Tykota's Woman(53)

"Your people will ask it of you. You cannot take her for your woman. She is white. The law forbids it."

Fury burned in Tykota's eyes, and he turned his back on his teacher. "I am the law here now. I can change my father's ruling."

The old man inclined his head. "That is so, Tykota. You can change any law you want to."

Tykota whirled around. "And I shall."

"But before you do, ask yourself if you want to change the law for your own needs, or for the good of the people."

Tykota flinched as the words his father had spoken to him so long ago came back to haunt him. "Everything you do must be for the good of the people."

He drew in a painful breath. "The road set for me on the day of my birth is a hard one, Mangas. Never more so than now."

"Where the head rules, the heart cannot always follow, my chief."

Tykota sagged in defeat. "It will be a lonely road for me."

"I will walk with you," Mangas gently teased.

Tykota managed to smile in return. "While I love and respect you, Mangas, you are not exactly the partner I would have chosen."





Tykota had been riding for over an hour. He was following the river in hopes of finding Coloradous. He had decided to come alone rather than bring Mangas when he told his half brother about Sinica's death.

He dismounted and let his horse drink from the stream while he walked along the bank, taking in the beauty of the land. Here were tall pine trees, and the wind weaving through the branches made its own music. He was drawn back to a time when he had been a carefree youth here in the valley. He had come here often with Coloradous, who did not seem to mind a younger brother tagging after him. Sinica, however, had always taunted him, call ing him a weakling and accusing him of being their father's favorite.

"Is it as beautiful as you remember?"

Tykota had not heard Coloradous approach, and he turned to find a tall, lean, yet muscular brave not unlike himself. "It is even more beautiful than I remember. Remember when we fished in this stream?"

Coloradous moved closer and looked into Tykota's eyes. "I remember. You were destined for greatness even then."

Tykota reached out and clasped his brother's arm and was gratified when Coloradous returned the greeting with a firm hand on his arm. "I do not feel greatness, my brother. I am confused and a little uneasy about all the responsibility now thrust upon me."

Coloradous laughed and turned his gaze to the rushing water. "You will do well, Tykota. I have always known there was strength in you and that you would always do what is right for the people."

Tykota sat down on the grassy bank and lowered his head. "I have grave news to tell you." He lifted his gaze to Coloradous. "I will understand if you decide to challenge me."

Coloradous was silent as he sat down beside him. "I already know about Sinica. The word of the Apache drums reached me even here."

"I did not want to slay our brother, but I had no choice."

Coloradous rubbed his chin in thoughtfulness. "Put your mind at rest, my brother. Sinica was of my blood, but so are you. He was without honor, and you have much honor. Doubtless I would have done as you in like circumstances."

Tykota felt vastly relieved by Coloradous's words. There was sincerity and kindness in his older brother's eyes, and Tykota knew now for certain that their father had been wrong to expel him from the tribe. "I have come to bring you home."

Coloradous looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"I have gone before the Old Ones, and they agree with me that you should come home. All stain will be wiped from your name, and I will raise you up in honor as my brother."

Coloradous could not answer right away. When he did, his voice was gruff with emotion. "I have wanted this for so long, yet I had hoped it would come from our father."

"I know. I, too, wish it had come from him. And perhaps if he had not been so harsh with Sinica and your mother and you, Sinica might have turned out differently."

Coloradous placed a hand on Tykota's arm. "It would have been no different. Sinica was always bitter. He hated me because I was born before him and had the look of the Perdenelas, and you because you were born to the wife our father loved, then chosen to be chief" He ruffled Tykota's hair as he'd done when Tykota had been a child. "Put the past behind you, and walk into the future." He grinned and added, "0, mighty chief."

Tykota laughed. "Careful, or you will give me a swelled head."

Coloradous took Tykota's face and turned it toward him. "I suppose the women consider you quite handsome. That might well give you a swelled head."

They both laughed at the bawdy reference.