CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"There is aPinaapisinaa-passkaan, a Sioux dance, taking place tonight outside Sings-before-the-water's tepee," signed Sweet Woman, casually glancing at Amelia. "I think we should attend the festivity together, and I know the man I shall choose to be my partner. What man do you think you might like to dance with you?"
"A dance? What kind of dance is it?"
"It is a sport we learned from the Sioux. The men stand in one line and will sing the love song while we women stand opposite them, and then we—the women—step up to the fellow of our choice. When we reach this handsome brave, we must kiss him on the lips or on his cheek. After a woman kisses the man, he is supposed to give her a beautiful present. You will like the fun of the dance, I think. Who is the man you would choose to kiss?"
Amelia feared her eyes had grown large as she gazed at Sweet Woman. Was it only seven days ago when Gray Falcon had kissed her, there upon the ledge of the butte? But, she was avoiding him now—at least as well as she was able, given the closeness of camp life. Indeed, as he had instructed her to do, she was ensuring she kept well out of his way.
Although she had often seen him in the distance as he watched both her and Sweet Woman at their work, she had found she was reluctant to approach him. At least she had made sure she was not in his presence without either her sister or Sweet Woman accompanying her.
Perhaps it was her embarrassment over entreating him to make love to her—and his refusal to cooperate with the conditions she had laid out—or maybe it was her honest reluctance to bring disaster to her parents that was the cause of her avoidance of him. But, whatever was the cause, she feared that if the man so much as touched her again, she would surrender to him.
And if she gave in to him, what would then happen to her parents?
"Are we supposed to do a particular dancing movement?" she asked Sweet Woman in sign. "If so, I am afraid I might make a fool of myself since I don't know how to do any of your people's dance steps. Perhaps I shouldn't go."
Sweet Womangiggled and signed in reply, "Our footwork is simple, so never fear you will not know how to do it. You should come. But, tell me, if you do decide to go with me to the affair, who is the man you might choose to consort with?"
"I…I…well, none, I think. After all, I will soon be leaving here to return to my home in St. Louis. And so, I think it would be in bad taste were I to dance up to one of the men and then to kiss him."
"Perhaps this is so," signed Sweet Woman. "But, my brother will be at the festivity. And, he might participate in the dance. Do you wish another woman, then, to choose him?"
"He will be there?"
Sweet Woman nodded.
"You are certain?"
"I am," signed Sweet Woman.
"So, another woman could choose him and could kiss him, and there is nothing he could do about it? Would he have to kiss her back?"
"Áa. He would also be required to give her a present for the gift of her caress. And, he is allowed to kiss her back."
"But, I thought, since your brother is one of your 'men of mystery,' he is not allowed to sweet-talk or to embrace a woman who is not his wife."
"Usually he would not do so," signed Sweet Woman. "But, this dance is the exception, which is why so many of us like it, and why so many of our people attend it."
Amelia frowned. While she didn't wish to be a part of this in any manner at all, she wasn't certain she could pretend indifference, either. She did not wish another woman to be in the position of being able to kiss Gray Falcon. True, she was avoiding him, but she was not unaware of a sense of possession of him. After all, while she was in the Indian camp, he was hers. Whether they were married or not, he was hers.
She signed, "I might go, but, again, I don't know how to move in the way your people do."
"We do little more than bounce while we pace forward. I will teach you. But, who do you think you might choose?"
At last, Amelia gazed at Sweet Woman earnestly. She smiled then as she signed, "Do you really need to ask? In all my life, there has been only one man I have loved with all of my heart, and I think you know who this man is."
Sweet Woman laughed. "I think I do. Come, let us finish our work and go prepare for the dance. I do not think we should miss it."
"Indeed," Amelia replied, "we must not miss such a great opportunity. After all, this kind of sport will allow a woman to bestow her affections upon some poor, innocent brave."
Sweet Woman didn't respond by either words or gestures. Instead, she grinned happily at Amelia.
****
As Gray Falcon stood in line with the other warriors and braves, he wondered if his sister had been able to convince A'sitápi to participate in the Dance of the Sioux. Of course, it was a favorite pastime with both the young and the old people in the Pikuni camps. More times than not, the married folk, as well as the children in the camp, delighted to see which of the young men were the favorites of the maidens.
And, so it would be tonight…if she came. If not, he would step out of the line of dancers.
