This is still a flashback chapter, I hope you all enjoy it!

Sara stayed in the bath as she warmed up, and when she finally stopped shaking she got out of the bath and pulled her chemise and bloomers off. She let them fall to the ground before picking them up and wringing them out over the tub and then looked around the room. There were shelves with sheets on them, both bath sheets and bed sheets.

The center of the room was the large metal tub, against a wall was a fireplace, and to the left of that was a table with a metal bowl and a pitcher for washing up.

Sara sighed and pulled a bath sheet from the shelf, wrapped herself in it and then set about removing the pins from her hair.

After she let her hair down into the long braid that had been tied up she took the braid out of her hair and pulled her soft nightgown from her bag and pulled it on, tying the ribbon up to her chin before she slipped on her socks. She hung the sheet on a hook next to two other sheets hung in hooks and then hung her chemise and bloomers on a rack near the fireplace, with the fire going they'd be dry by morning. Her corset lay on the floor, the laces cut open and she'd have to talk to King about that. After picking it up she put it into her bag and then looked around for her dress, stockings and shoes- they were nowhere to be found so she assumed that part of her undressing had happened outside of this room.

She opened the door and was met with the smell of something cooking, and a fire in the fireplace. There was another smell she couldn't place, like a sweet and yet sour smell, and after opening the door all the way she stepped out to the main room of the cabin.

She had to marvel at the cabin, it was much bigger than she had expected, there was another fireplace along the wall across from her, shelves of books, there were two couches, a great bearskin rug and the heads of dead animals stuffed and treated lined the walls. Hides and skins of all sort cluttered the house, but seemed to fit right in. To her left was a staircase that went to a second level, to her right was a kitchen where Klaus Schultz was cooking.

"How are you feeling?" He asked and she blushed realizing she was still only in her nightgown around two unmarried men. One was to be her husband for sure, but it didn't quell her nervousness.

"Exposed," she admitted and he smiled before he stepped over to the doorway she stood in and reached past her, taking down a robe she had not noticed.

"Put this on," he offered, and she gratefully took the terrycloth robe from him. She wrapped it around herself and found herself surrounded not only by warmth, but by the comforting smell of King, this was his robe.

"Thank you," she said as she slipped her arms into it and tied it shut, the robe giving her a sense of modesty. He nodded and then went back to his cooking, glancing at her briefly.

"I hope you're hungry," he said. "I'm making some pork and winter vegetables,"

"What do you grow?" She asked as she stepped closer to the stove to look curiously.

"We grow sprouts and radishes," he told her as he pointed to the skillet. She smiled as the smell of cooking pork hit her and made her stomach growl in anticipation. Looking around the kitchen she found where they kept their plates and began to set the table for the three of them, Klaus smiling to himself as she did.

"Where is your brother?" She asked and he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"I sent him out to do the nightly chores," he replied. "It's the least he can do for almost freezing you to death," she snorted at that and then nodded.

"I agree," she teased. "It's till death do we part, not till I freeze you in a winter storm,"

"I'm going to say that to him,"

"No, Klaus, don't," she protested. "He feels bad enough as it is," she felt herself shiver as she spoke and Klaus looked at her before pouring a mug of something from the kettle.

"Here, drink this," he pressed the warm mug to her hands and she looked at him curiously. "It's tea," he explained and she lifted it to her lips, the smell and taste of herbs not entirely familiar to her made her hesitate but she was so cold she took a drink and then coughed. "With a splash of whiskey," he added and she looked at him incredulously.

"A splash?" She asked and he shrugged.

"So a large splash, but a splash nonetheless," he told her as he took the food off of the stove and went around the table, serving all of the plates she had put out. "Just drink it slowly," he told her and she nodded before the front door blew open and her fiancé stepped into the house, bundled against the cold.

"The animals are taken care of," he told his brother, setting a pail down on the floor next to the door and latching the door closed behind him. Sara set down the mug and moved to his side, helping unwrap the scarf from around his neck and almost half his face. "Ah, much better," he said when he had been freed from the scarf and smiled down at her. "Are you feeling better Meine Liebe?"

"Mostly," she replied. "I'm still a little cold,"

"Well, that's not unheard of after what you've been through," he told her as he pulled his glove off with his teeth. "Mm, I love seeing your hair like this," he commented as he ran his fingers through her hair and she smiled as she blushed. "When we are married, promise me you'll wear your hair like this for me every day," he requested softly and she smiled at him before nodding.

After King took off the rest of his outer clothes and his boots, he hung the jacket, scarf, and gloves from a coat rack and then joined Sara and Klaus in the kitchen where the three sat down to dinner.

The pork was delicious, the vegetables had been cooked in the fat so they were delicious as well, and Klaus set to cleaning up, despite Sara's protests that she clean up.

"Come, let him clean," King said as he took her hand and her tea. "I'll show you where you can sleep when you are ready,"

He took her upstairs where there was a small hallway, on one side was a door and on the other

Side was a door. There was a window at the end of the hallway, and King opened the door further from the stairs, letting Sara into his bedroom for the first time. It was clean, tidy and it smelled

Like him from the moment she stepped into the room.

"Where will you sleep?" She asked and he smiled.

"Downstairs, if you wish," he told her. "Or, if you like, I will sleep here, with you,"

She thought about that, a blush creeping into her cheeks, but it was not unheard of for a girl to share her bed before marriage, in fact her friend Lucy had shared her bed with at least two men before she married her husband.

"I would like that," she said as she looked at King who smiled and drew her into his arms in a loving kiss.

When the kiss ended King looked down at her before he leaned in, deepening the kiss, Sara kissed him back, her hands gripping the front of his shirt as she parted her lips, letting his tongue gently brush hers.

She moaned deeply and he stepped closer, one hand moving to the small of her back and the other to the back of her hair. She could feel him press against her in the most intimate of ways and after letting out a soft gasp he pulled away. "Too much?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No," she replied and he drew her back to him, kissing her again just as deeply, if not more. He was soon trailing kisses down her jaw, down her neck while his fingers untied the ribbon at her throat, his lips finding and kissing her clavicle and then dipping to kiss lower. Sara backed up until she was sitting on the edge of the bed and lay back, King moving over her as she did, his hands finding her knees and pushing them apart, his hips resting against hers. She could feel him straining in his pants and moaned softly as he raised his hands to start pushing her nightgown up.

Sara wasn't wearing bloomers under her nightgown, she never did, and when he got to her knees and felt her bare thighs it was his turn to groan softly.

"Sara, my love," he spoke against her chest as he ran his hands up to her hips and then her waist.

"Mm, if this is not something you want-"

"I want this," she whispered eagerly and he groaned as he looked down at her. "I want you,"

That was all the invitation he needed to start pushing her nightgown up, Sara helped by lifting her arms up and he gently pulled it over her head. After tossing it to the side Sara felt her face flush, holding her hands over her chest for a moment before slowly lowering them.

"Beautiful," he whispered as he looked her over, taking in her body. "Absolutely beautiful,"

Sara blushed lightly before he leaned in, kissing her again, she kissed him back readily, and let him guide her hands to the top button if his shirt. She began to nimbly pluck at the buttons, going down his chest before getting to his belt, she moved her hands up his chest, pushing at the shoulders of his shirt, helping him slide out of it before he broke away from the kiss with a small chuckle.

"Ah-" he righted his arms before showing her the buttons on the wrists of his shirt and she blushed a deep red.

"I'm sorry," she apologized and he shook his head.

"Don't apologize," he cupped her cheek and smiled, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You are perfect," he assured her and she smiled as she unbuttoned the button on his other wrist, allowing him to slip his shirt off.

As they lay together afterwards, Sara feeling sore but so good she ran her fingers along his chest hair lightly, smiling when she found quite a few gray hairs in the hair that sprinkled his chest. She let out a soft chuckle and he looked down at her curiously.

"Something funny?" He asked and she looked up at him with a smile.

"Just remembering when my father pointed out the grays in your whiskers," she said and he rolled his eyes with a smile.

"Oh-" he scoffed. "Must you remind me?"

"I like it," she said as she turned over and smiled at him.

"You are a very sweet girl," he took her hand and kissed her knuckles with a sigh. "It still makes me feel old though,"

"Well," she tilted her head to the side and he laughed in astonishment.

"Oh really?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her, tickling her sides. She let out a giggle and started pushing at him arms, thrashing lightly until King had maned to turn them over so he was on top of her. Looking down at her he sighed as he cupped her face and then leaned in, giving her a long, loving kiss.

"I love you," Sara whispered when the kiss ended and he smiled as he looked down at her.

"I was just thinking the very same thing," he told her before kissing her forehead and laying down next to her again. He turned on his side, facing her, and she turned in her side to face him, covered only in the sheet she shivered lightly and he reached down to the end of the bed, pulling the heavier blanket over them both.

"I wish I could stay here," she whispered and he smiled as he wrapped his arm around her.

"I would love that," he said softly. "But I'm sure your father will insist on waiting until we are married," he explained before a thought seemed to occur to him. "Mm, meine Lieber, give me your hands," she did as he requested and he gently plucked the ring from her right hand and then moved it to her left, kissing the knuckles of her left hand now he sighed as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I will assume we tell my father you slept on the couch?" She asked and he laughed lightly.

"Your father would be a hypocrite if he were to even ask," he told her and she looked at him curiously. "Your parents were unwed until your sisters were born," he told her and she gasped.

"You're lying,"

"I remember it quite well," he said as he ran his hand through her hair, smiling at the red locks that curled around his fingers. "They did not get married until they came here,"

"Liars," she laughed as she cuddled against him and he smiled kissing the crown of her head.

The next morning she woke up when she heard the door downstairs close, King was still asleep, snoring softly and she got out of bed, realizing that she had forgotten to bring her bag upstairs. She wrapped the robe around herself and walked out to the hallway where her bad had been placed by Klaus.

After retrieving the bag she dressed in her chemise, her bloomers, and her stockings, her corset was unusable because the strings had been slashed the night before, but she was still able to button her dress. After going downstairs she went to the kitchen and found the stove was lit but Klaus hadn't started the coffee percolating. She set about doing that, cleaning out the percolator and then opened the cabinets looking for the coffee.

There was a door, maybe to a store room, so she opened it and found herself in the most beautiful pantry. To the right of the door there were drawers on the walls that tilted out, and each was full of different things. Each drawer had the name of its contents carved into the drawer and Sara couldn't help but open the drawers of flour, sugar, brown sugar, all of them filled almost to the brim and looking so beautiful. There was a shelf along the wall which was where the Schultz brothers cut things, and to the left was shelves with canned and preserved foods. Under her feet there was a trapdoor and she considered opening it, but one of the jars on the shelf was labeled coffee so she took it into her hands and brought it back to the kitchen where Klaus was looking amused as he set the pail of milk on the table.

"I'm sorry-" she gasped. "I- I didn't mean to pry, I was just looking for the coffee-"

"It's all right Sara," Klaus assured her. "I should think you'll be staying another night with us, it is still storming out there," he explained and she crossed to the window, seeing it was indeed still storming.

"Oh," she said softly. "My parents will be concerned,"

"They might," he said reassuringly. "But, they'll be happy to know you are safe," she nodded and then turned back to her task at hand, making the coffee.

After setting it to percolate she looked back at the pantry and after following her gaze, Klaus nodded and waved his hand at the pantry invitingly. She went back into the pantry with a large bowl and returned with some of the good, fine flour and a little bit of the sugar. Klaus showed her how to lift the trap door and go down into the cellar where he kept eggs from their chickens and milk and butter they had made. She took some of what she needed before going back up into the kitchen and put the skillet onto the stove.

As she made pancakes Klaus talked to her about building the beautiful pantry. When she finished cooking King had come downstairs, dressed and smiling at the two.

"Mm, good morning," he kissed her cheek and Sara smiled at him as she looked at him.

"Good morning yourself," she replied.

"It's still storming out," he said. "But not as bad as last night, if you prefer to go home, I think the ride should not be too long," he said as he sat down at the table and Sara put pancakes on the plates that Klaus had set on the table.

"I think it would be best to keep the horses inside," Klaus said as he picked up a small pitcher of syrup and poured it on the pancakes. "After sixteen hours in a storm yesterday, let them rest one more day,"

"Mm," he said thoughtfully as Sara sat next to him. "You're right," he agreed as he moved his hand to touch Sara's. "One more day with us I'm afraid," he told her and she smiled.

"I think I'll survive one more day," she told him and he smiled and nodded before digging into the food.

After breakfast Klaus began to work on some skins he had to prepare, and King helped Sara do the washing up before he sat down at one of the couches. She went upstairs and got her knitting from her bag before joining the two men downstairs.

She sat next to King on the couch where he was reading and took her knitting from the pouch she kept it in and started up her knitting. King sat with a book on his lap, reading for a time while the needles clicked together and the fire snapped and crackled in the fireplace.

Around midday Klaus went to the kitchen and then began to cook a meal, Sara set down her knitting and went to help but he waved her back to the sitting room where King smiled at her as she sat down.

"You'll learn, Klaus prefers to do that sort of thing himself," he explained as he patted her knee. She resumed her knitting and leaned against King's shoulder as she did.

After their midday meal King and Sara did the washing up again and then as she dried her hands King wrapped his arms around her middle, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss. She smiled at the kiss and wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his touch happily.

When the kiss ended she smiled up at him, leaning in to kiss him again before Klaus called out to her "Sara, come help me with this," she smiled at King before she walked over to the bench Klaus was working at. He showed her how to oil what he was working on while he stretched the skin and she helped him with that for awhile, King went back to his book and she and Klaus talked.

Later that evening while King did the cooking Klaus took her out to the barn to help feed the animals. "I always wanted a sister," he commented as he tossed the hay into the stall with one horse and then over into the other stall with the other horse.

"Did you?" She asked and laughed. "I always wanted to get rid of my sisters," she joked and he smiled. "Do you have any other family?"

"Not here," he replied as he tossed some hay to the cows. "Back in Germany, but I don't know them," he shook his head.

"When did you come here?" She asked and he sighed.

"I was ten," he said after a moment. "His majesty was twenty five,"

"Why did you come here?" She asked and he stared at her for a long time, like he wasn't even seeing her, before he shook his head.

"It's a long story," he told her and she nodded, knowing that meant he'd rather not talk about it.

When they finished their dinner, Sara sat, knitting again while King sat next to her reading. Klaus worked on his skins, and Sara paused in her knitting to marvel at how truly domestic she felt spending time with the Schultz brothers. She looked over at King when he put his hand on her knee and smiled gently as he stroked her inner thigh with his thumb.

"Is everything okay?" He asked and she nodded.

"I just-" she trailed off before smiling at him. "I wish I never had to leave," she admitted and King smiled at her while Klaus looked up from what he was doing and smiled as well.

After King and Sara retired to King's bedroom he carefully and attentively undressed her, and she did the same for him.

As they lay together in bed, each having caught their breath and lay in their post love making contentment she looked at him and smiled before kissing his chest.

"Mm, what was that for?" He asked as he lifted a hand to thread through the back of her hair.

"For making me love you so much," she replied and he smiled softly.

"It's nowhere near how much I love you, my beautiful girl," he said softly and she smiled as she snuggled into his side, happy to lay her head on his chest and fall asleep in his arms.

The next morning she woke up to the sound of no wind. She heard Klaus close the door downstairs and she dressed and put on her boots before setting the coffee to percolate. After the coffee brewed she decided to go help Klaus, and after putting on her coat and mittens she picked up the basket they kept their eggs in and stepped out of the house. After quietly closing the door behind herself she turned around and found herself face to face with a large, dark skinned man.

He had strong facial features, and long hair he kept in braids, feathers and ornaments adorned his clothes which were made of buckskin and he was walking a horse with another tied behind it.

"Oh," she said, it was all she could manage before her eyes darted to the barn where Klaus was and then back to the man. "Um,"

"You are with Shoots?" He asked and it took her a moment to realize what he meant.

"Schultz?" She asked. "No, he's in the barn," she pointed at the building before she stepped closer. "I'll go get him for you," she walked across the snow covered yard to the barn and when she stepped inside she realized her heart was pounding at the excitement of meeting her first Indian. "Klaus," she called to him and he stuck his head out of the stall he was in. "There's a man here for you,"

"What man?" He asked as he walked out of the stall.

"An Indian," she replied and he quickened his pace. After putting on the jacket he'd hung up while he was working he walked out of the barn, bringing Sara with him back to the man whose face broke into a smile when he saw Klaus.

"Singing Wolf," Klaus greeted him. "This is Sara, she is to be my sister,"

Singing Wolf looked at her and nodded before he began to speak to Klaus in a language Sara didn't understand. After a few moments he untied the horse in the back and handed the rope to Klaus who in turn handed it to Sara. The horse, a beautiful painted animal pawed the snow and stepped forward to press his soft nose to her jacket, snuffling and smelling her while Klaus went into the house.

"You will marry his King?" He asked and she nodded as she smiled at Singing Wolf.

"Why do they call you Singing Wolf?" She asked, she couldn't help it and he smiled.

"As a child my name was something different, as I grew older, I would sing along on the plains, like the wolf sings to the moon. They gave me the new name to fit me better," he replied and she smiled.

"I like it," she replied. "I'm called Sara because my father's older sister was called Sara,"

A few moments later Klaus returned, carrying a large bundle of skins, he handed them to the man who accepted them and put them on the back of his horse before he mounted the horse. "You must come meet my wife," Singing Wolf told Sara who nodded. "She is of your people,"

"I would love to one day," she agreed and with that the man left and Sara realized he had left the painted horse behind.

"Come on, bring your horse," Klaus led her back to the barn and she looked at him curiously.

"My horse?" She asked and he gestured to the animal who was rubbing his head against her arm.

"Seems like your horse to me," he told her and she chuckled.

The two brought the horse to the barn and after collecting the eggs Sara walked back to the house where King was sitting drinking his coffee. When she came in and told him all about Singing Wolf and his invitation to go to his home and meet his wife, King smiled and held her hand, letting her talk excitedly.

"Sounds like you have had quite the morning," he commented as he pulled her gently to sit across his lap. "Are you ready for me to take you home?"

"No," she replied and he chuckled.

"No?" He asked and wrapped his arms around her hips. "Well, I suppose," he leaned in and kissed her jaw. "There is no harm," he nibbled at her jaw now and she let out the soft breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "In prolonging the trip- just by an hour or two,"

When she finally left the Schultz farm, Sara waved to Klaus over the back of the sleigh before snuggling close to King.

"What are you thinking?" He asked and she sighed as she looked up at him.

"That I wish I didn't have to go," she replied.

King smiled and looked at her then before he wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulders.

"When the snow melts, Klaus will begin to work on his own house," he told her. "When that's finished, if you like, we can be married then," he offered and she smiled before sighing as she nuzzles his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin against her face.

"Couldn't we just be married now and let Klaus still live with us?" She asked and he sighed as he brought his hand to the back of her neck, keeping her there for a moment.

"Meine Liebe," he breathed. "You have no idea what you do to me,"

"Yes I do," she replied and he chuckled as her hand moved into his lap, stroking exactly what she did to him.'

The ride to her home they would usually take twenty minutes took twice that easily.

So I know some people will have you believe that all women in those times were very much against the idea of sex, but upon doing research I've found that a large number of women in those times were unhappy with the idea of marriage because they liked having their freedom to do what they pleased, and then I found the numbers for unplanned pregnancy in unmarried women.

It was the church going women who really tried to promote the idea that 'good girls don't' and of course, a lot of the general knowledge we have of that time is people who had the means to write down what was happening in those times, generally the people who had the means to do so were the educated and the wealthier people and they had a different way of looking at morality, as do different classes of people now.

That isn't to say I think that everyone was running around sleeping around, but I think it's silly to think that sex was only between a married man and woman, or a woman of loose morals. I think that people are people, and since the beginning of humanity, people have had sex. So yeah. Off of my soapbox.

Also, as a Native American woman, I'm tired of seeing the portrayals of Native people being like the large stoic foreigner in the country that we were in first, so enjoy Singing Wolf, this isn't the last you'll see of him.

lol anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!