Passions of the Heart - BOOK 2 of PASSION series

Chapter Two - Reminiscing...

Before yesterday, Kaitlin had no rights and no power of choice.  She was at the chief’s beck and call.  She fulfilled every whim at the moment he desired it.  Even with that being the case, he’d always treated her with warmth and respect.

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She’d fought against the love building for him in her heart.  Kaitlin vowed to escape the chief’s wild passions, for she couldn’t stand being denied the freedom of choice.  Slightly more than a month back, she’d taken advantage of the leader’s absence and stole away into the night along with the other village slave, Apple Blossom. 

A few days after the getaway, Apple Blossom miscarried Snake Strike’s baby.  While Kaitlin was bathing the other woman and trying to soothe her pain, she looked up into the war-painted face of the very handsome man she’d just agreed to wed.

Spirit Bear had been indomitable, terrifying, and nearly killed her.  He’d believed her to be Jed’s party of whites on a mission to kill him.  Kaitlin had looked into his red and black striped fierce face, mouth opened in victory, with a lethal tomahawk prepared to strike death upon her.  Only his power of love for her had stayed his hand.

Before heading back to the village, Spirit Bear and his warriors overcame and defeated the enemy party of whites.  Jed had been granted a one-on-one fight with Spirit Bear.   The war chief had not easily taken the wasicun life.  He’d had to pay for the lives he had stolen from the Oglala.  After eleven grueling hours of torture that Kaitlin had to witness, Spirit Bear ended Jed’s life and scalped him. 

Kaitlin didn’t understand the depth of Jed’s evil or the retaliation of the chief.  It caused a swift fear of the leader to form in her heart.  She’d never viewed this terrifying, cruel side of Woniya Mato before. 

Just when she was getting back into the swing of Indian life, the mighty chief left once again.  He was gone for several days.  During this time, many berries were ripening that the tribe dried in preparation for winter.  Along with her friends, Kaitlin had left the village to gather the luscious fruits. 

In her search for the berries Kaitlin had wandered and become disoriented.  A storm materialized and separated her from her society, wiping out traces of her passage.  Snake Strike took the opportunity to strike back at the tribal council who’d robbed him of being a man: he intended to murder Mazaska Zi Ista.  An injured Brave Elk intervened in an attempt to save her.

 Just when the shaman and war chief arrived on the scene, a black she-bear had resolved the issue with the small, resentful man.  Both leaders took it as a major sign from Wakantanka that the lives saved, both Golden Eyes and Brave Elk (then Young Elk) were destined for greater things. 

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“This is why I was allowed to break the chains of servitude,” she thought.  “This is how I got inducted into Oglala society.  And this,” a wondrous gift she would never forget, “is the reason I will soon marry the only man to ever tempt my heart.”  

Kaitlin undressed when she entered the tipi.  Spirit Bear’s eyes caressed her body, but he knew she was very tired.  He forced his desire to calm so that she could rest her recovering body. 

She was not ill, but the Golden One sustained several significant bruises from Snake Strike’s swift foot.  Luckily, she’d managed to only bruise her hamstring and derriere.  The chief fixed her a drink.  He added a pinch of yarrow powder to help her relax and sleep without dreams.

Kaitlin slept better than she had in a long time.  Her bruises didn’t bother her, nor did her mind fly with excitement over her release from slavery and her impending marriage to her true love.  She couldn’t imagine her life better!