Chapter 2
The whole ride was very silent. When we approached the caves, he slowly eased his horse and I quickly climbed down from the animal. I didn't need his help, I could ride horses since I could walk.
"Where you think you're going?" He asked when he saw me on the ground.
"You wanted to bring the others back, didn't ya?" I replied with my head held high. "Well, here we are."
"You were hiding in caves?" He asked stunned.
I did not give him an answer to that question. "You wait here. I'll go and get them." I said and turned towards the caves.
"Farmers..." I heard him mumble. Nevertheless, he obeyed and stayed while I ran off.
The way he spat 'Farmers' made me angry! He didn't know what peasants like us had to risk in order to save our loved ones and our harvest. Who did he think he was? Just because he had been hired to help our village, didn't mean that he had right to make fun of us.
"Rosalinda! Maria! Julietta! Anita!" I shouted as I entered the cave.
"Petra!" Rosalinda rushed towards me and gave me a big hug. "Oh gracias Dios! You're well!"
"Where have you been?" Asked Teresita worried.
The other women circled me and started asking me many questions.
"Chicas, please." I finally managed to say. "I'm alright, but there's been a change of plans."
"Change of plans?" Repeated Rosalinda.
I nodded. "We must all go back to the village."
"What?!" Asked Maria in shock. "Why?"
"It's the right thing to do." I spoke up and started getting my things.
"What about those men?" Catalina questioned me.
"They won't harm us. Their're here to help our village." I said confidently. "We must hurry now. Get your belongings! Let's not make him wait."
The women started around and got their things. I saddled the few donkeys that we had for transportation, and helped Serena and Anita up on them.
"Petra, do you mean to say that one of those men are here?" Rosalinda asked surprised.
"Si, that's right! So hurry!" I exclaimed.
In few minutes all of us women were ready to leave, when we exited the caves I led them towards the young man. When he saw us, his jaw almost dropped.
"Would you look at that...and here I was, thinking that the village had no women." He told me in shock as I approached him.
He cleared his throat and announced to us all. "I am not here to hurt you...and neither will my good comrades. Be grateful that we're protecting you and risking our lives for you! Now follow me, I will lead you back to the village."
We all listened to him quietly and as he started his horse we followed him.
Some of the women were riding donkeys, but I wasn't. I walked besides Rosalinda and we followed the man by foot.
"You know, he's handsome." Rosa whispered in my ear. I smiled and kept walking.
For the first time, it occurred to me that maybe my father was wrong about them...maybe I was wrong about him.
Back in the village, I convinced the other girls to make a nice dinner for the seven gunmen. It was the least we could do for what they were doing for us. I didn't realize this earlier...but the young man's speech touched me. After all, they were indeed risking their lives for us.
As I cooked together with Rosalinda and Julietta, I found out lots of information about the seven men from my little brother Rodrigo and from Hilario. Hilario and two other villagers were the very men who went to the border to buy guns and they came upon Chris and Vin.
The intimidating man in black was apparently the leader of the seven. His name was Chris and it was HE who decided to help us and formed the group. Vin was that gentle man with peach colored shirt who helped me up on a horse. Bernardo was my brother's personal favourite member of the group. He told me how fatherly and understanding he was. Rodrigo called him his hero. I heard from Hilario that Britt was an expert with a knife. Then there was quiet and finely dressed Lee. Santos had told me that Harry was really funny and friendly man. Lastly, I found out about Chico, the young man who caught me by the river. Hilario told me that at first he was inexperienced, proud, and ambitious. So Chris didn't want him to join his group, however he had managed to prove himself to him and showed everyone that he was very clever and an excellent fighter.
The food was almost ready, and I told Hilario to gather the seven men for dinner.
"That's very generous." I overheard Chris talking with Hilario outside. I could recognize his voice because it was very powerful.
"...but I'm afraid I won't join the dinner. Give my portion to the villagers."
What a nice man he was. I didn't realize that he would be so kind to leave the food to us.
"Petra, hurry! What's taking you so long?" Catalina entered the kitchen and took the bowl of rice with her.
I quickly got the plate of guacamole and exited the kitchen. I came up to the table were the men waited. Chris and Bernardo were both absent.
I approached Chico, who was way too busy to notice me. I served the food to him but he didn't even look up...as if I was invisible or something. He didn't even say thank you, or neither did he give me a grateful nod...nothing! He sure was rude! I narrowed my eyes at him and tried to catch his attention.
At last I angrily dumped another spoon of guacamole and beans on his plate. The food almost hit his face when I threw it. And only then, did Chico look up with a confused expression on his face.
"I can't tell you how wonderful it was for you senoritas to fix dinner for us." The pleasant Vin Tanner told me kindly. I returned a small polite smile to him, served the other men, and exited the cabin.
I went outside and gazed up at the bright moon. Oh why was I so upset that Chico did not care about my existence? Why was I so desperate to catch his attention? What was happening to me? I never felt like that with other men before...
Sure, he really was handsome...but he was also proud and rude!
Everytime Senior Tanner saw me, his eyes would lit up with happiness. He would try to make some conversation with me and was always so kind and pleasant.
But why did I wish for Chico to be like that with me?
I was in my deep and confused thoughts when my younger brother Rodrigo shook me back to reality.
"Petra!" He yelled anxiously.
"Por Dios Rodrigo! Why are you yelling?" I asked him annoyed.
"Senior Bernardo and his amigos are sharing their food with us!" He exclaimed eagerly.
My eyes widened as I saw my brother run off towards their lodge and bunch of other children from our village followed him.
Afterwards, Hilario and Santos came by. They had proud expressions on their faces.
"Hilario, what's going on?" I asked, still not sure what on earth was happening.
"Those seniors are such great men." He answered me happily.
"They've decide to share their dinner with our villagers." Santos added anxiously.
We haven't been eating really well lately...in fact most of the village was starving. This morning me and my family shared few meager beans like we always did...and that's it! We wouldn't eat anything till the next morning. It was alright for adults, but children were always so hungry. Calvera would take most of our harvest, but he would leave few things to us, so that we could survive. Sotero - the village's leader thought that we should preserve our food for needy times.
The dinner we made for the seven gumen consisted of all the food from our village . But we thought that they deserved a proper 'thank you' from us. However, I would have never imagined that all of them would give our children their meal. I was really touched...and also ashamed that we thought they would harm us.
I made my way back to my cottage, when suddenly I heard a familiar voice. I turned around to see who it was and found myself staring at Chico's soft brown eyes.
"Here, eat this." He told me uncomfortably and passed his plate.
"That's alright. I-" I started
"I know that you've been starving." Chico interrupted me. "Take it."
"I'm telling you I don't want it." I insisted bit frustrated. I was still upset with him for his crude behavior at the table.
Chico grabbed me by the shoulders sternly yet gently.
"Stop being so stubborn! Look at you! You haven't been eating normally for days!" He exclaimed at me.
"Let me go!" I declared and pushed him away from me.
"Why do you always do that?" Chico questioned me. "I'm not going to hurt you! I care about all of ya, alright?"
At this I realized that it would be useless to argue with him. So I took the plate from him.
"That's better." He said with a smirk. "Eat up, little angel."
I shot him a dirty look and then turned towards my house. "Petra." I told him.
Chico looked at me questionably. "My name is Petra." I repeated and quickly entered the lodge and bolted the door behind me.
"So he does care about me!" I told myself and kept smiling like a fool. There was no denying that Chico was proud and maybe rough around the edges, but he was kind and sweet inside.
I became sure that this time my father, and all of us villagers for that matter, were very wrong!
