Tykota's Woman (Historical Romance) (24 page)

"Not, I think, with Tykota looking on. And not
if I am there to confirm how unhappy you are
about Santo. Since I am not of your tribe, I am
not bound to support your laws."

Inea looked hopeful but frightened. "If only
we could do that."

Makinna nodded with assurance. "We can.
Listen to me, and do exactly as I say. Tomorrow,
Tykota and several of his warriors will be
escorting me to Biquera Ranch. I would not be
surprised if Santo is among them. This is what I
want you to do..."

Makinna awoke feeling heavyhearted. Today she
would leave Valle de la Luna, never to return.
She would go to her sister in California and try
to forget all that had happened to her since the
raid on Adobe Springs.

She was about to put on the pink gown when
Huara came to her, carrying a deerskin dress
over one arm. She held it out to Makinna, saying
something Makinna could not understand.

"You want me to take this dress?" Makinna
asked.

The old medicine woman nodded and
pushed the doeskin dress toward Makinna.
Her pink gown was now ragged, and she was
tempted to wear the soft Indian garb. She
leaned forward and kissed Huara on the
cheek, and the Indian woman looked pleased.
She handed Makinna a pair of matching
moccasins and smiled.

"Thank you so much!" Makinna said. "I wish
I could make you understand what your kindness
means to me."

Huara gathered up Makinna's tattered pink
dress and motioned for her to put on the
other.

Laughing, Makinna slipped out of her chemise
and pulled the soft garment over her head. It felt
wonderful against her skin. She sat down and
slipped into the moccasins, delighting in the
freedom such clothing gave her.

After she had eaten the corn cakes Huara
brought her and drunk the sweet fruit drink, she
hugged the dear woman and told her good-bye.
"I will never forget your kindness," Makinna
told her.

She hurriedly left, knowing she would miss
this Indian woman with the hands and caring
heart of a healer.

She descended the stone steps to the valley
floor and found Tykota and Santo already
standing beside their horses. She greeted them both with a mere nod, noticing the way Tykota
was staring at her. Well, let him! she thought.
Huara gave her the gown, and she was going to
wear it, no matter if he approved or not.

She looked into Santos eyes and felt an instant
dislike for the brave. With his burning gaze
boring into her, he appeared to be much more
arrogant than Tykota, and she knew she would
not like to meet him alone. She could see why
Inea was frightened of him.

Though she no longer needed such assistance,
Tykota stepped forward to help her mount. His
strong hands went about her waist, and he lifted
her onto the blanket. It seemed that his hands
lingered about her waist, but she could be
mistaken, for his manner was stilted and cold.

"This time our journey will not be so difficult,
Makinna. We will not have to forage for food
and water," he informed her.

She felt cold inside at his impersonal tone, and
she hoped she appeared cold to him. "I have
learned to thrive without creature comforts,
Tykota. But I am ready to get back to
civilization."

His eyes looked almost sad. "You will be
there in no time at all."

She watched him mount his own horse, and
she fell in beside him when he started off. As
they rode along, several other warriors joined them. Apparently, they were going to have all
the protection they would need.

Soon they were approaching the part of the
village where Inea was supposed to be
waiting with Kachee according to the scheme
Makinna had hatched. But now that the time
was upon her, Makinna was having doubts.
What if she made everything worse for Inea
by interfering?

She nervously glanced ahead, wondering if
Inea had changed her mind. But then she saw
Inea and her warrior beyond a group of women
heading down the trail to go work in the fields.
Kachee's arms were around Inea, and she was
gazing up at him lovingly.

Tykota reined in his mount and glared at his
sister. And before Makinna knew what was
happening, Santo bounded off his horse and ran
toward the couple. Chaos broke out as the other
women crowded closer to see what was taking
place.

Makinna quickly dismounted and ran toward
Inea. Tykota followed her.

Santo grabbed Kachee and slammed him
against the tree. When Inea tried to stop him, he
shoved her away, and she landed hard on the
ground. Makinna helped Inea stand, placing
herself protectively between Tykota's sister and
the threatening Santo. Makinna could not
understand what the angered suitor was saying, and she was taken by surprise when
Santo tore her away from Inea and shoved her to
the ground, knocking the breath out of her.

Stunned and fearful for Inea, she tried to rise
but could not.

Tykota stepped between his sister and Santo.
"You will explain what you are doing, Santo.
You dare to treat my sister and Makinna in this
manner. Tell me now the meaning of your
actions."

Santo spun around and pointed an accusing
finger at Makinna. "That woman you brought
among us is the trouble. She has planted ideas in
Inea's head that are unbecoming in a Perdenelas
maiden."

Tykota's eyes narrowed. "It is not for you to
criticize my sister or to say these things about
Makinna."

Santo turned on Tykota. "How would you
know? You have not been here these seasons
past to see what was happening. Your sister
was going to be my woman before you brought
that white woman to our valley." He looked at
the people gathered around and said in a loud
voice, "I challenge Kachee to a fight to the
death!"

"Tykota, do not let him do this," Inea pleaded.
"I never consented to marry Santo. He takes
what he wants and does not ask." She placed a
hand on Tykota's arm, hoping to make him understand. "I love Kachee, but Santo
forbids any man to come near me."

Tykota frowned in thoughtfulness, trying to
hold his temper in check. "It is true as you say,
Santo, that I have been away too long. If I had
been here, you would never have kept my sister
from the man she chooses. I thought you were
my friend, but you are not."

"It is that woman's fault!" Santo cried,
pointing again at Makinna. "Your sister was not
this way before she came."

Tykota turned to his sister. "Is this true? Did
Makinna tell you to do this, to shame Santo
before the whole village?"

Inea did not want to betray Makinna, but she
could not lie to her brother. "She only gave me
the courage to do what I should have done a long
time ago."

"And was this her plan?"

Inea lowered her head. "I would never have
been so clever." She looked up at her brother.
"What are you going to do to us, Tykota?"

"How many times have you met with
Kachee?"

"Never before today. We have barely
spoken, but our eyes spoke of the love we
could not confess." She tugged at Tykota's
arm. "I know Kachee cannot number his
wealth in horses, and his family members are
not among the council. But he is a warrior of
honor, and I love him."

Tykota glanced over at the young warrior,
who was just getting to his feet. "Kachee, do you
love my sister?"

Santo stepped forward, but Tykota motioned
him aside. "Do you?"

"I do. I have not wealth to offer her, and I
know that I reach high when I ask for her as my
woman, but I will love her and cherish her. And
if she belonged to me, there is nothing I could
not do."

Tykota was silent for a moment, and those
around him waited for him to speak, for his word
was law. "Kachee, I give my sister to you, but
you must increase your wealth by twelve horses
and take a place on the warrior council."

Kachee glanced at Inea with joy spreading
over his face. After all, twelve horses would not
be hard to obtain once he was on the warrior
council, where he could join in hunting outside
the valley. "It will be as you say, my chief."

Tykota turned to the man who had once been
his friend. "As for you, I believe your
punishment has already started. Word of your
behavior will run though the village, and you
will know great shame."

Santo's gaze burned into Tykota's, and then
he turned to Makinna with a look of such hatred
that she recoiled. She had made a powerful
enemy today.

"You will not accompany us, Santo. You will wait here until I return, and I shall decide at that
time what is to be done with you."

While Santo stalked away, Inea threw her
arms around her brother. "Oh, thank you,
Tykota, for giving me to Kachee. I would never
have married Santo."

Tykota's dark gaze fell on the young warrior.
"She is not yours yet. You will have to prove to
me that you are worthy of her."

"It will be as you say," Kachee agreed
happily.

"Let us go our way, then," Tykota said,
watching his sister walk over to Makinna.

"What has happened?" Makinna asked, since
she had not understood anything that was said.

"Your plan worked! Tykota has given me to
Kachee."

The two of them hugged and laughed. "I know
you will be happy."

"My happiness will not be complete, though,
because you are going away. You will always be
the friend of my heart."

"And you, mine," Makinna said. "But now I
must leave." When she got to her horse and
climbed on, she met Tykota's gaze, and it was
dark and dangerous. She knew she would hear
more about the happenings of this morning
before the day was over.

Makinna waved to Inea as they rode away,
happy she had helped Tykota's sister and that all
had turned out well.

Coloradous took Santo's place escorting
Makinna to Biquera. He rode just behind Tykota
and Makinna, and when she looked at him, she
would find him studying her pensively. But there
was nothing threatening about him; in fact, she
found his demeanor calming and serene.

After a while, she kept her gaze forward.
When they reached the narrow passage that led
out of the valley, she halted her mount and
glanced back down the mountain. The sun was
high overhead, and she could see the people
going about their daily chores. She wanted to
imagine Inea married to her warrior and happy
with her future.

Tykota's voice was harsh as he said, "We have a long way to go, Makinna. It is best if we ride
on, since we have already lost time."

She cast him a heated glance and urged her
horse into a canter. "The sooner I get away from
here, the better," she muttered beneath her
breath.

They rode for three hours before they
dismounted and rested the horses. Tykota went
to speak to several of his warriors, and
Coloradous came up beside her. He smiled, and
it was almost painful to see how much he
resembled Tykota.

"Makinna, it is a good thing you did for our
sister. I did not know she was unhappy. Perhaps
she would have been unhappy for the rest of her
life if you had not helped her."

She was puzzled. "I was told you did not
speak much English. Yet you speak it very well,
Coloradous."

"I have practiced with my sister. She would
come to my lodge in the woods and spend hours
teaching me. I did not know even then that her
heart walked with Kachee. Like the others, I
believed she would one day be Santo's woman."

"I hope she will be happy."

"That is my wish, also." He watched her, as if
deciding how to choose his words. "Are you sure
you want to go away from our village?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to leave my brother?"

Makinna tried to think how to answer him.
"Why should I want to stay with Tykota? He
does not want to be a part of my life, and I do
not want to be part of his."

"Sometimes life is difficult for the chief of the
Perdenelas, and our father made it more difficult
still for the chief's who come after him. Tykota
is feeling the tightening of the laws our father set
in motion. Although our father had the best of
intentions, he has made a hard road for Tykota to
walk."

Makinna recalled Mrs. Silverhorn saying
almost the same thing. "We all have our roads to
walk, Coloradous. Mine just happens to lead to
California."

Tykota returned, his expression fierce when he
saw Makinna talking to his brother. "Do you talk
all day, or do we ride?" he asked his brother in
their language.

Coloradous merely smiled, knowing Tykota
would be jealous of any man who looked at
Makinna. "We ride."

Makinna was silent for most of the day. By dusk,
they made camp on high ground so they could
see anyone who might approach. Guards were
posted, and Makinna wondered if Tykota
expected trouble.

Coloradous was standing on the edge of a
cliff staring out at the desert when she approached him. "Will the Apaches still be
searching for Tykota?"