Siblings of the Forest con...

It was time for coronation. Ash looks back at me from his position. I force myself to give him a smile. He turns back around. The preist takes Ash’s headdress off.

“Today, your new chief is born!” shouts the priest.

A group of Indians began to sing. The priest puts a bigger headdress on Ash’s head. He places red dots on Ash’s forehead and chin.

“Your new ugvwiyuhi!”

He holds Ash’s hand up in the air. Everyone cheers. I just stand there shocked. Ash is the new Chief. The priest lets go of Ash’s hand. That’s when the cloak arrives. The priest puts it on Ash’s back. Now he really looks like a Chief. The priest whispers something into Ash’s ear. Ash goes to take a seat next to me.

“I’m so proud of you, and he would be too.” I whisper in his ear.

A smile crosses his face.

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

After the coronation, we go to say goodbye. I put a rose on the oak coffin.

“Farewell.” I whisper.

For some reason, I think he can hear me. I bet he’s smiling sunshine. Some of the Chief’s close friends bury him. I look over at Ash. He looks like he’s murmuring a prayer.

“And may we meet again.” Is all I catch.

That’s when I know things are changed forever……

Chapter….?

The campfire is very hot. It’s the first night of being Chief. I feel so strange. He seems to be older and more mature in just seconds. I think he might be completely gone in minutes. If only the Chief didn’t die, I think. Ash however doesn’t appear to notice. The priest and his servants call Ash to live in the Chief’s tent. He refuses to go without us. Especially me. They finally caved in. The tent is much larger than the other tent. I look around in awe.

“ This is your side,” Ash’s says to my siblings.

Catherine grins. The boys shout cheerily.  Miranda however is silent and sad.

“Lizabeth, I sleep with you?” she says.

I look at Ash. He doesn’t seem that excited, but he could get used to it.

“Yes.” I say smiling.

She jumps up and down. Ash smiles.

“ And this is our side.” He says pointing to a larger portion of the room.

“It’s amazing.”

I carry Miranda to our side.

“Lizabeth, we live in castle just like princess,” she says.

I nod. The others rush to their side, jumping and twirling. Which leaves Ash, Miranda, and me. Miranda grabs a pink, fuzzy blanket.

“It’s been a long day,” Ash says, sitting next to me.

 “Yea.”

 Miranda nestles her head into me. I mess up her hair. I kiss her forehead. She closes her eyes.

“She’s really sleepy.” He says.

I nod. Then, the boys come in shouting.

“Time to eat! Time to eat! When’s it time to eat, eat, eat?”

I look up at Ash again.

“I’ll be right back.” He says, getting up.

“Ash,” I grab his hand.

“Yea.” He looks into my eyes hopefully.

“Thanks for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” His expression darkens.

He returns with a bunch of fruit and a glass pitcher full of water.

“Food!” The boys exclaim.

The run off with the food. Leaving Ash and me once again. Ash hands Catherine a piece and a glass of water. Then, he comes back to me. We eat dinner in silence.

“Night.” I say when it’s late.

“ Night.”

I kiss his cheek. He grins. I lie down next to Miranda. He spreads a blanket on top of me. Then, he lies across from me. The night is young, but not Ash. At least not for now. I think. Oh well, I’ll deal with it tomorrow. And I drift off into a dark and wispy sleep.

Chapter…..?

The sun’s glittering rays wake me up the next morning. Miranda is still clung to me. Ash is gone again. I look over at the other side of the tent. Everyone else is still here. I pry Miranda off of me. I grab my shawl and head outside. The ground is covered up with silver-blue dew drops. I spot Ash on the bridge.

“Hey stranger,” I say, leaning over the railing next to him.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“ I don’t know.”

He looks like he’s on the verge of tears. I put my hand on his.

“ Thank you.” He says.

“For what?”

“ For keeping me on the ground. For keeping me alive.” He says with lots of emotion.

“No problem.”

We stand there in silence for what seems like hours. The sun has gotten higher in the sky. After a while, Ash finally speaks.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

“It’s magical.”

“Your beautiful too.” He says looking directly at me.

I blush.

“Your hair is the sweet sensation of hot chocolate on a winter’s day. It melts my heart like a marshmallow. It’s just like chocolate. And your eyes are emeralds brighter than any star, planet, or moon. They are even brighter than the sun.” He says touching my cheek.

“And your skin is a soft as a peach. And velvet. And every time you blush, you are the color of a rose.” He says gently kissing my hand.

“Everything about you glistens and shines. You are beautiful. Unique. Angelic. Radiant. And special in your own way.” He says.

Buffalo horns echo in the distance. Breakfast time.

“May I?” he asks, holding out his hand.

“ Why yes, you may.” I say, grabbing his hand and curtsying.

Then, Ash leads me down to the tent.

   Chapter…?

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and buttery toast. I sit quietly next to Ash. Servants walk around with shiny platters of food. A small girl with auburn hair and luminous blue eyes was in the back with a platter of sausages.  She tries to approach me carefully like the others. But, instead she slips. Sausages fly all over the place, which spills my orange juice all over me.

“Geselli! Geselli, you little rodent. Look at what you’ve done!” shouts a rather large woman.

She shakes the small girl.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” She whimpers.

She tries to clean up the mess. I wipe my face with a napkin.

“I’m fine.” I say.

“Extra 20 beatings for you,” says the woman.

She leans down at the crying Geselli and smiles.

“I SAID I’M FINE!” I shout.

The room is silent for a moment.

“Better start now,” she says.

She raises her hand to beat Geselli.

“STOP!” I shout, I grab her hand.

The woman looks up at me.

“ Yes, your squaw,” she says hurrying to the end of the line.

Your squaw? I think. I lean down and help Geselli pick up the mess.

“I’m so sorry my squaw.” She says.

“It’s all right.” I say soothingly.

She curtsies and goes to the end. I head back to my seat and finish my breakfast.

“You alright?” Ash says, chuckling.

I jab my elbow into his stomach.

“Ouch.” He says quietly.

“Geselli come.” I say, gesturing her to follow.

Ash gets up to come with me.

“ You stay,” I say, smiling at Ash.

He sits back down. I head to the rose garden.

“Why have you called me out here, my squaw?” she asks.

“Because Geselli, you are very honest and I have taken a liking to you.”

She blushes.

“Thank you my squaw.”

“Now I must ask you, why do people refer to me as my squaw?”

  “Because my squaw, I hear you with the Chief. And that you are wed or going to be wed.” she says.

 “Please call me Elizabeth.”

She nods.

“But Ash and I aren’t married, neither are we going to be right now.” I say.

“Hammarabi says that you the Chief are destined to be married and lead us.”

Ash and me? Married? Running the tribe? That was a strange thought.

“And does everyone know these rumors?” I say.

She nods again.

“Thank you.”

Then, she leaves very gracefully. I head back to the tent too. Ash waits for me.

“Did you get what you wanted?” he says chuckling.

“Yes.” I say, flicking him in the ear.

“What?” he is holding his throbbing ear.

“I’m  not your squaw.” I state simply.

Ash chuckles again.

“Not now you’re not, but one day you will be.”

“Oh, is that a bet?”

I smile.

“Why yes it is.”

He picks me up.

“Put me down!” I scream.

He puts me down. And we walk down to the bridge once more. But this time, we are holding hands.

Chapter…..?

The oars are sapping my strength drastically. However, I continue to move them through the water. Ash had taken me out on the water. If it was a date, I had no idea. But, I was pretty sure it was. The water kept on yanking the oars down. As if to take them for a swim. And the oars were agreeing. They continued their attempts to go under.

“Need any help?” Ash says, looking at the oars.

“No.”

He can tell I’m lying.

“Why?” I ask.

“It’s just men usually handle the rowing with their manliness.”

He reaches for the oars. But, I pull away.

“Manliness?” I giggle.

I begin to row once more. And Ash sinks back into his seat as well.

“I think it’s time to change that.” I say.

Ash looks at me, eyebrows arched.

“Oh yeah?” he says.

“Yea.”

He begins to rock the boat. The boat tilts a little to the left. Then, to the right.

“Stop! Stop, you’re going to tip us.” I say.

Then I meet his eyes. I know that’s his plan.

 “Oh no you don’t!” I shout.

I try to tackle him. He leans the other way. And I fly back into my seat.

“Why should I stop, you afraid of a little water?” he says challenging me.

Me, Elizabeth Clarke. He’s challenging me? I don’t think so.

“No.”

He begins to rock the boat again. This time harder. My hair grazes the water slightly. I’m almost completely tipped, so that I get a mouthful of water. I grab the edge of the boat. A thought comes to me. I grin. I shove Ash. He falls into the water. He doesn’t come up. I wonder if he drowned. Is he okay? My heart pounds very hard with fear. I lean over the edge to see if I can see him. I feel large cool arms on me. They pull me in. I scream. I get a mouthful of water. Then, I resurface. Ash is holding on to the edge of the boat, breathing hard.

“ASH CLEARWATER!” I shout.

He looks at me. He sees that I’m all wet. And does the rudest thing ever. He smiles.

 I decide to the same thing he did to me. I decide to fake a drown. First, I begin to swim around like I’m fine. Then, I cry out in pain.

“Oh a cramp!”

My hand flies to my stomach. And just like the plan, I go under.

“Nice try, dragonfly. You can’t scare me.” He says.

He edges closer to where I disappeared.

“You’re going to come up sooner or later.” He says.

I still don’t rise. Instead, I swim behind him. He then really started to freak out.

“Elizabeth, you can come out now. Elizabeth! Elizabeth?” he shouts.

He is very scared and very terrified. That’ll teach him, I think. He puts his head in the water, and looks around. That’s when I make my move. I glide closer and closer to him. And then. BAM! I jump on his back and drag him under. We come up to the surface gasping for air. He shoves me off of his back gently, like a gentleman. Then, he grabs my hands to hold me up. He pulls me closer. I lie on back and float. He holds me up. My hair moves around in the water. Sometimes meeting my cheeks and tickling them. Ash moves me around in the water. He gestures his hand for me to follow. This time we both go. He grabs my hand and we go under water. The water doesn’t sting me eyes, like a normal pool. Instead I’m filled with pleasure. The water is full of beautiful, green plants. I meet Ash’s eyes. He smiles at me, bubbles coming out of the corners of his mouth. He mouths the words “Come on”.
Be sure to answer the questions... Will Ash and Elizabeth get married and  what are the babies names!