Part One of Nine
Disclaimers: The characters from the Queen of Swords are copyright to Fireworks Productions and Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended or revenue expected from their use. The story plot and other characters are copyright to the authors, Shirley and Jim.
Note: Romany words
Tshatshimo Romano – The truth is expressed in Romany
Chey - girl
I phuv kheldias – the earth danced (earthquake)
Patshiv – celebration when 2 groups get together
Phuri – old
Posoti – bag hidden under skirts designed for stealing
Rikano – dog
Romni – Woman or Wife
Shav – unmarried Gypsy youth
Slava - St George’s Day. One of the only official holidays among the Romany
Prologue
It was a sunny morning in Alta California and two riders occupied the road to Monterey. The first was a large, broad-shouldered man in a black duster. His companion was small and shifty. They passed a road sign and the large man stopped dead in his tracks.
"Fenner!"
The smaller man stopped his horse and turned around to face his companion.
"For God's sake, Roman! What's the matter now?"
"Fenner, have you lost your mind?"
"Not the last time I checked. Why?"
"This is the road to Monterey."
"Of course it is, where did you think we were headed?"
"Are you crazy, Fenner? We can't go to Monterey. The Viceroy has a price on our heads."
"Yes, and he also has a very large supply of gold which I intend to liberate."
"And you'll get us both killed in the process."
"You worry too much, Roman. I've got it all planned out. We'll be in and out before that pompous ass even knows--"
The argument was cut short by the sound of musket hammers being clicked into place. Roman and Fenner turned around to see about a dozen of the Viceroy's guard--all aiming at them. Not seeing any other options, the two climbed off their mounts and held their hands up in surrender. Half of the soldiers went forward to claim the prisoners while the other half kept their guns at the ready--just in case.
Some time later, Roman and Fenner found themselves in front of the Viceroy, manacled and surrounded by several guards.
"In and out before he knows it--eh, Fenner?"
"Hey, I never said my plan was perfect."
"Shut up--both of you!"
Upon hearing the Viceroy yell, both Roman and Fenner stopped talking.
"That's better. Now, I assume you both know why you're here, but just in case, allow me to refresh your memories."
The Viceroy picked up a paper and began to read off a list of their crimes--most of which involved theft of some sort. About halfway through the list, the doors opened and two more prisoners were brought inside--a young girl and an older man. Fenner recognized the girl immediately and went to her. The guards went to stop him, but the Viceroy signaled them not to bother. When Fenner got to her, he grabbed her hand, kissed it, and continued to hold it.
"Josephine--it's been awhile, hasn't it. Last time I saw you was in San Diego, wasn't it?"
"Santa Barbara."
"I was close."
"It's good to see you too, Fenner."
Fenner was about to kiss her when the older man grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her away.
"I thought I told you to stay away from my daughter, you lousy thief!"
Josephine's father grabbed Fenner by the shirt collar and slugged him in the jaw. He reached back to do it again and the guards grabbed them both. They pulled Fenner back to where Roman was and held the older man in place.
"That's it! Guards, take the thieves to jail so I can deal with the suspected pirates without any bloodshed."
As soon as the guards started to drag Roman and Fenner away, the ground started shaking. It was an earthquake!
"I phuv kheldias," screamed Josephine.
The guards, panicking, released their grip on the prisoners and ran around like headless chickens. Fenner pickpocketed the keys to the manacles from one of the panicking guards and unlocked them. They started to head for the door when the roof began to collapse. Fenner saw a piece of the roof falling towards Josephine and her father. He ran over to them and knocked them out of the way. The piece landed on him instead. Josephine was screaming for Fenner as her father pulled her through the nearby window. Roman started towards Fenner, but soon found himself buried as well.
Moments later, the earthquake stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Roman was the first person to emerge from the rubble. He stood up, brushed himself off, and surveyed the damage. Looking around, he saw bodies--or at least parts of them. It looked as if no one else in the room had survived.
"Fenner!"
Roman called out his friend's name again and again, to no avail. Just when he was about to give up, he heard moaning coming from nearby. He went to where the moaning was coming from and started digging. Sure enough, under the pile of rubble was Fenner--a little shaken, but alive!
"Are you ok Fenner?"
"Not really, but I'll live. Where's Josephine?"
"She and her father escaped through the window just after you saved them."
"Good. Let's get out of here, then."
"We have to check for survivors."
"Why? So they can arrest us again? No, thank you. Besides, it doesn't look like anyone else is alive anyway."
Just then, they heard a noise coming from where the Viceroy had been seated. Roman went over to investigate and found the Viceroy trapped under a beam.
"Fenner! Get over here and help me!"
"No way. I'm not helping him just so he can lock me up. You're on your own, Roman."
"Come on, Fenner! I can't do this by myself!"
"Why should I?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."
Fenner couldn't argue with that. He went over and joined his companion at the Viceroy's side. Roman lifted the heavy beam off of the Viceroy and Fenner pulled him out. When the Viceroy was safe, Roman noticed that his leg was lying at an odd angle. Apparently, the beam had broken it. Roman took the beam and made a hole in the wall big enough to carry the Viceroy through. Then, he and Fenner each took an end, carried him outside, and laid him on the ground.
Upon seeing that Fenner was alive, Josephine ran to him and threw herself into his arms. He kissed her just before the guards grabbed them, as they did Roman and her father. They started to drag Roman and Fenner to jail when the Viceroy called out to them.
"Guards! Leave these men be. They saved my life today, so I am granting them a full pardon, effective immediately."
Right away, the guards released Roman and Fenner. The Viceroy beckoned for the two of them to come closer.
"Roman, Fenner, I have greatly misjudged the two of you. You could have just walked away and saved yourselves, but you didn't. Instead, you chose to rescue me--knowing that I could still throw you in jail. Tell me, is there anything else I can do to repay you?"
Fenner knew exactly what he wanted, so he spoke up right away.
"What about releasing Josephine and her father?"
"Well, there really was no evidence to connect them to anything, so consider them free."
"Thank you, sir. I hate to be a pest, but could you put those pardons in writing?" asked Fenner.
"Of course," replied the Viceroy as he sent a soldier to retrieve some paper, a quill and ink from the destroyed office.
The guards released them as well. Fenner went to Josephine and embraced her. Her father came up behind them and cleared his throat.
"Fenner, I have to say that I misjudged you as well. You saved both of our lives today. If you still wish to, I give you permission to marry my daughter."
Josephine looked at her father, clearly puzzled by this.
"Daddy, why the sudden change of heart?"
"Kon del tut o nai shai dela tut wi o vast"
Now, Fenner was confused.
"What did he say, Josephine?"
"It's a gitano saying that means 'He who willingly gives you one finger will also give you the whole hand.'"
"You're a gypsy?"
"Yes. Our clan lives in Madrid. Daddy and I are getting ready to go back there. If you're still interested in marrying me, you're welcome to come along."
"Why can't we just get married here?"
"Since you're not gitano, the clan leader has to approve the marriage. But I'm sure Uncle Tonio will love you."
"You really think so?"
"I know so. Look, we'd better get going. It look's like Daddy's ready to go find a ship."
"Give me a minute to say goodbye to my friend?"
"Of course."
Josephine kissed him on the cheek and walked with her father towards the dock. Fenner watched her for a minute and then turned to Roman.
"Well, looks like this is it."
"Looks like it."
"You know, I'd invite you to the wedding, but it's gonna be in Spain and you have your own affairs to attend to."
"What affairs?"
"Good God, Roman. Have you forgotten about Marta already? You know: gypsy, long hair, 'Knights always come back to their ladies' and all that."
"Marta told me that my destiny lies elsewhere."
"That's where you're wrong. The future's what you make of it, Roman. I suggest that you get your ass back to Santa Elena and make yours a good one."
"You're right, Fenner. I think I'll do just that."
"Good for you. Well, I'd better get going. Good luck, Roman."
"Vaya con dios, Fenner."
A soldier walked up and handed the pardons to Fenner and Roman.
Roman lifted Fenner into a bear hug, then he let go and watched him run to catch up with his intended. When Fenner was out of sight, Roman procured a horse and headed towards Santa Elena and his future.
Act One
The full moon lit up the night sky as the figure in black crouched behind some boulders, watching the herd of cattle being prodded along by ten raiders. She glanced over to a vaquero and nodded to him. Walking over to her black stallion, she checked the placement of her sword and pistol in a holster at her hip before mounting.
Moments later, twenty vaqueros and a woman in black, wearing a black, lace mask and a red sash around her waist, charged the men with the cattle. The rustlers saw the newcomers and started shooting. The attackers fired back and the cattle spooked and stampeded.
Three of the raiders were killed immediately and two more knocked off their horses to be trampled by the terrified cattle. With a grim determination, the lady in black dispatched a rustler with her sword as the man took aim on an attacker. She looked to her men and saw that they had taken revenge on the remaining four thieves.
A vaquero rode up to the lady.
"We did good, Reina. We got them all," he said, sheathing his sword.
"Yes, Jorge, we did. We now have to race to the shore and try and capture the ship before it sails," replied the woman as she turned her horse towards the river.
Minutes later, the attackers crested a hill and, to their dismay, saw the ship, with its sails unfurled, sailing away toward the bay. The Queen of Swords took out a telescope and aimed it at the ship to see the name El Vaca.
An hour later, the Queen walked into her hacienda and, taking off her mask, threw it on the table.
"Maria Elena, what is wrong?" asked a man lying on a couch with his wrapped foot propped up.
"Oh, Juan Pablo, we almost had them. But, I know the ship now. It is El Vaca and it was headed towards the bay, less ten men. At least we kept the cattle this time."
"Dear wife, you did better than I did. You have done wonderfully. You don’t think the real Queen of Swords will be upset with you using her name, do you?" he asked.
"Well Juan Pablo, she is a friend to Tessa Alvarado and she didn’t complain the last time," she grinned. "Who knows? Maybe Montoya will think she moved on."
"That is possible, of course. Now, come here. You look like you are dying to get out of that corset and I am the one to help you," said Juan Pablo with a grin on his face.
"I know what you are thinking, you lecherous man, you," she replied as she bent over to kiss the top of his head, making sure that her cleavage was in direct sight of his eyes.
"Hmm," she sighed as his tongue traced the swell of her breasts.
Several hours later, Maria Elena rolled off of Juan Pablo.
"Do you think you can sit a horse with your leg hurt?" she asked.
"If I can do what I just did, sitting a horse would be no problem. What do you have in mind?" he asked, as he nibbled on her ear.
"Monterey. I think we should go see the Viceroy," she replied as her hands explored her husband.
"Is it to see the Viceroy or a chance to go shopping?"
"Well, I can’t very well go to Monterey without doing some shopping," she replied as she settled back onto Juan Pablo.
"OK, Tomorrow we will go," he replied.
Both carried muskets and swords strapped to their saddles and Juan Pablo carried a cane to help with his injured leg. It was a long trip, as they had to take a barge across the river. Once they reached land, they rode hard until they reached El Pueblo de San Jose. Following El Camino Real to mission San Juan Pablo Bautista, they turned southwest until they reached Monterey.
After a week on the trail, Maria Elena and Juan Pablo Vallejo rode into Monterey and stopped at the hotel. As they left the hotel, without going to their room, the ground started to shake. They grabbed the reins of their horses and led them out into the middle of the street. In terror, they watched as the two-story hotel started to roll with the ground. People ran for their lives from the building. The rumble became louder and the sound of buildings being ripped apart accosted their ears. Suddenly, the hotel stopped rolling. Instead, a crack ran up the wall, splitting the inn in half. One side of the hotel crashed into the interior as the roof collapsed. In minutes, it was over.
Maria and Juan Pablo mounted their horses and rode towards the Viceroy’s office. They halted their horses as they saw the Government building in shambles. Several soldiers were holding three men and a woman and the Viceroy was giving orders. Maria and Juan Pablo were too far away to hear the conversation, but suddenly, the four prisoners were released.
Maria and Juan Pablo dismounted and walked over to the Viceroy, Juan Pablo using his cane to favor his leg.
"Sir, I am Juan Pablo Vallejo, son of Don Vallejo and we have traveled here to obtain your help," said Juan Pablo.
"Help? We just had an earthquake and I barely escaped with my life. What do you need help with?" asked the Viceroy.
"We have been attacked by cattle rustlers and my husband was injured. Even with the help of the Queen of Swords, we were unable to capture them," interjected Maria.
"The--the Queen of Swords helped you? I thought she was in the Santa Elena area," said the Viceroy.
"Well, she was helping us across the river," replied Juan Pablo. "After I got hurt, she showed up and helped organize the vaqueros. She even saw the ship that took away our cattle."
"What was the name of the ship?" asked the Viceroy.
"El Vaca," replied Maria.
"El Vaca? Madre de Dios, she is in port at this moment. That man and his daughter had been arrested and I released them. They are headed for the docks."
"What did you arrest them for?" asked Maria suspiciously.
"Piracy."
"You let two pirates go so they can rob more people? Some Viceroy you are," yelled Juan Pablo.
"What are their names?" asked Maria.
"Raphael Vanegas-Sanchez and his daughter Josephine. They are traveling with a petty thief name of Fenner."
Continue to Part Two
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