Princess Ces'alena (Webster Fields)

by Mercedes Keyes

  “Fourteen more summers…she will be a woman… she will be my wife!”

  “But son-…”

  “You promised me father! You told me that if I ever saw another gold raven, she would be mine! You promised before the gods!”

  “I meant a bird son. Not a little girl!” He responded, his patience growing thin. “How can you associate the two?”

  Lil’Bear stared long at his father, and finally he asked. “My father, are we becoming so much like the white man, that we are to no longer believe in the god’s that lead us? In the spirits that guide us? In the ways of our forefather’s? Are we to forsake it all?”

  Long Bow was stumped. He sat staring speechless, not sure how he was to deal with this. He had not prepared himself for such an event, because he never imagined his son would draw such conclusions. “I say — that by the hands of the god’s of our forefather’s, and by the hand of the god who directed my grandfather - by their hands, Ceś alena, the mother of my Gold Raven, was led to us; so that my eyes would see, my future destiny. She is my Gold Raven, and by your own word…if I am to believe in your word… you will protect her and see her as I do.” Long Bow sat still unable to say a word. Staring at his son, who was leaving his childhood behind much too fast. How in the world was he to assure his son a promise concerning a child that was not his to give? She was the daughter of a slave owner, and fourteen years was a long time…a very long time.

  “Son…you are asking me for the impossible. How can you be so sure she is the one?” He tried, feeling for a way out.

  Lil’Bear was ready; it was simple and clear in his mind and thinking. So his aim was to direct his father’s thinking toward the answer to this question, “Answer me this my father…from where did the gold raven come?” Long Bow’s brows pinched trying to discern his son’s logic for such a question.

  “I am not certain son, but it is more than likely she came from the black ravens of course, her coloring is just odd - different for some reason…rare.”

  “And the black men among us, what label has the white man often used in reference to them?”

  Long Bow sat without answering the question. There was no need to. His son was obviously leading him to his own conclusion, which was now clearly seen, he could only stare.

  “Your silence says you grapple with what I feel is my destiny.”

  “Son…she may not even be around fourteen years from now, and if she is, she may not want to marry you.”

  “The god’s will see to that. Just as they brought her to me today; they will bring her once again when the time comes. And because I now know my destiny and where it lies…from this night forward…I will no longer be known as — Lil’Bear. It is time for all to come to know me as…Red Crow.” With that said, he turned from his father and left the room. Long Bow sat back in the chair as a chill raced over him… and this chill…stirred worry in his heart, for the future of his son.

  In the weeks that followed, Lena made the visits with Thomas to the village on a regular basis. Eagerly looking forward to spending time with Red Dawn, as with the others, she too learned more. It didn’t take long before they became the closest of friends, doing just about everything together.

  They made rugs together, that Lena would take back to the plantation as gifts to Kayleen, Jordan and Jean, Ma’Nicey and Mazie. Red Dawn also taught Lena how to make Indian jewelry, pottery, and how they tanned hides. Then she presented Lena with her own doe skin dress and leggings, which she immediately began wearing when they came back to the village.

  Because they were inseparable, the village called them kindred spirits. Members of the tribe began referring to Lena as they saw her, as an amber swan. By the fifth visit, to them all she was…Amber Swan. Also, with her visits, she allowed Hope the freedom to be with the other children, knowing that Red Crow would let no harm come to her.

  Unfortunately for him, Hope being the high strung child that she was; had a tendency to fight his direction and protection of her. Often he’d find himself, bitten, pinched, kicked and punched by her.

  Actions of which he informed Lena on one occasion, indicating that her child needed discipline…if she were to be the wife of a great chief - she would need to learn proper behavior. Lena bit into her lip not to laugh, he was, after all - so serious…Red Dawn could only shake her head, while Lena thought him adorable.

  On one particular visit, he gave them all quite a scare. All were sleeping within the house on this night of a full moon. Very quietly Red Crow crept up to what was now Lena’s loft room where Hope lay sleeping beside her mother. Very carefully, he lifted her from the bed and carried her down the stairs with him. At the bottom of the stairs, she woke up and looked into his eyes…not at all afraid, then dozed back to sleep on his shoulder. Very quietly he left the house and carried her off to a hidden spot just within the giant wall by a quiet stream that ran in from beneath it. There he woke her, bid her to be silent, then removed her clothes and bathed her. Still Hope was not afraid.

  He then sat her in a circle of painted stones he’d prepared earlier that day, with signs of the ocean painted on a few…some had horses painted on, and others with symbols of time, and two directly opposite of each other on both sides of the circle was a stone painted with a red crow on it…and the other, a gold raven. He put flowers in her wet hair, and around her within the circle.

  With his thumb, he made a black crow on her forehead marking it with red. On his own, he did the same with gold coloring. Adorned in only a loin cloth, he stood with a staff given to him by Dark Shadow; that he tied crow feathers to, and raised his arms to the heavens with that staff in one hand, and began chanting to the God’s - calling for a hearing, dancing that they might pay him attention.

  Hope thought it a game and laughed out! Clapping as she too stood and began to dance, trying to step out of the circle. He would then pause, only long enough to push her back. Very soon, Hope quite upset by this, began fighting him to get out of the circle…interfering with his summons.

  “Stop that! Get back - ow! Don’t bite! You shouldn’t - ow!! Let’go!”

  “Wan’ stic’ too!” Hope demanded with her hand on her little hip…the other thrust out to get it from him. Her face crunched into a frown.

  “No…it is mine! Now sit and obey me…I must do this so that the god’s know that I have accepted you as my destiny.”

  “Gimme stic’!!”

  “Nooo!” He whined, on the verge of stomping, “This is not right. You’re ruining this!” He observed as she stood defiant and naked in the moonlight.

  “Gimme stic!” She demanded again.

  “Okay, I’ll give it to you, but if I do…you must sit and do as I say? Alright?”

  “Gim - me’ st-i-i-ic!” She screamed.

  “Alright, alright … here! Now sit down, in – the circle!”

  He passed it to her, and she sat holding it. He stared at her a moment, and wondered if he could be mistaken…it was possible. Then looking back to the heavens, he began again, chanting and dancing around her. Hope sat in the middle holding the stick, her head bobbing with his chant, as she tried to sing along, he rolled his eyes to the heavens, ignoring her and continued. In his dance, he reluctantly offered up his thanks for her. Praying that if they should separate, the god’s protect her in his absence.

  He prayed they keep her as pure as she is this night, and that the time be marked to begin where it would end with them becoming as one. Laying on the ground before Hope was a copper medallion split in a jagged pattern. Both halves with a hole in it, tied to a leather string.

  On one side, a soaring gold raven with the tip of her wing missing, and beneath her wing, the black tip of a wing. Then on the other half, there was a red crow in flight, part of its wing on the other side, and above the tip of a gold wing. Red Crow knelt before Hope, and tied around her neck, the half with the black crow and red markings. Then around his neck, he tied the one with the gold raven. “You must never, ever take this off. It will protect
you from harm, and bring you back to me should we ever part.”

  Hope liked it and smiled looking down at it, rubbing the copper against her chest. While she was admiring the medallion, he picked up a small knife that he’d hidden by the circle. She looked up at it with wide eyes.

  “Are you brave? Truly brave?”

  She nodded with wide eyes.

  “Then give me your hand, and you must not cry out, or you will break the presence of the god’s.” She gave him her hand, “Now close your eyes.” She did so, tightly. Quickly he made a small cut on the heel of her hand, and the same on his own. Hope’s bottom lip curled under quivering as if she would cry. “Don’t you cry. You must be brave!” She sucked it up. Matching the cuts, he pressed his palm to hers so that their bloods might mix. “Now don’t let go.” She nodded with drooping eyes. “Stay awake…I am almost done.”

  “No!” She was cranky, sleepy.

  “Yes, not long now.”

  Still holding her hand with one hand, he pulled out a wrapped fish from his sack by the circle, and broke off a piece and fed it to her - she ate it without hesitation. Then he ate some of it too. Afterwards, he cast it aside. Still holding her hand, he opened up the stones that closed him out, so they now welcomed him in. He took her other hand and began to pray. “I, Red Crow…future chief to my father’s people…accept my destiny! As I feed and will clothe her now…so this I will do in the days that come, when she will be my Gold Raven… bringing good medicine for our people.”

  He opened his eyes and looked down at her… she was fast asleep. He let her hands go, and quickly dressed her. He put on his leggings, picked her up in his arms and walked back to his parent’s cabin. Where the lanterns were burning, they were awake, and he was in big trouble.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The rumors of the attack on Fort Mims became a frightening reality, because of an attack on a group of Creeks by Alabama whites in Burnt Corn Creek of Spanish Florida. In reprisal for the attack, Fort Mims became the target of revenge; it was overrun by the Red Sticks on August 30, 1812…three hundred fifty to five hundred soldiers and settlers lost their lives. William Weatherford, one of the leaders of the Red Sticks, even sent warning, that they would be attacked. Laziness on the part of the commanding officer, who was known for his lax attitude, was reportedly drunk and had ignored the warning, and the gates to the fort were never closed.

  February 1813, the winter was mildly cold, it snowed rarely, and when it did, again it left no sign of ever doing so. In the village of Chief Menomonee, the Indian wives, mothers and daughters were frightened because the Tennessee and Georgia Militia were seeking aid in the war against the Red Sticks, opposing Creeks that rebelled against the white government. Red Dawn was especially frightened, because Long Bow, for once, was considering joining and giving aid. They all sat in Chief Menomonee’s house discussing the details of the war that would be fought against the Red Sticks.

  “The decision is up to you of course; but you must be aware, that teaming up with the militia does not guarantee or strengthen your own cause.” Thomas expressed his feelings.

  He and Long Bow had grown very close since their meeting, they were fast friends, and Thomas knew of Red Dawn’s worry.

  He knew he needed to tread carefully when it came to interfering in matters of conscience, when it came to the tribes. His purpose was to inform, educate…and nothing more, but he didn’t want his friend going off fighting a battle that may be fought in vain.

  “I understand you feel it would be good to let the surrounding states know of your support and willingness to unite, but will it promise security for your people?” Thomas continued further.

  “I believe that it will. We will become their support, therefore making them stronger – as an ally …I cannot see them turning on the very ones who would help them grow stronger in power.” Chief Menomonee asserted.

  Red Dawn looked at her husband, waiting for his opinion.

  “My brothers in Georgia have given their word that they will join in the fight, they feel by doing this, it will help in their relations with the neighboring white settlers. This act will assure them of their safety to dwell next to the Cherokee.” Chief Long Bow stated, then sighed deeply, feeling his wife’s frightened gaze on him. “While I have broken away from them, I want them to know, that we are still one – though apart. I … I have decided to join, -(he looked her in the eyes)- the Georgia militia along with my brothers…I will fight!”

  Red Dawn’s eyes widened as she snatched her gaze from her husband’s, she did all she could to sit calmly and listen. Yet every second that ticked by, her insides quivered, melting down to a jumble of shattered nerves, she couldn’t stop her eyes from watering. Lena sat across the room watching her. Suddenly Red Dawn surged to her feet and ran from Menomonee’s home.

  Long Bow sighed, his son sitting staunchly by his side. Lena rose next and quietly followed, shutting the door softly behind her. At Long Bow’s and Red Dawn’s home, Lena listened to her as she paced in worry, wringing her hands.

  “Oh my God…Oh my God…I cannot let him do this. How do I stop him from doing this?” She pleaded in a prayer…her voice quivering with fear. Lena didn’t know what to tell her, she was just as upset…they had grown so close, and what one felt…the other felt as well.

  “Lena…what will I do…please…help me?” Red Dawn pleaded almost in tears. Quietly Lena walked up to her, and offered her shoulder…there was nothing she could say. Red Dawn held onto her. “Every decision he has ever made…I have followed him through it without argument. I cannot this time…I simply cannot!”

  “I know…” Lena didn’t know what else to say.

  “How do you love someone so much…and survive saying goodbye, when you know you may never see them again?” She asked whimpering.

  Lena thought back to the night before Manny left. She thought she would die that night, only the pain of losing her son…could outweigh the pain of knowing he was leaving her, and she might never see him again. Yet she lived on…and so would Red Dawn. But telling someone that - did little good when they were smack dab in the midst of having to let go. Before she could answer, the door opened as Long Bow, Red Crow and Thomas, who held Hope in his arms…entered.

  The two of them slowly came apart. Red Dawn looked at her husband, and knew the fight to come.

  “Ceś alena, you should get your things, we are riding back tonight. I’ve already sent one of the kids to fetch the Johnson’s.” Thomas instructed. Lena swallowed, and turned to her friend, grabbing her hand, she squeezed it to give support. “Thank you.” Red Dawn mouthed softly. Lena’s smile was sad when she went for their things, and soon they left.

  After Lena and Thomas had gone, Red Dawn went into her kitchen to straighten up. The couple was quiet as the tension built around them. Long Bow sent Red Crow to stay with his uncle, Dark Shadow; and quietly entered where his wife busily put their home in order.

  “Will you punish me with your silence for the remainder of this night?” Long Bow asked as she cleaned. Red Dawn continued on without answer. Finally she stopped sweeping and asked, “How much thought did you give this, while leaving me out of it?”

  “Much — thought.” He returned calmly.

  “Much thought? How much thought?”

  “Do you need exact measures to understand? I am tired - of running.” Again he was calm.

  “When have you run?” She asked incredulously. “It is what your father asked of you… and for good reason.”

  “Ah, so you agree…I have been running.” He said, his emotions mounting.

  “Long Bow… I love you! I have never looked at you with those eyes! To say that you run! Have you forgotten the dying words of your father!? He called you, “The guardian of your people’s souls! That - is where your destiny lies! To keep your people safe! This war - is not - yours!” She argued passionately.

  “I have done as my father pleaded! Those who would listen to me; those who would follow me, are here…an
d they are safe! I have done - as my father pleaded! Yet, if I am to stand as a man - as a brave - as a warrior and chief, the time will come…when I must fight! I cannot ignore the summons and plea of my brothers!”

  “While I must protect those who seek protection, I must also stand by the side of those who struggle and fight for what is right!”

  “Please do not do this! I am begging you-…”

  “You! You, do not do this!” He fired off trying to get her to hear him.

  “I’m beggin’ you… please - it is not-…”

  “We must show that we are willing to support and be a part-…”

  “…-your war! They are using you! Listen - to - me - pleeease-…”

  “…-as they grow strong! We must be willing to grow with them! The white man is here to stay-….”

  “Listen to me!” She screamed - crying, tears racing down her face, her fist balled before her as she shook.

  “No! You listen to me!!! It is too late! There is a portion of Creek who are causing trouble for all, and they must be stopped! I fear Chief Blue Eagle’s warriors are among them.”

  “Pleeeease-…”

  “I am a man!!! And for the peace of all!! Thee must be war!!!”

  “Oh Long Bow…how can peace, be obtained by war?” She was dizzy and weak from her struggle emotionally and otherwise. “The Red Sticks fight is out of retaliation for the-…”

  “I know what you’re going to say! I know why they attacked Fort Mims! Are we to attack each other back and forth until no one is left?” He argued.