Tribes That Bind
Written By
Country Boy
On top of a high mountainside, a tall Indian brave named Zaltana
sits atop of
his horse. He watches the animals at play with birds
singing, and
his heart fills with a fierce pride, for this land of his
grandfathers
has been untouched by the white man. But also his heart
is broken because
the one maiden that has captured his love belongs
to another.
Angeni, the beautiful Indian princess who lived in the
neighboring
village. She is the most beautiful woman in the world,
and now, because
her father wished it, she was married to another.
Zaltana raises
his fist to the sky and shouts "Great Spirit, hear my
cries, the
beautiful princess will one day be mine".....
Many moons later.......
There was a great unrest between the Indians and the white man.
Zaltana now
chief to his people was getting his braves ready to do
battle. He
knew that there would be many deaths between the white
man andhis
brothers, but he knew of no other way. Many neighboring
tribes were
banding together to keep the white man from taking over
their land.
He called his braves together and asked them to pray to
the Great Spirit
to be with them through this battle and for them
all to return
with pride and victory.
The braves set off for battle. The fight was long and hard. The
many Indians
fought long and hard. The white men were slowly
dwindling down.
Zaltana being very tired did not see his enemy White
Feather fighting,
until he turned around and saw that a white man
slipping up
behind White Feather to slay him. Just as a bullet
enters White
Feather's back, White Feather turns to Zaltana and
shouts something,
but Zaltana being so far away did not understand
what it is
he says. But Zaltana does hear him speak Angeni's name.
Just as Zaltana
moves to get closer to White Feather to see if he is
still alive,
something enters his back and he feels himself falling
and blackness
engulfing him. His last thoughts are of his beloved
Angeni, how
he would never be able to see his love and
show her his
love for her..........
The village of Angeni.....
Zaltana hears voices but he cannot open his eyes. He can hear a soft
voice
talking...no matter how hard he trys to open his eyes they would
not open...but
he hears the soft, gentle voice close to his ear, and
she is
assuring him that he is safe and that he would be well soon.
So sleep, the
deep healing sleep. And so Zaltana doesn't fight it
anymore and
drifts off to sleep. Dreaming of his beautiful Angeni.
As Zaltana lay sleeping, Angeni breaths a sigh of relief. This
strong handsome
brave has been unconscious for many days but the
medicine man
knows that he would be well again. This brave had
fought a long
and hard battle, this blood brother to her own brother.
Then with tears
in her eyes, she remembers her brother and her own
brave, who
fought fiercely and died in the battle. How she missed
White Feather's
touch. But for now she must bury that part of her
life, and mourn
for her beloved and her brother.
Angeni cares for this brave Indian. For days she watches over him.
Not allowing
anyone but her to care for him. She bathes him and
takes care
of his wounds. With each passing day, Zaltana falls more
in love with
Angeni, this gentle woman. And he sets his mind up there
and then that
once he is fully well, he will go to her father the chief
and ask for
her to be his wife.
After many more days, he is well enough to move around, he walks
around the
village. And noticed that the war between the whites and
the Indians
have left Angeni's village with not many braves. As he
rests near
the lake he makes up his mind then and there to go and
talk with the
chief about not only Angeni, but also for an idea that
has came to
his mind. He slowly get's up to go and talk to the chief.
He enters the
teepee and sits down. "Oh mighty chief, I have come to
your teepee
for a reason. Because of the brave battle that both of
our villages
have fought, we have lost many a braves. What I have
been thinking
is why not combine our village and make it one. I have
many braves
who would agree with me on this, and we can be one
strong nation
instead of two weak ones." The chief being old and
wise considers
this. And he informs Zaltana that he also has thought
about this.
He also tells Zaltana that he knows his time is drawing
near to be
with the Great Spirit forever, and that he only has one
child left
to take his place. And a woman cannot be chief. He had
planned on
turning over his chieftan to his son, but now he to is gone.
He says
he has no one to give it to. After much talking between the
two chiefs,
both Chiefs agree to consult the Great Spirit before
making the
final decision.
Zaltana's heart soars with pride. He then asks the chief, "For many
years
now, I have loved a woman of your village. She has been in my
heart for so
long, and I have wished her to become my wife." The
Chief replies,
"Which woman is it that you long for that is in my
village? I
will see to it that she is yours." The young brave beaming
with happiness
responds,"It is your only daughter, Angeni, that I
have loved
and longed for. It is she that I want for my wife and to
be the mother
of my children." The chief sighs a heavy sigh, "I
could tell
by the way you have watched my daughter that it is love
you feel for
her. But Zaltana, I had forced her into marriage once,
I will not
do that again. I will talk with her about you, and if
after her mourning
of her husband, she wishes to be your wife, then
I will bless
the union." Zaltana beamed and replied, " I will take
care of her.
She will never want for anything, and she will be very
well respected
and loved by not only me, but by my people as well.
I will
bring you many horses for her and many buffalo skins. And
I have many
guns from the whiteman that I can also give to your
braves for
protection. The old Indian Chief nodded his head and
said, "That
seems a good price for my daughter. I will talk to her,
and also
consult the Great Spirits before this union is to take place,"
And
with that, Zaltana rose and left no only the chief's teepee but
the village
as well to return to his people to prepare them for the
move
and to consult the Great Spirit concerning the combining of
their tribes
and to see if the Great Spirit will honor his marriage.
Angeni watches
as he leaves, and feels something she doesn't
understand.
Before he departs out of view, he turns and looks at
Angeni and
raises his fist to his heart and then points to her, not
saying a word.
With a wide smile he then proceeds on to
return to his
village.
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