Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) by Constance O'Banyon Page A
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Native Americans, 19th century, Marriage, King, true love, queen, wife, Beloved, Indian, husband, American West, Lagonda Tribe, White People, Reuniting, disappeared, Continuation, Night & Day
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tightened his hold on Mara and started walking back to camp.
"What is Matio going to do, Palomas? You are acting very strange," Mara said, not understanding anything that was taking place.
"It is best you do not know. I do not want you to see," he answered.
"I asked you what Matio is going to do, Palomas, and I expect an answer. As your queen I demand to know."
"Mara, Unat is a dead man already. Were he to survive we would have to slay him," Palomas told her softly, wishing he could spare her the horrible truth. He did not feel guilty for being relieved that it was Unat who must die, and not Mara.
Mara tried to wriggle out of Palomas's arms. "You told Matio to slay Unat. My God, are you such a monster that you would order a man killed just because he might lose his arm? I never have been ashamed of you until now, Palomas. I order you to stop Matio, and if you do not, Tajarez will hear of this." She tried to sound strong and authoritative, but the horror of what she had witnessed and the unwillingness of the others to help their companion was too much for her.
Palomas paused at the tent opening. "Mara, the wolf had rabies. Unat will not want to live. Matio is performing an act of mercy."
His words hit her with a force that took her breath away. Now she could understand why everyone was acting so strangely. "Oh, dear God, say it is not so. Is there nothing we can do?" She pleaded as her body shook with pent-up emotions.
"Mara, by now the deed is done. Unat walks among the spirits. He knew when he saw the wolf that it was rabid. It was his choice to die."
"It is my fault," she sobbed, overcome with grief. She remembered Unat as always laughing, and his eyes had always lit up when she spoke to him. It was hard to believe a man so strong, so alive, was now dead.
"It was not your fault, my queen," Palomas said, as a way of reminding her that she was the queen and that she must act the part. He placed her on her feet inside the tent and she sank down on the soft robe, knowing her trembling legs would not support her. She buried her face in her hands, and wept. Minet and Falon came to her immediately and took her in their arms.
"Look after your queen, I will return shortly," Palomas told the two young maidens.
"We saw what happened, my queen," Falon told her sadly. "Palomas was right, it was not your fault. If Unat had survived he would have gotten the fear-of-water sickness, and he would have died in agony."
Mara raised her tear-stained face. "Does it matter? He is dead, and death is so final."
"No, my queen, by now he walks among the spirits. He will tell the Great Father that he died so his queen might live, and he will know great honor," Minet said.
"I did not want him to die," Mara said in a pitiful voice. "So many have died because of me," she said remembering the Kiowa raid, when the Kiowa chief had tried to take her away from Tajarez.
"You are the queen," Falon said, as if that justified so many dying on her behalf.
Mara's mind was tortured, and she tried to think what Tajarez would do in this situation. That gave her the courage to do what must be done. Rising to her feet, she walked over to the jug of water that stood by the tent opening and washed her face. She then ran shaky hands down her gown. A golden strand of hair had come loose from her braid and she tucked it behind her ear. Squaring her shoulders, she removed the cape Tajarez had given her, and carrying it over her arm, walked out of the tent.
The warriors were gathered in a circle, and when they saw Mara they moved aside to let her pass. She tried not to close her eyes when she saw Unat lying bloody and mangled upon the snow-covered ground. She could see where an arrow had pierced his heart, and she swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. Kneeling down beside him she saw that, despite the fact that his body was a bloody mass, somehow his face was mercifully untouched. Mara touched his face, knowing he had given his life without hesitation to
"What is Matio going to do, Palomas? You are acting very strange," Mara said, not understanding anything that was taking place.
"It is best you do not know. I do not want you to see," he answered.
"I asked you what Matio is going to do, Palomas, and I expect an answer. As your queen I demand to know."
"Mara, Unat is a dead man already. Were he to survive we would have to slay him," Palomas told her softly, wishing he could spare her the horrible truth. He did not feel guilty for being relieved that it was Unat who must die, and not Mara.
Mara tried to wriggle out of Palomas's arms. "You told Matio to slay Unat. My God, are you such a monster that you would order a man killed just because he might lose his arm? I never have been ashamed of you until now, Palomas. I order you to stop Matio, and if you do not, Tajarez will hear of this." She tried to sound strong and authoritative, but the horror of what she had witnessed and the unwillingness of the others to help their companion was too much for her.
Palomas paused at the tent opening. "Mara, the wolf had rabies. Unat will not want to live. Matio is performing an act of mercy."
His words hit her with a force that took her breath away. Now she could understand why everyone was acting so strangely. "Oh, dear God, say it is not so. Is there nothing we can do?" She pleaded as her body shook with pent-up emotions.
"Mara, by now the deed is done. Unat walks among the spirits. He knew when he saw the wolf that it was rabid. It was his choice to die."
"It is my fault," she sobbed, overcome with grief. She remembered Unat as always laughing, and his eyes had always lit up when she spoke to him. It was hard to believe a man so strong, so alive, was now dead.
"It was not your fault, my queen," Palomas said, as a way of reminding her that she was the queen and that she must act the part. He placed her on her feet inside the tent and she sank down on the soft robe, knowing her trembling legs would not support her. She buried her face in her hands, and wept. Minet and Falon came to her immediately and took her in their arms.
"Look after your queen, I will return shortly," Palomas told the two young maidens.
"We saw what happened, my queen," Falon told her sadly. "Palomas was right, it was not your fault. If Unat had survived he would have gotten the fear-of-water sickness, and he would have died in agony."
Mara raised her tear-stained face. "Does it matter? He is dead, and death is so final."
"No, my queen, by now he walks among the spirits. He will tell the Great Father that he died so his queen might live, and he will know great honor," Minet said.
"I did not want him to die," Mara said in a pitiful voice. "So many have died because of me," she said remembering the Kiowa raid, when the Kiowa chief had tried to take her away from Tajarez.
"You are the queen," Falon said, as if that justified so many dying on her behalf.
Mara's mind was tortured, and she tried to think what Tajarez would do in this situation. That gave her the courage to do what must be done. Rising to her feet, she walked over to the jug of water that stood by the tent opening and washed her face. She then ran shaky hands down her gown. A golden strand of hair had come loose from her braid and she tucked it behind her ear. Squaring her shoulders, she removed the cape Tajarez had given her, and carrying it over her arm, walked out of the tent.
The warriors were gathered in a circle, and when they saw Mara they moved aside to let her pass. She tried not to close her eyes when she saw Unat lying bloody and mangled upon the snow-covered ground. She could see where an arrow had pierced his heart, and she swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. Kneeling down beside him she saw that, despite the fact that his body was a bloody mass, somehow his face was mercifully untouched. Mara touched his face, knowing he had given his life without hesitation to
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