A New
Dawn
Ehawee is good to her word and drinks all of her broth. Then she
snuggles back into the blankets and tries to rest, hoping the dawn isn't
too far away. She naps lightly, never quite falling asleep and not quite
being awake, until the morning sun shows her the drawings on the outside
of her father's teepee. Now that it is light, she can see that Magaskawee
hung her dress to dry. She also rolled it, so the buckskin is soft and
supple next to her skin. Ehawee stretches carefully, then dresses
slowly, careful not to touch her face when she pulls her clothing over her
head. Her face seems stiff, but does not hurt nearly as much as it
did.
Once Ehawee is dressed, she pushes aside the door cover and peers out,
curious to see how late it is. The air is fresh and clean and the sun is
bright, making her squint. The morning can't be more than an hour old, as
the night's chill hasn't left the air. She steps out of the teepee and
begins walking around the camp, carefully, at first, in case there is any
lingering weakness. She notices that there is a little, but not much, and
it probably stems from having not moved in so very long, for her.
As she walks, Ehawee can't help glancing over towards Kohana's teepee.
Kohana is out brushing his ponies, and their eyes meet. Kohana looks
quickly away, as does Ehawee, feeling terribly shy all of a sudden. But
then she turns and walks in his direction, trying to look casual. Kohana
begins to vigorously brush the pony. Ehawee stops when she gets to the
other side of the pony and looks down at her feet, as if finding something
terribly interesting down there. "I wanted to thank you for what you
did...letting my father keep his horses. It was very generous of you."
She looks up then, feeling horribly awkward.
"It was the least I could do. I misjudged you, and I am sorry for
that."
"But I did hurt you. No one would have thought less of you for
wanting some compensation for that." Ehawee bites her lip. "What you did
cost you a lot. I'm sorry for that. I've made rather a mess out of your
life."
"You did me a favor," Kohana says, smiling a little. "It is Maka who
barks like a dog. You saved me from living with that. I...I only wish
that my anger had not scarred your beauty," he says, his finger tips
barely brushing the side of her face, well away from the actual cut. His
fingertips are warm.
Ehawee blushes a bit. "Magaskawee says it is healing well. There may
not even be much of a scar." She looks hesitantly at his face, feeling
terribly guilty now. "Do you...does your face still pain you much?"
"If I say it hurts, will you stay and talk to me longer?" he says, as
his eyes dance.
She smiles slightly at that. "I'll stay and talk to you longer either
way, if you want."
"I would like that very much," he answers. He offers her a brush.
"Do you want to help? This is the one I give to you, when you are well
enough to ride her. She will give you many fine foals, just like
her."
The pony is a pretty thing, with fine legs and head. She is white,
with black blotches all over.
"She is very, very fast," Kohana adds.
Despite having been told of the pony by Magaskawee, Ehawee's eyes
still light up at the thought of a pony of her own. Then she sobers with
an effort. "It seems wrong for me to receive such a beautiful gift after
the pain I caused you." She takes the brush anyway, though, and begins
brushing the pony's coat almost reverently.
"Well, I don't want you to feel bad, but I want you to have the pony.
What about if the pony was a gift, like a marriage gift," he says looking
at her. This time she knows he is serious.
Ehawee blushes furiously and concentrates on brushing the pony. "I'm
not sure I'd make you a very good wife. I like riding, and hunting, and
things that are not...proper for women. And I'm not even completely a
woman, according to the shamans."
"Maka was a 'proper' woman. I didn't like her. Ehawee, when I looked
into your eyes in the lodge, I...I feel like you have my spirit. I want
to be close to you, forever."
Ehawee looks up into his eyes at that. "Are you certain that you
don't want to marry me because you think no other man will have me now?"
The question seems very important to her.
He lifts her chin. "If no other man can see what lies beneath this,
no other man deserves you. No, Ehawee. You can have your pick of the
tribe's warriors. I ask now so I can ask first."
A sense of relief goes through her. "Even if I could pick any warrior
I wanted, the only one I want is you." She blushes again. "If my father
approves, I would be honored to be your wife."
He looks stunned, then whoops with joy, forcing Ehawee to hold onto
the pony in its fright. She does her best to calm the pony, smiling at
his reaction. "I was not completely sorry to hear that Maka had left
you," she admits.
"You have made me very happy, Ehawee. I must go and speak to your
father," he says as he starts off. Then he turns and kisses her quickly,
then heads off again.
Ehawee touches her face where Kohana kissed her and just stands there
stunned for a moment, a silly grin on her face. Then she goes back to
brushing her new pony, humming a happy tune to herself. She looks towards
her father's teepee, where her father is also tending to his ponies.
Kohana walks straight over to him, and she can see them talking. Her
father looks surprised, then she sees him smiling and nodding and he and
Kohana clasp hands. Ehawee's grin widens, and she whispers into the
pony's ear, "I think he will be a good husband. He has a good heart."
The pony nibbles at her fringe playfully, and she hears Kohana
returning. He is smiling as wide as his sore face will let him. "I have
terrible news," he says. "Your father said yes, so now you are stuck with
an ugly husband."
Kohana looks so happy that Ehawee is afraid he might burst. She
pretends concern at his words. "Where is this ugly husband you speak of?
I see only you."
He laughs. "Oh good. The Great Spirit has smiled upon me and made my
wife blind. Perhaps I won't have to give her this pony after all. It
wouldn't do to have her ride off a cliff," he says, teasing.
She grins. "I'm sure such a fine pony would never lead me astray.
And I can see perfectly fine. You are not ugly."
"Okay. Since my wife would not lie to me, I believe you. So, when do
you want to get married?" he asks. "I suppose today would be too
soon?"
She looks suddenly shy again. "Don't we have to wait to make sure the
Council doesn't object?"
"I suppose. And I must work on the rest of your bride price."
"See, now if you'd kept the horses, that part would be easy," she
teases. She looks to the pony she's brushing. "Does my gift have a
name?"
"She's yours now. That honor I leave to you."
She smiles. "I shall wait until I ride her. Perhaps she will tell me
her name then."
"You do that. I have to make sure I have enough skins for you," he
says, heading into his teepee. "Maka robbed me blind!" she hears him say
a few moments later, muffled from within the teepee.
For some reason, Ehawee finds that terribly amusing, and grins at her
pony as she leads it away.
"Deadwood"
Ehawee's Page |
Ehawee's Story
All text on this page is © 2000 by Kris
Fazzari.
Last modified on November 30, 2000 by Kris Fazzari.