Chapter Seven
Joined for Eternity
Ziio
"You have a request for me, my child?" Clan Mother sits regally in her chair in front of me. Haytham is out in the forest playing with Connor. Shosheowa stands next to Clan Mother as her guard. He refuses to make eye contact with me and instead looks around the tent as if he's never been inside before.
"I am to request a marriage." I say as if it's no big deal. Shosheowa cringes and finally decides to look at me. His eyes aren't filled with rage. Instead, he's empty without emotions.
"May I ask who you are to marry?" Clan Mother smiles warmly to me.
"Haytham Kenway." Shosheowa says for me. We all look to him. Shosheowa shrugs then looks away.
"The prisoner you took to me for judgment?" Clan Mother crosses her arms.
"Yes, Clan Mother." I look down in defeat. I remember her telling me before about how I'd give in. Of course she was right.
"No. I have decided to take him as prisoner now. My judgment was wrong. There is no good in him." Clan Mother says.
Haytham
"What shall we play?" Connor asks me as I put him down on the grass. Trees surround us, but I made sure that no animals have been here recently, only harmless bunnies and deer. The child goes to a bush and smells it.
"There is a game I want to teach you." I say to him. "It's called hide-and-seek."
His head perks up in excitement after I say the word "game".
"A game? Teach me!" Connor runs to me, grabs my hand, and jumps up and down from excitement.
"It's only a game for big kids. It's easy to get lost." I warn him. "There are risks to everything, Connor."
"I'm brave! I'm a big kid." Connor stands up tall and puffs up his chest as if to look stronger. He then looks to me with admiration. "When I grow up I'm going to be a man like you, father."
"No you don't." I say too quickly. A man like me? This child only sees kindness and all good in the world. I would die before it would get taken away from him. I would rather die than look into my own son's eyes and watch the darkness I once possessed dance inside him.
"Why wouldn't I? You're perfect! I bet there's nothing you don't know and that you're afraid of nothing." Connor says as if boasting about me. "All of my friends are going to be jealous that they don't have a father like you."
All of his friends will be happy they never will have to have a father like me.
"Connor, you're getting off track." I shake my head and change the subject. "Back to the game. It's very dangerous and easy to get lost."
"I know, father, I know." Connor rolls his eyes.
"This is how you play…"
Ziio
The room grows silent around me. Shosheowa stays emotionless. Clan Mother's face is also like stone, refusing to show any sign. I bow my head down. I should've known it would come to this.
"What will you do now, Kaniehti:io?"
"I…" My voice falters. Haytham is to be killed. He will be taken away from me once again and killed. Connor will grow up without a father. I will have to live with the guilt and regret. I will have to live without any content. Maybe I'm selfish. Maybe I'm selfish for wanting a better life. "I won't let you."
I look back up to the Clan Mother. I grew up here. I don't have a family. She is my mother. This is the only life I've ever known. This will mean exile. Maybe I will even be killed along with Haytham. I'd rather die than live no life at all. I feel anger start to rise inside of me.
"Kaniehti:io, no! You can't do this." Shosheowa yells to me. He looks angry and scared. Shosheowa walks away from his post and grabs my shoulders. "You're not thinking straight. You can't do this."
"I love him, Shosheowa. Can't you see that?" I scream to him. Shosheowa looks down and cowers like a puppy. "I would rather die than live no life at all."
I am a fighter. I shake Shosheowa off of me. I am not some girl that will be tinted any color that is given to me. I get ready to punch Shosheowa, balling my hand into a fist and raising it high into the air.
"Enough, Kaniehti:io." Clan Mother tries to say calmly, but her voice booms through our ears. Shosheowa instantly walks away from me and back to his post. I reluctantly freeze with my fist still in the air. "Kaniehti:io."
Clan Mother repeats my name. I reluctantly drop my first.
"You have passed the test. You are to be married tomorrow with Zaltana and Abhi:jit." Her face turns from stone to a sweet smile. "I have given my judgment. You may go now."
I feel muscles in my face relax. I slowly breathe out then back in. I was just about to sacrifice everything for him.
Zaltana
"It will be alright." Abhi:jit assures me. I only realize now that I've been squeezing his arm. I relax and breathe out.
"I heard screaming." I say. Abhi:jit and I stand outside the Clan Mother's tent. Kaniehti:io went inside to get her marriage approved. "Screaming could only mean…" I don't want to finish my sentence.
"Hush. They come now." Kaniehti:io slowly walks out of the tent. She looks like she was given a puppy and was told to eat it alive. Abhi:jit calls her name, "Kaniehti:io."
When she hears her name she looks to us. She instantly hides her emotions and puts on a curtain of happiness.
"She approved." Kaniehti:io smiles and acts excited.
"That is wonderful." I say. What about the screaming?
"We are to be married on the same day tomorrow." Kaniehti:io gestures to Abhi:jit and I.
"That is great to hear." I say. What really happened inside the tent? I give in to my curiosity. And touch her hand. "Kaniehti:io, tell me. What is the matter?"
"Nothing is the matter, my friend." She tries to smile to me. "I need to go… We have a wedding to plan."
"Of course." I say as I release her hand. You're lying.
Ziio
I walk back to my longhouse and recall my conversation with the Clan Mother. I was ready to drop everything for him. I was ready to leave the only life I've ever known. I was ready to sacrifice everything for Haytham. I was ready to leave my friends, my only home, my people, my culture, everything.
I drop to my knees and hug my chest. Why? Why must my heart act so irrationally? Why do I do this? Why is it that Haytham was able to make such an impact on me? I've only known Haytham for a short while. There's a slim chance he's ever loved me. He created life then simply left me. He left me and the child I bear. I guess there was a positive outcome from Haytham's absence. I've never known the loving of a child. I've never known of a child as lovable as Connor. Connor gave me all the love Haytham took away. I feared that Connor will grow to a man without knowing of a father. Then Haytham returned. I wasn't sure of what to think.
"Is this real?"
"Do I forgive him?"
"I can't forgive him."
"I would very much enjoy making his life a living hell."
"I want to hurt him the way I did."
"Will Connor have a father?"
"Is he worthy of forgiveness?"
I suddenly realize that the dirt under me is contaminated by my tear droplets. I don't care. I let the suffering release itself from me.
"Ziio?" I hear Haytham's voice echo in my head. "Ziio!"
The voice gets louder and louder I believe it's real. I look up to find Haytham hovering over me. He holds Connor's hand as they both watch me. I blink out the last tears and stand up. I pull Haytham to me and tightly embrace him.
"Should I ask what's wrong?" He whispers to me.
"No." I lie. "Just wedding frights."
"Okay." He says. He knows I'm lying. I pull away then kiss Connor's cheek.
"Mother! I'm a big boy now. Father says I'm going to be a strong warrior when I grow up." Connor frowns and wipes away his cheek in disgust.
"Darling, that's when you grow up. For now let your mother love you." I hug my child. I have all the love I need.
NEXT DAY
Haytham
"We are having a Mohawk wedding, are we not?" I asks her. We both stand in the forest together. Ziio decided to wake him up early so we could enjoy the morning together before the ceremony. I hold a box in my hands.
"A traditional wedding." She nods.
"I want you to have some of my culture." I slowly hand her the box. "In my culture the bride wears a white dress."
She opens the box and pulls out the garment. It looks like something thick enough for it to be a blanket. When she drops it down and holds the sleeves I find that the skirt has tiers. There are a few extra ruffles on the back.
"It looks rather… odd." she raises an eyebrow and flips over the dress further examining it.
"If you think so then it is alright." I reach out ready to take back the dress.
"No, it is fine." I sigh and hold the dress to me. "You have sacrificed enough. I should acknowledge the way of your people as well."
I feel a pang of guilt inside me. "Sacrifice". If only I could tell her about Boston.
"Are you okay?" She looks back to me.
"No." I shake my head and lie to her. "Wedding frights."
"Okay." She knows I lied.
"I should go. There are preparations to be made I'm sure." I say to her. She looks to me as if expecting me to lie again. "I'll see you at the ceremony."
"Goodbye, Haytham." I hear her say as I walk away.
Ziio
I frown and squirm inside the costume.
"Zaltana, are you sure you tied the bodice right? I can't breathe." I hold the wall for support and take short breaths.
"I am sure." Zaltana retreats from her room and to where I am. "In my visits to the city I bought various dresses and tried them on. The woman tied them exactly as I did."
Zaltana wears a traditional Mohawk wedding dress. She has her hair in braids and a feather in it as I usually do. Zaltana is the only villager other than I that is fascinated by the pale faces. She would take visits to the city and bring back strange items. I slowly breathe out and release my hair. Even though it's been in braids, my hair falls down straight. If she really did tie the dress right, I can't imagine how the English Woman wear this on a daily basis.
"You look beautiful, Kaniehti:io. But you're missing something." Zaltana walks closer to me and places a white feather behind my ear. "You need at least one piece from your tribe on your wedding day.
"Of course." I nod. I wish I could see my reflection. I would have to take Zaltana's word on my appearance. I watch as the sun burns to its brightest.
"It appears to be time." Zaltana says also looking out of the window. "Are you ready?"
I turn away from the window to look to my friend.
"I am nervous." I admit.
"There is no need for nervousness." She shakes her head and hugs me. "If the love is true you'll be better than you were yesterday."
"I wish you and Abhi:jit the best." I hug my friend back. Because I am taller than Zaltana I feel like a mother hugging her child.
"I wish you and Haytham the best." She says to me. She then pulls away so I could see the honesty in her eyes. "Let us go, Kaniehti:io. Let us be married."
"Let us go." I nod.
Later…
Haytham
Ziio sits next to me as does her friend and her husband. The villagers stand behind us with Ziio's other friend holding Connor. After the Clan Mother finishes questioning the other couple she then goes to us.
"What is your name?" The Clan Mother asks Ziio in English.
"Kaniehti:io." She says.
"Do you believe you are capable to fulfill the responsibilities of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks.
"Yes."
"Are you prepared to be the wife of the man that you have chosen for the rest of your life?"
"Yes."
"Will you care for your husband if he becomes ill?"
"When it is dinner time and your children are out playing with other children, you are to call all the children in to eat and if they have soiled faces you will wash their faces as if they all were your children. Do you accept this responsibility?"
"Yes."
"What is your name?" The Clan Mother then turns to me.
"Haytham Kenway." I say.
"Do you believe you are capable to fulfill the responsibilities of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks.
"Yes."
"Are you prepared to be the husband of the woman that you have chosen for the rest of your life?"
"Yes."
"Will you care for your wife if she becomes ill?"
"When it is dinner time and there is no food on the table for you and your wife and your children, will you hunt for the food?"
"Yes." I try not to laugh. That's funny. I'd like to see her watch me try to hunt.
"Do you pledge to the Goddess that blessed us with her visit many years ago, that you may accept the responsibility of marriage?" The Clan Mother asks both Ziio and I.
"Yes." We say together.
"You are now joined together for eternity. May the Goddess be witness." Clan Mother says to us.
LATER
Ziio
"Joined for eternity." I remember the Clan Mother when she bound Haytham and I together. I don't feel any difference.
"Wait." Haytham says to me before we could enter my home. The night is above us. The moon shines as witness. I wait.
"What is wrong?" I ask him.
"I must go to Boston tomorrow." He looks to me. "I am sorry. I have to leave now."
His eyes are filled with sorrow.
"Are you ready for what awaits you in Boston?" I ask him before I could stop myself.
"You know?" He also blurts out. He seems surprised.
"Of course I know. I knew it the day you returned. You never left. But I have faith." I say with confidence. It's as if we're repeating when I confessed to him in the cave. I speak calmly as I did before two years ago, but Haytham doesn't reply. He instead stands there shocked.
"Thank you for the kindness you have showed me, Ziio." He says and looks back up to me. I reach up to him and kiss him as I did two years ago. I remember the familiar feeling. The rush and the love. I made the right choice.
"Return to me, my husband." I say while still holding his face to mine.
"As you wish, my wife." He promises me.
I almost don't want to put an outro due to the major cuteness!
But anyways I felt like an apology is definitely due for the lateness of this chapter. I have an excuse though. My recital is this Saturday and I've been so nervous and practicing even though I am majorly sick (which is another reason why this is late.) I feel really bad so I decided to make this extra longer than usual. In the program I'm using to write this, this takes up eight pages! (the usual is 5).
Also, sorry if I made the actual wedding ceremony short. I didn't want to spend so much time on the details and wanted to get to the point so the ending was extra dramatic.
Thank you loads and loads for supporting. I actually have a contest for you guys that I will announce with more details on my next chapter. I decided that because you support me so much I wanted to reward you in my own type of way :)
So until next time, byeeee~
-Jenny
