Be Careful What You Wish For
Chapter II
o0o0o
Soon enough, the tribes started to take notice of their sacred fire-keeper. People spoke of the beautiful maiden that healed and tended to them. Her beauty was so dazzling that chiefs from other tribes would come to see her, and though Loo-wit enjoyed the attention, she had knowledge in her head and wisdom in her heart, and remained steadfast to her duties. For many moons, the tribes lived in peace and happiness, their lodges always warm.
But Loo-wit could not have foreseen the trouble that her wish would cause.
o0o0o
In the past, Loo-wit's days had been lonely. People came to her to have their ailments treated and to draw from her fire, but none had offered to be her friend, and the gifts she had received were merely obligations from both tribes. Provisions and clothing were offered to her because her duties did not give her much time for domestic duties, and she had no husband to take care of her. But now, people would sit around her outdoor hearth, admiring her, bringing her gifts and telling her jokes and stories. People did not believe the tales of Loo-wit's beauty until they had come to the Fire-keeper's hearth and seen it for themselves.
Loo-wit enjoyed the attention. She knew that these people had simply come to admire her beauty, but she was happy to bask under their praise. Several young men started to come courting, but she turned them all down. She might be young and lovely, but she still had the mind and heart of a old woman, so her lodge was lonely every night. The only remainder of her olden days was the fact that her hair remained as white as snow, but that set against the lovely and firm dark skin of her radiant face, and people would remark that the white tresses enhanced her beauty.
Without a bent back and aching limbs, Loo-wit enjoyed her walks more than she had ever. She could even leap, run, or skip, and was prone to bursts of youthful energy here and there.
One day, she saw a man racing and leaping through the forest, his torso bare. And to her amusement, she realized that he was chasing a horse! He was very nimble of foot, indeed, to be able to do a such thing. She remained at the edge of the forest, watching this handsome young man caught up to the horse and flipped over onto its back. It took a lot of courage to even attempt such a feat, and she smiled to herself. When he paused, she stepped forward into the sunlight. Upon taking notice of her, he quickly mounted his horse and rode up the hill. She was the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen, and he recognized Loo-wit from the stories he had heard. He had not believed the stories until now, and could not help but stare as Loo-wit regarded him calmly, her dark almond-shaped eyes focused on him as if she could see everything within his heart.
"Greetings, Fire-keeper. I am Wy'east of the Multnomahs."
"Wy'east, is that not the name of the son of the chief?"
"One and the same." He leaped from his horse and bowed to her out of reverence for his status. In his youth, he remembered all too well the dark days where the evil spirits had taken over the villages and the Great Spirit was displeased with everybody. He knew that one day, sooner or later, he would have to encounter Loo-wit, but such beauty! She was radiant, and worthy of being the Fire-Keeper.
"I have heard others in your tribe mention that you are impetuous and head-strong."
"What is life if there's nothing to enjoy about it? We all need laughter in our lives."
"These are wise words, indeed." Loo-wit responded with a smile that was as radiant as the sun, and Wy'east was instantly smitten with her.
o0o0o
Loo-wit sat outside, meditating in front of the fire. It was a warm spring day, and the birds would occasionally break the silence with song. Often, people would come and sit with her, bringing her food and tea and listening to her, but at the moment, she was alone. She decided to take a walk and see what herbs she could gather. She gracefully rose to her feet, her small, moccasined feet moving easily across the dirt and rocks. Sometimes she would go deep into the woods, other times she would simply stroll along either side of the river, meditating as she watched the water cascade along the rocks. Every day she thanked the Great Spirit for what he had given her. She took a deep breath of the air, feeling it invigorate her.
There was a man also walking by the river, something he often did when he wanted to think and be alone. When he saw a figure approaching him, he was pulled out of his reverie. He stared at the white-haired beauty, almost disbelieving that she was human. She looked so quiet and serene, her eyes half-lidded and a mysterious smile on her face, as if she was contemplating the secrets of the universe. He was a quiet and contemplative man, preferring these walks to watching dancing or playing games. None of the village women pleased him. They were always too nagging, or loud, or chattered on about irrelevant matters.
"Good morning." the woman said, her voice soft and sweet. She opened her eyes to gaze at him, pretty pools of dark amidst tanned skin and snow-white tresses. And deep within, love struck his solemn and serious heart.
"Your presence honors me, Loo-wit." he said with a slight bow of his head. He had been taught to respect his elders – even though Loo-wit's youthful appearance broke the norm. He had seen Loo-Wit before, as a wrinkled old woman when he had been a child, and had to admit that he much preferred this.
"And who might you be?"
"I am Klickitat, chief of the tribe on this side of the Bridge of the Gods."
"You certainly look like one." She smiled, taking in his broad shoulders and tall height. His gaze was solemn and his face unsmiling to the point of severity, but he had a kind glint in his eyes. He also appeared to be a bit older than Wy'east, but he was also handsome in his own way. At her quip, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
o0o0o
Though she maintained her post as Fire-keeper, she also found herself charmed by the attentions of Wy'east and Klickitat. She found herself amused by Wy'east's stories and jokes, and he was also very good at games, such as stick-ball. He enjoyed doing tricks on his horse, and had an enthusiastic approach to life, striving to live it to the fullest and collecting as many fond memories as he could. And he was always kind to her, bringing her gifts such as animals he had killed, or fine dresses made of the softest leather. He would sit at her hearth and share his tales with others who came to visit her, making for gatherings of people happy to bask in her beauty and listen to Wy'east's stories.
Klickitat was nearly the opposite of the other man. He was quiet, choosing his words carefully. He was not given to making jokes or performing tricks. He never participated in songs or dances, and preferred long, quiet walks or sitting in front of the fire with his tobacco pipe. She enjoyed sharing the pipe, and sitting with him in peace as they meditated. She was hard-pressed to say which man she liked better, because she had grown so fond of both of them.
When she tired of Wy'east's overabundance of energy, she found solace in the silence and respect that Klickitat offered her, and when she itched for someone to talk to, someone that would make her laugh, there would be Wy'east, all too happy to bring a smile to her face.
Soon enough, both of the tribes started talking. The tribe north of the river spoke of Klickitat going to see Loo-wit, and how he was certain to have the Fire-keeper for his wife soon enough. People had been wondering if he would ever choose a wife, and they said that Loo-wit's beauty was the only thing that could move him to love.
On the other side of the river, people said that Wy'east had finally found a woman that tamed his heart. Before, he had been a notorious flirt, but now he had eyes only for Loo-wit.
Both men enjoyed Loo-wit's company. Wy'east liked to make her laugh, and Klickitat liked to listen to her stories of the old days. Wy'east was awed by her beauty and wisdom, and respected her deeply. For her, he was willing to ignore all other women, something that impressed his father, who was the aging chief of the tribe. He hadn't wanted to make his son chief yet, not before he had chosen a wife. But he was concerned about his son's wayward eye and feared he might never settle. And Klickitat was already the leader of his tribe, but had never found a woman to suit him or his solemn nature. Loo-wit was beautiful and wise, and would be a good wife for him.
However, neither of them had yet been able to win her heart..Loo-wit accepted their gifts and welcomed their company, but she demurred to her duties as the keeper of the sacred flame. Besides, why should she choose one over the other? She liked both of them!
o0o0o
Both tribes often crossed the sacred bridge. And it was just for that purpose that the bridge had been created. The Great Spirit did not wish to separate the two halves of Sahale's tribe forever. There were many in both tribes that were in one way or another tied to the one across the river. On celebration days and harvest days, the tribes often celebrated as one, the lights of the bonfires sitting at the banks at either side of the river.
One warm morning, several women from either side of the river gathered together to talk and do projects. Inevitably, the talk turned towards gossip. One of the women from the north of a river – a cousin of Klickitat – casually mentioned that he was courting Loo-wit. An older woman – a friend of Wy'east's mother – quickly replied that that was not so, because Wy'east had finally turned his previously scattered attention to Loo-wit and that he was a more serious man. He was still jovial and fun-loving, but he was now working harder.
Another woman of the Klickitats shook her head as she heard the old woman's story. For years, women sought to capture the attention of the leader of the Klickitats. But he was so solemn and serious, and no woman had ever been able to make him smile. But now he was a happy man.
The women looked at one another, and the evil spirits that had been held at bay saw a new opportunity. When the women parted company for the day, they whispered their new-found knowledge to the other women. Eventually, their gossip reached the ears of the men. Loo-wit had never consented to be anybody's bride, but gossip was a destructive force that was near impossible to stop once it gained wind.