33
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After a day indoors reading, studying and watching the children, Tanya was excited to join the cooking staff in the grange hall. She sat and chopped tomatoes and seasoned meat, adding them to the huge pot of soaked and cooked beans.
“You soak them overnight in a bit of vinegar and they’ll never give you gas,” Dancing Bear informed.
“I knew you were supposed to soak them, but I didn’t know why,” Tanya replied.
“I’ll bet your grandmother knew. That’s why the generations always worked together, the elders teaching the younger.”
Tanya nodded, recognizing the wisdom that was being handed to her. She wondered how her upbringing would have been different had her grandparents lived with her. It probably would have been less traumatic and maybe her grandmother would have recognized Frank for the tyrant he was.
As they worked a group of men and women came in with a large drum. They sat in a corner where the men began banging on the drum, each with his own beater, but still in unison. A few moments later, the women sang out in a singsong wailing sound.
Tanya listened to the cacophony, unsure whether the liked it or hated it, yet it was very ancient as well and seemed to speak to her very soul.
Skye and Rose seemed to drift instinctively towards the music. Tanya looked at Dancing Bear nervously.
“They’re okay,” Dancing Bear mouthed.
Tanya tried to relax, but kept her eyes on her daughters as much as she watched the pile of meat grow in front of her.
One of the men let Skye sit on his lap and help bang the drum. Rose sat with the women and sang out in her own tiny voice.
“They’re already native!” Dancing Bear proclaimed proudly as she came near enough to hear. “We have pow wow in June. It’s all fun and competition. You three would be very welcome to join in if you wanted.”
“Maybe,” Tanya replied hesitantly. She wasn’t a singer or musician.
“We all have music in us – to our very souls,” Dancing Bear explained as if she could read Tanya’s mind – again. “Maybe you would prefer dancing with us instead… anyone can learn the jingle dress dance step!”
Tanya felt overwhelmed with the idea that she might be able to participate in a real live pow wow! She couldn’t sing, couldn’t dance, yet Dancing Bear seemed to think she could just join in like that! Then again, she didn’t even know for sure she would be in Swan Valley then. What if she didn’t belong? What if they didn’t want her? Where else would she go then? She had found herself here, in Ba’a O’ng, not in Portland. She didn’t want to leave – ever, even if Sage Eagle never said another word to her… even if she couldn’t put her plants in the ground until June.
Little Deer and Dove came in. Dove ran to join Skye and Rose, but Little Deer came into the kitchen, sometimes joining in with the song, but smiling at Tanya as she approached. “Your girls are so native!” she complimented.
Tanya could only smile as she added more meat chunks to the pot of beans.
“You’re not doing too much on your ankle, are you, Phoenix?” Little Deer asked. “My brother remembers how it was when he sprained his ankle jumping off his horse once. He said it was months before he could walk without it bothering him, but I think his injury was probably worse than yours.”
“I only slipped on the ice. Don’t worry, I sit whenever it bothers me,” Tanya replied, wishing Little Deer hadn’t reminded her of the handsome brother again. She hadn’t thought about Sage Eagle in at least five minutes. It was hopeless! “Does this building get used a lot?”
“All the time!” Little Deer replied. “I mean, there are other buildings we use more – like the school and the clinic, the supermarket, things like that… but it’s probably the busiest after those. We love this building and seem to be in it all the time.”
Tanya smiled, wishing she felt better. She felt like she was in a world between worlds – not quite in the white man’s world anymore, but not quite in the brown man’s world either. Maybe she would feel more at home when her future fate was decided. Until then, she was not quite a guest, but not a resident either.
“You have pretty hair,” Little Deer complimented.
“It’s dyed to make me look more like you,” Tanya replied, feeling ashamed.
“I know, but here, at your roots,” Little Deer said, touching her at her part. “I didn’t mean to touch.”
“It’s okay, you may touch my hair if you like,” Tanya reassured, well aware that to the Neme'o'ng, hair was sacred and not touched by any except those closest.
“It’s pretty. I sometimes dream of having hair that isn’t black.”
“And I sometimes dreamt of having black hair,” Tanya replied smiling. “I think it’s part of being human – to want something different than we’ve been given.”
“You are wise, Phoenix. I think that’s why my father likes you so much. I will help you dye your hair again if you like. I think it’s sad to cover up your natural color, but I know why you had to dye it.”
“Thank you, Little Deer. You are a true friend.”
She smiled. “You remind me of Tiger Lily sometimes. She was my best friend until she left.”
“Why did she leave? I thought children were welcome in Ba’a O’ng.”
“I can’t tell you here… maybe later. I forgot that you didn’t know her story.”
“I met her in Blackfoot. She seemed very nice, though quiet.”
“She’s always been quiet, and maybe that was why she got herself into trouble… but I can’t explain that now, not here, not now… Soon.” Her face lit up as she looked to the door. “My brother is here!”
Tanya watched her go and hug Sage Eagle. Her heart was in her throat as she watched the handsome man embrace his sister with a level of love and affection that she had rarely seen in a man. If only he could look at her like that – instead of with disdain and hostility. Their eyes met for a second, making Tanya refocus her attention on the chili.
♥♥♥
Back to the prologue
Available to purchase at Books2Read. Print version will be available soon.
THANK YOU to everyone who has purchased one of my books. I appreciate every single one!
Image Credits
Phoenix
Genesis 8.1 by DAZ 3D Studio
Summer Dress by Pusey Designs
Mitsu Hair
Dice Earrings by Fisty
.
Sage Eagle
Genesis 8.1
Mada TnC Jeans by DAZ
Gypsy Shirt by Pusey Designs
PH Classic Hair
.
Kitten
Housecat by HiveWire
.
Background
Room4 by SmidA
Previous Swan Valley Stories:
- Native Concession either in ebook form or [print]( . (June 2014, approximately 9 months before Phoenix.)
Location:
Swan Valley is a fictitious American Indian reservation located in the Great Divide Basin of Wyoming, USA. The Neme'o'ng (Swan People) are based on the idea of blending the Shoshoni and Arapaho peoples - as might have happened if they were stranded in a desolate area as a small band of misfits. I have developed their language from the same ideas.
Please read my note on romance, teenage intimate relationships and underage sex. I apologize if my understanding conflicts with your sense of morality, but I'm only looking at things realistically, not ideologically. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2105 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
(Buy my work at RedBubble, TeePublic, PicFair and DeviantArt.)
verified author on Goodreads
(Buy my books at Books2Read and at LBRY)
find me on Twitter
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