Gold Raven (49 page)

"Mother, why do you persist in calling me that!?" Red Crow interrupted, mildly irritated. Hope looked from him to his mother surprised. "That is your name, the one in which I gave you, and the one I prefer to call you. When you are here – that is your name. Among your tribe, I call you Red Crow but here, I call you as I please. Now, would you like something to drink?"

Hope bit into her lip trying to hide her amusement. Dark Shadow, made no such attempt; grinning with a twinkle in his eye he thought,
'Before the others, perhaps you are the dangerous warrior Red Crow, but to Red Dawn, you are Joseph Avery O'Brien, the son she will put in his place as she has always done.'

Red Crow's, answer to her confirmed it.

"Yes, mother." He sighed, as all of his masculine arrogance and pride sat waiting for him outside of her door. Josey left the three as she went to fetch refreshments.

"Your mother's home is beautiful; I would have never imagined such finery to be in the center of an Indian village." She commented honestly.

Sitting as she was, observing a living room elegantly adorned in French provincial; ornately carved furnishings, upholstered in rich brocades of floral prints of bold green and gold. Matching, heavy ornate draperies hung at the windows, tied back with tasseled sashes. The walls of the room were white, adding to the sunny bright cleanliness of it.

Hanging on them, were strategically placed paintings and portraits; one in particular made Hope rise from her seat with curious eyes for the images portrayed in it.

"I can assure you, it was quite a burden getting all that you see here through the cave." Red Crow informed her as she stood before a portrait staring silently.

In the painting was depicted two women and a small child sitting beside a stream; all three of them, recreated so lifelike and accurately that they seemed to be breathing. Mesmerized, Hope realized that she was staring at herself when she was a babe of two or three, sitting in the lap of a smiling, exquisite black woman. The woman's hair was pinned high, tawny waves and curls fought for freedom within the thick mass, her cheek resting lovingly on top of Hope's head of gold waves and curls. Lena's eyes were bright, gold and laughing. Her skin smooth and honey brown, her features elegant and breathtaking as she held within her arms, her pride and joy. Hope was laughing, offering a bouquet of wild flowers to Red Dawn, who faced the two, also smiling. Her hair was loose and hanging over one shoulder as she reached to tickle Hope's chin.

For the first time, ever since their separation, Hope was beholding a picture
of her mother. She stared enraptured by the accurate likeness of the woman who for years had haunted her dreams, calling out to her in the night, telling her stories, embracing her and whispering softly,
"I love you."
With her heart hammering so hard she thought it would beat from her chest, choked up with tears filling her eyes, Hope reached up and touched her mother's face, her fingers tracing the full smiling lips. "My mother…oh my God…my mother… my mother." Tears fell from her eyes.

"Beautiful isn't she." Red Dawn commented softly behind her. She had returned to the room to see Dark Shadow and Red Crow standing beside Hope as she stood transfixed to the spot before the portrait.

"Yes! Oh yes – she is…she is lovelier than I have ever imagined. Who did this portrait of us?" Hope asked with passionate pride.

"I did." Dark Shadow confessed softly. "She was at our village often when we dwelled for a spell near the town they call Vicksburg." Hope’s eyes glistened with tearful delight at him, smiling her appreciation at his craft, she eagerly turned back to gaze with wonder at the portrait.

"Dark Shadow is my late husband's brother. He also painted the other portraits scattered about this room, there is another one of her, and she is alone in this one." Josey informed Hope, who was eager to follow her to the other room, arranged as a breakfast room, with huge windows at the opposite end from the doorway.

Adorning the room was a large fireplace, and above it several paintings of various sizes, one of her as a small child alone and sleeping on a blanket by the same stream. Another portrait depicted Josey alone. There were two with Red Crow when he was a young boy standing with his father. From there she looked to one of a young Indian girl with reddish-auburn hair, as a babe, then older, and as a young girl of ten or eleven. Among them all, another portrait of her mother, her hair was down; surrounding her head and face, thick, wild and free. She was wearing a doeskin dress, holding a painted water jar under a tree.

"I can't believe you did this with your hands."

"Paint as well…that helped." Dark Shadow joked as Josey and Red Crow laughed, Hope joined in laughing with them. "Oh, thank you! You have made me so happy! I can't believe I'm actually seeing my mother. This woman had me. She had my brother. She was loved by my father…and you've captured her here so that I could see her!" Hope turned to him and hugged him tightly so overjoyed and overwhelmed.

"Come, let's sit and talk. I am eager to hear what has happened."

They returned to the living room and a long discussion ensued.

Hope had told the story so many times it was automatic; all the way up to being captured by Red Crow. Josey's look of surprise directed at her son was clear in that they would have a talk later. He had promised her no more attacks; obviously, the promise had been discarded, putting that to the back of her mind, she felt the most important thing now was Lena's daughter…she was with them and that was at the top of her list.

Red Crow stood, there were things he needed to see to, "I will return in a while. You will remain here with my mother." He announced before he and Dark Shadow stood to leave. Strange as the feeling was to her, she did not want him to leave her. She wanted his presence there with her, but she would never admit it to him and so she looked away dismissing him as if his leaving meant nothing to her.

Now alone, the two women looked each other in the eyes, as Hope was the first to speak up concerning Red Crow's expectation now that she was with them.

"He says that we are to marry. That I have been delivered to him by the Gods to be his wife."

Josey sighed, sitting back, "I'm sorry sweetheart. You see, my son is still caught up in the days of old. He feels he has every right to you as his wife. I just want you to know, if you do not wish it, there is no way I will allow him to push you into something that is against your will. Marrying him is something that you must want, regardless of what he tells you."

Hope felt an unusual start hearing that, that she had a choice. Being honest with herself, she did not want a choice. A choice meant there was a decision to make and when it came to such a thing as marrying him, there was too much battling within her to know what she really wanted to do. Everything her brother had instilled in her went against her marrying him. She did not really need a man; she was capable of taking care of herself. Yet, there was something deeply planted within her that told her she did need something only a man could offer. Red Crow could be the man to fill that need for her, if she would only give way to let him, but how could she know if he was the one? He was tall, handsome, determined, persistent, arrogant, proud and strong. A leader, much as her brother was a leader, her father…a leader, he would follow no man, just as her brother would not, her father did not.

Just as her father and her brother were, he was forceful and domineering, but fair.
'Is he?'
She wondered. Despite those traits in his personality, was he a man she could trust with her life? Could she trust him with what meant most to her, finding her family?

Hope looked at her mother in the portrait again. Her mother's face showed joy, contentment, happiness and trust.

Here, in this place, with these people her mother had felt those things…question was could she feel the same here – with him? "Talk to me Hope; tell me what challenges your mind." Josey asked.

"I don't know what to do. Regardless of what your son says, my strongest need right now is to find my family again, they above all else, mean the most to me."

"You need time sweetheart. Decisions are never easy. I once had to face such decisions, and it was not easy for me either. But I made it, and despite how it's turned out, I would make the same decisions over and over again."

"You speak of Red Crow's father? Where is he?"

"My husband is dead, Hope. He died many years ago when you were just a babe. He left to fight in a war that left no positive results. He fought and died, in vain."

"I didn't know." Hope replied sympathetically.

"My son should have told you, but – he doesn't speak of his father's death… he just carries the burden of it on his shoulders and I can only wait and see where it will lead him one day. As time goes by, the lifespan of the Indian male is a short one."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, be sure. If you should decide not to marry my son, I would love you no less…but whichever way you decide to go, be firm, be brave. This life – being the wife of an Indian is-…"

"Ma'am…I am the daughter of a slave. My father was my mother's master. My brother, is, an outlaw. Are you telling me, there could be something better for me out there…better than your son?"

Josey sat back, not sure what she was telling her.

"You could have chosen better…or…an easier way to live, why didn't you?" Hope added during Josey's silence, trying to understand her reasons for giving such direction.

"There was only one way for me, I was madly in love with Chief Long Bow. When I set my heart on him, there was no such thing as better…or…easier." She went on to tell Hope about Red Crow's father; about her life before him as Jordan Lee O'Brien's daughter, about the lawn parties and when Josey met Hope's grandmother, Royal Sun, for the first time.

She had been Josey's inspiration to be true to her heart. Unfortunately, however, she had been an embarrassment to Morris, by pouring an entire bowl of punch on top of Phyllis Gordon's head because she made a snide remark about the Irish; part of Royal Sun’s nationality. She told her how she had slapped Helene Hastings in the face with a hand full of French pâté.

Having had enough of them all, she told her how she’d proceeded to tell them off, then picked up her skirt, pulled off her shoes that she admitted were killing her feet in front of everyone and marched through the yard leaving the party, with Morris running behind shouting, "Royal Sun Webster!"

Hope had never laughed so much in her life.

Josey shared with her the first moment that she and Lena had laid eyes on one another and all the things that Lena had shared with her, concerning Manny, leaving out the intimate details that Lena had shared with her. Hope clung to every word.

"Did my mother have any feelings at all for this Thomas?" She asked Josey.

"Not in the way he wanted. Your mother was very much in love with your father. Oh my goodness, when your father returned from his trips out to sea and found Thomas at the plantation, pursuing Lena, and then – he found you-…"

"Yes! I know about that!" Hope cheered laughing; remembering Jordan and the others relating that story. Now she got to hear it from

her mother's side, although second hand, it was as valid as coming from her.

"Talk about livid! Your father was insanely jealous – he wanted to strangle Thomas." Josey thought back, shaking her head and laughing. "Thomas returned here among our people and finished out his assignment, and then…he moved on." Hope was dreamy in a world of romance surrounding her parents. "I hate to say it, but I'm glad…my mother should be with my father."

"I can understand your feeling that way and even though she didn't choose to be with Thomas, he was an extremely handsome man, with a lot to offer her, and you as well. He would have been a good father to you Hope."

"I have a father thank you." Hope defended. Josey chuckled.

"Yes, be loyal to your father – as you should be. But know this, Thomas and my husband were the best of friends, not only that…but after you and your mother disappeared, he and your father came to be good friends as well."

"Who?" Hope asked confused.

"Your father and Thomas became good friends. That is another story entirely, and I'll let your father tell you about how he came to Thomas's rescue. They traveled together for a while I believe.”

“
Dark Shadow with them, when he returned to our people, the two of them carried on together. For how long, I cannot say…but they ended up as friends."

"Oh my…" Hope tapered off quietly. Just then, they heard the giggling of a young girl and the rich baritone of Red Crow's chuckle as he answered her. "Yes, she is really here and do try little sister not to ask too many questions." He continued, as they entered the front door.

Hope was startled by an urge to leap from the sofa and run to him, to tell him all the things his mother had told her about her family. Catching herself, surprised by her reaction to his presence she settled herself down offering a smile in his direction, one that she turned to the young girl by his side. Hope recognized her from the paintings.

"Gold Raven, my little sister, whom I call Butterfly…because she is ever flitting about, landing here and there to gather stories and tidbits." He was lighthearted and joyful. Mother, daughter and Hope could see it; he was on top of the world. Hope wondered if he was always like this, or was it because of her. Turning to his hyper little sister, whose eyes were suddenly wide with the wonder of hero worship, Hope greeted her.

"How very nice to meet you."

"Oh my goodness! You are sooo beautiful! I'm so happy to finally meet you! I know everything about you. I know about your mother…who was a Princess, taken from her Island, her father was a king! She and my mother were the best of friends! I know how your father fell madly in love with her! She used to come here and bring you! This was before I was born! Then my brother saw you, fell in love with you right from the start-…" She spilled, enchanted with the stories that filled her world, provided by her mother and brother.

"Cesalia!!" Her mother and brother shouted at the same time as Hope giggled.

"That's my name, after your mother…Ceś alena! Oh isn't this wonderful?! Isn't he handsome?! Now that you are here, your life together can begin! I can't wait for the ceremony!-…"

"Cesalia!" Josey snapped trying to stop her daughter, the runaway train.

"Oh mother! You know how long he's waited for her! They have to get married! I mean, why else would she be here if the Gods hadn't delivered her?! Oh you are going to marry him aren't you? You have to! It is simply the way it has to be!"

"That's enough young lady!" Josey warned for the last time, glaring from her daughter up to her son, who cleared his throat. "Umm, yes…that's enough, Butterfly." He grinned at Hope as if to say she should forgive his anxious sibling and her stream of endless chatter. He saw his little sister as a dreamy eyed romantic with a good life and for that, his heart was glad.