Chapter 6 - Drumbeats and Flutes
Drumbeats reverberated in the air and wooden flutes serenaded as it was time for the dance to begin. It was the evening of the wedding of the warrior Kocoum with the maiden Nakoma. All the villagers were in attendance including Chief Powhatan and the princess Pocahontas, along with two guests from the English camp, Thomas and Wiggins.
Meeko scurried around the pile of gifts of multi-hued woven baskets and clay pots including an English gift basket. The feast had been eaten, fire-roasted corn, pumpkin, squash, and peppers with toasted sunflower seeds and fresh berries, popcorn, and pots of fresh river water. A few bottles of sparkling cider from England as well. Flit buzzed around happily.
Kocoum stood proudly with arms crossed on his chest with Nakoma at his side, dressed in her long fringed dress and moccasins, wearing a new necklace. The villagers and families all watched. Pocahontas approached and draped her gift of a shawl around Nakoma's shoulders, then presented her with a blue-green peacock feather. Nakoma's eyes widened at the arm-length of the feather and Pocahontas tied it into her hair behind her. Thomas stepped forward next and held out a silver flute to Kocoum, not only as a gift but a peace offering between the two of them. Kocoum nodded, lips quirking in a hint of a smile as he grabbed it from him. There was a grudging mutual respect between them after the encounter in the woods.
"Are you sure you don't want that?" Kocoum asked Thomas, the silver flute in his hand.
"Don't worry about it. I have an extra," Thomas said. He held out his hand in an English handshake. Kocoum grasped his hand tightly as if in a game of arm war. Then Thomas put his other hand on Kocoum's shoulder. "Congratulations, my friend."
"Soon it will be your turn, my friend," Kocoum said, almost as if teasing.
Thomas' eyes widened in alarm, looking between Pocahontas and Nakoma. He guessed Pocahontas had told Nakoma their secret and she had then told Kocoum.
Wiggins joined the group and handed Kocoum a gift of a set of silverware from the ship. Kocoum looked at the knife hesitantly, then nodded. They quickly repeated the handshake.
The chief sat on a fallen log in front of the roaring bonfire, his daughter Pocahontas taking her seat beside him. It was now time to dance. All watched as Kocoum and Nakoma stepped into the clearing. As the newly wedded couple they would start the dance. The two began to dance, moving their feet side to side in tandem to the beat of the drums.
After a while Chief Powhatan nodded to Pocahontas that she and her other friends could now join the dance. Pocahontas quickly grabbed Thomas by one hand and pulled him to his feet, dragging him into the clearing. He looked over his shoulder at Wiggins, gesturing for him to join as well. Wiggins nodded.
Pocahontas showed the dance to Thomas, seeing as he hesitated. It was different than the dances in England.
She smiled at him but just continued to dance. They didn't touch or hold hands like the dances back in England. She was free to dance on her own. He watched Pocahontas as she moved, noticing a red cardinal feather and a bluejay feather both tied in her hair. And she wore his silver charm bracelet from London tonight. Pocahontas spread her arms and pretended to fly over to where Nakoma and Kocoum danced, joining them. Wiggins came over and gave Thomas a slight shove on the back. He quickly imitated Pocahontas and jogged over to the group dancing. Wiggins walked over as well. Soon all five of them had formed a circle and were dancing.
Pocahontas spun in a circle with her arms outspread like wings, Nakoma soon joining her, raising her arms in the air and spinning a lazy circle.
"This is a little different from dancing a jig back on the ship," Thomas said to Wiggins. "That was the only kind of dance I attended back in England."
"Show us," Kocoum interjected.
Thomas began to dance a jig like he had to the fiddle music on the ship late nights. They watched interestedly, Pocahontas' eyes glowing with admiration.
The other villagers soon joined them in the dance around the fire. But when the group had grown tired of dancing, the bride and groom sat with their friends on a log by the dying fire, passing around cups and the bottles of sparkling cider from England. Pocahontas looked around at her friends. Counting herself, three from the Indian village, and two from England. Nakoma and Kocoum sat close together, shoulders brushing, while Pocahontas quickly took her seat next to Thomas, and Wiggins sat with Meeko.
They had made unlikely friendships.
Her secret engagement to Thomas was perhaps the unlikeliest.
As they watched the flames flickering in the firepit, yellow, orange, red, and pale blue at the heart, all wondered what the future would hold. Pocahontas was happy for her friends in her heart, while Thomas wondered to himself when his turn would come.