Vengeance a Pirate's Tale

[Bullfrog]

PROLOUGE



My name is Felipe Montoya and this is my tale. In order for me to tell you this, I must go back to the beginning. How did I, a simple fisherman become a pirate, the most wanted man in the Caribbean and the new colonies of Mexico? Why was I forced to kill and just how did I, an honest man become the sole focus of the King‘s wrath? As I said, I must start at the beginning, it is a long tale of bravery, love, betrayal and devotion. The story of common men struggling together to defeat insurmountable odds. My story was written long ago, let God be my judge.


Mexico
The east coast of the Yucatan.
1596

It was a time of turmoil, the people of Mexico were under the crushing oppression of the Spaniards. One by one the ancient, mighty civilizations fell. The vast Aztec Empire spread over the central regions with their advanced astronomy, huge temples and pyramids were put to the blade. The Mayans further to the south and finally the mighty Inca Kingdom, all were systematically slaughtered by the Spaniards. Their great temples were looted and those who were not killed were subjugated into slavery. All were firmly ground under the heel of the Spanish boot.
Disease brought by the Spaniards to which they had no immunity, eliminated a full third of the remaining population. What had once been proud and strong cultures were now reduced to a population of begging paupers. The new government of the Spanish colonies, far from the watchful eyes of the king were rampant with corruption. False arrests, bribes, land and asset seizures, even unjust executions for crimes not committed were routinely carried out.
A rigid social structure was put into place. The Pure bloods, those who were actually born in Spain or Gachupines as they were known held the highest social status. Even the children of the pure bloods that were born in the new colonies rather than Spain were treated as inferior. They were known as Criollos. The local inhabitants known as Mestizos or Peons were treated worse than dogs, often ran down in the streets by the pure bloods on their horses simply for their amusement.
Still the Spanish influence did usher in much, the buildings, churches, forts, even the clothing and language brought about a profound change on the very landscape and culture of Mexico. Ornate churches built of brick covered with smooth stucco were painted white or subdued shades of tan were constructed. Adorned with stained glass windows with depictions of saints and finely carved statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ which stood on the grounds. Graceful spires and bell towers rose high from the rooftops and men removed their hats as they passed.
Still, in the midst of the civility that this enclave of Spanish religion, tradition and culture ushered in, there existed a corrupt system of greed and brutality. The finely dressed Gauchupines looked down on those who were born here and considered themselves the ruling class.
Men in Spain knew nothing of the corruption and saw the new colonies as a land of opportunity. News about the new colonies excited those seeking a new life and riches. Juan Carlos Montoya listened to his crew talk of this as he hauled in the heavy nets full of fish every day. The work was hard and the muscles of his arms strained and rippled as the sun burned his already golden tan skin. Still, he smiled as they all spoke of this new world.
Finally, his mind was made up so he sold his small fleet of fishing boats and booked passage to the new colonies. He loaded a wagon and proceeded to the docks where he booked passage on a frigate bound for this new world.
The men aboard the frigate stood at the rails and watched curiously as the passengers boarded. They noticed the tall man with broad shoulders as he easily lifted his wife off of the seat and placed her gently on the dock. She was pregnant but still looked to be a petite woman with delicate features. She looked up at the ship with large, doe-like eyes and they wondered how she would fare in the rugged new colonies. They had no way of knowing that her slight build and gentle manner belied a strength of character and the determination to help carve a life out of this new wilderness.
An older man stood up in the back of the carriage and stretched. At first glance he appeared unimpressive, shorter than average with a wiry build. When he easily vaulted over the side and to the ground, they began to watch him closely as he easily handled the heavy trunks, swinging them to the ground. He moved with the fluid grace and strength of a jungle cat.
One seaman nudged his shipmate and pointed at him. “Do you know who that is?”
“That older man?”
“That is Andreas Montoya, I served with him in the King’s Navy. He was an Admiral and the finest swordsman in the land.”
“He does not look like much now.” the man said unimpressed.
“I will just tell you this, do not cross swords with him my friend.”
The voyage took almost three months until they finally Landed in the settlement of Catocha on the rugged east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. They purchased a wagon and two horses then traveled south through the jungle along the coast and purchased land. Juan Carlos again slowly built up his fishing fleet into a profitable business and soon Marianna gave birth to a son they named Felipe.
Young Felipe accompanied his father on the fishing boats from the age of five. He grew to love the sea and the clear waters of the Caribbean. At the age of ten he could steer the ship as his father and crew worked the nets. By the time he was fifteen he was navigating by day with a compass and by night with a sextant. He too grew strong hauling in the nets and soon he also developed the broad shoulders and strong arms of his father. His black hair had grown long and curly like his father’s. He was a masculine looking young man with penetrating brown eyes and dark skin like his parents. This is his story.

 

[Bullfrog]

VENGEANCE
A PIRATE’S TALE

BY FELIPE FERNANDEZ



CHAPTER ONE



THE NIGHT OF THE JAGUAR



Mexico
The east coast of the Yucatan.
1614


After the days work was done on the fishing boats, Felipe would go to the barn to see his Uncle and learn the art of the sword. He liked the barn, like all buildings in this area of the rugged, windswept coast it was built to withstand the huge storms that came from the east during the summer heat. Built of stone and mortar with a smooth stucco covering, it was a long, low building with a red tile roof made of baked clay. The barn was always filled with the good, familiar scents of oiled leather, sweet oats, hay and the tallow from the burning candles. As he entered his Uncle Andreas was honing a sword, lightly drawing a whetstone along the edge of the gleaming, polished blade. He saw Felipe and smiled, putting the blade down on the table. “Hello Felipe, have you been practicing with your weapons?”
“Of course, every day. You know this, you practice with me Uncle.” Felipe smiled.
“What about at night?” Andreas asked.
“When the moon is full I practice with my bow and lance, you also know this. Why are you asking me these questions?”
Andreas looked at him for a few moments then said “We have lost three calves to a jaguar over the past few weeks. He hunts every three nights and has marked our pasture as his feeding ground. Tonight he will feed again, how old are you now eighteen?”
“Yes Uncle, almost nineteen.” he replied.
“I was seventeen when I killed my first jaguar.” Andreas said as his mind went back to that time.
“How did you kill it? Felipe asked.
“I used a bow and a lance, they do charge you when the arrow strikes, they do not run away. I am getting a little old for this type of thing, are you up for this task? We can use a musket if you wish”
Felipe was afraid but he would not let that show. He had killed many charging wild boars with his lance. He buried his fear and answered. “I will kill it and have his pelt on the wall tomorrow at this time.”
Andreas looked at the boy in the flickering candlelight, he loved him as he would his own son. He had taught him from a small boy how to use his weapons. He knew that it was time to test him against a worthy adversary. Still, he was worried about the boy’s safety, after a few moments, he spoke. “Felipe, you do not have to prove anything to me, this is not a pig. This is a 300 pound jungle cat with reflexes as fast as lightning. They can see in the dark and have claws and fangs that can shred a man. Do you know how a jaguar kills its prey? He does not bite the throat and suffocate it as a lion does, he bites the head and drives his long fangs deep into the brain. At times they actually crush the skull.
They are so quick and agile, they can hear the sound of your bowstring in time to leap out of the way. This beast will not leave his kill, he will charge you and kill you if you do not kill him. You will only have one shot with your bow and your lance must take his heart when he charges, are you certain that you are ready for this?”
“Yes, I want to prove this to myself.” Felipe replied. He then reached for the brandy flask and his uncle stopped him.
“Do not dull your senses with brandy, for this night will be full of danger. We will celebrate after the beast is killed. Go and gather your weapons. You only need bring one arrow, you will not have time for two, and sharpen your lance. Tell your father nothing of this and meet me back here. We will stake out a calf, at least the beast will come to you.” With that Andreas got up and walked out into the pasture with a rope in his hand.
Felipe slowly walked back to his hacienda pondering what he had gotten himself into, asking himself if he was actually up to this task. He went to his room and gathered his weapons. His bow was taut so he picked up his quiver and chose his straightest arrow. He had fired this arrow many times, he knew its flight would be straight and true. He peered at the point and saw that it was sharp. Leaning in the corner was his lance, he had made this lance himself under the instruction of his Uncle. He reached for it and felt its weight, it was longer than he was tall, its shaft was made from ironwood imported from Brazil. Hard as steel, it would not break and could deflect a sword.
The tip was bronze and as he slid it along his arm, it shaved his hair, but still he took his whetstone and feathered the edge as he contemplated the night to come. He silently prayed for the strength and speed that he would need to conquer his foe. Gathering his strength, he walked back to the barn and to his fate.
When Felipe entered the barn Andreas was waiting with a calf on a rope. Without a word, they proceeded out into the far end of the pasture. Andreas had already pounded a stake deep into the ground and he tied the calf to it. The calf, as if sensing its fate began to cry out as soon as they walked away. Dusk was upon them and the night was falling quickly. The full moon hung low in the evening sky.
Andreas had made a blind of some shrubs. He had left an opening facing the calf at a good bow range and instructed Felipe. “As soon as you shoot, step out of the blind so you can use your lance and have the freedom of movement. There is no need to try to conceal yourself, as his eyes will pick you out in there as if a lantern were shining on you. Take your shot while the calf is still struggling so the sound of your bowstring will be hidden by his struggles. His reflexes and hearing are so sharp, he will hear the sound of your bowstring and jump the string. Hit him in his heart, not his lungs, then be ready with your lance. When he charges you, make steady with your lance and strike the center of his chest as he leaps at you. God be with you, I will be at the barn, when you come back, we will return and I will help you to drag the beast back.” With that Andreas turned and silently walked away.

 

[Bullfrog]

The night was falling fast and the sound of the insects, frogs and night birds began. Felipe never noticed just how loud that they were but now they were like a curse. How would he ever hear the beast approaching with this going on? The calf cried out nonstop for its mother and herd, left alone in the night. After a very short time it was dark but the full moon illuminated the ground with a silvery light. The shadows grew as the hours passed. Felipe tried to imagine how much time had passed, it seemed like forever.
Maybe his uncle was wrong and the jaguar was not coming tonight. The night wore on past midnight when suddenly the calf stopped crying out and lowered it’s head, peering toward the west. Then it panicked and tried to back away struggling on the end of its rope crying out loudly. Felipe’s heart was pounding so hard he was sure that it could be heard. He very slowly eased his head forward and looked with one eye in the direction that the calf was trying to escape from. He saw nothing but the eerie moonlit ground, no shape, only shadows.
The beast very large and as black as the night, it melted into the darkness like a shadow on obsidian. It was not until it charged with lightning speed that Felipe realized it had crept within 20 yards away and he had never heard it, nor had the calf. It was on the calf before he knew it and just as his uncle said, the jaguar grabbed the calf’s head in his jaws and he heard the crunching of bones as the beast drove it’s fangs into the skull. Very quickly and the calf’s struggles rapidly grew weaker and then stopped. It happened so fast that he did not have the time to do as his uncle had told him, “Take your shot while the calf is still struggling so the sound of your bowstring will be hidden by his struggles. “
He was too late, the calf stopped struggling and became still. He silently drew his arrow, aimed and released it. It should have been an easy shot, the beast was standing broadside at just twenty yards. He aimed right behind the front leg where he knew the heart was. The flight of the arrow was true but just as his uncle said, the beast heard the twang of the bowstring and leaped quickly, pivoting to face the threat. The arrow which should have struck and pierced the heart buried itself deeply into the big cats buttock. It roared out in pain and anger, a savage sound that sent chills down Felipe’s spine. The cats eyes, full of anger picked him out immediately and it crouched preparing to charge him.
He dropped his bow, pulled his lance out of the ground and stepped out of his blind as he took two steps forward. He took his stance with his right leg behind him to give him strength. His lance was out in front of him five feet and he steadied himself. The beast charged him with a mighty roar. It came at him much more quickly than he expected and leaped into the air with it’s talons out, reaching for his head. He had faced many charging wild boar but the speed of this jungle cat was much faster. The speed and the height of the leap threw Felipe off and his lance did not penetrate the center of the chest but went in too low, into the belly of the beast. It was impaled on the shaft of his lance but did not try to retreat as a wild pig would.
Instead, it gyrated wildly and then lunged forward again screaming loudly in pain and fury. The tip of the lance buried itself another six inches and now one talon caught the side of Felipe’s face, slicing the skin open from the corner of his left eye down to his jaw line. His blood spilled down on his hands and the shaft of his lance making it slippery. He reached back and got more shaft in his hand, then slid his body back down the handle of the weapon as the huge, strong beast furiously struggled and fought toward him.
Again the strong beast lunged toward him and pushed the blade deeper into its belly. In it’s pain and fury, it went absolutely wild in its desire to kill it’s tormentor. Again a talon raked his left arm laying it open deeply from his elbow to his wrist. Again Felipe slid back on the shaft. His hands and the shaft of the lance were now completely covered with blood, they kept sliding forward, he kept losing precious inches as his hands slid. The beast was wild with rage and continued to lunge forward toward him, gaining six inches of shaft at a time. Felipe felt the end of his shaft and with one more lunge the beast would be upon him. He was out of options, he couldn’t drop the shaft and run. Once again, the enraged beast lunged forward. He could feel its hot breath now in his face. The jaguar raised both huge paws back and extended its claws for its final lunge.

Suddenly a fast swishing sound cut through the night and there was a flash of moonlight on polished steel. The animal’s head simply fell off and thudded on the ground. The hot blood spurted from the arteries into Felipe’s face. All went silent as the dead weight of the beast was twitching on his shaft. He let it fall to the ground and looked to his right. His uncle Andreas was wiping the blood from his blade with a piece of cloth. He looked at Felipe and calmly said “I told you to shoot him in the heart, not in his ass.”
Felipe was stunned “You were here all of this time? I was almost killed! He clawed my face and arm. He almost killed me! Why did you wait so long to help me? I’m scarred now and bleeding.”
Andreas slid his sword back into his scabbard and said with a gentle voice, “You wanted to test yourself tonight and I let you. I will not always be there to cover your back. You need to learn to listen to what I say in the matters of life and death. So tell me, did you learn anything tonight?”
“Yes!” he replied, “I learned not to fool with jaguars!”
Andreas laughed loudly and produced a pipe and a flask of fine brandy. He sat on the ground and Felipe joined him. He wrapped Felipe’s wounds in clean cloth and then he lit the pipe, gently stoking the bowl to life. The flickering flame illuminated his strong, dark features and Felipe realized how much he loved and respected this man. His father had taught him strong work ethics but this man, his Uncle, taught him how to be a man. How to face danger and possible death, how to fight and win.
Andreas smoked his pipe as they sat in the moonlit field and passed the flask back and forth. The brandy was sweet and the warmth of it spread down his throat and into his chest. His heart was still beating wildly so he took deep, slow breaths to calm down. The moonlight made everything appear surreal. He looked down at the dead jaguar and realized just how close to death that he had come.
As he was contemplating this his uncle said. “You are still bleeding, come and let us bind your wounds properly, we will come back for the beast.” With that he stood and offered his hand to Felipe and pulled him up. They walked back to the barn. Andreas sat Felipe at a table and got a bottle of rum. He poured it on the wounds, it burned fiercely but Felipe made no sound, he took the pain. Andreas went to a shelf and got a clay pot. “I collected these earlier, I thought that you might need them.” He smiled and slid the jar to Felipe. Felipe took the pot and looked inside. There were several dozen of the large ants that lived in the nearby jungle. They had a large head and long sharp jaws.
“I could pull the sides of the wound together and sew it up with a needle and thread, but their jaws are much sharper and smaller, there will be less pain. After they bite, I will pinch their head off and the jaws will remain locked. In two weeks they will be dry and you can simply thump them off. This is how the slaves that they have here did this when they were in Africa.”
He handed Felipe the flask and said “Take several strong drinks and prepare yourself.” Felipe took several long drinks of the sweet brandy while Andreas lit more candles and a lantern. He took some tweezers and pinched the sides of the wound on his face together. Felipe winced with the pain and Andreas scolded him “Relax your face! Your skin will grow back together crooked.” Felipe relaxed his muscles and Andreas placed the first ant. The large pincers dug deep into his skin closing the wound and he deftly pinched the head off. The jaws remained locked in place. He repeated this placing the ant heads very close together. “This will make a fine scar that will send fear into the hearts of your enemies and some women will find it very masculine .” He closed the face wound and then the arm. He wrapped them in fine, clean linen and bound them up tightly.
“Now, go to sleep, there are more jaguars in the jungle and you need practice.

 

[Bullfrog]

Felipe is fashioned after my own son Felipe. Intelligent, yet hot tempered and often impulsive when he was younger, yet finally maturing into a fine man. Andreas is myself, the older mentor to Felipe.

 

[Bullfrog]

CHAPTER TWO


CHALLENGE




A little over a year had passed and Felipe was now twenty years old. Many years of hauling in the heavy nets filled with fish had made him very strong. The thick muscles of his arms, chest and shoulders rippled and flexed and the sweat dripped from his long, black curly hair as he worked. Even though he shaved himself clean every morning when not at sea, by the evening a dark stubble shadowed his strong jaw line and chin. The cruel scar that ran from the corner of his left eye to his jaw line had healed well but still was plainly visible against the dark brown skin of his face. Only his large brown, expressive eyes looked somewhat out of place on an other wise ruggedly handsome face.
This particular day was a Sunday so they did not work and as usual Felipe was in the barn practicing with his sword with his uncle Andreas. As his father Juan Carlos approached the barn he could hear the sound of the rapid clanging of swords. He reflected back on his son’s life. Even after the hardest day of work no one ever had to ask or tell Felipe to practice. He idolized his uncle and his skill. Juan Carlos had no doubt that other than Andres himself, that no man in the new colonies could best Felipe with a sword. Still he never started trouble and was a quiet young man, not boisterous. He was proud of his son.
As Juan Carlos entered the barn Felipe was squared off against his uncle in a fierce battle. Felipe had his back to him and Andreas stole a quick glance over Felipe’s shoulder at him. Felipe did not fall for this as it was a guise that Andreas had taught him long ago. If an opponent looks over your shoulder and you even quickly glance to see if there is in fact a threat, you could be lanced in the heart.
He did as he was taught and unleashed a quick series of swings and thrusts stepping to the side and forcing Andreas to exchange positions with him. Out of his peripheral vision he saw that it was his father. His eyes never left Andreas’s eyes as the eye led the attack of blade and gave away a lot of information.
Andreas tipped his sword vertically in front of his face indicating that the match was over and Felipe did the same, “Very well done Felipe.” Andreas said.
His father told him, “I have a list of supplies that we need, I need you to take the wagon into town and get them. Here is the list and the money”
“Yes father.” he replied.
He went to the stable to get a wagon and a horse. Andreas helped him with the harness. As he proceeded toward town down the dirt road he approached the jungle. He loved the sea but also enjoyed these infrequent trips through the jungle to the town. The growth was so lush that in places you could not see for two feet through the foliage. Many bird calls and insect songs filled the air. The large flowers gave off a sweet scent and the temperature dropped in the shade. It looked to him as if this part of the world had been untouched by man since the dawn of creation.
When he finally cleared the jungle he passed several large farms, low slung buildings of stucco and stone with graceful arched doorways and verandas. The red tile roofs were a common sight and they made a contrast against the white and tan homes. As he got closer to town the houses became more frequent yet smaller. All were built in the Spanish style with elegant lines. Approaching the center of town the road turned to brown cobblestone and the rhythmic sound of his horses hooves was relaxing.
The town was laid out around a square with a large, tree filled park in the center. A large church built of bricks stood elegantly as the central focus of the town. The bells were ringing in the tower as people rode horses and mules down the street. Wagons and carriages passed as the people went about their daily business. The women were dressed in colorful skirts and white blouses. Shops of all kinds lined the road, open air markets with baskets of fruit, corn and other vegetables were sold there daily. Passing a blacksmith shop, he could see the man operating a large bellows with his foot as he stoked the fire, then pulled a piece of metal out, pounding it as the fine sparks fell to the floor.
Every evening and all day on Sunday the pure blooded Spaniards, the ones who were actually born in Spain gathered there. Gachupines as they were known and they considered themselves the ruling class. Even the children of pure bloods who were born in the new colonies were treated as inferior and known as “Criollos“. The Gachupines were often verbally and at times physically abusive to the Criollos. Felipe, being born in the new colonies was considered a Criollo.
Felipe did not worry about or concern himself with this foolishness. He kept to his own business and knew that they wore their spurs and swords just for show and did not really know how to wield either.
As he approached the square, the finely gilded carriages with the ladies lined the street. Young Cabrillos wearing fine clothes, flat brimmed hats and silver spurs rode pure blooded stallions and competed for the attention and affection of the well dressed ladies. As he approached an intersection, a mule train went by and he stopped to let them pass. The Flamboyant trees were in full bloom, their bright crimson puffs of flowers stood out against the green foliage and gnarled trunks. He looked to his right and saw a woman in a carriage wearing a fine green dress. She waved her fan in front of her face and peered at him with smiling, catlike eyes. She then dropped the fan and smiled at him. She was beautiful and being a gentleman Felipe smiled back at her and tipped his hat.
The young Gachupine who was courting her shouted from the other side of the carriage, “You! Criollo! How dare you address a woman of proper breeding? Move along before I beat you like the dog that you are!” Even as the words left his lips he knew that he had made a grave error. All he had seen was a commoner sitting on a wagon. Now, as he looked into the steady, confident eyes of Felipe he saw no trace of the fear that he had expected.
He now saw the heavily muscled arms, the piercing eyes and the scar. But most unnerving of all was the look of utter confidence in the man’s eyes and the fine sword at his side. Few Criollos dared to carry a sword so they would not have to answer a challenge. He waited for a response from Felipe and this was even more unnerving.
Felipe studied the young man in front of him. Although he was supremely confident in his skill he had never faced another man in real mortal combat or killed another. Still, this man was pushing him. He casually looked over his left shoulder and then his right and replied, “Are you by any chance addressing me?”
The woman in the carriage giggled and the man’s face flushed crimson. It was unheard of for a Criollo to speak back to a Gachupine. He had been embarrassed in front of the lady that he was courting by a Criollo and had lost face, this was unacceptable in his culture. Bolstering his courage he reared his horse up in a show of bravado but Felipe was not impressed. He trotted his horse around in front of the carriage and again shouted, “I said move along! Do not make me draw my sword. I will kill you where you stand.”
Now he had gone too far and Felipe would not back down or be intimidated, “I just honed and polished my blade.” He looked around on the seat beside him, “I do not have a cloth to clean your blood off of it when we are through. If you choose to cross swords with me, it will be the worse, and last mistake that you will ever make. But if you insist, I will give you the time to go and get your final affairs in order and to write your will. I will wait here and entertain this lady until you return.”
Again the woman giggled and the man, although he was very afraid, was so deeply insulted that he had to respond. He dismounted and drew his sword. Felipe shook his head and sighed, “Foolish man.” he said as he jumped lightly to the ground and drew his sword.

 

[Bullfrog]

Just from the man’s stance Felipe immediately knew that he had no idea of what he was doing. He stood facing Felipe, flat footed with his feet planted two feet apart. He was in no position to maneuver, to advance or retreat. He held his sword low, pointed at Felipe’s navel. This left his entire head, neck and upper torso exposed and unprotected.
Also from his stance, Felipe knew that he had probably never even practiced with his sword and only drew it to admire it. He could have easily lanced his heart with the precision of a surgeon and walked away. But Andreas had instilled character as well as skill in him and he had no intention of killing such an outclassed opponent.
Felipe took his stance. He stood on the balls of his feet with his heels slightly raised. His right foot was forward and his left leg was back behind him. He could spring in any direction. His body was canted slightly to the left and the tip of his sword in his right hand pointed at the base of the man’s throat as steady as a rock.
Women began getting out of their carriages and hurrying to the scene and the other caballeros trotted up on their horses to watch this drama unfold. Although much showmanship took place at the square, an actual sword fight was rarely, if ever seen. They circled around the two men.
Felipe asked him, “Are you certain that you want to go through with this? Are you really prepared to die? You can simply sheath your sword and walk away, there is no shame.”
With his friends and peers gathered and watching that was not an option now, he would forever be branded as a coward to a Criollo. He drew his sword back over his right shoulder and made a strong but clumsy stroke at Felipe’s neck which was easily parried.
“You may as well have written me a letter.” Felipe said, “I saw that stroke coming for miles. Again, I will ask you to concede.”
The man was infuriated and began to swing wildly, each attempt was easily deflected by Felipe. At the end of one stroke his sword was down as was his guard. Felipe swung hard and slapped him on his right ear with the flat side of his blade. The percussion of air against his eardrum and inner ear made a loud ringing sound in his ear that was very disorienting and also affected his balance.
Andreas had done this to Felipe many times to teach him not to drop his guard. The man shook his head. Felipe told him, “That ringing in your ear will not go away for some time. While you can still hear me I will ask you just once more to concede. I will not ask you again.”
Although clearly outclassed the man could not bear to be branded as a coward for the rest of his life. He thought that perhaps he would receive a wound that would not be fatal and that would end the fight and he could still save face. Again the man stepped forward and this time he tried a thrust at Felipe’s chest. Felipe deflected the blade to his left and stepped into the man. He grabbed the man’s sword hand with his left hand and hit the man square in his nose with the pommel on the hilt of his sword. Blood spurted from the man’s nose and ran down his face.
“Try not to let the blood drip on the hilt of your sword. It will make it slippery.” Felipe told him.
The man had a dazed look on his face so Felipe waited for him to recover. He again shook his head in an attempt to clear it and swung again at Felipe. Felipe parried the swing and slapped the man hard on his left ear with the flat side of his blade.
The man’s ears were ringing so loudly now and his balance was so affected by the percussion on his inner ears that he stood dumbly with a dazed look on his face, his sword out in front of him.
Felipe quickly circled his blade around the man’s sword capturing it in a spiral motion and slung his sword out of his hand. It clattered onto the cobblestone street. He turned to his left and kicked him hard in the center of his chest. The man fell in a heap, moaning and holding his ears. Felipe sheathed his sword and turned toward his wagon. The circle of gachupines, the caballeros on their steeds and the ladies parted. He walked to his wagon, got on and rode away.
He gathered the supplies that he needed from the merchants and once again approached the square. The young caballeros stopped their stallions and watched him pass with a cautious eye but none challenged him. The ladies in their gilded carriages dropped their fans and openly smiled at him admiringly.
It was exciting and refreshing to them to see a real man who had the courage and skill to fight but also had the strength of character not to kill a lesser opponent. He was so unlike the well dressed dandies who courted them, he demanded the respect of other men with his actions and bearing. Of course to be with a man of lower social status was unacceptable, but he had fanned the flames of passion, desire and fantasy within them.

 

[Bullfrog]

Here is where the story actually gets going, bear with me as I grow...

Arriving back at home he unloaded the supplies and spent the rest of the day hunting wild boars from horseback with his father and uncle as they did every Sunday. Hitting a running boar from the back of a horse with an arrow was exciting and all three of then were very good at it. It took skill and timing but the hunt went well and soon all three of them had a boar.
They built a small fire and passed a brandy flask back and forth, “So, how was your trip into town?” Juan Carlos asked.
Not given to boasting, Felipe simply told them what had transpired. Andreas and his father agreed that he had done the right thing by standing up for himself and yet not killing the man, “Your Uncle Andreas has taught you well.” Juan Carlos said. Felipe looked at Andreas who smiled and winked at him.
In the fading, golden evening light as the sun set, he noticed for the first time that Andreas’s short cropped hair was getting gray on the sides. Felipe raised his chin and said, “Your hair is getting gray Uncle.”
”The hell you say.” Andreas said and laughed. He took a swig of the brandy and passed it to Felipe, “We had better be going, we have hogs to skin and quarter.”
They put out the fire and tied ropes around the hogs rear hoofs and to their saddle horns and rode home together.




CHAPTER THREE



A REBEL IS BORN




Dawn June 2, 1614
Caribbean Ocean
Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

Felipe and his father Juan Carlos took one of their larger boats and followed the shoreline toward a deep underwater canyon in search of grouper. The high bow of their boat easily cleaved through the waves leaving a wake of foam behind them. As they followed the shore a wisp of black smoke rose into the clear sky beyond the point. Clearing the point they saw a frigate that had obviously been damaged, the smoke was rising from her stern.
“What do you make of it?” Felipe asked.
“Probably pirates from the way her railing is splintered, two masts are down also.” Juan Carlos replied. The severed masts hung by the rigging as the sails floated on the water billowing in the waves. He took his spyglass and scanned the decks, “I do not see any signs of life, but we should board her and render aid in case anyone is alive and injured. She has not been found yet by the Viceroy’s patrol boats. We are the first to happen upon her.”
They steered toward the stricken vessel and shouted out when they drew near, they were met with silence. Pulling alongside they cast grappling hooks to her rails and tied themselves fast. Climbing up to the rail, the deck was mayhem. Dead men were everywhere and the amount of blood was incredible. Juan Carlos again shouted out but the only sounds were the creaking of the timbers and the stretching of the ropes.
They climbed on board and walked among the men, checking for any signs of life. After combing the entire deck they went below, the scene was the same, all of them were dead. They checked each area of the ship until in the galley they found the cook. He was alive, but gravely wounded. Juan Carlos found some clean towels and began to bind his wounds. He asked what happened.
“They were flying a Spanish flag and a distress flag. We pulled up to assist them and they fired a broadside into our starboard side. I came here, I am not a fighter, just a cook. The crew fought bravely, the battle lasted almost a half of an hour. When they came down here, I thought that being a cook they would spare my life, but they stabbed me in my chest with a sword.” He began to cough up bright red blood and then pink foam.
“Do not talk, your lung is pierced, just rest and we will bring you back to the shore.” Juan Carlos said. “We will check to see if anyone else is alive”
“I do not know, as I said, I remained here.” The cook began coughing again.
“Let us make a quick search of the rest of the ship for survivors and then we will carry you to our boat.” Juan Carlos told him. He nodded his head toward the side to Felipe and they hurriedly searched the rest of the ship.
Finding no other survivors they returned to the galley and knocked the legs off of a table. They gently slid the cook onto it. They carried him up the stairs and to the railing where their boat swung on it ropes.
“Look.” Felipe said as he pointed toward the shore. One of the Viceroy’s patrol boats was approaching, “We should wait and load him aboard their boat, they can make better time and should have some medical supplies.”
They waited as the patrol boat pulled alongside and tied off. Six soldiers boarded followed by a very tall man. He was wearing the uniform of a lieutenant. He surveyed the scene around him and said, “Well, it appears that we have captured some pirates.”
“We are not pirates! We are fishermen! We just came upon this vessel and stopped to render aid.” Juan Carlos said.
The tall man raised an eyebrow, “There is a fine bounty on pirates, dead or alive and therefore I say that you are pirates. How you choose to accompany us is up to you, dead or alive, I will still get my bounty.”
“This is insane! This is cannon damage. Look, we have no weapons. That is our boat, we are fishermen. We could not have done all of this damage and killed all of these men by ourselves.” Juan Carlos protested.
The lieutenant looked around the deck and then at his men, “Obviously the rest of your pirate crew abandoned you, probably for cowardice in the face of the enemy.”
“Ask this man, he was a member of this ship’s crew, the cook. We were just bringing him to the shore for help. You see the table that we were carrying him on.” Felipe said.
The lieutenant walked over to him and looked down at him, “A member of the crew you say?” The cook shook his head and clutched at his wounded chest. The lieutenant pulled his pistol and shot him in the middle of his forehead. His head burst open in the back and a large pool of blood spread quickly around his head on the deck. “He looks like another dead pirate to me.” he looked at his men and they all laughed.
He turned to his men, “Bind and gag them, take them on board.” The men moved toward Felipe who was standing nearest to them and took his arms.
“No! Release my son! We did nothing!” Juan Carlos grabbed at one of the soldiers and as he struggled the tall man walked up behind him. Suddenly he arched his back and screamed through clenched teeth as a sword protruded through the right side of his chest. It was quickly withdrawn and then again he screamed as it came through the left side of his chest. He looked down at his chest at the tip of the sword and then at Felipe. The sword was withdrawn as he looked at Felipe and blinked. The man roughly grabbed Juan Carlos by his hair and slung him to the deck. He put a boot on his throat and stabbed him in the heart with his sword.
“Nooooo!!! You son of a bitch! I will kill you!” Felipe began struggling violently. The tall man looked at him, smiled and twisted the sword. Again Juan Carlos screamed out in pain. Felipe went berserk and head butted the man holding his right arm breaking his nose. The man grasped his face in both of his hands releasing Felipe’s right hand for a second. He got his hand on the hilt of his sword when three other soldiers rushed him and subdued him.
The tall man walked up to him. Felipe said, “You bastard, I swear that I will kill you.”
“Not today, nor tomorrow.” as he wiped Juan Carlos’s blood off of his blade onto Felipe’s cheeks, “I need one of you alive to hang in the morning so my bounty will be greater and I will get a promotion in rank.”
He hit Felipe hard with the pommel of his sword on the side of his head. Stars swam before his eyes and then everything went dark. When he came to he was lying on his face on the deck of the patrol boat with a gag in his mouth and his hands tied behind him. He could see his father’s lifeless body lying beside him.
Tears slid down his cheeks and then anger boiled inside of him. He struggled at his bonds to no avail and received a hard kick in the ribs from one of the soldiers. The man spat on his face and said “Remain still pirate scum. You will dance at the end of rope at dawn.”

 

[Bullfrog]

When they made shore a wagon was tied to a rail. Felipe was loaded onto it as well as the bodies of his father and the cook. They made their way into the center of town to the compound of the Viceroy. He was taken to a rough, small brick jail. Three soldiers walked him inside to the door of a barred cell. The jailer unlocked the door and he was shoved inside then pushed down onto his face. A soldier knelt on his back and untied his hands and carelessly threw the rope to the side. Then his gag was taken out of his mouth.
“You know that I am not a pirate! You killed my father for no reason!” he shouted.
“Would you prefer to have your gag back? All pirates deny their guilt because it is punishable by hanging, as you will in the morning. You will be gagged during the trial, so enjoy your last night on earth.” The soldiers turned and walked away and the jailer locked the door.
Felipe considered his fate, he looked around the cell and saw stone walls, a barred window and strong bars on the door. The rope and the gag were lying on the floor. He heard the soldiers laughing as they walked away and then heard them leave. The jailer’s footsteps continued and he heard a chair slide across the floor.
He took the rope and tied it to the crossbars on the window and then wrapped it around his neck. He stood on his toes and began to make loud gurgling sounds with his throat. Finally he heard the jailer get up and walk toward his cell. As the jailer rounded the corner, he cursed and hurried to the cell. He would surely be in serious trouble for leaving the rope in the cell. The Viceroy enjoyed the pleasure of public hangings to strike fear into the population.
He took the key, jammed it into the lock, turned it and opened the door. The jailer rushed over and tried to lift him with one arm around his waist so he could untie the rope. His Uncle Andres had taught him how to kill with his hands as well as a sword. He opened his eyes and quickly grabbed the man by the chin and the top of his head. With a sharp twist he heard the man’s neck break and he slumped to the floor making a snoring sound which soon stopped.
Felipe untied the rope, then drug the jailer to the far wall and laid him on the floor facing the wall. He locked the cell behind him and walked to the door. Cracking it open, he saw that it was getting dark so he slipped away into the shadows. Working his way through the compound, he scaled the wall and found a nearby tavern. He took a horse from the rail and fled into the night toward home.
When the boat did not return before dusk, Andreas was concerned. An hour after dark he became worried so when he heard the thundering hoof beats approaching the hacienda he knew that something had happened. He stood in the door of the barn and peered into the darkness. Felipe charged up and leaped down off of the horse, he still had his father‘s dried blood on his face.
“What has happened? Where is my brother?” he asked.
Felipe quickly related the events of the day and Andreas’s face darkened and hardened, “I am a wanted man now and I must flee this place, but first I am going to ride back into town and kill the man who killed my father. I should have done it before I left.” Felipe said.
Andreas looked him in the eyes, he had known him as a kind and gentle man, his mentor all of his life but what he now saw in Andreas’s eyes frightened him. It was the look of deadly anger that wanted to kill.
“Saddle up our two fastest horses, I will go with you. Prepare a carriage for your mother, I will go and tell her of what has happened.” Andreas said.
“You are not wanted, there is no need for you to also be branded as a criminal. Stay here and take care of my mother.” Felipe replied.
“ When they killed your father, they killed my brother. There are many things that you still do not understand about the new colonies. You saw this morning how corrupt the Viceroy’s men are, the Viceroy himself is even more corrupt. He receives a portion of every pirate bounty that is paid by the King. He knows that most of them are not guilty but he is getting very rich.
I assure you that tomorrow morning his first order of business will be to seize all of our land and assets to line his own pockets claiming that it all came from piracy. If your mother and I are not arrested, we will be destitute. Now, saddle up the horses. We will send your mother to live with her sister Carmen. They know nothing of her, she will be safe there.”
Andreas got up and strode out of the barn. Felipe began to prepare the wagon and saddle two horses. Soon he heard his mother approaching, crying loudly. As she came into the barn she ran to Felipe and clutched him to her breast crying, “No! No! This is more than I can bear! I cannot lose my husband and my only son in one day. I do not want to go and live with Carmen. I want to go with you. Please take me with you.” She held him tight and cried uncontrollably.
Andreas waited until she caught her breath and then quietly said, “Marianna, it is not safe for you now. We will be on the run as wanted men, sleeping in the jungle and living off of the land. As soon as we establish a safe haven, we will come back for you.”
Marianna released her grip and held Felipe at arm’s length by his shoulders, looked into his eyes, “Will you promise this? Will you come back for me?”
Tears were flowing down Felipe’s face, “I swear on the blood of my father I will come back for you. I love you Mother.”

 

[Bullfrog]

She hugged him again crying loudly. Andreas quietly walked outside to let them say their goodbyes.
Felipe walked his mother back to the house, when he got back to the barn Andreas told him, “There is no need to search for him, I know where he will be. There is one tavern that all of the soldiers gather at, it is also a bordello. We will go there now, we have no time to waste.”
They mounted their steeds and charged through the night, they only stopped running when they reached the cobblestone street, then slowed to a fast gallop to avoid drawing attention to themselves. As they approached the tavern Andreas stopped several shops down and they tied their tired horses to a rail.
The tavern’s light and noise spilled out through the open door. They peered through the window surveying the crowd. Felipe said, “That is him at the corner table, the tall man sitting on the right. I am going in there to kill him now.”
Andreas put his hand on Felipe’s arm and said, “Easy Felipe, there are too many soldiers in there, we could not possibly win. Give me a few minutes, I will lure him to a private room upstairs and then let you kill him. We can live to fight another day.”
Felipe looked at him and said, “Just how will you lure him to a private room?”
Andreas looked at him and smiled, “I was not always an old man with gray hair, I know this place. Wait for me here, trust me.” Andreas walked into the noisy tavern. He surveyed the room that he knew well. There was a U shaped bar and he took his place at the center of it. Even from here he could hear the tall man bragging about killing two pirates and capturing another alive. His anger burned inside of him but he controlled himself and remained silent.
He scanned the bar until his eyes fell on an aging prostitute. The years had added pounds to her face and body but she was still a radiantly beautiful woman. He stared at her until she sensed it. She looked around and when she made eye contact with him a huge smile spread across her face. She put her drink down, gathered up her skirts and ran to him.
“Andreas you devil! Where have you been? I knew that you could not resist Rosa’s charms forever.” she said with an impish smile.
She grabbed his head in her hands and kissed him full on the lips. Her hands slid down and grabbed his buttocks and pulled him in firmly against her ample figure. Outside of the window, Felipe’s eyes went wide.

 

[Bullfrog]

She finished her kiss and asked him, “Why did you suddenly stop visiting for all of these years? Where have you been? Did I anger you in some way?”
Andreas looked at the floor and then at her and he sheepishly said, “Well.. Actually... really... I have been trying to be a good influence for my young nephew Felipe. You know that I never had a son.”
Her eyebrows went up and she put her hands on her hips, “You Andres? A good influence?” She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head back and laughed heartily until the tears flowed from her eyes. She was finally able to compose herself and wiped the tears from her face with the heels of her hands, “Please do not make me pee on myself with any more laughter.” she said.
Andreas feigned a hurt look and said, “ It is true, I am not the reckless young man that I once was. I am older now, wiser and hopefully more mature.”
She cocked her head and looked at him, “You are still a very good looking man, I think that you look better now than you did when you were younger.”
“And the years have been kind to you also Rosa, it is really good to lay my eyes upon you again.” Andreas replied.
“You know, I still dream about you at times.” she said.
“As I do you, especially when I lay awake at night alone.” he smiled and this got him a giggle.
“But I have grave news, please sit with me.” he said.
Andreas led her to a table and pulled out her chair for her. When he sat she clutched one of his hands in both of hers with a concerned look on her face. “Juan Carlos was killed this morning, murdered.” he told her.
Her hands went to her mouth and her eyes opened wide, “Mother of God! Who would do such a thing?” She made the sign of the cross.
“Do not look now, but there is a tall man sitting at the corner table with a lieutenant’s uniform on. He accused Juan Carlos of piracy and murdered him.” he said.
“I have seen him, he has been buying drinks for the table all night. Why would he do this? Juan Carlos was a fisherman, not a pirate, everyone knows that”
“For the bounty, the money, why else?” Andreas said, “Will you help me to avenge my brother’s death?” He asked.
“Yes, I will do anything within my power. After my father died my family would have starved if not for the generosity and kindness of Juan Carlos and yourself. What do you need me to do?”
Andreas asked her, “The room upstairs that we used to frequent, is it the same as it was?”
She smiled briefly remembering the times that they shared in that room, “Yes, exactly the same as it was.” she replied.
“My young nephew Felipe waits outside. When I walk out I need you to go upstairs and unlock the door to the balcony. Then have one of your girls lure him there then excuse herself for a moment and leave him there. We will do the rest.”
She looked around the room and nodded her head toward a young girl, “I will use Lisa, no man can resist her.”
Andreas looked and saw her. She was of Mayan descent, She had large brown eyes, high cheekbones and full lips. Her raven black curly hair cascaded to her slim hips. Her low cut blouse revealed much of her cleavage, she was a striking beauty.
“A wise choice.” Andreas said, ”Now go and unlock the door for us.” They rose and she gave him a quick kiss, turned and walked away toward the stairs.
Andreas walked outside and told Felipe to follow him. They went into the alley behind the tavern where there was a large trellis leading up to the balcony covered with thick vines. Rosa was waiting for them as they climbed onto it. She looked at Felipe and said, “You are as handsome as your uncle was when he was your age. If I were only twenty years younger you would be in serious trouble. Andreas was quite the stallion back then.”
“I still am.” Andreas replied with a small smile, “Go now, and send that bastard up here.”
“Stab him once for me, God be with you Andreas.” she said and kissed him.
“And with you also. Thank you Rosa.” he replied.
Rosa turned and left the room. She instructed Lisa what to do. Lisa painted her lips and dabbed perfume along her neck and on her breasts. She approached the table and asked, “Who is the brave soldier who single handedly killed two pirates and captured another alive?”
“That brave soldier would be me.” the tall man replied.
She slid into his lap and said, “The entire tavern is talking of your bravery and soon the entire town will be. Such a brave man deserves a rich reward.” She took his index finger into her mouth and seductively sucked her way to the tip of it looking at him with her large eyes, “Will you come upstairs with me?”
The men at the table cheered him on, he said, “What fool would not?”
She rose, took his hand and led him up the stairs. When she approached the room she produced a key and told him, “The other girls use these rooms also so we keep them locked, I do not want to be interrupted.” She unlocked the door and opened it. As he stepped into the room she said, “Let me fetch a bottle of wine, I will be right back.”
The man grabbed her roughly and pulled her to him, “We do not need any wine.” he groped her buttocks.
“I will please you a lot better if I just have one glass of wine, I want my mouth wet, do you not?” she smiled and licked her lips, “It will only take a moment, wait for me here.”
He smiled showing his rotten teeth and watched her as she closed the door. He heard the key turn in the lock. When he turned around Andreas was standing in the room near the balcony door. He did not know Andreas, what he saw was a shorter than average man with a wiry build and graying hair. He did not look threatening.
“Who are you?! What are you doing here?” he demanded.
Andreas calmly said, “One of the men that you killed this morning was my brother.”
“He was a pirate.” the man sneered.
“No, actually he was a fisherman. The young man that you arrested was my nephew.”
“Also a pirate.” the man said.
“No, he too was a fisherman. He wants to have a word with you.” Andreas produced a thin cigar.
“I will talk to him in the morning, on the way to the gallows.”
Andreas lit the cigar and said, “No, he wishes to speak to you now.”
Felipe stepped into the room and drew his sword. The man looked surprised and said, “What are you doing here? How did you get out of jail?”
“That is not your concern now. Your concern is to ask God to forgive you before I kill you.” Felipe said.
The man looked at them “So I am supposed to fight the both of you?”
“I am too old and feeble to fight anymore.” Andreas lied. “The boy is your only concern.” he stepped back and leaned against the wall.
“This is going to be too easy.” The man said as he drew his sword. He had been a soldier for many years and had fought many sword battles. He was confident that he had much more experience than Felipe.
Andreas had taught Felipe swordplay for fifteen years but he had never seen the fury and speed that Felipe unleashed on this man. The man was taken totally by surprise, he had no chance to mount an attack, it was all that he could do to try and parry the lightning fast swings and thrusts that were coming his way, he backed up.
Felipe intentionally slowed his swing. His sword went back wide over his right shoulder. The cutting edge was facing down toward the man’s ribs. He flinched both of his shoulders and the man instinctively lowered the tip of his sword to protect his ribs and flank. The cutting edge flicked upwards and he caught the man high on the right side of his head slicing the hair, skin and ear off all of the way down to the neck. The peeled off piece of flesh hung on his shoulder exposing a large, bloody section of skull.
The man screamed and felt for his ear feeling only bone. Andreas smoked quietly against the wall. He knew exactly what Felipe was doing. He could have killed the man within the first three thrusts. He was punishing him, torturing him. Andreas said nothing and watched.
Three swings later the man fell for the same move. Again the sword came in high and peeled the hair, ear and skin down to the shoulder on his left side. He had a patch of hair left on the top of his head which Felipe deftly cut off with another swing. It flew across the room and hit the wall. The man now looked like a bloody skull with a frightened face plastered on it.
The next thrust came in low in an upward direction. Felipe impaled the mans testicles on his sword. The man took in a loud breath and his eyes went wide. He rose to his tiptoes to try to get off of the sword. Felipe twisted the blade.
Andreas said in a calm voice, “Felipe, quit toying with him, end it.”
Felipe had never disobeyed Andreas in his life but he was blind with rage, “No! I want him to suffer!”
“As do I.” Andreas replied, “But that is not our way. Do not drag yourself down to his level. He has suffered, end it, end it now.”
The man could hear this but they sounded very far away. Felipe stared at him, the man knew that he was about to die. He raised his sword up in front of him, he expected the death blow to come for his head, neck or upper body. He was taken totally by surprise when Felipe lanced his right upper thigh where it met the abdomen. The blade exited his buttock and when Felipe withdrew it he felt a gurgling sensation there. His leg became hot and he made the mistake of looking down at the very large pool of blood rapidly spreading out around his right boot. He saw the blade lance his other thigh slightly to the inside.
Felipe had severed both major arteries that ran down his legs. He was losing blood very fast, his thinking slowed down, he got a confused look on his face. His sword felt very heavy and his arm just hung by his side. Felipe leaned in and forced the mans chin up with the tip of his blade. Andreas had taught him this but even his practiced eye had trouble following the flight of the blade when it came.
Felipe spun in a very fast, tight circle with his blade extended and caught the man on the side of his neck. The man’s head tumbled forward, rolled off of his chest and fell to the floor. The stump of his neck shot twin geysers of blood and the body went to the knees, then fell over heavily. The man’s head rolled to Felipe’s feet and stopped face up. The terrified eyes looked at him and blinked once, twice, and then froze open. Felipe wiped his blade on the man’s cheeks and kicked the head into the pool of blood.
“It is done, we must hurry.” Andreas said. They climbed down the trellis, mounted their horses and ran through the night toward home. Arriving back at the barn Andreas instructed him to go and pack only his clothes, weapons and gold. Felipe did as he was told while Andreas loaded the wagon with supplies. Saws, hammers, axes and all of the other tools that they would need to build a new life. He loaded his blacksmith tools, all of his weapons, clothes and gold.

 

[Bullfrog]

Felipe came back dragging two large chests and Andreas helped him load them onto the wagon, “Where will we go?” he asked.
“I have been thinking about that.” Andreas said. He opened a trunk on the wagon and removed a bamboo tube. Pulling the cork out of it he took out a map, unrolled it on the table and moved a candle closer.
“There is a good sized island off the coast of Hispaniola. The Spaniards Built a fort there but the slaves mounted a rebellion, killed their masters and ran wild on the island. It was of not enough strategic importance for them to bother keeping with the war as their men are spread thin. There is a small settlement but it is a pirate stronghold. It would take three or more garrisons of men to rout them and their losses would be heavy so the Spaniards leave them be. The other side of the island is uninhabited and there are sheltered harbors that you could hide a ship in with fresh water nearby.” His finger pointed out the island, “Tortuga, this will be our new home.”
“Come now, we will take the Marianna, she is our largest boat and the most seaworthy.” They took the carriage down to the water and loaded the supplies onto the Marianna, then Felipe took the carriage back to the barn and left the horse tethered for his mother. Together they weighed the anchor and Andreas took the wheel. Felipe unfurled the sails and tied them off. He walked back and stood beside Andreas.
He turned and looked back at his home. The light shined in his mother’s window and he could see her figure standing there watching them leave. All of his precious childhood memories were here. He looked at the barn where he and Andreas had spent countless hours with their swords, the dock where he and his father talked and laughed while they cleaned the catch and back at the lone figure of his mother standing in the window.
It was all slipping away and an overwhelming feeling of sadness gripped and tore at his heart. He felt his breath catching in his chest and had to turn away. Andreas was older and wiser, his mind was already set and he knew Felipe’s heart. He said nothing and let Felipe work his way through it. Felipe took several deep breaths to calm himself. He turned to Andreas.
“They took everything away from me. My home, land, livelihood, my mother and my father.” He paused thinking about it, Andreas remained silent.
“They wanted a pirate, very well then, they shall have their pirate. I will be the worst pirate they have ever known. I swear before God, for the rest of my life that I will kill any man who holds allegiance to this King. More than that, I will seek them out. I will take the King’s precious treasure, kill his men and sink his ships. He will come to know the name of Felipe Antonio Montoya.”
Andreas looked at him and said, “And I Felipe, will be by your side.”
A full moon had half risen over the water, it led a shimmering trail of diamonds to the front of their boat like a path drawing them to their destiny. By dawn they were over the horizon and Marianna was approaching the cobblestone road. A full compliment of soldiers on horses were running toward her and even though they did not know her, she bowed her head hiding her face. The soldiers thundered past, toward the hacienda in search of Felipe.

 

[Bullfrog]

Here comes JW (Angelica)

CHAPTER FOUR



THE PRINCESS





Madrid, Spain

Castle of King Phillip


The king was in his bedchambers atop his wife trying once again to sire a male child. He was getting old and without a son the crown would slip from his family to another. So far, all he had been able to sire was a daughter, the princess Celeste. She would eventually be Queen if she outlived her mother but he desperately wanted a son.
This fact was not lost on his daughter, she always knew that her father wanted a boy and did her best to win his affection. She was an adventurous child, very bright, agile and given to getting into mischief. She was a beautiful girl with curly golden hair, green eyes flecked with gold and a fair complexion. At the age of six she was appointed an aid, a girl two years her senior who was to help her dress, teach her in the proper ways to conduct herself and give her guidance.
Angelica was a full head taller than her. Her long, light brown hair was parted in the center and fell straight until it hit her shoulders and then curled. She had big brown eyes and was slightly darker skinned than the princess. She had a willowy body with long legs. Although she was supposed to be a servant, they soon became the best of friends. Angelica was the only one who entered the princess’s room without knocking, the King himself knocked.
A gold rope hung in the corner of the princess’s room and this ran up through a hole in the ceiling to Angelica’s room. She would pull the rope and this rang a bell to summon Angelica. More often than not, Angelica slept in the princess’s room which was much more lavishly appointed. The bed was larger and more comfortable and they found comfort in each other’s company at night. She also had a fireplace which kept her room a lot warmer.
One day when they were playing they pretended that the castle was under siege by enemy soldiers. Angelica peeked through the door and then slammed it and bolted it, “Enemy soldiers are in the hall!! Hide!!” she said.
The princess looked around her room in mock fear, “Where? Under the bed?”
“No! That is the first place that they will look!” she pivoted her head around, “Quickly! Into the closet!”
The girls ran into the closet and closed the door. They cowered against the back wall in the corner and huddled against the wall. The wall moved back slightly, “What is this?” the princess asked.
Angelica opened the door to let light in. The wall was made of finely hewed large stones that fit very tightly. This stone pivoted on a middle axis. She pushed on it and it swung in easily. A stairway ran down along the inside of the wall of the castle into the darkness, “A secret passage! All castles have them. You did not know that this was here?” Angelica asked.
“No, I would have told you. I wonder where it goes?”
“Well,” she said with a smile, “There is only one way to find out. Come on, let us take the oil lamp and go.”
They lit the lamp then she took the princess’s hand and they went down the stairs. The stairs seemed to go down forever to the young girls and their hearts beat very quickly, they moved cautiously ever downward. Finally the stairs ended into a long tunnel that was just wide enough for one person to walk down. In the darkness something squealed and scampered across their feet.
“A rat!” they shrieked. On the other side of the wall in the Grand Hall the King made a quizzical face, then went back to his meal. The rat was now behind them so they continued to creep forward until they came to a dead end.
“Well this makes no sense, who would go to all the trouble of making a secret passage that leads nowhere?” Angelica asked.
“Maybe it is just a hiding place.” the princess replied.
“No, there has to be another door here just like in your room.” She felt along the wall in the darkness and found a seam. She put both of her hands there and pushed hard, it budged just a little, “Help me push.” she said.
The girls pushed together, this one was harder. Light streamed into the hall and they peeped through the crack in the door. They saw the grounds outside of the castle, “It leads outside!” Angelica said very excited, “Do you know what that means?”
“What?”
“It means that we can sneak out of the castle at night!” she said.
“Sneak out and do what?” the princess asked.
“Anything that we want! Just think of the adventures that we can have sneaking out at night!” They pushed the secret door back into place so that it would not be discovered and went quickly back up to the room. At first, their forays into the night were close and brief, it was exhilarating just doing something that was forbidden. But as they got older they went deeper into the surrounding forest and explored the roads and village always dressed as commoners.
Time passed and the princess now was fourteen. Angelica walked into her room and the princess told her, “I want some pants.”
“You want some pants?”
“Yes, I want some pants and boots.” she said.
“What on earth do you want pants and boots for?” Angelica asked.
“Because I am going to ride a horse.”
“You are going to ride a horse?” Angelica asked.
“Would you stop that?” the princess said,” You sound just like a parrot.”
“Girls do not wear pants or ride horses.” Angelica told her.
“This girl does. Can you get me some pants and boots?”
“You are going to get us into a world of trouble, as usual but I know that there is no talking you out of something once your mind is made up. You are about the same size as my little brother, I will go and get them.”
The princess smiled and Angelica walked out of the door. She soon came back with a basket and took the top off. She had a pair of brown pants, a belt and some lace up boots. The princess squealed with delight and quickly got out of her skirt and petticoats. She pulled on the pants which were a little tight, put on the belt and then laced up the boots.
“How do I look?” she asked.
“You look ridiculous.” Angelica said.
“I do not care, tomorrow I am going to ride a horse.” she changed back into her skirt and then said “Come with me.”
They went to the stable area and found the stable master. He was a common man and when he saw her he was surprised and bowed deeply. “Princess, what, pray tell brings you to the stable?”
“I want to ride a horse.” she said.
His eyes went wide, “Like a man? You mean that you want to ride a horse like a man?”
“Yes, I want to ride a horse like a man.” she replied.
“Princess, this is out of the question, girls do not ride horses. What if you were to be hurt?”
“I will not be hurt.”
“I am sorry, but I have to ask your father’s permission before I do this and I am sure that he will say no.” the man said.
Even though she was only fourteen years old she was used to commanding others. “You will not even mention this to my father, I forbid it.”
“Princess please, your father will have my head if I do this.”
She looked at him boldly and said, “My father is getting very old as is my mother. Soon I will be Queen and I promise you that I will have your head if you mention this and do not teach me to ride a horse.”
The man was astonished, “Even if I did do this, how will you ride a horse with a skirt and petticoats?”
“I have pants.” she said.
His eyes went wide, “You have pants?”
Angelica giggled and made a sound like a parrot. The princess shot her a look.
“Yes, I have pants. Are you familiar with the bridge over the stream in the wood nearby?” she asked.
“Yes, I know the bridge.” he said.
“You will meet me there at noon tomorrow with a horse for me to ride and not mention a word of this to anyone.” She turned around and walked out of the stable leaving the stable master with a very worried look on his face.
At noon the next day the princess and Angelica were waiting at the bridge in a carriage when the stable master came around the bend in the road riding a horse. He was leading a small pony behind him. As she rose he looked astonished that she was wearing pants and averted his eyes.
“What is this?” the princess demanded, “I told you to bring me a horse.”
“This is a horse your highness.” he said.
“It is not a horse, it is a pony and not even a full grown pony at that, it looks not much bigger than a dog.” She had an angry look on her face and the man paled.
“Please, just learn the basics on this gentle horse. We will work up to a larger horse soon.” he said.
“We will work up to a larger horse tomorrow if you know what is good for you.” she replied and walked up to the pony. He instructed her, “Take the pommel of the saddle in your left hand and place your left foot in the stirrup.” He never got to finish, the princess swung her other leg over and sat proudly in the saddle smiling at Angelica, “What do you think now?” she asked.
“I think that you have lost your mind.” Angelica said.
“Please let me adjust the stirrups so that they fit your legs.” He adjusted the stirrups so they fit her short legs, “As long as the horse walks, you can just sit comfortably in the saddle. When we eventually get up to trotting you will need to stand in the stirrups slightly to keep your… your…” he struggled with the word.
“Keep my what? Just say it will you?” she demanded.
He looked up and said, “Lord forgive me, you must stand slightly to keep your… bottom from bouncing up and down in the saddle.”
Angelica giggled and said, “Yes, we do not want your bottom bouncing, by all means.”
The princess gave her a dirty look then kicked her heels hard into the pony’s ribs. The pony took off like a shot and the princess squealed with joy as the small horse bolted away down the road.
“For the love of God!” the man shouted and quickly mounted his horse to catch up with her. Angelica followed in the carriage as fast as she could. The man was screaming at her to stop and gaining on her fast. The princess slowed to a trot and then saw a trail leading off of the road. She took the trail and the man was frantic, as he followed her Angelica stopped the carriage at the trail so she could see.
A log had fallen across the trail and the princess again kicked the pony. The pony started running again and easily jumped over the fallen log. Angelica heard her whooping and watched as they went around a curve in the trail, the man in hot pursuit. Angelica muttered to herself, “She is going to break her neck and I am going to be in a world of trouble.”
She could hear the man calling out to the princess but soon his voice faded in the distance. The princess came out of the forest and found rolling hills. The pony was winded so she slowed to a walk and patted his neck. The man pulled up alongside of her and said, “Princess, you ride very well but please do not do that again. You must take the time to learn about horses. Had that been a real horse and not a pony he could have ran under a tree limb and knocked you off. I beg of you not to run when I bring you a larger horse until you have ridden some more.”
“Very well, what you say makes good sense. When you bring me a larger horse tomorrow I will do as you say. I do want to learn to ride well.” she said and this seemed to make the man relax.
As the days went by she became very good at riding, she had always been an athletic child and caught on to things quickly.
More time passed and she was now sixteen years old, she was growing into a very attractive girl. Her breasts were filling in nicely, her bottom was rounding out and becoming full. Angelica walked into her room and the princess asked her, “The personal bodyguard of my father, what is his name? Sir Balls a lot?”
Angelica giggled and said, “His name is Sir Balsala, but I like Balls lot a lot better.”
“So do I, it has a certain ring to it. Please go and fetch him to my room.” she said.
Angelica’s eyebrows went up, “You want me to fetch Sir Balls a Lot and bring him here? To your private bedchamber?”
“It is not like that, I want to learn how to use a sword.”
“You want to learn how to use a sword?” Angelica asked with an unbelieving look an her face.
The princess put her thumbs under her arms and flapped them making parrot noises then said, “Yes, please go and bring him here.” Angelica just shook her head and walked out of the room.

 

[j.w]

Yep that's me alright..........love it Bullfrog and hope everyone who is reading is liking the story so far!

 

[Bullfrog]

Me too JW, comments are welcome.

Soon Angelica returned with Sir Balsala, she stood by the door as he bowed deeply, “Princess, it is not proper for me to be in your private chambers.”
“I do not worry about what is proper, no one knows that you are here. Are you not one of the personal bodyguards of my father?” she looked at him and tilted her head.
“Yes, I am one of his personal guards.” he replied.
“Then you must be very good with a sword.”
“I am good with a sword, yes.” he replied with a quizzical look.
“I want to learn how to use a sword.” she said flatly.
He had an astonished look on his face, “You want to learn how to use a sword?” Behind his back Angelica tucked her thumbs under her arms and flapped mimicking a parrot moving her mouth and smiling. The princess ignored her.
“Yes, you will teach me how to use a sword.” she commanded.
“Princess, it is far too dangerous, what if you were to get hurt? “
“I will not get hurt, you will teach me” she said with a steady look.
“I will have to get your father’s permission first and I am sure that he will say no.” he replied thinking that he had found a proper way out of this situation.
“You will not breathe a word of this to my father and that is a command to you from a princess, you will do as I say.” She stood up with a stern look on her face
“Please princess, do not put me in such an awkward situation. If I were to do something like this behind your father’s back he would have my head.” the man pleaded.
“My father and mother are getting very old and soon I will be the queen.” Angelica had heard this speech before and just looked up and shook her head. “If you breathe a word of this to my father and do not do as I wish, my first official act as the new Queen will be to have your head.” she said grimly.
The man was astonished, speechless. She went on, “Do you know of the bridge that crosses the stream in the wood nearby?”
“Yes, I know of the bridge.” he said.
“You will meet me there tomorrow at noon and bring me a sword, you may go now.” she sat back down. He left with a concerned look on his face.
Angelica said, “Sir Ballsalot does not look happy.”
“That is not my concern, as long as he teaches me to use a sword.”
At noon the next day he appeared at the bridge and approached their carriage. He produced two wooden swords and the princess frowned, “What is this? I told you to bring me a sword.”
“These are practice swords, all people start out using these, besides, they are much lighter and your arms will need to get a lot stronger to use and swing a real sword.” he replied.
“You will go to the blacksmith and have me a special sword made. I want it to be very light but also very strong and sharp. I also want it to be finely gilded and look like a sword befitting a princess. I know that it will take time to produce such a sword so I will use these ridiculous things until it is made but advise the blacksmith not to drag his feet.”
“As you wish princess, but we should move into the wood to practice, it would not be wise to do this on the open road where passers by can see us, your father will have my head if word of this gets out.”
She rose to get out of the carriage and he finally noticed that she was wearing pants, his eyes went wide and his mouth hung open, “You did not expect me to sword fight in a dress did you? Now close your mouth and teach me as I have commanded you.” She took the wooden sword out of his hand and walked into the woods.
Angelica followed shaking her head and muttering to herself. Sir Balsala took his time and started with the basics. How to stand and move. How to swing, thrust and parry. They went through the motions very slowly at first and then as the days passed and she progressed got ever faster. She was a very agile girl and although she lacked the strength of a man was very quick with her hands and light on her feet.
Six weeks after beginning she really surprised Sir Balsala by striking him dead center in his chest with a thrust that he did not anticipate. “That would have pierced my heart.” he said, “You are coming along very well.”
“When will my sword be ready?” she asked.
“I will check with the blacksmith today. The blade is finished as is the handle. He is in the process of polishing and etching it now. It is the finest blade that I have ever seen him make, very thin and light, but strong and sharp as a razor. We will continue to practice with these wooden swords for a few days more and then move to dull metal swords. They are heavy but they will build up the muscles in your arms. When you do switch to your new blade, it will feel as light as a feather after the dull metal ones and your speed will greatly increase.”
Soon her new sword was finished and she kept it hidden in the secret passageway. She continued to practice and became very adept with a sword.
More time passed and she was now eighteen years old. She had become strikingly beautiful as had Angelica. The sons of royalty came from all across the kingdom to court and woo her but she found them all to be pampered, weak young men who rarely left their castles. They had fine clothes and lands but she was bored with them. She was more attracted to the soldiers, real men who fought in battles. Strong men who were willing to risk their lives, but no such men had the social status to approach her.
Angelica came into her room one morning and the princess told her, “I want to see the new colonies.”
“The voyage is very long and treacherous, your father will never let you go.” Angelica said.
“I will give him a choice.” she said “He can either allow me to go with the protection of soldiers or I will steal away and go without his knowledge. Will you go with me?”
“Of course I will go with you, what an adventure this will be! The new colonies are a wild place, I have never seen any other land besides this one.” Angelica said.
“Come then, let me approach my father.” she rose and they walked out of the room.
The King was in the grand hall studying a document and he smiled when he saw her approach. Several guards were standing at his side as well as at the door, “Good morning my dear, did you sleep well?” he asked.
“Very well, but I wish to talk with you privately.”
The king waved the guards away and they waited until they walked out and closed the door, “What is on your mind?” he asked.
“I want to see the new colonies.” she said flatly.
His brow wrinkled and he immediately said, “No, it is out of the question. We commonly loose a fourth of our crew on the Atlantic crossing to disease and malnutrition. Besides, the waters of the Caribbean teem with pirates. Outlaws abound in the new colonies and there is a constant state of unrest with the natives there. It is far too dangerous.”
“I will be the Queen of Spain, I will not cower in this castle. How do you expect me to command a land that I have never actually seen?” she asked.
“I myself have never been to the new colonies, there is much territory under my command that I have never visited. Forget this, put it out of your mind.” He looked back down at the documents.
“You know me father, I will go with or without your blessing. Would you not rather send me with an escort of soldiers for protection or see me stow away aboard some freighter? You know that I will, I will see the new colonies.”
The King frowned and looked at her. All of her life she had been of strong mind and very stubborn. He knew with no doubt that she would do as she said, “Please reconsider, you are my only child and it is too dangerous.” he pleaded with her.
“My mind is made up and I will go. I would prefer to sail on a galleon with soldiers to protect me, but if not, I will find a way.” she looked steadily into her father’s eyes.
He took a deep breath and then sighed, “Yes, I know that once your mind is made up there is no changing it. And yes, I would much rather see you protected by soldiers. If you insist on this I will send a double compliment of soldiers to protect you. But this will take time, ships do not sail for the new colonies every day and I will need to make arrangements for all of the provisions needed to supply such a voyage as well as highly trained soldiers. I do not intend to send my daughter into harm’s way unless she is very well protected.”
“Thank you father.” she kissed him and then bowed and they left the grand hall.

As soon as the door closed behind them they squealed with delight and hugged each other. They held hands and danced around in a circle, “We are going to the new colonies! This is going to be the biggest adventure of all!”

 

[CountryEscape]

What I want to know is, did you write this story, Bullfrog? Because if you did, we obviously have an author in our midst. It's outstanding, and you have me captivated and waiting for the next chapter. I didn't want to comment, for fear of breaking up the rhythm. Keep up the fantastic work!