When Soaring Hawk and Fire Walking Woman returned to the teepee, they were startled to see each of the others sitting with the wooden cups in front of them. Outside, drumming and chanting had begun as the tribe began celebrating the victory over the Scouting Party. Cloud Chief spoke for the group.
"We have agreed and will drink the potion. We owe this to our people since they have raised us, shared food with us, and helped protect us. The tribe must survive and we must do our part."
The Elders were humbled. Though this was what they had hoped for, even expected, the four young men and women made them feel proud. They knew how frightened they were, delving into an unknown and sacred area like this, concerned over how much they would discover. Some things joyful and some tragic, like all lives. It would also change their ways of thinking in the long run. Fire Walking Woman poured the liquid to the mid-way point and they swallowed it at once.
"How long will this take before we can begin?" You could hear the nervousness in Running Deer's voice.
"A little longer than it takes to smoke a pipe. We will listen to music and share some tobacco. But first, we will begin by handing you each a packet to open. A relic preserved by Fire Walking Woman after each of your deaths in that past life. She outlived us all and hid them in case she decided they were needed."
The first to open a packet was Red Arrows, and she slowly drew back the oblong wrapping, a faded brocade that fell to dust as she revealed an old and now stiffened leather front piece of an ancient armored breastplate. She ran suddenly shaking hands over it, and a strange scent still clung to it. She raised it to her nose and breathed in an aroma that was as faint as a fleeting thought.
"S...s..." she paused, reaching back for the right word. "Sandalwood and leather... Sandalwood and leather..." A rare tear trickled down her cheek as she ran a finger over a round hole discolored by ancient blood from a battle she had lost in the attempt to save a five-year-old boy.
Running Deer watched in awe at her lover then bent her head and looked her gift over. It was a rounded cylinder and as the material around it crumbled and fell away to the ground, she exposed a scroll made of wooden slats woven together. It was covered front and back in tiny ancient characters. She raised her head in wonder.
"I know what these symbols mean."
The elder woman smiled warmly at her. "When you were 12 back then, you wanted to run a library full of scrolls like this, and many books. You were required to research and write your family's lineage out as a test in order to prove your worth. You passed."
Rabbit was still a bit fearful, but he took his packet in hand. It was long and thin and when revealed, he held a jet black flute, gently carved and still retaining its well-loved patina.
"Chenqing! My beautiful Chenqing!."
He put it to his lips and a soft, sweet tune emerged. He heard a gasp and looked over to Cloud Chief and watched the eyes slide into a clear golden crystal behind a sheen of tears.
"My Love? Are you alright?"
The normally composed Cloud Chief nodded a little quickly, staring at the generous lips as they formed around the mouthpiece, and he felt somewhat dizzy with desire. He took a tremulous breath as he looked into silver ones and took a moment to recover himself.
When he could, he picked up his packet,.brushed the fragile fabric away, and revealed a wooden box. The same strange yet compelling scent rose from it. Sandalwood, Red Arrows called it. It wafted up and through him, making every fiber of his being vibrate with a warmth and a passionate devotion. It was not just familiar, it was a part of his very nature and though it was new to him in this life, he knew it more than any other scent he had ever inhaled in his life. He opened the box and lying inside was an intricately cast silver slide, fashioned into swirling, curling clouds, the remains of disintegrating blue ribbon lay underneath the piece of metal. The music from the drums outside and the potion he has swallowed were begin to blur lines. He turned to Rabbit and in A musical language said,
"Wei. Please remove the band from my head."
Rabbit obeyed without thinking and handed it to his Lan Zhan who positioned the band at the end of the oval disc of silver clouds. It fit perfectly and the beaded band, covered in white clouds and blue skies, threaded easily through the back of the slide. He placed it back in Wei's hands.
"Please tie it back in place. Only my husband may touch my headband."
He looked at the others who were watching him in awe and recognition. He took Rabbit's hand and they both stood and bowed to their gods and ancestors.; bowed to XiChen, Qing, Yenay, and Qinyang, and bowed to each other.
Then he spoke firmly, brooking no arguments from another soul.
"We are now married. Any objections?"
Lan Xi Chen laughed out loud, as did everyone present. At that point, the couple was surrounded by those that loved them the most and who had sought them out over the centuries. It was strange at first, this new duality of living as both how they were now and who they were then.
"How on earth do you do this every day?" Qinyang asked Xi Chen. They sat closely together, his arm around his newly awakened sister. Always their Protector and guide, he smiled as their old familiar relationship shifted back in its natural place in the universe.
"It takes time. And practice. You must always be aware of whom we all are now. This life must be Soaring Hawk's and yours must be Running Deer's. It works fluidly after some time. Live only by this tribe's customs but bring your talents into play to fight for its survival. This lifetime has all the same value as our past lifetimes and must now be the one that we save and allow to flourish. The other is past. This one is now."
They sat, smoking and talking until the wee hours of the morning, interrupted only when either Cloud Chief or Rabbit could not contain themselves, and dived in for yet another long and distracting kiss. Then suddenly, Rabbit stood up, pulling his husband up with him.
He faked a huge yawn and grinned lecherously at the company before them.
"I am suddenly exhausted, AND need to return to our teepee."
"Our teepee?"
"Yes. Where else would my husband sleep? Surely, not at his brother's after tonight. We are no longer interested in heading for the river. We remember our old Quiet Spell now, and we promise not to wake the neighbors!" At that, he dragged his grinning husband off, as fast as they could run.
Soaring Hawk sighed and said," I guess every day means every day is back on again. I will make an announcement of their nuptials in the morning!"
'
