Wild Abandon

Dancing Cloud rose to his feet. He placed an arm around Brian Brave Walker’s waist and led him to the bed, encouraging him to sit down beside Lauralee.

Brian Brave Walker gave the baby back to Lauralee, then in one wide sweep Dancing Cloud had his arms around his family.

He closed his eyes and whispered, “O, Great Whirlwind, you listened well today, and . . . you . . . gave. . . .”

Chapter 33

And so, all the night’s tide,

I lie down by the side of my darling—

my darling—

My life and my bride.

—EDGAR ALLAN POE

Several weeks had passed and Lauralee had regained her full strength. The day prior to today’s wedding activities she had been required to perform one of the Cherokee’s most frequent medicinal-religious ceremonies in connection with a prayer for long life. She and the Shaman had fasted the previous day and then she had bathed in a running stream, or “going to water,” so called by the Cherokee.

While she had been in the stream, dipping herself completely under the water seven times as was required, the Shaman had gone through his ritual on the banks of the stream, drawing omens from the motion of colorful beads that he held between his thumb and forefinger.

She had been told that this was deemed the most suitable season of the year for the ceremony. It was late autumn, when the leaves that covered the surface of the stream supposedly imparted their medicin

al virtues of the water.

And now the time had finally arrived, the day that Lauralee had been dreaming of ever since she had realized just how much she loved this wonderful Cherokee chief.

Several candles made of fragranced beeswax lighting the cabin, Lauralee stood patiently still as Susan Sweet Bird prepared her for the wedding. Although Susan Sweet Bird’s eyes could not see, her fingers were her eyes. She worked diligently, feeling out how she was making Lauralee beautiful for her special day.

Lauralee was dressed ceremonially in a knee-length skirt woven from feathers, edged at the bottom with down plucked from the breast of a white swan.

Her hair was plaited in a wreath that was turned up and fastened on the crown, with a silver broach forming a wreathed topknot.

Her lips were red from the juice of the bloodroot, her cheeks just faintly colored from the juice of the same plant.

Tiny woodland autumn flowers of various brilliant colors had been tied together, making a bracelet for both of her arms, and a necklace around her neck.

Lauralee turned her eyes to the open door. Her heart pounded wildly as she listened to those who were already loud with merriment outside. The drums and rattles were beating out their rhythm as feet thumped soundly on the stamped-down earth before the Wolf Clan Town House.

The holy house had been readied for the ceremony and the ensuing celebration, the tantalizing aroma of food being cooked in the village.

Her thoughts were drawn back to the task at hand when Susan Sweet Bird said something that made her happiness waver somewhat. She stiffened as she listened.

“To safeguard the virility of our Wolf Clan of Cherokee, a member of our clan never mates with a member of his clan,” Susan Sweet Bird said, her excitement having caused her to rattle on. “Instead, a mate is chosen from the Deer, Bird, Twister, Blue, Red or Wild Potato Clans.”

Lauralee relaxed again. She did not belong to any of the Clans that Susan Sweet Bird mentioned. Nor any others. But that had never mattered to Dancing Cloud. She was his choice regardless of her color.

Susan Sweet Bird once again ran her fingers over Lauralee, studying every nuance of how she had made her beautiful.

She checked to see that every lock of her hair was in place.

She checked to see that all of the feathers of her dress lay flat and beautiful against the curves of Lauralee’s body.

Susan Sweet Bird’s hands trembled as they moved softly over Lauralee’s face. “My fingers tell me that you are beautiful,” she murmured. “Are you ready now to step out and allow my people to see how wisely their chief chose his woman? Shall we walk now together to the Wolf Clan Town House?”

Lauralee nodded nervously, her eyes wide. It thrilled, yet frightened her somewhat, to know that the marriage ceremony would take place close to the sacred fire inside the Town House. She knew the meaning of that fire to the Cherokee, and she hadn’t yet seen it herself, much less been married in its presence.

Susan Sweet Bird placed an ear of corn in Lauralee’s hand, the wedding gift that Lauralee would give to Dancing Cloud as she accepted the one that he would give her.