One Life Well and Truly Promised

by Richard D. Parker

  ♀

  Ke’alohi was having his own moment of panic. He’d followed the track to the north for nearly half an hour and saw no sign of fresh water. He never intended to go so far, but with each bend in the trail he expected to come across a river or at least a stream, and so continued on. Finally, however, he knew he’d gone as far as he could. Io’lana was wounded and alone back on the beach, so with a sigh and one last look at the bend up ahead, Ke’alohi spun about and headed back the way he’d come.

  Despite his own growing thirst, Ke’alohi increased his speed on the return journey, as visions of Io’lana’s death filled his mind. His imagination became his enemy as he ran; he saw Io’lana butchered by the natives of the island…and then eaten by strange and wild beasts…and finally he saw his friend just bleed to death, scared and alone. But when he finally reached the point where he’d entered the jungle he caught sight of Io’lana lying peacefully in the shade. Ke’alohi sighed and moved out of the trees and onto the soft sand, and then immediately froze.

  Io’lana’s wound had been dressed…expertly by the looks of it. Ke’alohi spun around and checked the area, but the beach was empty. He eyed the surrounding jungle, but the foliage was thick and lush, with a thousand places to hide.

  “Ia Ora na!” Ke’alohi shouted a cautious greeting, suddenly nervous, though anyone willing to dress a wound, was unlikely to leap out and attack them. “Ia Ora na,” he repeated with his hands spread open, but still the jungle remained eerily silent.

  Ke’alohi studied the tree line for several more moments before finally turning back to his friend and prince. Almost immediately he spotted the water skin and rushed forward. He gulped the water down greedily but when the worst of his thirst was sated he felt a wave of guilt. He should have saved it for Io’lana. It was done however, and so he bent and studied Io’lana’s shoulder. It was wrapped tightly in a leaf he was not familiar with, but the frond was large and soft, and made a fine dressing.

  Io’lana was breathing normally, but sweat glistened on his forehead and his skin felt hot to the touch. Ke’alohi frowned and quickly poured a small amount of water onto his fingertips and rubbed in gently onto his friend’s brow.

  Io’lana made no sound or gave any indication that he was aware Ke’alohi’s return.

  “Io’lana,” Ke’alohi whispered sadly. He brushed a strand of wet hair from his friend’s cheek and settled down to wait for his prince to awaken.

  Leilani, who was watching intently from the jungle, was struck by the gesture and by the beautiful one’s obvious affection for the wounded man. They were clearly very good friends, and she wondered which of the surrounding islands they called home. It was apparent now that they were not Kaluli warriors. The greeting the beautiful one had called out to the surrounding jungle had a strange lilting quality that made the words sound odd, and she was positive it was not part of the Kaluli language, or any spoken along the coast of the Papua. Possibly the men came from one of the strange tribes that inhabited the far west, but somehow she didn’t believe it to be so. The beautiful one was much too exotic and wonderful for any place so mundane, plus the strange markings on the wrecked wa’a were unlike anything she’d ever seen. No, she was positive they were not of Papua, but just where they were from was a complete mystery to her. She was sure however, that they were not part of a war party.

  ‘The beautiful one certainly doesn’t act like any of the warriors from my tribe,’ she thought as she watched him pour a small amount of water onto the lips of the wounded man. Afterwards, he took a very small sip from the skin before setting it aside, though she knew he must still be thirsty after his run in the jungle. He obviously had great affection for the man lying in the sand, and after a moment Leilani decided they must be brothers.

  Suddenly the wounded one croaked and his body began to spasm.

  “Io’lana!” The beautiful one yelled as he tried to hold the man still. Leilani was up and out of the trees before she even realized what she was doing, but neither man noticed her as she sprinted across the sand. The beautiful one…Ke’alohi…only looked up when she dropped to her knees at the wounded man’s side. His head shot up and his eyes pleaded with her.

  “Help him!” He said in a panic, and though she did not understand his words, their intention was clear enough.

  Leilani snatched up the water skin and poured a generous amount over the top of the man’s head, wetting his hair in an attempt to cool his body. She touched the skin of his cheek gently only to find what she already expected. The wounded man’s fever had flared up and was dangerously high. If they didn’t get it down quickly, he would surely die. She emptied the remainder of fresh water onto the man’s chest but his convulsions continued several more minutes before his body finally grew still.

  “Fetch seawater,” she snapped at Ke’alohi anxiously and thrust the skin into his hands. Ke’alohi frowned at her, clearly not understanding.

  “Seawater,” Leilani repeated impatiently, gesturing toward the ocean until he finally understood and sprinted off toward the water. By the time he returned the wounded man was convulsing again. This time the beautiful one poured the water onto the man’s chest and forehead, but the convulsions continued even after all the water was gone. Ke’alohi sprinted back toward the sea and filled the water skin as quickly as he could, but by the time he returned Io’lana was no longer having spasms.

  Ke’alohi’s heart dropped at the sight of the still body, believing his last remaining crewmate had died, but as he fell to his knees he realized Io’lana was just resting quietly, though his breathing was fast and shallow.

  The strange girl turned toward him and smiled. It transformed her face. She was startlingly beautiful, though Ke’alohi could tell the smile only carried relief and resignation, rather than true happiness. Ke’alohi smiled back, helpless to do otherwise.

  The girl was stunning, but in a way Ke’alohi could not quite understand, and he wondered for a moment if she was perhaps the Mother hen come down to him in disguise.

  Her features were soft and attractive, but she had dark, thin tattoos all along her jaw line. They extended down her neck and over her shoulders before wrapping elegantly around her firm, dark breasts. The entire affect was a little frightening, but somehow pleasing. She was indeed beautiful, but no more so than the countless other girls who’d chased him throughout his young life. Her mouth was slightly too small and her nose too large. Her ears were perfect, except for the thick thorns that pierced the lobes, and the sparkle in her eyes was no brighter than any of the other girls. But there was something hidden deep behind her large, brown eyes that appealed to him; something familiar, something he recognized. Somehow he knew this girl, though she was an utter stranger. Such a thing was impossible, but looking at her face Ke’alohi knew it to be true and he wondered once more if this was the Mother hen coming to his rescue.

  Perhaps then he did know her, at least by reputation. His smile widened as they stared at one another, and she quickly returned it.

  “Ke’alohi,” she said softly and laughed at his shocked expression. The sound filled his heart with sunshine and he laughed with her though he did not know why.

  “Leilani,” she added, touching her breast.

  “Leilani,” he repeated and hearing him say her name made blood rush to her cheeks.

  “Ke’alohi,” she repeated, staring up at him, her eyes darting about as if trying to capture every nuance.

  “Leilani,” he said with a smile that warmed her face far more than the tropical sun.

  “Io’lana,” Leilani added and pointed to the wounded man on the ground. Ke’alohi’s face lit up and for a moment they each became lost in the other’s eyes. The feeling that they knew each other was strong for both of them, and though they did not share the same language, the two instinctively knew they shared this same premonition.

  “Yes, Io’lana,” he finally confirmed.

  She reached up and touched Ke’alohi’s cheek, her fingertips electrifying,
and before Ke’alohi truly knew what he intended, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Leilani was surprised and delighted, but instead of pulling away as she normally would, she felt her body surrender to the beautiful one’s touch.

  Their heads were swimming and their hearts were pounding, and the encounter very well may have gone much further, but at that moment the first of the Hewa warriors burst out of the jungle and onto the beach.

  Lukikina, after leading Ali’ikai to the beach, paused at the edge of the jungle, shocked by the sight of her sister kissing one of the strangers. Even from a distance, it was easy to tell the kiss was a mutual endeavor. There was obvious passion between the two would be lovers, the kind of passion Lukikina had dreamed about her entire young life. And as she watched the Hewa warriors race to attack, something in Lukikina’s heart screamed out in despair.

  Ke’alohi jumped to his feet when he heard the Hewa war cries. As the fierce looking men sprinted across the beach, Ke’alohi drew his knife and moved in front of Leilani, believing she was in danger as well.

  Ali’ikai, the strongest of all the Hewa warriors, misread the stranger’s intentions and believed he was trying to keep Leilani captive, rather than protect her. The stranger was huge and ferocious looking, but Ali’ikai was confident they had the numbers to defeat him. Without hesitation he threw his thin, but deadly spear, with all the force he could muster.

  Ke’alohi’s eyes widened as the warrior hurled the spear, for it was not his tribe’s way to attack and kill without provocation. The throw was a good strong cast and covered the distance between the two with startling speed. But Ke’alohi was young and his reflexes were outstanding. He dove to the right, avoiding the deadly projectile and then rolled lightly on the hot sand. He was on his feet again almost before the spear hit behind him. Ke’alohi heard a grunt, and then Leilani screamed.

  Forgetting the warriors, Ke’alohi spun, thinking the girl had been hit, but his heart fell when he spotted the long spear sticking from the chest of his wounded friend.

  “Io’lana!” He cried and rushed to the prince’s side. The spear entered between his neck and shoulder. It just missed the collarbone before plunging deep into his chest. Io’lana’s eyes were open, suddenly clear. He looked questioningly at Ke’alohi; his breathing was coming in quick, loud gasps that abruptly stopped as Ke’alohi leaned forward.

  “NO!” Ke’alohi howled and then the first of the strange warriors hit him, driving him onto his back in the sand. Anger swelled up from somewhere deep inside Ke’alohi and filled his chest and arms with power. He howled again and threw off his attacker, who landed face first in the sand several feet away.

  Ke’alohi leaped to his feet just as the next pair of warriors closed on him. One attacker thrust hard with a spear, while the other swung a long club with a rounded knob on the end. Ke’alohi squirmed away from the spear, but the sharpened tip grazed his side leaving a thin red line of new blood. He didn’t even feel the injury as he dropped his arm and trapped the spear against his side. He spun then and wrenched the weapon from the warrior’s grasp. Before he could use it however, he smoothly ducked under the swinging club, which would have shattered his skull had it connected. Without thinking, Ke’alohi kicked out at the club wielder, sending him sprawling, and then jabbed hard at the now unarmed attacker with the spear. Surprising them both, the thrust caught the man in the throat. For a brief moment the two stood motionless, just staring into each other’s eyes, then the Hewa warrior’s eyes widened and he reached up and grabbed the spear and tried to pull it from Ke’alohi’s grasp. Ke’alohi was having none of it however, and jerked hard, pulling the weapon out of the man’s throat and through his fingers. Blood suddenly gushed from the wound and the man went down, taking most of Ke’alohi’s anger with him. He watched in wonder as the stricken man thrashed about, his lifeblood spilling quickly into the white sand.

  The final pair of warriors slowed as caution and good sense suddenly gripped them. Ke’alohi threatened them with the spear as the warrior with the club circled, and the first attacker regained his feet behind him.

  He was dimly aware of Leilani jumping in front of one of them. “Ali’ikai! Ali’ikai! He is not Kaluli! He comes from the sea…beyond our island!” She shouted loudly, none of which Ke’alohi understood…and Ali’ikai was not listening. The young warrior violently shoved her aside and she went down hard in the sand. Ali’ikai hardly registered her cry; his eyes now fixed on the body of Heketoro, his younger brother, who was clutching at his throat with the last of his strength, his eyes wide with fear. As Ali’ikai watched, his brother’s frantic actions slowed and his eyes dimmed until they stared up at nothing.

  Ali’ikai howled and tore his gaze from the body. He stared hatefully at Ke’alohi who slashed out with the spear, attempting to keep the other three warriors at bay.

  “Ali’ikai!” Leilani shouted from her knees. “He is not Kaluli. He comes from the sea!”

  Ali’ikai shook his head and glanced down at the girl, just as Lukikina dropped to Leilani’s side.

  “It matters not,” Ali’ikai spat, his face distorted in anger and grief. “He’s killed Heke! We will send his worthless spirit to the gods so Heke can take his revenge in the life beyond.”

  “But you killed his friend,” Leilani pleaded and Lukikina wondered at the pain she heard in her sister’s voice.

  Ali’ikai smiled, though it was not a pleasant look. “Yes, but this one will not die so easily. He’s for the trees!” With that the Hewa warrior turned from Leilani and barked out orders to those remaining and they quickly fanned out and encircled Ke’alohi.

  There were four of them, and though Ke’alohi spun this way and that, holding the spear at the ready, he could not keep them all in front of him. The Hewa warriors knew they had the stranger, but he was large, young and fast and kept them at bay for longer than any would have guessed. He even managed to inflict several minor wounds on his tormentors before a spear point finally broke through his defenses and pierced his right calf muscle.

  Leilani watched the entire episode with a strange feeling of dread and screamed as Ke’alohi went down, lost beneath a storm of muscled arms, backs and swinging clubs.

  “Ke’alohi!” She cried and would have rushed forward if Lukikina had not stopped her.

  “What is it?” Her sister asked. “What is he to you? He’s just a stranger from the sea.”

  Leilani struggled against the arms that held her for a moment longer, but by then Ke’alohi was unconscious. The men trussed him up tightly, until he lay helpless before his enemies.

  “Leilani?” Lukikina asked, but her sister continued to stare at the bloody and bruised beautiful one lying prone in the sand. “Leilani?” Lukikina repeated and then reached up and touched her sister’s chin, gently pulling her face around to her.

  “What is it?” Lukikina asked softly, her sister’s pain obvious for all to see.

  Leilani shook her head. “I don’t know. He’s a stranger…but I feel I know him. He’s a good man. You should have seen how he looked after his friend. We might have saved him.”

  “Saved him?” Lukikina asked, puzzled. “You were supposed to stay hidden in the trees. Why did you go onto the beach?”

  Leilani remained quiet as she watched Ali’ikai and Apera bind Ke’alohi to a long sturdy branch, while the others fashioned a simple litter to transport Heketoro back to their village.

  “Ke’alohi…” she began but stopped, almost embarrassed now that she knew the stranger’s name, and after a brief moment felt she needed to explain to her sister. “Ke’alohi needed help with his friend Io’lana, the wounded man,” she told Lukikina sadly. “You saw him; his shoulder was pierced by a large splinter of wood. They must have survived a powerful storm,” she continued, but then her sister’s expression stopped her.

  “What? You saw him,” Leilani continued angrily. “Their wa’a washed ashore, just up the beach. He’s not Kaluli!” She repeated loudly as the men lifted the bra
nch that held Ke’alohi, and without a backward glance they marched off into the jungle.

  Lukikina stood and pulled her sister to her feet. Leilani glanced down sadly at Io’lana, hating the thought of leaving him for the gulls and crabs.

  “Come,” Lukikina said quietly, pulling gently on her sister’s arm. After a long moment Leilani went reluctantly.

  ♀

  They were about an hour into the jungle before Ke’alohi finally woke. He struggled briefly against his bonds, but quickly realized that it was a useless gesture. His arms and legs were completely immobilized, in fact, other than wiggling his fingers and toes; the only part of his body unhindered was his head. He was utterly helpless and knew that he’d be hard pressed to escape even if he was completely alone. Nevertheless, it was not in his nature to admit defeat, so he continued to strain against the ropes that held him.

  Leilani knew that there was no escape for Ke’alohi. Apera was an expert with ropes and had tied more than one captured prisoner to the trees, which was a very high honor. Even so, she watched as Ke’alohi refused to give up, and as he continued his wild-eyed struggle she wondered if he was still in his right mind.

  Blood had congealed against the right side of his face, and though he was awake, Leilani could see that his eyes still carried an unfocused, vacant quality to them. She moved past Lukikina and edged closer to Ke’alohi, hoping he would see her. She had to make him understand that this was not what she wanted, and that she would do whatever she could to save him. But before she could get alongside, Ali’ikai moved in front of her and shook his head.