But, hadn't his elders always cautioned him against making love while on the trail?There was a good reason for it: men didn't often survive an enemy attack after their energy had been expended in lovemaking.
Yet, there she was. And, here he was.
At least he had the presence of mind to realize he had lost their argument. From this point forward, he would most likely give her anything she wished for if only she would come a little closer so he could touch her.
He murmured, "Come here."
In this, she at last obeyed one of his orders, and he watched her every movement like a hungry man might survey a feast of sizzling buffalo ribs. It took him every ounce of control to smother his passion as he took her in his arms and brought her nakedness up against his almost-nude form, for he wore only breechcloth, leggings and moccasins, as well as the ever-present blanket across his right shoulder.
The feel of her skin against his skin was his undoing, and, even knowing it was forbidden for him to love her, he lifted her up off the ground and, with his free arm, brought her up and positioned her legs around his waist.
He whispered, "I should not make love to you here when others are nearby. It is also forbidden to love a woman when a man is on the war trail." But, even as he spoke, he was placing her body against himself in such a way as to allow him to enter into her warmth.
She didn't object. Indeed, she responded to him as if she had lived all her life for this very moment. She placed her arms on his shoulders and bent down to kiss him. But, it was not a simple kiss she gave him. She was seducing him with her lips and tongue, and he felt as though he might quietly go out of his mind.
And, then it happened: they became one in body, and he began to frolic with her in the dance of love, and he swayed with her, dancing as though his heart strained to become one with hers. The beauty of her movements tempted him onward toward the high precipice he knew would end in the ultimate physical pleasure between a man and his woman. But, there was more.
Being so close to her would join him again with her spiritually. And, as he spiraled upward, he brought her with him, and, watching her reach her pleasure, he followed her, letting loose his seed at the same moment of her release. Strangely, he became aware that, although he had lost this, their first marital argument, he'd won something much more important: together they were united in love, and their devotion to one another was without fault. Indeed, oddly, it was stronger.
As he was relaxing and coming down from the physical release of passion, he knelt downward, coming onto his knees and spreading his legs upon the ground to steady himself, and, bringing her with him, he continued the dance of love with her, being reluctant to let her go so soon and rejoin the rest of the world. And, as he whispered, "I love you. I will always love you," he knew his fidelity to her was complete. "Also," he continued, "since you believe I promised to let you come with me, you may do so, but not in your dress and other clothing. Perhaps you can wear my shirt, for it should hang on you and cover you almost like a dress. You might wear your white underclothing beneath it, but the blue dress will have to go into one of my pouches."
She nodded. "Thank you," she murmured.
He laughed a little as he said, "You realize you have beaten me in our first argument, don't you?"
"Have I? And yet, I was not looking to win anything except to convince you to allow me to come with you. At this moment, all I know is that I love you so very, very much."
He inhaled a deep, lengthy breath before he let it out slowly. And, it was a long moment before he confessed, "I was a fool to believe I hadn't fallen in love you all those years ago. I realize now I have loved you for a long time. What I didn't grasp then was that our love and our lives became entwined because, unknowingly, our friendship united our hearts. Indeed, my heart opened up to you when I least expected it, and now together we are stronger than we would be if we were to live apart. I now admit before your God and mine, I will always love you."
"I, too, my husband. Always, I will love you."
As they smiled at one another, she wiggled a little, and he was quick on the uptake to begin a repeat performance, if only to seal their commitment to one another.
"My husband," she murmured, her voice soft and sexy, "did you know there are little strikes of lightning all over you when you are angry?"
"You saw them?"
"Of course I did. How could I not?"
"Not everyone can see them," he answered. "But, of course you would be able to do so, since we are now of one heart."
"These are beautiful words you are speaking to me, my husband: we are of one heart. Indeed, it is true. You have my love now…forever."
"Áa,now and forever. And, I would like to experience more love with you this evening. Perhaps we might stay here and make love the whole night through, since most of those in the war party will spend two days in rest, not simply one. And, we are in a good position"—he grinned up at her as she sat upon him in heraltogether—"to spend the rest of the evening, making love."
Her response was little more than a soft giggle, and he thought there was not a more beautiful sound upon this earth. Then she said, "Yes, we should love each other all through the rest of the day and night. But, first I have a question."
"I am listening."
"What does it mean to have all those little strikes of light all over you?"
"They are," he responded, "the evidence of my power."
"Your power? What do you mean?"
He shifted his weight to bring her in closer to him without drastically changing her position, since he liked how her legs fit around him perfectly. But, after a time, he said, "To be a man who can heal others, one must have been given a power by Sun, the Creator. These little strikes of lightning are my power. I have always been aware of them. My mother and father tell me that, even as a baby, the little lights would flicker over me, but only if I were angry."
"Truly? Why, then, have I never before seen them troubling you?"
