The Adventures of Pocahontas and John Rolfe: Book I
Chapter 19: Fond Farewells and Springs and Things
OCTOBER 27, 1613
John Rolfe woke up the next morning feeling lousy. Siwili had disappeared into the wooded area when Pocahontas noticed the Englishman's downtrodden demeanor. She crawled out from her bedroll and scooted over to him as he tried to revive the fire from the previous night. Buried under the ash, some of the embers were still glowing. Ka-Okee was grazing on the grass nearby and she glanced over. Meeko, Percy, and Flit were all still asleep. Pocahontas placed a hand on the diplomat's shoulder, giving him a bit of a small start. "What's wrong, John?" she inquired, causing him to glance at her.
John Rolfe's face was red and it got redder when Pocahontas addressed him. He sat back as a flame caught the kindling and added a few twigs to the growing fire, fanning it with a flat rock. He was hesitant to reply at first. Once the fire was burning bright, he groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Pocahontas, I'm so sorry about last night," he mumbled into his palms. "Please forgive me. There's no excuse for how I acted."
Pocahontas raised a brow. "Huh? Why? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I was useless!" John Rolfe exclaimed, throwing his hands up in an exaggerated manner. "I literally had to be carried up the mountain like, like, like an infant! And I only slowed everyone down and nearly got us all caught by those stupid warriors. It was absolutely pitiful. Good grief, I cannot even begin to imagine what Siwili thinks of me right now!"
Pocahontas knitted her brows and shook her head. "John, you're blowing this all out of proportion. Siwili thinks highly of you because you risked your life to keep his people safe. It was a brave and selfless thing to do. Besides, did he give you any indication last night that he looked down upon you for being afraid of heights? Did he mock you?"
"No, but that doesn't mean…"
"It's a perfectly rational fear," Pocahontas continued, interrupting.
John Rolfe huffed. "If it's so rational, why aren't you afraid of it? I mean, for crying out loud, the speed with which you ascend trees makes me wonder if you're half-monkey!"
Pocahontas gave him an odd look. "Whoever said I was a rational person? Besides, I am a little bit afraid of heights but I love climbing so much that I overcome it," she replied. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Tell me. What is this fear rooted in, John? Have you always been afraid of heights or did it begin at a certain age?" she inquired.
John Rolfe rubbed his hands together. "It started when I was seven. When I was very young, I liked heights too much. As a result, I broke my leg falling out of a tree. It was the worst pain imaginable when the doctor reset the bone. Ever since I haven't wanted to risk another injury like that. I get nervous if I'm more than six feet above the ground."
"Well, that makes sense," Pocahontas returned, moving closer to the fire. "The worst injury I ever got from a fall was a twisted ankle years ago. I was descending the wall of a gorge and some rocks came loose. After that, I was nervous about climbing for a while."
John Rolfe wanted to bang his head against a tree. "The key phrase there is 'for a while,' not 'for twenty-one years straight.' That, I believe, is an enormous difference!"
"Listen, John. We are going to have to climb today. Now that we aren't being chased, I'll just caution you to take things slow," Pocahontas advised, poking the fire with a twig.
"I'm absolutely dreading it," John Rolfe readily admitted.
Pocahontas gave him a pat on the knee. "We'll take the safest paths available even if they take longer, okay?" Once again, Rolfe buried his head in his hands and nodded slowly.
Siwili emerged from the woods with three skinned and gutted jackrabbits in one hand. John Rolfe peered up in surprise, raising a brow. "There's game up here?"
"Of course," Pocahontas replied as Siwili plopped down on the other side of the fire. He used long stripped sticks as spits to prepare the animals to be roasted. "Lots of critters live in the mountains. We should have no trouble finding things to eat up here. Siwili must have found a bunny burrow in the woods over there," she indicated, pointing.
Meeko and Percy awoke to the smell of sizzling meat. Flit buzzed off to find wildflowers near Ka-Okee but ended up getting sneezed on and riding the whirlwind created by the fawn's nose into a bush. Pocahontas laughed as she roasted her rabbit over the fire. Rolfe handed his spit to Pocahontas and jumped up to his feet. "I'm going for more firewood so the food will cook faster," he chimed. "I'll be right back. Don't let Meeko eat my rabbit."
Pocahontas nodded as John Rolfe disappeared into the trees. She turned to Siwili. "He's not looking forward to climbing today. How much more treacherous does the path get?"
"We'll have to scale more vertical walls to reach the peak of the mountain. The far side is more gradual though. Don't worry. I don't intend to send either of you off alone until we're out of the mountains and far past Duchi territory. That should take about two more days if we move slow and one and a half if we move fast," the warrior divulged.
Pocahontas nipped her bottom lip. "I think we're going to have to go slow for John's sake. He broke his leg falling out of a tree as a child and now he gets nervous when he's more than six feet above the ground," she explained, turning both spits with her fingers.
"That reminds me of Awenasa before we were married," Siwili remarked.
Pocahontas glanced up at him. "Why does that remind you of Awenasa?"
"She was so terrified of heights that she would freeze like a doe before a cougar. I helped her overcome it by having her jump off of rocks into water. We started at ground level and worked our way up to fifty feet over the water. You have to gradually desensitize a person to such things. Be patient and they will recover from the trauma," Siwili said. "With John, I would save that endeavor for spring though. No time now, winter is coming. You must get home as soon as possible. We will travel through the mountains slowly for his sake. When we get out of the mountains, you two will travel east and slightly north together until you reach the coast. Then continue north along the shore until you get home. There should be no more mountains from the point I drop you at."
Pocahontas smiled. "That is very wise, Siwili. And thank you."
John Rolfe came back five minutes later with a bundle of sticks and a pocketful of acorns. He gave the acorns to Meeko and patted the raccoon on the head. "That's for not eating my rabbit," the Englishman announced as he plopped down and added logs to the fire. Meeko immediately began to devour the acorns. Rolfe fanned the fire until the flames grew. The rabbit meat cooked much faster and soon Pocahontas, John Rolfe, Siwili, Meeko, and Percy were feasting on the kills. The animals picked and licked the carcasses clean while the humans were packing up their supplies after the meal.
As the sun rose, they began their ascent again. The top of the great mountain appeared to be a sharp ridge which towered far above them. Rolfe could not bear to even look at it. Siwili led everyone on winding paths, most without too many sheer drops over the side. The terrain seemed a little more gradual at first but then the vertical walls appeared. John Rolfe literally had to blindfold himself as he was pulled up by the ropes. The higher they scaled, the colder the climate got. Fortunately, the exertion of climbing the mountain kept them relatively warm and they did not need to put on their extra clothes just yet.
Eventually, the path turned into boulders that created enormous steep 'steps' up the mountain. "Oh my… How am I ever going to get up there?" John Rolfe murmured. He was already on edge from dangling over vertical cliffs. At least Siwili's rope harness made him feel safer. The warrior stopped the group at the bottom of the rocky stairwell and turned to face them. He motioned Pocahontas to climb up, offering her a hand.
Pocahontas dropped her pack to the ground and climbed up the first boulder, which was about six-and-a-half feet high. Meeko and Flit followed. She turned back and reached down for Siwili to hand her the rucksack. Siwili tossed her pack up to her, followed by his own, and then John Rolfe's. She set them aside and then offered her arms again for Ka-Okee and Percy. After that, Siwili stood facing away from the boulder and pulled the Englishman toward him. He placed Rolfe's hands on his own shoulders and linked his fingers together to form a sling for the British gentleman to step into with one of his feet. "Asuté mekana lo ra sapto se lakotaso vakin zebi, Djahn," he uttered, pointing up.
John Rolfe appeared nervous. He stepped into Siwili's hands and allowed the warrior to boost him up, trembling slightly even when he had a secure grip on the rocks. Pocahontas helped him pull himself over the edge. When he was on top of the boulder, he sat down by the rucksacks, let his nerves calm a bit, and then waited for Siwili to climb up. The next boulder was higher, about ten feet. After Pocahontas got the animals and packs up, Siwili attached a rope to John Rolfe's harness. Fortunately for Rolfe, the warrior allowed him to climb and not dangle. He used the rope as extra insurance against a fall, keeping it taut the whole time. When Rolfe reached the top, he made the mistake of looking down. Siwili had to make him suck on the medicinal root after that to relax again.
Up and up the group ascended, higher and higher on the face of the daunting mountain. Taking things slowly, they finally reached the tilted summit in the early afternoon and were able to peer down into the majestic misty and snow-peaked mountain range beyond. John Rolfe found the view both breathtaking and nauseating at the same time. When they took a break from climbing at the top, they started to feel chilled. "It would be nice to stop for lunch but it's so cold up here," Pocahontas noted, hugging herself for warmth.
Siwili directed everyone to a low depression just below the mountain's summit. Stepping down inside of it dramatically reduced wind chill. There were no trees for firewood, so Siwili, Pocahontas, and John Rolfe mixed water with powdered corn to make a meal, having nuts as a side dish. The cold corn porridge was bland but filling. They ate and continued down the far side of the mountain. Traveling down the other side was even more nerve-wracking for Rolfe because he was forced to look down to see where he was going. Fortunately, the steepness diminished when they made it a quarter mile below the summit. It took until sunset to arrive at the high-elevation valley between the mountains. They found themselves in an alpine forest rife with wild mountain streams.
The temperature in the air was about forty-five degrees and falling as the sun descended. Siwili led them to a spacious and beautiful cave with ancient paintings all over the walls. John Rolfe, in particular, was taken aback at the sight. Pocahontas, Rolfe, and Siwili put on their extra clothes and then the warrior left to hunt. Rolfe and Pocahontas bundled Ka-Okee and Percy up before venturing out of the cave to collect firewood, among other things. While they were out gathering, the Englishman came upon a steaming spring that was not very far from the mouth of the cave. He called Pocahontas over and showed it to her. "Why is that water making so much mist?" John Rolfe inquired, pointing.
Pocahontas was delighted the second she laid eyes on it. "Why, that's a hot spring! We should go swimming tonight if it's not too hot," she said, going to the water's edge to test the temperature. "The water is perfect! Not too hot or too cold." Meeko dove in with a big splash, dousing Flit with water. The hummingbird was not happy, to say the least. He flew down and started squawking angrily at the raccoon the moment Meeko resurfaced.
"It seems a little cold out to go swimming," John Rolfe noted, ignoring the animals' antics. "But if the water is warm, we'd better build a big fire first to dry our clothes."
"Make sure you collect a ton of firewood then. I'm going to gather a bunch of those wild mountain blueberries over there. I'll help you bring in firewood after I'm done," she indicated, pointing to the extensive berry bushes across the spring. The plants were all large and completely rife with thousands upon thousands of fat juicy blueberries.
John Rolfe's eyes widened in awe. "Those look delicious!"
When Meeko spotted the bushes, he hopped out of the spring onto the ground between John Rolfe and Pocahontas and vigorously shook the moisture from his coat. "Meeko!" Pocahontas and Rolfe scolded as he sprayed them with water. Ignoring them, the raccoon hurried around the spring to find blueberry heaven waiting for him. Flit joined him.
Pocahontas and John Rolfe shook their heads and left to go about their respective chores. They reconvened in the cave where Rolfe had accumulated an impressive pile of sticks and logs. He was sitting near Ka-Okee and Percy building a fire pit when Pocahontas arrived. She held a big sackful of berries in her right hand and a bundle of dry sticks under her left arm. Meeko and Flit accompanied her. She dropped the bundle onto Rolfe's pile of firewood and glanced over to Ka-Okee and Percy. The Powhatan woman covered them with another blanket and sat by Rolfe to help him get the fire started faster. By the time Siwili arrived with four dead passenger pigeons, the fire was burning bright and illuminating the paintings on the walls. Rolfe was busy trying to interpret some of them. "That one there looks like a big hairy elephant. I didn't know there were elephants in the New World," he remarked, scratching his chin in a thoughtful manner.
"There are tales that such things used to walk the land, but no more," Pocahontas replied.
John Rolfe looked curious. "Wow, really? Where could they have gone?" he pondered aloud, wondering if Noah's flood could have had anything to do with it.
Pocahontas shrugged. "They may have been over-hunted. It's hard to say."
"Hello, Siwili!" John Rolfe greeted.
The warrior plopped down on the other side of the fire and started preparing the dead birds for roasting by impaling them on spits. Pocahontas showed Siwili the sack of blueberries and his eyes widened, impressed by the size of the fruits. "Kavé lo nato."
Before long, the scent of roasting meat pervaded the cavern. Meeko passed out by the fire after his blueberry binge, which ultimately meant that Percy got a whole passenger pigeon to himself. The pug dog was very pleased. Pocahontas, John Rolfe, and Siwili feasted on birds and berries until they were full and satisfied. Pocahontas was the first one to throw off her boots and pants, running out of the cave toward the hot spring.
John Rolfe took off his shirt and followed her, keeping his boots on until he reached the water's edge. There were too many pebbles and sharp stones for him to go barefoot. It so perplexed him that such things did not bother Pocahontas's dainty little feet in the least, though he refrained from pointing that fact out to her. He shivered in the cold as a chilly wind blew, setting his boots, socks, and hair strap aside on a flat boulder near the water. He waded his way into the spring. The water was very warm against his skin. He sighed and sank into the steamy water, allowing his muscles to loosen and relax.
Siwili was the third to show up, stripped to his breechcloth. Percy, Flit, and Ka-Okee speedily followed him out of curiosity. The warrior jumped into the water from a boulder, making a great big splash. Percy jumped in the same way, whereas Ka-Okee waded in and swam over to John Rolfe. He scratched her on the head and looked up at the stars through the trees. "This is really nice, Pocahontas. I've never done anything like this before," he remarked, dipping his head below the surface to wet his hair thoroughly. Pocahontas giggled as she swam around in circles. It was getting colder outside and there was a pleasantly crisp scent of frost in the air. On one side of the spring, there were numerous night blooms that had yet to freeze by the water's edge. Ka-Okee swam over and feasted on them from the water. Pocahontas swam over to Rolfe and tried to climb up on his shoulders. "Hey! What are you doing, love?" he protested, squirming.
"Climbing on you," Pocahontas replied.
John Rolfe reached back and tickled her to get her off. "I say! Have you no decorum? Do I look like some manner of tree to you?" he complained, continuing a counter-assault.
Pocahontas jumped on him again, resisting. "Yes, you look like a small birch tree."
"You shouldn't climb small trees!" John Rolfe replied in indignation, redoubling his efforts. She ended up retaliating in the same manner, so the Englishman started to move away from her. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry!" Rolfe cried, trying to get her to stop. He swam away from her and they ended up swimming circles around Siwili. They fooled around for ten minutes. Then the brave called to them to get their attention. He pointed up as big snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, fluttering around them like feathers on a breeze. The once-clear heavens had clouded over, nary a star to be seen.
"Snow!" Pocahontas cried. The big flakes melted when they hit the water. The Powhatan princess tried to catch a few on her tongue but John Rolfe splashed her in the face when her mouth was wide open. She sputtered out water and he laughed at her before getting splashed himself. "I am now forced to avenge myself, John. I will not take this insult," Pocahontas declared, mimicking the English gentleman's own mannerisms.
The chase resumed until Pocahontas got tired of trying to catch him. Instead, she called to him, "John, I dare you to roll around in that puddle of ice-cold mud over there!"
John Rolfe shot a glance over at the aforementioned pile of dark brown mud. He brought a hand to his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully, trying to decide whether or not to accept the challenge. Then a wicked idea occurred to him and he suppressed the urge to smirk at her. "Very well, Pocahontas. I will do it since you are obviously too afraid to," he pompously conceded, wading out of the water. He shivered in the frigid air and immediately wrapped his arms around himself, wandering over to the very same mud puddle which Pocahontas had indicated. He stuck a toe in to test the temperature. "Land sakes, that's cold!"
Pocahontas made a taunting face at him. "You can't back out now!"
"Never said I was backing out!" John Rolfe retorted, making the same mocking face back at her. She giggled. He turned to face away from the mud and let himself fall back into it, having to suppress a squeal when the frigid muck came in contact with his skin. Pocahontas and Siwili laughed. Rolfe rolled around until he was covered. Then he took a great big handful of mud and chucked it at Pocahontas, hitting her square in the face. She squealed at the unexpected impact and lost her footing, sinking all the way under the water. Siwili swam for cover behind a large boulder as Pocahontas resurfaced, wiping the mud off her face. The look in her eyes suggested that she was about to declare war. The Englishman taunted Pocahontas and tried to throw mud at her again, but she dodged. He climbed on the same boulder that Siwili had jumped off of and did a flip into the water, creating a huge splash and a wave. A few seconds later, he resurfaced. "You realize the only reason I accepted that dare was so I could throw mud at you, right?"
Pocahontas tossed a handful of muck from the bottom of the spring into his face. "Ha!"
John Rolfe wiped his face. "Pff! At least that one was warm," he sassed, pausing. Rolfe chuckled and drew his brows together. "I would've loved to chuck mud at the ruffians who dared to chase us up the mountain," he recalled with an impish grin, rinsing the mud from his hair, skin, and pants. "Too bad I didn't think of it at the time. I likely would've thrown dirt or stones instead," he remarked, feeling a slight amount of regret.
Pocahontas slapped her forehead. "I so wish we'd thought of that," she agreed. "Well, at least you threw a big rock at the first man. He deserved it the most," she added, receiving a firm nod of accord from Rolfe. Pocahontas giggled and started to do flips underwater to entertain herself. Then she ducked, disappearing below the now-murky water.
"Uh oh," John Rolfe uttered the moment she vanished. He turned to swim away but got grabbed by the back of his belt and pulled underwater. Pocahontas maneuvered him to a position where she could kiss him on the lips and then she swam away before he could snatch her in retaliation. The snow continued to fall until it started to accumulate on the ground, covering the forest floor in a thin white blanket. John Rolfe relaxed with his torso resting on a smooth flat boulder that rose out of the water a few inches, watching the beautiful snowfall. Percy climbed up on the rock that Rolfe was resting on and shook the water out of his coat, sitting down. He began to lick the moisture out of his fur. "Are you done swimming, Percy? I'm feeling a bit drained myself," Rolfe admitted.
Pocahontas surfaced a few yards away from John Rolfe and lowered herself down again until only her dark eyes were visible above the water's surface. She narrowed them at Rolfe and approached him from behind, pinching him when she reached him. He yelped and turned to look at her. "You deserved that. Don't pretend you didn't!"
"Right, whatever," John Rolfe replied, yawning as he turned away. "Percy is done swimming and I'm getting tired too. We're thinking about heading back to the cave." Pocahontas gave him a look of disappointment but he did not notice. "The snow is so beautiful. I can't help but wonder how much there will be by morning. Maybe we'll be able to sled part of the way," he theorized. Ka-Okee waded out of the spring and shook off her red-brown coat. She reared in response to an ice-cold gust and raced back to the cave. "Ah, there goes Ka. I think I am going to follow her," Rolfe said, sitting up on the boulder. The Englishman began to wring the excess moisture out of his hair.
Siwili waded out of the water, wringing his hair. Barefoot, he headed back to the cave. Pocahontas sighed, realizing she had been overruled by the majority. She started to wring her hair out too and got out of the water, feeling the crisp mountain wind against her skin. Percy hopped a few stones to shore and ran after Siwili as Rolfe put his boots back on.
In the cave, they used separate tunnels to change back into warm dry clothes. Pocahontas tied up a line of rope using stalactites and hung the wet clothes up to dry by the fire. Logs were added to the flames so that hair and fur would dry out faster. Ka-Okee and Percy licked themselves dry and went to sleep under the blankets with John Rolfe. Pocahontas and Flit snuggled up to Meeko. Before long, they had fallen into a deep peaceful slumber.
…
OCTOBER 28, 1613
The morning dawned with the ground covered in a foot of snow and the skies clear and bright. Despite how sunny the day was, it was still very cold outside. Siwili, John Rolfe, and Pocahontas were forced to wear all of their winter clothes. Siwili and Pocahontas left the cave to hunt and gather respectively, while Rolfe foraged for sticks nearby to create a sled big enough to carry the three rucksacks. Pocahontas was at the berry bushes again gathering a sackful of frozen blueberries for their trip when Siwili stumbled over to her.
The first thing Pocahontas saw was blood on the snow and she squealed as she glanced up at the injured brave. "It is not serious," Siwili quickly told her to keep her calm. The warrior showed her the three scratch marks on the side of his left thigh. A large animal's claws had torn right through his buckskin pant leg. "I had an unfortunate run-in with a young black bear. Luckily a male, so there should be no orphaned cubs to worry about," he explained, dragging something massive behind him. "I was not intending to hunt bear but he attacked me first and I had to defend myself," Siwili quickly added.
Pocahontas peered around him and spotted the furry dead carcass on the snowy ground. "That's a lot of meat!" the Powhatan princess proclaimed before turning her attention back to his injury. "Let's go back to the cave. I'll dress that for you," she offered. "I'm glad you weren't hurt worse than that. Bears can do a lot of damage!" she fretted, throwing the blueberry sack over her shoulder. She used her free hand to grab onto the dead bear's other claw so she could help Siwili drag it back to the cave.
Siwili had a slight limp but overall he seemed fine. That did not stop Rolfe from freaking out when he saw them. "He's okay, John," Pocahontas informed him. "He got scratched on the leg by this bear but his pants took the majority of the damage." Together, Siwili and Pocahontas pulled the dead beast into the cave and deposited it near the fire. Then she had him remove his chaps so she could assess the damage. "They aren't too deep. No need for stitches. I will clean and bandage them," she declared, turning to the warrior's rucksack. Awenasa had naturally packed them all a little kit of basic medical supplies.
Pocahontas tended the wound, wrapping it in a doeskin bandage with dried grasses. Siwili stood up and started to gut the dead bear. John Rolfe noticed that one of its eyes had been gouged or stabbed out. He wondered if that was how Siwili had killed it. Slightly nauseated at the sight of entrails, Rolfe turned to go outside and gather more firewood for the cooking. He had to dig in the snow but, fortunately, there was plenty to be found. It was cold enough outside to keep the snow in solid form and, therefore, the wood remained dry. He made several trips to collect logs. By the time he came back from his fifth outing, the carcass was skinned and clean. Pocahontas was sewing up the rips in Siwili's pants with deer sinew while the warrior prepared the meat for smoking.
"We're going to stay here for a day to smoke all the meat. It should last us a while during the journey," Pocahontas expressed as John Rolfe dumped another bundle of firewood on the pile. "So that means we can go swimming in the hot spring again if we want."
John Rolfe was relieved they would not be mountain climbing in the slippery snow, at least not that day. The thought unnerved him. "Alright then. You're going to need a lot of wood for all that. I'll collect some more. I also need to dig out some plants for Ka-Okee to eat. We wouldn't want her to go hungry because the snow's covering up all her food."
Siwili, Pocahontas, and John Rolfe passed the day doing their respective chores. In the evening, after the meat was cooked and preserved, they took another swim before going back to the cave for dinner. Pocahontas could tell the bear had been feasting on the wild blueberries because the meat was so sweet and delicious. Siwili left the hides and feathers of all the animals he had killed in the cave, indicating he would be back to collect them.
OCTOBER 29, 1613
The next morning, they set off early. Siwili and John Rolfe took turns tugging the sled. Fortunately, most of the snow had iced over, making the surface easier to walk on. Their boots were designed to prevent slippage. The rucksacks were light because Pocahontas, Siwili, and John Rolfe were wearing their snow gear, making the sled easier to pull. They hiked the whole day, taking breaks to feast on bear meat and berries.
The mountain they now had to tackle was far less treacherous than the first one. It was a huge relief to Rolfe. They stopped at yet another mountain cave that evening, at a much higher altitude than the previous one. Though they had passed several other hot springs during their journey, there were none near the new cave. They spent the night there.
OCTOBER 30, 1613
They continued their trek in the morning, descending the mountains to a point where the snow vanished. Air temperatures rose to the mid-fifties at the lower altitude in the early evening. They were forced to pack away much of their winterwear once again and carry their rucksacks on their backs. Siwili, John Rolfe, Pocahontas, Meeko, Percy, Flit, and Ka-Okee settled in a forest at the day's end. The trees were tall and dense, protecting them from wind chill. Still, it was a pretty brisk evening. As usual, Rolfe left the group to procure firewood. Ka-Okee had followed him to seek out vegetation for sustenance.
Siwili turned to the Powhatan woman when they were both gone. "Pocahontas, I will be leaving you tomorrow morning. We have traveled well past Duchi territory. The tribes that live north of here may or may not be hospitable. Most are far less warlike than the Duchi. I still caution you from approaching people you don't know. You must continue following the sun east and find the coast. Then follow the coastline home from there. Do you think you and John will be alright? If there is anything more I can do for you, please let me know," he expressed as he used the bow drill to start a fire in the pit he had made.
Pocahontas was surprised their time with the Gunalo was already coming to an end. She was saddened but did not let it show. "I do have at least one request. Can you maybe take Ka-Okee back with you and have the village care for her over the winter? In the spring, she should have matured enough to care for herself. John and I just do not think it is wise to take a baby deer all the way north with us. It will be too cold and dangerous for her."
Siwili nodded. "Yes, I can do that. Oh! Chief Heamalahilo has a request for you too. He admires John's red hair and has requested a lock to keep in exchange for our hospitality. Do you think you could ask John for a lock of his hair for us?" he inquired.
"I can certainly ask him. You've been very good to us. I doubt he would refuse such a simple request," Pocahontas returned. "I can go ask him right now if you'd like."
Siwili smiled. "That would be great. Thank you, Pocahontas."
Pocahontas rose up to her feet and dropped one of John Rolfe's sheathed steel knives into her right pocket, trudging off the way Rolfe had gone. She found him collecting firewood and watching over Ka-Okee at the edge of a modest fall meadow. The Englishman had a length of twine stretched out on the ground and was busy piling sticks and logs across it to make a bundle. "Pocahontas!" he muttered in surprise when he caught sight of her. "I should have enough wood for the fire tonight, love. You don't need to help me collect any if you don't want to," the gentleman announced, flashing Pocahontas a warm smile.
Pocahontas shook her head and grinned. "Actually, I came to ask you for something."
John Rolfe stopped what he was doing and turned his attention to her. "And what's that?"
Pocahontas walked up to him, pulled out his hair tie, and began to stroke his lustrous locks. "Chief Heamalahilo has requested a lock of your hair in exchange for his tribe's hospitality. It is a very exotic color and texture to him, so I imagine you understand why he is enamored with it," she explained, pressing a kiss to his lips momentarily.
John Rolfe blinked in surprise when she pulled back. "He wants my hair?"
"Just a lock, not all of it," Pocahontas clarified.
John Rolfe laughed nervously and ran his fingers through his own mane. "That's strange. In England, only lovers exchange locks. I guess things are really very different here."
"They certainly are," Pocahontas confirmed. She pulled the knife from her pocket and removed the sheath. "May I? I'll take it from the middle of the back so it won't show."
John Rolfe shrugged and turned around. "Well, since I cut off your hair, I suppose it's only fair," he teased. Pocahontas parted his hair and gathered a small bundle of it at the back with her fingers, cutting the length off at the scalp. Rolfe turned back and rearranged his hair. "There. No harm done." She handed him his hair strap and he tied it back again. "So this is just for the chief? What about Siwili and his family? They are the ones who hosted us personally," the Englishman acknowledged, scratching his chin in thought.
"You want to give him a lock of hair too?" Pocahontas inquired.
John Rolfe shook his head. "No, I had something else in mind. Pocahontas, how attached are you to that necklace I bought you in London? I figure gold and diamonds are pretty exotic around here, so perhaps it would make a very special gift indeed. I can always buy you more jewelry later if you want when we get to Jamestown. Promise!"
Pocahontas's eyes widened, impressed by John Rolfe's generous proposal. "That would make a great gift. Where's the necklace?" she asked. Rolfe grinned, pulled the necklace case out of his pocket, snapped it open, and took out the necklace. The smooth diamond and gold chain glimmered in the dying light of evening. Pocahontas was holding Rolfe's hair lock in her left hand, so he placed the necklace in her right. "Thank you. I will give these to Siwili right away. He is going to leave in the morning since we are now out of the mountains. From here, we have to follow the morning sun to the coast and follow the coast north to home," she explained. "We are well past the dangerous lands."
"Oh!" John Rolfe replied. "So soon? I'll be sad to see him leave. I wish I knew how to thank him for bringing us this far," he lamented, throwing another few sticks on the pile.
Pocahontas smiled. "I'm sure these gifts will be thanks enough. I'll see you back at camp when you're done, John," she said, giving him another kiss. Then she left to find Siwili. The warrior had an expectant look in his eyes when he spotted her, wondering if her quest had been a success or not. She presented him with the long lock of John Rolfe's auburn hair. "For the chief," she announced. Then she presented him with the necklace. "For you and your family. Thank you for hosting us while we were recovering from injuries."
Siwili's eyes widened at the sparkling gift. He had never seen anything like it before. The brave took it in his hands and admired its shimmer. "It's beautiful! I will wear it on my belt all the way home. Then perhaps Awenasa would like to wear it. We will make it a family heirloom to pass down to our children. It is a necklace, is it not?"
"Yes, of course, but you can wear it however you wish," Pocahontas replied.
Siwili ogled it as he shifted the blue stone around in his hands. "What's it made of?"
"The chain is something called gold. It comes from the earth in some places. The pendant is a very hard rock called a diamond," Pocahontas explained, pointing to each part.
Siwili clipped the necklace onto his belt and took the lock of hair Pocahontas had offered him. "Our chief will be most overjoyed to receive this. It is a generous amount. Was John unhappy at all about parting with it?" he inquired as he felt the texture of the lock.
Pocahontas pursed her lips and shook her head. "Not really. He did think it was a little strange though. Where he comes from, only lovers give each other locks of hair."
Siwili stared at her blankly before bursting into raucous laughter. "You're serious? That's hilarious! Chief Heamalahilo will laugh himself to death if I tell him that. I bet he'll also recount that story to anyone who asks about the red lock when they see it on his belt."
Pocahontas giggled. "Good. I hope it makes a great conversation piece for him."
"Will you help me tie it up so it won't come apart?" Siwili requested, holding it taut at each end. "The twine is in the front pocket of my pack," he told her, nodding toward it.
Pocahontas dug her hand in the pocket for the twine. She tied the hair securely at one end with three good knots. "Do you want me to braid it and then tie it at the other end?"
Siwili nodded. "That's a good idea. I think that Chief Heamalahilo will like that kind of presentation," he indicated, holding the lock of hair at the tied end. Pocahontas separated three equal strands and started to braid them together tightly. When the Powhatan woman was done, she helped him tie the braid at the other end so that it would not come loose.
"There," Pocahontas said. "All done."
"Thank you, Pocahontas," Siwili spoke. He heard the sound of a cracking twig and jumped to his feet when the Englishman returned carrying a huge bundle of sticks.
John Rolfe dropped the bundle by the fire pit as Siwili walked up to him. "Hello, Siwili."
The brave reached a hand into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a beautifully painted carving in the shape of a turtle. The item hung from a loop of braided and beaded twine. Siwili held it out to John Rolfe, offering it as a present. "Suto lo, Djahn. Ca vena kite."
John Rolfe blinked in surprise. He held up his hands when he realized it was a gift. "Wait, no! You've already done so much for us. The necklace was for your help. You don't need to offer something in return. I… Wait, did you paint that by hand?" he remarked, actually observing the item. He took it and turned it over in his hands, running his fingertips over the smooth painted surface. There were eight holes in the back of the turtle shell and two on the belly, though Rolfe had no idea what they were for. "It's lovely. What is it?"
Pocahontas came over and examined the present. "It's a musical instrument, John. You blow into the turtle's mouth to make sound and put your fingertips on the holes to change the pitch." The warrior mimed the action of playing such a woodwind instrument.
John Rolfe put the turtle's head to his mouth and blew, creating a beautiful flute-like noise. He played with the holes to see how he could manipulate the sound further. When he was done testing it, he held it up to scrutinize it some more. "This must've been hard to make. What is this instrument called? It sounds almost exactly like a flute. Lovely."
"It's an ocarina," Pocahontas replied. "A type of flute."
Siwili took the item by the twine and laid it over John Rolfe's head such that it hung from his neck like a locket. Rolfe pulled his ponytail out from under the twine and peered down at the ocarina, placing a hand on top of it where it dangled over his heart. "Thank you," he expressed gratefully. "I'll keep it with me always." Siwili smiled and nodded.
John Rolfe returned to the woods to procure more firewood. They passed the evening in merriment, using the firelight to cast amusing shadows on the dense trees behind them. Siwili performed a few tricks with the fire and Pocahontas drew pictures in the dirt with a stick as Rolfe had previously done with the children of Siwili's village. Rolfe even fooled around with his ocarina, though he had yet to figure out how to make proper music with it. After dinner ended, they fell asleep under the moonlit sky and slept peacefully.
…
OCTOBER 31, 1613
The dawn came all too soon. Siwili was the first to rise. He started exchanging items in the rucksacks, putting all the food and warmest clothes in John Rolfe and Pocahontas's packs. When Pocahontas opened her eyes, she noticed what he was doing and sat up. "Aren't you going to need some food for your trip back?" she asked, blinking owlishly.
Siwili shook his head. "No, I can hunt. Besides, you and John will need all the help you can get to reach your homeland safely without starving or freezing to death."
Pocahontas nodded her understanding. "That's very generous of you," the Powhatan princess replied, recalling all they had been through since they had left the Gunalo village. She got up and shook the morning dew from her bedroll before rolling it up. Something occurred to her when she caught sight of the musket tied to John Rolfe's rucksack. She glanced up at the warrior again. "I'm worried that you might run into the pirates again—or the Duchi. Maybe you should take the musket. It's really no good for hunting, too noisy. But it is great for frightening enemies away," she proposed.
Siwili raised a brow at the proposal. "But that's John's battle trophy. He snatched it from a vanquished enemy. I could not take that away from him," he fervently protested.
"John does not value battle trophies the way warriors do. I highly doubt he's that attached to it. I can ask him when he wakes up though," Pocahontas offered, stretching her back.
Siwili finished exchanging items and sat down by the ashen fire pit. "If I take the fire stick, then you must take my bow and quiver in return. I know you can shoot. It would be of use for you to be able to hunt. Perhaps you can even start teaching John. It is a shame I did not get the chance to teach him myself. Your time with us was all too brief."
"But don't you need it to hunt?" Pocahontas objected.
Siwili shook his head. "I have other methods. Plus, I can make another workable bow in a few hours if I absolutely need to," he replied, easing Pocahontas's fears on his behalf.
"Alright," Pocahontas conceded. She untied the rifle from Rolfe's rucksack and picked it up. "Let me show you how to load and fire the musket in case John says yes." He had already observed the routine before but it never hurt to get a reminder. Pocahontas walked him through the steps, though they did not end up actually firing the musket. When they were done, Pocahontas took the musket ball out. "And if you're trying to aim at a target, remember that you must keep both eyes open," she reminded him.
"Of course. It is the same when shooting a bow," Siwili returned with a chuckle.
Pocahontas giggled. "Oh yeah. Oh! It's important to keep the gunpowder dry. It won't work if it gets wet, so you might have to build a watercraft to transport it across rivers. You can also just tie it to your head and swim, keeping your head above water."
Siwili nodded. John Rolfe, Ka-Okee, and Percy were still asleep. Siwili wandered off as Pocahontas sat down beside Rolfe. She started to stroke his hair, finding his severe bedhead amusing. "It's time to wake up, John," she crooned. "Come on, get up." He grumbled back at her and pulled the blankets over his head. Pocahontas put her hands on her hips in a stern gesture before pulling the extra blanket off of Rolfe and the animals. "Wakey, wakey!" she loudly announced, causing Rolfe, Ka-Okee, and Percy to flinch.
"Noooooo, it's cooooold," John Rolfe whined, groping around blindly for the blanket.
"Then put more clothes on," Pocahontas decreed, pulling the hairbrush out of her rucksack. She tossed it to him and it landed lightly on his belly, giving him a slight jolt. He groaned his displeasure and Pocahontas rolled her eyes. "Siwili is getting ready to head back to his village. And I have an important question to ask you. So get up!"
John Rolfe sat up on his bedroll, scratching his tousled hair. "Mm? What's that?"
"I'm nervous about Siwili possibly running into Flame's crew or enemy warriors on the way back. I think we should give him the musket. I showed him how to load and fire it earlier. He will give us his bow in return so I can use it to hunt," Pocahontas said.
John Rolfe blinked owlishly as he glanced up at her. "Won't he need his bow? Guns can be challenging to hunt with, especially if you aren't accustomed to firing one," he said.
"He knows how to make a new bow in a few hours if he needs to," Pocahontas explained.
"Ah, alright," John Rolfe conceded. "Give him the musket then."
Pocahontas packed up her stuff and helped John Rolfe pack up his things when he was done brushing his hair. Siwili returned from the woods. They exchanged weapons before exchanging farewells. Rolfe got Siwili to load and fire the musket to make sure he knew how to do so properly. Then he offered the warrior a hand. Instead of the handshake he expected, Rolfe got pulled into a bear-like embrace and patted firmly on the back. He chuckled nervously as he was released and then peered down to the little fawn, who was fascinated by a ladybug walking across a leaf. "Ka-Okee," Rolfe spoke, gaining her attention. "Come, I would like you to go back with Siwili. His village folk will take good care of you and you'll be safe with him," he expressed, gesturing toward the dark-skinned brave. Ka-Okee shook her head and hid between the Englishman's legs.
"Uh oh," Pocahontas said with a giggle. "I don't think she wants to leave you, John."
"Well, she's got to," John Rolfe countered. "It's not safe for her to come with us." He placed his hands sternly on his hips and peered down at the fawn. Her ears were laid back as she crouched to the ground. "Come now. You don't want to go to Virginia with us. It will be cold and there will be less vegetation for you to munch on." He bent down and tried to push her gently in Siwili's direction but she resisted with all her might. John Rolfe sighed in frustration. "You know, it might be possible for us to come back and visit in a year or two. Please! We won't be able to take care of you when winter comes and I absolutely dread the thought of seeing you go hungry," the gentleman pleaded.
Ka-Okee hesitated. Pocahontas laughed. "Ka, will you go with Siwili if we promise to visit sometime in the not-too-distant future?" she inquired. The fawn seemed to consider the proposal. After a few extended moments, she raised her ears and gave them a nod.
"Thank goodness!" John Rolfe declared, throwing up his hands. He patted her. "Alright, we'll visit. Most likely by ship. The trip will be much faster that way. Now, go over to Siwili like you promised, Ka. Don't be afraid. He'll take care of you." Ka-Okee moved to face Rolfe and reared up on her hind legs. He bent down to receive her as she rested her hooves on his chest, giving him a final goodbye lick. "Bye-bye for now, darling."
Meeko waved goodbye as Ka-Okee pranced to Siwili's side. The warrior stroked her. He waved goodbye to John Rolfe and Pocahontas and vice-versa. At last, everyone put on their rucksacks and went their separate ways. Meeko, Percy, and Flit followed Rolfe and Pocahontas east. Ka-Okee and Siwili headed southwest back into the mountains.