Warnings: Hunting and Fishing (Arianna and her friends need food), Mentions of a Hunting Accident, Death, War, Violence
Note: I'm not going to have Arianna dressed in the traditional outfit in this chapter because I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. (Being white and dressing in Native American clothing doesn't exactly get the best wrap where I'm from.).
One week later, I arrived in Begncore. I look around in the forest. There were brown teepees made of deer hides. I walked into the village. There were children with brown skin, eyes, and hair, wearing brown deerskin running around. Men without shirts on were standing around, talking to each other. Women wearing dresses made out of deer hides wear weaving on wooden looms as they sat on the ground.
A girl about ten years old with brown skin, eyes, and hair, wearing a brown deerskin dress walked up to me. "Hi, are you lost?" She asked me.
"No! I just came from Nezertnea." I explained.
"Do you need a place to stay?" She questioned. I nodded. "Then come with me!" She explained as she took my hand.
"Woah!" I explained.
She led me to a brown deerskin tipi. We went inside. A woman with the same brown skin, eyes, and hair, wearing a brown deerskin and turquoise bead necklace was cooking a slab of meat over a small fire. "Hello, Pocahontas, I see that you brought a friend with you." She greeted Pocahontas.
"I found her in the woods, her name is…" Pocahontas started.
"Anna. My name is Anna." I finished.
"Anna! My name is Matoaka." Pocahontas's mom greeted me. "So, where are you from?". I just stayed silent. "Pittsburg? Kodo? Nezertnea?".
"I'm a refugee." I explained.
"Ahh," Matoaka realized. "Well, it's just me and Pocahontas. Feel free to stay with us if you want." She offered.
"Thanks, I'll take you up on that.". Matoaka smiled.
A little while later, Matoaka had dinner ready. We all sat down on the soft, brown, dirt floor of the tepee. It was squash and fish. "Mom, you know I don't like squash." Pocahontas whined.
"Pocahontas, you will eat your squash!" Matoaka firmly told her daughter.
"But Dad never…" Pocahontas started.
"Pocahontas, you know your father is long gone! He isn't here so you have to listen to me now!" Matoaka exclaimed, her voice rising slightly.
"Yes, Mother." Pocahontas quietly replied. I just quietly ate my squash and fish and wondered, what happened to Pocahontas's dad?
After dinner, it was time for bed. Matoaka brought out a brown, leather sleeping bag for me to sleep on from the closet. I changed into my purple nightgown from Corona. I sat down on my sleeping bag. I looked over at Pocahontas. She was fast asleep in her brown, leather sleeping bag. I smiled. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
2/11/1621
Dear Journal,
Today I arrived in Begncore. I am staying with a woman named Matoaka and her daughter, Pocahontas. They kind of got in a fight at dinner. Pocahontas didn't want to eat her squash and she mentioned her dad and Matoaka got mad. I don't know if Pocahontas's dad left, died, or what. But I hope things get better between Matoaka and Pocahontas during my stay here.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal down beside my sleeping bag. And laid down and went to sleep.
Five months later, I found Pocahontas in the garden planting corn kernels in the ground in front of her and Matoaka's teepee. She was squatted over, digging holes in the ground, putting corn kernels in them, and covering them up. "Can I help you?" I questioned. Pocahontas looked up.
"Anna! You can help me plant corn for this coming season." She explained. "You just dig a hole, put a corn kernel in it, cover it up, and wait for it to grow." Pocahontas explained to me.
"How long does it take to grow?" I asked her.
"About two to four months." She replied.
"What do you do during the two to four months?" I questioned.
"Sit here, twiddle our thumbs, and wait here until it grows." She grimly replied. I began to back away. "No, no, I was kidding! We do other stuff!" She explained. I stopped backing up.
"Oh, okay!" I exclaimed. I sat down on the ground.
That night, I changed into my purple nightgown from Corona. I sat down on my sleeping bag. I looked over at Pocahontas. She was fast asleep in her brown, leather sleeping bag. I smiled. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
7/1/1621
Dear Journal,
Today I and Pocahontas planted corn. Pocahontas originally told me then that we have to sit there, twiddle our thumbs, and wait until the corn grows. But, she was just kidding and we can do other stuff while we wait for the corn to grow.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal down beside my sleeping bag. And laid down and went to sleep.
Three days later, it was time for the lantern festival. I woke up and got dressed in my clothes from Nezertnea. I went outside the tipi. Matoaka was watering the corn seeds by pouring water from a leather bag. "Hi, Matoaka, can I take Pocahontas to the lantern festival in Corona today?" I asked her. She sighed.
"Anna, you seem like a responsible young lady, and I trust you with my daughter." She told me. I smiled and went back into the tipi.
"Pocahontas, your mom said I could take you to the lantern festival today!" I told Pocahontas.
"Whoowho!" Pocahontas cheered.
We went to the river. We got into the brown, wooden, kanone. I took the wooden paddle of the same color. "Are you ready for this?!" I questioned.
"Ya!" She screamed. I paddled us down the waterfall. Pocahontas screamed in delight.
Three hours later, we arrived in Corona. I got out of the boat, went into town, and looked around. The baker was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.
I went over to the chalk drawing area. sat down on the concrete. I took the yellow, tan, white, green, black, pink, and purple sticks of chalk. I outlined baby Rapunzel with the black chalk. I colored her skin with tan chalk. I drew her eyes with the white, green, and black chalk. I colored her lips and gave her some blush with the pink chalk. I colored her dress with purple chalk. I stood up and wiped my brow. "Is that the princess?" Pocahontas asked me.
"Yes, it is, sweetie!" I cheerfully told her with a smile on my face as I thought of my Rapunzel. I got up.
"Do you want to dance?" I asked her. She nodded. We went into the middle of the town square and spun around. Everyone cheered. Pocahontas and I smiled.
"Do you want a cupcake?" I asked Pocahontas. She nodded. I went over to the baker's brown, wooden booth. "Can I have two berry cupcakes?" I asked him. The plump, red-headed baker nodded. He handed me two cupcakes with blueish-purple icing with a blueberry on top. "Thank you so much!" I told him. I went back to Pocahontas.
"Here you go." I told her.
"Thank you." She replied.
"You're welcome, sweetie." I replied.
After we had finished our cupcakes, I had a great idea: what if I brought Pocahontas a doll that looked like Rapunzel? "Hey, Pocahontas, do you want a doll?" I asked her.
"Oh, yes!" She cried. I went over to the yellow, wooden booth where a plump, tan-skinned woman with brown hair in a purple dress was selling cloth dolls. I looked at the dolls. I found a doll with blonde hair, tan skin, green eyes that had a purple dress on. I picked it up. "Can I buy this doll?" I asked the woman who was selling dolls.
"Sure thing, sweetie." She replied. I handed her a copper coin. She handed me the doll.
"Thank you!" I told her.
"You're welcome!" She replied. I ran back over to Pocahontas.
"Hey, Pocahontas, I have your doll!" I called. Pocahontas gasped.
"Thank you." She replied.
"You're welcome." I told her as I smiled.
Suddenly, I heard a strong, male voice announce: "To the boats!".
"Pocahontas, let's go to the boats!" I cooed. I and Pocahontas rushed to the boats.
I sat down in the kanone. I lifted Pocahontas into the boat. She was kind of heavy. "There you go, sweetie." I told her. I rowed us into the middle of the ocean. As soon as we got to the middle of the ocean, we noticed lights arising from the island. "Ah! There are the lights." I cooed. We just watched the lanterns for the rest of the night.
After the lantern festival was over, I rowed us into the ocean. I looked over at Pocahontas. She was sleeping. I smiled. The kanone seemed to be floating by itself in the right direction, so I pulled out my journal and began to write.
7/4/1621
Dear Journal,
I went back to Corona today for the Lantern Festival. Again, like last year, nobody recognized me and I didn't get caught. I drew a picture of Rapunzel with chalk. I danced with Pocahontas. I brought her a berry cupcake. Hopefully, Matoaka doesn't kill me for giving her sugar! I also brought her a doll that looks like Rapunzel. Then, we saw the floating lanterns. I hope Rapunzel also saw them and knows to come home.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal back in my bag. I set down my bag and picked up the oar. I began rowing us towards Begncore.
Three months later, I found Pocahontas sitting on the brown, muddy dirt by the river with her legs dangling in the water holding a brown, wooden stick with a white string on it over the murky water. "What are you doing?" I questioned.
"Fishing. Do you want to try?" Pocahontas questioned. I nodded. She handed me another brown, wooden stick with a white string on it with a corn kernel. I sat down in the mud and let my legs dangle in the cold water. About five minutes later I told Pocahontas, "This is boring.".
"I know. I had to do all the fishing since Dad died last year." Pocahontas told me. So that's what happened to him. I thought.
"What happened?" I questioned.
"Hunting accident. He was wearing deer hides and they were hunting deer and someone thought he was a deer and shot him right in the liver." She explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I told her.
"... Yeah. And it's just been me and mom ever since." Pocahontas finished.
I just hugged her. She hugged me back.
That night, I changed into my purple nightgown from Corona. I sat down on my sleeping bag. I looked over at Pocahontas. She was fast asleep in her brown, leather sleeping bag. I smiled. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
10/10/1621
Dear Journal,
Today I and Pocahontas went fishing. It was boring. Oh well, at least I had someone to talk to.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal down beside my sleeping bag. And laid down and went to sleep.
Three months later, Pocahontas woke me up. "Anna, we have to go hunting, we're out of food." She explained. I nodded. I got up and got dressed in my teal dress from Nezertnea. I sat down on the wooden floor, took the red, clay bowl of strawberries, and popped them in my mouth. They were good. Then I went outside.
Outside, they were two horses, a brown one and a blonde one. Pocahontas hopped on the brown one. I stroked the blonde one. "What's her name?" I questioned.
"This one's name is Cozy and the blonde one's name is Honey." Pocahontas explained.
"Hi, Honey," I addressed the blonde horse. I climbed on. Pocahontas cracked her reins and I cracked mine. Cozy and Honey took off.
We rode away from the village. Pocahontas saw a buffalo. She shot it. When Cozy came near the carcass, Pocahontas took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Cozy.
I saw a buffalo. I shot it. When Honey came near the carcass, I tried to pull the carcass up, but it was too heavy. Pocahontas came up behind me and took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Honey. "Thank you!" I told her.
"No problem." She replied.
Pocahontas saw a buffalo. She shot it. When Cozy came near the carcass, Pocahontas took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Cozy. I saw a buffalo. I was about to shoot it when I noticed a nursing calf behind it. I lowered my bow.
"Girl, why didn't you shoot it?" Pocahontas asked me.
"See the calf behind it?" I asked her.
"Oh, Chiefess says not to shoot the calves, nursing, or pregnant buffalo so there are enough buffalo for the next generation." She told me.
"That makes sense." I replied.
I saw another buffalo. I shot it. Pocahontas came up behind me and took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Honey. "Thank you!" I told her.
"No problem." She replied.
Pocahontas saw a buffalo. She was about to shoot it when I noticed that it had an unusually large stomach. I had a flashback of Gothel striking me in the heart with a black rock when I was pregnant with Rapunzel. I shook at the memory. "DON'T SHOOT!" I cried. Pocahontas put down her bow.
"Girl, do you know how big that thing is?!" She questioned me.
"That's because she's pregnant." I corrected her.
"Oh.". Pocahontas turned to look at the buffalo. She was looking at her annoyed while she was chewing on a handful of grass. "Sorry." Pocahontas apologized. The cow smiled. We continued hunting.
Pocahontas saw another buffalo. She shot it. When Cozy came near the carcass, Pocahontas took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Cozy.
I saw another buffalo. I shot it. Pocahontas came up behind me and took the carcass and threw it on the piece of hide behind Honey. "Thank you!" I told her.
"No problem." She replied. "Well, I think our hide is about full. Do you want to go back?" Pocahontas questioned. I nodded. We began to make our way back to camp.
That night, I changed into my purple nightgown from Corona. I sat down on my sleeping bag. I looked over at Pocahontas. She was fast asleep in her brown, leather sleeping bag. I smiled. I pulled out my journal and began to write.
1/1/1622
Dear Journal,
Today I and Pocahontas went hunting. We were shooting buffalo. I almost shot a nursing buffalo and she almost shot a pregnant buffalo. But it all turned out fine.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal down beside my sleeping bag. And laid down and went to sleep.
Five months later, Pocahontas, me, and Matoaka were just sitting on the yellow grass of the plains talking when all of the sudden, the chiefess shouted "INVADERS!". I turn around to see women with brown skin and hair wearing black suits, on black horses armed with bows and swords.
"What is Invarr doing here?!" I questioned.
"Probably looking for gold." Matoaka explained.
"But there is no gold here!" I exclaimed.
"I know but that's what they think.". Suddenly, the women came into camp and started shooting the Begncorians and burning down tipis. "Okay, run. Get the heck out of here. Try and make it to Galcreast." Matoaka explained.
I and Pocahontas nodded.
I, Pocahontas, and Matoaka began running towards Galcreast. We were almost at the border when Matoaka suddenly fell on her face. Pocahontas and I knelt next to her. "Matoaka are you okay?" I questioned. She just groaned. I noticed the back of her head was bleeding. I flipped her over. The arrow fell out. Her head started bleeding more. "Fudge." I spit out.
"MOM!" Pocahontas screamed. No response.
"MATOAKA!" I screamed. Still no response. Pocahontas began crying. The Invarrian warriors were running towards us. "Pocahontas, hun, you need to get out of here, or else you're going to end up like your mom." I explained.
She shook her head. She got up. We hugged.
"I will miss you." She told me.
"I'm going to miss you too." I replied.
"Think of me the next time you see a great eagle soaring over the sky."
Pocahontas told me.
"And think of me the next time you see a golden flower." I replied. We hugged. Pocahontas started running towards Nezertnea. I started running towards Galcreast. That was the last time we saw each other in almost 15 years.
As soon as I got into the forest, I sat down beneath an evergreen, pulled out my journal, and began to write.
6/14/22
Dear Journal,
Today Begncore got invaded by Invarr. They burned down the camp. They also shot Matoaka. So Pocahontas went to Nezertnea. And I am going to go to Galcreast. I hope Pocahontas gets out of Nezertnea before she is a teenager.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I climbed out from underneath the evergreen and began to run towards Galcreast.