TOHOPKA rode slowly towards the meeting place, keeping a respectful distance behind his father, Chief OTOAHNACTO, with a half-dozed warriors bringing up the rear. Toho had been present at the meeting, where the details of the transaction were finalized - the foreigner had asked for the Chief to come alone, which of course, brought a round of raucous laughter from the old man. Tales of the white man's treachery had spread far, quickly, and the terms of the deal had seemed bizarre in the first place. However, at least at present, these "Spanish" had not proven themselves quite so devious and treacherous as the English had, or their settlement would have lay in ashes already.<br/><br/>Upon first meeting the foreigners, Chief Otaohnacto had been asked often about the location of the mineral they referred to as "gold". Their eyes seemed to glaze with greed just saying the word. The Jaega tribe knew where to find it in abundance, and had no real use for it. In the past, as was custom among his people, Otaohnacto would have simply GIVEN it to them..but there were special circumstances to consider.<br/><br/>Ever since Toho had taken on the role of Jaega Guardian, the women of the village had feared him, despite the enormous prestige that came with being that responsibility. A woman would have to be found from outside the tribe to satisfy the Chief's young son. And when he'd heard of the Spaniard's exquisite daughter, he'd proposed the deal - the girl in exhange for the gold-bearing river and a promise of peace. Of course, had the man not agreed, the Jaega could have always just<em>taken </em>the girl; but surprisingly, the man agreed to the deal.<br/><br/>Toho himself had been less than excited..a foreign woman was beneath him, and with the constant encroachment by these white savages, he had more important things to worry about. But his father had insisted, and so Toho reluctantly went along with it. And there they were.The Spaniards had arrived before them.  The Jaega party halted their mounts. Otoahacto nodded, and his son rode his horse beside the chief's. He handed Toho a small sack - one surely filled with gold nuggets to seal the deal in good faith.<br/><br/>The youth took it and slowly rode alone towards the Spaniards, bringing his horse to a stop as he eyed the older man before him, then that carriage, its curtains drawn. Eyeing the man suspiciously - always expecting treachery- he handed the other man the bag of gold, waiting for the foreigner to compete his part of the deal.