Born To Lead 2 Chapter 7

With Lake's help Willow was efficiently passing baskets of fruit and meats down a line of females that carried each one to the gathering place.

Eventually they got to the last one filled with dried fish off a shelf and the females dispersed. Willow and Lake remained to carry the rest.

"That's the last of it," signed Lake.

Picking up one end, Willow signed "Let's get this outside."

Hooting drew their attention to the exit to find Cornelia standing there blocking the way.

"Lake, leave us. I would like to speak to my daughter," commanded Cornelia.

Objecting, Willow signed "Mother, I have to help Lake take the food down to the feast."

"Lake can carry the rest herself. That basket is small enough for her to do so," signed Cornelia, nodding out the entryway. "Go on, Lake."

Casting an easy sidelong glance at Willow, Lake slipped passed Cornelia and left.

Rolling her eyes, Willow demanded "What do you want, Mother?"

Not beating around the bush, Cornelia commented "Spear was looking very handsome today, Willow."

"Oh no," sighed Willow. "Mother, not you too."

"You and he would make a good couple, Willow," signed Cornelia.

Sarcastically, Willow signed "Oh give me a break."

"Spear would look after you," argued Cornelia.

Irritated, Willow signed "I don't need Spear or any ape to look after me. I'm perfectly fine on my own."

"It would please you father if you did," mentioned Cornelia.

Tossing her hands in the air, incredulous, Willow signed "Of course, that's all I live for, to please Caesar."

"It used to," signed Cornelia. "I remember a time where practically everything you did was for your father. From what I can see you still do."

Shaking her head, Willow sighed "Things are different now, Mother."

"How so," asked Cornelia, arms crossed.

Shrugging, Willow said "Well, for one thing, it's the war. Between constantly battling the humans and looking after Cornelius I don't have the time for a relationship. I can't afford to get distracted, not even for a moment."

"Do you truly believe that? Or are you just using that as an excuse," accused Cornelia, brow raised.

Doing away with this pretense, Willow whispered "It is better this way."

"How so," coaxed Cornelia.

Wrapping her arms around her body, Willow signed "You wouldn't understand. You have Father, he's always been with you. Mother you never have to worry about losing him or learning to love again if you do."

"Darling, how many years can you do this? How many years can you hide," asked Cornelia.

"As many years as I'm afflicted," answered Willow, reverent.

"You're not 'afflicted'," signed Cornelia. "You just have a bad case of heartbreak. One which certainly refuses to relinquish its hold on your heart. Come, don't you want to dance? Have fun?"

Willow signed "It wouldn't be fair."

"You know I'm right, Willow. It's not good for you to be so elusive," signed Cornelia. "Willow when was the last time you sang?"

Willow winced knowing what Cornelia was getting at. She used to love to sing, but now she hardly ever did it.

She signed "You know why I stopped. I don't want to sing anymore. Ash wouldn't like it, being happy without him. Besides if I simply smile and put up with it all the time then nothing bad would happen."

"You mustn't always think the worst," signed Cornelia, saddened her daughter thought she had to hide away how she truly felt just to satisfy everyone else. "Willow, you don't have to play along to satisfy everyone's view of you. You don't have to live and be unhappy so that the rest could be happy. You settle for living in misery because you're afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins."

"Well then consider it a testimony to how much I love you that I spent so long pouring myself into that trying to make it work," signed Willow, arms crossed.

Placing her hands on Willow's shoulders, Cornelia signed "You treat your love like a precious wound, like a heartbreak you won't let go of because it hurts too good."

Shaking her head in denial, pushing Cornelia's arms off of her, Willow signed "You're wrong." But even she was beginning to break under her mother's gentle session of tough love.

Putting a finger underneath Willow's chin and lifting it so she was looking into her eyes, bluntly, Cornelia signed "Willow, it's okay to cry."

That did Willow in completely.

"I want to try, Mother, I really do," sobbed Willow, into her Cornelia's shoulder, "but it just hurts too much. I haven't been able to feel anything since Ash's demise. He's in my head and in my heart and it hurts! I don't want to feel that pain again."

"Shhh," hushed Cornelia, caressing Willow's temple with her fingertips. Willow refused to sing, but that didn't mean she couldn't sing to her.

How long must there be anger here

Before we can rejoice

Embracing love instead of fear

Is but a simple choice

It's hard for me to see you fall

So bitter and so blind

When the truest nature of us all

Invites us to be kind

Bloom, bloom, may you know

The wisdom only time breeds

There's room, bloom and you'll grow

To follow where your heart leads

Bloom and may you live

The way your life was meant to be

There's room, bloom and forgive

May sweet compassion set you free

Cornelia raised Willow's face to meet her loving gaze. She sweetly kissed the tears away from her beloved daughter's eyes.

"You can shed light where darkness lies," signed Cornelia. "Willow, when every creature in the world is born a spirit stands beside them."

"Why," asked Willow, solemnly nonchalant.

"To light their way through the long, dark night, and sing them songs to guide them. As you sing songs to lighten the hearts of the Colony, Ash does the same for you in spirit. Because each of us has a destiny that sets us all apart. The path is different for you and me, but the journey begins in the heart," signed Cornelia, poking a finger on the chest where Willow's heart should be.

Confusedly, Willow signed "I…I never thought of it that way."

"There's a first time for everything." Softly, Cornelia signed "Now go have fun. You'll be all right."

Drums pounded rhythmically with the drummers slapping their instruments with their hands and feet, beating in a way that had the dancers moving gracefully to the music.

From the vantage point he had on his throne Caesar watched the festivities take place with a smile on his face. Behind that smile he was growing increasingly concerned. The feast had been going on for a while now, yet his wife and daughter had yet to make an appearance.

As Caesar was preparing to rise so he could go look for them Willow and Cornelia appeared.

Mother and daughter hugged before going separate ways. Cornelia went to where he was seated with their sons and he was surprised to see Willow go to Spear. The young male was as much surprised as he, but pleased. Her sitting next to him and smiling showed she was accepting him, ever reluctant.

When Cornelia sat beside him, astonished, Caesar signed "How did you do it? What did you say to her?"

Laughing as Cornelius leapt readily into her lap she accepted an offered bowl of food.

Smug, secretively, Cornelia signed "I told you all she needed was a mother's touch."

Cornelia said no more. What was said between Cornelia and Willow stayed with them. Sometimes there was personal stuff that had to be kept quiet from Caesar.

The rest of the night Willow stayed with Spear. She selected, shared, and mixed his food and drink. After they had their fill of the available food they danced together in front of the fires with the other pairs joining in the merrymaking.

Willow was alight with joy and laughter. Out of the blue, quite spontaneously, Willow opened her mouth and sang for the first time in almost two years.

Listen carefully…

and you may hear it.

The winds carrying…

a calling from the past.

Move forward…

with the true heart…

It's there…

the tranquil faith.

Prayers pass through time…

and my promises are fulfilled.

Take a deep breath…

and the distant souls will…

call out.

Call out.

Applause rang out when Willow was done. The apes were overjoyed to hear their princess sing after such a long intermission. The tribe cheered taking this as the final healing of the land and its people.

Everyone was having so much fun that, in all the excitement created from the potlatch, no one saw Winter sneaking away into the night on his own.

Authors Note:

The first song was the Bloom Reprise from Joseph The King Of Dreams and the 2nd was one of my favorites. Here is the link, take away the spaces and you'll have it right fine.

w w w.y out m/w at ch? v=bD ot O 6e o x_E

(Sniffling) Doesn't your heart go out to Willow?

Yeah…I think you guys know what's coming next. X(