RESPONSE TO CHALLENGE 29
Glass windowpane, feather, rawhide cords.
Disclaimer: Fireworks owns Tessa and Marta. The two other characters, Marine Sergeant Rob Swain and his son Marine Corporal Jeff Swain were introduced in "Sergeant" and they are quartered on Manzana Core.
Beta'd by Jo. Thanks Amiga
Rating PG
~~~~~
It had been a long hot day in Alta California. June, July and August were like that and Maria Teresa Alvarado suffered in the heat like all the other inhabitants of Santa Helena. Even the bed covers had been pushed to the foot of the bed as Tessa tried to sleep. The windows were partially open, but still Tessa tossed and turned for several hours before sleep finally overtook her. The woman who was the Queen of Swords was dead to the world.
A man's face could be seen in the glass windowpane but Tessa didn't notice. Since sleep had claimed its victim, only an earthquake could wake her. Maybe.
The male figure quietly pushed back the partially opened window and climbed into the room. He carried a four-foot long bundle wrapped in a blanket and tied with rawhide cords. The intruder gazed at the sleeping figure and placed the bundle alongside the woman and then moved to the foot of the bed. He took off his hat and removed one of the three two-foot long pheasant feathers stuck in his hatband. He gently brushed the feather along the instep of Tessa's exposed foot.
Tessa did not move so he continued to tickle the foot. She is dead to the world, he thought. Frustrated he moved to the head of the bed and leaned over the headboard and began to tease her nose with the feather.
Suddenly she sneezed and woke up. It was still dark and she did not see the man trying to become part of the wall. She rolled over and went back to sleep. The man began to breathe again and slipped back to the foot of the bed. He tickled her foot again. Success.
Tessa came alive and rolled off the bed while grabbing the dagger that she kept under her pillow. The man backed away from one angry tired woman with a dagger ready to fight a man armed with a feather.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Just an old Marine bringing you a gift," he replied.
"Rob Swain?" she squealed. "It's been almost a year since you left."
"Si. I just brought you a gift as a going away present."
"Who's leaving? You or me?" she asked as she lit a candle and grabbed a robe.
"I am along with the family. We're going home."
Tessa stared at her old friend. "You brought me a present? Where is it?" she asked like a little girl at Christmas. "Why didn't you bring it during the daytime?"
"I couldn't risk being seen. Montoya is still probably pissed that his gold stash was liberated." He laughed. "Besides, waking you up was more fun." He smiled, she frowned.
She spied the bundle and leapt on the bed, using her dagger to cut the rawhide cords. Carefully she unwrapped the blanket to find an exquisitely made sword and dagger, both with gold inlaid hilts. And several very large gold nuggets.
"Their beautiful, Rob." She lifted the weapons and tested their weight. "They're perfectly balanced, but where did you get the gold?" She frowned at him. "Have you been liberating more of Montoya's gold without telling me?"
"No. We located a very large vein of gold near a river about 100 miles east of El Pueblo de San Francisco. No one goes there except the Indians and they don't pan for gold."
"So now you are a prospector. What about the sword making?"
"We've been doing both. We have sold several swords to the Russian fur traders along the coast. Now we are headed back to the states with several pounds of pure gold and over a hundred swords and sabers. We wanted to see you and Marta first."
"We? You brought the family?"
"No, they're camped about twenty miles from here. No Some young Marine Corporal wants to see you. I am going to tickle Marta," he said with a grin and held up the feather.
Tessa ran to the window as the young man appeared. She grabbed him and kissed him. Jeff leaned into the room too far and they both fell to the floor, not anxious to get up.
The next morning as dawn was breaking; Tessa and Marta sat in the kitchen drinking coffee. They looked at each other with knowing looks while Marta waved a two-foot long pheasant feather in front of Tessa, while Tessa played with two of the ten gold nuggets that had been gift from friend.
THE END
THE GIFT
Disclaimer
: Fireworks owns them but they really belong to the fans~~~~~
Doctor Helm straightened up his office after the last patient. A patient who was more interested in getting to the bazaar that being examined. The supply ship was in. Helm shook his head. Normally he would walk down to the beach to see what rascal would land in Santa Helena, but today he could care less.
He took out the pocket watch from his vest pocket. Nine o'clock. It showed the same time it did three patients ago. "Damn, I forgot to wind the bloody thing. Now I have to go check the gnomon on the town's sundial.
A knock on the door startled him. No one in this town ever knocked, they barged in as if his office was an emporium or café. Must be a stranger, he thought as he opened the door. To his amazement it was the Garcia boy and he was carrying a package.
"Senor, a package came for you on the supply ship." The boy handed him the package and started to leave.
"Un momento, por favor. I have something for you." Helm tossed the boy a coin.
"Senor a reale? For delivering a package?"
"No, for being polite enough to knock on the door." Helm turned back into his office as the boy ran to his mother on the other side of the square, coin tightly clutched in his hand.
Helm was surprised at receiving a package but even more surprised at the contents. A letter was in the package.
My Dearest Robert,
Give this to the woman who has stolen your heart and kept you from us.
Love
Mother
Helm stood look at the contents. He knew only one thief who had stolen his heart. On a whim, he grabbed his saddlebags and headed out the door. He made a beeline to a particular stall at the bazaar that he had heard about. Making his purchase, he placed both items in the saddlebag and went to get his horse.
On the ride out to the Alvarado hacienda, Helm took his purchase out of the saddlebag and held it in his lap. At the Alvarado hacienda, he dismounted and placed the item in the saddlebag once again and strapped it shut. He approached the door and did something no one else did. He knocked on the door.
A somewhat surprised Tessa opened the door. In her peasant blouse, colorful gitano skirt, a Kabushka on her head, her hair in a single braid and a feather duster in her hand, she looked like a maid.
"Doctor Helm, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you out here?"
"Senorita, I came to see Senorita Alvarado, is she at home?
"Doctor Helm!" she stamped her foot and then saw the grin on the doctor's face. "You're teasing me. Marta and I were cleaning a certain room in the basement." Doctor Helm reached out and rubbed the dust off of her nose.
"I never would have guessed. Now why am I here? Oh yes, I have a present for you."
"A present for me?"
Helm held the bag so one side faced Tessa. She quickly opened the side with a slight bulge and reaching into the saddlebag, she felt a live object that squirmed in her hand. She let out a sudden squeal and jumped back. Helm let out a howl, which brought Marta running from the kitchen. She stopped inside the doorway to see what mischief the good doctor was up to.
Tessa bent down and lifted the flap of the saddlebag and stepped back. Two furry pointed grayish ears suddenly rose from the bag and twitched. Two round eyes and a pink tipped nose popped out, the eyes fixated on Tessa. The creature opened its mouth.
"MEOW!" it said and leapt landing on Tessa's head. Tessa carefully stood up. The Siamese kitten curled around Tessa's neck and under her braid. Marta couldn't control her self any longer and laughed at her charge's antics.
"It's adorable, what it's name?"
"Princesa."
"How do you know it's a female?"
"I'm a doctor, I checked. What about the other present?"
Tessa eyed the other saddlebag with suspicion and opened the flap carefully. When nothing happened she peaked in. She put her hand in and retrieved the package. She opened it and gasped. She stretched out the Mother of Pearl necklace in her hands.
"There beautiful, Robert." Tessa hugged him and gave him and a kiss that sent shockwaves down to his heels and aroused everything between his lips and his toes.
"Tessa, my mother said to give these to the woman who has stolen my heart. You are the thief of my heart."
Tessa resumed kissing him while Princesa decided to leave Tessa's neck and perch upon Helm's head.
"MEOW," came the comment from the Princess.