Chapter 17
The evening has arrived faster than expected, that worsen the feeling for Pocahontas, understanding how the day goes by quick making tomorrow faster to come. The little child was sitting by the river with the large tree close to her, this the most memorable area Pocahontas think of where she and John spend most of their time together. Sitting on the green grass, Pocahontas held her knees up underneath her chin while her toes wiggles in the length of the grass close to the edge of the ground. Her small arms coiled around her legs with her hands wrapped around near the sides of her elbows. Remembering the long yet fun lessons of Pocahontas teaching John the way of nature and to speak in her language, and John taught her to speak his and how he taught John how to resell. The music of their laughter echoed in Pocahontas' mind from when they were playing and how funny it was when John tried to copy her words. Pocahontas held her head high as she locked her eyes down staring at the still surface of the river, knowing how calm and steady it is, she wondered to herself, "Why cannot life be like that?"
The soft sounds of footsteps were heard from behind, but Pocahontas didn't bothered to turned around and look to see who's behind. The footsteps stopped as the walker stooped and stood by the child's side looking down from above, then slowly kneeing down similar to Pocahontas' position and gently broke the peaceful silence.
"Have not been here for a long time" Matachanna whispered with a kind smile.
Pocahontas gratefully looked back at her older sister and replied, "I sometimes come here."
"I could why. Quiyoughcohannock is big for someone like you to run around" Matachanna and Pocahontas chuckled shortly.
"Do you know he is injured?" Matachanna then questioned, and Pocahontas didn't need to ask to know that Matachanna was talking about John Smith. Pocahontas silently nodded as her answer, then Matachanna slowly put her arms over Pocahontas' shoulders and around her neck. Bring her little sister closer as Pocahontas rested her head on the side, while Matachanna could feel the rattling vibration of Pocahontas trying to hold back her small sobs.
"I want him to stay" Pocahontas manage to breathe before her voice could crumbled back into depression.
"I know. I know" Matachanna whispered as she kissed the top of Pocahontas' head, "Sister, not all goodbyes are forever."
Pocahontas quickly controlled her breathing and calming asked, "Will I see him again?"
"Of course, the Great Spirit, Gitche Manitou will make sure of it after what you have done to your people and the other" Matachanna quickly answered, "There will always be another in chance of life where you two would see each other again."
Pocahontas looked up at her big sister and trusted her words, even though she thought of Matachanna better as a sister than a mother, Pocahontas believes Matachanna is still good as she could be. They sat there for hours together watching the orange sun slowly sliding down on the pale sky till the sky was painted into darkish blue blended in with light pink. The coolness arrived by the whistles of the wind touching in their skins, alarming them that night will soon come.
The next morning finally make it to start a new day, surprisingly the sun shined brightly over the face of the Earth. The good Englishmen were nearly finished packing some stuff for half of the group to leave back to England. Thomas, Ben and Jon and packing some stuff on a small boat, the three had worried looks on their faces.
"Is he going to make it, Thomas?" Jon asked in anxious tone, as they all were fearing for John Smith's death.
"The sooner he gets to England, the better" Thomas answered, still holding on to hope for Smith.
"Well, let's hope the wind is with him" Jon prayed.
Thomas turned to looked at Bend and asked, "Is the ship ready yet?"
"Any minute now. Just loading the last bit of cargo" Ben smirked as his eyes pointed down the shallow pathway where a few of the English men were dragging Government Ratcliffe away and threw him into a small.
"Untie me at once!" Ratcliffe screamed in a vicious tone, but a long piece of clothing tightly strapped around his mouth, stopping him from releasing his vexing, loud voice. Once, Ratcliffe was in the boat two men jumped in to row the boat back to the ship while the others began pushing the boat off to splashed into the salty water. Still, Ratcliffe continued roaring, "I'll have your head for this!"
Those men ignored Ratcliffe screams and cries, while the rest walked up to their last thing that they need to put in the boat. John Smith was still lying on his bed as his pain still aches deeply from his chest and across his entire body. After having a long sleep on the injured bed, John's eyes were opening up slowly only to see Thomas, Ben and Jon were around him.
"The ship's almost ready, Smith" Jon noted in friendly tone.
"Aye, we should get you on board, or we will lose the tide" Ben added.
Ben and Jon were on each side of the bed then they gripped their hands on the handles ready to lift John. Until John quickly yelled, but not as loud as he could, "No! Not yet."
Ben and Jon did as they were told and slowly lower John back down, however Thomas wasn't as his worriedness was painted on his face, "Going back is your only chance. You will die if you do not get back soon."
John calmed down his voice and kindly replied, "She said she would come, so we will wait."
Pocahontas' promise stuck as honey to John, and he trusted her kind words no matter what. Thomas frown at John's pain from both his physical injuries on his body, and his broken heart if John leaves without saying goodbye to Pocahontas. Slowly shifting his head around, Thomas widen his eyes in joy, "Look!"
The men all turned their heads around and noticed a child walking out slowly from the misty green of the forest. Pocahontas was the first to entered out of the forest and into the clearness, then more of her people arrived with baskets in their hands. A few of the Englishmen first thought that the Natives would have brought their weapons and attack again, but when they saw the baskets the Englishmen's nerves rapidly calmed down. The Native Indians carefully laid their baskets filled with core, letter, a few rabbits and fish.
Soon, Pocahontas was the first to start walking upwards while the rest of her people stood where they were behind her. The same as yesterday, the Englishmen slowly lower their hats off from their heads and placed them in the centre of their chests, showing their respect the young princess. However, Pocahontas didn't looked up at any of the men, she locked her gazed on John who is still hurt and sure broken from his burn injuries. Once she reached by John's side Pocahontas kneed with a welcome smile yet John saw her sadness as she well hidden it behind her grin.
"I knew you would come" John whispered joyfully.
Pocahontas grin wider for John's faith and love for her, happy to see that he would for her before he could leave. John slide her stare pass Pocahontas as he noticed her people behind, he wondered, "What are the baskets for?"
"Food for your journey" Pocahontas answered.
John also caught the view of Pocahontas' people again and this time he had a clearer view to scanned their faces. One of them was Pocahontas' father, though John thought Powhatan will have a strict, serious look on his face, John noticed a small grin. Pocahontas followed John's gaze to her father and explained, "You are always welcome here. For saving my people. For saving me."
"Well either way, you are safe" John whispered kindly.
Unexpectedly, Meeko ran up to the side of John's bed next to Pocahontas, John steady hand slide down into his side pocket from his trousers and pulled out a small biscuit. "It's the last one, Meeko" John smiled as he rested the biscuit in the palm of his hand allowing Meeko to snatched it right off into his tiny paws and quickly crunched into his mouth. Pocahontas and John both laughed at the racoon's reaction, then their eyes meet again and were quickly brought to reality.
They feel in silence until John broke in sudden thought that came to mind, "You could come."
Pocahontas stared in puzzlement, so John explained, "You could see the world beyond the horizon. Come with me?"
Pocahontas felt John's hand tighten over hers, feeling his love for her and Pocahontas knows John would take care for her. There was not a doubt in her mind that she would agree with him, all she wanted to go beyond the horizon over the blue, salty waters and see what else is out there. Now, this was her chance and Pocahontas could be with John to see it all, visioning it in her mind from the description of his late adventures. But, by the corner of her eye, her vision quickly vanish by the gazing back at the anxious faces of her family. Her people, her older brothers, her lovely sister, her strict father, and her only grandmother, Pocahontas would have to leave them all.
Carefully, Pocahontas raised John's hand and sided it to her left check feeling his warmth through his skin and he was feelings her. "I love to" Pocahontas whispered gently, yet she held a sad smile, "I am needed here."
John showed an understandable stare up at the child and smiled kindly, "Good."
Pocahontas should feel relieved for John accepting her choice, yet she felt disappointed again like how her family felt for her before when they found out she was friends with John. She couldn't hold back the tears, feeling ashamed to do in front of John. John breathed in all the strength he had in his bones to lift his upper body up while sucking all the sharp pain he is receiving from his sore muscles. His right arm wrapped around Pocahontas' back and rested her small head on his covered shoulder, John felt the child's cold tears dropping on his shoulder like icy crystals melting from above.
"You stay, I will go" John whispered by the side of Pocahontas' tiny ear, "No matter how far, or how long I will be go. I will always remember you."
Slowly, John pulled Pocahontas a little to show her where John placed his other sure hand on his chest, he sadly smiled, "Because you will in here."
Pocahontas chuckled happily as she understood John, then she gently lifted his hand placed on the centre of her chest and calmly breathed, "John will be here. Forever."
Their eyes were locked on each other and smile at their last moment, praying to their gods and spirit of how thankful they are for finding each other and being part of their lives. Meanwhile, two men began to carry John from both ends, Pocahontas and John still hold their hands tightly until a far distance strongly broke their bond. Pocahontas froze in her stop, never taking her eyes off from John.
"Good luck, lad" Ben prayed, then so did Jon, "Godspeed, John."
Carefully placed John on a small boat and they began sailing it to their large ship, Pocahontas could do nothing but watch. She tried squeezing her small fingers into the palm of her hands, pressuring her tiny nail into her skin to distract her with other kind pain than suffering to see her new and good friend to leave hopelessly. Fortunately, Matachanna walked up behind Pocahontas and softly rested her hands on their little sister's shoulders. Pocahontas gazed up at her older sister and thankfully grinned at Matachanna for being supportive. Watching the small boat just arriving at the large ship, Pocahontas' kind heart skipped a beat, while hearing the voices from the other Englishmen who are aboard on the ship. The crew carefully lifted the small off the salty water and hanging them on the side of the ship. Soon, the anchor was rising out from the water, the sails were released, the ship to ready to take off and leave.
When the ship began drifting off, Pocahontas view of the ship was becoming smaller as it was distancing further. No one dare left on the shore before the ship would be fully vanished out of their sights, however Pocahontas didn't want to end her watch on the ship just like. With a thought, Pocahontas' legs began to move off from her spot, and without a single word of warning, Pocahontas began walking fast. Lost her touch from Matachannas' hand on her shoulder, Pocahontas felt everyone giving her a short gaze on her back and she heard their thoughts, "The poor child is probably upset."
Pocahontas didn't mind those thought, although there were true, that wasn't why she was leaving so soon. As she reached to the end of the shore and entered into the green forest, her legs started to move faster. Jogging fast at first then changed rapidly to spinning in the speed of the wind, so fast the tears from Pocahontas' wet eyes were sliding horizontally across her checks. She could feel the Earth warm heart vibrating it's beats underneath the ground, flipping her feet up faster as much as her heart was pounding in between her small ribcage.
Finally, she reached to the high, rocky cliff on the edge of the forest, where Pocahontas got a huge view of the bluish purple sky touching down on the calm, salty water. Her eyes quickly spotted the ship close by a short distance on water, luckily she spotted John still resting on his bed on the centre of the ship. It wasn't long before John tiring, wet eyes caught the sighting of the Native child standing by the cliff. John chuckled a hopeful smile and released a few happy tears, knowing he could feel Pocahontas' gaze watching over him as he sails away.
Using with all his strength, John lifted himself up a bit as he leaned carefully on his left elbow, then he used his arm to move as he silently waves goodbye in the Native Algonquian language, and whispered, "Anah..."
Pocahontas saw John's wave and she grinned knowing that John remembered how she taught him the ways in her culture. Then, Pocahontas waved goodbye, "Anah, cumay." (Cumay means 'my friend in Algonquian.)
The wind softly touching the sides of her arms and her back, at that moment The Great Spirit blessed the welcoming of the spirit of her mother to touch her beloved child. Pocahontas felt her mother's present and looks up at the colourful sky, thanking the Great Spirit, for blessing her the strength and the courage to face her challenges in the past. Now, it has risen some hope inside of Pocahontas, believe someday in the future she will find John Smith. Pocahontas didn't think but she just knew.
Time flew as slow as the orange sun began lowing itself down towards the bright horizon, I sat on the rocky cliff while staring out for the large ship. The dark night arrived, and the vision of the ship faded from my sight. I deeply hatred the fact that I couldn't see the skip anymore, meaning I couldn't see John. However, I prayed to the Great Spirit that John will arrive back to England safety and will be recovered from his wounds.
Afterwards, I walked back to my village. Surprisingly, Grandmother Willow was staying. That day of the battle was the first day I saw her outside of her little home. Days gone by, weeks, and months... Half of my older siblings are getting married and are having children. Soon, another English ship arrived, this time there were women and children who had come. Curious to me to see what women dressed like, and their children dressed really similar. Also, most men started wearing some pointy black hats which wonders me. Some of the arrivers were frightened of me at first, gradually they got to me and felt more comfortable within our land.
Then, Thomas, Jon, Ben and I decided to celebrate our peace between my people and the Englishmen. Welcoming everyone to come to the English camp as they set a great feast. Sharing food to each other and exploring the likes of one another. There was dancing and music. Everyone got along it. Half of the people named it a "Thankful day" while the other half named it a "Giving day." I just thought it was called a special day. But, it was the most wonderful day of my life.
I continued visiting the English camp, checking they are all alright for their fields, so they are prepared to gather food for winter. See if there's any news about, sometimes I forget about him. Which is good, because I must learn to move on. And so, I did, I was growing up. Still have fun of course, but I was learning more of my responsibilities in my life. Looking out for the forest, keeping peace between my people and the strangers.
I am Pocahontas. A young child of Powhatan, a great chief of the Powhatan People. Raised on the vulnerable Earth. Blessed by the Great Spirit. A Princess of Peace.
Hey Guys! So sorry for being so late, been very busy with lots of things at the moment. Thankfully I managed some time to write this chapter.
Funny story: when I was young, I thought the "Thanksgiving" celebration happened because of Pocahontas. Reading the history now, I think it happened in a different part of America. But I thought "they sound similar" so I added it in.
This is my final chapter for the story, so I hoped you have enjoyed reading this.