Love and friendship banquet

Luzia is Willian Bradford’s daughter in this universe. And Youã is Squanto’s. Lucas is the governor’s

The Summer didn’t save just the Harvest, but the Love between Luzia and Lucas.

CHAPTER 1

I make waves with a branch on the river. I take a little breath and rest my chin on my knees while I look to the little waves. That’s all I have to do. And here, this calm place far from the village is better than that bed. My real medicine. My mom may be mad right now, because she ordered to me to rest because of my desease. It happened with a lot of people since we’re here. But I couldn’t stand anymore and I am much better here, breathing in the pure air. I do it right now, closing my eyes.

There’s a sound.

I open my eyes and look around, seeing a turkey, looking mechanically at me. I do the same, like a bird looking something and converge my eyes like to see my nose and I look weirder. And it goes away, like a penguin. I giggle and turn to face the river again, looking the pines from the other side.

The best of everything is that the summer came. I would never guess I would feel well just because of it. Well, when I arrived here, it was a sad place, because of the winter. Now, everything is like I have always seen in life, light, sun, green leafs and summer wind. I breath in the air again with a big smile on my face. I see my reflection on the water. Now I look radiant. My blonde hair falling with flat waves over my shoulder until the base of my breasts, with a single and lonely brand keeping up with it from my temple. I stand up and whirl with my yellow bright dress, laughtering from nowhere. Maybe that’s what happens when someone is alone. Get crazy from nowhere.

That’s what life should always look like.

I hear a crack sound and stay with my eyes wide open, looking around. It does not sound like a turkey’s footsteps sound.

"That’s just me, sunny." he says, those yellow eyes and caramel hair.

          I looked around and he surprised kissing me. I moved my face away and look frightened.

          "What, you thought I was an Indian?"

          After relieving, I curve my lips in the confident way, surrounding his salmon neck with my arms.

          "I am friend with Indians, and very good with the arrows." and do the same expression I did with the turkey.

          "Wow, I’d better take care them. What is this?"

     "Don’t worry, I protect you." I say, ignoring the comment about my expression, leaning with my hands now on his thighs and giving a quick peck on his lightly parted lips. I look at the river and drawn my fingertips on the water, distorting the image, stand up e and run to nowhere through the pines.

          He furrows his brow.

          "Hey!" he creams and stands with a amazed smile and starts running after me.

          I start giggling when looking behind and he is tripping all over the away. It’s funny that I know the place better than him since man should be better than  woman.       

          Maybe that’s why I’ve fallen in love with Lucas, he is always saying I am a woman capable of many things, and can be as much better than him.

          He trusts me, know I am a smart girl, capable of protect myself and even him. I remember one day when he was about to be attacked by wild duck and I saved him. He says I am his hero. That was a good feeling.

          And I tripped terribly, and he tripped too, both of us falling on the ground and rolling on a steep clearing, laughtering.

          "Luzia!" an angry voice says.

          We stop immediately.

          "What you think you’re doing? You’re sick."

          Like a child caught in something terrible, I bend down my face and starts playing with my brand.

          "I am better mom, and …"

          "You have to go home, now." she interrupts me.

          I look up and she looks for a second from me to Lucas.

          "But…"

          "Now, Luzia." She says with her ultimate look and I giggle remembering when I told to Lucas about her ultimate look. And I realize he is containing a laugh, pretending he is taking some dust from his mouth. Then he starts cleaning his green hat.

          I sigh and stand up, hold a hand to Lucas, who accepts. I give him a shy smile e go with my mom, who was about to roll her eyes, but contains herself to show she is a mom with everything on its place.

          I pass straight by my mom and she follows me, because I am sure she didn’t come by the woods.

          "It’s not right to be seen with this…"

          Luzia prouts silently.

          "You know who I love." I say after a while.

          "And you know who can give you a future."

          "And I know who can give love I need."

          She stops in front of me.

          "And I know to orders here." She says, not with the ultimate look, but something more definite, more serious. That gives me some horrible feeling and looks to her belly. When she knows I have nothing more to say, she turns and keeps going even if she doesn’t know the path.

          I can see the walls we are constructing. We round it and there is the village. No long the winter end, there were few houses, it started with just one with a lot of people, I feel that that was the reason the desease spreaded. Neverthereless, We have our own home now, and other with a few people that remains.

          We’re heading to our house, white, with a huge straw roof and our own chimney behind.

          At night, my father arrives, kiss my temple, the cheeks of my mom and goes to write on his desk. I don’t know what he writes so much. But what really matters is that he likes Lucas.

          CHAPTER 2

          On the following day, I was helping my mom with the bowls after breakfast when my future husband arrived. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Lucas.

          Mr. Johnson with his torso armor, and helmet with tree tips that reminds a ships, entered the house, and my mom suddenly burst with a welcoming smile.

          "Good morning, Mr. Johnson, would you like some porridge? Luzia who did it."

          With all my attention to the bowls I am putting to dry, I arch my eyebrows. You liar, mom.

          I don’t give him attention. I get the basket and says my mom I going to the woods, giving no time for her to answer, and letting Mr. Johnson with a open mouth, about to say something. I slam the door.

          I was the first to be friends with the Indians, and a friend, called Youã taught to some archery. That's not his real name, it is just a name I randomly gave him. And sometimes we fish. The Pilgrims almost have a fight with them. But everything turned out to be alright. They taught us to face that horrible winter. I like them, they don’t need to be rich, just need the nature. I would like my mom to think like them, this way she would stop hindering my relationship with Lucas.

          More than the half of the hundred who came to Plymouth died. And it would be worse if it wasn’t for the Indians. I was about to die to. But I got well in time. My Indian friend came and cured me, along with Lucas.

          We set to meet here, me, Youã and Lucas. Youã was there when I arrived, pointing a arrow to some target. He releaseed.

          "Good morning, Youã." I say.

          He turns his face to me and give me a madure smile. It’s interesting how they sound more madure them us. I love it, because, sometimes, they can be fun too.

          I brought a wooden bowl full of porridge and taught him to use the wooden spoon.

          I and Lucas taught him our language so well that he master it beautifully with his Indian accent. Sometimes, our people from village get impressed.

          Despite having some kind of agreement with Indians, our people and their kind of limit each other just for survival.

          "Hey, sunny." The most amazing voice says. Seriously, Lucas has this young man gentle madure voice, and me, this sweet I hate so much girly voice. I would love to have a strong, rough voice. Like a madure and sexy woman or a taugh man. I prefer the latter.

          "Good morning, My babe" I say, with a manly rough voice.

     He is with eyes wide open.

     "What the…"

I laugh and run towards him, pulling his cuffs and circling, making him dizzy.

     "Wow, wow."

     Youã just looks with a gentle smile.

     I hear a sound. We all look at the same direction. Lucas shakes his head e blink his eyes. I blink my eyes and realizes how dizzy I am.

     There are soldiers coming. Torso silver armors, those strange helmets and swords. Mr. Johnson and two other soldiers.

     We stare at each other silently. A strange silence. Mr. Johnson was laughing with his soldiers, but now his eyes are kind of squinted and I see his grip of the sword.

     CHAPTER 3

     The soldiers and pilgrims already talked to Squanto and the tribe, but they still face each other like wild animals. It wasn’t the first time I see Mr. Johnson with this expression, like containing some tragedy. He looks great to my mom, but I feel he may show other thing I don’t like. That’s my fear, the unknown, on the contrary of Lucas who I known deeply and are sure about him.

     Those armors, just to show the Indians they are not weak. Ridiculous.

     But my indian friend is better than this, they like to talk before fight. Stupid Mr. Johnson has a sword on this hand.

     Mr. Johnson gulps, let go of the sword and smile, like he was always gentle.

     "Me, Johnson, soldier." he says, gesturing to himself and marching at the same place in a funny way.

     "Why are you talking like a toddler?" Youã asks

     I and Lucas laugh low.

     Johnson looks surprised e then squints his eyes.

     "Would you like to join us?" Youã asks, lifting the bowl In Mr. Johnson’s direction.

     "No, we have to hunt and patrol."

     "No problem, I protect you." Youã says, confidently and determined.

     I and Lucas contain a laugh gain. No long ago, Youã said “Youã protects you” what sounded cute. But now, he said like a gentleman to a madam. 

     - If you excuse us. – Mr. Johnson says.

     Youã smiles warmly and steps aside, and Lucas and I doing the same. Youã gesturing for John to follow. Johnson does it. When the soldiers are gone and nowhere to be seen, the three of us burst out laughing. Then, we get back to the reunion.

     Lucas gives a cap to Youã. He loves it, and star running around the clearing with the cap trembling, like a child.

     My friend Indian give us presents too. Feather to put behind our head, and a teeth animal necklace. Now I look like them and its lovely. Maybe they wouldn’t like if I used this Word. But I find lovely. I whirl my yellow bright dress while Youã teachers Lucas how to arch.

     "Hey, I want, too" I say and run towards them.

          CHAPTER 4

          As the days goes by, Indians teach more to people, more houses are getting finished, walls getting longer. The relationship gets better. Youã can go to the village without worrying about the pilgrims. And they even made a fire, where I, Lucas and Youã told good stories. Mr. Johnson staring with flames reflecting in his eyes. Youã smiling warmly to him, sometimes.

          We were having good moments, Lucas was the worst person to plant when working, on the contrary of the others who were already taught by the Indians. Youã, of course, helped him.

          But….

          There are always buts when things are good.

          Lucas’s father, the governor, got very sick.

          It happened in a room where the light comes from a lonely candle. There was an old carpet beside the bed. Shelves on the wall with vases on.

          Lucas’s father coughes.

          "The Indians will help you. Our kids are the future. You, William, can take my place, then, Lucas and Luzia." he Coughes again. "They love each other. John, poor John, she doesn’t love him."

          William smiles sadly.

          "I can die in peace if you promise me they will be happy. And promise me you will take my place."

          A tear runs down William’s cheek.

          "I promise" my father says.

          With a little effort, Lucas’s father smile. He closes his eyes, and his head slowly turns to one side.

          On that day, Youã, Lucas and I were watching he dies. Lucas contains his tears. His eyes were filled with tears.

         

          "Now, you will vote about William taking place of the governor. All of you in favor? Any objection?"

          Silence.

          "Ok, It’s announced them. William’s the new governor".

          "Maybe it would be better if it was the captain" Mr. Johnson comments.

          "It was his last wish before he dies."

          "But it would be good for our village." Mr. Johnson tries again.

          The is a brief chattering. But everyone looks to agree about William like governor. Mr. Johnson sighs and gets out.

          We were all in a bigger house, with straw roof, wooden not White, but Brown. My father was on the pulpit.

          “I am deeply honored, and with your consent, I’d like to make a proposal like a governor. Every autumn, in every harvest, we will choose a day to make a banquet. Not a banquet for sillies and greedies, but one to thanksgiving day."

          It is so exciting. Lucas smiles and I return, resting then my head on his shoulder. Youã does the same on mine, almost making me laugh. My father looks for a second to me and I concentrate. But he smiles.

          “To thanks God, certainly without him, we wouldn’t be here."

          After his speech, when all of our people started talking, my father came to me and said he agrees about my relationship with Lucas.

          "What about mom?" I ask.

          "You’re already eighteen. I am sure that our dear Lucas will take care very well of you." Dad hugs me, and pulls Lucas who tripped. Youã smiles warmly to us.

          "That was another promise." I say, with a muffed voice against his shoulder.

          "On of the most important. You happiness." he comments.

          Trees leafs are red, orange and yellow now. Spring is so beautiful. The harvest is going well and everything seems to be ok. And after the harvest work out, we celebrated, like my father said.

          We warmed the caldron, hot breads. It smells delicious. Lucas is outside turning the turkey on the fire. Youã throughing some branches from time to time. They are talking in the distance. I go back to the kitchen and take the sheet form the top of the breads. I smile radiantly for my work and go back to the door, seeing Indians, soldiers and pilgrims working together.

          CHAPTER 5

          My mom can’t oblige me to marry Mr. Johnson. And I’ve been ignoring her all this time. After our village thrived, Lucas started building a house. And he is at this moment coming to my house to show me out our own house. And in this exact day I decided to answer her.

          "He is the right man for you"

          "Why, just because he was a soldier? Mom, it doesn’t matter here anymore."

          "No, you’re not understanding. He has manners, has post. I know he may be like everyone here, but soon the village will be more organized and we are going to divide…"

          "What?" I can’t believe she is saying something like that. "Are you series? After all we’ve been thought, you want us to be down again? Forget London, forget everything in that other world or go back, because I can’t stand anymore your craziness."

          I moved away from her to not say any more things, or it can be worse. It was strange, because she got sad and went to her room.

          Lucas got there.

          "Hey, why…"

          "It doesn’t matter. Let’s go." I say, passing by him.

          "Hey. Where are you going?" he says. But what is he talking about?

          "Who said it's built it in the village?" he asks.

          I blink, totally disconcerted. He just smiles at me and like a person in shock, I let him pull me like a zombie.

          Just after Luzia’s gone, her hus… Mr. Johnson arrives.

          "Where is she?" he asks, with a light smile on his face and at the same time, strange, like he is about to do something decisive.

          "She… She…"

          "What?"

          "Oh, Mr. Johnson, maybe you have to forget her." I say sadly.

          "What are you talking about?"

          "She went with Lucas to see their new house."

          His eyes widened fast, like a wild animal, what make me part my lips, scared. He grasped his sword. Oh, no.

          "What are you gonna do?"

          "I’m gonna get my wife."

          Lucas took care of her when she was sick, he's been protecting her. He is the right man, not Mr. Johnson. I close my eyes. All because of a craziness life I couldn’t get over. I opens my eyes again. And runs outside the house.

          We are happy. We’re gonna see the house he is constructing, but a horse is in front of him out of nowhere.

          It’s Mr. Johnson. I sigh irritated.

          "What do you want?" I ask.

          "I want what is mine. You" he points at me. "will get on his horse and go with me to village and never get out of the house."

          I laughed.

          "Oh, my god. You think I am what, your puppy?"

          "You look like one all the time and even ask?"

          Ok, he ended up learning Youã ironies, that’ no good.

          "Go to he…."

          "Johnson," Lucas started, cutting me "Give up man. We love each other, it would be just a frustra…"

          Johnson would never listen to his rival. Of course not. While Lucas was trying to be a hero with no powers, Johnson pulls his word and get off the horse. Ok, Now he got me to be afraid. I grasped Lucas arm. Lucas put himself in front of me. I hear a zum and two sceams. The cream of Mr. Johnson. All at the same time and I almost got a dizziness.

          But all was explained respectively. The zum was the arrow Youã released in Mr. Johnson arm. I turn my face and mixtured with my just desperate, I smile.

          The other scream was mom, who was beside Youã, on her knees and crying with her hands on her mouth.

          Other Indian and soldiers arrived, taking Mr. Johnson away from us. I stare at him.

          "You will never have me." it was the last thing I said to him.

          "Lu… Luzia." I look to Lucas and… Oh, no, part of the sword was slipped inside him.

          We are sitting on cutted trunks.

          Red flags with golden cross in the center. And Indians accessories around. We are having another banquet. But just me and my friends. We are commemorating everything, Lucas convalescence, the thrive of the village, our new house and our happy future.

          My mom was right in something, one day we would organize more. I jail was constructed and there is where Mr. Johnson will spend his life.

          But I don’t want to worry about him. I take a corn on the cob and bite it. With my necklace of teeth and my leather behind my head, I start running around the clearing. Youã and Lucas look at each other, and start doing the same.

          I stop suddenly. Lucas and Youã bumped my back.

          "Ouch." I exclaimed. "Watch out!"

          "Why did you stop so suddenly?" Lucas asks.

          "Are you feeling bad, friend?" I ask.

          I sit on the trunk again, with a thoughtful expression.

          "What are you grateful for?"

          "Well, I am grateful for the new things I’ve learned with you." Youã says.

          "I am grateful for having the most beautiful woman in this village."

          I arch an eyebrow.

          "In this universe, you mean."

          He hold up his hand.

          "You who orders. What about you, sunny?"

          I smile.

          "I am grateful for having the best friends in the world. I am grateful for the peace, for our thrive, for the convalescence, for the love and for the justice."

          They just stood there, staring. I stand and starts running again. They do the same and Lucas screams.

          "I am grateful for my girlfriend not be crazier than she is."

          I laughter and keep running, jumping and spinning with my arms wide open. All this around the friendship and love banquet.