Lakota Surrender by Karen Kay Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Kay
then.”
He hesitated. Nothing was said for a few moments, nothing was signed, no breath was drawn. He drew his arm, with her hand still upon him, closer.
“I will have you.”
Kristina stared at him, unable to respond. It was a small victory. And deep within her mind, she saw his gestures again and again. Did she dare to interpret that phrase other than the way it was meant?
“What is this all about?” Colonel Wheeling interrupted, his voice startling Kristina, who jumped back. Four pairs of eyes, three Indian and one white, stared at him. He knew he had been forgotten in the midst of the turbulent emotions, and he waited as Kristina stepped back to the middle of the room, away from the Indians. She smiled shyly at him.
“Sir, they were insulted you brought in a woman as interpreter. They’re here from the Lakota nation and apparently they don’t council with women, even as interpreter.” As she spoke, he watched the three Indians step back into the room. “They almost walked out.”
The colonel had the grace to blush. That was exactly what he had intended. He didn’t like Indians. He had fought several different tribes back east and he saw no reason why he should humor these men. “Yes, I thought they were leaving. Maybe you can tell me, Miss Bogard, why are they still here?”
Kristina swallowed. “I seem to have convinced them to trust me as interpreter after all.”
The colonel considered her naiveté, then facing the Indian in white, noted the intelligent leer in his obsidian eyes.
There was no pretense in that expression, and the colonel knew, without a doubt, that he’d been found out.
“Proceed, Miss Bogard,” he ordered at last. “Let’s discover why these young men have traveled such a great distance to come here.”
“Yes, sir,” Kristina uttered and, pivoting around, addressed the Indians.
“You are from the great Lakota nation in the northwest. I have heard of this tribe, though you are the first from it I have met. You are welcome. You have traveled far to conduct business here. How can we help you?” She noted with satisfaction that her hands were steady and vocalization was not necessary to accompany the signing.
“Wait,” he motioned. “What are you called?”
Kristina, caught off guard, felt color flood her cheeks. It was another personal inquiry. The second one so far. She hadn’t expected either. Her gaze locked with his.
“Kristina,” she repeated aloud, pointing to herself.
“Kris-tee-na.” His Indian tongue added an elegance to the pronunciation that her ear had never before heard. She liked it. He pointed to himself. “Ta-his-ka.”
“Tahiska,” she repeated, then inclined her head to the other Indians, though they both only returned her stare. She then pointed to the colonel, but the Indian’s halt sign, plus his cold glance, kept her still.
“Tahiska,” she tried his name again, then asked, “What does it mean?”
“White Buffalo,” he responded. “And the meaning of yours?”
Kristina shrugged and glanced around her. “It has no meaning.”
Tahiska nodded, then added in sign, “I had heard that white people’s names hold no symbolism, but until now I didn’t believe it.”
“What is he saying?” the colonel interrupted, earning himself a glare from Tahiska.
“We’re introducing ourselves,” Kristina responded, glancing over her shoulder and pivoting slightly. “I think it’s important that he know who we are. It’s good manners. One of the Indians here at the fort told me that ritual and manners are vital to a council,” she explained, hoping the colonel would not question her further. She was not inclined to reveal to the commanding officer that there was more to the content of the communications.
The colonel paused and Kristina held her breath, waiting. And though his gaze at her might have been suspicious, finally he waved her on, saying, “Very well. Proceed.”
Sighing, she turned back to the
He hesitated. Nothing was said for a few moments, nothing was signed, no breath was drawn. He drew his arm, with her hand still upon him, closer.
“I will have you.”
Kristina stared at him, unable to respond. It was a small victory. And deep within her mind, she saw his gestures again and again. Did she dare to interpret that phrase other than the way it was meant?
“What is this all about?” Colonel Wheeling interrupted, his voice startling Kristina, who jumped back. Four pairs of eyes, three Indian and one white, stared at him. He knew he had been forgotten in the midst of the turbulent emotions, and he waited as Kristina stepped back to the middle of the room, away from the Indians. She smiled shyly at him.
“Sir, they were insulted you brought in a woman as interpreter. They’re here from the Lakota nation and apparently they don’t council with women, even as interpreter.” As she spoke, he watched the three Indians step back into the room. “They almost walked out.”
The colonel had the grace to blush. That was exactly what he had intended. He didn’t like Indians. He had fought several different tribes back east and he saw no reason why he should humor these men. “Yes, I thought they were leaving. Maybe you can tell me, Miss Bogard, why are they still here?”
Kristina swallowed. “I seem to have convinced them to trust me as interpreter after all.”
The colonel considered her naiveté, then facing the Indian in white, noted the intelligent leer in his obsidian eyes.
There was no pretense in that expression, and the colonel knew, without a doubt, that he’d been found out.
“Proceed, Miss Bogard,” he ordered at last. “Let’s discover why these young men have traveled such a great distance to come here.”
“Yes, sir,” Kristina uttered and, pivoting around, addressed the Indians.
“You are from the great Lakota nation in the northwest. I have heard of this tribe, though you are the first from it I have met. You are welcome. You have traveled far to conduct business here. How can we help you?” She noted with satisfaction that her hands were steady and vocalization was not necessary to accompany the signing.
“Wait,” he motioned. “What are you called?”
Kristina, caught off guard, felt color flood her cheeks. It was another personal inquiry. The second one so far. She hadn’t expected either. Her gaze locked with his.
“Kristina,” she repeated aloud, pointing to herself.
“Kris-tee-na.” His Indian tongue added an elegance to the pronunciation that her ear had never before heard. She liked it. He pointed to himself. “Ta-his-ka.”
“Tahiska,” she repeated, then inclined her head to the other Indians, though they both only returned her stare. She then pointed to the colonel, but the Indian’s halt sign, plus his cold glance, kept her still.
“Tahiska,” she tried his name again, then asked, “What does it mean?”
“White Buffalo,” he responded. “And the meaning of yours?”
Kristina shrugged and glanced around her. “It has no meaning.”
Tahiska nodded, then added in sign, “I had heard that white people’s names hold no symbolism, but until now I didn’t believe it.”
“What is he saying?” the colonel interrupted, earning himself a glare from Tahiska.
“We’re introducing ourselves,” Kristina responded, glancing over her shoulder and pivoting slightly. “I think it’s important that he know who we are. It’s good manners. One of the Indians here at the fort told me that ritual and manners are vital to a council,” she explained, hoping the colonel would not question her further. She was not inclined to reveal to the commanding officer that there was more to the content of the communications.
The colonel paused and Kristina held her breath, waiting. And though his gaze at her might have been suspicious, finally he waved her on, saying, “Very well. Proceed.”
Sighing, she turned back to the