Tykota's Woman (Historical Romance) (20 page)

In his rage Sinica jumped to his feet and
charged Tykota, slashing and thrusting with his
knife. However, Tykota managed to stay just out
of reach of the blade. And the more Tykota
evaded him, the more enraged Sinica became,
and the more ineffectual his thrusts.

Makinna didn't want to watch, and yet she
could not look away, for fear Tykota would be
killed. She could see that his opponent was
charging in a blind rage, slashing the air.

At last, Sinica lunged forward, shouting in
triumph. But Tykota's knife drove into his body.
There was a surprised expression on Sinica's
face as he slid to the ground, his life's blood
soaking into the sand.

Tykota looked at the blood on his hands and
dropped to his knees, gathering his half brother
in his arms. "Why did you make me do it,
Sinica? I did not want to kill you."

Sinica's lips were moving, but he made no
sound. Finally, he gasped, "I detest you." Then
he stiffened and stared into nothingness. He was
dead.

Tykota eased Sinica's head down and stood, speaking to the Apaches, who seemed frozen
with shock. "Who will be next to challenge me
for this woman? Who wants to be the next to
die?"

Before anyone could react, they were
distracted by at least forty Apaches riding up the
mesa. When the dust cleared, only one man
dismounted, obviously the leader. He carried
himself proudly, and his dark eyes took in all
that had occurred. Then he turned to Tykota.

Makinna was puzzled to see Mangas with the
warriors.

Tykota faced Cochise, chief of the Chiricahua
Apaches. "I have slain my brother." He tossed
down his knife. "I have no wish to slay anyone
else. If you want revenge, you will have no
resistance from me."

"There will be no reprisal, Tykota. Sinica has
caused the Apaches much trouble. He could not
have lived long with his lust for blood. You can
take your woman and leave, Chief of the
Perdenelas."

Tykota's gaze fell at last on two tall braves in
Sinica's band he recognized from his own tribe.
"I do not know which path you will travel, but
do not return to Valle de la Luna. You will find
no welcome there, and every man's hand will be
turned against you."

One brave had the good grace to lower his
head in shame, but the other glared at Tykota.

"You are both a disgrace to the Perdenelas. Go
out and find a better life. Never let me look upon
either of your faces again."

Tykota motioned for Mangas to cut Makinna
loose while he spoke to Sinica's followers. "If
there is any among you who want to challenge
me, for the death of Sinica, let him step forward
now."

He was met by silence.

Cochise spoke in a commanding voice. "If any
of you want to come with me, I will take you
back into the tribe. But if you come, you will
obey me in all things, and you will not war on
anyone unless it is my command."

Tykota did not wait to hear more. He lifted
Makinna into his arms, and Mangas handed him
the reins of his horse. "Take her to our valley.
She needs healing. You must hurry."

Tykota nodded. "Follow as soon as you are
able, Mangas. I will need you beside me when I
take my place as chief."

Makinna leaned her head against Tykota's
chest. She wasn't sure just what had happened or
why she was free. "You were very brave," she
said through cracked, swollen lips.

"Hush. Do not think about it."

"I will always remember your courage."

He knelt down and held a waterskin to her
lips. "Drink, Makinna."

She took only a few sips, as he had taught her
to do.

He held her to him. "Fear no more, Makinna. I
am taking you to someone who can help you."

"I am not dreaming?"

"No, beloved, you are not dreaming." He
examined her closely, taking in the severe
sunburn, the gash on her forehead, and the
bloody wounds from the ropes around her wrists
and ankles. "Did they... abuse you?" he asked.

"No. They only used me to capture you."

His arms tightened about her. "You are safe
now."

"Safe," she whispered, closing her eyes and
slumping against him. "As long as I am with
you."

Although he would be breaking the tribal law
by bringing a white woman to his valley, the
medicine woman, Huara, was a great healer.
And, besides, he could not let Makinna go. Not
yet.

He gently lifted her onto the Indian pony and
headed in the direction of Valle de la Luna and
the Mountain of the Moon.

The horse was tired, and Tykota was forced to
slow to a walk, although he was impatient to get
Makinna to the healer.

After a while he had to stop because the horse
could go no farther. He dismounted and lay
Makinna down while he tended the pinto.

The moon was still bright, and he gauged it to
be early morning. He was still a day's ride from
the Mountain of the Moon.

He sat down and took Makinna's head in his
lap. She stirred but didn't awaken. Besides the
gash, her face also had bad bums from the sun.
He only hoped her eyesight had not been
damaged. He would have given his life to spare
her this anguish.

He gently touched a tangled curl and tucked it behind her ear. "I know you cannot hear me,
but you are the most amazing woman I have ever
known, Makinna Hillyard."

She lay motionless, but he was encouraged by
the even rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing
was good.

At first light, Tykota was again on the move.
He was thankful for the sturdy Indian pinto that
carried both him and Makinna through the desert
with ease. By early afternoon, he saw the twin
peaks that looked like clouds banked against the
sky. Unless someone accidently happened upon
the narrow passage that led to Valle de la Luna,
it was so well concealed that they would not
know it was there.

He had not traveled that narrow trail since he
was a small boy. His heart was thundering in his
chest, and he felt he was being yanked back in
time. He almost expected his father to ride out to
greet him.

On the other side of that passage through the
desolate-looking Mountain of the Moon was a
wide river feeding a lush, green valley, and an
Indian tribe that lived in peace and plenty.

He would soon be reunited with the
Perdenelas, would soon be their chief. He had
been gone for such a long time, surely the elders
who had pledged their loyalty to him that night
his father had brought him before them were all dead. How would the other tribe
members receive him?

He set his gaze on the seemingly solid
mountain, its granite face rising inhospitably
toward the heavens. He knew where the entrance
was located-the memory was burned into his
mind.

He slowed his pace when he entered the
narrow gorge that wound for over a mile through
the mountainside. He felt the cool breeze that
came from the valley, and, gazing down at
Makinna lying against his chest, he felt her
breath on his neck. The medicine woman, Huara,
knew all the healing herbs. Soon Makinna would
be safe and well.

When he reached the end of the passage, he
reined in the horse and stared at the valley
below.

At last, after so many years, Tykota had come
home.

When Makinna awoke to sunlight, she tried to
move, but she was too weak. She dimly realized
she was on horseback, encircled by a strong pair
of arms. "Where am I?"

"You are safe, Makinna. No one will hurt you
again."

She gazed up into Tykota's dark eyes. "That
Indian called you his brother."

"He was my brother. My half brother, Sinica."

Tears came to her eyes. "I am so sorry you had to fight him. To kill him. It was all my fault.
If I hadn't-"

"Say no more," he interrupted her. "Sinica had
to die, Makinna, or he would have gone on
marauding and killing. Someone had to stop
him."

"I am sorry," she said weakly.

He urged the horse forward.

Makinna frowned. She'd thought they were
still on the mesa, but this place was different.
There were steep inclines on either side of them,
and a mountain looming up to the sky. "Are we
going back to Biquera?"

He shifted her so she could see ahead. "No,
Makinna, we are not. This is my home, Valle de
la Luna."

Her first view of the valley was breathtaking,
with the sun breaking through a mist. The valley
was so green, it almost reminded her of New
Orleans, but there the similarities stopped. A
wide, serene river cut its way though fields and
pastureland, and deer and elk wandered about
unafraid. Makinna gasped when she saw that
many dwellings had been carved into the stone
mountain itself. It was like nothing else she had
ever seen. And it seemed only right that Tykota
should have come from such a singular place.

"It is beautiful," she said softly.

"Yes. It is just as I remembered it." His gaze
moved over every inch of it, as if he were taking
account of each bush and tree.

Abruptly they heard riders, and three armed
Indians appeared, blocking their path. They
aimed rifles at Tykota, and one of them spoke in
a language Makinna did not understand, but from
the angry tone she gathered that they were not
welcome.

"You have crossed into the land of the
Perdenelas, and you must die," one of the men
said.

"I am here by right. I am Tykota, son of
Valatar, and your new chief."

The warrior frowned and cocked his rifle. "I
do not believe you. Our chief would not have a
white woman with him."

"This woman is injured and in need of Huara's
medicine." Tykota had expected to return with
Mangas at his side. Now he had to face
skepticism from his own people. "Look into my
eyes, and see the truth there."

One of the Indians cried out with joy, and his
cry was echoed by the other two. "We have
waited for this day. Is it really you, my chief?"

"I am Tykota."

There was a commotion behind them, and
Mangas came riding up, a reprimand in his voice
when he spoke to the three guards. "Is this how
you welcome your leader? Go, tell everyone the
chief has come home!"

One warrior reluctantly rode back to guard his
post, while the other two raced ahead to alert the
village. Tykota watched them cross the river, their happy voices carrying as they called
for everyone to gather to greet the chief.

"How does it feel to come home after all these
years?" Mangas asked.

Tykota wanted to tell his old teacher how
unsure he was that he could be responsible for
the well-being of the Perdenelas people. He had
been born to lead, but had he the wisdom? Had
he the desire?

"I do not know how it feels. My father was a
wise man. I am not."

Mangas's sagacious eyes settled on his chief.
"You are Valatar's true son. His blood runs in
your veins; you will know what to do when the
time comes."

They moved forward as warriors, women, and
children poured out of their homes to hail the
chief.

"Let me carry the woman, so you can greet the
people properly," Mangas suggested.

"No. She needs to have her wounds tended. I
will give her over to Huara myself. Assemble the
people, and let them know I want to speak to
them."

Tykota rode to the cliff dwellings while the
tribe begin to gather near the river. He brought
Makinna to the medicine woman and explained
to her what had happened.

Huara smiled. "I will take care of the woman.
Welcome home, my chief."

Reluctantly, Tykota left Makinna and made
his way back to the river.

The crowd opened to let him pass, and he saw
joy on each face. He had been gone for so long,
he hardly recognized anyone. His old friend,
Santo, came up and clasped his arms, welcoming
him home, but the rest were as strangers to him.
He saw the reverent looks on many of those
gathered, and they stared at him as if he was a
deity. The thought was unsettling, because he
was only a man, and unsure if he could be the
leader the Perdenelas needed.

When the crowd fell silent, one of the council
spoke. "Perdenelas, we have long waited for this
day, since Chief Valatar passed from among us.
But the Great Spirit has sent Valatar's son, who
will settle all our uncertainties. Here stands
Tykota, your chief!"

There was an uproar among the people as
Tykota stepped forward. "My people, I have
been long away from our valley, but not a day
passed that I did not think of you. I will try to
lead wisely. I embrace you all."

He saw a beautiful young woman who wore
the headband with the golden eagle, and he knew
who she was before she spoke.

"I am your sister," she said shyly, searching
his eyes to see if he had missed her as much as
she'd missed him.

He raised her face and smiled as warmth
spread over him. She had been a small, chubby girl when he left. Now her raven-black hair fell
to her shoulders, her dark eyes were sparkling
with happiness, and her face was so lovely, he
imagined she must look like their mother. She
was his only pure-blood tie with his deceased
father and mother. His family. "I came home
expecting to find a child, and instead I find a
woman, Inea."