here he was naked, standing as a stallion, and Gentle Wave thought she wasn’t good enough for him.
 
Mike tried to speak, and it was all garbled.
 
The only thing not strapped down, were his legs.
 
He reached out with his foot and ran it gently down her calf.

Gentle Wave wasn’t sure if the stroke meant he felt sorry for her
.
She decided to bring it all out in the open. If he didn’t want her, she’d be humiliated, but she would survive. The thought of seeing his blue eyes smiling at Ariel and not her, twisted her stomach.

Gentle Wave scooted closer to him and squeezed her eyes shut.
 
“I will wait for you to be a man, if you want me to.”
 
There.
 
She said it.

Mike’s mouth would have dropped open if it wasn’t already pried that way. Here stood the most beautiful woman in the tribe, offering to wait for him to finish his journey, not even knowing if he could.
 
Then, he imagined he’d start out at the bottom.
 
He wouldn’t have any feathers.
 
He didn’t even know how he could earn any.
 
Yet, she was standing there with her eyes closed and crying.

Mike endured the pulling of the tracers and leaned over, rubbing his head on her cheek.
 
Her eyes slowly looked up with uncertainty.
 
“You would have me wait?”
Please say yes, please.

The smile that couldn’t reach his mouth, did crinkle his eyes.
 
Gentle Wave’s heart lifted and her tears fell faster.
 
“I’ll wait for you, stallion.
 
You’re going to be such a strong warrior, the strongest in the tribe.”

Mike was bewildered that she felt this way.
 
She could have her pick of almost any warrior, and yet she was choosing someone she’d only seen as a dog and a horse.
 
He began to panic.
 
He had to be a man soon before she changed her mind.

Gentle Wave reached her arms around his neck, careful not to pull on the traces.
 
He felt her soft lips brush his cheek.
 
“I am the happiest woman in the village.” Then she giggled.
 
“I better leave.
 
If I’m caught speaking with the stallion, it might make your journey longer.”
 
Again, she saw the blue eyes smile.

She gave him one more quick kiss and disappeared into the stable.
 
Mike didn’t even care that he was rock hard.

Yellow Hawk smiled from where he stood behind the corral gate.
 
They would be a good, strong couple.
 
The stallion would be a proud man.
 
He waited until he was sure Gentle Wave left before going over to water the stallion.
 
He flicked the hard penis.
 
“My wife hasn’t been here, has she?”

The stallion whined.
 
“Hmmm, then you’re either in love with the wall or the thought of how much fun the stable can be.”

The stallion whined louder.
 
“There are at least six more young warriors who’d love to get a feather.”
 
The stallion whined and stomped his foot. “Settle down, it‘s just a little Injun humor.”
 
Yellow Hawk untraced him so he could drink.

Mike desperately wanted to tell him about Gentle Wave and find out how quickly he could be a man.
 
The gag made it impossible.
 
Yellow Hawk could see his agitation and naturally knew the reason for it.
 
Part of the journey was patience, making the goal so much more worthwhile.

Yellow Hawk walked back to the teepee.
 
Whispering Wheat was talking to Misting Waters and Raining Thunder and telling them about the decision to send Turning Leaves to the settlement.
 
Even though Turning Leaves had tried to interfere with their relationship, they were still sisters.
 
Whispering Wheat wasn’t sure what she’d do if Misting Waters was set against it.

Yellow Hawk sat down and didn’t interrupt his wife.
 
“Anyway, that’s how your father and I feel about it.
 
What do you think?”

Misting Waters looked up to her boyfriend.
 
He kissed her on the cheek. “Misting Waters and I have discussed this, too.
 
We both agree the decision to send her to the settlement is a good one and not just because of what she tried to do to us.
 
It’s like you said.
 
She manipulates the tribe.
 
You know what she tried to do to the stallion, and how she got Gentle Wave to mess with him when he was a dog.
 
The stallion is going to be a good man for the tribe, a strong man.
 
I’m afraid if Turning Leaves sees this, she’ll use him.”

Yellow Hawk spoke.
 
“I don’t think that should figure into it.
 
She could cause them trouble, but the stallion has already been on the receiving end of Turning Leaves’ games.
 
I think he’s figured her out.
 
I also know he has strong feelings for Gentle Wave.
 
It might be because he’s heard she could be dominant female, in which case, if it goes to Turning Leaves he might choose her.
 
That’s another reason we think it would be better for the tribe for her to go.
 
Misting Waters, how do you feel?”

The girl squirmed.
 
“I wish her the best of luck on her journey, and hope she finds the path to the people again.
 
I don’t think she can do that here.
 
She’s too busy with her orchestrations.”
 
There were tears in her eyes, but her words were sincere.

“I think you should talk to Patrick, Yellow Hawk.
 
Make sure he doesn’t mind her coming to the settlement.
 
Be honest.
 
Tell him what she’s like so they don’t have any surprises when she gets there.”

“He may not want her.
 
You know how the Vamps are.
 
They like things running smoothly.”

“It may depend on how much the flatlander cares for her.
 
Patrick might be swayed by that.”

Yellow Hawk found Patrick under the trees with Lucien.
 
Their women were sitting with a circle of friends not too far away.
 
“Patrick, can I speak with you a minute.”

Lucien started to rise.
 
“No, please stay.
 
This won’t take long and your input might help.”

Patrick raised an eyebrow.
 
“I take it this concerns your daughter and Robby?”

“Yes, Whispering Wheat and I have discussed this at great length.
 
Do you have confidence the flatlander cares for her?”

“Head over heels.
 
She orders him around like a puppy and he adores her.”

Yellow Hawk winced.
 
“That’s only part of her charm.
 
Look, we want to send Turning Leaves to the settlement.”

Patrick and Lucien exchanged glances.
 
“Really, Yellow Hawk?
 
I thought you were considering bringing Robby up here.”

“He’d be a valuable addition to the tribe, that’s true.
 
The problem is with my daughter.
 
Whispering Wheat and I don’t want her going to the settlement without you knowing a few things about her.”

Yellow Hawk explained his daughter’s propensity to manipulate situations, sometimes, just for the fun of it to watch what happens.
 
“I know it’s childish. She’s so bad at it and unable to pick her allies that she always gets caught. Unfortunately, she’s let these games take her off her journey.”

“What happens if this infatuation with the flatlander is another game?
 
I don’t want to see him unnecessarily hurt,” Patrick said.

“If Turning Leaves believes he’s an important man in the settlement, she’ll want him.”

“All our citizens are important,” Patrick replied.
 
Lucien nodded.
 
The people of the settlement were all precious to him.

“I’d like to make the announcement tonight.
 
I’m not going to warn her.
 
It will appear her mother and I are giving her what she wants.
 
If you welcome her to the settlement in front of the tribe and both Clans, she won’t back out. She’ll be unprepared to come up with a reason and still save face.”

Lucien looked perplexed.
 
“Why do this so quickly?”

Yellow Hawk sighed.
 
“We’re afraid she’s going to set her sights on the stallion.
 
We know she really cares for the flatlander,” he added quickly.
 
“She can see the stallion is going to be a strong man and we‘re afraid she’ll go after him just to hurt Gentle Wave.”

“Gentle Wave likes Mike?”
 
Lucien couldn’t believe it.
 
The girl was very pretty.
 
She was also smart and destined to be important to the tribe.
 
Mike? Lucien shook his head to clear it.
 
The man had caused him so much trouble on the way to the settlement.

“He’s changed, Lucien.
 
We never discuss the specifics of the journey to be a man outside the tribe, but I can tell you this.
 
You either change, if it’s within you to do so, or you’re an animal with no path.
 
Most of what ghosts we come up here with have been instilled within us from our life in the flatlands. The Indians strip all that away.
 
They make you feel completely worthless. Then, they help build you up with values of pride and integrity.
 
Trust me, Mike is going to make it through the journey, and Gentle Wave is going to wait for him.”

“Alright, we’ll take her.”
 
Patrick rolled his eyes.
 
“Who knows, she might liven things up a bit and besides, she‘ll have thirty parents looking after her.” Patrick chuckled.

“Thank you, Patrick.
 
I’ll see you tonight for the announcement.
 
Lucien, I’m sorry to have interrupted you.”
 
Yellow Horse made his way back to the village to talk with his wife.

Patrick laughed.

“What the hell’s so funny?
 
Sounds to me like you’re ending up with the short end of the stick,” Lucien remarked.

“I’ve talked with Robby and he knows she’s a spoiled brat.
 
He’s willing to put up with it hoping she’ll outgrow the nonsense.
 
He’s lonely,” Patrick replied.

Lucien muttered, “I still think she’s going to be more trouble than she’s worth.”

Patrick held up his hand and Lucien raised his eyebrow.
 
“Constance.”

His mate looked over from her discussion with Ariel.
 
“Yes, Patrick?”

“You’ve gotten your new plaything.”

“Oh, goody.”
 
She smiled, clapping her hands in anticipation.

Lucien shook his head.
 
“Really, Patrick, will you never grow up?”

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly.
 
Yellow Hawk let his wife know it was set. Turning Leaves was sitting across the circle with the flatlander, making sure her friends saw her.
 
She’d been bragging non-stop about his abilities with horses, and telling her friends that he was a man, not a boy like they were settling for.
 
Most of what she was saying was to try to add to her self-importance.
 
Some of it was just plain mean.
 
Yellow Hawk thought sadly,
I don’t think she’ll be missed too much.

When the meal ended he stood and banged his fork against his cup to get everyone’s attention.
 
“I have an announcement for the tribe and Patrick’s Clan.”
 
He saw his daughter’s mouth drop open, her mind working frantically. The pleading to wait was clear in her eyes.
 
“Turning Leaves has spent the last six months talking of no one else but you, Robby.
 
You can imagine we have reservations as you are not one with the people, but she has convinced us of her love for you.
 
It’s with a sad heart for Whispering Wheat and me, but a happy heart for you and Turning Leaves, that we see she needs to be with you to continue her journey.”