"It is late, we will have food and go to bed." They told her.
She nodded. "Can I help?"
"No, not tonight. You are very pretty. Black Wolf has spoken with us about you. You are an Arapaho, right."
"Yes, I am."
"We are honored to help you prepare for your wedding."
As they sat and ate, Sasha looked at Blue Bird. "Why did Black Wolf not take you or one of your sisters for his wife? You are all beautiful women."
The three of them looked a bit confused then giggled.
"All of the women of our tribe wanted to be his wife. Every one of them. But Black Wolf wanted something different. We do not know what he was looking for, but he has found it in you. We respect him, for he is a good chief and fair to all. Any of us would have been proud to be his wife, but he is a great chief and he wanted something different."
"Don't you resent him bringing me here? Weren't any of you in love with him? I mean, he is the chief and quite handsome."
The girls giggled.
"No, I mean, not exactly. We are pleased with him for all he does for our tribe. He is a great chief and any of us would have married him. But he sought something else, and we did not know what it was. We prosper here. He says you have fire and much spirit. None of us who know him would speak out at him, and he sought someone who would."
"I am no different from any of you." Sasha insisted.
"We are told you are a healer!" Little Star blurted.
"Well, yes, I am." She hung her head.
"You will be a great help to our people then. As our Shaman was killed not long ago. And the medicine man too."
"In battle or something?" Sasha asked curiously.
"No, it was the Sioux, they snuck into our camp to kill Black Wolf. Sore Horse our Shaman and Nesheme saw them and tried to warn Black Wolf. They killed them and tried to kill Black Wolf too, but he fought and killed them. He is a great warrior too. It was two days before the big battle began. They were sent by the Chief of the Sioux to kill our Shaman and Black Wolf. The Sioux have much hatred for Black Wolf as he tries to keep the peace with the blue coats."
"Oh my, he told me they were killed but not how. Perhaps that is why he wanted me as his wife, then." Sasha nodded. "As a healer."
"Perhaps. They are a strong tribe, the Sioux but they were no match for Black Wolf. And it will take a strong woman to be his wife."
Sasha soaked this in.
"Black Wolf seeks to keep the peace with the whites. It is not easy as there are many who wish to kill them. The Sioux will not stop fighting them, they will fight until their death. And we will fight them to keep the peace."
"Men make little sense when it comes to war." Sasha blurted.
Then as though she had said too much, she stared at their faces. All three of them burst into laughter.
She laughed too.
Perhaps she could get along with these three at least. She would make the effort.
As they told her where she could sleep, later that evening, she bedded down. But sleep eluded her. She kept thinking about the expression on Big Knife's face. Would he come after her? Her father would not permit such a thing though, as it was a fair fight and Black Wolf had won without cheating. He was a mighty foe. She must remember his strength. Fighting him would do no good.
Perhaps in time she could reason with him.
No, he was a chief and it would be a great sin to dishonor him. Even the Creator would not honor her attempt to leave him.
But marriage, to a man she did not know seemed so wrong. How could she survive this? It was a custom, once a woman was given from a challenge, the woman belonged to the winner. Even she knew that. Still, it was her heart that suff
ered now. Even though Big Knife seemed to accept her leaving him easily enough.