An abandoned Spanish girl and her Native American lover defy the forced Indian removals in the wilds of Florida in the early 1800's using the power of the Spirit world and brute brawn as they evade the sadistic Captain Iceheart of the cavalry. Love blossoms early in the lives of Violeta and Noble. The night the Spanish are to vacate the fort at St. Augustine, Noble receives a lacerating vision from the Spirit world to help Violeta. Concomitantly, a runaway slave is followed by a slave catcher and U.S. Troops, who try to take Violeta. Noble and his animal-disguised warriors, a leaping panther, and a jumping crocodile, battle the scouting party and catalyze the pursuit to destroy the Natives, and as the ship sails away, Violeta is abandoned. Their love evolves as Violeta learns how to survive in the wilds of Florida, where bears attack and maul two scouts from Captain Iceheart's cavalry. But animals and reptiles are no match for the white man's subterfuge poisoning of the village and another Shaman-in training, Medicine Bag, with lead paint. Violeta receives a vision from the Spirit world how to help the Natives, and must decide to stay and help fight their war and risk certain genocide, or use her gold to find her parents in the Spain she's never seen. The decision is made after Noble's grandfather, the Shaman of the tribe, passes on, and Noble proposes she live with them as his wife and the clan's Shaman. As she travels with them deeper into the ancient everglades, she learns their stories and feels their love of life and connection to the earth; she can't help but fall more deeply in love with Noble, and accepts his offer. Their wedding bliss is abruptly halted when they awake to find the whole village captured and Noble's grandmother murdered. They pursue the captured and overhear plans to ship the Natives to Oklahoma. Noble and Violeta attack with rattlesnake-poisoned arrows obtained when Violeta walks into a rattlesnake colony and harvests the poison, but Noble is captured and a good friend, Cottonmouth, loses his arm, then his life, while saving two little Native girls. Violeta follows the Natives to the Gulf and secures Noble's release from a kind sentry, but not before a slave captor catches on. Shots are fired, Noble falls, and she must fight again for her honor, and succeeds by burying a knife in the villain after exploding methane gas fish bladders in his face, burning him deeply. Violeta visits the Spirit world to obtain supernatural guidance that comes with a warning. All the Natives are called in for battle, Indian-style. The knowledge of kill zones, speed, skill and confusion, ensure the Natives succeed. The Indians kill the leaders of the capture party in a do-or-die climax; Violeta blood lets the 2nd in command, Officer Jones; and Noble takes down the evil Captain Iceheart with a sledge hammer fist through the heart. The Indians never surrender to the U.S., then go to live deep in the Florida swamps; Noble as Chief, Violeta as their wise woman; Shaman.
I began this story six years ago. I sat down one January and made a list of everything that I wanted to do. The story is a compilation of experiences and meditations. I never met my great-grandmother, but she lived in Arkansas, which is where the Natives were moved to in the early 1800's. I thought that it was plausible that as a person of mixed heritage, maybe my ancestors met in the wilds of Florida, and had this epic love story that resulted in me. I actually had to grieve for the past atrocities and be thankful to be here because of what my ancestors on both sides had to do to survive. After grieving, I now feel that I am in a state of "No More Tears." I pray that you find yours.
