Sarah meets Joseph Sparrowhawk

Sarah Persinger goes out into the woods. She is familiar with the woods since often it is her playground. She likes the solitude, but also knowing that there are others in the woods with her. Where Sarah lives in Virginia are many known Cherokee villages. Her family often has associated with the Natives of the area from the time the Persingers came into the area. Her family has always been on friendly terms. The family knows and respects the Native people.

As Sarah is walking around in the woods she come across a beautiful man. Tall, with long silky black hair, beautiful sand colored skin. He goes about his business of cooking up a little rabbit that he has hunted. As the rabbit cooks...Sarah moves in closer for a better view. Joseph tells her "I could hear your footsteps long before I saw you." Sarah says nothing, but just longingly adores the beautiful man that is sitting before her. Instead of waiting for him to ask she tears a little bit of the rabbit off for herself. He then says " I was going to ask you if you wanted some for yourself." She replied "I know, I could just tell that you were going to offer some for me." He asked her "Why are you out in the woods alone?" She tells him bravely "I am not out here all alone, I am here with you." He asked her "You are not afraid?" I am not afraid! What do I have to fear? My father wants me to find a husband, so I came to the woods looking for you. He is a little puzzled...You were looking for me? He asked. Yes! She said...I had to find you so I could take you back with me to meet my family. He just laughed. What makes you think I am going to come back with you? He asked her...I just know in my heart that you are the one I have been seeking with my heart.

For the next three weeks the two lived in the woods together. He showed her how to hunt with a bow and arrow. He taught her how to be as quiet as a tree in the woods. He took her to the spring that had the sweetest water that she had ever tasted. They canoed in the lake, and caught fish together. He took her to the village where his family lived, and she played a ball game with all the others there. He was impressed with how well she could play ball. The people of the village loved her, and the two of them loved each other. She took Joseph back with her to meet her family. The Persinger family loved him, and they told him that if the two of them wanted to live in the cabin that they were free to do so. It was against the law for the two of them to be married as husband and wife in the eyes of Virginia. They were married to the Persingers and to the Cherokee village that Joseph was a part.

Sarah would often stay in the cabin while Joseph went off to hunt. He was uncomfortable living in a house with four walls because of a story that he was told. (I will share it next week)