A gift from Rob

Disclaimers: The characters from the Queen of Swords are copyright to Fireworks Productions and Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended or revenue expected from their use, The story plot and other characters are copyright to the author, James Guy.

Trio challenge Letter opener, chicken, cottonwoods

Maria Teresa Alvarado sat on a small bluff in a buckboard overlooking the embarcadero of Santa Elena. She listened to the sounds of the Pacific Ocean crash onto the rocks below and watched as the spray of the water shot skyward.

A short way from the rocks, she could see Marta wandering through the crowd of the pueblo’s inhabitants as they meandered through the piles of crates, baskets and other item being deposited on the shore by the seamen as they unloaded their long boats. Several longboats headed back to the Russian ship anchored in the harbor. . News of the surprise arrival of the merchant ship from Fort Ross to the north had swept the pueblo like wildfire. The ship was riding low in the water indicating a full stocked hold but not for

Several carritas were being driven to the shore by the workers from several haciendas. Tessa could see the drivers switch the oxen with the long cottonwood switches which caused the animals to