Viola and the Amulet

 

You would never expect someone like Viola to surprise you, but you would be proven wrong. 

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Viola, a plump, dusty old woman was currently sitting, hunched outside of her son’s hut filling her face with reconstituted eulachon fish with the economy of a starving raven.  Bones and his wife Starfish looked on in poorly veiled disgust as Viola continued to talk, her cheeks filled with food “I mean”, she said, the chewed up fish in full view as she spoke “an old widow woman like me can’t go out into them bushes on a search mission like your dear father Syn wouldda done, rest his poor soul.”  She adjusted her tattered acorn hat to be sure her one luxury was noticed.

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Poor soul indeed, thought Star. General consensus was that Syn had up and died just to escape life with his over-bearing, constantly nattering and badgering wife.  It was why, when she and Bones had married 23 years ago, He had been only too happy to join her in her native Limpet Clan rather than stay on in the Skeena. Star too wished that they didn’t have to put up with this wretched creature for the next couple of weeks, but, the guilt and duty had won out.  Since the Gathering was being held on their home ground this year, and since Bones’ poor brother Baneberry had to actually live with the woman year round, what else could they do? Family was family after all.  Bones had done well with the move. He had been a carpenter and had built them a fine two storied house from cottonwood.  Now he was a Master Shipbuilder. Talk was he’d make Elder soon.

“So maybe” Viola stopped to jam another eulachon head she’d found on her upper bosom into her gaping, near toothless mouth “So maybe you could go Bones.”  She went on chewing, looking at her son as if a decision had been made.

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Bones found himself wishing a breeze would happen by, blowing hard enough to do something about her fish breath. “Why me, mother? I build ships. I’m no tracker” he said with practised patience. “What they need are trackers and folk who know the Skeena from your Clan, and the Limpet fishermen who know the ocean” He tried hard not to stare at this fat, shabby woman who was presently peeling skin from the silver fish, throwing it over her shoulder, and continuing to shove the flesh into her mouth, chewing all the while.  No regard for camp hygiene. He shook his head in revulsion and resignation. She really was a trial.  He had almost forgotten why he had left the Skeena Clan so many years ago. It all came flooding back to him now, her never ending unwelcome visits and constant interference with their children’s upbringing.  “The Elders will meet tonight. They’ll know who to ask.  Crusta is a tracker and he’s lived most of his life on the Skeena. He knows the tides, back eddies, currents, and all the sandbars.  Folk like him will be chosen”

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Hmmff.” Violas simpered.  “Raven rules that roost.  An’ so he should!  That overbearin’ Columbine can’t seem to agree on nothin’ with Raven.      And that Bob will never know what to do. Scared as a worm wigglin’ near a basket of hooks, he is. Never could make up his mind.”

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Star was glad her mother in law hadn’t dared to pass judgement on her father, Elder Barnacle.  And as far as Raven went, well…..  “But it will be all the Elders present from all the Clans. And they’ll confer with some experts as well.  They know what they’re doing” Star said.

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Viola ruminated on her fish for a while, “Maybe Douglas will take out that seagull of his, although he’s getting’ a bit fat for flying.”  Pot calling the kettle black thought Star.  Food fell from the corners of her mother in laws mouth onto her cloak. The odour that emanated from her was thick enough to grow skunk cabbage in. “He should pass her on to one of his sons; Sitka or Parsnip.”  Her voice took on the tone of a wounded animal.  “At least his sons stayed on in the Skeena” she sniffed. Then she turned to Bones “About those lost trappers, those high and mighty Elders with their big hats think they know how to find ‘em.  But does anyone ask me?  No, they don’t.  I’ve put in my years.  If I was an Elder, I’d know what to do.”  She looked up at Starfish. “Maybe you should talk to your father Barnacle, Star.  I could show ‘em how important I can be to this here search!” She had rallied, holding her jaw up high, straightened her spine and trying to look noble.

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 “And why on earth would they do that mother!  What information could you possibly have.’ Bones shook his head with a long suffering expression on his face.

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Viola gave them a satisfied smirk and started to root through her hip sack.’Hmmff.. Where did I put it? I know it’s in here somewhere. Ah! Here it is!” she unwrapped a soggy bundle and extracted an amulet hanging from a broken leather thong.  “Baneberry says he’s sure it belonged to Cranberry!” she said as she held up the amulet in triumph

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“Mother!” scolded Bones. “Where did he get this and when! This is an important piece of information for the Elders and search party!”

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She looked back at him in self righteous indignation. “Baneberry found it when he was fishin’ and he asked me to hand it over to the Elders.  He told me where he’d found it. But I want to give it to ‘em myself; show how useful I can be.  Maybe then they’ll see my worth!”

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“Viola” Star said in a painfully patient voice “They should have it now.  They should have had it yesterday when you arrived!” Her ire was rising. “You had no right to withhold it!” Star realized her tone was turning to anger and she took a deep breath.  Looking at her husband she said, “We’ll take it to Columbine right now!”

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Viola looked at them with genuine dismay, clutching the amulet close to her food ravaged chest. “But I want to present it myself at the formal meetin’ tonight when all the Elders are there.”

“No mother” Bones broke in sharply.  We go now!”

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Bones, Star and Viola take the Amulet to Columbine

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Daisy had been crying again. She lay in her mothers’ comforting arms by the hearth of her childhood hut while Camus stroked her head, making soothing noises “Now, now my dear. I’m sure he’s just lost. You know what the Skeena can be like. And there was that terrible storm last week.  Probably just threw them off course.  We’ll find him.  Your father will take his gull out tomorrow and start searching”

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Just then a tap, tap, tap sounded and their heads turned in unison to the door.  “Come in” called Camus”

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The door opened and Columbine came in with Bones and Starfish.  Behind them shuffled a little bundle of a creature who waddled in like a chubby porcupine and looked more like a rag heap than a woman. It was, of course, Viola.  With obvious curiosity, Camus invited them all to sit by the fire.

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Columbine came up to Daisy, crouching down to her level and showed her the stone amulet.  Daisy immediately burst into tears.  Uncontrollable sobs wracked her body while her mother clung to her more tightly. Camus looked at it and said “Its Cranberry’s’ wedding charm.  Daisy carved it herself.  He wore it always.”   Camus tried to control the silent tears streaking her cheeks. “Where was it found?  Who found it?” she asked.

Columbine pointed out Viola.  “Viola brought it with her.  Her son Baneberry is a fisherman and he found it four days ago on a sandbar near the mouth of the Skeena at low tide.”

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“But why are we just seeing it now!” she inquired looking back and forth at each of them.

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“I, I…” sniffed Viola.  Trying to figure out what went on inside Viola's head was as easy as grabbing a handful of clouds.

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“She wanted to present it to Council herself.  Luckily Bones and Star saw the need for immediacy.” Columbine explained. “We have it now.  As to where it was found, it was not on their planned route.  Baneberry found it on a sandbar near the mouth of the Skeena.  Being stone, it probably didn’t drift too far.  Come tomorrow morning we’ll take it to the Elders at our morning Council.”

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“Perhaps we could show it to Shale” suggested Bones.  “It might help jog his memory.”

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“Good idea” nodded Columbine in agreement.  “But that will have to wait as well.  Fern has him dosed up to help with the pain and there’ll be no waking him up ‘til morning.  Try not to worry Daisy.  There’s a lot of sandbars out there. If he can be found, we’ll find him.”  She looked back to Camus. ”Is Douglas planning on helping with his gull tomorrow?”

“Yes” she said.  “And maybe Raven could help with his Bird as well if we ask him very, very nicely.”

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“As long as they keep the birds apart.  Ravens and gulls never did get along” added Camus.

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“Until the morning then.” Columbine said as they took their leave, Viola shuffling behind them.

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