Chapter 5 - Everything Is Gold

The preparations for Kocoum and Nakoma's wedding were under way the next day. Pocahontas found many ways to keep busy that day while Thomas returned to the camp to invite his friend Wiggins as well, with the chief's permission. All were excited for the happy occasion in a few days.

Pocahontas sat with her friend Nakoma in her parents' log-house as she helped her sew her new dress for the occasion. It was a long-skirted doeskin dress with fringe along the top and bottom. Pocahontas carefully did the seams along the sides with her bone needle while Nakoma mostly chatted about anything on her mind.

Finally Pocahontas dropped her needle and leather thread and looked up at her talkative friend. "I knew you fancied Kocoum the day the warriors returned home to the village and you called him handsome."

Nakoma's eyes widened. "I did not yet know my own heart," she replied. "I was surprised when he spoke to me. I never really thought much about marriage before."

"I am so very happy for you, my friend," Pocahontas said. "You were always like a sister to me and Kocoum is like my brother. If you were unhappy before, you will be happy from now on for sure."

"You are like a sister to me as well." Nakoma looked at her. "Though I have hardly been unhappy up 'til now. Do you find yourself unhappy?"

"I have felt unhappy lately for a reason I can't tell you."

"A secret? Please tell me!" Nakoma beseeched her.

Pocahontas considered it but held strong.

"I'm your best friend!" Nakoma said. "Or am I lately? You've been hanging out much with that boy lately, Thomas," she said with one eyebrow quirked. Pocahontas said nothing but Nakoma guessed the truth. "It's him, isn't it? Something between you two."

"Yes, on the same day that Kocoum asked for your hand, while I was out on the river with Thomas, he asked if I would consider him and I said yes," said Pocahontas. Nakoma's eyes shined with surprise. "But it's a secret for now," Pocahontas finished.

"I didn't know that!" Nakoma nearly shrieked. "Why a secret? It should be the same for both of us. Did he not ask the chief's permission?"

Pocahontas shook her head no.

"Perhaps there are many things he does not know about," her friend teased. "But this is exciting news for both of us."

"You are one year older than me," Pocahontas said to Nakoma. "You will marry first and perhaps I will marry next year."

"That seems fair," Nakoma said with a pursed-lip smile.

...

It took a day for the two girls to finish the fringed dress for Nakoma. The next day Pocahontas spent helping make wedding gifts for her friend, including her personal gift to her of a soft, warm shawl to wear in the autumn and winter. She helped weave dyed baskets and bake clay pots in the fire, then painting them different colors. They would decorate the new log-house being quickly built in the village.

The day after that she gathered corn, pumpkins and squashes from the fields, and berries growing in the forest. There would be a grand feast for her friend's wedding. At dusk she was bringing in the basket of berries from the woods when she saw Thomas and his friend Wiggins approaching the village. They seemed deep in discussion and she almost didn't wish to interrupt as she heard her own name mentioned. But her loneliness and wish to be with friends overcame her. She shouted to them and they stopped, glancing behind their shoulders, Thomas' cheeks a ruddy hue.

To her surprise Thomas walked forward and embraced her, arms around her waist and long hair. Then he pulled away.

"Good evening, Princess," said his friend Wiggins politely. He held up his own basket he'd been carrying. "I brought a gift basket for the happy couple. And may I offer congratulations on your own engagement."

Thomas put a finger to his lips to signal quiet.

The three sat on a fallen log around a firepit for a while, popping corn from the heat of the fire in a pan the boys had packed. Nakoma and Kocoum were back at their parents' log-houses, busy with other things, while Pocahontas needed a reprieve from the amount of work she'd been doing the past few days. She popped the popcorn in her mouth while mostly listening to the two English boys talk back and forth, interjecting her opinion every now and then. Nakoma and Kocoum's wedding was to be the next day.

Wiggins retired early to his blanket by the fire while Thomas walked Pocahontas back to the chief's log-house. Both walked quietly and almost solemnly that night, past the now-quiet corn fields, until Pocahontas playfully pushed Thomas onto a large pile of ears of corn, wrapped in green leaves. The boy laughed loudly and fell backward against the pile, sitting on it like a throne. He grabbed Pocahontas by the wrist and pulled her down next to him onto the pile of corn. She joined him in laughter, then gave a loud and contented sigh.

"I'm so exhausted," she said quietly so no others would overhear. "I've never done so much work in my life. But tomorrow will be worth it all."

Thomas unwrapped an ear of corn from the pile to feed to Meeko, who quickly ran up to him.

Pocahontas giggled. "See? It's gold." She turned her face to look up at the heavens. "Like the sunset, or the moon." A gold-colored moon was rising over them.

Thomas threw the corn to the raccoon who started to munch on it. Pocahontas was distracted by her animal friend and didn't notice the boy staring at her. "Everything is gold when I'm with you," he said.

The girl looked back at him but fell quiet.

"What happened to your bracelet?" Thomas asked. "Did Meeko steal it?"

"I put it away while I was busy doing things. But I'll wear it tomorrow."

"I have a few things to discuss with you," said Thomas thoughtfully, lounging on the pile of corn. "You and I are engaged now, after all."

"Tomorrow is our friends' wedding. Perhaps ours can take place next year."

"Yes, but I thought ours might be a little different. I thought we could have it in Jamestown. The town will be built by then, with a shiny new church and all."

"Jamestown?" Pocahontas said thoughtfully. She had never really considered it before, imagining it if ever to occur to happen here at the village like Nakoma's. But Thomas was from a different village. "Yes, I suppose that would be fine, though I wish John Smith could attend."

"He'll be back here on a ship by next year for sure. He'll be there, just wait and see."

"Though, my father the chief must still say yes," she added. "The chief approves all marriages in the village."

"And do you think he'll approve of me?"

"Yes, you could make a brave warrior."

"I've been the ship's cabin boy and just a spare hand in the camp up 'til now," he replied, looking ahead at the dying embers of a firepit in the distance. "Do you see me like that?"

"You have a warrior's heart," she said lovingly. "And with our marriage you will make a good prince of our village."

He glanced sideways at her in surprise. "Perhaps, but I might have some other plans."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out in time."

"Tell me!"

"No, it's a surprise."

Pocahontas playfully pushed him on his arm, and he started to slide down the pile of corn with a low shout. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down with him, sliding to the ground. At the bottom he nearly rolled over on top of her, pushing himself off the ground on his arms, his red hair hanging around his face, the raven-haired beauty beneath him. They locked eyes a moment, only for the girl to push him off with her hands and roll away from him. Thomas' face burned like being close to the fire and there was a reddish hue on Pocahontas' dusky cheeks. He tried once again to grab her hand, but she leaped quickly to her feet and ran away with light laughter to her father's log-house for the night.

Thomas was left to sleep on his quilt staring up at the stars.