The Itancan and his wife were very highly respected people, and no one would let Little Creek forget that while being raised by the lovely couple. They were his parents, but only by love.
Wanageeska, the Itancan, was a tall heavy-set man with strong facial features and dark eyes that could look into your soul. He seemed to always have a big grin plastered onto his face, and enjoyed playing with the children in the tribe. He was a joyous man but knew when it was time to turn serious in order to protect the tribe's safety.
When Little Creek entered the tipi with Mato a few seconds ago, the man was laughing and making little inside jokes with his wife, Chumani, a small woman with soft features. When he spilled out the news about Samantha visiting, his father's grin suddenly dropped.
"What's her name?"
Little Creek cleared his throat. At least he wasn't yelling at him for being a complete fool. "Her name is Samantha."
Chumani came forward to Little Creek. "Do you really think we can trust her, Little Creek? We don't want the tribe to be alarmed that they could be attacked at any second."
Little Creek glanced to Mato who only shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'I'm not a part of this'.
He looked back to Chumani and nodded his head. "I think we can trust her. She's different from the others."
Wanageeska came to his wife's side and put an arm around the smaller woman's waist. When Little Creek was younger, the image was almost comical to him; a small woman with soft features being handled by a much taller and larger man. Looking at them now, he swore they looked terrified at the idea of Samantha's visit.
"Little Creek, we cannot allow this if you only 'think' we can trust her. You need to be absolutely sure." Wanageeska said, looking down to his adopted son.
Little Creek looked down, thinking to himself. Samantha was just a girl he met by chance, who helped him get away from the grasp of the Colonel and the possibility of being tortured to death.
She fed him, and though it was funny; it was a nice gesture that people of her skin would never have done for his people even if there were starving. She helped him when he needed it and now she needed his help.
She depended on him and his friends now.
He looked up to his parents and nodded his head. "I'm absolutely sure that we can trust her. She helped me and it's now my turn to return the favor."
Wanageeska smiled softly, nodding his head. "We will take your word for it then, my son." He cleared his throat and looked down to his wife with a grin plastered back onto his face. "We'll inform the tribe of her visit."
"Yeah, it's a little too late for that." Mato said, calling everyone's attention towards him. He was peeking out of the tipi's flap with a smirk on his face. "They're back, and everyone is trying to take a hold of the girl."
The duo stood in the clearing as people surrounded them. Takoda had his hand out, pushing Samantha behind him. People were coming closer and closer to them, reaching their hands out and trying to take the girl hostage.
"She doesn't belong here."
"Typical. Leave it to Takoda to bring a white girl home to his parents." Takoda sneered at the young woman who said that.
"Someone tell the Itancan!"
Samantha took ahold of Takoda's shoulder, leaning close to his ear. "I'm going to take a wild guess that Little Creek didn't tell anyone I was coming." She whispered; her voice filled with fear.
"I'm going to kill him." Takoda muttered under his breath, still holding his hand out.
Samantha felt herself instantly shrink down as she saw a tall, large man come up from behind the crowd that surrounded her and Takoda. When people saw him, they instantly made a path for him to the duo.
"Who's that?"
"It's the Chief of the tribe or Itancan, if you want to sound like a proper Lakota."
Samantha rolled her eyes at the statement but instantly pulled herself together as the man came up to her and Takoda. He stood firmly in front of them, looking down to Samantha with a face that would have curdled milk.
"Step aside, Takoda."
Samantha wanted to grasp onto Takoda's shoulders for dear life. He was protecting her from the rest of the tribe who seemed like they wanted to rip her apart; limb from limb.
Takoda was hesitant but it was Itancan, he had to do as he said. He looked back to Samantha and nodded reassuringly as he stepped away from her, leaving her unshielded in front of the Itancan.
Wanageeska leaned down to come face to face with the girl. She was an unusual one. She didn't look anything like the white people. She didn't have the blue eyes or blonde hair. Even her skin wasn't white.
No, the woman standing in front of him reminded him of a person from a legend his elders told him when he was younger. The person in the legend was a woman with light-tanned skin and big brown eyes that bared nothing but emotion.
Her story was one the elders repeated many times in order to get a message across. 'Even with love, we will never be one with the white men."
The woman in front of him was young, not a day over seventeen. He looked into her eyes filled with fear, and listened to her uneven breathing. The girl was terrified.
"My people, I have an announcement." He stood straight back up, and turned to look at the crowd before him and the young woman. They looked to him, waiting for his signal to take her hostage.
It was times like these that Wanageeska felt his people were becoming influenced by the violence made by the white men. It made him sad that respect and love were now tossed aside, and that violence was first in line.
"This woman is named Samantha." He placed a hand softly onto the young woman's shoulder, making her jump ten feet into the air.
Wanageeska looked down at the young woman and smiled softly. He chuckled as she became red in the face, embarrassed for being so scared. "We will treat her as one of our own during her stay."
The crowd in front of him quickly began mumbling to each other, shocked at the Itancan's words. Did he not see the white girl in front of him?
"She doesn't belong here!" A voice called out.
Wanageeska felt his smile drop a little at that statement. He knew the white girl was an outcast to his people but his word was to be respected. "Little Creek has told me that she can be trusted, and I will take my son's word."
"We will treat her with respect, and we will expect the same from her." Wanageeska looked down to Samantha who nodded softly.
It was silent. Many in the crowd looked down, away from the girl. It would be a long time before they would allow themselves to trust some white girl.
Wanageeska leaned down to speak quietly to Samantha. "Come with me, I think it's time you see your friend again."
Wanageeska led Samantha through the path to his tipi, where his wife stood outside looking to the young woman with shock in her eyes. He could only guess it was because Samantha reminded her of the woman from the legend.
Many of the older tribe members remembered the legend but those in Little Creek's generation had very little knowledge of the legend and its meaning.
He glanced around, noticing his son's absence. "Where is Little Creek?" Wanageeska asked his wife who tore her eyes away from Samantha to her husband.
"I thought he was with you." She said, looking around for any sight of her son. "I don't see Takoda or Mato either."
Wanageeska sighed, shaking his head. He had much love for his adopted son, but sometimes felt like he had no control over the trouble-maker and his friends.
The simple act of Takoda leaving the village with no announcement of his leave was a good example that they had no respect for the rules of the tribe.
"They shall come back in due time. Until then, please show Samantha into our home. I have business with the elders."
Chumani nodded to her husband and smiled softly to the young woman as Wanageeska walked away in search for the elders. "It's good to meet you, Samantha. I must say, you and Takoda had perfect timing."
Samantha felt mute. She hadn't spoken a word to anyone else besides Takoda since her arrival, and here she was, standing in front of the Chief's wife.
She seemed nice. Well, nicer than the others.
She opened her mouth, suddenly bothered with curiosity. "What do you mean we had perfect timing?"
Chumani giggled softly, putting a hand onto Samantha's back. "Little Creek had just told us you would be coming, and the next moment – you were here." She led the girl inside the tipi and smiled at the awe that came across the young woman's face.
"I'm sure my husband will ask Little Creek and his friends to build you your own tipi for you to stay in during your visit. Until then, you may stay here with us."
Samantha had never seen anything like this before. The outside had made the tent-like thing look so tiny but once you entered, it was quite roomy. She stared at the fire-pit in the middle and shrinked back. "The…tipi won't catch on fire, right?"
Chumani looked at Samantha with confusion before giggling in amusement. Three minutes, and she already liked the white girl's company. The girl was new to this world, and she could see the wonder in her eyes – but like human nature, she feared what she didn't know.
"Don't worry, Samantha. You're safe here."
Samantha nodded, nervous. There was a question suddenly bothering her. She and Little Creek never got much time to talk about anything, leave alone the subject of family.
She had no idea that the Chief and wife of the Lakota tribe were Little Creek's parents until earlier when the Chief said he took his 'sons' word. "Chumani, are you and the…Itancan Little Creek's parents?"
Chumani's face lost some of its brightness. She looked into Samantha's eyes with soft eyes, looking as though she was in deep pain. "No, we are not his parents by blood" She quickly shook her head, smiling "-But we love him very much as our adopted son."
"Where are his real parents?" Samantha asked.
Chumani shook her head, looking nervous. "That is a question you should save for Little Creek, Samantha."
Samantha nodded, understanding that it was none of her business. If Little Creek wanted her to know, he would tell her himself. "Thank you for letting me stay." She said quietly.
The woman in front of her smiled. "You remind me of someone."
Samantha raised an eyebrow, confused at the sudden change in subject. "I remind you of someone?"
Chumani giggled. "It's kind of silly, but you remind me of someone from a legend my elders used to tell me."
Samantha bit her lip, feeling childish. "Could you tell me the legend?" She smiled as she watched Chumani laugh.
Samantha and Chumani sat down by the fire-pit, taking in the heat as the night grew cold. Samantha listened in awe as Chumani began to tell her the story of a Lakota woman.
"The woman's name was Angpetu; which, I believe in your language, means radiant." She cleared her throat. "Be warned, this story is not a happy one."
Chumani didn't know many of the English words, but from what Samantha could decipher, it was a tragic legend.
Angpetu was the most beautiful woman of the tribe, and many men fought for their sons to be married to her. They say she looked like a Goddess; with long black hair and big brown eyes. She had high-cheek bones and full lips that were naturally pink and soft to kiss.
One day, Angpetu strayed from the village and ended up lost far, far away. She met a man who was white and at first, she was scared that the man would kill her.
She was shocked to find out that the man would help her. He took her to his home to stay in temporarily. He swore he would try his best to help her find her way back home to the village.
Overtime, Angpetu didn't want to go back to her village. She wished to stay with the man, and though it was a crime for a Civilian to help a Savage, and bad for his family's high-class reputation, he let her.
Angpetu staying with him was kept secret. Servants were paid big money to tell no one of the Lakota's presence in his home. The man's parents knew of the Lakota woman, but ignored her as though she were just a fly on the wall.
One night, the man and Angpetu had a deep conversation in his room, they talked of love and family, and the things they enjoyed and the people they cared about.
They fell deeply in love with each other. Soon enough (against everyone's wishes) she became pregnant with his child. You would have never seen a happier couple in your life.
All was well, until the birth of the child.
There are many different versions of how the story ended but our elders told us the version of where the man was shot for committing a crime and Angpetu was murdered in cold blood by the man's mother.
Other versions say that after Angpetu and her lover were killed, the baby was then labeled a savage and killed as well.
Samantha blinked at Chumani, shocked that such a beautiful story went so wrong. "Why would they kill them? And why would they kill the baby, the baby didn't do anything."
Chumani sighed. "Samantha, this was a legend our elders told us to warn us that no matter what, our people could never get along with yours, even if we had something bonded between us like the baby in the story."
Samantha bit her lip, suddenly distraught. "I remind you of Angpetu just because of my looks, right?"
Chumani shrugged her shoulders. "You and Little Creek's story share some resemblance to the legend already, but let's just hope it doesn't end with you two falling in love, or you getting pregnant and killed."
Samantha shook her head. "I never realized that my people were so…scary to your people."
"We knew the legends were just make-believe but the acts of the white men in them were true." She cleared her throat, looking into Samantha's eyes. "How do your people live? You murder each other, and do so many terrible things when you should love each other, and take care of each other."
Samantha frowned. "Not all white men are like that, Chumani. There are good men out there who would risk their lives to help others…kind of like the man in the legend."
Chumani smiled softly, thinking to herself. "I never thought of the man in the legend that way. So there are people like him out there?"
Samantha smiled back and nodded her head, an image of a scrawny soldier coming to her mind. "Yes, there are white men like the man in the legend."
"I hope that in your new life, you will find a man like the one in the legend."
Samantha giggled nervously. "Let's just hope that I don't get the same ending as the legend."
"Of course."
So a little news - I might not update until next week. I'm attending a convention this weekend with a few friends and will be away from home. I'm also starting a new job next week, so I'll possibly update…Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
Maybe if I have the strength to do so, I can update by Thursday this week, if not, I am so sorry but some of y'all will have to be patient for the next chapter.
Back to the story. Tell me what you think of the Itancan and his wife, and tell me what you think of the 'legend' the elders would tell the older generation. I'm not good with writing stories within….stories so tell me what you thought please.
Reviews (and criticism) are always appreciated.