On The Wings of Birds

SUNRISE

Three girls and Pupuhi the Beagle dog followed Hinewai into the desert. Some of Horieke’s men were tracking them.

“Shhhh,” she commanded, “do exactly as I tell you…firstly, we must walk as one, not follow, remove your footwear and make skid marks instead of footprints…they will mistake them for Tua marks…and Reina, carry the dog…”

The girls were too scared to even question Hinewai, and thankful to have her guide them. Just as they turned around one of the many sand dunes, looking back, Hinewai spotted their shadows…they were moving fast, closing in.

The desert had semi hardened swirls of dramatic colors and shapes and often, with wave-like inclines of varying sizes. “Hold hands,” was Hinewai’s next command, turn your backs against this incline, trust me, close your eyes, and no matter what happens, don’t move, or say anything, until I say so…”

The girls obeyed – with a heel, Hinewai kicked behind her and the softer sand at the top of the incline started falling like a waterfall – hiding the girls behind it – it stopped, a natural sand wall, just in time, as the trackers came into sight. There was a little gap between the newly formed wall and the top of the incline and Hinewai watched the men move around uncertainly, not finding any tracks, not knowing which direction the girls went – at one point, the dog yelped, one of the men actually looked at the sand dune where they were hiding, hesitated, then moved on - Tairi opened her eyes and blinked at the wall of sand before her – Hinewai squeezed her hand reassuringly and thankfully, the child did not make a sound of surprise or concern – again Hinewai was surprised at the child – most would have screamed and cried or at least have asked what had happened, and where were they – Tairi completely trusted her older sister – it seemed to take forever for the men to give up but it wasn’t really all that long before they realized that they had failed to find the girls, and reluctantly left – still, Hinewai waited until she was sure that they had long gone before saying, “well done, open your eyes, they’ve gone…”

The two older girls couldn’t prevent their gasps when they opened their eyes and saw that they had been concealed behind a sand wall – Hinewai beamed down at Tairi and Tairi smiled back.

“Tairi didn’t make a sound when she realized we’d been buried,” Hinewai told the older girls, and they also looked at the youngest one proudly.

“Of course not,” Reina smiled at Tairi, “she is special, she’s ‘the one’…”

They pushed their way out of their sand wall, shaking the sand from themselves.

“Who taught you that trick?” Tania asked Hinewai.

“I spent some time with the Awhia…”

“Aaaah,” Tania and Reina answered together, “the experts of the desert…”

“So,” Tania asked Hinewai as they found themselves following her westward again, “so, why aren’t we going back to our new home?”

“Yea,” Reina joined in the conversation, “I liked it there, better market stalls, and shops…”

“And a pub,” added Tania.

“But no proper barricades!” Hinewai’s voice sounded angry, even to her own ears. “They have been so secluded for so long, and allied with all the other tribes of the area including Waikato, that they…” Hinewai sighed, “felt no need for high palisades, they just had one forked wall, and one trench…”

The other girls were too stunned by Hinewai’s outburst that they didn’t answer.

“They have become too complacent.” Hinewai went on, “I know, you were making new lives for yourselves there…”

“So were you,” that was little Tairi, “you would have ended up their Queen…”

Tania wanted to say; and Tama needed his mother, but she did not want to upset Hinewai even more so.

As they made their way between the mountains, Hinewai knew what Tania was thinking, what they were all thinking. “We are not safe there,” Hinewai strode ahead to hide her tears, “Tama has Katea, who loves him…and my job, first and foremost, has always been, to protect…The One…”

Soon after, as the girls and dog were running through the final stretch of the desert, only Hinewai was aware of the Awhia running at a distance, either side of them – the Awhia knew when they were close enough to Manaia, before Hinewai did, and stopped – Hinewai waved without looking back and soon after, the tall impressive parapets of Manaia came into view – they stopped to rest, gasping for breath – and little Tairi whispered, “we’re almost home…”

The guards sent word to the army and the royal apartments, so it was Hauku and Mitaroa who were first to have the gates open and run out to welcome the tired, approaching girls.

The men could not believe that the girls on their own, made it all the way across Waikato, around Lake Taupo, the desert and its mountains, a long stretch of forest and marshlands, and home.

“We ran, and hid,” Tairi was the first to speak, “and some trackers were following us, but I was a good girl, I kept very quiet…Pupuhi cried, but I didn’t…”

Hinewai smiled down at her sister. “You did open your eyes, though…”

“Oh, yea…when we were hiding in the sand…”

Mitaroa picked up his youngest daughter, “sounds like you girls had some adventures…”

Tairi giggled, happy to be in her father’s arms again.

“Nearing home,” Hinewai continued, “the Awhia made sure that we’d make it back safely…”

Both Reina and Tania looked at each other and gasped together. “They did?”

Hinewai looked at Hauku as she thought of what Katea had told her. “Yes, the Awhia…some may have caused some problems in the past, like being paid to spy, but mostly, they look after us…especially,’ she looked at Tairi, “the young…”

Hinewai did not miss the only sign that Hauku might have some distant memory of being left in the desert as a child, was a slight cross of his brow.

“So,” Hauku cleared his throat, ”is there…a problem in Paradise?”

“Yes,” Hinewai hid her anger, “and the problem is, the Pakeha…”

“Let’s get you girls cleaned up and rested,” Mitaroa interrupted, “then you’ll have to tell us all about it over dinner…”

“Well, actually,” Hinewai went on as they went through the gates, “it started when Arnie…”

“The Pakeha Christian Priest?” Mitaroa, “wasn’t he supposed to be Kahu’s advisor and bodyguard?”

“Yes,” Hinewai nodded, “his job was to baptize the Te Arawa nation…there were two of them, actually, but both married natives, and became natives themselves, instead…”

“Which angered the Pakeha…”

Hinewai nodded…but that’s not all, she thought to herself, Arnie married Kahu’s woman…Kahu hadn’t seem to have minded, maybe he was pleased that she had found a new love and life, and so was she…

Later over dinner, Mitaroa, Hauku, Inia, the royal family and other prominent people of the tribe, would find out how the Pakeha were attempting to change the Maori into becoming Christians and if not, the Maori were either slaughtered, or taken to be sold as slaves.

Most could not believe that it could, and would happen. Why would the Maori forget about their own way of life, their own Gods, which were profusely affiliated with their way of life, their history, and ancestors?

“Well, having just been sought out and attacked,” Hinewai answered, “I’m under the impression that…we’re not given a choice, in the matter…”

“And this…” Hauku joined in the conversation, “because the Te Arawa thought that Arnie and the other priest were friendly…”

Hinewai swallowed. “They were. Too friendly…” Hinewai sighed, “we can’t blame them…I found out some of the Pakeha history from them, while living at Te Arawa. Yes, there were a few Pakeha living there,” she thought of the little pub, and the shops, with a few trinkets and books, not doing much business yet, but that’s how some said that they were preparing for the future, but without lots of buyers, it was no wonder that most ended up living the native way, hunting and fishing with the Maori, to survive, at the moment. “The first were the Niederlander, or something like that, I can’t remember exactly, who lived peacefully with us, then the English, who also lived peacefully with the Maori for a while, but apparently, they are being instructed by their leaders in their own country, to take our land, and if we refuse to give up our homes, we are to be killed or captured and enslaved, and while captured and enslaved, be baptized into their religion; and now, the American Europeans are arriving also, originally mainly for whaling and sealing, but they also have army forces and together, they are recruiting…some of our very own, Maori warriors, to help find, kill and/or capture us…”

Gasps of disbelief went around the room. “The Maori are joining the Pakeha armies?” One spoke. “The Maori are becoming traitors?’ Said another, “against us? Siding with the enemy?” The shocked and unbelievable exclamations kept coming.

“Not that hard to understand,” interrupted Hinewai, “didn’t we also, enemy tribes, join each other by way of…” her voice faltered as she thought of her beloved husband, “marriage?”

Silence in the room.

“But that’s still between the Maori,” Hauku’s voice sounded loud in the quietened room.

Hinewai looked at Hauku who thought that he was a Maori. He had no way of knowing of his Chinese Samoan blood.

Then she looked at her father. Her voice was soft. “I did not want to marry Kahu, as you know,” then she turned to Hauku, “then I met him, and agreed…along with war, there is fascination between enemies…Nahera married a Pakeha,” she thought of Hana, “and there were other marriages between the Maori and Pakeha in the short time that…” she looked at Reina, Tania, and Tairi, “that we were there…” she cleared her throat, “if that happened within only two full seasons, imagine what’s been happening up north, where there have been many Pakeha living there for a while…imagine what will happen in our future…along with hate, and love, and territorial wars, and yes, like two Priests at Te Arawa, some might embrace the Maori way of life instead, and some Maori,” she thought of Nahera, “will embrace the Pakeha way of life…it’s inevitable…and for a while, others will feel confused…” her voice broke, she had no way of knowing that a descendant will write her story one day, “and after a while, forget…”

Mitaroa looked at his oldest daughter, and nodded. “Yes…some of us in this new land have already forgotten about our sea-faring Tipu-Aki, Raro Rapanui and Hawaiiki origins…”

Hauku shook his head. “We should never have agreed to the marriage alliance with the Te Arawa!” He looked at Mitaroa, then Hinewai. “We should not allow any foreigners anywhere near our home!” He looked at the others in the room. “Ever!”

Hinewai sighed. Hauku did not know that he was a foreigner. She did not look at Hauku, but everyone knew that she addressed him. “It is inevitable …as our foreigner ancestors loved this land, the Pakeha do too, and will not stop coming…”

Hauku did not look at Hinewai. “We’ll just have to build more parapets and stronger palisades…” but his voice trailed off hopelessly, as he spoke…

“We will strengthen our defenses,” Mitaroa agreed with Hauku, “and fight them off for as long as we could…”

“What about our trading post at Kiwa?” Hinewai looked at Hauku, “we got some of hour horses from the Pakeha, there…”

“That’s not our trading post,” a smile played around Hauku’s mouth as he remembered he and Hinewai gambling there, “it belongs to the Awhia…”

“Who were originally our people…”

“Our horses are having ponies; we don’t need to find any more…”

“But…I have seen their weapons,” Hinewai looked around at her people, “guns, and rifles, which shoot bullets so fast, you can’t see them move…deadlier than anything we’ve got…we’ll have to see if we can buy some of those…” but her voice lacked enthusiasm, “and defend our home for as long as we can…” she looked at Tairi, who innocently blinked back at her, “at least until ‘The One’ bears us the next Half God King!”

This brought on some cheers, and a little hope, from the people.

Mitaroa picked his youngest daughter up, and held her high, for all to see.

Hauku smiled at Hinewai. A slight dimple appeared on a cheek, the closest to a smile that Hinewai could muster. For now, the people would double their defenses. For now, the people had a possible divine savior to believe in…

(And the people of the Taranaki region proved to be the last of the Maori tribes to be conquered by the Government. It is written, that they were the most formidable people…firstly, the northeastern (there still weren’t many tribes in the south at that time, and later, the tribes of Wellington and Wairarapa were descendants of the allied Taranaki and Te Arawa regions) Maori tribes were never able to conquer the Manaian, when marriage was arranged to at least ally the tribes, then, they were the last to be conquered by the English Government and ironically, the first to later be compensated by the Government in terms of millions of dollars…it is also written, that that is the strength and determination of the Mountain people…)

Later, Hinewai went up to the main temple up high on the cliffs. The moon was full, and high in the sky, with wispy clouds trying to hide it. She remembered as a child, how she would watch from her window, the dancers going through their movements, under the full moon, their grass skirts swaying to the hypnotic drumbeats echoing down through the still, night air. She also remembered how she and Reina were taught these ceremonial movements when they were of age, at about the same time that they commenced their warrior fighting training. She giggled to herself as she remembered how Reina hated the dancing, compared to the fighting – she herself, had agreed at the time, but deep down, enjoyed the ‘light on the feet’ graceful movements, and how they actually helped with her quiet swift movements when warrior training.

Hinewai noticed that vines were growing everywhere now, across the grounds, entwining the totems that still stood silently in strategic places facing the sea from whence her father and his warriors, grandmother, Nahera and apparently other Tipu-Aki Raro came from – she ran a hand across one as she passed it, the wood was old, slit, and uncared for – once upon a time, these had been oiled regularly and gleamed brightly - she looked up at the full moon, and sighed. Her father had worked on the temple grounds ardently after the death of her mother, and had lost interest in them after the death of his second wife. How meanings and feelings can change with different people – a tinge of guilt made her shudder – she had believed that her mother had been her father’s great love of his life – looking at the now unkempt grounds in the moonlight, she sighed, had Aniki been in actual fact the love of his life? Had she let the woman who had captured his heart die? Hinewai gulped – Nahera could have saved her father’s wife, Hinewai knew that – is she taking being the protector of ‘The One’ too seriously? Trying to please a grandmother she had seen only twice, and hardly even knew? Left her new home, husband and son to make sure that her youngest sister would survive? Sooner or later, the English would conquer this place too, unless, ‘The One’ would bear a Half-God King who would save them all? Yes, she knew, she had to hope that they would achieve that before the English came to their great Mountain home…

There was a soft crack of a twig and Hinewai smiled. “You taught me how to avoid making sounds when approaching someone…”

A shadow merged between her and the moonlight. “Just letting you know I’m here, a sudden fright might send you hurtling over the cliff edge…”

Hinewai looked over, at waves crashing on the rocks far below them, and shivered. She sat on the edge, and swung her legs over the side. “I used to love sitting here in this spot, when no-one else was here…just to think, and contemplate…”

“The future?”

“The present, actually…going over all the little tricks you taught me…”

“I wasn’t very nice to you, back then…”

A smile played around her cheek. “You were never…nice, to me…”

A grin appeared on his face. “Nor you me…”

“Never tender…”

“Big mistake…perhaps if I had been, you wouldn’t have been interested in…” he stopped.

“That was just how we were Hauku, we were training continually…not so easy to switch from fighting to…loving…”

Hauku sat beside her. “I didn’t think that I’d ever see you again…”

Hinewai blinked up at her mentor. Even in the darkness of the night, she could see the slanty dark eyes that her Te Arawa mother-in-law had recognized and wept over. Should she tell him that he is in fact a Te Arawaan? A bastard Chinese Samoan prince? Her brother-in-law? Hauku had devoted his life to being the Manaian war hero against the Te Arawa, and all their enemy tribes – Taranaki’s head warrior and Chief of Security. No, she did not think that after his lifestyle here, he could accept the knowledge that he was the enemy to his own mother. She swallowed, and turned away to watch the sea again. “Don’t you ever wonder…who you are? Where you come from? Who your family is?”

“The Awhia bought me here, I was told, so I’m obviously Awhian which, I was also told, were originally from our tribe anyway…”

“You never liked them,” continued Hinewai, “you thought that they’d abandoned you…”

Hauku turned his gaze from the sea to the night sky to stop the tears. “Yup…”

“Yet…you…we’d go to their outpost to gamble…”

Hauku swallowed. “I first used gambling as an excuse to meet some, maybe find out some information about me, but…” he looked back at Hinewai, “on my first trip there, before I started taking you there, I decided it best to take advantage of their outpost instead…learn the value of the coin…”

“Win some, and buy horses instead…”

He nodded. “Yes…if my family weren’t interested in knowing me, then I also, lost interest in knowing them…”

Hinewai swung her legs back up and turning, leaned against the totem she was sitting beside. “I have met some good Awhia, and learned a few skills from them…”

“Sand-shifting for instance?”

“Yes, sand-shifting for instance…some even helped us girls get back home…”

Hauku also pulled his legs back up, turned to face her, and crossed them. “You…still think of this place as…your home?”

Hinewai stood up to leave. “No, of course not…but I don’t have much choice at the moment, do I?”

She had to pass him to leave. He grabbed an ankle. “Hinewai…”

“No!”

“I never married,” he looked up at her, “no-one, has taken your place in my heart…”

She looked down at him. Was that a tremble in her knees? She had to ignore it. “But I am married, and I love my husband…”

He let her go. “Then you should be with him,” his voice faltered, “fighting alongside him…”

“Yes, I should be,” her voice broke, “and I will return, once the Half-God child has been born…”

After a few steps, she turned back to him. “You are a very handsome man Hauku, you turn heads wherever you go…you must marry and have children. Don’t you think my sister Reina is pretty? Titohi, a man she seriously considered marrying before we left for Te Arawa, married another in our absense…”

“Tairi is prettier…”

“Don’t you dare touch her!”

He laughed.

She laughed. “Oh, don’t ever joke about something that serious!”

“I will protect her, alongside you…”

“I know you will, Hauku…but seriously, find a wife…the European will continue to come…our people need to grow, we and our ways, must survive…” for as long as possible, she sighed to herself.

“I noticed some Pakeha at Te Arawa, first time that I’ve actually seen any…”

“The ones that I met there were nice…Nahera even married one, and he was always courteous and respectful to me…sometimes though, I got the feeling that they were amusing us, that they don’t think that our royal families are as important as their royalty…and, it was as if I sensed some kind of foreboding…some kind of warning that I couldn’t shake off…and although the ones there were nice to us, my instincts kept warning me that they will try to change us, and if we don’t, they will try to annihilate us…”

“They’re human, just like us, some good, some bad…what if they decide that they’d rather become like us? Live our way instead?”

Hinewai shook her head. “Two did…some from the more northern Waikato tribes warned us that because of that, the Pakeha army were coming to Te Arawa…most of Kahu’s people thought that they were just coming to get those two, rescue them from us and our ways, but others advised the royal family run anyway, just to be sure…but we heard their gunfire, and looking back, saw smoke…Kahu raced back to be with his people…when it was silent again, Katea wanted to return also, I gave her my horse so she could return with…” Hinewai hesitated as she looked at the secret real father of her child, “with my son, Tama…that’s when I noticed some trackers approaching…I told Katea to take a longer route back, and us girls brushed her tracks and made bigger tracks of our own to make sure that they followed us instead…then we hid in the sand until they gave up looking for us…but no, Hauku, the Pakeha army are nothing like us…they even used a Maori traitor tracker to find us…we warriors fight against other warriors…you, taught me that…not, women and children…and the victorious take responsibility for the losers and look after them…just like my dad…remember? Before he got back home after winning against the Rauruan, he had made them his friends…appointed one to be his Minister, and later, married his Minister’s daughter. We the Manaian and Raruan are all one people now. Some of the Waikato people living closer to The Pakeha city of Auckland told us that the Pakeha kill anyone and everyone during their wars, including women and children while fighting, and threaten to kill any survivors who refuse to become a baptized Christian…we are nothing like them, and they are nothing like us…”

“Oh, Hinewai…” Hauku stretched out his legs and leaned back on an elbow, “when I followed you to Nahera’s hidden place among the old ruins and told you that I’d never been there, I hadn’t, but I knew about it, and how it had never been cleaned up and rebuilt…do you know why? It was left as a reminder to us of a time when your father’s ancestors almost destroyed our ancestors completely…the Taranaki people were so afraid of the sea-people, that they asked them to fight for us, against the other Maori…not so different, Hinewai…perhaps Mitaroa felt guilty for what his forefathers…or should I say foremothers, like your grandmother that you admire so much, did to this area…”

Going down the hill, Hinewai’s eyes filled with tears and she had to move carefully, holding onto shrubs and branches as she went, as conflicting thoughts and doubts went through her head. Was Hauku right? And why was she still affected by that annoying man? He looked so beautiful in the moonlight, which shone on his long jet black glossy hair which fell across his broad shoulders…she tried to shake the scene from her mind. She focused on Kahu’s wavy curls and smiled to herself. No, she was still in love with her husband. Then she thought of Hauku’s dark intense eyes and trembled. Did she love both of these men? Deep down she knew the answer. How could that be possible? They were both so different. One annoying, and the other adoring. She already missed Kahu. Would she be welcome back to Te Arawa, would Kahu still want her? Is living her purpose, protecting her sister, as ordered by her grandmother, truly her destiny? Will it all happen as predicted? Her mind was swirling with opposing thoughts…

But by the time she had reached the bottom of the hill, with the first rays of daylight streaking across the dark azure sky, her tears and fears had disappeared, and she walked with her head high. Yes, she was Riri’s granddaughter…and yes, she will make sure that the Half God child would be born…

And so it came to pass that Hauku and Reina married.

Reina had always had a crush on the Chief Warrior, but knew of his and Hinewai’s affair, so had always hidden her love…she’d accepted a proposal before leaving Manaia for Te Arawa with her sisters, but her betrothed had not expected her to return and had married someone else, and she’d also tried to forget about Hauku in the arms of another, during their life at Te Arawa, but she’d heard that he’d also, married another – twice, she had left a man while following her sisters and twice, they’d married someone else; which, she could not blame them for doing.

Hinewai felt a pang of jealousy when she noticed that Hauku treated Reina lovingly. Softly. Gently. He had never treated her that way. But she was also very happy for them both, and hid her anguish so deeply that no-one knew of her pain – if Hauku had been tender with her, she may have refused the marriage proposal to the enemy, but Hauku hadn’t liked having to train a girl – women and children were given some self-protection lessons, of course, but not many females actually joined the army warriors who trained for hours and participated in battles - so he didn’t like her at first, and she took her own revenge by seducing him…slowly…without him realizing it, starting with a drug-infused dance at an after-fight party until one evening, bursting into his room and straddling him – as if she were determined to ensnare the bully who resented her existence - so theirs had never been a tender affair, and not having Kahu around, as the years passed, she found that she had to make more and more of an effort to remember the natural equal love and longing that she and Kahu had shared – the fascination, for they were so different, the challenge, for they had been enemies, the all-encompassing all-consuming obsession, the ‘nothing, nothing more important’, sort of intense love…no-one more important, that is, except for…’The One’. And if she resented being the protector of her little sister, she never showed it…

Still seemingly a long way from everyone else, the southern tribes were at that time still practically nonexistent, only one other sub tribe of Rauru, being the most southern of people - eventually more sub tribes, people from Rauru and Manaia would move south along the west coast towards Wellington, and sub tribes, people from Waikato, Te Arawa (Bay of Plenty) Takitimu tribe (Poverty Bay and Hawkes Bay) would eventually continue south to settle in Wairarapa along the east coast, but since the wedding alliance between the Manaian of Taranaki and the Te Arawa of Rotorua, plus the fact that the people of Taranaki were still quite far enough away to be left in peace anyway, a few peaceful years later, Tairi was finally ready to live out her destiny…

And she was lovely…the perfect oval face of her mother Ingari, the small build of her sister Hinewai, but slightly shorter, the longest and thickest wavy hair that shone a deep blood red like her grandmother Riri’s, the light hazel brown twinkling eyes of her father, but the full pouting lips were her own…no one else had that, it was her very own, unique feature.

For people who had always been involved in wars, mainly protecting themselves from the north-eastern Tane Atua Waikato and Te Arawa tribes, peace has a way of making people feel complacent – they still taught the young, mainly boys, prepared them to become warriors, but other than that, the all-day training and scouting of outposts and borders was now, almost non-existent – now that the enemies were allies, there was no longer any need for some of the more ambitious Awhia to be traitorous spies, in fact, apart from re-stocking ale supplies that had been a part of the ale supplier’s route since its formation, Kahu’s publican also, ordered from Kiwa, since the more secretive re-building of Te Arawa, after the devastating attack from the north, everyone, including the few Pakeha that lived at Te Arawa, were now too afraid of dealing with the northerners since, so the covert trading post in the desert where the warriors would conduct gambling fights and buy products from the north-east, including horses, with their winnings, was more popular than before – and the Manaian never bothered closing the fortified town gates anymore, even the lookout sentries in certain positions also, became bored and inert, and no longer took their duties too seriously – so it was that one day a stranger confidently and leisurely entered the village, noticed the beautiful Tairi giggling over wares in the town square with her friends, and decided to get to know the young girl – he knew that females found him attractive – he was older and experienced and knew how to say all the right things, to sweep an unsuspecting and innocent young woman off her feet, and he did...

“Hinewai!” Reina found her sister in the stables, brushing down a new horse which had been sent to her from Kahu with a messenger saying, ‘Uri, your beloved horse has died, please accept this new little mare as a gift from me. I know Tairi is of age now, and I look forward to seeing you ride back home on this, your new horse, as soon as you are able. With love, Kahu.’

“Yes Reina?” Hinewai seemed annoyed at being disturbed, as she always did when concentrating, and a memory of disturbing her sister who was painting when they first met their grandmother, went through Reina’s mind.

Reina looked flustered. “There’s a…” catching her breath “there’s a…” another pause, “a man…”

Hinewai looked at Reina’s belly. It was huge with Hauku’s child. “Let’s start again Reina, we haven’t seen each other for a few days. How are you?”

Reina looked even more flustered. “I’m fine! I’m fine! It’s…” Another pause.

Hinewai rolled her eyes, and turned back to her horse.

“It’s Tairi!”

This got Hinewai’s attention. She dropped the horse’s brush. “What…what’s wrong with Tairi!?!”

“She’s entertaining a man…”

And like when they were children when Hinewai had joined warrior training and Reina would watch until she was old enough, Hinewai put her hand out, Reina grabbed Hinewai’s favorite weapon at the time, this time, a full sized Taihaha sword/spear that was usually a favorite of large male warriors, placed it in her hand, as Hinewai swung her legs over her horse at the same time and without even putting a bridle on, another new contraption of the European, pulled on the horse’s mane at the same time as using her feet in its belly to encourage the horse to go, and she was on her way out of the stables before Reina could finish, “a stranger…”

Hinewai galloped through their village, calling ‘get out of the way’ as she went, people jumping and running in all directions before her – she had given up her life with her husband and son for Tairi, and she was fuming – rounding the last bend before coming into sight of Tairi’s apartment, she saw Tairi on her first floor balcony and indeed, with a man – she pulled up in front of Tairi’s apartment so fast, that in a cloud of dust, the horse reared on its hind legs and whinnied in confusion. Still, Hinewai was twirling her spear around them both as it did so – and the dust settled to reveal a cool Hinewai astride her horse, spear in the air, pointed at the intruder…

The man was stunned, but unnerved by her appearance. As if he was expecting her, Hinewai thought to herself. He had been sitting and rose, and with arms outstretched, looked out at the angry woman whose horse was also snorting as if waiting for further instructions. “So it’s true,” he seemed impressed, “you must be the warrior princess, Hinewai…”

Now Hinewai was stunned. Surely after years of peace, her reputation would have long been forgotten.

But before she could reply, Hauku and Mitaroa had also been summoned by Reina, and the three of them had also rushed to the scene, on foot, Reina a little out of breath, in her condition.

Mitaroa stood protectively in front of the daughter on her horse, while looking at the other on her balcony. “Tairi,” he called out without taking his eyes off the stranger, “are you alright?”

Tairi stood and calmly walked next to the man on her balcony. “Of course I am!” She shot Hinewai an angry look. “What do you think you are doing Hinewai?”

Hinewai did not take her eyes off the stranger. She lifted her Taiaha higher, ready to throw it at him. “Get off my sister’s balcony! I won’t say so twice!”

“Alright, alright…” the stranger put his hands down and started for the ladder.

Hauku was at the base of the ladder before the stranger reached the ground. The stranger was muscular, but Hauku easily swung him around and held him against the wall. “How dare you invite yourself to visit with one of our young girls, without permission!”

Tairi leaned over the rail, glaring at Hauku. “I, invited him to visit with me!”

Hauku ignored Tairi, and looked the stranger up and down. The stranger was not young, but still strong and handsome. “I don’t know how they do things where you come from, but you should have asked for her father’s permission!”

Mitaroa joined Hauku. By this time, many of the other warriors and townspeople were surrounding the area, intrigued by the spectacle. “Who are you?”

“I…I’m sorry,” the stranger gulped, “I didn’t mean any harm…”

Hinewai slid down from her horse and joined her father and Hauku. “My father asked, who are you?”

The stranger looked from Hinewai to her father. “No-one of any importance. A stranger. Wandering around your beautiful mountain…”

Hinewai held the spear end of her Taiaha up to his throat. “No-one of any importance. No-one will miss you then, will they?”

Tairi shudded with anger. “Stop it! Stop this! You’re all making a big thing out of nothing. He’s a nice guy. He was telling me about his exploring our area. He loves our mountain, our home. That’s all!” She waved a hand to another person that had been sitting on the balcony albeit, in the shadows. Tania joined the girl, and also looked over the rail.

“I wasn’t alone with him,” continued Tairi, “Tania was with me, Tania insisted she’d have to be with me…”

“It’s true,” Tania sighed, “he was just telling us how much he loves our place…”

Hinewai slowly turned her head toward Tania. “Have you not learned anything from our own travels? If this stranger can find us, so can Horieke…” she turned her eyes back to the stranger. Nothing about his simple attire suggested that he was the traitor Chief. But if he was travelling incognito, he wouldn’t wear the clothing of a leader.

The stranger seemed amused. “If I was the famous Horieke, your town would be burned to the ground already…” he looked at Mitaroa, “I am sorry that I decided to rest for a moment in your beautiful home and bragged of my love of the majestic mountain with a couple of girls who seemed genuinely interested in the wanderings of a curious man…” then he turned to Hauku, “now if you will let me go, I was hoping to be back on my way by now, finding something to eat, making a fire and having a sleep before continuing on my way tomorrow…I don’t suppose I would be welcome to sleep in your town overnight?”

“Alright Hauku,” Mitaroa said to his head warrior, “let the stranger go…”

“I’ll escort him to the gates, and have the gates closed, and double our guards…no, you are definitely not welcome here…”

At that, everyone dispersed. But when Hauku guided the stranger past Hinewai, the stranger grinned at her. “Perhaps we’ll meet again, one day…”

She surprised herself by not yelling at him to get out. Something about his confidence and air of importance made her, just like Tairi and Tania, feel as though he was no real threat…

Hauku growled “come on!” to the stranger, and practically dragged him away.

With an unpleased frown at his youngest daughter, Mitaroa grabbed the ladder.

Hinewai stopped him from climbing up. “Let me…she needs a lesson on how ladies should act, not a reprisal from an over protective father…”

He nodded, “thanks Hinewai, it’s not easy being a father, even harder trying to be a mother as well…” tears filled their eyes as they both thought of Ingari. Mitaroa wiped his face and turned to leave, and Hinewai sniffed back her own tears, asked Reina to take her horse and Taiaha spear back to the stables, and started up the rungs.

Tairi ran to the opposite side of her balcony, when Hinewai reached the top. “That’s not going to help you,” Hinewai’s voice sounded angrier than she’d meant, Tairi was so pretty and cute that Hinewai found it difficult growling the sweet young girl, so she’d unconsciously sounded louder than intended.

This upset Tania, who placed herself between the sisters. “Stop it!”

Hinewai had always liked the way Tania had never felt intimidated by her. Hinewai considered pushing her aside, but instead, she crossed her ankles, and seated herself on the floor. Looking up at Tania, she asked, “alright Tania, tell me what happened…”

Tania also sat on the floor, and Tairi leaned in to hear their discussion.

“He was looking at some of the wares at the stalls and asked my opinion about a Paua necklace…”

“Oh, how clever,” interrupted Hinewai, “make friends with the maid first…”

“It wasn’t like that…” but Tania no longer seemed as confident, and she glanced at Tairi as if realizing that perhaps they’d made a big mistake after all…

“So,” Hinewai swallowed, “how was it exactly?”

That’s when Tairi came to Tania’s defense. “He really was a nice guy, Hinewai…”

Hinewai turned to Tairi. “Oh, so if he wanted something from you, he’d be a nasty guy? I think not…”

“I liked him…”

“He’s not…” but he held himself like a chief, walked like a confident leader, Hinewai thought to herself, “royal…”

“Neither is our dad…”

“He’s twice your age! At least! In fact, I think he might be even older than dad…”

“What difference does age make? Mum was…” she faltered, “younger than dad…”

Silence for a moment.

“I was here,” Tania tried again, “I wouldn’t have left them on their own…”

“He was big and strong. He could have had you both!”

Tania indicated the railing with the wave of a hand. The balcony railings were thin pieces of entwining branches. “In front of the whole town?”

Hinewai cleared her throat. “That is still not the way for a Princess to act!”

Now Tairi got angry. “I never asked to be a Princess! I never asked to be…The One!” She stood, shivering with rage. “I have needs! Have you forgotten what that’s like? I’ve heard the rumors about you!”

“Me?”

“You forced Hauku!”

Hinewai almost laughed. “You really think that anyone can force Hauku?”

“And promptly forgot about him when you met the fun loving Kahu. You did something about your needs, and now it’s time for me to!”

Hinewai had to bite her lips to keep from laughing out loud. She leaned in closer, as Tairi had. Their noses almost touched, Tania had to move aside to get out of their way. “Really? Is it really your time to become…a woman?”

Tairi started to say yes, then realized what her sister meant. She leaned back in fright so suddenly that she lost balance and fell backwards, “NO!”

Hinewai leaned over her. “YES!” And with a laugh, stood up to leave.

Tairi called after her. “I didn’t mean…THAT!”

Hinewai looked back at Tairi. “Oh, you mean that you’re ready for a little…fooling around? I gave up my life, to make sure that you go to your destiny…a virgin!” She turned to Tania, “you make sure that you don’t let any men near her! It’s finally time for the divine conception to take place!”

Tairi wanted to call out ‘No!’ but did not. Tania considered hitting Hinewai, but did not. Hinewai thought that she shouldn’t force her sister into mating with only the Gods knew with what, but did not. They all knew that that long awaited prophesied time, had finally arrived…

They were in a small cave not easily detected from the outside – Mitaroa, Hinewai, Tania, Reina, two young Tapu-Namu Priestess dancers, Hinewai briefly wondered where they practiced nowadays, certainly not in the derelict temples on the cliffs, Tairi, who was now being carried on a slab held by four men that no-one knew, that they were waiting at the entrance was a mystery to them all, except to the Akiwa – the medicine men that Hinewai had never had any confidence in, some of whom had disappeared when Ingari died, afraid of Hinewai’s fury at that time, but Hinewai calmed down as quickly as she’d angered and later, those who had remained, could not save Aniki – at the time, Hinewai counted on their incompetence - perhaps they knew more about spiritual awareness, than healing knowledge, and it was two of them that were leading the way with flares through tunnels that would alternatively narrow darkly and widen brightly – sometimes the floor was smooth, sometimes rough and precarious, and at other times wet and slippery and they found themselves often reaching out to the walls to keep their balance – how the men carrying Tairi never fell, was a mystery to the others, it was not often that a ceremony like this took place…

Tania almost slipped, but managed not to – this caused Reina and Tania to giggle and the more they tried to stop, the harder it was for them not to – Mitaroa shushed at them; but he also, had a big grin on his face – to stop from laughing herself, Hinewai wondered at this strange turn of events – she’d always known it would happen, but she’d never given it much thought, she’d believed that it was still far away in the distant future but seemingly, and suddenly, it was here, now, happening – where did the time go? Her own son would be approaching puberty by now, where had the time flown? He would not know her, had Kahu stopped waiting for her to return? Had he stopped telling her child about his mother? Then she smiled to herself – for soon now, she could return to her husband and child – she could finally, return to Te Arawa, on her new horse…

When Hinewai decided it was time for Tairi’s divine conception to take place, she had no idea how to actually organize it – everyone thought she had, but she had nothing to do with it and had been wondering how to go about it - it had been a perfect sunny day earlier, when the Akiwa presented themselves to the palace dwellings to escort the family to Oakura, meaning light of the sky, and who the Queen Akura had been named after. The location that they believed had access to both the sky, and underworld. Some of their warriors had accompanied them, but now they waited just outside of the area – Hauku was left in charge of the village, Manaia, on the other-side of the temple cliffs. It had been an eerie little journey, if a little hurried – everyone wondering what to expect, and feeling both impatient and yet apprehensive for the event - when they had arrived at the little port, some women appeared and insisted Tairi be prepared and perfumed and again, Hinewai wondered how these few sea-port people seemed to know exactly how this ritual was performed – then she noticed how her father was joking with the Chief in charge of the area and realized that of course, Mitaroa would know of and probably visit all his people in the area, their sub tribes, regularly, to make sure his domain was fine and his people safe – being attacked by land, the attackers would have to go through the main defenses of Manaia to get here, if by south, they would have to go through Rauru - but the danger could come from the sea, as Mitaroa and his mother had done, previously, and before them, his mother’s grand-father, Mitaroa’s great grandfather, and his wife Erena, and their men, wearing red feather plumes, as he had done himself, the Tipu-Aki Chief warrior headpiece - so it was unlikely that the Tipu Aki Raro would consider conquering a place that they’d already conquered and had left in the capable hands of Mitaroa…

When the people felt that Tairi was ready, they were taken to the naturally hidden small cave opening between rocks and scrub and almost immediately, Hinewai’s thoughts were interrupted by the giggles of those slipping in the sudden darkness when suddenly, they’d entered a larger, softly glowing cavern – flares were shimmering on the walls, and at the other end, there was an opening facing the setting sun, and the high evening tide had bought the water halfway into the cavern – an old man and a handsome youth were already there, waiting for them - Hinewai was mesmerized at the sight – no-one spoke, introduced themselves, or talked, it was apparent that on their arrival, proceedings would start forthwith – Hinewai wondered if the young man was Tairi’s God, but he blew on a conche shell, which she presumed was the signal for the ceremony to begin; however, he was directing the deep sound out towards the sea, and she realized, that he was calling for the God to appear – everyone stretched to watch for the deity to appear, but the older man started drumming, and the dancing girls commenced swaying their leaf belted Pareu skirts slowly and seductively when the beats were slow, and alternatively fast and gyrating, when the beats were fast – Hinewai looked at Tania and Reina, remembering when they were taught to do those movements in the temples – both Tania and Reina glanced her way, as if silently asking if they should join in, when a gasp went around the room…

The conche shell stopped – the drumming slowed to an even tempo – when a figure did miraculously commence rising, emerging from the water – Hinewai had even doubted it would happen and she wondered if anyone else had had the same thoughts but here he was, the God of the underworld, rising out of the water, seaweed draped around his shoulders – and he was beautiful – and he was tall – and he was – the mysterious stranger…

Hinewai gasped – she was standing next to Tania and whispered to her, “he had been…” another gasp, “checking her out!”

Tania put her hand to her mouth. “Did we…throw a God out of our town?”

“We didn’t know, how could we have known? Why didn’t he tell us who he was?”

Mitaroa turned to them with the intention of shushing them. But he also placed a hand over his mouth and whispered to them. “Obviously, he liked what he saw…”

And he did look like a God, as he rose from the sea in the sunset, water gleaming on his wet skin, muscles rippling with every movement, long wet hair hanging in coils around his shoulders, and now without his robe on, tattoos - not only those of a warrior, not only those of a leader, not only those of a Chief, but those extra, larger, swirls of…a God…

Tairi could not help but look back at her sisters, with her mouth dropped open in shock, but with laughing happy eyes. But that’s all she could do before the men lowered her platform and the dancing girls helped her up and took her towards the magnificent stranger…he was not completely out of the water yet, but he opened his arms, and she ran into them, splashing happily as she did so…

The sun had almost sunk completely into the ocean, and it was getting dark in the cavern. Still, he shouted for everyone to leave – so the last thing the witnesses saw as they turned to retreat, was the handsome stranger in a sunset drenched sea, effortlessly lift an adoring, beautiful girl up into his rippling arms…

They never saw the handsome stranger again, supposedly the God of the underworld – perhaps he had returned to the underwater underworld - whether he really was a God, or not, obviously, an arranged alliance between him, the Akiwa Priests and the dwellers of Oakura had been organized, and they all, including Hinewai, accepted this fateful event as prophesied – Hinewai had never seen Tairi so blissfully happy with her pregnancy, and now that she had done her duty, the protector of ‘the one’ was looking forward to finally returning to Kahu and her son – but that, was not written in the stars…

Go to Chapter 8

AFTER