Chapter 7
Powhatan stared at John, disbelieving what his daughter had said.
"Cocoum's alive?"
"Yes father, if you do not believe me ask Nakoma."
After a moment's pause, Powhatan walked past his daughter in search of Nakoma, knowing it his duty to get to the bottom of this.
"Pocahontas, forgive me I couldn't tell you," John spoke up feeling ashamed
"I didn't know he was alive until he attacked me in the forest, I thought he was going...to.... to..." Pocahontas broke off throwing herself into John's waiting arms and he held her tenderly.
"Then he would be dead for sure," John said as he softly kissed her.
"It won't be like that with me," he assured her as he stroked her hair gently, "Pocahontas, I'd be honored--"
"What is the meaning of this chief Powhatan?"
Nakoma enquired as they stepped through the longhouse door but the look on her face made it obvious she already knew.
"We wish to speak with you," the chieftain told her regally his eyes searching her face.
Pocahontas pulled away from John and glanced at Nakoma's face, Pocahontas' friend couldn't even meet her eyes.
"I will be blunt with you, is Cocoum alive?" Powhatan asked and Nakoma pressed a hand to her throat.
"What??" Nakoma said, her eyes wide with shock, "Powhatan; the Cocoum we used to know is dead--"
"You liar!!!" Pocahontas screamed, flinging herself towards Nakoma only to be held back by John, betrayal in her eyes, "tell them the truth; now!!"
Nakoma turned her steely gaze on Pocahontas and Pocahontas calmed down immediately ashamed she had yelled at Nakoma. Nakoma had never lied to her, Nakoma had always protected her. There must have been a reason she said what she said.
"Allow me to speak Pocahontas," Nakoma said with quiet dignity and folding her arms across her chest Pocahontas kept her silence giving Nakoma the benefit of the doubt.
"Speak child," Powhatan gave Nakoma leave to explain and Nakoma took a deep breath.
"The Dream Giver visited my dreams a year ago, with news that I had a soul quest to undertake, I was to assist in the liberation of our people, my first task seemed simple enough but to get Pocahontas to start taking her responsibilities seriously was proving difficult, I prayed one night to the Dream Giver to send me the means of changing Pocahontas' mind, and so John Smith reappeared, my task completed I knew John would inspire Pocahontas to want to rule," it was here Nakoma broke off and her head dropped to her chest and she was deadly silent.
Hesitantly Pocahontas stepped forward to touch her shoulder but Nakoma's head snapped to attention and her eyes were glazed over, her face void of any emotion,
"This soul's next task is to save a dead soul, that soul is the warrior Cocoum, he is to lead the people out of the darkness, he has been chosen."
Nakoma's voice sounded strange, like there were two voices speaking through her and all in the longhouse realized with a shiver that it was not Nakoma speaking any more, it was the Dream Giver speaking through her. Pocahontas and Powhatan fell to their knees mumbling prayers and John joined them a little skeptical but willing to believe.
"But you told us he was dead, Cocoum is alive, I know it and you know it," John reminded her and Nakoma turned her gaze on him smiling a secretive smile.
"No John Smith, his existence here on earth cannot be called living, he has suffered under the English, in their hands he has died a million deaths, learned shame and humility, he is not the same man we knew, that Cocoum is dead, the new Cocoum is angry, it is this child, this vessel I am speaking through who must quell his anger and show him the path of his destiny," the Dream Giver told all and Nakoma's eyes turned back to normal as she bowed her head the Dream Giver's spirit leaving her.
"Can you not see?" Nakoma asked and Pocahontas turned away not wanting to believe what sounded so true. If Cocoum was to lead her people the only way he could do that was as Chieftain and to become Chieftain he would have to marry one of royal blood, and that left Pocahontas. She wanted to refuse, to tell Nakoma to take her soul quest to another village, but she knew better than to disobey the Dream Giver. It was destiny. Nakoma however was pleased all was going as the Dream Giver had foretold her. Pocahontas and John's love would now be tested, Cocoum's ability as a leader would also be tested and the people would be tested, but only Nakoma knew it.
"Chief Powhatan! Cocoum is here!" Horan burst into the longhouse and the news surprised Powhatan, Pocahontas and John but Nakoma wasn't at all surprised. She looked as though she had been expecting it.
"See how he now embraces his destiny, it is your turn Pocahontas to do the same, you are no longer a child," Nakoma lectured in Pocahontas' direction as she wandered to the entrance of the longhouse touching Horan's head gently. Horan smiled wickedly at her, having quite a crush on the older woman before pulling aside the flap to allow someone else entrance to the longhouse
Cocoum appeared in the doorway and entered proudly.
"I have come to fulfill my destiny," he announced looking only at Nakoma and she smiled approvingly.
Powhatan stared at John, disbelieving what his daughter had said.
"Cocoum's alive?"
"Yes father, if you do not believe me ask Nakoma."
After a moment's pause, Powhatan walked past his daughter in search of Nakoma, knowing it his duty to get to the bottom of this.
"Pocahontas, forgive me I couldn't tell you," John spoke up feeling ashamed
"I didn't know he was alive until he attacked me in the forest, I thought he was going...to.... to..." Pocahontas broke off throwing herself into John's waiting arms and he held her tenderly.
"Then he would be dead for sure," John said as he softly kissed her.
"It won't be like that with me," he assured her as he stroked her hair gently, "Pocahontas, I'd be honored--"
"What is the meaning of this chief Powhatan?"
Nakoma enquired as they stepped through the longhouse door but the look on her face made it obvious she already knew.
"We wish to speak with you," the chieftain told her regally his eyes searching her face.
Pocahontas pulled away from John and glanced at Nakoma's face, Pocahontas' friend couldn't even meet her eyes.
"I will be blunt with you, is Cocoum alive?" Powhatan asked and Nakoma pressed a hand to her throat.
"What??" Nakoma said, her eyes wide with shock, "Powhatan; the Cocoum we used to know is dead--"
"You liar!!!" Pocahontas screamed, flinging herself towards Nakoma only to be held back by John, betrayal in her eyes, "tell them the truth; now!!"
Nakoma turned her steely gaze on Pocahontas and Pocahontas calmed down immediately ashamed she had yelled at Nakoma. Nakoma had never lied to her, Nakoma had always protected her. There must have been a reason she said what she said.
"Allow me to speak Pocahontas," Nakoma said with quiet dignity and folding her arms across her chest Pocahontas kept her silence giving Nakoma the benefit of the doubt.
"Speak child," Powhatan gave Nakoma leave to explain and Nakoma took a deep breath.
"The Dream Giver visited my dreams a year ago, with news that I had a soul quest to undertake, I was to assist in the liberation of our people, my first task seemed simple enough but to get Pocahontas to start taking her responsibilities seriously was proving difficult, I prayed one night to the Dream Giver to send me the means of changing Pocahontas' mind, and so John Smith reappeared, my task completed I knew John would inspire Pocahontas to want to rule," it was here Nakoma broke off and her head dropped to her chest and she was deadly silent.
Hesitantly Pocahontas stepped forward to touch her shoulder but Nakoma's head snapped to attention and her eyes were glazed over, her face void of any emotion,
"This soul's next task is to save a dead soul, that soul is the warrior Cocoum, he is to lead the people out of the darkness, he has been chosen."
Nakoma's voice sounded strange, like there were two voices speaking through her and all in the longhouse realized with a shiver that it was not Nakoma speaking any more, it was the Dream Giver speaking through her. Pocahontas and Powhatan fell to their knees mumbling prayers and John joined them a little skeptical but willing to believe.
"But you told us he was dead, Cocoum is alive, I know it and you know it," John reminded her and Nakoma turned her gaze on him smiling a secretive smile.
"No John Smith, his existence here on earth cannot be called living, he has suffered under the English, in their hands he has died a million deaths, learned shame and humility, he is not the same man we knew, that Cocoum is dead, the new Cocoum is angry, it is this child, this vessel I am speaking through who must quell his anger and show him the path of his destiny," the Dream Giver told all and Nakoma's eyes turned back to normal as she bowed her head the Dream Giver's spirit leaving her.
"Can you not see?" Nakoma asked and Pocahontas turned away not wanting to believe what sounded so true. If Cocoum was to lead her people the only way he could do that was as Chieftain and to become Chieftain he would have to marry one of royal blood, and that left Pocahontas. She wanted to refuse, to tell Nakoma to take her soul quest to another village, but she knew better than to disobey the Dream Giver. It was destiny. Nakoma however was pleased all was going as the Dream Giver had foretold her. Pocahontas and John's love would now be tested, Cocoum's ability as a leader would also be tested and the people would be tested, but only Nakoma knew it.
"Chief Powhatan! Cocoum is here!" Horan burst into the longhouse and the news surprised Powhatan, Pocahontas and John but Nakoma wasn't at all surprised. She looked as though she had been expecting it.
"See how he now embraces his destiny, it is your turn Pocahontas to do the same, you are no longer a child," Nakoma lectured in Pocahontas' direction as she wandered to the entrance of the longhouse touching Horan's head gently. Horan smiled wickedly at her, having quite a crush on the older woman before pulling aside the flap to allow someone else entrance to the longhouse
Cocoum appeared in the doorway and entered proudly.
"I have come to fulfill my destiny," he announced looking only at Nakoma and she smiled approvingly.