On the Wings of Birds

THE JOURNEY

The first thing Kahu did when he got home, was find his father, Amuri – with an unhappy Arnie following at his heals…

“Stop Kahu,” a little breathless, the older man had trouble keeping up with the impatient Prince, “you can’t do this!”

Kahu sighed but did not slow his pace – Arnie had been nagging him since they left Manaia. “My mind is made up, Arnie...my father sent me to find a Princess bride, and I found one!”

Arnie reached out for Kahu and grabbed an arm. “Stop! You’re just doing this to spite your father…”

Kahu stopped and swung around to face Arnie. “Why can’t you believe that I love the girl?”

“Because you’ve only just met her!”

“All the Princesses I met on our travels, I only just met…I don’t think my father cares if I love her, or not! He only wanted me to choose one to marry…”

Arnie took a deep breath. “Your father told you to visit the northern tribes, the eastern, and south…he said to stay away from the west, our biggest enemy…!”

Kahu also took a deep breath. “Hmmm,” he sighed in agreement, “Ironical, isn’t it? Being in a hurry to return home to Hana, I took a short-cut through enemy land, with only a small band of men…” he turned to continue going to his father, “I call it…fate…”

Amuri overheard the commotion outside his door and recognized their voices. He ran to swing the door open. “Son! You’re back!”

Kahu went into his embrace. “It’s good to be home, father…”

Amuri motioned for Kahu to follow him into his room. Arnie followed them, Kahu tried to block his way, but his father, always polite, welcomed Arnie as well, and invited him to join them.

Once seated, Amuri on his raised Chieftain’s seat, and the other two on the floor in front but on either side of him, Amuri smiled at his son. “No fanfare? You must have been in a hurry to see me, and I can see by the grin on your face, that you have some good news?”

Kahu glanced at Arnie, then looked back at his father. “I hope so, father…”

But Arnie interrupted, “No, he does not have any good news, at all!”

Ignoring Arnie, Kahu blurted out, “I have found a Royal Princess that I wish to marry!”

Again, Arnie interrupted, “she’s not royal…”

Without looking at Arnie, Kahu agued, “she’s half royal.”

Arnie looked at Kahu. “She’s not suitable…”

Kahu looked at Arnie. “She is suitable!”

Amuri considered banging their heads together, but leaned forward instead and put his own head between theirs. “Enough!”

The others blinked in surprise, but stopped arguing.

Amuri sighed. “Now, have we found a Princess, or not?”

But the others replied together, Arnie, “no!’ And Kahu, ‘yes!”

Arnie and Kahu glowered at each other.

Amuri rubbed his temples as though he was getting a headache and sighed. “OK…leave, both of you, then come back, when you actually have some news!”

But neither of them moved.

“I do have some news,” said Kahu, “so I’m staying!”

“No, he doesn’t,” argued Arnie, “so I’m staying!”

Amuri looked from one man to the other, then cleared his throat. “Kahu, I sent you to find a suitable bride. Have you found one, or not?”

Arnie started to protest, but Amuri raised his hand between them. “I’m asking my son. In fact, please leave Arnie, I would like to hear what my son has been trying to tell me…”

Arnie rose. “Of course, but you will agree with me, the wild pagan warrior girl that Kahu has chosen, is very obviously, and most completely, not suitable!”

On the other side of the door Arnie tried to overhear the discussion between father and son, but try as he might, he could not hear anything. Then, a burst of laughter. Not a good sign, Arnie was expecting anger. He had been expecting shouting and arguing. But there were more laughs. Then he did hear something, the King, calling for a servant to bring some Ale, in a loud happy voice adding, “we must celebrate!”

Amuri opened the door, with a happy smile on his face. “You two are so clever. A Princess bride, and peace between two of the deadliest enemies in our history!” He slapped Arnie on his back, “how very clever!”

Kahu remained seated, and grinning up at Arnie in triumph said, “yes, I told father how you suggested we rest at Kiwa, and as fate would have it, where the Princess just happened to be…”

Arnie gulped as he remembered how tired he had been that fateful night and had planned to simply have a drink and retire…

And Amuri continued, “how very clever indeed!” He beamed proudly at them both, “I am so very proud of you both!”

Arnie groaned.

Hana was feeling perplexed. Everyone knew Kahu had returned, he had been back for a while – she had expected him to race to her arms, she kept telling herself that he was perhaps brushing down his horse, changing, cleaning up after his travels, catching up with his family, but…why hasn’t he come running into her waiting arms? Why hasn’t he come to see how their sons were? They had agreed that he take the trip and return home unsuccessful, inform his father that he had not succeeded in finding a bride, that he and Hana could marry at last, but…her heart sank…had he in fact met someone else?

She decided to search for him, walked near the stables, barracks, royal apartments, but she could not find Kahu – she did literally bump into Arnie however, who seemed to be in a foul mood. “Oh, Arnie,” she couldn’t keep the distress from her voice, “I was looking for Kahu…”

Arnie grabbed her and held her up against a wall. “Stupid girl! So sweet! So, giving! So nice! Why couldn’t you be just a little bit exciting! Just a little bit thrilling!”

She was bewildered, confused. “What do you mean? What do you mean?”

He felt sorry for her and let her go. She had been his first baptism. They had both been trying to convince Kahu to convert. Arnie had believed that she could help convert the prince. That if the royal family took Christianity seriously, the rest of the savages would follow. It was his own fault. He had taken a wild but wonderful woman and changed her into a nice, subservient lady. He had taught her that dancing to their own Gods was evil. He had taught her that being natural, like all the other species of the world, was a sin, and she had to wear lots of unnatural clothing, no matter how hot the weather was. “What do I mean?” He sighed, “well, yes, men like nice,” he shook his head, “and I’m so sorry Hana, but…they love…exciting!”

The girl’s ample breast heaved, and even in a modest European blouse and skirt, Arnie wanted to throw himself onto the girl, rip her clothes off. “Kahu doesn’t know how lucky he is…” he took deep breaths to try and calm both his anger and lust. He leaned his forehead against hers, the Maori form of endearment. He swallowed, and forced himself to pull away from her. “You need some time to realize what’s happened, you’ll need some time to get over Kahu…but I will look after you Hana, you and your sons,” he turned to leave before he couldn’t stop himself, “I am partly to blame,” he remembered the time that he ambitiously told Amuri that he should send his son to look for a suitable Princess, thinking to himself that he might be able to convert two tribes at the same time. “I will look after you, sweet Hana…”

Hinewai was kneeling in her mother’s tomb. She lay a cheek on the coolness of the wooden coffin. After all these years, in an airless cavern, apart from one piece of the carving that had come apart, there was no sign of rotting, molding, or dilapidation. “Oh mother, I am so confused…”

She picked up and fingered the piece of carving lovingly, and carefully replaced it. It slotted perfectly back into its place. “I was bought up to believe that my purpose was to protect ‘The One’, I have devoted my life to training, to be a fighter, to be able to do so…I never even dared consider marrying Hauku, even though we were perfect for each other…until…ironically, just one day before meeting Kahu…” she swallowed, “as if…marital bliss was not for me…but now, it seems, I am to marry…” she gasped, “the enemy…messengers from Te Arawa have informed us that Kahu’s people have already organized it all, my wedding…” she swallowed, “and, I think, I love him…oh mother, I fell in love with…the enemy…”

A shadow seemed to move in the dark cave, and was that a rustle she heard, as if someone accidentally knocked one of the many skeletons resting in the varying tunnels of the burial caverns – she sat back, rested against the cool wall, peering in the darkness – my imagination’s playing tricks on me, she thought to herself, then turned her attention back to her mother’s crate. “What should I do mother, what should I do?”

A memory of her pretty mother being pleased with her own reflection in a pond crossed her mind. Twirling in a pretty, newly made fringed Pareu, giggling happily as she swirled gaily. So dainty. So graceful. So elegant. “I remember thinking how pretty you were, yet…so afar. I remember thinking how happy you were, yet so aloof. Like one of the many shining stars in the night sky – so radiant, yet so far, far away…”

Then suddenly, a bat appeared in front of her. It let itself land lightly on the loose piece of carving, yet still causing it to fall from its place on the casket, to the floor, at her feet – Hinewai gasped, and slowly stood up, keeping her distance from the bat, she slowly moved around the crate, then hurried to the flare and grabbing it from its holder in the wall, raced towards the exit, and almost ran into Hauku. They were near the opening. She made for it, with him right behind her. “Wait!” he called after her.

She turned on him. “Have you been following me? How long were you there?” She screamed at him, “were you listening?”

“I didn’t hear much…”

“Don’t lie!”

“Alright. I heard you admit that we were perfect for each other. And I agree!”

She noticed his eyes squint in the sunlight after being in the cave. He had a habit of squinting in the sun. She’d always thought it sexy. Although coming loose, he had his hair tied up, so he must have been training earlier. Some locks had escaped their clasp and fell to rest on a shoulder. Had she ever noticed just how handsome he was before? She softened. “We had some good times…”

“We can have many more…”

She turned on her heels. “I’m sorry Hauku, I must follow my destiny…”

Hauku followed. “A strong woman like you can make her own decisions…”

She stopped and looked back at him. “It was not my decision to protect my little sister. It was not my decision to become a fighter.” She shook her head. “You’re so wrong Hauku, I have never thought for myself. Otherwise, I’d be an artist, not a fighter. I am a follower, not a leader, like you…” she swallowed as the breeze blew more of his hair over his strong chest. “You’re the only one who knows I’m not strong, the only one who knows that I am an illusionist. Ever since that night, after I drugged you, that night when celebrating our win and I joined you dancing, we have schemed and hustled together. We both know that I am a weak woman, Hauku, and we had some laughs…as always, I’m doing what’s expected of me…” she attempted a smile, but the dimple did not appear.

“Then it might be time that you grow up and make your own decisions, Hinewai…”

She didn’t answer. To hide some rising tears, she turned and continued on her way. She seemed to be in a hurry.

He followed. “Hinewai?”

Without turning back, she called, “Go away! Leave me alone! Stop following me!”

She was re-entering the village but moving among old decrepit buildings that were unfamiliar to him. He had never come to this part of town before. Even when on security duties, being one of the best warriors, and now the captain of the army, he had always been assigned to the better part of town, the main halls, and walls, and royal apartments. “Where are you going?”

“Go away Hauku, I have things to do…”

Hauku looked around them. “Here?”

She walked under a fallen plank, jumped over a small ridge, and stopped at what appeared to be a clump of vines. He was still right behind her. She turned to him and took his face between her hands. “You are the captain. You are very desirable, and all the girls love you…we are not fated to be together, Hauku, and you, can have your choice of all the women…”

But before he could answer, the vines parted, and Nahera invited them in.

“You two were causing too much attention out there,” Nahera went to her favorite seating area, “apart from a few clients, you know I don’t like my whereabouts to be known, especially to the people of the main part of the village, Hinewai…”

Hinewai sat opposite her. “Sorry, but I need to see you…he,” she indicated with a flick of her head, “followed…”

“And especially,” Nahera looked at Hauku, “I don’t want my whereabouts to be known by the security!”

“Sorry again, Nahera,” Hinewai’s face squinted as though she was in pain, “but I needed to see you!”

Nahera sighed and looked at the young man. “Well don’t just stand there, sit!”

Hauku peered around her dark abode cautiously, but crossed his feet, and sank to the ground.

Hinewai whispered to Nahera, “I don’t know what to do…”

Nahera sat back, and eyed Hinewai suspiciously. “So, you don’t need any…” she waved her hands indicating the array of medicinal plants, “certain concoctions?”

Hinewai shook her head. “No!” Then blinked at the old woman suspiciously. “Do I?”

A smile played at the corners of the old woman’s mouth, and Hinewai knew she’d been forgiven for turning up with Hauku, their head of security and warriors.

Nahera wanted to answer; ‘not at the moment,’ but dared not. She had no idea what answers Hinewai didn’t mind Hauku overhearing. “What can I do for you Hinewai?”

Hinewai shrugged. “I went to visit Ingari, I asked her, what to do, and…a bat appeared…obviously, I immediately interpreted that as a sign from my mother, telling me to ask you…”

Nahera nodded, and the women leaned in closer to each other, whispering.

While the women were whispering together, a bored Hauku decided to study his surroundings. He looked up, and immediately knew that he shouldn’t have. There were bats hanging up above them. He returned his gaze to the women. They seemed unfazed by them, so he tried to relax, but he couldn’t help but nervously glance up at them, from time to time, which amused the women…

Nahera bit her lips, to prevent herself from laughing at their head protector. “Hinewai,” she tried concentrating on the perplexed girl, “you already know the answer, don’t you? But you’re here, and my job is to put your mind at rest, to reassure you, so yes, take the next step of your life…”

Hinewai blinked uncertainly. She knew she was being reassured, yet – she sighed and whispered under her breath, “but…” she indicated the man in the room with a slight flinch of her head, “I love him too…”

Nahera nodded. “Of course, you do. You have spent most of your life with him, under his guidance…”

Hinewai sighed. “And, I’ve never felt uncertain, even afraid, before…”

“It’s not unusual to be a little afraid of the unknown, Hinewai, moving away to a new place, a new life...” Nahera sighed. “What else happened in the crypt?”

“A bat knocked a piece of mum’s coffin to the floor…”

Nahera would not answer and tried to keep her expression from changing. But the instinctive girl noticed the slight change in the glint of the older woman’s eyes.

“Yes,” Hinewai nodded, “I know the answer to that too…”

The older woman also nodded…

At Te Arawa, Kahu finally visited Hana. She looked like she’d been crying and did not approach him. Nor did he her. For a moment they looked at each other, their two small boys looking from one parent to the other, not knowing whether they should hug their father, or attempt to comfort the distraught mother. They were only four and two complete seasons old. They knew nothing of the complications of love and marriage. But they did know that their mother was upset, and it was their father who had caused her sadness. So instinctively, they stayed as far away from the man who had hurt their mother, as they could.

Kahu also, knew he had no right to expect them to happily come to greet their father. He bowed his head as if scrutinizing his new sandals. Leather, he had been told, made from the Deer, an animal who had been introduced from England to their forests for the Pakeha to hunt. He had tried the meat, Arnie had given him some to eat, and he had immediately spat it out – it was tough, it did not ‘melt in the mouth’ like the soft flesh of the slowly baked birds and smoked fish that he was used to. He sighed. How the mind wandered when trying to avoid the inevitable. “I thought…” he tried, “I thought it best that I…that I come to tell you myself, that you hear it from me first, Hana. I…”

Hana didn’t know whether to laugh hysterically or scream at him. But she knew that she had to interrupt him. “But I didn’t hear it from you first, Kahu, I heard it from…everyone else!” Then she moved to him, right in front of him, forcing him to divert his eyes up from his shoes, to her. “Why did you come here now? You have been home for days…you are a coward, Kahu…you couldn’t face me,” she looked at their sons, “you couldn’t face them! Yes,” she nodded, “we should have heard it first, from you!”

“I’ve been busy…” he immediately knew that that was the wrong thing to say. Everyone knew he’d been preparing for his wedding. “I’m sorry Hana, but I did meet a Princess, and…”

She slapped his face. “And apparently, she is more important than me, and your sons?!?”

He hardly felt the slap. Still, he stepped backwards, and shook his head.

“And apparently,” she repeated, her tone a little higher, crazed, “she is more important than me, and your sons!?!”

He blinked. He knew that she was waiting for some kind of explanation. “She’s different, but…not more important…”

“Different? What was one of the descriptions that Arnie used? Oh yes, exciting. He said that men liked ‘nice’, but loved ‘exciting!”

“Arnie…said that?”

“Was he wrong?”

“No…”

“So…exciting is more important than love?”

Kahu blinked uncertainly.

“Do you love her? A woman you just met? After being my man long enough for us to have had two sons together?”

Kahu looked as if realization just overcame him. “I…I love both of you…”

This time she stepped back, away from him. “So…you want both of us? Ahh…what was the other term Arnie mentioned? Oh, yes, sweet…you want a sweet woman and good mother of your children waiting at home for you to visit occasionally, while you have fun with a wild Manaian warrior woman?”

He almost answered ‘yes’, and she knew it, and for a moment, she was even tempted to agree. To at least still be a part of his life.

Looking helplessly at his sons he sighed and backed towards her door. “I couldn’t expect that of you, I couldn’t expect that of either of you…” he reached out to open the door behind him. “I’m sorry, Hana…but this isn’t just about me, it’s about my duty as a prince, my duty to my father, my land, and the biggest peace treaty ever made, in Aotearoa…”

She nodded helplessly, hysterically. “Go then, leave!”

He considered taking her into his arms.

She knew. This time, she stepped back, out of reach. “Leave!”

He looked towards their sons. “Can I at least…”

She put herself between him and them. “I said leave!”

He backed out the door. “You will be looked after, I promise…”

Her eyes widened, her chest heaved, and she picked up the closest thing that she could grasp, a gourd, and threw it at him. He quickly scuttled out and closed the door behind him just in time - he heard the gourd crash against it, and fall in shattered pieces to the floor. He sighed and leaned against her door. He felt as though the broken gourd, was a piece of his heart…

She bent to pick up the pieces. That was the second time a man promised to look after her after their return from Manaia. Why then, did she feel so wretched???

And wearing a hooded cloak in some nearby bushes, a furtive Arnie watched and witnessed a devastated Kahu leaning against Hana’s door…the older man was fighting with his own demons, he had taken a priest’s vows, but he couldn’t stop thinking of the full breasted, curvaceous Hana…

Soon after visiting Nahera, Hinewai decided to go for a horse ride. “On her own,” she’d screamed at Hauku, “she needed to think!” and finally, hopelessly, he let her continue her day without his company. It was vital she clear her head and contemplate the destined new chapter in her life. Now that it was supposedly peacetime, no-one attempted to stop her – even before peace she had been in the habit of galloping the countryside, but not too far, had they known that this time she was headed for the desert, they may have…following the way the Te Arawa had left when she’d watched from their tallest parapet, even she hadn’t realized that she’d gone so far…when she stopped galloping, realizing her horse needed to rest, she let it aimlessly wander as she wondered, and peered into the horizon where he and his band of men had gone…where are you Kahu? And what are you doing at this moment? Are you just as excited, yet…just as anxious?

One of the three mountain peaks started smoking, she could see them quite clearly, that’s when she realized, she had travelled a long way…although she’d never seen it, she knew that beyond them to the north was the great lake Taupo, and beyond that, even further northeast, Te Arawa…what would her life be like there? Would she be accepted by the people? Would she be capable of being a good Princess? She had been bought up to be a fighter, she knew nothing of ruling, let alone being a lady…she looked backwards in the direction of her own home, and gasped…she could not see it, and she could only see the snow peak tip of her own mountain top…perhaps she’d better return, or she might not get back before nightfall…

But her horse froze, then suddenly reared, so suddenly that it caught her off guard, and she fell – she’d learned how to ‘break-fall’ during army training, so she was able to roll and jump up again unhurt almost as soon as she’d hit the ground, and ran after her now galloping horse, calling as she did so. For awhile she could see and follow the trail of sand that he kicked up behind him as he fled, but only for a while…she’d never run this long and far before, and finally, slumped forward, gasping, trying to ‘catch her breath’ - that’s when the ground seemingly opened up all around her as figures appeared out of the sand and surrounded her. She swallowed. She had visited her mother’s crypt first thing in the morning, then visited Nahera with Hauku after that, then grabbed the stallion without stopping for any lunch, or grab any weapons, she’d been in so much of a hurry to ride, to be alone, to contemplate – she straightened up and sighed, as she faced these men – she’d been concerned about her future, now she wondered if she even had one. “Hello,” she gasped, still a little breathless from running, “I’m Hinewai, daughter of Mitaroa…”

One of them shook the sand from himself and smiled. “We know, Hinewai, don’t be afraid. We don’t have any horses though, so we doubt you’d get home before nightfall…we made ourselves seen, to help you…”

“You’re the…Awhia?!?”

The others also shook the sand from themselves. “Experts of the desert,” another said.

Hinewai gulped, as she thought of how she used to consider them; not an enemy exactly, but a nuisance not to be trusted, none-the-less…

As if they’d read her mind, one nodded. “We’re not all traitors, Hinewai, in fact, those who sold information to the Te Arawa are few, and we believe, have joined them…not everyone can live long without a village, it seems…a few of us originally left society because we abhor war, bloodshed – and we found that we could live here in the desert, peacefully…and because we haven’t built villages, no-one knows how to find us – most think that the desert is precarious – for us, the desert is our protection…”

Soon after, Hinewai was enjoying a meal with them – she hadn’t realized how hungry she was, having spent most of the day worrying about her future. And during the time she spent with them, sleeping under the bright amazing stars, she learned a few things about the desert – things she had no idea would be of help to her in the future, the future that she’d been so concerned about that she’d ridden unaccompanied into the shifting sand…

Hauku and Nikau were searching everywhere for Hinewai, since her horse returned without her, the day before. First, they rode around her favorite areas, then spent the night calling her name all around the base of the mountain, and finally, at dawn, they ventured out towards the desert…

“Damn!” Hauku swore, not realizing he had spoken out loud. “I knew I should have stayed with her all day yesterday, she seemed so distracted, but after sitting in that old hag’s creepy place for ages, I was glad to let her continue the rest of the day on her own, she needed time alone to think, she told me, and I let her go, because she said that she needed stupid time to think…!?!”

“And you let her have time alone to think,” Nikau accused him, “because you knew that she was considering not going to her wedding! Not turning up for her own wedding! And now she’s lost, maybe even…”

“Kidnapped!” Hauku interrupted, “stolen…she could be halfway up the mighty Waikato river, by now…I’ve heard from travelers at Kiwa that people are sold as slaves in the English man’s Auckland…”

Nikau had been about to say dead, but decided it best Hauku hoped that she might be still alive…kidnapped, but still alive…

“Well,” Nikau tried to sound positive, “if she is, the people of the Waikato are also a part of the combined Te Arawa Tane-Atua nation, so…” he was about to say that she might be safe with Kahu by now, but decided it best not to mention the groom…

“I don’t like Kahu,” Hauku frowned at Nikau as if having just read his mind, “but he wouldn’t kidnap his bride before the wedding…he is a man of honor…”

“I suppose not, there’s no need to steal a fiancé…”

Hauku remained silent.

“Wairarapa then,” continued Nikau, “perhaps we’d better get some more of our army, and search for her down south…”

Hauku was about to agree when they heard a giggle behind them. Turning their horses, they were both bewildered and relieved to see a form, her form, rise from the sand before them. Then, shaking the sand from her, she laughed at them both. They were so happy to have found her, or for her to have found them, that they laughed with her.

Then Hauku stopped laughing. He had never seen her laugh out loud, she hardly even smiled, so he knew that she had made her decision. “Where have you been?” He growled at her.

In her noncommittal way, the laugh disappeared. “But I told you Hauku, I needed some time alone to think!”

Nikau looked between the two fuming lovers and decided to attempt to prevent a possible fight between them. “It’s good to see you’re alright, Hinewai, we were all worried about you…”

Hinewai looked at Nikau, the dimple quivering in her cheek the only sign that she was still in a jovial mood. “I spent some time with the Awhia, and...”

But before she could finish, Hauku interrupted, “the Awhia? Did they kidnap you?”

“Do I look kidnapped? Don’t be silly, Hauku…” she was having difficulty keeping a fit of the giggles away. “No, they shared their meal with me, and a few desert tricks as well…”

Hauku was also, simmering down. “Like hiding in the filthy sand?”

She moved towards him, “yea…like hiding in the filthy sand,” then she reached up, so he could help her up behind him on his horse, “now take me home, I need a good bath…”

Nikau noticed how she hadn’t even considered reaching up to him for a ride home, and he also noticed as he followed them, how she slumped herself on Hauku’s back to rest, as if she knew that she would always be safe with the captain, and not him – the two riding ahead of him did not notice how he sighed, and let them gallop off without him – perhaps he should spend some time with the Awhia too, they had made her happy, perhaps they could make him happy as well…

A few days later, Hinewai was saddling her horse again. “Well Uri, my beautiful swift steed, we are going to our new home,” she attempted a joke, “just make sure we both get there Uri, don’t ever leave me in the desert on my own again…”

She was glad that Hauku was not around, she was afraid that he’d still be trying to talk her out of leaving. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized Nikau was also absent, but she was not too concerned about him, she had always known that Nikau liked her also, but he would never try to talk her out of doing anything, never – she sighed, had she taken the loyal Nikau for granted?

She rode around to the main road out of town, where the travelling cavalcade were lining up, readying themselves for the procession to start their journey. Hauku and Nikau were not here either, to see them off. She supposed they both would rather not witness her leaving the only life she’d ever known, leaving them, both, an important part of her life, and upbringing, behind…

She decided she’d inspect the caravan, make sure everyone was ready, and happy. Her father of course, had already mounted, and was at the head, ready to leave, with his own group of warriors, some Rauruan entertainers, and a few Te Arawa escorts, who had arrived with three carts – Hauku, Nikau and Inia would look after Manaia, with their own men, with Inia left in charge.

Next, was the women’s canopied cart, apparently, these were how the European Pakeha travelled, carrying the heavily pregnant Aniki, who would not be left behind, no matter how many objections Mitaroa had, Nahera, whom Hinewai convinced she relied on the woman and her craft, Nahera had been teaching another, who was now ready to take Nahera’s place at Manaia, Tania, whom Hinewai insisted she needed her Pakeha friend as there were Europeans settling in the north eastern areas and it would be handy to have an interpreter nearby, little Tairi, whom Hinewai argued could not protect the girl to fulfil her own future role, if the sisters were separated, and Reina, who would drive the two horses pulling it, and the women’s belongings – Hinewai had insisted they ‘travel light’, only needed two carts, that they could stock up if needed at Kiwa, but the cart was overfull and heavy, none-the-less. Hinewai noticed that the Beagle dog and Tairi’s pet hawk were also in the cart, the bird in a makeshift cage that Aniki had made, Hinewai doubted it would hold the bird if it decided to escape, and it was squawking loudly, to everyone’s annoyance. Luckily, Nahera gave the bird something to eat, and the screeching stopped. She wondered if Nahera had poisoned the pet, but she hadn’t. The supplies cart was next, being driven by the main cook, and finally, Hinewai’s and Reina’s army groups, would be riding at the rear.

Hinewai pulled up alongside her father. “Are you sure it’s alright for Aniki to travel? She must be nearly due…”

Mitaroa beamed at his daughter. He would miss her, he knew, but the occasion was too exciting, not to be happy about the imminent alliance with the Te Arawa. “She says she still has a few days to go, and I must admit, I would worry too much, if she wasn’t with us, at this time…”

Hinewai took a deep breath. “Hmmm…at this time…”

Mitaroa didn’t miss her sigh. “You can change your mind, it’s not too late…”

“Then the Te Arawa and us would be deadly enemies again, wouldn’t we?”

“Probably, but we’ve managed to survive so far, without…”

“Sleeping with the enemy…” she didn’t realize she had said it out loud.

Mitaroa cleared his throat. “You don’t have to do this, my daughter…”

Hinewai shook her head. “No, I don’t, but…” she thought of Kahu’s dimpled smile, the way he had held her close and made her promise to come to him before he had left and she’d climbed the parapet to watch him and his men leave, “I do love him, father…”

Mitaroa did not miss the longing way that she glanced back at their home though, but shouted for all to hear, “let’s go, then…”

The townspeople had gathered to cheer the travelers as they left, and finally, Mitaroa noticed the dimple playing on his daughter’s cheek, the only sign that showed that his daughter was happily leaving for her new life, to waves and delighted cheers from the people of, “we love you, Hinewai…” and “long live our Princess warrior…”

The women were complaining.

“I can’t get comfortable.” That was Aniki

“I’m hungry!” Tairi.

“I need to pee.” Nahera.

“I have to stretch my legs.” Tania.

“You’re all giving me a headache!” Reina.

“Stop!” Hinewai called, as she directed her horse to the women’s wagon. “What’s wrong with you all? We haven’t gone far,” she pointed back at Manaia, “we can still see our village, yet you all need a rest already? At this pace, Kahu will stop waiting and marry another!”

For a moment, all the women looked at Hinewai in shock, then all burst out laughing. Apparently, behind his daughter, Mitaroa was silently mimicking her. Her dimple appeared again. Her comical father always put her at ease. “Very well ladies, let’s have a short rest…”

At that, Reina jumped down and took Tairi to the supplies wagon for some food, Nahera took off to the nearest trees, Aniki followed her, and Tania stretched out in the wagon.

“I thought you needed to stretch your legs, Tania,” Hinewai reminded the girl.

“I am stretching out Hinewai, at last, I have some room in here.”

Hinewai rode back to her father. “At this rate, we’ll never get to Te Arawa…”

“Well, we’re not far from home, I can send some men back to get some spare horses, and the other wagon…and maybe except for Aniki and Nahera, the others may have to learn to ride on the way…”

Hinewai rolled her eyes. “Then they’ll be arguing about who will be riding horses and who will be in the carts…”

Mitaroa grinned. “You really are in a hurry to get married…”

Hinewai’s dimple appeared. “I guess I am, aren’t I?”

Aniki was the first to return to the wagon, Tania helped her up. Next, came Reina and Tairi, and as Reina was helping Tairi in, suddenly, with a screech and flap of wings, the huge bird had somehow escaped its cage and made for the canopy opening, knocking Tairi to the ground as it did so. Reina, Hinewai and Tania ran to the child. She seemed a bit dazed, and had a few scratches, but she instantly stood up, and pointing to the bird flying in the sky, started crying for it to come back. “Atu, Atu,” she called, “come back…” but the bird continued higher and further, happy to be free, at last…

Mitaroa jumped down from his horse and ran to his youngest child. “Tairi, are you alright?”

Tairi nodded, but pouted sadly, “Atu has gone…”

“Atu just needed to stretch his wings,” Mitaroa hoped, “it might follow us…”

Hinewai did not miss the hateful glare Tairi directed at Aniki. “And it might not…”

Hinewai also glared at Aniki. “Come Tairi, you can ride with me for a while…”

Nahera returned to the wagon, just as the men finally returned with spare horses and the extra cart. They didn’t say they noticed Hauku following – they loved their leader of the warriors, and Mitaroa, and their lifestyle, but they were afraid of their sullen captain.

Fetching, saddling, and getting more horses had taken most of the rest of that first day of travel. So, it wasn’t long after that, that Mitaroa decided they stop for the night on the banks of their peacefully flowing Patea river. They led the horses to the river to drink while the cooks put some food together, and soon atter, they enjoyed some supper, and got ready to sleep.

Hinewai and Reina were making sure that the horses were tethered together securely for the night. “What a crazy start to our trip,” Hinewai sighed.

“Makes me wonder what’s going to happen next,” Reina shook her head, “poor Tairi, she really loved that bird…”

“It’s used to being fed. It might come back…” started Hinewai, when they noticed Aniki trying to climb down from the wagon. Reina immediately made to help the pregnant woman, when Hinewai grabbed her arm and held her back. “Leave her,” she whispered in Reina’s ear.

Then Aniki suddenly clutched her stomach and groaned. She fell back into the wagon, writhing in agony. Reina blinked back at her sister. “We have to help her, Hinewai…”

“She made the feeble weak cage, and I’m sure she helped the bird escape,” Hinewai whispered to Reina again.

“Hoping to scare Tairi?” Reina whispered back.

“No,” Hinewai spat out the next words, “hoping to kill her!”

“No!”

Hinewai shrugged, “maybe not, but…Tairi is wary of the woman, I’d rather believe an innocent child’s instincts, rather than an ambitious woman’s…”

Nahera had also witnessed Aniki’s pain, and called Mitaroa.

Mitaroa had been settling for the night, lying on his back, watching the brilliant sunset as he started dozing off to sleep, tired after the first day’s mishaps. He was immediately woken by Nahera’s call and ran to the wagon. “Aniki, my little Kiwi, are you alright?”

“The baby’s coming, Mitaroa…” Aniki gasped uncomfortably, looking from father to her stomach, “I’m sorry, I thought I had more time…”

Nahera moved closer. “The trip, excitement, and bouncing around on the uneven trail has bought on early contractions…”

“I’d better get you back to town, Kiwi, this is no place to have our child…”

By now, Tania was also on the scene, and all the females were trying to hide their amusement. “Women have always had their babies in the wilderness, Mitaroa,” Nahera told him, “Ingari had hers in the comfort of her own bed because she was…frail…”

“And needed the Avaki doctors,” added Mitaroa.

Nahera cleared her throat but dared not remind him of the incompetent Avaki. “And needed help, yes…”

He turned to Aniki, who was writhing from the pain, “do you…shall I take you home to your bed Kiwi? On the extra cart, it won’t take me long to get you there…”

Having Mitaroa at her side, and with Hinewai, Reina, Tairi and Tania out of their town, appealed to the conniving woman. She nodded.

Little did Aniki know, but Hinewai was also pleased. She would miss her father giving her away at her wedding, but Aniki would be in the hands of the Avaki – Nahera had been turned away and got there too late to be of any help to Ingari. Nahera was about to offer to help Aniki, but Hinewai held her back…Nahera frowned at Hinewai as Hinewai drew her away. “He lost Ingari because you were sent away,” Hinewai explained to her, “now, let him also lose Aniki at the hands of the Avaki…”

“No!” Nahera started to resist, but Hinewai held her back – Nahera was surprised at the small girl’s strength. “She’s writhing like that because the babe is in the wrong position, Hinewai…”

“I know…”

“I can help…”

“I know…”

“Hinewai?”

“During her pregnancy, she’s always carried low…it’s a girl…”

“Yes, true, but…we must help…”

“No, we can’t…she wants this child to be ‘The One’…”

“Hinewai, this is awful of you…”

Hinewai looked at the older woman. “My job is to protect Tairi at all costs, isn’t it? Well, I am…”

At that moment, Tairi appeared, and asked what was wrong with Aniki.

Mitaroa was helping his wife into the third cart.

Hinewai took Tairi into her arms. “She’s not well little one,” Hinewai told the girl, “Daddy’s going to have to take her back home to the doctors…”

The sun had almost set completely when the camp was resting at last. No-one noticed Hinewai slip away to sit at the water’s edge to think and reflect – despite the mishaps of the day, she was not tired – no-one noticed, that is, except for Hauku…

He sat beside her. “Crazy day…”

She almost slipped into the water with fright. He caught her. She blinked up at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t keep away,” he grinned, “your dad found me following as he was heading back to town with Aniki, said how glad he was to see me, and asked me to take over leadership of the caravan…”

She groaned. “Oh, fate has a cruel sense of humor…”

“Fate?” Hauku glanced up at the moon rising, “or…the Gods?”

He still held her, and before she could resist, he rolled them both into the river. Hinewai was not sure if the current was too strong for her to resist, or if his rolling was – she was not sure how long they swirled together in the water, she was not sure if they even took gasps of breath when they could. All she knew was somehow, they had become one – not two individual people, just one being, joined together, swirling with the waves – not feeling the cold, unaware of the water, just one being rolling in ecstasy, in the dark, sweet, water…

Finally, clutching fists of reeds, they scrambled back up the riverbank, fell apart, quietly gasping for breath, chests heaving and slowly returning to normal, watching the stars twinkling above in silence…

They slept. When Hinewai woke to the birds singing in the trees as the dawn started spreading its glory across the sky above her, Hauku had gone. For a moment, she wondered if she’d had a strange dream about him – and her – together – last night. Then she heard him yelling instructions regarding readying themselves for the journey. She splashed some water over herself and found herself also, hurriedly dressing and helping the others with the horses and remaining wagons – and on that second day of travel, there were no complaints, she noticed how everyone respected Hauku, or were afraid of him; more likely, neither were there anymore mishaps, those who had never ridden a horse before managed without grumbling uncomfortably, everyone waited until he decided it was either meal, or rest time, and finally, they could no longer see Manaia or their beautiful mountain behind them, they were well on their way to the future…

“They’re here!” “The Manaian have arrived!” Excited voices raced around Te Arawa.

Because of the debacle on the first day of their journey, they arrived later than expected; when they finally did, it was evening, and for the whole afternoon, after one of his escorts galloped ahead to inform Kahu that they were nearly there, Kahu finally relaxed - he had been pacing nervously, wondering if Hinewai had changed her mind. Finally, when sounds of his people calling ‘they’re coming,” with a hand wiping his brow with relief, Kahu ran to the entrance parapet and waved excitedly from the top of the wall. Protocol prevented him from going to the caravan, he wasn’t even supposed to be on the fence at the gates – he should have been with his parents on their verandah waiting at the end of the main street. His people were gathering at either side of the road to welcome their new Princess, and possibly, their future Queen…

It was official delegates whose job it was to approach and welcome the guests. A dignitary whose role it was to challenge the newcomers and present the customary fern leaf to be accepted in peace, before entering the main gates. And it was Hauku who, as in charge, had to accept the offering. Hinewai groaned to herself. Kahu had witnessed Hauku acting as commander in charge in Mitaroa’s absence. She should have been excited at seeing Kahu waving excitedly. But she felt guilty when she also saw Kahu’s face change at the sight of Hauku. She should have been leading the caravan, but she called for some of the Rauruan fire twirling entertainers and instructed them to enter first, on foot, with some twirling flares, to entertain their hosts. The people immediately cheered the theatrical spectacle as they entered their town. Behind the fiery display, Hinewai demanded Hauku take the fire twirler’s horses to the rear, and it was important that he also come in at the rear, for security, adding, this might be a trap, kidnapping their enemy’s Princess. She didn’t believe what she had said, but she knew that that was the only way that she was going to convince Hauku to do as he was told. Being always a warrior first and foremost, he nodded, and galloped obediently to the end of the troupe, the fire twirler’s horses in hand. Now, she could finally wave up at Kahu and with a sigh of relief, Kahu grinned and waved back. And so it was, that Hinewai, the small Manaian Princess warrior, following some fire twirlers as the sun was setting, dramatically entered the large imposing gates of Te Arawa…

Kahu was impressed at the spectacle. He hooted and cheered alongside everyone else. As she passed through the gates, Hinewai looked up at him and patted her horse’s bottom, indicating that he join her. Laughing out loudly, he just about fell from the parapet as he ran down as fast as could and excusing himself through the throng, pulled himself up behind her. Her hair brushed his face as she turned her slightly dimpled smile up towards him. It smelled of her lemony honeyed perfume. He put his arms around her, his face in her neck, and smelled deeply of her intoxicating scent. “Oh Hinewai, how I missed your smell…”

She held onto his arms around her. “And how I missed your embrace…”

“We are getting married tonight…now.”

Hinewai looked back at him again. “So soon?”

“Of course,” Kahu frowned, “that’s why you came, that’s why you’re here…”

Her dimple appeared. “Of…of course…”

“You still want to, don’t you?”

She looked frontwards so he wouldn’t see her misgivings. “Of course,” she repeated.

Kahu waved to his people, she copied, and the people cheered. Except for one. Halfway to the end of the road, where his parents waited, she noticed a woman. A pretty, plump woman. She stood out from the crowd because she was the only one that was not cheering happily. In fact, she looked miserable. Angry. She had two little boys with her, who also looked unhappy. So, Hinewai thought to herself, not everyone here is happy to see her. She turned to face Kahu again, she was about to ask who the only grumpy person in the crowd was, when something suddenly hit her head. She slumped in Kahu’s arms…

But when she came to, she was in Hauku’s arms. He was trying to carry her, and lead her horse, back out of the gates. Kahu and some of his men, were trying to stop him. “I knew this was a trap,” Hauku yelled at Kahu, his eyes shifted from Kahu to Hinewai, then back at Kahu again, “and she knew it too!”

“No!” Kahu yelled back, “it’s not a trap! It’s one crazy person who will be dealt with!”

“What’s happening,” Hinewai looked from one man she loved to the other, and rubbed her head, “what happened?”

Without taking his eyes off Kahu Hauku answered, “You were right Hinewai,” then helplessly looked at Kahu’s larger band of warriors starting to surround their small band of men, “it was a trap…we walked into a Te Arawa trap…” then he looked down at the girl he loved so much and in a helpless voice of surrender cried, “I’m so sorry, Hinewai, I should have known…we should have known not to trust them…”

Kahu tried to touch Hauku’s shoulder. “It’s not true, Hauku, this is not an ambush. One opponent who will be punished, I promise you…both!”

Hauku eyed the surrounding warriors brandishing their weapons. Kahu signaled for them to put down their weapons, and back off. They did.

A beautiful woman pushed her way through the crowd, to them. Everyone let her through. She touched Hinewai’s forehead. “Bring her inside. She needs a doctor.” She looked up at the man holding Hinewai, and gasped. Hinewai was the only one who noticed.

“Yes mother,” Kahu made to take the Princess from Hauku, but stepped back at Hauku’s sneer, and nodding, indicated for Hauku to follow his mother. He did.

It was a strange turn of events on what was supposed to be a joyous occasion. Hinewai was placed on the royal verandah. Someone was told to find a doctor, Hinewai said she had her own, so Nahera was bought to her, with a concerned Reina, Tania and Tairi following behind the healer. Kahu was holding her hand and trying to assure her that everything was going to be fine, and Hauku was holding her other hand, and warning Kahu between clenched teeth, not to touch her. Arnie, furthest away on the verandah, looked amused while he silently stroked his beard. A Maori Tohunga priest stood beside him. The King Amuri, still on his seat, was eyeing Hauku as if he recognized him. And Katea, the Queen, Kahu’s mother, looked pale, and sank on her raised dais, as if she was about to faint. Sizing up the situation, Hinewai knew she had to take charge. She stood up, looked Kahu in the eye, and asked what had happened. Kahu looked down guiltily and shook his head. She put her hand under his chin, turned his face back to hers, and asked him again, “what happened?”

But before he could answer, the King Amuri answered, “a silly child, carried away with the celebrations, tried to copy the fire twirlers, and was throwing a few stones around. One accidentally hit you. A playful boy…”

“A naughty boy!” Kahu looked gratefully at his father, “who will be punished!”

“It was a boy,” Hauku had seen what had happened but argued, “but it was not a playful child with a stone. It was a hateful child, who threw a rock!”

Hinewai smiled to herself as she remembered the only unhappy woman and boys in the crowd. So Kahu had a woman and family. She had no reason to feel guilty about her relationship with Hauku, at all. When Nahera stepped closer to examine her, Hinewai shook her head, and said loudly, “I’m fine, just a little scratch…don’t we have a wedding to perform?”

Apart from Hauku, the tension in the air immediately relaxed. Amuri signaled for the man next to Arnie to approach, he was to marry them, Arnie couldn’t perform the ceremony, Hinewai would find out later, he could only marry Christian people, so on the steps of the palace, Kahu and Hinewai were married by a Maori Tohunga in front of the Te Arawa King and Queen, and with Hauku, Tania, Reina, Tairi and Nahera, around them…

It was quite dark by the time celebrations commenced with the Te Arawa dignitaries and their main guests in the main hall, and the visiting warriors partying outside in the main square with the townspeople. Being in charge, Hauku was also invited to sit inside, if not too nicely by Kahu’s father, Hinewai supposed it was either because Mitaroa had not turned up, or because they had witnessed how closely concerned and lovingly protective, Hauku was behaving towards his Princess. Having found out that Kahu already had a woman and family here, made him even more troubled, but no matter what he tried or said, Hinewai was all the more determined to go through with the ceremony. She did have doubts, but since she found out as a child that she had to become a warrior, she had always since been an obedient daughter, accepting her fate, without argument.

Before the festivities were over, Kahu even went to thank Hauku for escorting Hinewai to Te Arawa and hoped that he would have a safe return trip home. Hinewai was not sure of Hauku’s response, but she did witness they good-naturedly shared an ale together, and almost shared a laugh as well – Hinewai wondered if the joke was about poor Hauku for losing, or poor Kahu for winning…

Nahera took this moment to check if Hinewai was alright. “You have a bad lump on your head…”

“I’ve had worse,” was Hinewai’s reply, “and you’ve fixed worse…”

Nahera nodded. “Yes, and yes…”

Hinewai took her hand. “I’m so glad that you came too…”

“I’ve been looking after you your whole life, I can’t stop now…”

Hinewai smiled at the old woman. “And Ingari, and all of us girls…” she indicated Reina Tania and Tairi with her free hand.

Nahera frowned. “You always refer to your mother as Ingari…”

“When I was very little, she was too frail to look after me like a mother…and later, we were more like friends, rather than mother and daughter…” Hinewai squeezed Nahera’s hand, “regardless, I feel lucky to have been born to my parents…I actually grew up admiring them both…so talented, clever, and so much fun…”

“She would be feeling so very proud of you, right now…”

“And you Nahera, you’ve been looking after us all, it seems like forever…there are rumors going around that you’re so old that you came over with the first Tipu-Aki, or more commonly known these days as the Raro or Mori, my father’s sea-faring people,s attack on the Manaian of the new land’s beautiful Taranaki…is that true?”

Nahera cleared her throat. “Yes…no, not quite…”

“You must have been a baby?”

“Yes…”

“They allowed babies on the war canoes?”

“No, of course not…I was born here…”

Hinewai frowned, not understanding. ”But…”

“You and your grandmother aren’t the first warrior women, have you heard of Erena?”

Hinewai gulped. “Yes, she’s famous…”

“I’m her daughter…”

“Oh, how exciting…”

“Not really,” Nahera sighed, “she fell in love with the wrong man…”

Hinewai glanced at Kahu, “who already had a family…”

Nahera nodded. “Erena and I went into hiding…”

“And you’ve been hiding ever since…” Hinewai wrapped her arms around the older woman. “Oh, Nahera…your father was royal too, wasn’t he?”

Nahera nodded again. “They’re both dead…and when you invited me to join you here in Te Arawa, I decided it was time to come out of hiding…”

“You could be related to me?”

Nahera nodded, and smiled, “on both sides…I’m both a Raro,” she lowered her voice, “and a Royal Manaian bastard…”

Soon after, Kahu returned, took Hinewai by the hand, raising her from her raised seat. “Hauku says he’s retiring, they’ll be leaving at first light,” he turned to his parents, “we’d better say our goodbyes…”

Hinewai could not help but feel uncomfortable when the four of them approached her lover, to bear him farewell, but what was even more mystifying, was the way Kahu’s mother, Katea, took Hauku into a loving, close embrace, and seemed reluctant, to let him go. Even he blinked in surprise, when Katea finally released him, with even more mystifyingly, tears in her eyes. She looked at her husband, as if pleading some secret question, and his slight shake of his head did not go unnoticed, by Hinewai.

Hinewai did not hug Hauku, just thanked him for bringing her here safely.

And with a; “your father will come as soon as he is able,” Hauku stepped back, head bowed, and left.

But Mitaroa never did get to Te Arawa…

Go to Chapter Six

THE ESCAPE