A Storm Coming

Wheat dumplings simmered in a metal pot over the fire. Jane watched the flames, deep in thought. She had been married to Nourouhquotkan (Noo-rooha-kwot-kan) for almost a year and still no children. He had taken the name John Pagett at the insistence of clan leaders, who had urged everyone to take names of prestigious colonists, thus, ensuring the respect of the English. Her given name was Runehu'hu, which meant turtledove. She loved the sound that her name made as it rolled off of the tongue, “Rooneh-hoo'-hoo.” However, John had taken to calling her Jane.

Jane’s thoughts about her name turned her thinking to the metal pot sitting directly on the open flame. She thought about how uneasy she was that her people were becoming more and more reliant on trade with the English. The clay pots, the Tuscarora had used previously, could not rest directly on an open fire. True, the metal pots were superior, but this was just another indicator of the Tuscarora’s need to trade deer skin to obtain these conveniences. She felt a storm coming.

Jane turned her attention to John as he rested on his mat. Holding a stone tobacco pipe in his mouth, he said, “Teethha Hancock is head of the bear clan in the lower towns, just as Teethha Blount is here among your people.” Teethha was the word for king, although, the use of the English word “king” was becoming more common among the Tuscarora.

Turning his gaze past Jane, John continued, “As is our custom, I have come here to live in your mother’s longhouse, but I cannot abandon my brothers.” Jane saw his muscles quiver as he looked into the distance. “The English are a threat to all Tuscarora, not just those in Hancock’s town of Catechna. My blood is hot to join with my brothers in the coming battle against the English who are taking more of our land.”

John passed the pipe to Jane. She drew deeply in on the Nicotiana rustica and let the smoke waft out her nose as a puff curled over her head. Tobacco smoking was common for both men and women among the Tuscarora.

Jane rubbed the stone pipe in the palm of her hand as she waited for John to finish. She thought of her mother, her best friend in many ways. Her presence meant safety. She had known many hardships; yet, her strength was a stabilizing force for their people. Jane could hear her words. “We can’t control the actions of others. We can only control our response. Self-control comes from Taren-hia-wagen—the Master of Life and Ruler of Skyland. It is evidence of his favor.”

After John paused, Jane waited for his eyes to soften, before she broke the silence with her answer. “I understand your angry, but the hostilities you are provoking will bring the war to all bear clan people, even those in our town of Ucoherunt, perhaps other towns of the upper Tuscarora as well. This is why King Blount’s advice was to release the prisoners: De Graffenried and Lawson.”

Upon hearing this, John cut her off. “I was at the council meeting when the truth came out. When questioned by Core Tom, prisoner Lawson’s temper got the best of him. He argued back loudly. His sarcasm was apparent for all to see. Rather than apologize for the abuses committed by the colonists, he threatened Core Tom and guaranteed that King Hancock’s people would pay for taking him as prisoner.”

Jane watched as John grimaced. “At that, the captives were marched the two miles back to Catechna and hustled to where the execution would take place. There, the captive’s hats and periwigs were thrown into the fire and burned.”

“Who is this Core Tom with the power to confound an important teethha such as Hancock?” Jane asked.

“He is one of two teetha for the Coree people.”

With a wrinkled brow, Jane asked, “How could a town so small have two kings?”

Jane waited for him to offer a reasonable explanation. Instead, he said, “It doesn’t matter. He is the leader of those advocating for war with the English. He hates the English. He overcame King Handcock’s reticence and forced a new trial at which the prisoners were condemned.”

Jane handed the pipe back to John. She looked directly into his eyes and said, “Do not go. Stay here. Do not take council with this agitator, Core Tom. You do not know him. I have a bad feeling about this man.”

John responded angrily, “He is only speaking what many of us have come to realize as the truth. The English will not be satisfied until they have taken all our land and removed our bloodline from the earth.”

Jane shook her head. “No, that is nonsense. Will Core Tom bring the great Seneca nation to our defense? No, his hatred for the English will only result in our destruction. Please do not drag us into conflict with the English. The decisions made by the war captains will have far-reaching consequences for our people.”

John spat into the fire. He rose from his mat and looked directly at Jane without saying a word. She could only imagine what he was thinking. He then turned and walked away.

A gleam in her eye, Jane did not need a response. She did not want to stop the coming storm. She would do what she had learned from her mother. I will be strong. Now, she must travel secretly to the Seneca ambassador, Core Tom, and tell him the plan was working. The war captains would push the Tuscarora into war with the English.