"Discovering The Truth, With Open Eyes" (Karena series)

by Amber "V" Moonstone

3/15/10

Tumas stared at Karena as if seeing her for the first time,
He was so angry that she allowed herself to become captive,
He feared for all of his family
Especially after this encounter with the white man.

His intuition and courage would never have allowed this
He knows from experience what the white man is capable of,
They are full of dishonor and deceit,
they are selfish and greedy.

"Tumas, are you listening to me?"
"Yes, but I am consumed with anger,
for you could have been killed and then what?"
"Oh Tumas, I know I shall live a long life,
the Great Spirit is with me."

"Sir Thomas Dale is a good man,
he wants to learn our ways,
he wants to live in harmony with our people,
we must grant him this otherwise I fear we will be ruined".

"Karena, I lived among the white man,
they cannot ever understand our ways,
they are incapable of living in harmony
with our people and our Mother Earth."

"Tumas, no, I will be the buffer for each world,
I will heal their sick, and in exchange receive
their word that they will not harm our people."
Please try to understand that this is the way it should be."

"Karena, you live in the clouds with the eagles,
You are not a warrior, You have never been in battle,
they have fire sticks, we have arrows,
we cannot compete with this, we are doomed"!

At that moment, fear gripped Karena's heart,
was Tumas right? Was she blind to the white man's lies?
"I will call the elders together and seek counsel,
I shall plead my case with them and do as they advise."

"Karena, do as you must, but be not blind,
The white man must suffer the consequences for
taking you away from us.  The elders are aware
of what has happened.  Do not see without seeing."

"Tumas, you think I am blind? I know what the white man
is capable of.  I have seen their cold blooded murder,
I have witnessed burning villages, rape, and torture.
It all must stop now, before we are all destroyed."

Karena walked away toward the elder's lodging.
She knew what was in her heart,
She knew what really needed to be said,
and with the support of the elders she will begin her mission.

Satisfied with the results of her counsel,
Karena bedded down for the night.
Laying close to Tumas as he slept snoring like a bear.
She smiled for his sound was comfort to her soul.

Gunshots awoken Karena from a dead sleep.
She grabbed her deerskin dress and shook Tumas
awake, He jumped up and grabbed his bow and arrow.
"What is happening?  What is that noise?"

The children came running into Karena's arms,
scared and crying out of control.
"Karena, you must take the children and flee,
we are under attack.  Go to the river and hide there."

Karena scooped up the baby, and grabbed a few
blankets and food to take her children
out of harms way.  She looked at Tumas
whispered "I love You," and fled to safety.

"Eagle Spirit guide, please lead us to safe ground,
protect Tumas and my people,"
As she said this, she saw her eagle friend flying directly
above her.  She knew they all would be safe.

Hours turned into days,
and still no sign of Tumas.
Karena would not leave her children,
but she wanted to know what had happened.

The children were playing on the river bed,
among their sister tribe, when two white men
on horseback entered the village.
The Pamunkey warriors were at attention.

They surrounded the white men
"Greetings, We bear no harm,
we come in peace.  Hear us for we are lost
and need assistance.  My friend is wounded,
can anyone help him?"

Karena stepped forward,
"I am Karena, Eagle Medicine Woman,
bring him there to my quarters, I will tend to his wounds.
No one harm them, I will be responsible for them".

The two white men dismounted their horses,
and did as Karena ordered.
Upon investigation, Karena discovered an arrow head
in the young man's shoulder blade.

"Where did you get this wound, sir?"
"We were in a battle with the Indians,
and I was wounded.  I did not want to fight,
but I was ordered to do so. I am sorry."

As he was talking, Karena was pulling the arrowhead out.
He passed out from the pain.
"Your friend, he is very young, what brings someone
so young to fight with my people?"

"We are ordered to do this by our Governor,
we obey the rules or we are killed."
Karena's face went ashen white.
"Your Governor? Sir Thomas Dale?"

"Yes maam, that would be him.  We are to seize the
surrounding territory so that we can grow our tobacco
plants in order to make money to send to our mother land.
I don't want to do this, I want to live in peace and never
go back to England."

"You are mistaken, surely Sir Thomas Dale himself
has not ordered such mass destruction.  He promised
that he would be peaceful and learn our ways.
I have been blinded by his charm and good looks."

Karena continued to administer care to the young man.
She cleaned his wounds and dressed them.
"He will need much sleep and rest, He has lost much
blood.  Take him to the next dwelling, you will be safe there."

"What is your name sir? "
"Samuel Collier, please we mean no harm.
Let us rest and we will go back to our home.
We will tell them of your kindness and healing."

"Samuel you have no need to fear,
we are a peace loving people, we only
fight when we are endangered or forced to defend
ourselves and our children."

Karena walked them to the dwelling
where all wounded and sick slept.
It was blessed by the Great Spirit
and the healing powers of the elders.

Somehow, Karena knew that this young man,
would be important to her tribes survival.
She would make sure they returned to
their people safely.

Karena, Eagle Medicine Woman
May 1611