The Journey Home - Part 2

No longer part of the Ren wagon train, Rey, Finn, and Rose must now depend on Poe to get them safely to Oregon.

Rated NC-17 for eventual smut. Part 1 can be found here.

Poe’s morning started out essentially the same as every other morning of late. He woke with the sun, checked on BB, started a fire, then used a small looking glass to shave while his coffee boiled. He ate some jerky for breakfast, then he kicked back and waited for the rest of the camp to wake and get organized. He wasn’t needed in the morning to help the travelers get ready anymore; they were all very much used to the routine now, and capable of getting everything going in the morning themselves.

The last few mornings, he had found himself sharing coffee at the Skywalker wagon, but that wasn’t an option today. Not with four armed men surrounding it. Ren had promised it was just a precaution, but Poe was pretty sure Finn had gotten no sleep. When Rey and Rose exited the wagon, they looked dang tired, too. Rey glanced his way before disappearing from Poe’s view behind the wagon. Some of the younger boys had brought the Skywalkers their oxen, and the animals were now tied to the wagon eating their grain, but they remained unyoked. Ren had made Rey swear they would stay put at least until noon, giving the train plenty of time to create distance between them.

Finally, all the other oxen were hitched and the wagons were ready to go. Normally, Poe would have BB saddled by now, but not this morning. Ren rode over to where Poe was still sitting on the ground by his fire. He stopped his black gelding right by the fire, glaring down at Poe; he had been wearing the same angry expression since his private talk with Rey the night before. Poe didn’t know what the discussion had been about, but Rey’s firm “no” was clearly not what Ren had wanted to hear.

“If you don’t get saddled and ready to ride in five minutes, you’re fired,” Ren growled.

Poe shrugged. “You didn’t hire me. You can’t fire me.”

Ren’s scowl got even deeper. “You came with a letter from one of my sponsors, correct?”

Poe nodded. “Yep. I was there when it was written.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that it was Leia Solo herself who hired me, Ren. Personally.” He didn’t say anything else, knowing that just saying Leia’s name was powerful enough.

Ren’s expression was more than a little surprised, but he quickly recovered. “If I see her, I’ll tell her you were a fine guide… until you weren’t.”

Poe just huffed a soft laugh, then gave Ren a half-hearted salute in acknowledgement.

Ren swung his horse around. “Let’s move out!” He looked at Rey, who was standing next to the tailgate of her wagon watching them. As the Hux wagon began to roll, Ren spurred his mount on in front of them. One by one, the wagons left the circle, moving back onto the barely-there road. Bill rode by, giving Poe a full salute; he had been a Sergeant in the Union Army, Poe knew, and he suspected it was Poe’s brief mention that he had also fought in the war that had helped Bill accept him. Poe stood and saluted him back.

“I’ll see you when I see you,” Bill said with a smirk.

“Ten dollars I’ll beat you to Oregon,” Poe replied.

Bill laughed. “I’m not betting against you, Dameron!” Then he rode off.

Finally, the last wagon rolled by. Rey was still standing at the back of her wagon, but as soon as the worst of the dust settled, she made her way over to Poe. She looked troubled. “Are you sure we can do this?” she asked him softly.

“You don’t trust me?” he said, tilting his head at her.

“Of course I do,” she responded immediately. “But without the safety of the train…”

Poe shook his head. “There is very little out here to fear,” he told her. “Finn and I can handle night watches for predators, and any tribes we run into won’t be aggressive. In fact, they’ll probably do their best to avoid us.” He looked after the wagons. “He wanted you to stay until at least noon. Let’s just rest today and get going tomorrow morning, shall we? I doubt any of you got much sleep last night.”

She looked exhausted. “It’s my fault,” she whispered.

“What did he ask you to do?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “He wanted me to marry him.”

Poe couldn’t help it. He laughed out loud. She opened her eyes, her expression full of surprise, but then he saw a wry smile take over her face.

“It was all a set-up, wasn’t it?”

“Most likely,” Poe nodded. “He watched you and I together. I suppose he felt he had to trick you into marriage since you obviously weren’t interested in him.” He sighed and began to kick dirt on his fire. “I bet it was Millicent who stole those items they found in Finn’s bag. She’s a sneaky one.”

“So, you believe it wasn’t Finn?”

“Never thought it was,” Poe confirmed.

Rey smiled a bit, then turned to look back at her wagon. Rose and Finn had moved out to where the main camp fire had been the night before. With the oxen still tied to the wagon, there wasn’t much room for their regular fire. They both looked over at Rey and Poe. “What do we do with the oxen?” Rey asked, turning back toward Poe. “We don’t have a wagon corral for them to graze in anymore.”

“You have extra rope?” Poe inquired. At Rey’s nod, he continued. “We’ll make picket lines, like I do for BB. They’ll do fine grazing on a picket.” He grabbed up his belongings and started walking toward Finn and Rose. Rey followed, her face still troubled. “We’re going to be okay, Rey. I promise.”

The four of them settled in and tried to relax as the day wore on. Though the sun had risen, bright and hot, clouds moved in just before noon and the humidity shot up. Finn helped Poe find enough rope to make six picket lines for the oxen, and they moved them out away from the wagon to graze. “We’ll bring them in closer before nightfall,” Poe told him. There were sprinkles of rain early in the afternoon, but nothing significant, and the sun appeared again before four. Combined with the muggy air, it turned the day hot and uncomfortable. The women put blankets down in the shade of the wagon and the four of them lay down to doze.

They brought the oxen and BB in as the sun set, then Rose cooked up another amazing stew. It wasn’t long before Finn was passed out asleep on his blanket under the wagon, and Rey and Rose moved back inside, though they lifted up the canvas sides so air could move freely through it. Poe kept watch, but he was surprised to find out he was much more comfortable now than he had ever been with the caravan. No Ren. No Hux.

Just himself and the three people he was tasked with getting to Oregon safely.

His brain raced with thoughts about what may be ahead. He hadn’t lied to Rey; he wasn’t worried much about predators or Indians, but the road would get rougher the closer they got to the mountains and the weather would continue to be temperamental. If they should get a lot of rain and the wagon should get stuck… He shook his head. Both Rey and Rose were strong, and neither were adverse to hard work. If they should get stuck, the four of them would be able to help the oxen get it out. And he was good at reading the weather; with only themselves to answer to now, they could stop and wait out whatever was coming whenever they wanted.

He looked at the fire crackling in the night, then felt more than heard or saw movement off to his right. He turned his head to see Rey, a blanket wrapped around her nightgown clad body, walking toward him. She sat on the bench next to him, her shoulder touching his. They sat silently for a while.

“Can’t sleep?” Poe finally asked quietly.

She shrugged. “It’s quiet.”

He agreed silently. You didn’t realize how much noise all the people and animals from the caravan made at night until they were all gone. The oxen were all bedded down sleeping or chewing their cuds. BB was down as well, trusting Poe to be on the lookout for trouble.

“It is.” He looked over at her. She was staring listlessly at the fire. “Regretting saying no to Ren already?”

“Oh, Lordy, no!” Rey exclaimed quietly, turning to him. “I just…” She bit her lip and looked back at the fire. “I trust you, Poe, but I’m scared.”

“I know,” he nodded. “But sometimes the most worthwhile things in life are the most frightening.” She looked back at him, her eyes huge and shining in the firelight. “The trail they’re going to take is the most used one,” Poe told her. “The one we’re going to take is the easier one.”

Her brow furrowed. “Why won’t they take that one?”

“It goes farther north,” Poe explained. “They’re more likely to run into Indians.”

“And we’re taking it because?” He could see the worry in her eyes.

Poe smiled. “Because I know and am friends with those Indians.” He brought his arm up, wrapping it around her shoulders, something he never would have done had they still been a part of the wagon train. “I promised your aunt I would see you safely to Oregon.” He paused, but Rey’s expression showed no surprise. “I don’t intend to break that promise,” he continued.

“We’re gonna be just fine.”

******

They set out just after sunrise the next morning. Since Poe didn’t have to ride up and down the line of wagons watching over them, he spent a significant amount of the day on foot, tying BB to the rear of the wagon and walking along with them. He headed out on his horse after their stop for lunch, and not long after he disappeared from view Rey heard a rifle shot. He came riding back with a mule deer buck slung over BB’s back. The meat would feed the four of them for a long while, both as steak and jerky.

It rained that afternoon when a small, almost gentle storm rolled through, and their rain barrel was filled almost to the brim. The oxen were sound, the road was still easy to follow, and while the weather was hot and windy, it could be far worse. Their first day on their own was a good day overall.

It was a positive start.

The following days were similar. Finn and Rose both seemed far happier to be away from the caravan. They talked and laughed more freely, and Rey couldn’t help but feel happier herself, despite her anxiety about their future. Poe also seemed to open up more. He had been so stoic and watchful when around the rest of the travelers, but now he was done with keeping himself apart from others. At night, after they had eaten supper and were settled around the fire before bed, he told them stories of other wagon trains he had helped guide, and eventually he opened up about the war, too.

The days were becoming increasingly hot, and the storms that rolled across the vast prairie were not as common and seemed smaller, though they could still pack a punch. While the land was still mostly barren of trees, and Rey supposed it was still considered prairie, the terrain itself was no longer endlessly flat. The trail they followed curved around rocky bluffs and unique looking plateaus, and the types of grasses were different. They often found themselves far away from any source of water, with the bluffs preventing them from following the Platte River, and Poe recommended that they ration the water they collected from rain as much as possible. That combined with the heat and wind created some of the worst headaches Rey had ever known, but she ignored them the best she could and marched on, very aware of Poe’s worried looks.

After the first week, when she felt well enough, Poe started giving Rey riding lessons on BB. He was very much impressed by how quickly she picked it up, telling her she was a natural-born horsewoman. Rey was determined to raise horses of her own when they reached their destination. During their second week, they ran into their first wild horse herd. Mustangs, Poe called them. Descendents of horses that the Spaniards had brought to the New World over 300 years previously. Rey loved watching the stocky, tough looking horses as they came close to the wagon, curious about BB and the oxen.

One evening in late June, only a few days away from Fort Laramie, after almost a week without rain, Finn and Poe woke Rey and Rose from sleep to tell them a storm was on the way. She and Rose were up immediately, working to pull down the canvas sides of the wagon that they had put up after they stopped for the night; the sky had been perfectly clear when they had gone to bed. Finn, who had been on watch, had waited until he was sure the lightning was heading their way before he woke Poe, and they had worked at making sure the oxen’s pickets were secure before they all piled into the wagon to wait it out.

It was another violent one, making the wagon rock and the canvas leak as hail hit the top with force. Rey felt no shame as she huddled close to Poe, his arms tight around her, as Finn held Rose the same way. Finally, it was over. They left the wagon only to find the oxen and BB gone, the wind and hail having loosened their pickets and scared them enough they bolted.

“We’ll have to wait until daylight to look for them,” Poe said, his expression helpless. The sky was still cloudy, though the lightning had diminished, and it was far too dark to see well. The heavy rain had caused the ground around them to turn into a thick gumbo, and Rey knew they were stuck here for at least a day anyway. “I doubt they went far,” Poe added. For all they knew, the animals were just over the next rise.

Just before sunrise, BB wandered back to the wagon, looking exhausted. The relief on Poe’s face was palpable. “Hey, buddy. What’d you do with the oxen?” he asked softly as he looked his horse over carefully. A short time later, he jumped on BB bareback and headed off to search for the oxen while Rose started a fire and Rey and Finn checked the wagon over for any damage. Poe hadn’t even been gone an hour when they heard a distant rifle shot. Not long after, he came riding back over the ridge, leading two of the oxen, three others following.

Rey looked to see who was missing. “Yang Su?” she asked softly.

Poe sighed heavily, his expression bleak. “Broken leg,” he said. He slid off BB as Finn and Rose grabbed up the dragging ropes from the loose oxen. Rey could see tears sliding down Rose’s face. “I’ll go back to butcher what I can from him later,” Poe continued.

Rey nodded, her heart heavy. It was impossible to not get attached to their animals, but she had learned long ago that death was a part of life, and they had been fortunate they had made it this far without a loss like this.

“We should be able to purchase another steer when we get to Fort Laramie,” Poe told them when they all settled down to eat. “If we have the funds, we should maybe consider getting a couple more. We’ll need a minimum of six when we get to the mountains, and if we lose any more…”

Rey nodded. “We should have the funds for more than one, as long as they aren’t too expensive.”

“If old Ted Naster still has his store there, he’ll give me a deal.”

Rey looked at him curiously.

“Former mountain man,” Poe explained. “Helped me on a couple trips west before the war. He and his wife Kimi started the store at Laramie fifteen years ago, and she ran it by herself whenever he got the wanderlust for a few months. I’d like to think he’s too old to be going off on his own anymore, but you never know.”

“She must be a strong woman to run a store by herself in the middle of the frontier,” Rey said, a bit envious.

“She’s Pawnee,” he replied. “I’m not saying a white woman couldn’t do it,” he immediately added. “Your aunt could sure as hell do something like that.” He paused. “Pretty sure you could, too.”

Rey felt her face heat at the compliment. With her frequent headaches, her grumpiness when she was hot and tired, and her constant worry about their future, she certainly didn’t feel strong enough to do something so courageous, but his confidence in her gave her strength.

The next morning, with the sun shining hot and bright again, they yoked up their five oxen, tied BB to the back of the wagon, and headed out once more. Fort Laramie was ahead, and just beyond that, the mountains.

They were almost half-way there.

******

Fort Laramie was one of Poe’s favorite places outside of the Willamette Valley.

It was probably one of the most well-known and important locations on the frontier, and because of this it was always busy, with several temporary encampments surrounding the fort itself, as well as a few permanent structures, including Ted Naster’s trading post. But Poe was more than a little surprised as they neared the fort and he realized that most of the camps were made up of dozens of Indians.

And to think he had been worried that they would catch up to the Ren Caravan when they reached the fort.

He rode BB alongside the front of the team of oxen as they headed for Ted’s store. Yang Su’s teammate, Dòngbīn, was leading the rest of the steers by himself, plodding along calmly, occasionally looking over at BB. Poe had learned the ox seemed much happier when the horse was up front with him; he seemed almost listless when he had to move out alone. He suspected the pair had been together as a team long before Rey had taken over their care, so not only was the animal most likely confused as to why he didn’t have a partner, but he probably missed his friend.

He led the wagon toward the long, low cabin that sat about two hundred yards from the front gates of the fort, which Poe was happy to see were open; that assured him that all the native folk were here as peaceful guests. As the wagon rolled up to the cabin, an older man with white hair and beard stepped out, a big smile on his face.

“I knew you’d probably be pulling up today,” Ted said as Kimi stepped out behind him, her smile much more restrained but genuine nonetheless. She was several years younger than Ted, having been wed to him at probably sixteen or so years of age, but her confidence and strength were obvious. Ted may think he ruled the Naster household, but Kimi and Poe knew better.

“And how’d you know that, Naster?” Poe asked with a grin as he halted BB and the oxen followed suit.

“The train that moved through this morning,” Ted explained. “It was the one you were supposed to be guiding.”

“This morning?” Rey asked, stepping forward to stand at Poe’s stirrup. She looked up at him. “We’re that close to them?”

Poe winked at her, then dismounted and moved around BB to stand next to her. “You sound surprised.” He focused on Ted. “You say they moved through. Why didn’t they stay?”

Ted snorted. “Too many Indians!” He laughed, and Poe couldn’t help but laugh with him.

Poe looked around. “And why is that?” he asked. “They don’t look like ‘tame’ Indians.”

Ted shook his head. “They are not,” he confirmed. “They are here to make another treaty.”

Poe nodded, suddenly subdued. “You think it will hold?”

“I hope so,” Ted said, his expression also serious now. “If it doesn’t, the fighting will only get worse.” He shook his head. “And you know who will eventually win.”

Poe nodded sadly. He did indeed. He glanced at Rey, then back at Finn and Rose, who had stayed back, as was their norm. He looked back at Ted. “Well, unlike Ren’s train, we would like to stay a while. Until Monday?”

Ted grinned again. “You are more than welcome to stay as long as you like.”

They settled the wagon several yards from the back of the store, and once camp was made, Poe escorted Rey back to the cabin to purchase flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and a couple of small onions that could be ground into a seasoning of their own. They still had meat from Yang Su that Rose intended to make into jerky, and the extra ingredients would help her make a tasty marinade. Rey also bought three new oxen. They were bigger and younger than the five they already had, all three solid black in color. Poe determined that they could swap out two of the others to follow the wagon instead of pull it, letting the younger ones do the ‘heavy work’ for a while. They could change every day, giving the older oxen a break. When they reached the rougher roads ahead, they could put all eight in the hitch.  

By nightfall, they were settled comfortably, eating around their fire while gazing off at the dozen or so fires burning in the vicinity. Poe worried the others would be uncomfortable surrounded by so many Indians, but they didn’t seem too worried. Rey, however, was much quieter than usual. She ate only a little and then sat quietly, her shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders even though the night was warm, her eyes downcast. To Poe, she seemed pained, and he worried once more about her headaches. She was the first to turn in, giving him a soft smile as she said goodnight.

The next morning, Poe visited the Fort, introducing himself to the commander, Major George M. O’Brien. The older man couldn’t help but mention that if Ren and his caravan hadn’t decided to move on themselves, he probably would have ‘encouraged’ it to, as soon as possible. “How did you last a week with that persnickety weasel?”

When Poe got back to the camp, he saw that Rose and Finn were being given a tour of sorts by Kimi, who seemed greatly intrigued by the couple, who were neither white nor Indian. Poe couldn’t see Rey anywhere. Once back at the wagon, he noticed the canvas on the sides had been pulled down most of the way, leaving only a slit on the bottom. This had become the norm during the hot afternoons, when they tried to keep the sun and heat out, but still wanted to leave a bit of a gap for a breeze to flow through the wagon. However, it wasn’t even mid-morning. As he got closer to the wagon, he heard the soft sound of sobbing. Without thinking, he jumped up the wooden step and pushed through the flap covering the back.

“Rey?”

She was sitting on one of the trunks along the side of the wagon, leaning over a small tub of dirty water. Only it wasn’t just dirty. It was bloody. His eyes widened and his heart started to race as he looked at her, wishing his eyes would adjust to the dimmer light in the wagon faster. “Oh, my God! Are you okay?”

She had jerked upright at his entrance, her eyes wide, her cheeks wet. “Oh!” she gasped, then reached forward to grab one of the blankets she and Rose slept with. She pulled it over the tub of water, hiding it from view. “What are you doing?”

Poe looked down at the covered tub, then back at her, realization dawning. She was washing bloody clothes from her menses. Having never actually lived with a woman since his mother died, he couldn’t say he knew a lot about a woman’s monthly, but he knew enough.

He knew it shouldn’t be making this brave, strong woman weep.

“I’m sorry,” he told her sincerely. “I heard you crying, and I know you haven’t been feeling well, so I was worried.”

She looked down and closed her eyes tight, wiping her hands on the apron around her waist. “It’s just… extra hard this month.” She brought up a hand and rubbed her forehead. “And my head won’t stop hurting.” She shook her head, took a deep breath, and looked at him. “You don’t need to know this. There’s nothing you can do.”

He sat down next to her on the trunk, bringing his hand up to gently rub her back between her shoulder blades. “You need to drink more water,” he told her softly.

She closed her eyes, letting her head fall forward. “We’re supposed to be careful with the water.”

“Yes, careful,” Poe agreed. “That doesn’t mean not drinking until you’re ready to drop. A little bit at a time, but frequently. It will help with your head.” He brought his hand up to the back of her neck, feeling how warm her skin was. Too warm. “I wish I had a suggestion for your other problem, but I’m afraid that’s beyond my expertise.”

She laughed softly. “I skipped last month,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “Probably because of the stress of this journey and not eating right and walking all the time.” She sighed. “This is probably extra because of that.”

“Why?” Poe was genuinely curious.

She shrugged. “Nobody knows,” she said. “I only know it happens from talking with women when I volunteered in a clinic over the summer last year.” She looked at him. “The male doctors don’t seem to really care to find out the why.”

“Well, when you get settled in Aldera, maybe you should figure it out.”

She scoffed, but her lip curled up as she continued to look at him. “Maybe I will.” She blinked and wiped her cheeks, then looked back down at the tub at her feet. “I need to finish this,” she said. “I’m going to need them dry before too long.”

He nodded. “When you’re done, drink some water and take a nap. Okay?”

She looked back at him, her eyes huge. “I will.”

He rubbed the back of her neck gently again, then leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead. “Please,” he whispered against her skin. “If you need anything, let me know. You don’t have to do this alone, Rey.”

She nodded, and he pulled back to see that she had closed her eyes again, her expression finally relaxed. He regretfully got up from the trunk, letting his fingers linger on her skin, then turned and left the wagon.

******

Rey didn’t leave the wagon for dinner that night, but she felt better than she had earlier in the day.

Poe’s consideration for her discomfort, his gentle touch, and encouraging words had all helped ease her mental strife, but physically she was still unsettled. She took his advice and drank a bit more than she had been allowing herself, remembering that they were camped near the branch of two rivers now so water was not scarce, and she slept restlessly most of the afternoon, getting up only to once more change the folded cloths between her legs.

Rose checked on her as night fell, then Poe returned later with a bowl of broth, insisting she drink it, that it would help prevent her from becoming weak and provide her body with more water. She obeyed and actually felt much better afterward. It didn’t hurt that he stayed with her for a while, once more rubbing the back of her neck gently. Rose pulled up the canvas sides just before coming in to sleep, allowing a breeze to come through the wagon and cool things down, and Rey slept much better.

Her cramps were still horrible the next morning, and though the bleeding seemed a little less she was worried that getting up and moving around would make the flow increase once more. She made herself leave the wagon to eat breakfast. It was a cool, foggy morning, and the air felt thick in its stillness. Despite knowing there were hundreds of Indians camped around them, she could not see or hear any of them. The dark shape of the building that housed the trading post was the only thing other than their wagon and animals she could see.

“There’s a priest at the Fort,” Poe said softly after they finished eating. “He’s planning on doing mass tomorrow morning if you all would like to go.”

Rey felt joy break through the pain in her body. “I would love that!”

“Yes!” Rose agreed. “It’s been a while!”

“There are a handful of soldiers that will appreciate it as well,” Poe told them. “I’ll take you to the Fort in the morning. One of the officer’s wives invited us to brunch afterward.”

Rey became worried she wouldn’t feel up to socializing, but she determined to rest as much as possible today. Shortly after they were done eating, while Rey was debating whether or not she wanted to go back into the wagon and try to sleep, Naster’s wife Kimi appeared out of the fog, walking toward them. Rey knew that both Rose and Finn had spent time with the Pawnee woman yesterday, meeting some of the permanent residents that lived outside the Fort, and some of the Indians that were camped there for meetings with government representatives to form a new treaty, but Rey had not had much contact with her.

The woman had a large stone mug cupped in her hands, and Rey could see the steam coming off of it. She walked directly up to Rey, briefly acknowledging the others. She began speaking to Rey, her English perfect.  

“Your friend told me you were having a difficult moon,” she said softly. “In my culture, we separate ourselves during our moon, and our women family and friends take care of us. We do not work or interact with our men or children. I know your culture is different, but I hope you are getting some rest.” She offered the mug to Rey. “This is raspberry leaf tea. It will help with the pain.”

Rey carefully accepted the mug. “Thank you,” she whispered. She was surprised and touched by the woman’s kindness.

Kimi looked at Rose, then back at Rey. “I will crush some more leaves today and send some with you both to use in the future.”

“Thank you, Kimi,” Rose said with a smile.

The Indian woman nodded to them both and turned to leave. Rey took a sip of the hot tea, surprised that it actually tasted decent.

“They separate themselves?” Finn asked quietly. “Like lepers?”

Poe shook his head. “Nothing like that. The Indian women seem to enjoy the break from daily life. The men have to take care of themselves and the children for a few days.” He smirked. “I guarantee you won’t find a ‘civilized’ white man happy to do that for their wives. White women are expected to keep on like nothing is happening. Most tribes consider it a sacred time for women.”

“I like the idea of having a break for a few days every month,” Rose said, giving Rey a side-eye. “What do you say, Rey? Should we let them take care of us and all the chores every time we have our ‘moon’ from now on?”

“Hey!” Finn argued. “I can cook and clean.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “But I’m not… you know… gonna wash your… stuff.”

The other three laughed.

The tea did indeed help. Rey was much more comfortable, but at the encouragement of the others, she spent the rest of the day doing very little. Her head was far better, too, but she wondered if that was due to the cooler temperature. She slept well that night, and woke in the morning anxious for mass.

The day started out mostly clear, but there were still lingering traces of the fog from the day before. Poe led them to the Fort, and Rey was able to see more of the Indian encampment as well. The Fort itself was fairly busy, with uniformed soldiers moving about doing their duties, and though the watch towers along the walls of the fort were occupied with men armed with rifles, nobody seemed particularly nervous. Several Indians were inside the walls, escorted by soldiers and civilian men, but once more Rey did not sense there was any animosity among them. The negotiations for the treaty must be going well. As they neared the residential area, they all focused on a huge two-story house, which they were informed was nicknamed Old Bedlam. Some of the single officers lived upstairs, and the Fort headquarters were on the lower level. Poe led them inside the building and towards what he told them was officially the ballroom. Since the on-site chapel was so small, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet had decided to hold mass in the larger room. At least two-dozen men, soldiers and civilians, and a handful of women were already seated in the room.

As Poe led them to some seats toward the back, Rey looked at him curiously. “You’ll join us?”

He gave her a one-shoulder shrug. “I might as well.”

Rey smiled and took her seat next to Rose, who was next to Finn. There were a few glances in their direction, but they seemed curious, nothing more. As Poe sat next to Rey, Rose leaned over to whisper, “I wish we could have had confession first.”

Rey raised an eyebrow and looked at her friend. “You have a mortal sin to confess?” She glanced at Finn, then looked back at Rose, whose cheeks were turning pink.

“Nothing like that!” she hissed. “Just… thoughts.”

Rey gave a quick look at the man sitting next to her, then looked back at Rose. “Me, too.”

They both giggled, then straightened as they heard a man’s voice begin to chant the Alma Redemptoris Mater. The people stood as the Jesuit priest followed a young soldier carrying a crucifix down the center aisle to the makeshift altar set up in the front of the room.

Poe had told them about the priest this morning before they came. Father De Smet was originally from Belgium, but had spent close to thirty years traveling all over the west, giving the first Catholic mass in Wyoming in 1840. He had a good relationship with almost all the Indian tribes and was here to give them encouragement in their negotiations. They called him and the other Jesuit priests Black Robes.

Rey focused on the older man as he began to intone the mass in Latin, the familiar words and chants giving her comfort. How many times had she watched the man she loved as her own father offer the mass in her lifetime? Rey felt her spirits rise as the mass proceeded. She saw the priest focus on them more than once; the fact that she, a white woman, was sitting with three people of different races, two of them men, was noteworthy, she was sure. When the time came for them to come forward for communion, Poe stood to let them pass him. Rey respected his choice, remembering that he had told her he had not practiced the faith for many years.

After mass, Father De Smet found them. It was obvious he remembered Poe, as they had crossed paths more than once through the years, and Poe introduced Rey and the others. “Your adopted father was a priest?” he asked, looking at Rey.

“Yes,” Rey nodded. “He legally adopted Finn, as well. Rose was never officially adopted, but he treated her as a daughter and invited her to come with us to Oregon.”

The priest nodded. “But now you go without him.”

“I believe he’s with us in spirit.”

De Smet smiled. “Yes, I believe so, too.” He looked at Poe. “And your proof is your Guardian Angel here. If anyone can get you to your new home safely, it’s Poe Dameron.”

Rey looked at Poe. “Yes, I believe you are right.”

******

They left Fort Laramie bright and early Monday morning. And it was indeed bright. Daylight was at its longest now, and the sun was fairly far up in the sky and already hot by the time everyone was ready to go. The camps around them, as well as the fort itself, were also active, and many of the people, both Indian and white, watched them go.

They crossed the rather rickety bridge over the Laramie River and continued to head west-northwest, still following the path of the North Platte. The bridge, Poe had learned, had been hastily built just a couple of weeks ago, as the one that had previously stood there had washed out when the spring rains combined with the mountain snowmelt had created a raging river. It was still high and flowing fast, but the bridge was standing solid against the water and they made it across without any problem.

Poe rode BB for the first few hours, knowing the horse had some energy to burn as he had rested like all of them for the past few days. He rode far ahead of the wagon, then back to them a few times. He had no need to hunt for a while, as they still had plenty of jerky from the lost oxen, as well as some fresh vegetables given as a parting gift from Ted and Kimi.

Poe watched Rey closely as the day progressed. She seemed much more comfortable today, her color better, and he could tell she was making an effort to drink more. Poe knew finding water wouldn’t be a problem for the next few weeks, as creeks and lakes would be frequent up through the South Pass, but there would be several dry stretches yet in the future. Storms and rain would also be less frequent as the summer progressed.

Poe also found himself eyeing Rose and Finn more often. Yesterday after mass, the four of them had shared a brunch with a few of the officers and their wives outside in the sunshine. Father De Smet had joined them as well. While the group had been all white, they had not acted uncomfortable around the three non-white guests, and had, in fact, seemed genuinely welcoming to them all. After the meal, Poe had watched Finn and Rose head off with Father De Smet, the three of them talking intently. Today, the couple seemed… different. They were holding hands almost constantly, and giving each other secretive looks and smiles. After the couple wandered off to gather flowers during the noon break, Poe finally asked Rey what was going on.

“They asked Father De Smet to offer them counseling yesterday,” she told him with a shy smile. “Finn proposed and Rose accepted, so Father De Smet gave them a blessing and permission to marry. Essentially, they had their banns announced and they can marry whenever we find a priest to do it, as long as it’s longer than three weeks from yesterday.”

Poe grinned. “So, they’re finally engaged.”

Rey nodded. “Yes.” But then she looked troubled. “You don’t think a priest will deny them, do you? Because of their color?”

Poe shook his head. “Out here? Doubtful. They’re both baptized and now have permission from Father De Smet. I can almost guarantee they won’t be refused.” He sighed. “However, it may be a while before we see another priest.”

“What about Fort Bridger? Won’t there be one there?”

“Well, first of all, priests aren’t assigned to the forts out here,” Poe told her. “They’re on the move all the time, trying to tend to their scattered flock. And second,” he paused. “We aren’t going to Fort Bridger.”

Rey studied him for a while. “The short-cut you were talking about?”

He nodded. “We’ll be heading more north after the South Pass. Fort Bridger is south.”

She nodded. “Easier route but more of a chance of running into Indians, right?”

“Right. And it’s only easier in the summer. It’s pretty rough up there in the winter.”

“So, we’re almost to the mountains?” Rey’s eyes were excited.

“A little over two hundred miles.” He cocked his head at her. “That’s still quite a journey.”

He could almost see her mind working. “Less than three weeks if we don’t run into any problems.”

He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, okay. Let’s pray we don’t run into any problems.”

She grinned.

The first week out of Fort Laramie went very smooth, but it was also becoming very dry, with no rain. Fortunately, the trail kept them fairly close to the river. They traveled in a northwesterly direction, passing Fort Fetterman on the other side of the river one quiet afternoon. They didn’t stop, and though they saw some uniformed riders watching them, the soldiers didn’t cross the river to speak to them. Poe wondered if they had communicated with the Ren caravan and therefore knew who they were and why they were alone.

They came along the remains of Fort Caspar, which had been abandoned the year before. The bridge that allowed them to finally cross the North Platte, the river they had followed for weeks, was still standing and still solid. Poe told the others about a battle that had been fought here between the soldiers and the Lakota and Cheyenne in 1865. The fort had been called Platte Bridge Station at the time, but it was renamed after Caspar Collins, one of the soldiers killed during that battle.

“One of the warriors who led the Indians in the battle was at Fort Laramie when we were there,” Poe told them. “Red Cloud is finally seeking peace.”

Once they crossed the Platte, their path turned almost directly west. The terrain was becoming difficult, with pine covered ridges, plateaus, and rugged ground. All eight of their oxen were being used now, though Poe said there would be plenty of open, flat areas ahead before they got to the real mountains.

On June 27^th, they reached Independence Rock.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” Poe smiled.

“Really?” Rey asked a bit grumpily. “Because to me it feels like we’re moving at a snail’s pace.”

“Independence Rock was given its name because the first wagon trains usually reached it around July 4^th. We’re making good time.”

As it was a Saturday, they set up camp with the knowledge that they would be resting here until Monday, and Rey immediately set out to do laundry on the banks of the Sweetwater River. Because Rose did the majority of the cooking, Rey always tried to do her share by mending and cleaning everyone’s clothing. Poe watched her head across the still green grass for a moment, then he glanced at Rose and Finn, who were, as usual, completely focused on each other while Rose mixed up sourdough. Without letting himself think too much about it, he got up and followed Rey.

Rey set the basket of laundry, which now included some of his clothing, on the bank of the river and sat on the grass. She turned her head to watch him as he moved to sit beside her. “I am fine doing this myself, you know,” she said with a smirk.

“Oh, I know,” Poe nodded. “Just thought you might like company.” He glanced over his shoulder back toward the wagon; he could hear Finn and Rose laughing, but couldn’t see them from this spot. He looked back at Rey. “We’re catching up to the others,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they came into sight in a few days.”

He watched as Rey swallowed and nodded, looking away. “I know.” The fresh cow pies on the trail were hard to miss. “How much farther until South Pass?”

“Over one hundred miles, yet.”

Rey looked troubled, biting her lip. “I don’t…” she sighed. “I don’t want to see him again.”

“I know,” he said softly. “We can hang back. It’s not going to make us late.”

“And when we get to South Pass, we go north, they go south, right?”

“Right.”

“Are you sure?”

He focused on her. “Yes. We discussed the route many times. They have no reason to change it, and no desire to.” He cocked his head. “You do know that I will protect you from him, don’t you? I swear on my life.”

She smiled, her eyes huge as she looked at him. “I know,” she whispered. Then she leaned forward and kissed him softly at the corner of his mouth. She straightened up slowly, as if she didn’t want to move away from him, her eyes once more meeting his.

Ignoring that part of him that had been telling him for weeks to not get close to this woman, physically or emotionally, Poe reached up and cupped the back of her head gently. Then he leaned in to kiss her.

******

Rey had never been kissed before.

Other than brief pecks on her cheek, and one memorable moment when Daniel Linski had kissed her hand at Carol Bannister’s birthday party when she was seventeen, Rey was completely inexperienced when it came to physical intimacy. Not that she hadn’t thought about it. She had often wondered what it would feel like, especially when she was in the presence of a man she thought was attractive. But she had never focused on any one particular person until Poe Dameron.

She had spent an embarrassingly long amount of time staring at his mouth in the past few weeks. Watching him talk or when he was eating, wondering if his lips were as soft as they looked and what would they taste like and would he be gentle or forceful… She would feel excitement with these thoughts, and then would start to think of far more intimate things. Rey knew what sex was, and the mechanics involved in the act. She had watched with clinical curiosity when dogs and horses mated, and assumed people copulated in a similar fashion. However, she had never imagined she would ever enjoy the act, and couldn’t understand how any woman could. But again, Poe had changed her perspective. For the first time, she had thought that maybe, just maybe, she would be okay letting a man have intercourse with her, but only if that man was Poe.

So, when Poe kissed her on the banks of the Sweetwater River in the wilds of Wyoming, Rey wasn’t surprised to feel her curiosity grow along with her excitement. The idea of this man touching her… mating with her… did not disgust her at all. If anything, she was absolutely willing to let him do anything he wanted with her, trusting that he would take care of her. Her subconscious reminded her that sex was something that was supposed to be reserved for marriage, but she shoved the thought away. She was on the frontier, and it was unknown when they would come across another priest; God would surely forgive, especially knowing she was only feeling this way because she was absolutely, irrevocably in love.

His lips were as soft as they looked, and as he pressed into her further, she felt his tongue gently probe her mouth, encouraging her to open for him. She couldn’t refuse, and the touch of his tongue to hers sent a flare of electricity through her body. She hadn’t realized this was something that was done, much less that it would feel so good! He continued to toy with her mouth, his lips and tongue stoking a fire in her that she had never known existed. His hand was on her shoulder, his fingers massaging her through the material of her blouse, and that touch only increased the heady feeling his kiss was creating. She felt a surge of moisture in her nether regions, and she pulled back, embarrassment flooding her.

Poe let her go immediately as she pulled away, her face hot. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “Did I hurt you?”

Rey shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Of course not.” She glanced at him, aware he was watching her with concern. “I just…”  She licked her lips, remembering that he already knew so many intimate things about her. “I think I may have started my monthly.” She focused on a blade of grass on the ground.

Poe was silent for a moment, then he asked softly. “Are you due?”

The question caught her off guard. “No,” she told him, then looked at him. “It hasn’t been four weeks since Fort Laramie, has it?”

He shook his head, a contemplative expression on his face. “You… felt like you were starting to bleed?” he asked. “While we were kissing?”

Again, Rey felt embarrassment surge through her. She looked away. “Yes.”

“It’s not your moon, Rey,” he told her, his voice sounding relieved.

She looked at him. “How do you know?”

The corner of his mouth curled up slightly. “I’m sure you know what happens to male animals, and men, when they become sexually aroused?”

Rey felt her cheeks heating again, but instead of looking away, she looked down toward Poe’s crotch. It was quite obvious the bulge she had admittedly noticed previously was larger than normal. She swallowed and looked away quickly. “Yes,” she said with a rush, then cleared her throat.

“Well, the same thing can happen to women, just in a different way.”

Rey looked at him, surprised. “You mean…not blood?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s not blood. But it is your body’s way of… preparing itself.” He cocked his head. “Many women never feel arousal. Wives just let their husbands get on with it and get it done, and women like Rose’s mother used assistance to make things more comfortable.”

Rey suddenly remembered overhearing a conversation between two women who worked as cooks at the orphanage, Lily and Nora. They had both been prostitutes like Rose’s mother before Father Luke had offered them safer and better paying jobs. They had been joking about the huge bottle of Olive oil used for cooking. “What I would have given for a bottle like that back in the day!” one had laughed.

Rey shifted her weight and looked at Poe again, her curiosity overcoming her discomfiture. “So… our kissing made me..?”

Poe nodded, a teasing smile on his lips. “Yep.” He cocked his head at her. “Obviously, you’ve never touched yourself.”

“What?”

He laughed softly. “Touched yourself,” he repeated. “Between your legs. In pleasure.”

She swallowed. “Uh, no.”

“You may want to experiment with that,” he said, “Find what you like, and then,” he paused.

“Then?” Rey breathed.

“Don’t settle for any man who doesn’t make you feel that way or better.”

Rey stared at him for a long moment. Lifting her chin up, she asked, “If I can make myself feel good, then why do I need a man?”

Poe’s eyes lit up and he pulled back, laughing. Rey had to bite her lip to keep from joining him. He finally caught his breath and focused on her. “That is a very good question,” he told her. “But if you want babies, you’re going to need a man. Or you could just adopt a bunch like your father, I guess.” He shrugged, his eyes still dancing with laughter.

Rey finally let herself smile back at him. “I want babies,” she said. “But I think it’s too late for me.”

“Bullshit,” he rasped. “Philly society may consider you an ‘old maid’ by twenty-two, but out here you are still very eligible.”

Laughter from over the hill behind them caught her attention, and Rey remembered why she had come to the water in the first place. She moved up on her knees, reaching for the basket of clothing. “I should finish these before supper is ready.”

She glanced back at Poe just in time to see him nod and push himself to his feet. “Yeah,” he said softly. “I apologize for being too forward, Miss Skywalker,” he said softly. “It won’t happen again.” He turned to walk away.

Rey sat up straight. “Poe!”

He stopped and looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

She licked her lips, then smirked. “I hope it does happen again.” The expression on his face made her smile grow. She turned back to the clothing, grabbing up the small bar of lye and bringing it and one of Finn’s shirts to the water and began scrubbing. It took a moment, but she soon heard him walk away.

That night, after the sun had set and the heat of the day had finally subsided, as she lay next to Rose on the old thin mattress they used as a bed in the wagon, her mind once more ran over what had happened at the river. She turned on her side and whispered, “Rose?” Knowing the men were right under the wagon and the sides of the canvas were up to allow the breeze in, she kept her voice very quiet. “Can I ask you a question?”

Rose sighed and turned to face her, her eyes half shut. “What?”

“Have you and Finn… you know?”

Rose’s eyes popped open all the way. “What?” she gasped softly.

Rey bit her lip, but pushed on. “How far have you and Finn gone? Intimately?”

Rose blinked at her in the dark, then she shifted uncomfortably. “Well… we haven’t… we’ve touched. A lot of kissing. We haven’t actually…” she shrugged.

“Have you… become aroused?” Rey whispered. “Have you… felt wet. Between your legs?”

Rose was quiet for a moment. “Yes,” she finally said. “Have you?”

Rey nodded. “Yes.”

Suddenly, they were both giggling. “Shhhhhh,” they told each other, which only made them laugh harder.

“What are you two doing up there?” Finn asked loudly.

“Nothing!” Rose answered. “Just talking.”

“About what, exactly?” Poe pushed, and Rey could swear she could hear a smile in his voice.

“Never you mind!” Rey said. “It’s women’s talk!”

“We’re going to sleep now!” Rose told them. “Goodnight!” She reached out and grabbed Rey’s hand. “He’s going to marry you,” she said softly. “I’m sure of it!”

Rey felt her heart squeeze. “I don’t know, Rose,” she argued. “But I hope so.”

******

Two days past Independence Rock, the Ren wagon train came into sight. The rolling hills and bluffs kept them from view most of the time, but Poe could see Rey’s tension as she realized how close they were coming. Poe knew it wasn’t because their oxen were faster than the others, but that because they didn’t have to wait on other people, they naturally got started earlier in the mornings, and took shorter breaks during the day. When they made camp that night, they could see the fires from the caravan ahead of them.

“Let’s stay here for a day,” Poe suggested. “Let them increase the distance between us.” It was hard to miss Rey’s relieved expression, but she also looked worriedly at Rose and Finn. He shrugged as the couple looked back and forth between them. “We’re about a week away from the South Pass, and then we won’t have to worry about them anymore. We can afford to relax a couple extra days in the meantime.”

They were still near the Sweetwater River, so water wasn’t an issue, even with the fact that it hadn’t rained in over a week. And there was plenty of grass for the oxen to graze on. Poe even let Rey ride out on her own with BB for a short while; she rode a large circle toward the east, away from the direction of the Ren wagons. Just in case. They carried on the next day, much more relaxed and refreshed; having an extra day off was certainly not a problem for any of them.

The day was extraordinarily hot, and Poe almost regretted that they hadn’t stayed in camp one more day. They took a longer break than normal mid-day, and stopped earlier, as the oxen were panting heavily. Even after the sun set, the temperature remained abnormally warm. Poe and Finn made sure the oxen were allowed to wade out into the river while they drank and didn’t bring them back in to the wagon until they had stopped panting.

The next day, they came upon a disturbing sight. Five oxen, which Poe recognized as being from the Ren train, lay dead. It was apparent by the cold firepits and the area of flattened grass that this had been a campsite. But why had so many oxen died overnight here? Poe dismounted and handed BB’s reins to Rey as he carefully walked over to the dead animals. There were no signs that they had been shot, and two were still sternal, as if they had simply passed away in their sleep, their heads dropped to the ground.  

“Heat exhaustion,” Poe muttered. “They weren’t able to cool down last night. They were probably allowed to drink, then brought back here for the night.” Poe looked over at Rey, who was frowning sadly at the bodies. “They can’t sweat like horses can.”

“Wouldn’t the guides have known what to do?” Rose said, her voice angry. “You did.”

Poe shrugged. He thought Bill and Mike should have known. Hell, Ren had done this more than once; he should have known. “Maybe they were distracted.” He looked around. They were surrounded by sandstone bluffs of various sizes. “Maybe they saw something and wanted to get the oxen safely into the circle before nightfall.”

“Poor things,” Rey whispered as Poe came back to her, taking BB’s reins from her. They continued on, their mood bleak.

After they made camp, clouds moved in, and shortly after nightfall, lightning lit up the sky to the west, a cool breeze blowing ahead of the storm. There was no worry about it not cooling off tonight. The rain came, but it was short-lived. Poe made sure the oxen and BB were tied tightly, remembering the last time a night storm had hit after they had left the train, but there was only rain and a bit of wind this time, though the lightning and thunder were almost constant.

Poe determined the next morning, a Saturday, that it wouldn’t hurt to stay in camp for the weekend. Despite the storm, the heat was returning and he figured the Ren train had been slowed by their loss of oxen. Poe headed out early the next morning to scout out the area on BB. As he traveled a couple of miles north of their position, he found fresh horse droppings. And they were not in one spot, but scattered, indicating the horse was being ridden and had defecated while moving. Wild horses wouldn’t bother; they would stand still to leave a pile. Suddenly, he realized what had spooked the others and made them rush to get the cattle in the safety of the circle without waiting for them to cool down.

They were being watched.

But by who? Indians, he was sure, but which tribe? Were they anyone he knew, or were he and his group in potential danger? If the watchers weren’t friendly, then he and his companions were more likely to be a target, as they essentially had no protection. But if the watchers recognized him, knowing he was a friend, they should be safe…

He rode back to the wagon at a swift but not rushed pace, trying to tell himself he wasn’t worried. But the relief he felt upon seeing his three friends sitting in the shade playing some kind of card game was extreme. These people, he knew, had become far more than an assignment to him. Finn had become a friend and confidant, Rose felt like a little sister, and Rey… Well, even though his logical mind told him she could be nothing more than a friend, deep down he couldn’t help but wish for something far more.

When they settled to eat their noon meal, Poe told them what he had seen.

“Do you think we’re in danger?” Rey asked quietly.

Poe shook his head. “I can’t imagine they wouldn’t have done something by now if they didn’t want us here. I think they are just watching, probably the caravan more than us. We’re not a threat, and they have seen countless people pass by through the years.”

“And if they recognized you?” Finn asked.

Again, Poe shrugged. “Then maybe we’ll get invited to dinner?”

They laughed, as Poe had hoped they would.

“Just keep alert and don’t anyone go off alone,” he told them.

On Monday morning, they headed out once more. Their oxen were rested, and while the days were still hot, the nights seemed to cool off better. Late that morning, Poe pointed ahead of them. Just barely visible on the horizon lay a barrier of white. “There they are,” he told them.  

The Rocky Mountains were just ahead.

******

The South Pass wasn’t at all what Rey was expecting.

In her mind’s eye, whenever the people around her had talked about it, she had envisioned a canyon just wide enough to fit a wagon, like a crevasse in a rock wall. But that was not the case. The closer they got to the mountains ahead, the more they seemed to expand in either direction, but not directly in front of them. The terrain they traveled on was still essentially flat, with the tall buffalo grass gradually turning into sagebrush and prickly pear cactus. After three days, the snow-capped peaks of the mountains were no longer in front of them, but on either side.

The Ren caravan came into sight once more, but the vastness of the area they were in meant they were still very far away. Poe was quite sure they had no worries of overtaking the other wagons before they got through the pass.

“And when are we getting to the pass?” Rey asked.

Poe just smiled at her. “We’re in it now.”

South Pass wasn’t a tiny break in the mountains. It was a twenty-mile-wide gap.

“So, we’re in the mountains?” Rose asked, panting as she walked along.

“You’ve noticed it’s gotten harder to breathe, haven’t you?” Poe responded.

Rey stared at him. She had noticed.

“We’ve been steadily climbing the past couple of weeks. We’re not on a mountaintop,” he grinned. “But we are ‘in the mountains’. Some think that the higher you go, the less air there is.”

“I thought it would be colder,” Finn said.

“Well, we’re not going that high,” Poe laughed, pointing up toward the snow-capped peaks to their right.

When they camped that night, they could once more see the fires from the Ren train, but Poe wasn’t at all worried. “They’re through. They’ll be turning south in the morning.”

“And we won’t,” Finn added, almost as an assurance for himself and the others.

Poe shook his head. “No, we won’t.”

They took their time getting started the next morning. As usual, Poe set out on BB ahead of them, scouting their trail, then he rode back to tie BB to the back of the wagon and walk along with them. “They are already heading south,” he told Rey as he joined her where she walked on the right side of the oxen. Sometimes they all walked in a group, other times Rey and Poe walked on opposite sides as Finn and Rose, giving them time to talk privately. It also allowed she and Poe privacy, something Rey knew shouldn’t be so important to her. But it was.

About an hour after their noon break, the wagon trail diverged. It had done this many times during their journey, and Poe and the other guides had always known which one to take. More often than not, it had been the road that looked the most heavily traveled. Not today. Today, Poe directed them to the right-hand path, which was barely visible. Rey looked at him as the oxen willingly followed the new trail, seeking assurance.

She got it immediately. “We’ll be fine,” he said, nodding and smiling softly at her. “I promise.”

They were continuing to move ‘uphill,’ only this time it was more noticeable. It was harder to catch their breath, and Rey started to develop a headache, something she hadn’t had much trouble with since Fort Laramie. Poe told them all they would need to start drinking more, as the higher elevation caused dehydration faster. “I also think the thinner air causes headaches until you get used to it.”

“Will we get used to it?” Rey asked.

Poe shrugged. “I always do. It only takes a couple of days.”

He was right, as by the third day on their new route, everyone began to feel better and more energetic. The sun was still hot during the day, but the nights got noticeably cooler. It felt good to sleep under a blanket again. Water was scarce along this trail, but Poe had them prepared, making sure all the water barrels were full, and they made it to the next spring in good time, ensuring they and the animals stayed well hydrated. However, the spring, which Poe said was one of the many ‘Emigrant Springs’ on the trail, was small. The trail continued on, meandering through rugged country, full of sage and yucca. There was barely enough grass for grazing, and sometimes Poe called an early halt for the night so the animals could graze a couple of hours longer than normal. One evening, just after a short rain storm had drizzled some cool rain upon them, Poe stopped and looked around them.

“I think we are in Idaho Territory, now,” he announced. The next day, they reached Thomas Fork. The Little Muddy Creek, as the name implied, wasn’t big, but the banks were steep and rocky. A bridge had been built years before, and the owner had charged a toll that many travelers couldn’t afford, making them go well downstream to find an easier place to cross, but now that there weren’t as many travelers, the toll had been abandoned. The bridge itself seemed rickety to Rey, but Poe confidently led them across.

“Will the Ren train be coming this way?” Rose had asked after they crossed the creek.

Poe nodded. “But we are well ahead of them now.”

“Is another reason they didn’t take the cut we did because of that lack of water?” Rey asked.

“That and the Blackfoot Indians that roam this area.”

“But we didn’t have any trouble,” Rey frowned.

Poe grinned. “I know.” He looked at her, his eyes still bright. “And the Blackfoot are still around, so they didn’t avoid anything.” He snorted. “It’s just assumed to be safer and easier. Ren’s probably never taken the short-cut, therefore doesn’t trust it.”

They came upon Big Hill the next day. During most of the trail, only six of their eight oxen had been used to pull the wagon, but as they neared the dreaded landmark, all eight were yoked and hooked up. “We made need to help push,” Poe told Finn. “Rose, why don’t you guide the oxen?” He glanced at Rey, knowing she would help push, too. “We’ll need to lock the wheels at the top and use ropes to hold it on the way down the other side,” he warned them. “That’s how steep this thing is.”

“And we can’t go around?” Rey asked the question, knowing the answer. Poe wouldn’t have brought them here if there was any other way.

“The creek goes through the hills,” he told her. “But it’s a narrow, rocky cleft. We wouldn’t fit even if the way was clear.”

It took them all day, and the job was sweaty and dusty and exhausting. Poe turned BB loose to ensure the horse didn’t get in the way, and the buckskin actually moved up with the oxen, walking along with them, almost as if he was encouraging them as they strained and huffed up the hillside. Going down wasn’t any easier, as they tied the wheels together to keep them from rolling, making the wagon slide down the slope. Rey, Poe, and Finn tied ropes to the back of the wagon, and helped hold it to keep it from sliding too fast and overrun the oxen. Only once did they really have to use excessive effort, but it was a long, slow journey. Rey wanted to shout for joy when they finally reached the bottom.

“Please tell me there are no more hills like this,” Rey gasped, wiping her brow as she looked at Poe.

“Not exactly like this, no,” he answered. “There will still be some steep places, but they’re much shorter than this. Laurel Hill in Oregon is bad, but I’ve heard they’ve cut a trail around the worst of that one.”

They camped at the bottom of the hill, even though it was still fairly early, letting the oxen drink and rest for the night. Two days later, they reached Clover Creek Encampment, which seemed like an oasis. It was Saturday afternoon when they arrived, and the knowledge that this would be their campsite through Sunday was indeed a blessing. Berry bushes and cool, shady pools off the creek made for a very different environment than what they were used to, and it was extremely relaxing.

For the next three weeks, they moved northwest following the Bear River. Again, the days were hot and windy, but the nights were cool. It stayed mostly dry, with little rain, and then only small storms that barely did more than grumble at them, but they were often close enough to the river that water wasn’t a concern. Mountains surrounded them through the whole journey, but the trail remained mostly flat, with only a few bluffs here and there. They passed Soda Springs, where several natural hot springs dotted the landscape, and the smell of sulfur was strong in the air. Poe had them fill up the rain barrels at the springs, as the next four days they would not have access to water. They moved swiftly, and Poe was well pleased with their progress.

“After Fort Hall, we can take a few days rest,” he told them. “There’s some good grazing around there.” He looked at Rose and Finn. “And there just might be a priest at the Fort.” He winked. The hadn’t encountered one human soul since just before Thomas Fork, when a small party of soldiers on horseback had passed them heading east to Fort Laramie. As much as Rey enjoyed solitude, she was very much looking forward to some civilization as well as some time to just rest. If there was indeed a priest in Fort Hall, and he was able to marry Finn and Rose, then it would be a sort of honeymoon for them, Rey thought. And their alone time would mean…

She and Poe would also be alone.

******

Fort Hall was busier than Poe had ever seen it, with soldiers, civilians, and Indians camped all around it. Everyone watched them as they headed toward the Fort, curiosity in their eyes. It wasn’t that they weren’t used to seeing covered wagons, it’s that this particular wagon was alone and not part of a caravan. Poe searched for an officer among the soldiers, and finally a man with a Captain insignia rode toward them.

“Welcome to Fort Hall!” he told them, his expression friendly but wary. “Captain Newberry, United States Army.”

“Poe Dameron,” Poe nodded back, then he looked back at the others. “Rey Skywalker, Finn Skywalker, and Rose Tico.”

The man looked off in the direction they had come. “Are we to expect any more?”

Poe shook his head. “Not as of yet.” He couldn’t help but give the man a tight smile. “Our former train is somewhere back there, but I figure we’re several days ahead by now.”

The cavalry man cocked an eyebrow. “Your decision or theirs?”

“Theirs,” Rey said, speaking for the first time. She shrugged, then looked back at Finn and Rose.

Captain Newberry grimaced and nodded. “Well, you seem to be doing just fine on your own.”

“Better, actually,” Poe grinned.

The officer laughed.

“What’s going on here?” Poe finally asked, scanning the people around them.

“A treaty was just formalized a few weeks ago down at Fort Bridger,” Newberry said, dismounting from his horse. He seemed very much at ease with them now. “You are currently standing on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.” He looked around him. “These folks are on their way back to their camps.”

“Shoshone?”

“And Bannock,” the soldier nodded. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to.”

Poe looked back at the others. “We’ll probably stay the night,” he said. It was shortly after noon, now. “But I know of an area a couple days out that I’d like to camp for longer.”

“Tsahapin Springs?”

Poe grinned again. “Yes.”

“It’s a beautiful area,” Newberry nodded. “I think one of the family groups that just left here yesterday was heading that way.”

“Which one?”

“Washakie’s.”

Poe felt relief fill him. “I know him. We’ll be welcome there.” He paused. “We’ll set up camp over by the trees,” he said, pointing toward a stand of Aspen to the northeast of the Fort. “But first, do you happen to have a Catholic priest on site?”

“Yes, actually,” Newberry said. “Father Cataldo is here for the next week or so.”

Poe recognized the name, but knew he hadn’t met the man. “Jesuit?”

“Yes.”

Poe looked at Finn. “You still have your banns from Father De Smet?”

“Of course!” Finn answered, with fervor.

Poe smiled. “Why don’t you set up camp and I’ll go talk to him.” He looked at Newberry. “We may just have a wedding tonight.”

Poe walked with Newberry to the Fort, letting the others make camp. Once inside the walls of the stockade, Newberry sent a private to find the Blackrobe. The young priest had a kind face, wise eyes, and a Sicilian accent, though he spoke perfect English.

“Poe Dameron?” he said after Newberry introduced them. “I’ve heard your name. You’re associated with the Solo’s in Aldera, correct?”

Poe nodded. “Yes. I’m actually escorting Leia Solo’s niece and others there.”

“But not Leia’s brother?”

Poe shook his head. “He passed away over the winter, never leaving Philly.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” the priest responded. “I never met him, but I heard good things about him and the orphanage he ran. He was a good man, even if he wasn’t a Jesuit.” He laughed, and Poe couldn’t help but laugh with him. “Now, what can I do for you?”

“Two of my companions, one an adopted son of Father Skywalker, want to get married. They received the banns from Father De Smet when we came through Fort Laramie. Now, I’m sure they could wait until we get home to Aldera, but I think we would all be happy if you could oversee their vows now.”

“A wedding?” Father Cataldo looked delighted. “I would certainly enjoy that!”

“I do have to warn you,” Poe said, lowering his voice slightly. “The groom is a negro and the bride is Chinese.”

“Both are baptized Catholic?”

“Yes.”

The priest shrugged. “Then a wedding we shall have! I have no problem with the color of their skin!” He grinned. “I’ll get the paperwork sorted now. Bring them to the chapel at six o’clock tonight. You and Miss Skywalker will be witnesses, yes?”

Poe nodded. “Absolutely!”

He left the Fort and made his way quickly to the wagon, which was about a quarter of a mile away. The oxen were unyoked and they and BB were picketed and grazing. A fire had been started and Rose was stirring something over it. It wasn’t often they cooked the noon meal, usually just having bread or jerky, but since they were making camp here tonight, it appeared Rose had decided on something more filling. Poe made his way directly toward her.

“Are you ready to become Mrs. Finn Skywalker?” he asked her with a smile when he reached her.

“Oh!” she gasped, looking over at the wagon where Finn and Rey were getting water from one of the rain barrels.

Finn walked over to her, his eyes on Poe. “Really?”

“We’re to meet him at the chapel at six.” He looked at Rey. “You and I will witness.”

The rest of the afternoon was filled with excitement and nervousness. Rey helped Rose do a quick mend on the dress Rose wanted to wear before taking sponge baths in the wagon, and Poe walked with Finn around the Fort to the Snake River to bathe. Shortly before six, the four of them made their way to the Fort. The soldiers guarding the gate had been informed of the last-minute wedding and let them in without question, though a couple looked at the multiracial group with barely disguised distaste.

Father Cataldo met them. He took the couple individually, starting with Rose, for confession, then had them fill out their names on the paperwork, pleased that both of them could read and write. A handful of soldiers and their wives came to watch the ceremony. One of the women had made a bouquet of wildflowers and gave it to Rose with a smile. These people, at least, didn’t seem bothered by race. When everyone had settled, the priest began the ceremony. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

Poe watched Rey as the couple recited their vows to the priest and to each other. She looked happy, but also as if she was about to cry. She glanced at him, and when she realized he was watching her, she didn’t look away. Poe almost felt the words being spoken by Finn, wondering what it would be like to say them to Rey. And she almost seemed to be feeling Rose’s words. When the priest announced the couple as man and wife, it was hard to look away from Rey’s beautiful eyes, but he forced himself to so he could applaud with the rest of the people in the church.

They all moved over to the side of the church to sign the paperwork, then the woman who had given Rose the flowers came up to them. “I made a cake when I heard. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Of course not!” Rose gushed. “Thank you so much!” There was amazement in her expression. Not only that she and Finn were now married, but that these white strangers were willing to celebrate with them.

Everyone moved out of the chapel and to a table set up just outside one of the buildings that housed the officers. There they enjoyed a simple but sweet cake and punch. There was laughter and lots of talking as the women pulled Rose and Rey aside, asking them about their destination and plans once they arrived there. Poe and Finn faced the same questions from the men. Sunset came and everyone dispersed. Rose and Rey walked arm in arm as they headed back to the wagon, chattering about the excitement of the evening, while Poe and Finn walked behind them.

“So, Finn,” Poe said, keeping his voice low. “You do know that you’re going to have to hold off on the wedding night for a bit, right?”

Finn laughed. “Oh, I thought you and Rey could go off and sleep in the bush and give me and Rose the wagon for the night.”

“Funny,” Poe smirked. “If we leave early in the morning, we should reach Tsahapin Spring in two days. If the Shoshone tribe I know is camped there, I bet we can get you two your own lodge for a couple of nights. If they aren’t there, then we’ll set up something so you can have your privacy.”

“Thank you, Poe,” Finn said seriously. “For everything.” Then he smirked. “Now we just need to get you and Rey married.”

Poe scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

Finn looked surprised. “You don’t want her?”

Poe looked ahead at the women, who were still arm and arm, giggling to each other. “Of course I do,” he said. “But she’s not meant for a mixed-blood Mexican mongrel.”

Finn shook his head. “You’re wrong,” he said. “She loves you. And I have a feeling she will never settle for anyone but you, my friend.”

******

They left Fort Hall early the next morning, finding the two-track trail to Oregon after they passed the fort and made their way toward the Snake River. Poe had told them they would always have access to water until Three Island Crossing; though the banks of the Snake would get too steep to get to the river at points, there would be tributaries and springs that would stay full even in the driest weather. If they could cross the Snake at Three Island, then they would be in good condition the rest of the way through Idaho. If the river was too full, they would need to take the southern route, which was dry, with far fewer areas to access water. Even with the weather as dry as it had been, the snowmelt from the mountains was still in full force; they wouldn’t know what the crossing would be like until they got there. The river was full, Poe thought, but not as full as he’d seen it in the past.

The first day out of Fort Hall was hard for Rey. She and Rose had been up most of the night after Finn and Rose’s wedding quietly talking. About sex. Rose was familiar with the mechanics of it obviously, as she had grown up in a brothel, but her mother had sheltered her as best she could, ensuring a trusted friend took Rose to Father Skywalker’s orphanage as soon as she knew she was too sick to protect her daughter. The woman had died only two days later, happy with the knowledge that Rose was safe from living the kind of life she had been forced to live.

“I’m nervous,” Rose had confided. “But I’m excited, too.”

“I understand that feeling,” Rey had sympathized.

“It has to hurt, doesn’t it?” Rose wondered. “At least the first few times?”

Rey shrugged. “I can’t imagine it doesn’t.”

“Before I became Father Skywalker’s housekeeper,” Rose continued. “I worked for Mr. and Mrs. Pembleton. Do you remember them?”

Rey nodded.

“I overheard the women talking during a tea Mrs. Pembleton had. They were discussing sex. Most of them seemed to see it as an obligation. Something that they had to do as part of being married. But there were a couple younger women…”

“What did they say?” Rey pushed.

“They said they liked it!” Rose laughed. “Two of the older ladies looked absolutely appalled!”

“I feel like,” Rey responded contemplatively. “That if real love is involved, that it can be pleasurable.”

“I sure feel good when Finn is kissing me and touching me. I want him to touch me in places I don’t even like to touch!”

Rey giggled softly, remembering Poe asking if she touched herself. “I think I’d rather have Poe touch me in those places than myself, too.”

Needless to say, both Rey and Rose had been extremely tired when they got back on the road.

The next day had gone smoothly, and during mid-afternoon Poe mounted BB and rode out ahead of them, knowing they were coming up on the spring he had mentioned. The one that he called by an Indian name. When she asked about it, he had told her, “It’s Shoshone for ‘rest’.” She watched as he stopped on top of a slight rise and looked back at them, waiting for them to catch up. Finn stopped the oxen as they took in the sight in front of them.

At least two dozen tipis were scattered around the area next to the river, with a large group of birch and cottonwood trees that created an oasis of green grass despite the dry conditions. A few horses grazed the area off to the south, and a herd of cattle were fenced even further away.

“Cattle?” Rey asked Poe, surprised to see the domestic bovines in an Indian encampment.

“Gifts from the U.S. Government, I’m sure,” Poe responded. “A bribe to keep the tribe on the reservation.” He looked at her. “This tribe and others have only recently stopped warring with the United States. Some still are.”

Two riders were moving quickly toward them, and Poe rode BB out to meet them. She could hear him speak to them in what she assumed was their language, using hand gestures as well. Another rider appeared, an older man who looked to be in charge. He was smiling, and he dismounted as Poe also stepped off BB. The two men embraced. Poe stepped back and started speaking to the man Rey assumed was the chief of the tribe, Washakie. He gestured back toward them, and the Indian looked upon them with curious eyes. He asked Poe a question, then seemed startled by the answer. He looked at Rey again, then said something to Poe. Poe shook his head vehemently and the Indian smiled.

After the two conversed for a little longer, Poe turned back to them. “We’re welcome to unhitch the wagon in between the two lodges down this way.” He pointed toward the north side of the camp, close to the river. “Finn and Rose have been gifted with one of those lodges for however long we decide to stay. The oxen can be turned out with their cattle.”

“Your honeymoon suite,” Rey smiled as she looked at her friends. Rose’s cheeks turned pink and Finn looked away in embarrassment.

“Rey, if you are comfortable enough, you can sleep in the other lodge with Washakie’s two daughters. It’s much more comfortable than the wagon,” Poe continued.

“What about you?” Rey frowned.

“I’ll sleep in the wagon.”

“No,” Washakie said, shaking his head. He continued on in his own language, then looked at Rey. “Lodge is big enough for both,” he explained in English. “My daughters can come back to my lodge for your visit.”

Poe was shaking his head now. “We should not share a lodge,” he told the chief. “I already told you we are not married.”

Washakie frowned, but Rey could swear there was a glint in his eye. “Lodge is for sleeping. You do not need to be married to sleep,” he said innocently.

Rose giggled, and Rey turned to look at her, her eyes wide.

“You cannot refuse, Natsammayaappeh,” Washakie continued. “Many of my young warriors will think her to be unmarried and try to convince her to stay. She is too beautiful. You must not leave her unprotected.”

Rey wasn’t quite sure she believed the man’s words, as he had a smirk on his face during the whole speech, but if it meant her sharing a tipi alone with Poe…

“I’m fine sharing with you, Poe,” she told them. “The lodges look to have more than enough room for the both of us.”

Washakie gave her a huge grin, and she couldn’t help but smile back, especially when she saw Poe roll his eyes in frustration.

They settled the wagon, turned the oxen loose with the cattle while Poe let BB loose with the other horses, and were immediately drawn into the camp. Several women helped Rey and Rose set up the tipi Rose and Finn would stay in, decorating it with flowers, ensuring the sleeping pallet was bedded down with comfortable furs and blankets, and making sure there was plenty of water and foodstuffs so they wouldn’t have to leave if they didn’t want to. More than one of the Shoshone women spoke English, so they chatted as they worked, and Rey felt awe at how similar these ‘savage’ and ‘uncultured’ women were to herself.

As sunset neared, they joined the men around a large central fire to eat, and while most of the talk going on was in the Shoshone language, Rey understood a great deal of what was being said by the expressions and gestures of the people around her. Poe translated when he thought it necessary. Eventually, some of the women who had helped set up the ‘honeymoon’ lodge encouraged Rose and Finn to retire for the night, but before they left Rose grabbed Rey’s arm and dragged her away from the fire.

“Now is your chance!” Rose told her. “You’ll be alone with Poe! Have your own wedding night!”

Rey shook her head. “It won’t happen. He’s too much of a gentleman.”

“Then you’ll have to do something drastic!”

The rest of the women came to Rey as Rose left with Finn and escorted her to the tipi she would be sleeping in. Rey was more than a little shocked to see it set up similar to Rose’s. She looked at one of the women, Kimama, confused. “Your friend asked us to dress this for a first coupling, too,” the woman told her.

“But Poe and I aren’t married,” Rey whispered, knowing he was coming in behind them.

Kimama shrugged. “You do not need to be, as long as you wish to be.”

Poe ducked into the tent as the women giggled and passed him on their way out. He watched them, then moved to pull the flap closed over the entrance. He turned to Rey, an uncertain look on his face.

“What does Natsamma-yap-hay mean?” Rey asked softly. The small fire in the center of the tipi was the only light, but it was enough to read his nervous expression.

“Basically, it means mixed blood,” he told her. “It’s my name here.”

She nodded. “I like it.”

Suddenly, Poe seemed to realize there was only one sleeping pallet made up. “Rey… maybe I should just go back to the wagon.”

“And leave me alone here?” she said, walking toward him. “All those young warriors out there would see you leave and know I was alone.”

“They won’t do anything,” Poe assured her. “Not without your consent.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t think I would give it?”

He opened his mouth, a surprised expression on his face now, but then his brows lowered. “No, you wouldn’t,” he said. “And quit teasing me.”

She laughed. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I only want one man in my bed.” Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, slid her hands up to his shoulders, and kissed him.

******

Poe tried to refuse her. Oh, how he tried. But she was so soft, and she tasted so sweet, and she even smelled good, earthy and warm. No woman should be as tempting as her after weeks of hard and dusty travel. But there was no question he wanted her. And she obviously wanted him.

But was she absolutely sure she knew what that meant?

He pulled back. “Rey, you should wait until you’re married.”

He expected her to get mad, but she just cocked her head at him. “To whom?” she asked frankly. “Any man that would want me in Oregon will only want me because of who my family is, like Ren did. And the idea of me wanting anyone else is unimaginable. What happens when we reach Aldera? You go your way, I go mine?”

He shook his head. “I’m not planning on leaving Aldera. We’ll see each other-“

She interrupted him. “As neighbors? As passing acquaintances in town? Will I have to watch you with other women? Maybe even marry someone else you deem more suitable?”

“Rey-“

“I love you, Poe! I want you!” She shook her head, and blinked furiously. Holding back tears? “I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for you. If this is all I can have, then let me have it!” She stepped up to him again, placing her hands on his chest. “Please, Poe, if you won’t marry me, at least love me. Please give me that. Please?”

“I do love you,” he whispered harshly. “But there are risks! You could get pregnant. What would your father say to that?”

She smiled. “He would be proud of his grandchild.” Then her smile turned into a grin. “And then he would make you marry me.”

Poe couldn’t help but laugh. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He would regret this. Then he opened his eyes and looked into her beautiful face. Young and innocent, but also wise and determined. She knew exactly what she was asking, and he was a fool for doubting her.

He moved his lips to hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck, responding with enthusiasm. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and she met it with her own. He moaned at her responsiveness. She was going to be a fast learner, he thought. He kissed her for a long time, bringing his hands up to direct her head gently, angling it to allow him more room for his nose, bringing his whole mouth into play. After a while spent learning her taste, he dropped his lips down her cheek to her jaw, lapping at her skin with his tongue, biting her lightly as he moved to her neck. She gasped, then moaned.

“You like?” he mumbled against her neck.

“Oh, yes!” she breathed.

“You let me know if there is something you don’t like, Rey,” he told her. “If it hurts or makes you uncomfortable, you let me know.”

He felt her shake her head. “But then you’ll stop,” she whined. “I don’t want you to stop.”

He pulled back and looked at her. “I won’t stop. I’ll just slow down. Change what I’m doing. This has to be what you want, Rey. Not just what I want.”

She licked her lips and drew the bottom one in with her teeth, biting on it. The action made Poe’s body tighten. He hadn’t had sex in well over a year. It would be hard to go slow; he wanted her so very badly. But he would. He would do anything for this woman. Even marry her?

As if she would still want him when they got to Oregon.

She watched him for a long moment, then she stepped back from him and reached for the buttons on her blouse. Poe released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, and moved to unbuckle his holster. He walked over to the place the Shoshone women had left his saddle bags and carefully deposited the revolver and knife next to it, then worked to toe off his boots, glancing over his shoulder at Rey.

She was pulling off her blouse, exposing her chemise underneath. And no corset. This didn’t surprise him, as he had been able to tell she didn’t wear one every day like Rose did. He had seen the difference in her shape when she chose to put one on the few times she was able to attend mass or other social events during their travels. She was very thin (too thin, Poe thought) and small breasted, so she had no need of a corset to ‘hold things up,’ but more than that, he was sure she refused to wear one out of her personal independence from societal norms.

As he pulled off his waistcoat, she untied her skirt and slid it down over her hips. His shirt. Her petticoat. His trousers. Her shoes and stockings. He kept his cotton drawers on as he moved towards her, standing barefoot in her chemise and pantalets. He watched her watch him, her eyes moving down his body, pausing as she reached the obvious bulge in his drawers, the buttons on the front barely restraining it. She blinked rapidly, then looked up, meeting his gaze.

“How…” she started. “How do we do this?”

He smiled. Normally she was so confident, even if she had never done something. But now she had finally reached a point where she had no clue what to do next.

“Just lie down, Rey,” he told her softly.

“Really?” She looked confused.

“Yes, really.”

She turned and walked toward the sleeping pallet, but then she turned back, tugging on the hem of her chemise. “I should take this off?”

“If you want,” he told her as he followed. “But leave your drawers on.”

She paused, then continued to pull the chemise off over her head. Poe felt his heart race as he saw her bare breasts for the first time. They were small, but perfect, with rosy pink nipples that were tight with what he hoped was arousal. With a start, he realized he had never had sex with a woman as fair as Rey. He hadn’t had an abundance of lovers in his life, but they had all been women of mixed race like himself, and none of them had been virgins. A sudden feeling of inadequacy rushed through him; this woman was not meant for him! But then her jewel-like eyes met his once more, and the adoration and trust in them humbled him in a far different way.

She loved him. She loved him as he was. His history. His heritage. His identity.

And he loved her, so very much.

She lowered herself down on the pallet, then lay back, watching him the whole time. He carefully sat next to her. While the pallet wasn’t completely on the ground, it was still lower than a white man’s bed. With trembling hands, he began to touch her, slowly, carefully, gently. Starting with her shoulders, moving down along her sides, bypassing her breasts, smoothing over her ribs and flat belly. She was too skinny, he thought again. He knew the rigors of the journey weren’t easy, but he would make an effort to get her to eat more. She was shivering under his touch, but there was no fear in her eyes. They watched him with a dreamy expression, letting him know she was more than enjoying his touch. He leaned forward and began to follow the same trail his hands had taken, only this time with his lips and tongue. She started whining softly as he worked down to her belly button, then back up toward her breasts. She arched her back, pushing her breasts upward, but then dropped down again.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped.

He lifted his head to look at her. “For what?”

“I can’t help… I want…”

“Don’t apologize for wanting more, Rey,” he told her. “Don’t be embarrassed to make noise, or to move your body in a way that feels good, or even ask me to do something. This is about pleasure, Tabai. And love.” He dropped his head back down, this time taking her nipple into his mouth, tonguing it gently.

She cried out in surprise, arching her back once more, then she moaned in absolute, unrestrained pleasure. “Oh! Poe! Awwwww!”

He continued to lave her breasts, sucking on them gently, grateful all his experiences with sex had been with women who hadn’t been afraid to tell him what they wanted, what felt good. As he toyed with her breasts, his fingers worked the ties on her pantalets, undoing them and slowly working the soft material down over her hips. Almost unconsciously, she arched her hips up, allowing him to pull her underwear off completely. He lifted his head and moved down with the last of her clothing, slipping them over her feet and dropping them on the ground. He was kneeling now, at her feet. An appropriate place, he thought, to worship her.

Gently, he reached up and parted her knees, moving up between them. She was panting, watching him with nervous but aroused eyes. She had no clue what he was about to do. He was quite sure she had never in her life heard of this; women of polite society, even if they knew about it, would never admit it. Keeping eye contact with her, Poe brought his mouth down to her center, smelling her arousal and anxious to taste it.

He was quite sure Rey’s shocked yelp was heard throughout the camp.

******

What was he doing?

Rey’s heart started to race as she watched Poe lower himself down between her legs. Yes, he had talked about touching her there, but surely he wasn’t going to…

She couldn’t stop the squeal as his mouth covered her most secret place and his tongue touched her. She wanted to jerk away, embarrassment filling her, but he held her still with his hands firm on her thighs. She remembered him telling her to let him know if she was uncomfortable with something, and she opened her mouth, ready to beg him to stop, when a feeling of warmth filled her nether regions. The moisture her body produced when it was ready to accept a mate. Arousal. Her brain may be thinking this was wrong, but her body knew it was very right.

She dropped her head, trying to relax and focus on what Poe was doing. He was kissing her, the same way he kissed her mouth, and it felt… amazing. Her hips jerked in response to his tongue entering her and she moaned, unable to stop herself from giving in to the pleasure she was feeling. Her hips began to rock instinctively, pushing against him, then retreating as much as he would let her. She heard him whisper “yes!” against her, then she felt his fingers touch her right underneath where his mouth was. Slowly, he slid a finger into her, his tongue playing with the super sensitive area near the top of her slit.

She reached down, grabbing his thick hair in one of her hands, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to push him away from her or pull him closer. She clenched her fingers, barely registering the softness of his hair, as he pulled his finger out, then pushed it back in. She started rocking her hips again, and he matched her movements with his hand and his tongue. The pressure increased, and she knew he had added another finger. He lifted his head, looking at her as her fingers slipped out of his hair, his eyes huge and black in the dim light from the fire. He began to quicken the thrusting of his fingers, encouraging her without words to move her hips faster along with him. She did so, biting her lip at the sudden feeling of desperation. She wanted something, but she wasn’t sure what. She knew Poe could give it to her, though, if she just…

The pressure built. “Poe?” she cried, unsure of what was happening.

“Let it go, Rey,” he told her, his voice rough and deep. “Don’t fight it.” His fingers were moving faster now. She couldn’t keep up! She couldn’t…

“Awwwww!” Her vision blurred and her body began to tremor uncontrollably. She cried out again, lifting her upper body up off the pallet a few inches, clenching her thighs together, trapping Poe’s hand. It felt like her heart stopped beating for a moment as ecstasy filled her. “Poe!” she wept.

“I’m here, Tabai! I won’t let you fall! I’m here!” He was smiling, his expression euphoric as he watched her. She met his eyes with her own, her vision blurry now with tears, as she fell limp to the pallet, her heart racing, her breath coming in gasps.

She felt his fingers leave her body as he slid his hand out from between her thighs. She brought her hands up to her face, feeling the dampness on her cheeks as well as heat. Lordy, she must be beet red right now! She finally focused on Poe, who was once more sitting on the edge of the pallet next to her hip. He was still smiling.

“What was that?” she whispered. She had expected pleasure, but nothing like that.

“That was an orgasm.”

“How come I’ve never heard of it before?”

“Because women in polite society aren’t supposed to know about it,” Poe explained. “Women aren’t supposed to get sexually aroused. They aren’t supposed to feel physical pleasure or enjoy sex. Or so says the patriarchal societies that control modern civilization.”

Rey watched him for a while as he studied her, a faint smile still on his lips. She glanced down, very aware that the bulge under his drawers hadn’t diminished. She licked her lips. “And is it your turn now?”

He leaned down and kissed her, gently probing her mouth with his tongue, then he pulled back. “Would you like it to be?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

He stood and began unbuttoning the front placket of his underwear. Rey watched avidly, curiosity and desire overcoming any shame. When his penis came into view she couldn’t help but feel her nerves return. How was that supposed to fit inside her? There was no way it wasn’t going to hurt! Poe stripped himself completely of the last of his clothing, then he kneeled on the edge of the pallet, gently smoothing his hand up her leg from her knee to the inside of her thigh. She let her legs fall open once more, craving the touch of his fingers.

He slid his hand up to her center, his fingers massaging her folds but not pushing in like before. She felt a new flow of wetness and heard him sigh, “Good girl.” He continued to massage her, and she felt lethargy steal upon her. If she could make him feel as good as he made her feel, then any pain would be worth it, she thought.

Poe shifted, moving to kneel in between her legs now. She spread them wider to accommodate him, but her pulse began to quicken once more. He lowered himself down so that he was lying over her, and she felt the length of his body press against her. He braced himself on one elbow, then reached down between them with his free hand. She felt his fingers against her center again, then something bigger. Harder. She closed her eyes, preparing herself for the discomfort she knew was coming.

“Relax, Tabai,” he whispered against her cheek. “It’s just me loving you. Look at me.”

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, meeting his. He pushed in, slowly. Oh, Lordy, he was too big! He wasn’t going to fit! He… he was in. And she had felt no pain.

She blinked at him, bewildered. He smiled. “What’s wrong, Tabai? Not what you imagined?” He pulled out slightly, then pushed back in. The sensation sent tingles all along Rey’s lower body.

“Oh!” she gasped.

“You like that?” He did it again.

She felt so full, and he was rubbing her in all the right places. “Yes!”

“More?”

She nodded. “Yes!”

And he gave her more. Long, deep thrusts. He pulled out farther, creating even more friction when he pushed in. Rey raised her knees, loving how the slight change in angle created even more sensations. “More!” she begged.

“Faster?”

She nodded. “And harder.”

“As you wish,” he mumbled, then he began to thrust in earnest.

She gripped his shoulders, loving the weight of him over her, the heat of him surrounding her. His strength, his bravery, his beauty, his heart. And he was giving himself to her now. Completely.

“Poe!” she gasped as she felt her body reach once more for that magic feeling he had introduced her to. 

“My Rey,” he replied. “Mi Carazon!”

Her climax hit and it was even more powerful than the one before. She cried out, instinctively wrapping her legs around her lover, pulling him as close as possible as he echoed her exclamation. She felt him stiffen and though his thrusting stilled she could feel his cock pulsing inside her. “Oh!” she gasped, the thought of him filling her with his seed causing yet another sharp spasm of her own.

His body seemed to sink down over her, but he shifted so that he almost fell onto his side next to her. The movement forced her to let him go with both arms and legs, but she followed him, turning her body so she could face him. His cock slid out of her and she felt a sticky warmth between her legs. He tilted his head toward her, bringing his forehead to hers, and they lay there, trying to catch their breath.

“I…” Rey began. “Holy Moses!”

Poe laughed softly. “Yeah.”

“Is it always like that?”

He shook his head slightly. “No. It’s not.”

Rey suddenly had a thought. “Finn and Rose..?”

“Finn got a lot of advice from me these past few days,” Poe told her with a smirk.

It was Rey’s turn to laugh. “I take it he’s never..?”

“No,” Poe said softly. “He was waiting for Rose.” He sighed. “Now I wish I had waited for you.”

Rey reached up and touched his cheek, smiling slightly. “Somebody had to know what the hell they were doing,” she argued.

Poe laughed out loud, and Rey started laughing with him. “Well, you may not have been my first, Tabai, but I thank you for letting me be yours.”

Rey smiled at him, but then frowned. “Tabai. What does it mean?”

“It means Sunshine.”

******

Part 3