Chapter 43

The mansion is beautiful. At least from the inside. Outside I would confuse it for another building attached to the presidio. Several important individuals and their families arrived from Spain a few days ago. Tonight is the celebration of their arrival. I think it was also a means for the Commandante to seek favor with the Spanish government. He desires total control of the region as opposed to the little pueblo.

{Are you going in.}. I feel nervous. Perchance it's Huehue's feelings I'm experiencing?

{I don't want to.}

{Why?}

{You're not with me.}

{If I were, you wouldn't be able to see the spectacle with your own eyes.}

{But I'd have you at my side.}

{Huehue, I don't know what you are trying to say but…}

{Put that aside for now. }

Huehue walks us in with the rest of the guests. Only the richest dons and doñas from around the region were invited. The townspeople are working in the kitchen as cooks, on the floor as servers, or with the animals in the stables.

"Buenas noches, Señorita."

Huehue bows her head and provides the speaker with her hand.

"Buenas noches, Comandante."

"You look ravishing. Though I must say, that dress looks rather familiar." He holds her hand and leads her to turn in place. I feel sick from his perverse gaze.

"It is a gift from my host. He provided this heirloom as a kind gesture for I had nothing to wear for this occasion.

"That is kind of him. But all you had to do was ask me. I would have provided you with the most beautiful dress made of the finest materials this side of the world."

"That is quite kind of you, Señor."

The hired musicians begin to play a waltz.

"Señorita, may I have this dance?"

Huehue gives me a full look around the room. Soldiers are standing at different corners around the home. Lt. Lavina, dressed in a formal dress, stands by her officers. She is available for whatever order the Commandante may give at a moment's notice.

"Would you rather not have any of the other women in the room join you on the dance floor? I'm afraid to admit that I have two left feet."

"Do not worry. I will lead the way. I've been known to be a wonderful teacher. All you have to do is give yourself to me."

"That is all right, Señor. I will try to follow your steps. But do not be so bold in believing that our dance will lead to anything else you may have in mind."

I grit my teeth as I see the scoundrel hold onto Huehue's hand so tightly. It's as if he is trying to place her under his control. I hope that this will all lead to something worthwhile in the end. My worst fear would be for Huehue to be enamored by this con man.

...

*****

"You dance magnificently, Señorita. Are you certain that you are not merely hiding a part of your past from me? You are much better than you have described. You are quite talented."

"Gracias, Señor. It was an honor to escort you onto the floor. For the moment, I must excuse myself…"

"Forgive my boldness, Senorita. But I must show you off to the other Dons and Doñas. Please come with me, for a moment of your time."

Huehue looks around the room again. Lavina is not far behind. She glares at Huehue from a distance.

"Well, I am a bit parched."

"Lavina, provide her with a drink as I take her to our table."

"Si, Comandante. A sus ordenes." Lavina glares at Huehue. She turns, still dressed in her high-ranking uniform, toward the beverages table.

...

*****

"Welcome! Bienvenidos a todos mis amigos! I hope you are having a wonderful time."

The Commandante begins to talk to his guests at his main table. Huehue gestured to sit next to him. I imagine that she looks like his next trophy based on the stares from all the guests. The men eye her hungrily while the women attempt to act aloof in her presence. It is true, no woman there is as beautiful as Huehue.

{The women hate you. The men love you.}

{I don't need or want their attention. I prefer it only from one person.}

{But Huehue? You are a god. You should be used to this…being worshipped.}

{Never was. I would have preferred living among the people.}

{I never would have thought.}

"Dons y Doñas. I'd like you to meet Señorita Huehue Yolotl. She has been staying in our lovely pueblo for some time now."

Huehue smiles and bows her head. I can see her actions based on the reflection from the nearby glasses filled to the brim with wine. One Don chimes in.

"She is beautiful, Commandante. Will we be seeing her more frequently?" His eyes move from Huehue's eyes to her buxom to her feet and back to her chest.

"My dear, Don. You have jumped ahead of me."

"I believe you will find her being a frequent guest at my mansion from now on."

He places her hand around her shoulder and a hand on her hand.

"I know who you are." The Commandante whispers. "I have seen your work at the bazaar. The puffs of smoke. The changes of outfits. Your athleticism. You are the bandit that has been championed by those cursed Rebeldes."

I feel Huehue struggle. A sharp blade is held against her stomach. The Commandante continues to whisper in her ear.

"I don't know what type of magic you use or how you are capable of tricking people with your disguises. And honestly, I don't care. I don't care one bit. That cripple of a man, Alvaro Gael will soon be dead as well as his spirited daughter. Even the young woman housing him in her building. But you, I want by my side. Your skills in combat are exquisite. I can make use of them in other areas as well. So decide now. I am sure you can break away free and hurt a lot of people along the way, but you will never be able to stop my orders. If you want to save the family you adopted, you best stay with me. You have until midnight to decide."

"Ladies! I am afraid it is time for the men to enter the board room and talk business. But please, mingle and enjoy yourselves with our bounty."

The Commandante winks at Huehue as he walks away.

"You know the Commandante gets what he wants. Always." Lt. Lavina sits in the Commandante's chair.

"Is that what happened to you? Did he want you?"

Lavina rises to her feet. Huehue clearly struck a nerve. "And what of it?"

"There is nothing wrong if you chose to give yourself to him. Yet, it doesn't look that way from where I'm standing."

"You are so full of it. You came into town and took your place by Alvaro's side as if you always belonged there."

"What was that you said to me? 'And what of it?'"

"I'd be with him instead."

"I don't believe that to be true at all. Remember he was married once."

"Yeah, that girl was not good for him." Lavina grits her teeth.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he deserved someone strong and capable. Someone independent. Not a weak and manipulative…"

"Someone like you? Would that have made things better for both of you?"

"Yes. Someone who could stand back to back and take on life one event at a time, together. The little lady was too delicate, too weak. She was fragile. She even struggled through her pregnancy. I would have provided Alvaro with all his needs. He would have been more than satisfied. For me, it was either Alvaro or death."

"But you are still here."

"That's only because of how stupid Alvaro was going back to her after…"

"After what, Lavina?"

Lavina spits at the ground by Huehue's foot. "The Commandante wanted me to be by his side, in more than one way. I refused time and time again, even before he established himself in the town. I thought nothing of it. With Alvaro, I was not afraid of anyone or anything. Then he gets married. And somehow, Alvaro becomes a target to this Commandante. The people would not relinquish their safety or their peacekeeper. So the Commandante decided to provide some incentive."

"Much like how the invading force was all made up of local men?"

"You figured that out? Then yes, like that. But even then, I refused to go along with the Commandante. He threatened Alvaro's life. He sent an assassin to kill him and framed him as an escaped soldier from the enemy regime. Of course, the assassination failed. Alvaro's wife was killed."

"But you could not leave things be?"

"No. Of course not. I felt guilty."

"But it wasn't your fault." Huehue's voice displays pity more than bravado.

"No, but I should have told Alvaro from the beginning that the Commandante was courting me. And a very jealous man at that."

"So you killed the assassin?"

"Yes. Cute, sweet Alvaro had a thing against killing. But I didn't. Especially to save the man I loved."

"And then what happened?"

"I realized that Alvaro needed to be saved. I brought Sepúlveda over and together we managed to bring Milagros into the world. We saved Alvaro as well."

"But that wasn't enough?"

"No. The Commandante still wanted to remove Alvaro permanently. So I made a deal."

"You went with him?"

"Yes. For the lives of Alvaro and Milagros. Alvaro never knew I was in town while all this occurred. I wanted to keep it that way."

"You gave yourself…all yourself to the Commandante and his ambitions."

"No. My heart was never his. It has always belonged to Alvaro."

"Why tell me this, Lavina? What do I have to gain from this knowledge?"

"I…I don't know. I want Alvaro to be happy. He never knew of this. And he is with you, now. I don't want him to lose anyone else. Just know that if you oppose the Commandante he will try to force you into a situation you cannot get out of. He is very manipulative and sadistic. And you may end up being his."

"That will never happen."

"That's what I thought as well."

{Alvaro. Did you hear all of that?}

I am numbed. I can't speak. Or think. Or react.

...