Bound by Honor Bound by Love
Read Bound by Honor Bound by Love Online
Authors: Ruth Ann Nordin
Tags: #romance, #sex, #native american, #bride, #north dakota, #tribe, #arranged marriage, #mandan, #virgin hero
Bound by Honor
Bound by Love
Ruth Ann Nordin
Bound by Honor Bound by
Love
- Smashwords Edition
Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at
Smashwords
Copyright © 2012 by Ruth Ann
Nordin
All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places and incidents are either the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental.
Smashwords Edition, License
Notes:
This ebook is licensed for your
personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. If you
would like to share this book with another person, please do. Thank
you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover Photo images Shutterstock.
www.shutterstock.com All rights reserved – used with
permission.
Cover Photo images iStock.com. All
right’s reserved – used with permission.
Ruth Ann Nordin Books
Dedication Page
Dedicated to the people who’ve kept
history alive through written accounts of how the Native Americans,
especially the Mandans, lived. It is your work that has inspired me
to write about Woape and Gary, Julia and Chogan, and Onawa and
Citlali.
And for those who dedicate
their time and resources to preserving history at the Bismarck
Heritage Center and
On-A-Slant Indian
Village (both in North Dakota).
Other Books Written by Ruth Ann Nordin
Regency
Collection
The Earl’s Inconvenient
Wife
Her Counterfeit Husband
Nebraska Historical
Romance Series
Her Heart’s Desire
A Bride for Tom
A Husband for Margaret
Eye of the Beholder
The Wrong Husband
Shotgun Groom
To Have and To Hold
His Redeeming Bride
Isaac’s Decision
South Dakota Historical
Romance Series
Loving Eliza
Bid for a Bride
Bride of Second Chances
Native American Romance
Series
(historical)
Restoring Hope
Brave Beginnings
Bound by Honor, Bound by
Love
A Chance In Time (novella) – main
characters show up in Restoring Hope and Bound by Honor, Bound by
Love and Meant To Be)
Virginia Brides
Series
(historical)
An Unlikely Place for Love
The Cold Wife
An Inconvenient Marriage
Romancing Adrienne
Other Historical
Romances
Falling In Love With Her
Husband
Meant To Be
Contemporary
Romances
With This Ring, I Thee
Dread
What Nathan Wants
Suddenly a Bride
Christian Sci-Fi
Thriller
Return of the Aliens
Chapter One
January 1902
Onawa’s heart raced in anticipation.
This was the moment she’d been waiting for ever since her father
told her she was to marry Citlali. Her hands trembled as she
inspected the deerskin dress she’d made for this special day.
Before the day was over, she’d be Citlali’s wife. Taking a deep
breath, she smiled at her sister and her aunts as they fussed over
helping her get ready for the wedding.
“
Citlali’s given you many
gifts,” one of her aunts said with a wide smile. “This is a great
honor for you.”
“
Yes,” another aunt added.
“Other women envy you.”
Onawa’s gaze shifted to her sister who
held back from agreeing with them. Onawa knew Woape didn’t think
marrying Citlali was a good thing. If she had, she would have
married him instead of running away from the tribe a couple years
earlier.
Maybe Onawa should be thankful Woape
didn’t say anything. She wanted to have good memories of this day.
Years from now when Onawa looked back on her wedding, she’d tell
her children how her greatest dream came true. Better yet, she
didn’t have to share Citlali with Woape. In her tribe, it was
common for the men to marry the sisters of his first wife. While
she understood the reason for such a thing—to help replenish the
dwindling number of their tribe, she was relieved she had no other
unmarried sisters to share him with.
Julia entered the earthen lodge and
approached them. “I brought it.” She held up the hand
mirror.
“
Your hair is done,” one of
her aunts said. “Take it and see.”
Thanking Julia, Onawa took the mirror
and inspected her reflection. The beads woven through the two
braids in her black hair were a gift from her father. Citlali would
remove them that night before they consummated their marriage. Her
face warmed at knowing she’d finally get to kiss him. It was
something she longed to do, especially after seeing how much Woape
and Julia enjoyed kissing their husbands. She was sure she’d enjoy
kissing her husband, too.
“
I still can’t believe how
beautiful your dress is,” Julia commented, drawing Onawa’s thoughts
from Citlali’s full lips.
Onawa glanced down at her deerskin
dress, which she spent months decorating. She’d painted images of
the sunrise to represent the beginning of her life with Citlali,
the sacred turtles which Citlali’s clan possessed, the wooden
circular structure that sat at the center of their tribe to
represent the Lone Man, and a white buffalo robe to represent their
wedding day.
“
The ways of your people
are important to you,” Julia said. “Citlali values the traditions
as well.”
Glancing at Woape and her aunts who
had turned their attention to getting the lodge ready for the
wedding, Onawa asked Julia, “Do you like Citlali?”
Julia brushed the wisp of blonde hair
from her eyes and nodded. “I didn’t until he saved Chogan’s
life.”
“
After the Smallpox
outbreak, we lost a lot of people,” Onawa softly replied. “Maybe
our people will never flourish as they once did. Woape doesn’t
think so. Many are giving up. Citlali didn’t mean to hurt your
feelings when he suggested Chogan take a Mandan wife. He wanted to
see more full-blooded Mandans being born. But even with that being
the case, I understand why you didn’t like him for doing that. I
wouldn’t want Citlali taking another wife.”
“
Onawa, Chogan and I won’t
be staying in this tribe much longer. Once the snow recedes, he and
my brother will work on a cabin. I don’t belong in this tribe, and
Chogan doesn’t belong in Bismarck. We decided to get a place where
we can be at peace.”
“
The chief was unkind in
his treatment of you.” She glanced at the mirror, where Julia’s
reflection was so different from her own. Julia’s white skin
contrasted with Onawa’s darker skin, but it was something Onawa
hardly noticed. When she saw Julia, she saw someone who had become
a good friend. “Your cabin won’t be too far from here, will
it?”
“
No. I’d still like to
visit you, Woape, and Aunt Erin.”
“
Good. That means I can
visit you, too.”
“
Of course. You’re always
welcome in my home.” Julia hugged her. “I hope you’ll be as happy
as Chogan and I are.”
Blushing, Onawa replied, “I hope so,
too.”
One of her aunts touched her shoulder
and whispered, “There is something we must discuss before the
ceremony.”
“
I’ll tell your father it’s
almost time,” Julia said, squeezing Onawa’s hand.
Onawa smiled at her friend before she
turned to her aunt. “What is it?”
“
We will go over here where
we can have some privacy.”
Curious, Onawa followed her to a
section of the lodge usually reserved for the men when they wished
to be alone. Since all of the men were outside the lodge at the
moment, they could use the space. Her aunt motioned for her to sit,
and she obeyed.
When her aunt sat in front of her, she
leaned forward and looked kindly into Onawa’s eyes. “It is my duty
to tell you about the way of a man and woman when they share their
bed.”
Onawa nodded and waited for her aunt
to continue.
“
You’ve seen horses and
dogs mate?”
“
Yes,” she replied. “I
believe I understand the process.”
“
You probably do. Male
animals are built differently than female animals, and this is for
the continuation of life. The female is the one who carries the new
life and, in due time, gives birth to the baby. As it is with the
animals, it is with us. However, with women, the first time can be
uncomfortable. The way we are made…there is a barrier the male part
of your husband must penetrate if he is to give you his
seed.”
Onawa frowned and asked, “What do you
mean by uncomfortable?”
“
It varies from woman to
woman. There are some women who don’t notice much at all. Some say
it’s a stinging sensation that quickly goes away. Some experience
pain and bleeding. And a couple have discomfort that doesn’t get
much better until they give birth to their first child. The last
situation is not as frequent as the first two.”
Onawa shifted, apprehensive about what
the different degrees of discomfort meant. What would her
experience be like? She hoped it wouldn’t be the third. She didn’t
want to dread her time with Citlali, especially when she spent all
this time anticipating being held and kissed by him. The holding
and kissing would undoubtedly lead to lovemaking.
“
You will probably be
fine,” her aunt said. “The process of creating new life is often a
pleasurable experience for the woman. It is the way we are
designed. Otherwise, life wouldn’t continue. But I wanted to give
you something to ease your first time so that your body will be
more receptive to your husband when he comes to you tonight.” She
removed a pouch from around her neck and handed it to
Onawa.
“
What’s in it?” Onawa
asked.
“
It is a mixture of herbs
you should slip under your tongue. It’ll relax your body so that by
the time you go to bed with him, you will be ready for him. But,
and this is where shy brides miss what’s important, you need to
instruct him on how to bring you pleasure. Our bodies are different
from theirs. They don’t know what to do. If something he does feels
good, let him know. If something doesn’t, let him know that, too.
Some women never enjoy being with their husbands in bed, but
there’s no reason why they shouldn’t. We are capable of pleasure,
just as men are, and since we are designed to receive pleasure, we
must insist on it. Understand?”