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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2266749" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 114, “Birds of Prey”, Thursday, January 12th, 1882:Jake gets up and takes Dorita by the elbow a few feet from the table and says quietly. "Senora, there was a little accident of my making. It is not a bad smell, just too much of a good smell." Dorita doesn't smile at his little joke. "Ah, look" he gives her a couple dollars, "can you get one of the workers or kids to clean it up for her, por favor? She's had a tough day and I would really appreciate. I am terribly sorry about the smell, I should have had it cleaned up right away." He gives her a plaintive look.“Maybe I'll speak to Maggie now," Kate comments, hoping Dorita was upset enough with Ruby that she wouldn't notice Kate's untouched plate.  She went quickly into the kitchen and hugged Maggie. "Well, do you think you'll be ready for your turn at the Lone Star tomorrow night?"  Maggie replies, "Oh yes, it will be wonderful! I'll get to do some of the things that I've always wanted to that Tom disagrees with!" Gonzales comes over to Dorita and says, "My little robin, Mr. Jake speaks wisely. If you would like I will take care of this myself, no need to bother my golden eagle with the task."  Dorita's eyes grow wide and her face pales...."Golden eagle?" she mutters. He nods. She apologizes to Ruby and hurries off into the kitchen, the first time any of them have ever really seen her flustered.  Kate and Maggie’s conversation is then interrupted by a frantic Dorita who charges into the room. She is breathing heavy, stops and leans against the stove and her hands start to shake. She mutters something to herself in Spanish."Dorita, whatever's the matter?" Katherine hurried over to the elven woman and slipped her arm around her waist. "You should sit," she added, leading her over to a chair in the corner. Dorita sits and starts to rattle off long fast sentences in Spanish. Maggie only catches the word 'Ruby'. Kate knows enough French to deduce the words for 'Grandfather' and 'bird' but the rest is lost on her. Kate says "Maggie, stay with here. I'll find out what this is about." She heads back into the main room of the Cantina, where Gonzales is standing beside the table with Ruby and Jake, a mischievous grin on his face.Jake looks a bit puzzled by the exchange and wonders about Ruby being a golden eagle. No matter now, he thinks, I'll not likely agree anyway. "Senor, will you sit with us? We are waiting for your grand daughter and the Indian to join us as well." Kate walked right up to Mr. Gonzales. "Le professeur aimé, Dorita est près d'elle-même. Quelle êtes-vous jusqu'à ?" <<English translation: "Beloved teacher, Dorita is beside herself. What are you up to?">>  She looked back and forth between the three and waited for an answer. She was standing next to Jake and took the opportunity Kate quietly says to him, "My mind seems to be scattered this afternoon. Mr. Berg found no irregularities in Flint's deed, and I should have an answer to the bounty problem this evening. I just thought you might like to be aware. You don't need to do anything." Gonzales sits down and gestures for Kate to do the same. He then lights a candle, which he places on the table, takes a pinch of power from a belt pouch, which he drops it into the flames. He then lightly waves his hand while saying "Hua loa’a".   While Gonzales played with the candle Jake replied to Katherine. "Oh, Ok. I did stop by the Long Branch to ask after the bounty hunter last night but I, uh, missed him. I was going to go back but I got distracted last night." He gives her a little grin but she is busy watching the elderly elf.” Gonzales then says "Nobody will hear us now. What my granddaughter is upset about is the fact that she fully understands my naming conventions and she just now found out my pet name for Ruby. I always assign each of my female family members and apprentices the name of a specific type of bird based upon their personalities. Up until this moment my little robin Dorita had probably assumed that I chose a songbird for Ruby, as I have for Sonoma. My Granddaughter now knows otherwise.  Ruby, I have a confession to make. When I said that I chose Golden Eagle because of your observational skills and a few other characteristics that was not the entire truth. I chose that type of bird with good reason. The Golden Eagle a bird of prey, one of the most dangerous of all birds in fact.  I was a witness to the confrontation at the Comstock House ten days ago so was aware of what you are fully capable of.  Jake thinks to himself “She’s a Bird of Prey and I'm a saloon rat, figures.”Gonzales continues, “The Golden Eagle is a proud and noble bird, it is a Queen among birds, one that does not back down from any challenge. Only twice before have I ever chosen a bird of prey as the name for one of my little birds. Dorita is well aware of who both of those were as one of them was her mother. Miss Ruby, I doubt she will ever attempt to lecture you again. Unfortunately it may now be awhile until she is comfortable again in your presence."Ruby appears taken aback and momentarily speechless. Jake says to Gonzales, "Is there anybody in town that doesn't know exactly what happened at the Comstock House? This seems to be the most widely known secret I've ever heard of. Except maybe the rustler's cave." He takes a drink of the bourbon.Gonzales says, "Well, I'd best head upstairs to deal with that smell. The sound barrier around the table will remain in effect until you extinguish the candle. Anyone outside of the sphere will just hear illegible mumbling. He stands and goes upstairs.  Not long thereafter Nanuet, Sonoma and the man named Riley head into the room, coming in through the back door near the stables. They join the other three at the table.Kate hadn't missed what Jake had said earlier. Once Mr. Gonzales left she said, "I don't understand. I thought you," she paused, embarrassed. "I thought you wanted me to take of that myself. You have enough to worry about." Ya, but, um, I'll help you if you need it. Thank you. And I'll try to remember that just because I want to do something doesn't mean we're all doing it." She smiled a small smile and swallowed. Sonoma comes in grabs Katherine, "Hi, Sonoma how are...." Jake says.  Sonoma pulls Kate aside without responding to Jake. Jake shrugs and greets Nanuet. "Hi Indian. You'll be glad to know I sold the wagon today.” "Good job, white man," replies Nanuet, with only the hint of a smile.  Jake says, “Five shares at $300 each, but all the money is in my account at Condon's. Anybody wants theirs tomorrow we can go over and get them, if we don't do it tomorrow you'll have to wait until Monday. You can take Flint's share and pay for the lumber." Sonoma tells Kate "I've been thinking a lot today... about the bounty.  What if we had the photographer take a picture of the dead man and just sent a copy to the person in charge of the money.  We could have someone important there to verify that the person was dead and that way we could bury him in the town cemetery and not have to worry about it being stuck in Flint's cave smelling up the place.” Sonoma continues, “I've arranged for thirty head of prime breeding sheep for the ranch.  We'll need to drive them from Dos Colabras but it shouldn't be too hard.  S we have the start of our flock the ranch is on it's way.   The more I think about the way Maggie's father and brother are treating her the angrier I get. She has been running the Lone Star not Tom. She was the one who hired you and Ruby and I wouldn't be there if she hadn't wanted to make an impression.  But it's Tom that's getting all the credit. If her father doesn't start treating her the way she should be I'm likely to loose my temper and really get her in trouble unless she starts to stand up for herself against that overbearing self-involved gender-blinded idiot.”"That's good news about the sheep. I don't know how one drives sheep, but I'm sure we'll manage. Do we need to get fencing up before we move them?  As for the bounty, that sounds like a fairly good idea, although I'm not sure how the local photographers will feel about taking pictures of the dead. I did some inquiring today about the bounty, and I should hear back this evening. If that falls through, I say we go with your plan." Kate paused a moment before she tackled talking about Maggie. "You don't know how much I appreciate you helping out at the Lone Star this week. Maggie loves that business, and she's determined to stick with it. I'm afraid that Tom and her father don't want to leave her behind here to run it though. I'm not sure what to do to make sure her days go smoothly. And even if they run perfectly, it's going to be up to her to stand up to them and declare her independence. But I've seen how passionate she is about the Lone Star. I think Tom and Mr. Whipple are going to be in for a big surprise when they try to drag her back to Denver." Jake spoke up from behind them. "So, I hope nobody will be too offended, but Tom offered to sell the whole Lone Star to me, he figures Maggie won't make it. And I have two partners in mind, which is all I need if the Golden Eagle here wants to be one of them. So I won't be hindering Maggie any, but if she fails I'm likely to be the next owner." After Sonoma and Katherine rejoin them Jake tells them all about the serial numbers on the $20 bills, "Neither bank in Promise City gave those out, the manager at the First National thinks they were issued in Tombstone. I'm not sure what to do with that info just now." Ruby looks to Jake. "Do you really think you can find out who got those bills if you go to Tombstone?"  He replies, "I'm not sure. We might, but that is not exactly friendly territory there. The bankers here are on good terms with us, and they'll talk. Don't know about there."She says, "You're right about it not being friendly territory. I don't think you're ever going to find out who paid them out." Ruby turns her attention to Nanuet and Sonoma. She asks them about their day and they spend the rest of the meal talking about their adventures with the Shaman.Jake finishes and several mouths hang open just as they are interrupted.  The elf at the table with the four strangers rises had come over to the table. "Excuse me," he says, "I saw you speaking to an elderly wood elf a short while ago. Would you happen to know what his name is?"Kate looked at Sonoma for a moment, and then realized she wouldn't know anything about these visitors. Mr. Gonzales hadn't been wary of them knowing who he was, just wary of shocking them. She made a quick decision. She took a step away from Sonoma toward the man and dropped her voice.  "His name is Manuel Gonzales. He and I have been hoping to have the opportunity to speak with you." Kate slipped a bill out of a fold in her dress and handed it to him. "We've been expecting you, sir. If you wish, I will go ask his permission to bring you up to see him."He replies "I do not think that my associates would agree to that. It is best and safer for all of us that we remain in a public place." He gestures back towards the table with Jake, Ruby, Nanuet, Sonoma and Riley and says "Although maybe we could use your table to speak with him, given that it has such an interesting centerpiece." "Aren't there any secrets at all in Promise City?" Jake says to no one in particular. Ruby gives him "Shush." followed by a not now look.She says, "I'm sure arrangements can be made for privacy. I will go speak with him."  Kate went quickly upstairs and let herself into Mr. Gonzales' rooms. "Professeur aimé, President de Sucre has asked to speak with you. He and his companions came in while we were playing the piano. They noticed what you did with the candle, and wonder if similar arrangements could be made for a private conversation."He replies "I was afraid of something like this. I should have been more careful. Let's go see them." The two of them head down to the Cantina. The elf has returned to the other table. Manuel and Kate approach it. "You wished a private conversation?" he asks. "Allow me," one of the half-elves states. He lights a candle on the table, pinches in the powder and says "nombre silencio" as he waves his hand in a similar gesture as had been done earlier. The elf pulls two more chairs up to the table and gestures for them to sit. Manuel gestures to Kate and says "My apprentice Katherine Kale, may I introduce you to General and President Antonio Jose de Sucre and General and President Simon Bolivar." Katherine had to suppress the urge to curtsy formally, knowing that it would look very strange to the others in the Cantina. Instead she nodded at each man in turn.  Bolivar says "You insist on using former titles? I appreciate the honor but I believe that you are the only one of us who is currently the leader of a county President Gonzales." Kate was thankful she had already taken her seat. She quickly closed her mouth, which had dropped open and stilled her hands. "President, Professeur aimé?"Gonzales continues to look at the men and says "No, that is not me. The highest position that I held in Mexico was Admiral of the Mexican Navy. That was the rank that I had when we last met Mr. Bolivar. The President of Mexico is much younger than I."  "Younger but still the spitting image," de Sucre states. "Your son perhaps?"  Gonzales replies "A more accurate description would be an evil twin. Do you men know of the legend of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado?" "Ah, then the story of the mirror is true," Bolivar states. Gonzales replies "Yes, all of it. He first arrived in Mexico from Spain in 1535 and by 1538 was married to the daughter of the colonial treasurer garnering him an enormous estate, he had put down a major slave rebellion, and he then become governor of an important Mexican province. It was through the mirror that he did all of that. He used it to create the opposite aligned duplicates of those he needed and then slew the original.  Three hundred years later the same mirror was in the hands of one of his successors, who used it against me. My counterpart is obsessed with his own existence and has used magical elixirs to make himself younger." A long pause follows. The half-elf that had cast the spell speaks next. "Sir, your reputation precedes you. My own instructor, Hosea de la Mira once studied under you. Surely one of your power could stop him." Manuel says "I have tried twice before and failed. The last attempt cost me the lives of two of my children. And even if he is slain the mirror would still exist. There is but one thing that can destroy it." Bolivar speaks "Coronado's Sword. So that is why you are here." Manuel replies "Yes, following the Gadsden purchase that deeded this region to the United States my granddaughter and her husband came here in search of the artifact. We believe we are now close. Tell me, is that why you are here? A search for Coronado's hidden treasure?" The human now speaks "No. We are here to avenge my uncle’s death. He was a great man who fought alongside Generals Bolivar and de Sucre in the wars of independence. He was given a vast estate in South America as a reward for his efforts. He was murdered on that land and we have tracked his killer to here, the Dos Cabezas Mountains."Kate kept her tongue still with great difficulty. To be allowed to hear this, Mr. Gonzales must trust her a great deal. These were secrets he had not shared, and secrets she would now be required to keep. Perhaps from every other person she knew.  She continued to follow the conversation. It was strange to think of Dorita and Pedro coming here looking for an artifact, rather than fleeing from Mexico with him as Mr. Gonzales had implied before. Suddenly the matter of the box of jewels seemed very small.Bolivar says "And when you find this sword?"  Gonzales says "Then I will lead an expedition to the Mexican capital to rid the world of my counterpart and destroy the vile artifact. Toward this end I have fostered an adventuring team to assist me."  "Them?" the human states, gesturing to those at the other table. Gonzales replies "No, although I plan to have this group help me locate the sword. I was speaking of the group who you have probably heard of known as Arcade's Gang. They are currently overseas gaining the experience needed for us to be successful."  Bolivar says "I wish you luck. If I can be of any assistance to you in that endeavor do not hesitate to contact me."  Gonzales replies "And if I can assist you while you are here please let me know." He turns back to the elf and says "Mr. de Sucre, my apprentice has found some items that she believes you may be familiar with. Might you be available to assist her with this task?"  The elf turns to Kate and says "Most certainly. Tell me, what is it that you have found?"Katherine pulled out the folder frame that held Tom's picture and pulled out the photo that had been the jewel box. "My companions and I recently found ourselves in the headquarters of some cattle rustlers. We found many things there, including this." She handed him the photo.  “This was inside a box containing several valuable pieces of jewelry. The name "Consuela" was embroidered on the top. It seemed to be an heirloom. Something that should be returned in possible. I have been quite anxious since we discovered you were to stay here to know if it will indeed be possible to do so."He looks at the pictures. "Ah Consuela, what a beautiful girl she was. And her parents, Miguel and Sophia Hernandez, a fine family."  He hands the photographs back and says "Miguel Hernández was one of the top advisors to Manuel Isidoro Belzú Humérez, who ruled Bolivia from 1848 to 1855. Unlike many of his predecessors he sought the support of the masses, including the poorest of elves rather than those who had gained wealth under Spanish rule. He seized land from the aristocrats and gave it back to the people. He also restricted the role of foreign merchants in Bolivia and limited imports. But those polices earned him many enemies. In his seven-year rule Humerez fended off forty-two coup attempts. Many of those failed due to my efforts as one of Belzu Humerez's military leaders. As efforts to overthrow him increased he decided to resign. In 1855 he turned the government over to his son-in-law and left for Europe. Many of us left the government then. Hernandez withdrew from public life and retreated to his family estate where they lived in seclusion. Two years later a populist leader, José María Linares Lizarazu gained the support of the masses and became ruler. Four years later he was overthrown in a bloody military coup. What followed then in 1861 was one of the most violent periods in Bolivian history, under the military rule of General José María Achá Valiente. He initiated the "murders of Yáñez," the massacre of seventy-one supporters of Belzú Humerez including the Hernandez family. The three were killed and their beautiful mansion was burned to the ground. It was assumed that all of their possessions were lost. Apparently these jewels were looted before the building was put to the torch. So you should keep them, there is nobody to return them to."Katherine looked down at the picture in her hand. "Why must it always be like that? Pain and chaos and death?” Bolivar says, "I wish I had an answer but I do not. Neither Antonio or I were there at the time. If we had been I have no doubt that we would have been put to death as well, despite the fact that the country is named Bolivia in my honor and its capital city in named Sucre after Antonio.  We saved a continent from the Spanish only to have it fall into chaos. That is why we have both put politics aside and now seek other challenges instead." Kate looks back down at the picture and says, “I don't know if I could keep them with such a history, but I might be able to do some good with them." She looked up at President de Sucre. "Thank you. I will at least be easier in my mind knowing that there is no rightful owner to return them to." Gonzales says that he had taken enough of their time and thanks them. The half-elf mage Carlos Wyman says "No, it is you who we should be thanking. You granddaughter happily welcomed us to stay here despite our mixed race group. It is not often in our travels that we encounter such hospitality."  Manuel and Kate leave the table. He says "I had better go out to the kitchen and try to convince my little robin that Ruby means her no harm."  Kate heads back to the table with the others.</blockquote>

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