Felicity Meets Kaya

An American Girl Fanfiction Piece

Rated: K (content suitable for all)

Felicity/Kaya

Summary: Colonial Felicity and Native American Kaya cross paths and take a spectacular journey on horseback across their homeland.

Disclaimer: I do not own Felicity Merriman or Kaya, or any other characters associated with American Girl.

"Please Mother; do tell the story once more!" The redhead looked up at her mother with pleading eyes, glowing a brilliant green in the candlelight.

"Lissie, my dear, I haven't yet finished!" Ms. Merriman lightly laughed at her daughter's impatience. She ran her hand across a wrinkle on the bed quilt.

"Oh, if only I was able to ride horses like Kaya did! How fast she must have ridden, with the feeling of the wind against her face, why, it must have been like flying! And what a beauty of a horse-" Felicity's eyes sparkled.

"Aye", her Mother said, "And, as the legend goes, whilst little girls lay sleeping soundly in their beds, whispers of wind can be heard thru the walls. 'Tis Kaya herself, soaring on her horse across the land."

Felicity squirmed under the quilt, eyes bright with excitement. She could only hope to one day fly like Kaya, bareback and free, so free, galloping across acres of land, perhaps riding Penny, the beautiful tan horse Felicity set free because of Penny's cruel owner.

"Now, my dear child, you must rest, for tomorrow we shall complete the apron you have been working on."

Felicity groaned inwardly. She didn't have to patience to sit and tediously sew miles upon miles of stitches. It was nothing like flying, or riding horses. Felicity would rather sit through a session of parliament.

Ms. Merriman leaned down and tenderly kissed her daughter's forehead, smoothing back her hair as she did so. "May your dreams, and only your dreams-mind you- be filled with soaring stallions and hastening horses." She glided out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Felicity lay in bed, eyes wide open, turned towards the shut window. From this position, Felicity had a view of the fields and hills. She imagined herself galloping across the green pastures,

her hair a rushing red cape behind her. She almost swore she could hear the wind roaring, and the occasional hoof beat.

_1_

"Whooosh. Whoosh." The wind, as impossible as it was seeing her window was tightly shut, caused the curtains around her bed to billow like ship sails.

But that was simply ridiculous. She was, after all, imagining things. Yet-goodness, those hoof beats sounded quite real. She rose from under the quilt, slipping a petticoat over her shift, and gently tugged her stockings and garters on.

The moonlight cut a silvery path across Felicity's floor. She made her way to the window, and begun to pry it open. The window screeched and Felicity cringed. She thrust her hand under the space between the sill and the window, and shoved upward. With one final creak, the window opened, and the cold air enveloped her. She shivered.

Bunching up her petticoat, Felicity slid her leg over the sill, feeling like she was mounting a horse. Once she climbed through her bedroom window, she paused and listened.

The hoof beats began increasingly stronger and rhythmical. A gust of wind rushed past her, and Felicity flattened her back against the wall of the house. She caught a glimpse of brown.

A strong voice, and that of a girl's said "Whoa, whoa Steps High." Felicity could just make out the tell-tale silhouette of a horse in the moonlight. She saw a figure gracefully swing herself off the horse, and Felicity froze her mind racing.

'Tis cannot be! Mother said it was a story, a legend. Does my mind dare deceive me?

"Kaya?" Felicity dared to call out softly. The girl whirled around, her thick black plaits whipping around her.

_2_

"AA-heh." The darker girl hesitantly said. "Yes, that's right."

The two girls eyed each other. Felicity took in Kaya dark skin and prominent cheekbones. Kaya's eyes were like dark marbles, and her hair was plaited into two thick braids. Her garments were strange and appeared to be made from some sort of animal skin, and were adorned with rich, colorful beads.

"You are Felicity?" Kaya asked. Felicity merely nodded, her cat-green eyes blinking in the darkness.

Suddenly, Kaya's face broke into a wide grin, her teeth white against her dark skin. "TAWTS, good! Come with me, I show you something."

Cautiously, Felicity picked her way over to Kaya and her horse. Kaya swiftly mounted the black horse. "You ride this one." Kaya clipped her tongue and a beautiful tan horse emerged from the darkness.

"Penny!" Felicity gasped, and flung herself at the horse. She climbed onto Penny's strong back, and leaned into her soft mane.

Kaya smiled softly, knowingly, and urged Steps-High forward. Felicity followed, and soon, the two girls and their horses were galloping across the land, racing like the wind. Felicity let out a whoop and relished the feeling of the cool wind against her face. Freedom! They flew across the pastures, the farmlands. Kaya rode faster and faster, and Felicity noticed the lights of Williamsburg disappearing, being replaced by craggy mountains glistening with snow, and, as the rode onward, a lake reflecting the glorious hills and blue sky.

"Where are we going?" Felicity shouted over the roar of the wind, clinging onto Penny's neck.

"We are in my homeland!" Kaya replied.

"It's beautiful," Felicity breathed, as they passed a ribbon of water ran that cut through a cluster of pine trees, scattered with teepees, the river filled the brim with red salmon. The river weaved through the valley, and the sunrise was peeking over the purple mountains.

A current of wind whirled around Felicity, and she shut her eyes tightly. Penny reared upwards and brayed loudly.

Felicity opened her eyes, and discovered she was back in her room. She blinked, and wondered what in the dickens had just happened. She had just defied the laws of science, of the earth. With a shock, Felicity realized she had just time traveled.

The wind settled, and Felicity's window slammed shut with a bang. A small object rolled from the windowsill onto the floor, near her feet. She bent down to retrieve it, and saw that it was a tiny blue bead.

She picked it up and rolled it between her fingers. Abruptly, Felicity's mind was riding through the hills again, and she could still imagine the wind on her face. Felicity saw Kaya's smiling face, and felt Penny's strong legs thundering against the ground. She even saw Kaya's homeland, whisking past her in a blur of colors. Felicity remembered the freedom she felt, and she stowed the tiny bead into her petticoat pocket.