10 Chapter 9 Princess of Two Worlds

Chapter 9 Princess of Two Worlds Maria loved dancing. The applause and cheers of the audiences thrilled her. Even so, she wanted something more. She wanted to have a child. George loved children, but he did not want to have any of his own. Children would complicate their busy lives, he said.

Maria also missed her sister. Marjorie had married a dancer. Both she and her husband had joined a ballet company in Europe. Maria hardly ever saw her sister. For another year, Maria and George lived and worked together. Maria wasn't unhappy, but she wasn't complete, either. Finally, in 1951, Maria and George ended their five-year marriage. But they did not end their artistic relationship. Maria was still George's muse. He continued to create ballets for her. And she continued to dance for him.

A year later, Maria fell in love again. At least, she thought it was love. Elmourza Natirboff was an airplane pilot. He knew nothing about ballet. Maria didn't care. Elmourza was handsome and fun to be with. They went to horse races and parties. After a whirlwind romance, they married. Then, just as quickly, the marriage began to unravel. Elmourza did not understand the long hours his wife's career demanded. He didn't understand why she was so exhausted after a performance. He also had a temper. One night, angry at her about something she didn't quite understand, Elmourza kicked a wastebasket across the room. Suddenly, Maria remembered her father's angry outbursts during his drinking binges. Maria did not want to

live the life her mother had in Fairfax. Maria left Elmourza, ending their short but troubled marriage. In June of 1953, Maria returned to the Osage reservation in Oklahoma. Her people had called her home to honor her. On Main Street, people lined the sidewalks. They waved American flags. Signs in storefronts read, Welcome home, Maria! Their kindness overwhelmed her.

She entered her father's movie theater where she and Marjorie had danced in their first recitals. Maria's parents were there. So was Grandma Tall Chief. Her hair, graying now, still hung in a braid down her back. A tribal blanket still hugged her shoulders.

Today, however, Maria would not dance. Today, she was the guest of honor. The Tribal Council welcomed her into the Osage tribe, giving her the name that Grandma Tall Chief had chosen for her: Princess Wa-Xthe-Thonba. It meant "Princess of Two Worlds." The chief placed a feathered bonnet on Maria's head. She was more accustomed to diamond tiaras, and the heavy headdress felt awkward.