THE GRIN
By Jim
Challenge Response
: Trio chopsticks, Ink, Bullfighting~~~~~
It was early morning as Marta sat at Don Alvarado's desk writing out invitations to the upcoming party. She put down the quill and using a blotter, carefully blotted the wet ink. She jerked her head up when she detected the sound of an approaching horse. She met Tessa in the foyer and opened the door to find one of the vaqueros approaching.
"Buenos tardes, Roberto, que pasa?"
Buenos tardes, Marta. The foreign ship has arrived and Senorita Alvarado has received a package. I was asked to deliver it," he said handing the small package to Marta. Tipping his hat in respect, he turned to leave.
"Gracias, Roberto. Perhaps you would like some lemonade to quench your thirst from your ride?
"No gracias, Marta, I must return to my chores."
Tessa quietly slipped up to Marta. "A package for me? Who would send me a package on a foreign ship? Are you going to keep holding it all day?"
"Just like a little child, Tessita, always impatient," she handed the package to Tessa who promptly ripped open the paper without further thought, to find a maroon lacquered box and ignored a piece of white paper that fluttered to the ground.
Marta picked up the paper and read it. "Tessa, it is from Kami."
"Kami? Please read it," Tessa replied as she opened the box to find a pair of ornately decorated black lacquered chopsticks with the picture of a Kirin on the handles.
Senorita Alvarado
Please accept this small token of appreciation for your hospitality during my stay at your hacienda.
I rudely called you a mouse, but I know realize that it takes more courage and strength to wait and abide ones time than to plunge into battle.
Kami
Tessa pondered on these words as she remembered their encounter when Kami chided her for not finding the murderer of Don Alvarado.
~~~~~
It was just past noon as Marta and Tessa arrived in Santa Helena to visit the bazaar that was hastily set up after the unannounced arrival of the Russian fur trader's ship. Any ship was welcomed as it meant the possibility of longed sought after supplies and goods.
The women dismounted and walked towards the bazaar when the caught sight of a shadow moving inside an alley. They peered around the corner to see Captain Grisham dancing in the alley with his sword. A sudden burst of applause stopped him mind mid dance and he turned with crimson face to see the two women.
"Doing a little bullfighting, Captain?" Tessa giggled.
"Senorita Alvarado, I was a a a practicing some moves I saw in Monterey done by a toreador. I think I have what it takes to be a bullfighter."
"Well you are well versed in slinging the bull," Marta muttered under her breath just loud enough for Tessa to hear.
"Yes, Captain, I think you would look dashing in the costume of a toreador, Don't you Marta? You do realize Captain, that there is nothing between your skin and the skin tight pants," replied Tessa with a smile on her lips and a flash in her eyes. "Marta, could you make a costume for our dashing captain of the guards?"
"Thanks, but no thanks Senorita, she'd probably leave some pins in the pants," Grisham tipped his hat and squeezed by the women to escape his tormentors.
Marta grinned at Tessa. "He was right about the pins."
"Marta!"
"All's fair in love and war, Tessita, and he and the Queen are definitely at war."
"True, but can you see him fighting the Queen in toreador pants?" She giggled again.
"Yes I can and she would lose."
"You have some confidence in me, Marta."
"I do, but you would be laughing so hard you would lose."
Tessa contemplated that for a moment. "Put some pins in the jacket too, Marta."
The two women turned towards the bazaar and shared a laugh between them of the imagined duel between the Queen and Grisham.
Grisham stayed in another alleyway; leaning up against a rough-hewn timber and watched the women leave. That gypsy probably would put pins in the jacket too, he thought.
"Ouch!" he yelped as a splinter pierced his britches and his gluteus maximus. He glanced towards the women again as he saw Marta glance over her shoulder with a wicked grin on her face.
THE END
THE MONSTRANCE
Characters
: Q, CM , M and mention of H CG~~~~~
The American ship sat at anchor off the coast of Santa Helena not far from the Spanish supply ship.The residents of Santa Helena were in ecstasy as never before had two ships arrived at the sleepy pueblo before. This called for a fiesta.
Word spread rapidly and absolutely everyone had come to town, even some of the more reclusive dons. Vaqueros, peasants, dons and townspeople mixed together at the hastily prepared bazaar as the sellers spread out their goods. Not only were goods paid for with reales but also by trade. Some of the buyers bartered for goods with fruit such as lemons, oranges, or limes. These were needed by the crews of the ships to help prevent scurvy.
Don Gaspar Hidalgo was in an unusual jovial and festive mood. His grin was as wide as a Cheshire cat's and his faced radiated sheer joy at the arrival of the Spanish ship. A beautiful gold monstrance which would display the consecrated body of Jesus Christ had just arrived would be given to the padre. The unsuspecting padre wandered the bazaar when he was approached by Don Hidalgo and his lovely spouse, Vera.
"Don Hidalgo, you are in an extremely happy mood. You look like the cat that swallowed the canary."
"I am Padre, please accept this poor gift from my family to the church," he turned to one of his men who held the covered monstrance, removed the purple velvet covering and presented the monstrance to the padre.
The padre was shocked and tears gathered in his eyes as he blessed Don Hidalgo and his wife. The previous monstrance had been stolen and not recovered. At least not recovered by the Church. It sat behind the gated secret storeroom in Colonel Montoya's office.
The padre accepted the monstrance with reverence and shaking hands. Carefully raising the monstrance over his head as if he were carrying a trophy, he walked towards the church. An impromptu procession followed him as the bazaar was emptied of buyers, leaving the sellers to scratch their heads and wait for the buyers return.
Senorita Alvarado and her duena, Marta had just arrived at the pueblo to see the padre and the procession. Seeing the monstrance, Tessa turned to Marta.
"I think the Queen will be riding tonight, Marta."
"I am afraid you are correct, but who would steal from God's house?"
"Someone who hopes there is no life after death. Can you see the final judgement of that person standing before the Almighty and explaining why they stole from His house?"
More than two pairs of eyes watched the procession from various locations in the pueblo. One individual wore black pants, black shirt. A red sash and large hoop ear rings in their ears.
~~~~~
It was late evening as the padre knelt before the altar, venerating the newly consecrated monstrance. He heard a noise and started to turn as a blunt object struck his head. He fell, stunned but still concious and was able to see a pair of dark trousers and a red sash approach the altar and then turn and run for the door. The padre looked to see the monstrance gone. He got to his feet. The queen has stolen the monstrance, he thought as he staggered to the door.
"The Queen of Swords has stolen the monstrance!" he yelled as he ran towards the fleeing thief.
The padre caught up to the thief and grabbed the thief's collar, causing the shirt to rip off. The now bare chested thief turned on the padre and slashed at him with a straight razor, cutting the padre's arm. The padre fell, clutching his arm.
"You are not the Queen of Swords!" he yelled at the thief, "You are a man."
At that moment, Montoya, Helm and Grisham appeared at the doorways of their own quarters. Montoya stood on the balcony and watched.
"Get that thief! He yelled as several soldiers entered the square with rifles drawn. The thief charged a soldier, causing the soldier's rifle to rise and discharge. The bullet struck the wooden post next to Montoya and showered the hapless Colonel with wood splinters into his face. The shock knocked Montoya to the ground and his head struck a chair knocking him unconscious for a few moments.
The colonel awoke to find himself on his bed with a cool cloth on his head and a light touch removing the splinters.
"Lay still Colonel there are still three more splinters to come out."
"You, why?"
"Hush, Colonel, let me work. There got the last one," the woman replied as she gently brushed her lips against his and then left. Montoya was speechless.
Montoya heard the yelling of the soldiers and an occasional rife shot and knew the thief was trapped in the pueblo. He rose and went downstairs to the square. As he stepped off the last step, he saw a figure dash into an alleyway. Hugging the wall and keeping in the shadows, Montoya approached the alleyway, sword in hand. Suddenly he felt a sharp object at his neck, a straight razor.
"Drop the sword, Colonel and you might see the sun rise."
Montoya dropped the sword as the man forced him into the square a little, "Drop your weapons or the Colonel dies."
The soldiers held onto the weapons.
The razor nicked the Colonel's throat drawing blood.
Suddenly the man felt the hoop earring in his right ear lift and pull, causing pain.
"Ouch!" he yelped.
"I think you should reconsider your position, Senor. You have soldiers in front of you and me behind you. You have a razor, they have guns and I have a sword. Furthermore, you have stolen from God."
"Who are you?"
"I am the Queen of Swords and the person who will determine whether or not you continue to have a right ear."
The man considered her words a moment and relaxed the razor. The sword was eased out of the hoop.
Suddenly the thief lunged for Montoya's sword and flicked it up to Montoya's throat, but his back was to the soldiers.
"Now I have a sword. If the soldiers shoot at me, they will surely hit the Colonel or you. I understand they can't hit the broadside of a hacienda. Now lower your sword and let me pass or I will kill him."
The Queen paced the blade on her right shoulder as she casually moved just behind Montoya and pressed something into his back with her left hand. Montoya carefully slid his arm to his back and took the object.
"Who are you?" asked Montoya.
"Why do you want to know?" replied the thief.
"I would like to know who tries to kill me not once, but twice in one evening."
"I am Juan Gomez, formerly second mate on the "Esparanza."
"Formerly?" asked Montoya.
"I killed the first mate and that pero Capitan was going to hang me but I escaped. Now I will have something to barter with," he said still clutching the monstrance.
"You would barter with God's property? Juan Gomez, there is only one thing worse than stealing God's property."
"What is that?"
"Trying to kill the commandante of this pueblo." Montoya shifted to the left and threw the dagger the Queen had passed him at Gomez. The dagger imbedded itself in the thief's chest and he collapsed, dead.
Montoya approached the body and removed the dagger, wiping the blood on the man's clothes. He turned to the Queen and offered it to her hilt first.
"You have managed to save my life three times this night and I am grateful."
"Grateful enough to insure this monstrance is returned to the padre?"
"As a gentleman and a officer in the Spanish Army, I pledge that it will be returned," he bowed.
He smiled at her; "There is one favor I must request."
"No I am not going stop helping the poor," she returned his smile.
"I didn't expect you to. Please, just one more kiss."
The Queen blushed but carefully approached him, "Of course Colonel," she came close and kissed his cheek then turned and raced down the alley.
"Pleasant dreams Luis," she called over her shoulder.
Montoya put his fingertips to his cheek and smiled. "I will, Reina."
Montoya turned to see Captain Grisham pick up the monstrance, "Make sure that this is returned to the padre, Captain or your life will be forfeited."
"Of course, Colonel," replied Grisham.
END
OBSTACLES
Response to Challenge 34 Trio: Bar of soap, wine bottle, latch key
Disclaimer: The Characters belong to Fireworks, the story is mine.
Rated: G
~~~~~
The hot California winds blew hard as Marta and Tessa worked in the rose garden, pruning and weeding. These were her mother's roses and she was not beneath working in the earth. A bucket of water sat precariously on the edge of the brick walkway where Tessa had left it. As she finished a rosebush, she would hand water the bush as the hot weather was sucking the moisture from the flowers.
Kneeling in the dirt, working with the bushes gave Tessa a feeling of closeness to her mother. Tessa had almost finished with the last bush when a sudden gust of wind knocked over the bucket, unbeknownst to Tessa, sending the precious water onto the ground to spread behind her. She got up and stretched backwards to loosen the tightness in her back and turned for the bucket. As she did, her foot slipped in the mud and sent her sprawling face forward into the mud. Spiting and fuming she let out an epitaph of non-lady like words when she heard uproariously laughter from Marta.
"If you are through laughing, Marta you can get the bath ready," she said with a look of frustration, embarrassment and anger.
"I will gladly draw the bath if you are finished wallowing in the mud. I also have a bar of soap to wash your mouth out from using that language."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Don't bet on it Tessita. I am your guardian and it is my job to make sure you are a lady at all times."
Tessa turned and stormed into the house, leaving muddy footprints in the hallway. Marta was still laughing, even as she went into the kitchen to heat the bath water. Later after Tessa had cleaned herself up, Marta handed her a mop.
"What's this for?"
"One commonly uses a mop on a floor."
"So?"
"So, whatever is begun in anger ends in shame. You now get to clean up all the muddy footprints."
Tessa grumbled, but the look in Marta's eyes told her she had best do the chore.
~~~~~
Tessa knew that Colonel Montoya was in Monterey on business and Captain Grisham was in charge. Something had been bothering her for some time and tonight would be a good chance to put it at rest.As she slipped over the roof top, dressed as the Queen of Swords, she saw Grisham heading to his quarters with a girl from the cantina on one arm and a bottle of wine tucked under the other. Tessa smiled, as she knew that Marcus would be out of the way for quite awhile.
Slipping into Montoya's office, quiet as a mouse, Tessa moved the bookcase and came to Montoya's not so secret, secret room. Using her dagger as a latchkey like Dr. Helm had showed her, she opened the door and lit a candle. She didn't know what she was looking for, but seared all the ill-gotten booty in the room. Suddenly the light reflected off of an item behind the stolen monstrance. Tessa picked it up and tears welled up in her eyes. It was Papa's pocket watch. She couldn't open it here, so she carefully tucked it away and closed up the room.
~~~~~
Back at the Alvarado hacienda, Tessa showed Marta the watch.
"Won't Montoya know you took it? How can you be so stupid?"
"Marta, he can't accuse me without implicating himself. I will leave the watch here in this room. If Montoya does come here, he will not find this room. It will be an obstacle for me not to accuse him now. I am now a step closer in avenging my father's death. Remember Marta, the greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. Montoya will pay for his crimes one day."
She put the watch in a chest of valuables and closed the lid. Silently they left the room. One day Papa, one day, thought Tessa.
END