La Espada Negra
by Jim Guy
Episode
#311
Part Five of Six
On the ship, Montoya was led to the Foc'sl and lashed to the Fore Mast as the anchor was weighed and the ship was slowly moved out into the open sea.
Helm and the Queen went below decks and met with Margie and Maril.
"What are you going to do with Montoya?" asked Helm.
"I plan on scaring the hell out of him," replied Margie.
"How do you plan on doing that?" asked the Queen.
"Quite frankly, I have no idea. Are you a good actress?"
"She runs around as the Queen of Swords," replied Helm.
"And masquerades as Tessa Alvarado. Yes, I know. Jo told me. I guess the answer is 'yes'. All I need for you to do is follow my lead."
"Lead on," replied the Queen.
Montoya looked up from his vantage point to see four Queens and Doctor Helm coming toward him. He blinked.
"Madre de Dios. The gods mock me with four Queens," said Montoya. Then, he looked at the other figures standing around. "Oh, no. A ship of Queens."
"Welcome, Colonel to our ship," said Margie. "I am the Captain and you are my prisoner."
"I am Colonel Luis Montoya, Commandant of Santa Elena. Release me or I will hunt you down wherever you go."
Margie smiled. "That may be hard to do if you are dead."
"You wouldn't dare," replied Montoya.
"Maldita sea, Montoya!" fumed Margie.
"I am already maldito," replied Montoya. "Ever since the Queen of Swords came to town. Now you come to help her so malditas sea, to you, too."
Margie pulled her cutlass and handed it to Maril. "You had better hold this or there won't be anything left."
"Let me know when you want it back," said Maril with a knowing smile.
"Colonel, we have done nothing to you or your pueblo. We needed your Doctor's help. Instead, one of our crew was shot and another was led to your town like a dog and then mauled." Anger showed on Margie's face.
"It was an honest mistake," said Montoya.
"The mistake was in your treatment of the crew of La Espada Negra. Now you will pay."
"What are you going to do?" asked Montoya while he visibly tried to look composed.
"First, we will find that Corporal who attacked Anne and when we do, we will flay him alive. Then, we will burn your precious pueblo. You will be keelhauled and then buried in the sand up to your neck at low tide."
"No, you will not," said another voice.
Margie turned towards the direction of the voice and found herself looking at the Queen.
"You will do no harm to Santa Elena or its people. Your people were wronged and punishment will be meted out, but not by you. You will release Montoya. I will deal with the Corporal.
"Why should we let you handle this?"
"I have earned the right by saving two of your crew and fighting alongside them," said the Queen.
"She's right, Captain," said Maril.
Margie calmed down. "All right. We take a vote." Margie turned to the crew, "Who is in favor of allowing the Queen of Swords to deal with this situation?"
Of the forty women on board thirty-eight raised their hands. Anne was unconscious and Margie did not vote.
Margie looked at the Queen and then at Montoya. "We will release him in the morning," said Margie.
Maril placed her hand on the Queen's shoulder. "What would you have done if the vote had gone against you?" she whispered.
"Maril, I have absolutely no idea," said the Queen with an embarrassed smile. "I was told to follow your lead."
"We make quite a team. I wonder how long Montoya would last if we stayed here for a month?" asked Margie.
"Oooh, you are a cruel Captain," laughed the Queen as they moved to the rail.
"Where is Doctor Helm?" asked the Queen.
"He went below to check on Suzanne," replied Josephine.
Helm walked into the crew's quarter's to see Suzanne sitting up in her bunk.
"You shouldn't be sitting up without help," said Helm as he went and sat next to her on the bed.
"I feel all right, but I am sore as hell. Do you know what happened to me?" asked Suzanne.
"They tell me you fell from the yardarm,"
"Oh. I seem to remember someone undressing me. Was that you?" asked Suzanne.
"I had to check you over. That was one hell of a fall. You are lucky you didn't break your back."
"I also remember someone kneeling at my bed. That was you. You slept on your knees."
"I am sorry; I was so tired I fell asleep."
"Doctor, you saved my life," she said as she took his head in her hands and kissed him. "Thank you. Will you stay with me for awhile?"
"I will stay until you fall asleep," he replied as he positioned himself on the bed with her head on his shoulder.
Dawn was breaking as Helm eased Suzanne down onto the bed and covered her with a blanket. He gently kissed her lips and then went above deck. He went to the rail as he noticed two women approach Montoya with a knife. Montoya was cut loose but his hands remained tied. Montoya pushed his way to Margie.
"Captain, I promise you that the Corporal who mauled your crew member will be punished. I am sorry for everything that has happened."
"I accept your apology and I will hold you to your word," replied Margie. "We are going to stay around for awhile until you are seeing the Queen of Swords everywhere you look. I suggest you warn your men about not attacking us."
"Surely you jest?" said Montoya hopefully.
Margie shook her head to indicate that she was serious.
As Montoya, Helm and the Queen found their way to the longboat, Angelica stopped the Queen.
"Reina, I…we all consider you a sister. Please accept this token of our friendship," said Angelica as she handed the Queen a cutlass and then hugged her.
The Queen blushed and hugged her back.
A few minutes later, the three citizens of Alta California watched as La Espada Negra lifted anchor and set sail.
The Queen cut Montoya's bonds just as Grisham rode up with several soldiers.
"Get the Queen!" yelled Grisham.
"Hold," yelled Montoya. "How is it that you managed to come here now?"
"I came back to the pueblo to find the soldiers tied up and you gone."
"Captain, who is the Corporal with bad teeth and a scar on his face?" asked the Queen.
"Corporal Mendoza, why?" asked Grisham.
"Where is he?" asked Montoya angrily.
Grisham turned to his men. "Corporal Mendoza, front and center."
Mendoza rode up and dismounted.
"Who told you to maul the prisoner?" asked Montoya.
"No one, sir," replied Mendoza.
"Then, why did you do it? Did you enjoy your time with her before you almost whipped her to death?"
"She was just a little pirate whore," replied Mendoza.
Angrily, Montoya turned and grabbed the cutlass from a startled Queen and skewered Mendoza.
"Consider yourself court marshaled," said Montoya as he withdrew the cutlass and wiped the blade on the dead man's jacket before returning it to her.
The Queen walked over to Chico and mounted.
"I presume my part of the bargain has been satisfactorily completed?" asked Montoya.
"I don't approve of the way you handled it, but yes, your part is done. Adios, Colonel."
As she rode away, Montoya caught Helm watching her.
"You have nothing to say, Doctor?" asked Montoya.
"I agree with her. You have to admit that she saved your life. Again."
"What I do agree with is that it took a lot of steel nerve to face down that crew. I understand about protecting the pueblo but why protect me?'
"Maybe she doesn't like the prospect of breaking in a new Colonel," replied Helm.
Montoya gave Helm a sideways glance. "Will you join me in a drink at the cantina, Doctor?"
"Not this time, but thanks anyway," said Helm as he found a horse, mounted and followed the Queen.
"Grisham, bury Mendoza," said Montoya as he climbed into the wagon and snapped the traces and the wagon pulled away.
"Breaking in a new Colonel," whispered Montoya to himself and a slight smile come to his lips.
A few miles away from the beach the Queen reined in her horse and allowed Helm to catch up.
"Why are we stopping?" asked Helm.
"You and I have some talking to do," she replied.
"Like what?"
"Like several female pirates and you."
"Hey, they all came on to me."
"But you didn't push them away either," replied the Queen.
Helm sat there stunned.
"Come with me, Doctor," she said as she turned her horse away from Santa Elena.
Helm sat there a moment and then followed.
A few miles away, the Queen led Helm into her secret hideaway cabin. She rode around the glen, dismounted in front of the structure and went in.
Helm followed reluctantly. This is where she pounds me to a pulp, he thought.
The Queen angrily turned to face Helm. "Tell me what those women have that I don't have?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Maybe it is the sword?" she said, taking the sword off and placing in on the table.
No."
"Maybe it is the leather gloves?" she asked, taking them off and slamming them next to the sword.
"No."
"The sash. Is that it?" she replied as she unwrapped the red sash and flung it at his head.
"No.
"How about the boots?" she sat down and took off her long leather boots.
"No."
"I noticed that they don't wear a corset. Maybe that turns you off," she took off the corset and flung it on the ground.
"No."
"Ah, Maybe it's the…" she stopped as she fiddled with the top two buttons of her blouse. "mask?" she asked as she untied the mask and walked over to Helm. She lifted took the ends and placed the mask over his eyes and tied it around his head. Then she pressed her lips against his.
Helm was startled by the kiss for a moment. He quickly recovered and kissed her back. Helm wrapped his arms around her and then moved them to pick her up in his arms. He carried her to the cot in the corner of the room and put her down. He lay down on top of her as daylight faded.
Continue to Part Six
If you have missed any episodes so far, you will find them in the Season Three Archives section .
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