Chapter 4
The usually peaceful mountain forest echoed with the sound of horses' hooves. Robin and Sid galloped into the forest and up the path that led to, what Robin referred to as “her special place”...a waterfall fed by both a natural spring somewhere in the mountains above the meadow and run off from the melting snow on the mountains' peaks. It cascaded over granite boulders, smoothed and polished from decades of water. The top of the waterfall was approximately three stories above a small pool of water, deep enough to swim in.
Robin reined Sid to a stop, jumped off of the large Friesian stallion and let the reins drop to the ground. “You're tied,” she said as she ran over to a huge boulder with a flat surface that hung slightly over the pool of water and began removing her clothes while Sid grazed on the ferns and moss that carpeted the forest floor. Just as MacLeod and his Palomino galloped into view, Robin finished disrobing and dove off of the flat boulder into the pool of cool water.
Duncan jumped off of his horse and tied its reins to a tree then dashed over to the flat boulder and looked down at the pool of water as he began to undress. When Robin surfaced in the pool below the boulder he called down to her, saying, “you cheated. I demand a rematch,” and he laughed as he removed his boots.
“I never cheat,” Robin called up from the pool. “I can't help it if you are easily distracted,” she said with a mischievous grin. When they had decided to race to the waterfall, Robin had said, “on your mark...get set...,” then she had pointed to a buck deer and his mate that had appeared at Mahpiya aka Mokoce's Southern edge and she called out, “tonight's dinner.” When MacLeod turned his attention to where she was pointing, Robin shouted, “GO!” and Sid burst into a full gallop...giving Robin a sizable head start over the distracted MacLeod.
“You know what they say about paybacks,” MacLeod called down to Robin who was treading water in the center of the pool. He removed his socks, tossed them onto the pile of his discarded clothes and dove into the pool....surfacing only inches behind Robin. He reached up, placed his hand on the top of her head and, playfully dunked her below the surface of the water.
Robin surfaced, giggling happily, and splashed water into Duncan's face....which he returned in kind. She ducked under the surface of the water and swam across the pool and under the waterfall. Behind the cascading water was a ledge created by years of water cascading over the granite surface. It was about 6 ½ feet long and four feet wide and covered in soft moss. She hoisted herself up onto the ledge and looked back out at the pool through the waterfall curtain.
Duncan tried to anticipate where Robin would surface because he knew she would retaliate but, even though the water was crystal clear, the pool had enough depth and being partially shaded by the canopy of tall pine, oak and elm trees, the pool was dark. Treading water, he turned around in a complete circle, looking and waiting for the mischievous red head to appear. As he turned to face the waterfall, he caught a flash of color behind the cascading curtain of water out of the corner of his eye and he turned back to take another look. The flash of color he had seen was the refracted sunlight reaching through the water and catching the flaming red hair of Ford's Prairie's sheriff. He dove below the surface of the water and swam under the waterfall. He surfaced on the other side and looked up into the twinkling emerald green eyes looking down on him from the ledge. His own eyes, slowly, traveled down from those green eyes, taking in every inch of Robin's glistening tanned body and he became overcome with a desire he hadn't felt in a long time.
Without a word, Duncan hoisted himself up onto the ledge and knelt in front of Robin, whose gaze was locked with his. He reached out and gently moved a strand of her red hair from her face, then he slowly traced the lines of her jaw with his finger tips. His gaze still locked with hers, his fingers moved from her face, down her neck and across her shoulder, then, slowly, traveled down her arm until they reached the back of her hand.
His touch was so tender and, as his fingers moved, slowly, down her arm, Robin felt a yearning that she had never felt before. Hypnotized by the way he was looking into her eyes, Robin, slowly, leaned towards him...her eyes, slowly, closing part way and her lips parting, slightly.
Duncan slowly leaned forward, placing his other hand on the back of Robin's head and gently pulled her closer. As their lips met, he moved his fingers from the back of her hand around to her palm and gently lifted her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. The passion of the kiss intensified and he gently lay her on her back...without breaking off the kiss....and they made love behind the curtain of the waterfall.
****************************
The night was clear and the stars twinkled like diamonds against the black night sky. A full moon was rising over the mountains and it looked close enough to reach out and touch it. The only sounds in the meadow was the soft babbling of the stream and an occasional croak of a frog or the hoot of an owl.
Robin stood on the small deck she had constructed on the front of the cabin and leaned against the railing as she watched the moon crest the peaks of the mountains. A soft breeze carried the scent of the pine trees throughout the meadow and she inhaled slowly, enjoying the fragrance.
Duncan stood in the doorway of the cabin and watched Robin in silence for several minutes...not wanting to disturb her obviously peaceful moment, then he moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
Robin leaned her head back so that it rested on Duncan's chest and sighed, contentedly. The day had been magical...with their love making behind the waterfall, performing a relaxing Kata together before dinner and then feasting on fresh venison steaks and vegetables from her garden. Their conversations had included such subjects as sharing memories from their past, sharing their personal interests and waxing philosophical. It had been 110 years since she left home and stepped into life as an adult and in that time...and all of the people, both Mortal and Immortal...she had only known one person that she trusted enough to feel completely comfortable with and that was Amanda Darieux...the Immortal who took her under her wing and taught her how to, not only survive, but to get the most out of life as an Immortal and who became her best friend....that was until now. She had known Duncan MacLeod, now, for only a month but it felt like they had known each other for centuries when they were together and she was glad that he had decided to stick around...giving them a chance to get to know each other.
Robin's hair smelled like lavender and vanilla and Duncan closed his eyes as the fragrance filled his nostrils She felt good in his arms...fitting perfectly against his body. Ten months ago he didn't even know she existed. Now he couldn't imagine his life without her in it. He wasn't much on believing in fate and destinies...but he had to admit that it was possibly fate that she turned up that night and saved him from an unscrupulous rookie Immortal who would have taken advantage of MacLeod's weakened state after receiving the Quickening of the rookie's teacher. He looked around at the meadow in the moonlight and asked, in a soft voice that was almost a whisper, “how did you find this place?”
“When I realized that Ford's Prairie was going to be my permanent home I started looking for someplace to homestead,” Robin said. “I had been accompanying Doc Hudson on his visits to the local Lakota village for three months and had established a report with their Shaman.” Her eyes got a far-a-way look in them.
***Lakota Village south of Ford's Prairie......1878*** At the edge of the Lakota village, Robin sat on a tree stump and Yahto Dyami1 sat on a rock across from her. This was not one of her and Dr. Hudson's regular visits to the village and she had come alone to seek counsel with the Holy Man.“
You have question,” Blue Eagle said once they were seated. Even though Blue Eagle had a fairly good grasp of the English language, Robin decided that it would be easier to communicate in his language so speaking Lakota she said, “I do. It appears that Ford's Prairie is to be my permanent home and I can't continue to live in a room in a boarding house so I am looking for a place to build a cabin.” One of the village's dogs ran up to her and dropped a stick at her feet so she reached down, picked up the stick and threw it. The dog ran after it. “
Why come to me?” Blue Eagle asked. “
Because I respect your people and their land and I do not want to infringe upon it,” Robin answered. “
You are more Lakota than you think, Hi On Peta1,” Blue Eagle said, using Robin's Lakota name, and he smiled warmly. He thought for a few minutes then said, “There is a trail that leaves from the southern end of the village which will take you to a place I think you would find to be perfect to build your home. We call it Mahpiya aka Makoce2 It is not far from your town. There is plenty of forest to hunt in and room to grow what you need.” The dog returned with its stick and dropped it at Blue Eagle's feet. He picked it up, stood and threw it and the dog ran off to retrieve it. “As time passes more and more wasicu3 lay claim to our lands,” he said, sadly. “And I know that they will continue to come until there is no land left for them to take. If you make your home on Mahpiya aka Makoce I would know that it is still Lakota,” he said, turning and smiling down at Robin. “
Niye yuonika miye1 Yahto,” Robin said as she got to her feet. “Pilamayaye2” Blue Eagle walked with Robin to her horse and when she had climbed into the saddle he held up his hand and said, “Iyaya kici Ina Maka's yuwaka, Hi On Peta1” Robin rode out of the village and followed the trail through the forest, past the waterfall and pool that would become her special place, and into the most beautiful mountain meadow she had ever seen. She bent down and hugged Sid's neck and said, “Sid? I think we have found our new home.” ***Present day*** “You didn't build this yourself, did you?” Duncan asked, glancing back at the cabin behind him.
“Of course not,” Robin laughed. “Even I have my limitations. I had plenty of help. Between the town's people and Yahto's people, the cabin was up and livable in a month. The barn a month later.”
“Well it's a beautiful cabin in a beautiful spot for a beautiful lady,” Duncan said and kissed the top of Robin's head.
A star shot across the night sky, leaving a sparkling trail behind it.
“Oh look!” Robin said and pointed to the shooting star. She closed her eyes and made a wish.
Duncan felt her hold her breath and he smiled. “What did you wish for?” he whispered.
Robin felt her cheeks get warm and was glad, not only that it was dark out but that Duncan was standing behind her and couldn't see that she was blushing.
“If I told you it wouldn't come true,” she said, softly.
Duncan gently turned her to face him and lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers. “You can make my wish come true right now,” he whispered and slowly moved his face closer to hers.
“Yeah?” Robin whispered, closing her eyes and tilting her head back more and, slightly, to the side.
Duncan was close enough now to feel her warm breath on his lips. “Oh yeah,” he whispered just before their lips met.
Robin succumbed to the tenderness of his kiss and responded with growing passion.
Duncan scooped her into his arms, carried her into the cabin and lay her down on the bear skin rug in front of the fireplace where he made love to her, then fell asleep with Robin in his arms.
To be continued
1Lakota for “Go with Mother Earth's blessing, Hair of Fire.”
1Lakota for “you honor me”
2Lakota for thank you
1Lakota for Hair of Fire
2Lakota for Heaven on Earth
3Lakota for whiteman
1Lakota for Blue Eagle