Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3330313" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter One-hundred-thirty-eight “Jadito’s Tale”, Monday June 12th, 1882, 5:00 P.M.Nanuet had started the day in his morning meditation. He then walked his young relative Nakomo to school and then heads out of town with Maska. He walked south in the direction of his ranch but hesitated to actually go there, instead going to sit up on the hill to the southwest of it. From there he sees that Sonoma and Flint have been very busy with the land. There is a section where corn and wheat are growing. He notices among the sheep flock that there are over a dozen new lambs.He spends the day in thoughtful meditation. Towards evening he senses that he and Maska are no longer alone and turns. An old elvan Indian stands behind him no more than ten feet away. Nanuet would not have thought it possible for anybody to climb the hill unseen by both himself and his animal companion, but there the man stands.The man is wearing Yavapai clothing and looks to be several centuries old, the human equivalent of around sixty years of age. Nanuet reflects back in his memory and realizes who this could possibly be, as there was a tribal elder of the village when he was a boy who wore similar clothing. That man was named Jadito and left the tribe several decades earlier for some unknown reason.Nanuet shakes his head a little bit to clear his thoughts and then refocuses his eyes making sure he is truly seeing what is before him. He stands and faces the elder, his hand lowering to rest on Maska's back. "Jadito? Is that you?" Nanuet says in a quizzical voice. "I have not seen you in many many moons."Jadito approaches Nanuet and says in the Yavapai tongue "It is I Nanuet. I am pleased that you have returned. Thank you for accompanying the Elders to Prescott, you do our tribe a great service." He gestures to the ranch to the northeast and says, "I understand that together with your friends you have purchased that large plot of land. While we were both raised to believe that land can not be owned it is the way of the humans and it is good that we have shown that we can adapt."He sits down and takes from his pouch some dried meat which he offers to both Nanuet and Maska. He says, "My dear friend Kajika has chosen wisely in picking an animal companion for you. She is a beautiful wolf.""Thank you Jadito, for the meat and for the comments" Nanuet says as he takes some jerky from the elder. I have found a way to exist here and have even found companionship. I have found a place amongst these people and have learned their ways of constructing buildings. I did miss our people but I think I can find a home here. Oh and yes, Maska is a beautiful animal, she is amazing."Jadito replies, "I understand. I too have returned here for similar reasons. I consider this region my home, it is where I met my mate and where we raised our children. My Alajandra is not Yavapai, she is a mix of Apache high elvan and wood elvan blood from a Mexican tribe so would never be fully accepted by our tribe. And this is her home, I would not take her from it. And I myself would never feel comfortable on the San Carlos Reservation, I would feel like a prisoner."He stands and says, "So I have returned to the place where I am most comfortable. I am glad that you are here too, it will be good to have another of our people here to speak too in our native tongue. I have heard what you have done to make peace between the Apache and the humans. The Yavapai are proud of your accomplishments. I trust that you have made friendships among the other races of this region."Nanuet replies, "I try and make friends with all whom I meet. I have befriended humans, dwarves, other elves and although it has been some time I have even met a centaur. It has been an amazing time but the human lifestyle is so fast and active in comparison to our slow and deliberate ways. Sometimes I need to slow down and spend a day with nature and speak with the earth, time for reverie is not always available." Nanuet enjoys a piece of the jerky then offers what little bit he has left to Maska. He asks Jadito, "Do you have shelter here? Where do you and your partner live?"Jadito replies, "You have many questions, it might be best if I told you my history, that would answer most of them. I was born among the Yapavia people nearly 900 years ago and for the first half of my life was content to live among the tribe as one of the people, never venturing far from home. Then in in what by the human calendar was the year 1456 I was selected to accompany my tribal chief as a guard for the Great Conclave. This was a meeting of tribal leaders held approximately every seventy-six years, the time when the great white bird would visit our world though it's flight though the night sky.The conclave was held in its traditional place a great distance to the east, at the mouth of the great Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, which today marks the intersection of the states of Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. That journey was a remarkable experience for me, as it opened my eyes to the diversity of the elvan people. Tribes from throughout the North American continent were present, including tribes of the centaur race. That conclave told of the coming of a new race to our continent, the dwarves, who were exploring the rivers and great lakes of the northeastern part of the continent. They came not as conquerors but as traders.I joined my chief for the following conclave some seventy-five years later, in the year 1531. I was joined at that time by my sister from whom you Nanuet are a direct descendent. That conclave brought word of another new race, the humans, who came not as traders but as invaders. They had already begun to overrun the great Incan and Aztec cities of the wood elves to the south, and others had settled along the eastern coast in the lands of Massachusetts and Virginia. We were warned by the Great Chiefs to return to our tribes and take precautions to protect ourselves from these new peoples.But a number of us felt that there was another way, that we could learn to live in a peaceful co-existence with these humans if the attempt was made. That was the message that I brought back to my people. But the timing of my message was wrong. Less than a decade after that conclave the human Spaniard Francisco Vasquez De Coronado set out from the south on his exploration of conquest of the North American continent. His men had no respect for the peoples of the land and brought war with him as he swept through our territories, taking slaves as they went. The Yavapai were unprepared and had our crops and livestock confiscated and some of our tribe were taken as slaves including our chief's brother. After they left the tribal elders cast me out, feeling that my words of peace had betrayed the people.I decided that the way to redeem myself was to free the captured Yavapai slaves, so followed Coronado's army southward on their return to Mexico. Along the way I met two like-minded individuals who agreed to help me with my quest, Alajandra of mixed Apache and wood elvan descent and my best friend Kykotsmovi who was a centaur of the Hopi tribe. We kept our distance by day and approached the human encampment at night in our attempt to ascertain the best method of freeing my tribe mates. Coronado stopped for a long encampment here, specifically at the location where the town of Promise City now stands.We learned that when Coronado had set out from the city of Compostela in Mexico their army of conquistadors had captured wood elvan slaves on their journey northward, young men to carry their burdens and tend the animals and young women to provide the humans companionship at night. On this return journey to Mexico dozens of the wood elvan women were visibly with child and Coronado felt this made them too weak to travel. Furthermore, many of the Conquistadors did not want these women to return to Mexico since the bastard offspring could cause complications with the men’s wives back home. So Coronado decided to have these women put to death.The night before these women were to be executed the three of us planned and accomplished a great rescue. Working with a wood elvan priest and his family who had accompanied Coronado we managed to free and bring the fifty-two pregnant wood elvan women escape unseen from the camp that night, as well as the six Yavapai who had been captured. We headed up into the Chirichaua Mountains and stayed in hiding until Coronado’s army had moved on.The six Yavapai returned to the tribe, bringing word of my accomplishment and restoring my honor with the tribe. I, however, remained as the Priest realized that the women would not be safe in Mexico, that Coronado would put them to death if they returned, so they could not go home. So they made a new home here. The Celtic and Mexican Church in Promise City, which has the grove that you so love, was built at that time some 340 years ago. Alajandra helped to deliver all of the children with not one child or mother dying in childbirth, a remarkable accomplishment given that the human part of the offspring made for larger babies than elvan women usually carry.That priest's son, Manuel Escobar, still remains here. Alajandra and I were mated in a Mexican Ceremony officiated by Father Escobar. We built our home there, where that farm now stands." He gestures to the southwest to a ranch a mile away, who Nanuet had heard was owned by a wood elvan family named Perez. "That stone structure which you see near the main barn was the home of my centaur friend Kykotsmovi, who lived to see his hundredth birthday, far longer than the normal lifespan for that race. I also met your mentor Kajika at that time.Alajandra and I raised our children here, along with the wood elves who we freed and their half-elvan offspring. Two of our sons married half-elvan women and moved back to the villages of Compostela, Mexico following the fall of the Spaniards. One of our daughters perished, the other now lives with her husband in northern Arizona near the Grand Canyon.After our children left Alajandra and I parted from one another. She remained here, training new apprentices in the ways of the land, while I returned to the Yavapai people and was made a tribal elder where I stayed for nearly a century. Some thirty years ago Mexico then signed a treaty with the United States ceding this land to them. I feared for my Alajandra being alone here where humans would surely come, this being the most fertile land around.So I returned to my Alajandra. I helped to negotiate a peaceful coexistence with the first humans to come here, the Shaw and Morand families. During the time of Cochise's uprising I left again as this place was not safe for me not being of Apache blood. The Yavapai were having their land taken from them then, and I would not live on a reservation, so I went and lived with my sons in Mexico.But I have now returned, spending a short while with the Yavapai and now am back here. My Alajandra still resides in the area and has taken on new apprentices, including one of the co-owners of your ranch. She speaks well of you, my mate is known to most here by as Mother Jimenez. She and I are glad to see one another but I would not intrude upon her small Promise City home and for the last two weeks have resided with Father Valdez in the town's church. I am proud to say that I am registered to vote and will help to choose the next leaders of this town."Nanuet replies, "That is an amazing story Jadito. I had not stopped to consider that there might be history here before the village of Promise City exists how it is today. I would love to hear more when the time allows, but the concluding statement you reminded me of something. There is to be debates this evening in town. Perhaps if we did something to disguise your appearance you would like to come? Either way I must be returning to be at my partner's side. She is a public figure and must be present and I would like to be at her side."Jadito replies, "Very well my cousin. This place is special to me, I come here to mediate as I did centuries before. Could we meet here together again at some time tomorrow morning?" "Yes, I will gladly meet you tomorrow. How about an hour after sunrise?" Once the time is agreed upon Nanuet will bid his leave of Jadito and Maska and return to town.Back in town, Jake, Kate, Nakomo and Minerva head up the stairs at the Lucky Lady to a room for some privacy. The door is closed and Jake begins, "My first idea was to get a good sized mirror, hang it at the town hall behind the podium and cover it. At the appropriate time the cover could be removed. It would reveal any of the foul creatures not only to us, but to others. It gives us the opportunity to act and discredits the other party."Minerva states, "That is a fine idea, but Madsen is not debating until Tuesday. Each day that we wait is an opportunity for them to create more foul creatures and put other's under their spell. How do we even know if Hamilton Fisk is acting on his own volition, or the Judge or even Kevin Tomlinson? There is no telling who they are controlling."Kate says, "Mr. Tomlinson has experience with this, I think we can trust he isn't being controlled. While I like Jake's idea too, I'm not sure it's a good idea to expose the existence of vampires to the entire town. Who know what kind of panic it could lead to? If we do want to follow the idea, and it does do a nice, nice job of further discrediting Fisk's ticket, I think we'd still want to have someone follow Madsen tonight and find out where he hides from the daylight and who with. Once he's exposed he wouldn't be nearly so forthcoming."Jake says, "Not that I am the trusting sort, but we can only really suspect someone is is acting abnormally. If we start looking too hard, we will see suspicious actions in everyone." Jake strokes his beard. "Besides following Madsen we might pay a visit to the Beatrice mine after the debate. I have reason to have suspicions there. Who we bring and what exactly we look for is not clear, but I have a feeling that it is a good place to start."Minerva says, "I agree that both ideas have merit, but why wait until after the debate to visit the mine? Hopefully Nanuet will return from wherever he has run off too and will be able to come along with us. Do you think that Madsen will be at the debate tonight?" Nakomo speaks up. "I am coming along too."Kate says, "I think you might be right about that. I'd say Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. Harker, and Chester should all know. Nanuet as well if he's willing to get involved with vampires again. And whoever else Diana designated as those who were supposed to fight these creatures." Minerva adds, "Diana designated Padre Harbrace to this task as well." Kate says, "I don't know the Father, so you'll have to judge if you want him involved or not." Kate looked over at Nakomo. "And I certainly have no authority about what my student does. I admire the willingness though."The normally subdued Nakomo stands proud, bristling around the edges, "The goddess has chosen me and Father Harbrace, it is not for us to question her judgment. He should be kept informed." Kate stopped her first answer from coming out. She believed in questioning everything, but Minerva would likely not be pleased with such counsel being given to her ward."I have found no reason to do so," Kate said mildly. "I have to be at the debates soon. Do you need me for anything else?"Jake just shakes his head at Nakomo's bravado and blind faith. If that boy gets too confident in his goddess, we will be bringing him back home in a box. Or worse, I might have to save him. "Not from me," Jake gives her an impish smile, "enjoy the debate. Do not forget it costs one hundred dollars to speak from the audience.""Enjoy? Well, maybe it's possible, it could certainly be exciting. At least if my favored candidates look good and others look like fools. If you can, let me know when you're back safe. Be careful." Kate slipped out of the room and headed back out into the political arena, this time toward the Town Hall.When Katherine leaves for the debate Minerva takes Nakomo's arm. "I would like to stop at the church and pick up a few things before we go to the debate, Nakomo, Escort me, por favor."She can feel the tension emanating from him as the walk toward home. She breaks the silence."It is true that the goddess chose you to assist in the slaying of these vampires, Nakomo, but being chosen does not mean that you are all knowing or invincible nor does it guarantee that you will be successful. It is good that you believe in the faith that the goddess has in you but you must understand that the success or failure of your actions is directed by you and only you and not by a god. Blind faith such as that, will surely get you killed and us along with you.""But Miss Minerva, the Goddess said..."She turns toward him and raises her hand palm outward at his protest. "No. You must listen to me if you are going to be a part of this. Padre Harbrace is doing his part as is Senora Kale, Deputy Martin and others. We all have our parts to play in this deadly game and the moves of each player involved may not be readily apparent to you or me, nor is it necessary for it to be so or for all of us to act as one.She gives him a look that brooks no argument "If you are going to believe everything that Diana tells you then it would also be wise for you to remember that She commanded you to act according to my instructions. Now I want your word that you will do so." He replies, "Yes, Miss Minerva. I will remember."She states, "Good. Now let us go in the church and get some supplies." She enters the sanctuary and returns with six vials of holy water, four of which she puts in the pocket of her gown before she gives him the other two. She also gives him a holy symbol. "Wear this under your shirt. She looks around the church. " We must also stop at the house but before we go we should empty out the donation boxes."It does not take long to empty the boxes of Jupiter, Minerva, Dionysus and Venus since each only holds a few coins and an occasional bank note, but she is puzzled by the wad of bills and the pile of silver dollars that she pulls from the box that sits in front of the Mosaic of Hermes that Jake so generously had commissioned. "There is close to $70 in here. Someone must either have gotten quite lucky and is giving thanks or else they are in dire need of Hermes’s assistance. I hope that it is the fist as opposed to the latter, but either way I am sure that Hermes will reward such a generous donation.""Praise the gods." she prays and stuffing the money in her pocket. hurries home. "Nakomo, it wouldn't hurt to have those arrows that Diana gave you but you should keep them in a bag or something." She says over her shoulder as she heads into her room. She quickly pulls back her hair and changes into darker clothing. She picks up her parasol and pockets the mirror on her dresser, as she does so she notices the item that Jake had palmed to her the day that Tomlinson came back to town. She picks it up, examines it and drops that into her pocket also. She re-enters the living room while she is checking the chamber of her gun to be sure the special bullets are loaded into it. "Now we can go to the debate." she surveys the room one last time. "I wonder what is keeping Nanuet?" she says to her feathered companion who is eyeing her from the perch by the window. "Luna, I think he knows where to find us but if you find him first bring him to the hall."</blockquote>

Verification