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Virginia
Odeena peered through the heavy foliage. The large canoe's billowing white sails looked like enormous clouds. Its appearance meant new settlers were arriving to take up more land. The town the white people called Middle Plantation spread further into their native territory each time the canoe arrived.
Her brother, Ashcek, warned her to avoid the pale strangers. He had already shot one dead with an arrow to the back. The newcomer had ventured far from the settlement and trespassed upon their land. Ashcek hated the colonists. His hot blood demanded war against them.
Odeena felt differently. Their pale faces and sparkling blue eyes entranced her. She longed to get close to them and learn more. Eagerly, she watched the canoe draw closer to land. Before long, the new people would walk down the gangplank. Odeena would study them one by one.
A group of four appeared on the deck and huddled together. The tall man wore buff-colored knickers with long white stockings and black buckled shoes. A slightly darker shade long coat covered an embroidered waistcoat with a lacy cravat. The younger man standing beside him wore a similar outfit.
A woman clung to the man's arm. Her white floral printed dress covered her entire body. The slender girl accompanying the group leaned against the canoe's railing and scanned the buildings facing the James River. She, too, wore a garment that enclosed her body from neck to feet.
Odeena shuttered when she imagined herself in a similar outfit. She knew she would die if she had to wear all those clothes. Odeena enjoyed the freedom of her fringed doe-skin dress that fell only to her mid-thighs. In the summer, she remained barefooted throughout the day; in winter, she wore moccasins or knee-length boots. Parted in the middle, her black hair hung past her muscled derriere.
"What are you doing here?" Ashcek hissed in her ear. Entranced by the newcomers, Odeena hadn't heard him approach.
"I saw the white clouded canoe and wanted to look," Odeena replied innocently.
"You were ordered not to come here," Ashcek remarked, taking her arm and drawing her away. "Stay away from the pale people."
Odeena started to protest, but Ashcek dragged her away roughly. She stumbled behind him, and he pushed her into their wigwam. Falling onto the ground, she glared up at her brother.
"It is my sacred duty to protect you, little sister," Ashcek stated, looming above her. "The wendigo will take you away and eat your flesh if you do not obey."
"You don't scare me with your mythical stories, Ashcek," Odeena stated coolly. "I…I'm not a child any longer. I don't scare easily."
Odeena's heart pounded beneath her doe-skin bodice. The Wendigo was an evil spirit that ate human flesh. The elders threatened little children with its existence to make them behave. Odeena remembered her mother telling them about Wendigo when they were small. Before…before…
Ashcek and Odeena were orphans. Their mother and father were not dead. Somewhere to the west, they lived in isolation. Ostracized for stealing corn, the Tribe sent them far away over the distant mountains. Although their family was commanded to leave entirely, the children were left behind. Old Aokweyaash (grandmother) took pity on them and raised them as her own.
"Grandmother won't allow it, Ashcek," Odeena countered, her eyes growing solemn. "Aokweyaash loves me. She loves me better than you."
Ashcek stood tall above her. His bronze face shimmered with oil that pasted his shoulder-length black hair to his cheeks. He flexed his chest manfully, asserting his authority over her. Odeena's eyes widened with fear. Her brother did not like it when she challenged him.
"Stay away from the pale people," Ashcek stated bluntly. Without further ado, he stormed away.
Odeena stuck her tongue out and waggled it at his retreating back. She had reached her sixteenth moon and joined the other women in the women's hut once a month. Ashcek couldn't tell her what to do. Poking her head outside, she surveyed the area. Her brother stood several feet away, talking to his warrior friends. Bending at the waist, she scurried across the encampment and rushed back to Middle Plantation.
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Elsie Winnett's father owned a tobacconist's shop in Portsmouth, England. When the opportunity arose, he chose to sell his business and move to Virginia. Her mother was against the idea. Night after night, she protested until her father eventually wore her down. He said there were great opportunities in the Colonies. He intended to export tobacco to England.
"It's more profitable than simply selling tobacco in a store. We'll get rich in no time," Matthew Winnett exclaimed. Her mother finally agreed.
Elsie longed for adventure. England was old, and the Colonies were still relatively new. Day after day, she stood at Portsmouth harbor, watching the tall ships sail into the expansive Atlantic. Soon, they would board one and journey to a far shore.
The departure day finally arrived. It would take four months to cross the ocean. Ester Winnett complained bitterly about the inconvenience of sea travel, but Elsie disagreed with her mother. Every day brought new excitement. She couldn't wait to get on deck in the morning and feel the salt spray on her face. It exhilarated her.
Her older brother, Matt, usually joined her. He longed for adventure as much as Elsie did. They talked about their new life, mostly about seeing the natives. Matt often pretended to shoot them with a pretend musket. Elsie disliked the thought of killing other people only because they were different.
"Many of them are very helpful to the settlers," Elsie stated, pretending to take Matt's gun away. "They brought food during the winter when everyone was starving."
"You can't trust them," her brother answered. "They pretend they're nice, but they hate us as much as we hate them."
"Not everyone hates, Matt," she stated harshly. "You have the wrong idea about people. You should change that before you get much older. Otherwise, you'll always get in fights and hurt someone."
Matt shrugged, aimed his pretend weapon over the sea, and made shooting noises. Putting distance between herself and her brother, Elsie walked briskly along the desk. She stopped and rested her arms on the railing. The ocean suddenly looked different. She peered again and saw the edge of the American continent. Matt saw it simultaneously and hooted with delight, leaping up and down.
It seemed strange to touch land again after many months at sea. Elsie wobbled initially, but the excitement surrounding her eclipsed her unsure walk. She cast her eyes in all directions, taking in the new sights.
The Winnett family lived above Matthew's new office. Although he continued to sell tobacco to the Colonists, he mainly exported it to England. Her mother planted a spring garden in the backyard. It was Elsie's job to tend it. She didn't mind so much but wished Matt would do more work.
Matt was supposed to assist their father in his shop. Often, he lounged in the office, hardly moving out of his own way. He made friends with several other youths and hung around on the streets with them. Elsie complained to her mother, but she shrugged aside her protests.
Elsie knelt in the garden, weeding. As she pulled the weeds, she grumbled to herself. Her mother and father favored Matt, she mused. They allowed his slothful ways while she worked in the dirt. Elsie studied her fingernails. They were chipped, and black dirt had worked its way beneath them. She didn't have that problem in England.
Sitting back on her heels, Elsie wiped the perspiration from her brow. Sweat rolled down her back and trickled into her pantalets. Gardening was hot work, even in the spring. Perhaps living in the Colonies wasn't precisely what Elsie expected. Still, she liked the newness of Middle Plantation, and their neighbors were friendly.
Lost in thought, Elsie stared along the backyard into a stand of trees. For a moment, she thought something moved. Rising, she walked closer and peered into the shadows. A pair of mellow brown eyes met hers.
"Who's there?" she called softly. "Who are you?" Elsie extended her hand, hoping for a greeting.
The bronze-skinned girl hovered behind a slender tree. She hesitated, then stepped forward.
"Hello." Elsie smiled encouragingly. "I won't hurt you."
Shrinking back, the girl appeared scared. She glanced about, looking for an avenue of escape. Then, she relaxed and stepped forward.
"Wingapo," Odeena stated in her native language.
"Oh, you don't speak English," Elsie frowned. "Of course you don't."
"Wingapo…hell…o," Odeena repeated, using a word she had heard the new settlers use. Through eavesdropping, she had learned a little of the language.
"I'm Elsie," she stated, pointing to herself.
Odeena repeated the name and pushed her finger into her chest.
"No. no, no." Elsie shook her head rapidly. "I'm Elsie." She pointed to herself again. "Who are you?"
Odeena shook her head, too. Her long black hair swayed across her back. Stepping forward, she grabbed Elsie's skirt and hauled it upward. She stooped and ran her hand along the pantalet's leg. Odeena chuckled.
"What's funny about my underwear?" Elsie exclaimed, snatching her skirt away. She dropped it over her underthings hurriedly.
Odeena stepped back and ran her hands along her short doe-skin dress. It only seemed to cover the bare necessities. Then, she pulled at Elsie's skirt again.
"Oh, I see," Elsie exclaimed in sudden understanding. You wear next to nothing, and I'm covered from neck to foot. Yes, that is funny." She giggled, and Odeena laughed, too.
The native girl spoke rapidly in her own language. Elsie watched her lips move without understanding a word. They laughed again, and the barrier between them disappeared.
"I'll teach you English," Elsie offered, warming up to her new friend.
"English," Odeena repeated, nodding her head rapidly.
"You know a few words already?" Elsie asked, leading her new friend to a bench in an arbor. They sat side-by-side. Odeena nodded again.
Elsie began repeating simple words. The native girl pronounced them haltingly. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she shrank back into the arbor. Elsie followed her startled eyes.
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Ashcek stepped into the backyard. Tall and muscular, his oiled body gleamed near the afternoon sun. His lips snarled as he strode toward his wayward sister. Grabbing her by the arm, he yanked her to her feet. He twisted her long hair in his hand and pulled her across the lawn. Odeena beat him with tiny fists. Struggling wildly, she attempted to escape her brother's grip.
At the property's edge, Ashcek stopped. Standing above his sister, he spoke rapidly. Odeena responded with resounding guttural protests. She pointed toward Elsie, then at herself. Turning her back on her brother, she tightened her arms around her body. She indicated she wasn't going to move.
Ashcek grabbed her arm again and pulled. Odeena pummeled his chest with her fists. Watching from the arbor, Elsie understood: the tall native wanted her to leave. Odeena refused. She quickly moved toward them, hoping to take her new friend's side.
Suddenly, Matt appeared in the backdoor. Pointing his musket carefully, he aimed at Ashcek's chest. Elsie's eyes flew open in terror. If her brother shot one of the natives, war would break out between the Colonists and the Tribe. She couldn't allow it to happen. However, before she could move, Ashcek tackled Matt, and the musket dropped from his hands.
The two men, locked in a wrestler's embrace, rolled across the ground. Ashcek clawed at Matt's face while Matt yanked at Ashcek's hair. Elsie and Odeena watched with horror. Both men were equal in a fight. They rotated onto the garden, crushing the budding plants.
Dancing around the fighting men, Odeena tried to pull them apart. They moved so rapidly that she couldn't get a grip on either of them.
Finally, Elsie picked up the musket. It felt too heavy in her hands, and she struggled to control it. Although she couldn't aim properly, it gave her an advantage over the situation. Planting her feet firmly, she hovered over the wrestlers.
"Stop, or I'll shoot," she screamed loud enough to capture their attention. "I don't care who I hit."
At the sound of her voice, both men leaped to their feet. Elsie moved the musket from one to the other threateningly. Matt's face turned several shades paler, and Ashcek backed away. Odeena moved behind Elsie. She didn't want to get shot by accident.
"You two better learn how to get along," Elsie stated coolly. She focused the musket on Matt, knowing he understood her. "We have to live side-by-side. It's better if we are kind to each other."
Odeena spoke to her brother in her own language. Elsie assumed she made similar remarks. Ashcek scowled at Matt; Matt returned the intimidating grimace. Finally, her brother strutted toward her and removed the musket. He pointed it toward Ashcek and told him to scat. Odeena's brother disappeared into the foliage. Then he indicated for the girl to follow.
"She's my friend," Elsie stated, grabbing Odeena's hand. "Friend," she repeated, pointing to herself and Odeena.
"Fr…fr…end," Odeena repeated, smiling.
Elsie drew Odeena back to the arbor and sat down. Together, they continued their English lesson.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
