Rich Man's Coffin (26 page)

         
Robulla’s eyes widened with terror.
 
He stammered, “No, no!
 
Spare me.
 
I understand what it is you say.
 
But look at me, son!
 
Who is it that you think you are dealing with?”
 
The tidewater was brimming over his shoulders as he looked up at Black Jack.
 
He continued, “I am the child of highest Maori royalty.
 
My parents ruled this land long before Captain Cook ever set his blue eyes upon it.
 
I was raised to be a great chief from the time I was in my mother’s arms.
 
I do not do the things I do out of malice toward my people.
 
It is my duty as a good Maori, my destiny as a chief; and it is tradition.
 
My people expect it, because that is the way it has always been done.”

         
Black Jack’s arched his brows.
 
He said, “Ah, there it is: ‘Tradition’.
 
The way things have always been done somehow makes them right.
 
Well, I only have to say, that if doing things as they have always been done leaves you with no people to do them, then that makes the things you do rather pointless, wouldn’t you agree?”
 
Robulla nodded, mouth gaping and eyes bulging like a choking fish.
 
Black Jack added, “Besides, ‘always’ is a long time.
 
For your people, ‘always’ has not been that long.
 
Who do you think the first person was that suggested eating other people?
 
Do you think he was very popular?”
 
Robulla shook his head.
 
Black Jack said, “No!
 
I didn’t think so.
 
So how did it become so popular, you ask?
 
Because stupid people went along with it until it was ‘tradition’, that’s how!
 
So don’t tell me that rubbish, or you’ll only make me madder!”
 
Black Jack sprayed spit in Robulla’s face as he yelled.
 
He waved the raised green axe wildly.

         
Robulla asked meekly, “What do you want?”

         
Black Jack shouted, “I’m getting to that!
 
Now, just be quiet.
 
I want you to understand me perfectly, that’s what I want.
 
I want you to know that I am doing this for your own good, for the good of all Maori.
 
I want you to understand that when you leave this cave, that you are the man who is going to change this country.
 
Not me,
you
!
 
You got that?”

         
Robulla said quietly, “Yes.”
 
The water was starting up his neck.

         
Black Jack started again.
 
“All right, from the beginning:
 
You are going to resume your rule of the Maori in your domain as a peaceful and kind chief.
 
You are going to stop fighting other Maori not under your control, and work toward peace and unity with them.
 
You need to preserve and strengthen the remaining Maori. You need to prepare yourselves for the coming white men.”

         
Robulla asked, “What do you mean?”

 
“There are many, many more white men in the world than Maori.
 
Believe me, I know.
 
They will come and try to take everything you have.
 
Trust me, I have seen them do it to my people and other people many times.
 
More importantly, the Pakeha do not fight amongst themselves as the Maori do.
 
They do not kill for the sake of killing, and they do not eat one another.
 
They are a hoard coming to this land.
 
You will need all your strength and numbers to stand up to them.
 
Do you understand?”

         
Robulla seemed more concerned about the rising water, but he nodded nonetheless.
 
“I truly do.
 
You have shown me the light, young man.
 
My heart is opened.
 
What else do you want?”

         
“There is a Maori woman.
 
She was my soul mate before you came and destroyed what we had.
 
I want to find her.
 
Tell me where she is.”

         
“Tell me who it is you speak of, Black Jack.
 
There have been so many that I have sent away.”

         
“Kumari!”

         
“The daughter of Ruaoneone?
 
Does she know you?”

         
“Know me?
 
We were married, you fool!
 
We were in love as much as the sky loves the sea.
 
You destroyed that.
 
Where is she?”

         
“She is alive, my son, take heart.
 
I hear she is inland, just south of here at a small Rangitane tribal pa.
 
You can reach her in a day or two. I will tell you where.
 
But...” The water had reached his chin.

         
“But what?”

         
“But I marked that tribe for death not too long ago.
 
The order has been issued, and the surrounding tribes will not know of my change.
 
I cannot turn around what I have set in motion with a wave of my hand.
 
You yourself will be in danger if you go see the Rangitane.”

“Leave it to me.
 
I will not make us look soft. Weakness is no friend of peace.
 
Come along, I will let you go now.”
 
Black Jack reached out as if to help the chief up, but at the last minute, he plunged his head into the frigid water and briefly held it under.

Robulla popped up, gasping.
 
He sputtered, “Oh, thank you.
 
I will not forget what you have told me.
 
From now on, I owe you my life.
 
You have taught me well, my son.
 
Please, carry my Papu-tahi in good faith and may it keep you safe always.”

Black Jack held the green gift proudly in his right hand as he embraced the chief.
 
They emerged from the cave walking shoulder to shoulder, laughing as men who have fought and then bonded.
 
They hailed the awaiting warriors.

Black Jack gave his signal; and Robulla gave his. All the warriors abandoned their standoff.
 
For the rest of the afternoon the two troops ate and played the Maori version of rugby. The two chiefs ate to discomfort while they finalized their plan for lasting peace. To Black Jack, it seemed like another chance for true happiness.

Chapter 16

         
Virgin green valleys lay before him in vast, velvet vistas, spreading between steep hills and sharp peaks as they beckoned him to venture inland.
 
The lonely sun squirmed in a clear, blue sky, hot and longing for humidity.
 
Freshly perfumed, the cool air sauntered among the trees, occasionally stealing a ride on a passing steed called the breeze that rustled the leaves as it ran.
 
The wind sang for Kumari.

         
Black Jack, for the first time in New Zealand, saw no sea, nor any sign of man for as far as he could see.
 
Robulla’s directions had been simple. But so had Jeff’s instructions for escaping the farm.
 
Black Jack needed only to travel down the great straight coast toward the cape.
 
At the mouth of the great river, he was to turn toward the interior and follow the water until he began to reach the mountains.
 
At a certain point, a very high, single peak should appear on his left.
 
If he headed straight for the one mountain away from the river, he would meet directly with his old tribe near the base.
 
It was a beautiful place to relocate, thought Black Jack, as he looked around the nearby mountain ranges.

         
Standing by the clear river, he took a drink of the sparkling water and admired the sculpture of the surrounding landscape.
 
He saw the ranges to the north forming a succession of ridges, increasing in height at even intervals and distances.
 
It was like a stairway to heaven, thought Black Jack.
 
Maybe that’s why they call it ‘footsteps to the rainbow of the gods’,
he wondered.
 
He thought it one of the most beautiful works of creation that he had ever seen.
 
Its unique textures and shapes made him imagine that he could reach out and explore it with his hands.
 
The valley floor was broad and flat, spreading for miles in places where its fingers reached into the craggy hills.
 
In all directions were large green and brown pyramids of grassy earth.
 
Black Jack hardly believed he was only a few miles from the ocean.
 
What an excellent farm this land would make
, he thought.

         
His group carried on, bolstered by Black Jack’s excitement for finding his goal.
 
Accompanied by several of his best warriors, he and his lively entourage tramped along in high spirits.
 
Black Jack cheerfully thought back to the faces of the men on the beach as he triumphantly brought Robulla, humbled and repentant, from the cave.
 
It was a winning situation for everyone. Black Jack felt that he had skillfully plotted the win, and now he was heading off to claim his much deserved prize.

         
How will Kumari look at me after seven years apart?
He wondered.
 
His love had never wavered.
But what about hers?
He worried.
 
He knew how he felt, and that was all that mattered.
 
He knew that he truly loved Kumari, and that what they had shared at Te Pukatea was not a childhood infatuation.
 
At least not for him.
 
She was his first true love.
 
He realized that now. He only thought that he had loved before. At first ashamed to admit it, he had come to know that his love with Lalani was all but a memory now, and that he only compared it with what he had felt for Kumari. What he still felt now.
 
But what of her feelings?
He fretted again.
 
He knew that she had been betrothed to the warrior named Pakauwera.
Did she really love him?
He wondered.
Has it lasted?
 
If so, would she consider having two husbands?
 
Black Jack loved her that much, he realized now. He would share her with another man, if need be.
 
But he wondered if her custom, or if she herself, would allow such an arrangement.

         
Black Jack was willing to make that small sacrifice for the overwhelming joy of having her back by his side, even if only for part of the time.
 
The thought of just seeing her, face to face; or of smelling her hair and feeling her skin:
 
It all made the years of absence seem like minutes.
 
The time spent with her seemed perfectly preserved in his mind, as if encased in crystal, never to age or be touched by time.
 
It was as though Black Jack could envision eternity with her right here on Earth, in the paradise he now walked through.
 
His mother had spoken of the Garden of Eden, and of the perfection within which the world’s first man and woman lived.
 
Black Jack wondered if he had actually been given the chance by God to live out a version of Adam and Eve
.
 
It sure does feel like I’m walkin’ toward Heaven
, he thought.
 
His steps quickened.

         
Evening orange gave way to dusk rose as the troops neared their destination.
 
They had followed the single peak all day without seeing any sign of other Maori.
 
As the valley floor narrowed, they came upon another small stream.
 
Stopping to refresh themselves, they noticed various things floating upon the water.
 
Glittering like silver flakes were the loose scales of fish, and a flotilla of feathers followed.
 
Fern leaves and potato skins flowed by swirling. The warriors knew that people could not be far.
 
Everyone began to hurry on the heels of Black Jack, who rushed ahead swiftly to confirm their findings.