Rain

By Jim Guy \\jimguy46@hotmail.com\\

Characters: CM T/Q M

Synopsis: Rain brings cooperation between enemies.

Rating G

It had been a long, dry, hot summer in Alta California. Warm was not unusual, but lack of any rain for 6 months had been devastating. Thanks to some innovative ideas, irrigation had saved the crops and vineyards of farmers.

Now the storms rolled off of the Pacific Ocean, one right after another. The temperature had also dropped from the mid ninety’s to the high sixty’s during the day. At night, the cold coastal fog rolled in and the temperature dropped even lower, along with visibility. So much rain that some of the cliffs on the coast had collapsed and most of the normally dry arroyos had water in them. Even the El Camino Real had been effected. The hard packed road had been washed out in several places and due to landslides, the road had to be rerouted.

Colonel Montoya had assessed the situation. Without the roads, supplies could not get through to Santa Helena. He was at a loss. How to get supplies from Monterey. Ships were few and far between and the last one had been driven into the rocks, depositing all the supplies over a five-mile stretch of beach near the Alvarado property. Sadder was the loss of the crew of the ship.

Storms seemed to roll in regularly every other week. Colonel Montoya noticed that his soldiers were getting lazy and putting on weight. Many could not even button their uniform blouses.

As he got ready for bed, he heard the crack of thunder coming from the North. He knew that the storm would be moving south.

"If this doesn’t stop soon, my feet will be webbed."

He got into bed and knew that it was not going to be a peaceful sleep.

Alvarado Hacienda, Tessa’s bedroom.

"Tessita, try this on."

Tessa looked at the black blouse that Marta handed her.

"Marta, this is not silk but flannel. Why would the queen ride around in flannel?"

"Maybe to keep warm? You have been coming home half frozen since the weather became colder. You can’t very well fight the soldiers in the winter while wearing silk. It’s bad enough if you have to ride in the rain. I also found a black rain slicker in the wreckage from that ship that sunk. I tailored it for you."

"Oh, Marta, what would I do without you?"

"Freeze or starve to death. We really need to work on your cooking skills. Even a Dona should be able to make oatmeal. Yours is like grout."

"Gee, thanks Marta, maybe if I had had a teacher like you, I would be able to cook for myself. I guess my education in the culinary arts is quite lacking. Maybe I need an expert. I wonder whom I could get?"

Marta picked a pillow from the bed and smacked Tessa across the back. "Smart alec. For that you will have to fend for yourself tonight. I am on holiday today."

"Marta !!!!!! You know I can’t cook."

"Then the experience will be good for you. Since you haven’t been fighting the soldiers you have been putting on a few extra pounds. Maybe your new cook will teach you."

"Marta!! What new cook? "

"You said you needed someone to teach you to cook. Be careful what you ask for."

Marta turned and left the room with a devious smile on her face and it took all of her strength to control the laughter that was threatening to break out at any minute.

Santa Helena

Colonel Montoya was exhausted. It had rained three days straight and he hadn’t slept well for a week. Even the nightly glass of cognac hadn’t helped.

He sat in his chair and dozed off as he listened to the steady beat of the rain. The point of a sword brought him alert but did not startle him.

"Dios, what have I done to deserve this today? I haven’t slept in three days. My feet are webbed, my beard is turning moss green and a woman puts a sword at my neck. I haven’t killed anyone, the jail is empty, my soldiers are getting fat and now this."

"Colonel, I have come about the weather and the road conditions. My horse has mud up to his belly from swimming the arroyos and he is complaining. Look, even my boots are muddy."

Montoya looked to see the Queen, wearing a black rain slicker, muddy boots and standing in a puddle of water, which was dampening his floor.

"I may be the military commandant but I do not control the weather. As for your horse, keep him home, then he won’t get muddy. Please, the next time you come to visit me in this weather, have the courtesy to wipe your feet. What do I need to do, put a welcome mat on my balcony."

"I am here to help you, Colonel."

"You help me? You would sooner help me fall off a cliff."

"Oh Luis, you misjudge me. If I pushed you off a cliff today, you would just be a stuck in the mud."

"If I have misjudged you then please accept my apology and get your sword out of my neck. I swear you must have a neck and sword fetish."

She tossed a rolled paper onto his desk.

"Please open it, Colonel."

"This is a map of my jurisdiction and specifically the road to Monterey."

"You get an A for map readying, Colonel. What else do you see?"

"Obviously, since it is marked, every arroyo that cross El Camino Real."

"Another A Luis, you impress me. May I sit down, without you calling your guards or trying to shoot me? I have come in piece." She had a white lace kerchief tied to the end of her sword which she slid into his line of sight."

"My pardon Reina, I thought this was a business call. You usually reserve social calls for the good Doctor. Please sit down."

Carefully he rose and held a chair for her. He was standing behind her as she sat down. He started to become aroused, as he smelled the fragrance of her hair.

\Down Luis, you don’t have the energy today.\

"Colonel, as much as I like to see your soldiers fat and lazy, since it gives me an advantage, I still think they can be a little more productive. I was serious about the road conditions. Both of us know that supplies cannot get though from Monterey with the arroyos flooded."

"Tell me something I don’t know. What did you have in mid, a parting of the Red Sea?"

"Better, Colonel. Bridges. A bridge over every flooded arroyo, built by your soldiers. Think of the glory and honor that you could receive by reopening El Camino Real."

"The idea is a good one my dear, but the cost of the wood alone would be enormous. Do you expect me to pay for this out of my pocket? Taxes would have to be raised and you know what the response would be."

"You remember that ship wreck? While the ship sunk, the timber from the ship washed up on the shore. I happen to know that Senorita Alvarado had her workers gather the wreckage away from the shoreline. I am sure she could be persuaded to donate the timber for the purpose of building bridges."

"Reina, you have a very creative mind. In todays society women are not expected to have a brain in their head. You are so refreshing. Quick thinking, intelligent and beautiful all rolled into one. It is a pleasure to be with you even with that sword in between us."

The Queen felt herself blushing. "Colonel, are you trying to seduce me? We need to concentrate on this project or I will have to leave before we do something that we shouldn’t."

"You are right, but the thought and the offer are still there."

"I think I will be going now, have fun with the bridges."

"Thank you Reina."

The Queen left and found Chico in the thickening fog. The rain had stopped hours ago.

"Chico, Marta definitely knew what she was doing when she made this blouse and rain slicker. Sorry you don’t have one. Let’s try to stay out of the arroyos. Ok?"

Chico whinnied.

Alvarado hacienda.

A damp Colonel Montoya stood at the entrance to the Alvarado hacienda, waiting for the door to open in response to his knock. The day had been dry when he left the pueblo but the rain had begun to fall again when he was within a mile of the hacienda. Finally, Maria Teresa Alvarado, looking radiant as ever opened the door.

"Colonel, you looked like a drowned rat. What are you doing out in this weather? Would you like to come in?"

"No thank you Senorita, I prefer to stand in the rain. Of course, I would like to come in."

"Then please come in, but please remember to wipe your feet. There is no reason to track mud into my home."

"I understand that you recovered a great deal of lumber from the wreckage of the ship that sunk recently. I would like to take it off of your hands to build bridges across the arroyos that cross the El Camino Real."

"Hmmm!. That might be arranged Colonel for some considerations."

"Considerations?"

"Yes, say the reduction of my taxes.’

"What did you have in mind, Senorita?"

"Half."

"Half?" Colonel Montoya almost choked.

"Yes, half."

"That is a little steep. What if I just took the lumber."

"Then a letter would be sent to the Court, where my family is well known, accusing you of theft."

"How about a reduction of one third?"

"One third would be fair, I think, for a start."

"A start?"

"I’ll let you know, Colonel"

"Thank for your generous donation to the "Bridge Building Fund" Senorita."

Montoya started towards the door.

"Your welcome. Oh Colonel, how about an anonymous donation of one thousand Reales to the Church also?"

"Where did you learn the fine art of negotiation, Senorita?"

"Why, from you Colonel. Do we have a deal?"

"Si." He tramped through the rain to his horse.

Two weeks later

Colonel Montoya was exceeding proud of himself. The bridges were built and the road was reopened. He even had a letter of commendation from the Governor. Things could not have been going better, unless the rain would stop.

He sat nursing his cognac when he felt the point of sword at his neck.

"Good day, Colonel. I came to congratulate you on the building of the bridges."

"My compliments, Reina, together we accomplished a good thing. Maybe you would like to accomplish other things?"

"Sorry, Colonel, I would sooner mate with a rattle snake. They at least have rattles, but thank you for the offer."

Montoya realized he would never have this beautiful flower in his garden, no matter how suave he was.

"Oh Colonel, thank you for the welcome mat on the balcony. It was sweet of you and so considerate."

She walked over and kissed him . . . on the forehead.

"Pleasant dreams, Colonel."

"At least you will be in my dreams and that will be pleasant, Senorita."

The Queen of Swords smiled as she left; Colonel Montoya could not see the smile or the crimson color of the Queen’s face.

The End