The Adventures of Pocahontas and John Rolfe: Book I
Chapter 18: The Heights of Peril
The bosun knelt slowly as he peered at the glowing dagger. He reached out and picked it up again by the hilt. The strange whispering voice came to him once more. I am the spirit of the blackstone dagger, Sawisa'longuess'ta'riksauritza, and I know your heart's desire.
The bosun rose gradually to his feet as he stared at the blade in his hand, holding it some distance away from himself. He shook his head. "You are no ordinary spirit. I know a demon when I sense one. You will not have my soul!" he decreed. "I know your kind is helpless without a human wielder. I will bury you where no one can ever find you!"
You need not speak out loud. You can use your thoughts to communicate with me, mortal. And don't flatter yourself. It is not your despoiled soul that I am after, the blade retorted.
The bosun gritted his teeth. You can read my thoughts?
Only the ones you direct at me, clarified the demon. Most of the time when you think I'm reading your private thoughts, I'm really reading your body language. I'm perceptive.
Still, the bosun was skeptical. How do you know my name when even I couldn't remember it? he interrogated, narrowing his eyes in suspicion at the blade. Who are you truly?
A primordial god, the demon revealed. What I know of you, your loved ones have told me. I can travel between here and the other side. On earth, I am confined to the blade.
The bosun knitted his brows. My loved ones?
Your sons, daughters, wives, brothers, sisters, parents, other relatives, and childhood friends. Who else? it said. You may feel alone now but that is just a temporary state.
You can talk to them? the bosun inquired, gasping. Are they truly all dead?
I do not know. I have only spoken to a few, the demon admitted. Listen, my friend. Some of the things you have been taught about my kind are not true. Like I said, I have no use for your corrupted soul. In fact, the two of us have one very important desire in common.
The bosun snorted. And what is that?
We both want the one you call 'Ivory Man,' the blade disclosed. But tell me something. I know why Adahy hated him. What is your interest in him when he has done nothing to you directly? Or has he done something to you that I do not know about? I have a suspicion about your reasons for hating him, but I don't want to assume incorrectly.
The bosun narrowed his eyes. And what is your suspicion?
I'll tell you after you tell me what you think your reasons are, it countered. I asked first.
The bosun sighed in aggravation. Fine. I hate him… because he is a prime representative of his kind. He's as shamelessly white as they come. I do not for one second believe Flame's claim that he's a Spaniard. It was the English who attacked my homeland. He is one of their barbaric kind. I'm certain he deceived his native friend. Now that I know she is a woman, I know why. The whites have a peculiar fetish for 'exotic' women. They must learn to keep to their own kind. How would they like it if some invading force went to England and snatched up all their wives and daughters? But they don't think about that because they see themselves as gods with the right to trample over the rest of mankind. They think we are animals! And this white man, this Ivory Man—he will keep that naive young girl as his concubine. She doesn't even realize his intent. The girl rightfully belongs to the men of her own tribe, not that white devil! I don't want to see history repeated. I don't know why but she reminds me of Shanqilshatsuq. She was my last wife. Our marriage ended in tragedy, which I would rather not recount at the moment.
It is peculiar then that you are helping the pirates track her down. You know perfectly well what they intend to do with her when they capture her, the demon pointed out.
The bosun shook his head. I am not after her. I only want the white man. If I came upon the two of them, I would take him and leave her, he countered. While it is true she should be punished for betraying her kind, it is the job of her own tribe to punish her. If it was me, I would just tell Flame that she got away. Perhaps later I could track down her tribe and inform them of her treachery. But, unfortunately, that cannot be my highest priority.
The demon seemed to utter a mental sigh. Sawisa'longuess'ta'riksauritza, you were meant for so much more than this life of lowly subservience. You were born to be a mighty chief-king. Take me with you and see what I could do for you in exchange for the untainted souls that you track down for me. If we had your Ivory Man in our grasp, our power would be unstoppable! Adahy failed repeatedly to catch him, but you succeeded once as I recall. I believe you can succeed again and then we could both give that pale barbarian his just reward. Together we would be a force to reckon with!
Still, the bosun was suspicious. And why should I trust a demon?
I think if you thought about it that you would ultimately decide it was worth the risk, the blade replied. The life you're living now is nothing in comparison to what you could have with me at your side, assuming you do not fail me repeatedly like Adahy did.
The bosun still hesitated. I don't know.
Go ahead and take some time to think on it. Why don't you bring me with you for now? You could always toss me aside later should you change your mind, it pointed out.
The bosun huffed as Françoise started to whine. There had to be risks involved with keeping a demon-possessed weapon near his person. He had to make a choice. The creature's promises sounded sweet. Fine, I will. But that's no guarantee of a partnership!
Understood, replied the demon.
The bosun tucked the dagger into his provisions bag and continued on his way.
…
"But it's not fully cooked yet," Adahy protested.
Nicole tore into the fish with her teeth. "I don't care!" she snarled with a big bite in her mouth. She chewed twice and then swallowed, tearing another bite out of the catch.
Adahy could not recall the last time he had seen someone so hungry. He poked at the fire again, watching her as he cooked the other pieces of the fish. They had caught the big bass with a basic snare trap that they had made together. Nicole had turned out to be useful. Kelele lay at Adahy's side feasting on the fish head. Adahy peered down at the dog and patted him, returning his attention to Nicole. "Try not to choke on the bones."
Nicole ate most of the fish, having been far hungrier than Adahy. When she finished, she cleaned herself up as best she could and stuck a couple more logs on the fire to keep warm. The night chill was turning her back into an ice cube. She turned around to warm up, facing away from the fire and shivering. "So cold," she said, rubbing her arms.
"It is," Adahy agreed. "I admit even I am not properly dressed for this weather."
"How are we going to sleep tonight? We'll freeze if we stop tending the fire."
Adahy shook his head. "It would be best to wait until daylight to sleep," he expressed. "Now that you're not starving anymore, there's something I think we should talk about."
"Yes?" Nicole returned, peering at him through big expectant blue eyes. Despite how filthy and emaciated she was, she still appeared extraordinarily beautiful by the firelight.
Adahy poked the fire again. "What exactly did you want my assistance for? I mean, I understand that you were starving but…" He paused, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I've been so set on a single goal for the past several weeks. It seems my whole life was consumed by it. I'm just confused now, I guess. What I'm trying to ask is this, what do you want to do now? Surely, you don't wish to return to St. Augustine after the attack."
Nicole shook her head. "No, I want to go back to France. I haven't been there since I was six." She paused, blushing. "Would you… like to come with me?" she inquired, twiddling her fingers. "My family owns a fortune back home. We could live very comfortably."
Adahy blinked. "But how do you propose we get there? We would need a ship."
"We would have to go to Jamestown," Nicole explained. "Have you heard of it? It's a new English settlement. We could catch a ship to England and then another to France."
Adahy thought for a minute. "Jamestown… Isn't that far north of here? It will be even colder. When winter starts, there will be snow and ice. That's one dangerous journey."
"That's where John Rolfe and Pocahontas are going," Nicole revealed.
Adahy raised a brow. "Who is Pocahontas?"
"The Indian woman. I thought you said you were after her before."
"Oh!" Adahy blurted, recollecting. "So her real name is Pocahontas? On Flame's ship, everyone called her 'Tomtom' and believed her to be a boy. She served as cabin boy."
Nicole appeared confused. "What do you mean?"
Adahy cleared his throat. "I used to be with the pirates before they attacked St. Augustine. I was never loyal to them, only using them as a means to avoid slavery at the hands of the Spanish palefaces who attacked my homeland. While I was aboard the Blood Draw, we captured a supply ship bound for the northern colonies. John Rolfe and Pocahontas were aboard the ship. We found them down in the brig. Both claimed to be prisoners bound for execution in the colonies. Flame and Bleud believed their story and allowed them to join the crew under the pretense that Pocahontas was actually a boy named Tomtom. They escaped the ship the first chance they got. I suppose they had planned on fleeing to St. Augustine, but Bleud and Flame were extremely vengeful. They attacked St. Augustine as a form of retaliation against those two for deceiving the crew. Didn't they tell you about this?" Adahy inquired, surprised at her ignorance.
Nicole gasped. "You mean to tell me that John Rolfe and Pocahontas are the reason the pirates attacked St. Augustine in the first place?" the blonde exclaimed in disbelief.
Adahy nodded. "It was a foolish plan. The pirates captured me briefly a couple days ago and I discovered the majority of the crew was wiped out in the attack. They paid a heavy price for taking St. Augustine," he divulged. "I suppose that means you were right in what you said earlier about revenge," he muttered, reminiscing on his own past actions.
Nicole smiled lightly. "Father called it a poison."
"Hey," Adahy contemplated. "On that note, whatever did happen to the Blood Draw? You were captured from St. Augustine, so you must have been on the ship for a while, right?"
Nicole blinked in surprise at the question but then her face fell. "Yes, I was aboard when John Rolfe stole the ship from the crew. We sailed together for a week but then there was a terrible storm. I…" She paused, looking sorrowful. "I don't know what became of the ship and the other girls. I pray that they're alright. But Pocahontas, John Rolfe, and I got washed overboard. We were separated from the ship and nearly drowned in the ocean."
Adahy swallowed a lump in his throat, guilt passing over his face briefly. Fortunately, Nicole was not even looking at him. "I'm sorry that happened to you. That's horrible."
"No! Don't be sorry for me," Nicole countered, shaking her head. A shimmering teardrop flew from her face into the crackling fire. "It was my fault we were washed overboard. I did a bad thing, a terrible thing. I've repented for it and God has forgiven me but I can't let go of the regret. My friends might be dead for all I know. John was the ship's captain. I don't know if those poor girls could hope to sail without him. I really don't know."
Adahy felt more at ease in Nicole's presence upon learning that she was not the perfect blonde-haired angel she appeared to be. "I have done many bad things too," he admitted.
Nicole sniffled and rubbed a tear off her face as it fell. "I'm sure you wouldn't have had much of a choice while trying to survive among those pirates. I had no such excuse."
"No, the pirates are not the reason for my actions!" Adahy countered. "I'm as much at fault for my deeds as you are for yours. Unlike you, I can't be forgiven. I am cursed for eternity. It is my fate as a fallen warrior. I tried to fix things and failed at every turn."
Nicole blinked. "Why can't you be forgiven?"
"My deity is not as forgiving as yours," Adahy disclosed with a sigh of melancholy.
Nicole frowned. "That's awful! If I was you, I would switch to a different deity."
"Converters are even more reviled than fallen warriors where I am from!" Adahy raged, shaking a fist. "They're called infidels." Nicole was taken aback by the fervor of his exclamation and she placed a hand to her chest. Adahy buried his face in his hands, full of shame and dread. "You don't understand. My afterlife will be one horror after an…"
"Wait, wait!" Nicole interrupted, raising a hand to silence him. He glanced up at her with a devastated expression. She bit her lip. "I don't mean to interrupt, but didn't you tell me you were already doomed? What exactly do you have to lose by trying another option?"
Adahy appeared to be a little confused by her words. He shrugged. "I can't imagine what other deity would have me. I'm a fallen Copichican warrior. My soul is worth nothing."
Nicole knitted her brows. "No soul is worthless! Not in the eyes of my God. Jesus would have you simply because you are a member of the human race. Jesus Christ is open to all mankind. He loves us all no matter who we are, where we come from, or what we used to believe. He will forgive you all of your sins if you put your faith in him to do so."
Adahy raised a brow in surprise. "Really? I don't know. That sounds too good to be true."
Nicole uttered a frustrated sigh. "I wish I had a Bible. If you could see what it's all about, you would see it's not too good to be true." She paused, thinking. "Let me ask you this, if you were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that following Jesus Christ would bring you paradise in the afterlife, would you do it? If you were able to learn more about it and begin to understand…? Would you take a chance on conversion then?" she inquired.
"Well, yes! I suppose that'd be the only logical action. I'm not an idiot. But you don't understand. My god is very powerful. He is not one to be trifled with," Adahy fretted.
"My God is omnipotent! If any being in the universe can protect you from the wrath of your unforgiving god, it is my God. This is why we must go to Jamestown. They will have Bibles. You can learn more about Christianity and even be baptized," Nicole said. Adahy made eye contact with her. "After all," she added, "what do you have to lose?"
Adahy shrugged. "Nothing."
Nicole rubbed her chin. "Okay, I've got a plan. Traveling to Jamestown now would be a bad idea. We don't want to risk death before you can be saved. Pocahontas and John Rolfe were heading there to lead the pirates away from the Indian village we were staying in. You and I could go back to the village and stay there for the winter. The people are nice and there is plenty of food to eat. Then we could set off for Jamestown in the spring. It would be much safer in the warm season, don't you think?" she smartly proposed.
Adahy sat up straight, blinking. "There's a village? Do you know the way there?"
"It should be south of John and Pocahontas's last campsite—which you might recall is a couple miles west from our current location," Nicole explained, pointing westward.
Adahy scratched his chin. "We had better wait until we're sure Flame's crew has already passed by there. The last thing we want is to run into them. I propose we stay here until daylight. We can sleep in the warm sun and then head back to this village of yours."
"Sounds like a plan!" Nicole paused. "By the way, what is your name? I'm Nicole."
Adahy smirked lightly. "You can call me Adahy."
…
OCTOBER 23, 1613
It took two days for Pocahontas, John Rolfe, Siwili, Meeko, Percy, Flit, and Ka-Okee to reach the tributaries that fed into the river. They arrived just before dawn and began building a small raft to get the supplies across the first tributary—the one flowing in from the west. They finished the raft after the sun had appeared on the horizon. While the weather was misty and brisk, there was only enough room for the travel packs and Ka-Okee on board the raft. John Rolfe, Pocahontas, Siwili, Meeko, and Percy all swam through the chilly water. In fact, they turned the swim into a race to see who could get to the other side first. Percy won. Siwili was the only one who did not compete since he was the one dragging the raft behind him using a rope tied around his waist.
John Rolfe had been reluctant to enter the ice-cold water but he found it refreshing and invigorating when he eventually did. After a long night of travel on foot, he had been horribly exhausted. To his surprise, he felt a thousand times better after taking a dip. When the group reached the far side of the tributary, they jogged several miles north along the bank of the second tributary. They made camp when they reached a series of little waterfalls. The highest was no taller than four feet, but the gently trickling water made relaxing sounds. When Siwili spotted a wild boar far up ahead on the path, he snatched his bow and quiver. Then he snuck off to hunt for breakfast. Everyone else stayed behind, building a fire and setting the bedrolls around it on top of a large hillock.
Ka-Okee found a lovely little pond not far from the top of the falls with calm water and myriad lily pads and reeds. The waterlilies caught her eye and she waded into the shallow water, feasting on the blossoms and moist pads. When she was full, she found her way back to camp and sat down near the huge fire that John Rolfe had built in order to dry out his clothes. "I hope you aren't wandering too far away, Ka-Okee," the Englishman chided, gently shaking a finger at her. "There are bigger animals out there who just might see you as a morsel." She shivered, hiding her face in Siwili's discarded rucksack. Rolfe chuckled lightly. "You'll be safe if you stay near us," he said, patting her side.
John Rolfe sat next to Ka-Okee, who was on his bedroll. He had collected a large pile of firewood so he would not have to get up to go gather more later on. The Englishman stretched his legs out to help the fire dry his pants, yawning. After raiding a tree of acorns, Meeko came over to the opposite side of the fire with his cheeks stuffed full of the mahogany-brown nuts. He dumped a drool-covered pile of acorns onto the dirt and started shelling and eating them one by one. Rolfe flipped off his buckskin shirt, turned it outside in, and laid it out by the fire to dry. He also took out his hair strap so his hair would dry faster, glancing around in search of Percy. The pug had wandered off into the forest, presumably to relieve himself. Percy returned soon enough with a very sleepy expression on his face. He wasted no time in curling up by Ka-Okee.
"You look tired," Pocahontas said to John Rolfe when she returned from foraging. Rolfe nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard her voice. He put his shirt on, glancing up at her. She was holding a pot full of juicy blackberries in one hand and a sack in the other. "I found a treasure trove of wild yams," she expressed, dropping the sack next to Meeko. She sat down and passed the blackberries to the Englishman. "And these at the peak of ripeness. Try some," she offered, snatching a handful of the sweet treats for herself.
John Rolfe threw a handful of the berries into his mouth. "They're completely sweet. Not tart at all," he happily replied. "I hate the tart ones, to be honest." He offered some to Ka-Okee but since the fawn was already full, she only ate a couple of the berries.
"Me too. I always test a few on the bush before bothering to collect them in a pot or basket. If they're tart, I leave them alone. Meeko doesn't seem to care though. He'll eat the tart ones just as readily as the sweet ones," Pocahontas noted, giving Meeko a pat as he started sniffing at the sack of yams. When she offered the raccoon a handful of berries, her hands were already stained with the stuff. Meeko readily gobbled them up and then stuck his head in the yam sack. "Wouldn't you rather have those cooked, Meeko?"
A roll of thunder sounded in the distance. Ka-Okee perked up and sniffed the air fearfully. "Uh oh," John Rolfe remarked. "I hope it doesn't rain. What do we do?" he asked Pocahontas. In response to his question, the Powhatan woman hopped up to her feet and glanced around. She quickly found a nice tall oak tree with limbs low to the ground and hopped up onto the first branch. Rolfe's eyes widened. "Are you sure this is the best time to go tree climbing, love?" The sky directly over them was still clear and blue.
"The forest is too dense," Pocahontas told him. "I'm going to go see if the storm clouds are coming in our direction." She disappeared into the upper foliage faster than a squirrel.
John Rolfe, impressed as always, cupped his hands to his mouth and called out to her, "Alright, Pocahontas, but please be careful! Don't you dare slip and hurt yourself!"
Pocahontas was in the oak less than a minute before she returned. "The storm is coming this way fast. Help me set up the rain cover," she announced, stuffing a hand deep in her rucksack. She pulled out a large folded hide and a bundle of twine. John Rolfe hopped to his feet and helped her unfold the hide. There were holes cut on the outer edges. "Tie that corner to that tree with the rope about five feet off the ground. I'll tie the opposite side to this one," Pocahontas instructed, pointing. "We'll need to stretch it out really tight."
Once they bound the first two opposite corners of the hide to trees, Pocahontas found a hide loop that had been sewn to the top center of the rain cover. She tied a big pine cone to the end of some twine and flung it over a tall sturdy branch over the campfire. She tossed the pinecone aside and tied the twine to the central hide loop, stretching it upwards by pulling on the other end of the twine. She tied the end to a tree. They were almost done setting up the rain cover when John Rolfe noticed dark clouds descending over the forest canopy. The rain was a light drizzle at first. Pocahontas and Rolfe hurriedly secured the last two corners of the hide to nearby trees and re-checked their previous bindings. "Won't this setup be vulnerable to wind?" Rolfe asked, worried.
"Not in a dense forest like this. The trees provide protection from the wind," Pocahontas pointed out. She and John Rolfe hid under the rain cover as the first heavy drops started to fall from the sky. The fire's smoke collected in the underside of the cover but it was above their heads as long as they remained seated. Pocahontas glanced to the pile of logs Rolfe had collected. "It's a good thing you collected so much firewood. Everything in the forest will be drenched after this storm," she remarked. "I just hope that Siwili is alright."
"Hopefully, he'll be back before this gets bad," Rolfe replied, pulling a blanket out of his pack. He sat cross-legged near the fire and wrapped it around his shoulders. Ka-Okee and Percy were huddled together, the fawn trembling as the sky grew dark and gray.
"I certainly hope so," Pocahontas agreed, getting herself comfortable.
Ka-Okee did not truly flip out until a loud clap of thunder struck overhead and lightning lit up the forest. Bleating loudly, she dove into John Rolfe's lap and quickly buried her head in his groin. The Englishman jumped in startlement and pain. "Oof! Ow! Ouch! Ka," he chided. She was shaking like a leaf. Rolfe sighed loudly and wrapped the blanket around the both of them, creating a sort of dark protective cave for the frightened fawn. Percy whined, not much more confident about the storm than Ka-Okee. "You can come over here if you want, Percy," Rolfe offered, lifting the edge of the blanket to make a welcoming entrance. The pug quickly scurried over and crawled under the hide as well.
…
Siwili had been in the middle of gutting and skinning a large hog when the first thunder struck in the distance. He quickly finished what he was doing and hurried back to camp with the carcass over his shoulder, worried that he had strayed too far during his hunt. The warrior was unsure if he would get there in time to help the others prepare for the rain. His worst fears were realized when it started pouring on him when he was only halfway there. By the time he reached camp, it was impossible for him to see five feet in front of his face. Fortunately, he soon discovered that the others had figured out how to set up the rain cover in his absence. He crawled underneath it, soaking wet, but happy to find that the fire going strong. It was a bit crowded, but the ground was dry and that made it cozy. "Siwili!" John Rolfe declared when he saw him. "Thank goodness!"
"Look, he caught something," Pocahontas noted.
Siwili got to work butchering the hog, slicing thin pieces of meat to make them easier to cook over the fire. "It looks like we're having bacon today," John Rolfe remarked.
After glancing at the others, Siwili stopped what he was doing and gazed around with a worried look. "Sigué to ra Ka-Okee en Percy?" he asked. John Rolfe understood the question from mere context and he opened up his blanket, revealing the quivering fawn and pug curled up together in his lap. A look of relief passed over Siwili's face and he nodded his head. "Siba, loto ra din oyoso soté," he said just as a clap of thunder deafened the group. Both Percy and Ka-Okee jolted, but Rolfe quickly covered them up again.
Pocahontas finished the blackberries and held the pot beneath the rainfall to wash it. She poured it out, filled it up again, and placed it on the ground by her where she started cutting up yams and dropping them in the water. "Are we going to be having a pork and yam stew?" John Rolfe inquired, watching her. He kept the blanket wrapped tightly around the animals as he reached an arm out and took a stick to poke at the fire.
"Among other things, I am sure. It looks to me like Siwili intends to roast some of the meat directly over the flames," Pocahontas replied, watching curiously as Siwili made multiple cuts of meat on a wide flat stone. He took slices from the pork belly, back, and rump. Pocahontas put the pot of yams over the fire to boil and added more sticks around it to add life to the fire. Meanwhile, Siwili impaled several strips of pork onto thin sticks after hardening the tips over the fire. He suspended the carcass from the hide loop under and right in the middle of the rain cover and raised it up to smoke over the fire.
John Rolfe yawned as he was handed a stick with a thin piece of raw pork. He held it over the fire to cook and let the juices drip into the pot. Pocahontas and Siwili both did the same. "Thank you, Siwili," the hungry diplomat uttered in appreciation. As the meat started to sizzle, Meeko perked up and looked over to the fire. He started sniffing around, detecting the sweet scent. Percy whined from beneath the Englishman's soft blanket. Ka-Okee curiously poked her head out to see what the others were up to but she quickly hid it again with another loud thunderclap. "I wonder how long it's going to storm."
"The clouds seem incredibly heavy. I'm guessing it won't let up for at least a few hours," Pocahontas indicated, turning her stick over to cook the other side of the meat. The water in the pot slowly but surely began to boil. Thirty minutes later, the yams were getting soft. Pocahontas cut up pieces of raw pork and dropped them in with the yams to cook. By the time the group was done eating, the stew was all gone but there was plenty of leftover pork on the hog's carcass. Siwili cooked the leftovers and set them aside for later as the rain continued to pour from the dark sky in great cascading torrents.
John Rolfe yawned and curled up on top of his bedroll with Ka-Okee and Percy, using the extra blanket as a cover. Pocahontas used the rain to wash the dishes and went to sleep in her own bedroll with Meeko and Flit. Siwili tended the fire, drying off completely before retiring. The rain poured for the whole rest of the day and at least half the night.
…
At one point, John Rolfe awoke to find streams of water flowing around their hillock. It was good they had set up camp on high ground or they would have been flooded. While the rain prevented them from continuing the journey, it also provided a longer rest. They had been pushing hard in the past few days to keep ahead of the pirates. With any luck, Flame's crew would also have the good sense to seek shelter from the bad weather.
The rain stopped just past midnight. Siwili and John Rolfe shook the rain cover off and took it down once the sky was clear and full of stars. The ground surrounding the hillock was nothing but puddles and mud. Once they packed up, they came to realize that all of the animals would have to be carried. The mud was too thick and only Siwili, Rolfe, and Pocahontas wore an appropriate pair of thick leather boots. Rolfe carried Ka-Okee and Pocahontas carried Percy. Meeko, on the other hand, preferred to stick to the trees as long as he could rather than be forced to rely on his human companions for transportation. He had always prided himself on being a very independent raccoon.
OCTOBER 24, 1613
They trudged through the slippery mud for the rest of the night, traveling north along the western side of the tributary until the sun rose in the east. The group only made a brief breakfast stop in the mid-morning. There was so much boar meat left that Siwili did not need to hunt. They ate quickly and continued their journey, straying slightly westward away from the tributary. As they traveled, the elevation of the land seemed to tilt upward gradually. Eventually, they reached a sharp incline that ended in a tall bluff overlooking a beautiful autumnal valley. Majestic purple mountains skirted the cloudless blue horizon beyond the forest composed of yellow, orange, red, brown, and golden hues. The sparkling river they had been following meandered endlessly through the valley, disappearing up into the tall distant mountains. The Powhatan woman and John Rolfe had to stop and admire the breathtaking scenery. "It's beautiful!" Pocahontas expressed.
John Rolfe lamented, "Of all times to be caught without paint and canvas."
Pocahontas smiled. "You'll have to remember it so you can paint it later." She shuffled her feet around on the ground, feeling the earth had firmed up since the storm. "I think we can put Percy and Ka-Okee down now. It's not muddy up here. Not sure about down in the valley though," she remarked, placing the pug on the grass. Percy sniffed around.
John Rolfe smiled and put Ka-Okee down on the ground too. The fawn was all too happy to start prancing around on her own four feet again. Rolfe noticed Siwili taking off his rucksack and plopping down in the grass at the edge of the bluff. The Englishman peered up to see the sun high in the sky and he felt his stomach rumble from hunger. It was time for lunch. "Siwili's got the right idea," Rolfe announced, copying the warrior's actions. Pocahontas did the same as Siwili took the rest of the smoked boar meat out of his pack. He distributed it to Pocahontas, Rolfe, Meeko, and Percy. Nearby, Flit and Ka-Okee started playing a game wherein Flit sucked a flower dry of nectar before the small fawn chomped down on it. Ka-Okee also gorged herself on the tender grasses on the bluff.
There was no boar meat left when lunch was over. Siwili, Pocahontas, and John Rolfe gathered up their travel packs again. Rolfe gazed over the bluff, nervous about the height. "How do we get down there?" he wondered aloud. "It's much too steep right here."
"I'm sure Siwili will know the way," Pocahontas chimed.
Indeed, the warrior directed them down the western side of the tall bluff. It was a long way around but they continued to descend until they reached the edge of the valley forest. Siwili led them right back to the bank of the river they had been following previously to refill their water supply. In the late evening, they came upon myriad blackberry bushes and decided to make camp there for the night. John Rolfe and Percy collected firewood and built the fire. Pocahontas and Meeko collected acorns, yams, chickweed, and wild onions for the evening meal. Meanwhile, Siwili caught a three-and-a-half foot sturgeon in the river. It was more than enough to feed them all. Pocahontas, John Rolfe, Siwili, Percy, and Meeko ate most of the sturgeon for dinner that night and saved the rest to make an acorn-fish stew for breakfast the next morning with Pocahontas's gatherings.
OCTOBER 26, 1613
It took another day and a half for them to reach the valley's end. At early evening, they found themselves at the base of a tall mountain. A series of enormous waterfalls followed the river down from the mountains into the valley. The Englishman peered up at the steep incline ahead and swallowed a lump in his throat. Mountains were one of the many things he had been dreading about the journey. Fortunately for him, Siwili started to make camp at the base of the mountain. They would begin their ascent in the morning light.
After a scrumptious fish dinner, Pocahontas and John Rolfe strayed off to the river to bathe. Pocahontas chose an area around a bend in the river, whereas the Englishman remained near the falls. Percy decided to accompany Rolfe on his hygienic expedition. Meeko and Flit, on the other hand, remained at the campsite to snooze. The river below the falls was misty, private, and noisy—a combination of traits that Rolfe favored. The background din, in particular, was useful because he could sing as loudly and obnoxiously as he wanted to without embarrassing himself or bothering anyone.
John Rolfe reached the water's edge and quickly began to disrobe, kicking his boots and socks onto the ground by a tree trunk. Percy paw-tested the water as Rolfe pulled off his buckskin shirt and hung it from a low branch. He removed and hung up his trousers too. The diplomat was about to do the same with his knickers when he thought he heard a sound over the falls. He froze and placed a hand to his ear. Percy started barking at the top of his lungs. The pug bolted off past the cattails, heading downriver. "John Rolfe!" came the faint voice again, instantly striking a chord of fear in Rolfe's heart.
It had to be Pocahontas calling out for help. What could be wrong? The Englishman dashed off at full speed through the cattails, following Percy in pursuit. "Pocahontas!" John Rolfe cried as he sprinted through the reeds and down the muddy bank. As the woosh from the falls faded behind him, a loud and distinctly feminine scream became crystal clear to his ears. "Pocahontas!" the diplomat shrieked, spurring himself on faster. Rolfe tore through a thick line of bushes and trees, heading to his left around the big bend in the river. When he emerged from the shrubbery on top of a five-foot bluff overlooking the water, the spectacle that he witnessed both terrified and enraged him.
A mohawked brute with impressively lean and well-defined muscle was aggressively dragging Pocahontas in the shallows by her wrist. Though pantless and shoeless, the young woman fortunately still had her buckskin dress on as she thrashed and tried to pull away. From what John Rolfe could see in the bright moonlight, the would-be kidnapper had intentionally deformed and beaded ears. It was the most bizarre look the Englishman had ever seen, giving the man a frightful appearance. "John Rolfe! Siwili! Help me!" Pocahontas shrieked at the top of her lungs in hope that they would hear.
John Rolfe watched in horror as Pocahontas attempted to bend down and pick a rock up from the riverbed to strike her wicked assailant with. The man yanked her toward him and knocked it out of her hand before she got the chance, causing her to stumble and fall into the water. Fortunately, that failed move gave the angered Englishman an idea. Rolfe glanced around his feet and found a big rock about twice the size of his fist. He picked it up, watching as the warrior pulled Pocahontas out of the water and flipped her over his right shoulder. Rolfe saw red when Pocahontas started kicking and shrieking even louder than before as she was haplessly carried off. He would have aimed for the ruffian's head but it was too close to Pocahontas and he did not want to risk hitting her.
Instead, John Rolfe took careful aim and threw the stone with all his might, nailing the warrior in the back of the knee. "Worthless lowlife! That's my woman, not yours!" he howled madly. "Mine!" It was like the man's legs had been kicked out from under him. He yelled loudly in pain and startlement as both assailant and captive toppled over into the water with a great big splash. At first, Rolfe worried that Pocahontas might have hit her head on a stone beneath the surface. Fortunately, she emerged not but a few seconds later, scrambling to get away from the warrior. He made to grab at her but she was too quick, leaping through the water like a graceful doe and up the riverbank.
John Rolfe sprinted to meet her in the forest beyond the bank of the river. They nearly collided with each other atop a hillock. "John!" Pocahontas gasped. He pulled her behind him without a moment's hesitation as the warrior emerged from the grasses, facing them down. "He's crazy! He must be an enemy of Siwili's tribe!" Pocahontas exclaimed.
The enraged warrior stopped dead in his tracks at the bizarre sight of the half-clothed white man, looking John Rolfe up and down with a mixed expression of anger and perplexity. Though the stranger was armed and Rolfe was not, the latter did not so much as flinch from the warrior's dark glare. Percy suddenly emerged from a thicket barking his head off and planted himself between the stranger and the young couple. The pug growled sharply at the attacker to ward him off. The warrior paid the small dog no mind as he focused his intent gaze on the fair-skinned human male. "Pocahontas," the diplomat spoke, not breaking eye contact with him, "run and get Siwili. Right now!"
Pocahontas turned on a heel and fled without a moment's hesitation. "Be careful, John!"
The warrior did not blink an eye at her departure, having mostly lost interest in her as soon as the strange foreigner appeared. He took a step forward and John Rolfe stiffened, glaring at the brute. "Go on! Leave us be!" the diplomat shouted at him, brandishing a fist. "Go away!" The brave was not cowed in the least by the Englishman's angry exclamations. Quite the opposite, in fact, he stepped forward again as a corner of his lips curled upward into a diabolical smirk. He was testing his opponent's confidence. Rolfe's throat bobbed as he took a step back. When the assailant stepped forth again, Percy was barking at the top of his lungs and backing away himself. "Percy… run!" Rolfe shouted, turning to dash back the way he had come. The man immediately gave chase.
It was John Rolfe's shoelessness that was his undoing. He had not run ten yards before a sharp stone jabbed the tender sole of his left foot, causing him to cry out and tumble to the ground. The warrior was on him. Though Rolfe had been expecting instantaneous death, the stranger seemed more interested in capturing him instead. He pulled the pale man's wrists behind him and pinned them to the small of his back. Rolfe started kicking and squirming energetically. "Get off of me, you great pillock! Get off!" he bellowed.
The warrior unintentionally released John Rolfe's wrists and shrieked in pain when Percy buried his canine teeth into the man's left calf. The man tried to take a tomahawk to the pug's head but Rolfe snatched up a large stone and blocked the strike in time. Percy yelped and stumbled backward into some thorny thickets. The Englishman pivoted his torso and tried to smash the warrior's teeth out with the rock but he was quickly caught by the wrist and relieved of his one and only weapon. He thrashed against the warrior's superior strength as the man forcibly flipped him back onto his belly, held him down, and tied his hands firmly behind his back to prevent him from escaping.
John Rolfe's assailant yanked him to his feet and shoved him toward the river. Rolfe fell to his knees, refusing to comply. The warrior was forced to drag him and then carry him, which was not easy. Even with wrists tied, Rolfe had the size and strength to put up a much bigger fight than Pocahontas. A swoosh made the warrior shriek at the top of his lungs and fall to his knees. Rolfe saw an arrow embedded in the back of the man's thigh.
A familiar war cry emanated from the woods and Siwili appeared, looking to be in the most impassioned state of fury. When John Rolfe's feet found their way to the ground, he kicked the foreign warrior in the gut but ended up getting tripped. Despite his arms being tied back, Rolfe tried to scramble away as Siwili descended upon his rival with a tomahawk. The injured stranger turned to Siwili and drew a knife, preparing to fight. "A suta kai!" shouted the attacker. Siwili stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the man, eyes wide and mouth agape. There was a brief silence. "Gunago?" the stranger uttered.
John Rolfe glanced from his friend to the stranger and back again, raising an eyebrow. Siwili's nostrils flared as the surprise on his face fell to a look of rage. "Akino?" Siwili hissed. "Sutigo ibua lanka lo sek duta!" The Gunalo approached Rolfe and pulled him to his feet with one hand, not breaking eye contact with the enemy. The tied diplomat wondered how the two men knew each other as Siwili used a knife to sever the ropes binding him. Rolfe rubbed his freed wrists and glanced back at his would-be kidnapper. He felt Siwili give him a firm shove in the direction of the camp. The Englishman was not about to question an angry warrior, whether friend or foe. He took the opportunity to scamper off and duck behind some tall shrubbery, peering back in their direction.
"Ava diglong to rito, Gunago!" the stranger countered. John Rolfe had no idea whether or not they were even speaking Siwili's language. He did not recognize any of the words.
When Rolfe glanced to the trees behind them, he caught sight of Pocahontas, Meeko, Percy, Flit, and Ka-Okee peeking out from a pine. He snuck over to them. "Pocahontas!"
"Are you alright, John?!" Pocahontas cried, throwing her arms around him. When John Rolfe felt her hands on his bare skin, he yelped and jumped back. Pocahontas cocked a brow in confusion. "What's wrong?" she asked as he shrank behind a bush.
John Rolfe looked flustered. "My clothes! I must go find them. Don't look at me!" he cried, face turning crimson. He ran off into the forest as he tried to cover his bare chest. Pocahontas rolled her eyes at his untimely modesty but then turned back to the scene playing out on the riverbank. The wounded man rose shakily to his feet, leaning heavily on a tree. He and Siwili continued to shout at each other. It was not a language that Pocahontas recognized, but it was clear that somehow the two men had been previously acquainted. Finally, after a frenzied argument, the wounded warrior pointed furiously to Siwili and growled something dangerously at him. He turned and limped off, letting loose a high-pitched yell loud enough to wake the dead. It had to be a call for backup.
Siwili turned on a heel and dashed back to Pocahontas. He took her by the arm and herded the animals along at a fast pace. "We must get out of here right now!"
"This way! I left my pants and boots by the bank," Pocahontas replied as she sprinted alongside him, ushering him to the river. They reached the spot in no time and she got dressed before following Siwili back to camp. "Who was that awful man?"
"A Duchi scout. They travel in threes," Siwili said. "I'm sorry about this, Pocahontas. I honestly was not expecting them to be this far west but it looks like they're expanding their territory farther into Creek lands. If we travel up the mountain, they will not follow. Their foolish legends say a monster resides up there." Pocahontas raised a brow, which Siwili did not fail to notice. "I'll tell you more later, I promise. For now, we must get moving before the backups arrive. There's no telling how far off they might be."
When they made it back to camp, John Rolfe was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, he made a fully-dressed appearance half a minute later. He ran over, straightening out his clothes, and quickly tied his hair back. "We're leaving?" he inquired, raising a brow.
"Yes," Pocahontas replied as she hurriedly packed. "We must go up the mountain."
John Rolfe froze. "I-in the dark?" Pocahontas nodded. Sweat began to bead on the diplomat's forehead. "Oh, dear," he uttered, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"Pack your things, John," Pocahontas instructed.
As soon as they were packed up, a couple of war cries sounded in the distance and appeared to be getting closer. Pocahontas and John Rolfe stared out in their direction fearfully. "Pocahontas! Djahn!" Siwili called to them, gaining their attention. He pointed to the mountain and quickly began to usher them toward it. The base of the mountain was fairly steep at a forty-five-degree angle to level ground. In John Rolfe's case at least, it required him to crawl on hands and feet. The Englishman led the way up the grassy incline, clinging to roots, rocks, and clumps of grass as he ascended. Ka-Okee had no trouble at all with the steepness and she was easily able to keep up with Rolfe. Percy followed behind the fawn and Pocahontas and Meeko behind Percy.
Siwili stayed behind the others as a precaution. If anyone lost their footing and fell, he would catch them. They had to travel this way for a quarter mile until forest coverage came into view. Siwili had them duck behind a large tree as he glanced back the way they had come. Two distant figures were inspecting the abandoned campsite where the fire was still burning bright. He saw one of them point to the mountain. They followed the footprints leading up to the base and then stopped and stared upward in the dark.
Pocahontas peeked over Siwili's shoulder. "They're at our camp," she whispered to the others. "They know which way we went. I'm just not sure if they'll follow or not."
"I don't see why they wouldn't," John Rolfe whispered back.
Pocahontas and Siwili gasped. "They're coming! They're climbing!" she announced.
Siwili quickly turned back to the group and ushered them up through the dark mountain forest. There were massive rocky areas, vertical cliff faces, and frightfully tall bluffs. Siwili led the others around these areas, keeping to the most gradual terrain available. The path was long and winding. Eventually, they emerged from the forest onto a rocky area with small shrubs and grasses. There was much more moonlight available once they left the wooded area. The terrain up ahead was near vertical. John Rolfe could not help but peer up at it and swallow another lump in his throat. Siwili led them up to a ledge that made a narrow path winding westward around the mountain. "Oh no! I don't like this. I really, really, really don't like this," Rolfe murmured. It was a sheer drop over the ledge.
"Don't look down, John," Pocahontas told him, holding onto his rucksack. Ka-Okee pranced up the narrow path immediately, completely fearless of the altitude. Meeko and Percy followed rapidly in her wake. Percy only looked a little bit nervous. John Rolfe took a deep breath. If the animals could do it, then he could as well. He clung tightly to the wall with both hands as he walked sideways along the path. "You don't need to walk like that, John. The path isn't that narrow," the Powhatan princess expressed.
John Rolfe shook his head. "I don't plan on getting anywhere near the edge. It's dark, steep, and dangerous, Pocahontas!" he retorted, clinging to the rocks with a death grip.
"Well, you have to go faster. We're being followed," Pocahontas reminded him.
When Siwili observed Rolfe's phobia, he glanced upward and got an idea. Leaning over, he whispered to Pocahontas, "Go past him. If we hurry, we can get to that ledge before the warriors arrive. I'll throw a line down and pull John up. It'll be much faster that way."
Pocahontas glanced back and nodded. "Alright, John. You stay here," she said, inching past him. She spurred herself into a jog and then a fast climb when the path got steeper.
"P-Pocahontas, where are you going? You're not going to leave me here! Oh no, please don't go! How can I…?" John Rolfe paused when Siwili turned the Englishman to face him. The warrior undid Rolfe's waist strap and pulled his rucksack off. "Siwili, what are you doing?" Rolfe uttered. Siwili put a finger to his lips and put the rucksack down on the ground, pulling out a length of rope. He started to tie the rope in knots around Rolfe's pelvis, looping it under his groin, and then he tied a length around his shoulders and torso. When he was done, there was a firm loop right in front of Rolfe's chest.
When Siwili had finished, he took John Rolfe's rucksack and inched past the Englishman on the ledge. He went after Pocahontas but not before glancing back at Rolfe and signaling for the terrified diplomat to stay put. Then he pointed upward at the next ledge. Rolfe glanced up in puzzlement. When he looked back, Siwili was already gone. He waited anxiously for nearly ten minutes without a clue as to what Siwili was planning, trembling in fear. "Yoo-hoo, John!" Pocahontas called down to him, waving. She was up on the next ledge, having made it there in record time. She dropped a length of rope down to him. "Tie that to your harness, double knot it at the very least," she instructed.
"Oh dear! You're not really going to pull me up like this?" John Rolfe peeped, dreading the thought of dangling haplessly from a mountain. Regardless, he took the rope and tied it securely around the loop in front of his chest, knotting it four times for good measure.
"Remember to not look down!" Pocahontas reminded him. Siwili caught up with her and peered over the rock face, gritting his teeth when he spotted the enemy. He wasted no time in grabbing the rope from Pocahontas and yanked without warning, causing John Rolfe to cry out as he was torn away from the firm rocks he had been clinging to.
Rolfe kicked and flailed wildly in midair. "Lord have mercy!" he cried in a high-pitched voice, grabbing a hold of the dangling rope to which he was tightly bound.
John Rolfe weighed little by Siwili's standards. The brave pulled him up in record time. "Sorry there was no warning, John," Pocahontas said, glancing down. "Those enemy warriors had almost reached you." The Duchi scouts were standing right where Rolfe had been. She stuck her tongue out at them as she helped Siwili pull Rolfe onto the ledge.
The new path was twice as wide but John Rolfe still hyperventilated as he cowered against the wall. Ka-Okee came over and licked him on the cheek as he was reeling from the very sudden ascent. Siwili coiled the extra rope but left Rolfe in his rope harness. He transferred the heaviest items from Rolfe's rucksack into his own and handed the lighter rucksack to Pocahontas. "Carry this," the brave instructed, trying to pick up the collapsed Englishman. The warrior had to peel Rolfe off the rock wall like a terrified cat clinging to tree bark after a dog chase. Rolfe's only protest was a yelp before he turned his vice-like grip onto Siwili himself, nearly strangling the brave warrior in the process.
Pocahontas carried John Rolfe's travel pack in her arms as she raced along the trail as fast as she could, followed closely by the others. The path wound upwards for about thirty minutes. Pocahontas stopped and gasped when they reached a dead end. It was a vertical rock wall. She dropped Rolfe's rucksack, trying to catch her breath, as Siwili and the others caught up. The warrior placed Rolfe down on his feet and gently pried the Englishman's hands off his own body. The diplomat immediately collapsed to the ground with shaky knees, quickly transferring his death grip to the impassible rock wall.
Siwili dropped his own rucksack and signaled for Pocahontas to do the same thing. It was at least one hundred feet up the vertical rock wall. Once they got that far, they would be halfway up the mountain. The warrior tied the three rucksacks together with a long rope and took the other end in his own teeth, climbing up the treacherous height. Meeko and Flit quickly followed him, wanting to see what was over the cliff for themselves. "Bless my soul, that looks so very dangerous," John Rolfe whispered to himself.
When Siwili reached the top, he pulled the packs up. Half a minute later, he lowered the rain cover with the corners tied together. "Ka-Okee en Percy!" he called. Pocahontas put said animals into the bundle and Siwili pulled them up. Again, he lowered the length of rope. "Djahn!" Siwili called to them. Pocahontas tied the rope to John Rolfe's harness.
"Oh no, not this again!" John Rolfe cried, not looking forward to the ascent in the least.
Suddenly, they heard voices from not far behind. The enemy warriors had made it around the ridge and were heading for them. "Grab onto John!" Siwili called to Pocahontas.
Without a moment's hesitation, Pocahontas leapt onto John Rolfe. She wrapped her strong legs around his pelvis and her arms around his shoulders. Rolfe's face immediately went crimson. "Pocahontas! What are you…?" he began, only to be interrupted by his own yelp when Siwili began to haul the young couple up the steep rock face at a rapid speed. Rolfe clung for dear life to Pocahontas. By the time the Duchi scouts caught up, they were just barely out of reach. Even so, one of the men jumped in an attempt to snatch the Englishman's dangling feet. Pocahontas made a rude face at them and stuck her tongue out once more, provoking expressions of anger from the two warriors. Rolfe was more preoccupied with his awe at Siwili's incredible feat. "Great Caesar's ghost, he's strong! How can he just—" he tapered off, peering down at the ground when he heard their pursuers' yelling. Instant vertigo. "I think I'm going to be sick," Rolfe murmured.
"I told you not to look down, John!" Pocahontas scolded. "Don't get sick on me."
John Rolfe took deep breaths. Fortunately, they soon reached the top and Siwili pulled them up and over the edge. The ground was relatively flat and grassy and there were trees and bushes nearby with wild mountain berries. Pocahontas turned back and glanced over the cliff. The Duchi scouts were just standing there looking up at them. The tallest warrior called up to Siwili, "Gunago, sivla adeksira lavaro un Obredast lussess ulkimo!"
Siwili snorted. "Yuk no hamenhudek un Obredast! Fah! Sovredesou loriko unest!"
The two men shook their heads and turned around, returning the way they had come. The shorter one stopped and glanced back. "Suve octuvres virviric es bizo gusek, ubelotatofes vivaso ribata y gus y gusek vala brivekto!" he called. Then they turned and left.
Pocahontas wiped sweat from her forehead. "Thank goodness! They're leaving." She turned to the bird. "Can you keep a lookout for a bit just to make sure they don't come back, Flit?" she requested. "You can never be overly cautious with men like that."
Flit nodded and perched himself on a twig protruding from the wall they had ascended. Siwili glanced off into the trees behind them. "We will make camp here for the night," he spoke decisively, noticing that John Rolfe had wandered off. "Where did John go?"
She gazed around. "He probably went to pee or something. I'm sure he'll be right back."
John Rolfe reappeared a couple minutes later looking like hell. Pocahontas got worried when she spotted him, noticing his downcast eyes. His face appeared red in the moonlight and he had his hands in his pockets as he trudged over. "John, are you okay?" Pocahontas inquired, running over to him. She placed a hand on his forehead. "Did you get sick?"
John Rolfe shook his head, avoiding her eye. "No, I'm fine," he said, gently removing her hand. It was a bald-faced lie and she knew it but she did not want to aggravate him.
Pocahontas sighed and rubbed her shoulder. "Siwili wants us to camp here."
John Rolfe's eyes snapped up with a euphoric expression at the welcome news. "Sakes alive! Are you serious? We don't have to climb anymore tonight?" he exclaimed.
"That's right," Pocahontas replied, smiling.
John Rolfe wanted to jump for joy but he kept a dignified demeanor, clearing his throat. "Good. I'll collect the firewood!" he announced, returning to the woods. Siwili stopped him and pointed to the rope harness he was still wearing. He helped the diplomat untie himself and then put away the rope as Rolfe went to gather logs for the fire.
When John Rolfe was gone, Pocahontas and Siwili sat with the animals on the ground and cleared a spot for a fire pit. They made a circle with flat rocks. "Siwili," Pocahontas inquired, "what were you and the Duchi scouts saying to each other just back there?"
Siwili snorted again. "They said if we climb any higher, the Obredast will get us. I told them to get lost. Then they said they'd be guarding the bottom of the mountain just in case we try to come back down. Do not worry about that. We are going over the mountain anyway," he expressed. "We will not be encountering those men again."
Pocahontas, Ka-Okee, Meeko, and Percy exchanged fearful looks, gulping. "Obredast?" the Powhatan princess repeated. "That sounds terrifying. What in the world is it?"
"It's a monster of Duchi legend. But don't worry. I've traveled this mountain before and I never encountered any such creature," Siwili explained. "Not even a scrap of evidence as to its existence. As far as I'm concerned, it's ridiculous fear-mongering by the Duchi to prevent kidnapped women and children from trying to flee to the mountains."
Pocahontas nodded, afraid to hear the full story. She changed the subject. "How come you didn't kill the first Duchi? The one you shot with the arrow?" she inquired. A look of pain flashed across Siwili's face and Pocahontas bit her lip. "You know him personally?"
Siwili nodded. "I'm sorry. It's my fault that we had to put John through that and I feel absolutely terrible about it. I should have ended that man before he summoned the others but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He is my brother," he admitted, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand. Pocahontas gasped, taken aback by the news. "It's a terrible story. We are both originally of the Gunalo tribe. Remember how I told you the Duchi sometimes raid our villages to steal women and children? My brother Akino and I were two of those children." Pocahontas had a horrified look on her face as Siwili continued, "Long story short, we were taken during a raid when I was seven and he was five. It was an eight-year-long nightmare. I was separated from my brother, taken to a different village. I spent years under the brutal Duchi training regimen, resolving to escape when I was ready. That time came when I turned fifteen. It was just a few days before I was to come of age. If I had stayed for the ceremony, my ears would have been split and I would have been unable to return to the Gunalo. I fled and sought Akino out, eventually finding him in one of the western villages. Yet somehow was too late. He was brainwashed into their ways. It was Akino himself who called the guards to come capture me when I asked him to go home with me. I only barely escaped with my life. It was to this mountain that I fled, knowing that I would not be followed. After that, I found a Creek village and received directions from there that led me back home to Comosamico."
"I'm so sorry," Pocahontas uttered. "The horrors you must've gone through those eight years! I can't imagine what it'd be like to be betrayed by such a close family member."
"We were very close indeed. Childhood playmates. When we were young, we told each other secrets that we would tell no one else. What could have happened to Akino in those eight years to make him betray his true family, I haven't a clue. But now you know why I could not kill him. I would rather not continue to discuss the matter. It is a sad history."
Both heard a twig crack. John Rolfe appeared from the trees carrying a pile of dry wood. He walked over and dumped it by the fire pit. Then he plopped down on the ground, stressed and tired. "Are you okay, John?" Pocahontas inquired, touching his shoulder.
Ka-Okee walked over to cuddle at John Rolfe's side. "I suppose," the diplomat replied half-heartedly, placing a hand on the fawn's head. He was silent for a few moments before reaching for his pack to retrieve his bow drill and other fire starting materials. Meanwhile, Siwili pulled the medicinal root out of his own pack which he had used previously to help Rolfe sleep. The warrior handed it to the Englishman and signaled him to put it in his mouth, hoping it would relieve his anxiety. The diplomat complied without argument. "I don't like being this high up," he admitted with the root in his cheek. Siwili took over the fire starting endeavor so Rolfe could relax. "Oh, thank you, Siwili," he uttered, sighing. He pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees. "For the sake of precious sanity, I'm going to pretend that we're at ground level."