NoTe NoTe: You must be going 'Finally!' Lol! Yeah, well just read. And reminder that this is Yamile's chapter not mine. Any specific...blah...you know stuff then refer to her. Well, hasta luego! ('Till then!)
Chapter 4 TRAINING
Oh, Dios, voy a morir! (Oh, God, I'm gonna die!) Thought Joaquin as he put one foot in front of the other.
Early morning had not only brought in an unwanted rain but also an unwanted pain in the butt for falling who knows how many times on the cold hard stone of the small stone basement underneath the hacienda, where now, Alejandro was training his son to be the next Zorro.
"Vamos(come on), Juaquin!" Said his father encouragingly. "You must have perfect balance!"
"But dad–" He was cut short.
"Hey," Alejandro turned away from his son casually placing his cravat on the nearby table, "you wanted to become Zorro, did you not? Did you not come to me asking me to train you?" He looked back at his son.
"But–!"
"Answer me!"
"Si." It was merely a whisper.
"What did you say? I didn't here you." Alejandro said with a slightly mocking tone.
"YES! I CAME TO YOU, YES I ASKED YOU TO TRAIN ME!" Joaquin replied angrily, "But I did not think it meant this!"
"Quieres decir que..." (Meaning.../Saying...)
"I don't want to be a circus acrobat. I want to be Zorro!" Joaquin said exasperated. "I want to fight, not walk the tight rope!" Joaquin was presently in a white linen shirt and lose black pants, though they clung to his skin with all the sweating.
"Oh, so you think that I am teaching you circus tricks!" Said Alejandro.
"Well what do you call this!" Said Joaquin stomping his foot, except there was only a very thin rope to do this on and the action made him lose his balance, causing him to fall from the rope to the floor which were about six feet part.
Diego, who was sitting next to the black stallion, snorted, "I call that falling." He laughed.
Alejandro laughed as his son fell from the rope and landed face first on the top of a pile of hay which broke his fall a bit, though not enough for it not to hurt badly.
Joaquin moaned and rolled on his back. Alejandro just laughed and went to help his son up. He was not hurt badly but he would probably have a few bruises. Before looking at his father, Joaquin threw a glare at Diego, "Stop laughing." Said an enraged Joaquin.
"You must learn to land and be able to stand up immediately." Said Alejandro, "Now get back up and walk." He ordered his soon.
"Por que?" (Why?) Challenged Joaquin.
An unwise move.
"Because," Alejandro returned the same hauteur his son was giving him, "balance is a key to success! What if you were fighting on a pole, you must have perfect balance!"
"But–" A stern look from his father silenced him. "'Ta bien."(Alright/Fine)
"Esta." (Alright/Fine) His father corrected him.
"Whatever!" Said the teenager enraged.
After another hour of work, in which Joaquin managed to fall six times before finally reaching th end of the rope, then making enough progress so that he only fell twice before reaching the end of the rope, something stopped them.
A voice made them both pale and turn to were it came, unfortunately, Joaquin los his balance and fell once again. He grunted in pain as he tried to get up again.
"Joaquin! Alejandro! Donde estan?"(Where are you?)
"Oh, crap!" Joaquin gasped as he jumped off the rope, "My mother!"
"Elena!" Alejandro turned in the direction of the door.
"Mrs. De La Vega!" Diego quickly stood.
Alejandro quickly grabbed the rope's end and tried to untie it quickly before Elena came, "Joaquin or Diego go and stall Elena! Then one of you come and help me."
Joaquin looked at the door, "Go." Joaquin nodded toward the door, "I have to help my father."
Diego looked at the door, "Why me? How the heck am I suppose to keep her from coming!"
"Anything! Just go!" Both Alejandro and Joaquin exclaimed.
Muttering words under his breath, Diego looked back at them as he opened the door, "This is the last time I'm getting dragged into..." he looked in front of him where now stood Elena, "...Mrs. De La Vega!" He shut the door quickly, "Hello!"
Elena smiled, "What were you doing down there?" She raised an expectant eyebrow.
Diego licked his lips, "Have I told you that you look ravishing today?"
"Diego."
"Mrs. De La Vega, I just need to tell you this," he looked down at his feet, "I've been meaning to tell you." He smiled nervously, "I–I–you–I..." He looked at one of the maids who had a tray for food, "...I love you cooking!" He threw his hands in the air, "I just love your picadas and–"
"I'm not the cook."
"Er, right." He shrugged slightly, "Well I love your tastes in cooks."
"What is going on?" She looked at the door behind Diego.
Diego blocked her view with his head, "Nothing. Why would you assume something is happening?" He said it rather fast. Elena raise her skirt slightly and proceeded toward the door though Diego blocked her path, "You don't need to go in there."
"Are they in there?" She inquired.
Diego looked behind him, "Er–" He looked back in front of him, only to find that she slipped behind him and opened the door, "Ay–yay–"
"Four of clubs." Alejandro laid down some cards on the table.
Elena descended the stones steps, "Ah, here you are." She looked up at Diego, "What was going on?"
Alejandro placed his cards on the table and laughed, "Querida, no mas estamos jugando." (Dear, we are only playing), "Why?"
"It," she glanced up at the pale Diego, "just seemed like something." She shook her head.
"Anyways, when did you get back from el Mercado, mama?" Asked Joaquin.
"Just now."
"Umm, yeah, Senor, Senora, Joaquin, I better go home it's time for dinner." Diego glared daggers at Joaquin.
"Bueno(ok/alright), esta bien (it's ok), go and tell your father that I said hi." Said Alejandro.
"See you tomorrow?" Asked Joaquin.
Diego looked at him, then suddenly a mischievous glint in his eyes appeared. Grinning, "Sure, the usual?"
"Yeah." With that Diego walked through the door and out of the house.
"I'm going to have to watch my back tomorrow." Joaquin muttered.
Alejandro laughed, but was cut short when Elena spoke. "Well it's almost time for dinner so why don't you two go get ready." Then suddenly she noticed something. "Joaquin why are you drenched in sweat?" She looked over at the shirt plastered Joaquin.
Uh-oh, not good. What to say? Thought Joaquin desperately, "Umm...well see...I...had to run...to the...um..."
"I made him run to find the poker stuff." Alejandro lied quickly, Elena, though, didn't look fooled. "Um, hmm, well then, we'll just be getting cleaned up." Both men turned to go.
"Not you Alejandro de la Vega!" ALejandro knew he was in deep trouble. Joaquin kept on going, "Tell me what you were doing?" Elena demanded.
"Nada querida(nothing dear)."
Elena folded her arms in front of her chest, "Uh, huh, well then tell me why Joaquin was drenched in sweat and why you were playing here out of all places?"
"Because, we, well, we wanted to be..." he looked around the lone place, "...alone?" He shrugged. Alejandro was as good as begging his wife.
"Alone?" She raised a skeptic eyebrow, "So you prefer to play in the dark?" Elena was not backing down, she was going to get to the bottom of this, sooner or later.
"Oh, querida...I'm hungry can't we leave this for later?" Alejandro was frantic for a way out.
"Sure. As soon as you tell me why you were playing cards in a dark room." She was not going to let him get away with this.
"Umm...well...look there's a candle," he gestured at the candle, "happy? Right in the middle of the table, so we had light!" Alejandro said with a bit of a sigh. Alejandro then as good as ran to the door and left as fast as if the very devil was on his trail. Which in a way it was.
"Ya los lleve senor." (I took them sir.) Said a tall, very muscular, blond haired, brown eyed man. The man he talked to was tall, with mouse brown hair that was slicked back and ice blue eyes. He looked up from his desk at his right hand man.
"Muy bien Juan."(Very well/Good) The man nodded, "I'll be there in a second. But I want you to be there." Said the man.
The man called Juan nodded and went ahead of him.
The man with the mouse brown hair looked around his desk for a bit, then in one of the drawers found what he was looking for. He went to the bookcase, behind his fairly large study, and reached for a book called Henry V, it was slim, but when it was sled back by the man a 'click' sounded.
He then turned towards the full length mirror right besides the bookcase. Easily he slid it open, he went through to a soggy corridor, he turned around shut the "door" and went down the passageway which soon became stairs as he started his descend.
Soon, though, he came upon what seemed to be a dank cave. He looked around and soon spotted what he was looking for. A rock about 6 feet up on the wall, he pressed it and another click was heard. This time though the door opened in its own accord leading to a huge room which held 7 people in it.
One was Juan, who was wearily watching the other 6. Two of them, both with similarities were talking in one of the corners. One, the older one, was tall, about 5'11 with blond hair and brown eyes, the other had the same complexion but was easily taller than anybody else, he had dirty blond hair and hazel eyes that had, so far, brought him any girl he wanted.
They were dressed richly, stating their ranks as Dons. Then there was another man sitting in one of the 7 chairs, he was short with gray hair that had once been black, his eyes were brown. Behind him about a yard away was another man. He was medium. Seemed to be really pale and had light brown hair and brown eyes. On a corner diagonal from the two chatting, was another man dressed as fine as the others. He was tall maybe 5'10 with long blond hair and a matching beard. Then next to the guy not making talking was another man, tall, and bald, but he was young and had vigilant, blue eyes
"Señores," he greeted, "take a seat would you." said the man from the office.
A man squinted his eyes to look at the stark figure, "Antonio? Is that you?" Asked one of the men from the corner, the oldest one.
"Yes Ramon, it is me." He answered, then looked around and said. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Antonio Velavardes."
"Antonio Velavardes?" Asked the man with the gray hair.
Antonio looked at him, then said, "I suppose you're Carlos Verguez."
"Yes, I am. But he passed away not long ago. Leaving his daughter, Camilla, with his fortune, and me her guardian." He answered plainly.
"Muy bien (very good/well), that's great to know, but could you tell us why you brought us all here?" Said an overly calm, harsh voice. It was the young bald man.
"Well as soon as everybody takes a seat, I will tell you." Antonio said as he moved to sit on the chair that was in front of the others. As they saw this, those who were not sitting went to sit while Juan went to stand besides his patron's (master/boss) chair.
The man called Ramon and the young man sat next to each other right in front of Antonio, while Carlos was to the young man's right. The bald man sat to the left of Ramon. And The blond haired man with a beard sat besides the bald man. Finally the pale, brown haired, brown eyed man sat to the right of Carlos.
"Now will you tell us what is going on!" Demanded the bald man.
"By your temper I suppose I'm right to guess that you're Rodolfo Santino." It was a statement.
"Yes, I am, and I think that-" what he thought, though, was never known as Antonio cut him off.
"I suppose you're Manuel Lanet?" He said to the man with blond hair and beard.
Manuel inclined his head, "That would be correct."
"And that leaves Jose Allento." HE looked at the pale brown haired, brown eyed man. Then all of a sudden turned on Juan, "I told you to bring Ramon, why did you bring his son?"
"He wouldn't let me leave with out him, senor." Juan replied.
"Damn right I wouldn't!" Said the young man.
"Enrique!" Scolded his father.
"No, no, Ramon it's fine." Assured Antonio. "Look gentlemen, I brought all of you here because I have a proposition for you. As you all know we have certain gold mines in this land." Everybody nodded. "Well it so happens that these mines have been found to hold something else other than precious metal, or stones." A malicious look came into his eyes.
"What could possibly be better than precious metal or stones?" Asked Rodolfo distrustfully, none the less a new glint came into his eyes. Everybody seemed intrigued.
"Oil." the single word was barely muttered, but the turmoil it caused was incredible.
Enrique swore words that surprised even Juan, his father. Ramon, looked stunned, then suddenly turned and slapped his son then started talking a mile a second to Antonio. Carlos, gasped then stood and started pacing while murmuring to himself. Jose looked at first skeptic, then after a moment his face became that of a child in Christmas, and he soon started talking as fast as Don Ramon. Rodolfo though was the calmest, at first, he looked like he had received a low blow, then he started thinking.
"Gentlemen!" Yelled Antonio, trying to regain order. Everybody stopped what they were doing. "Gentlemen," he continued. "I brought you here so we can work out a partnership of sorts. From what I've found out the mine probably goes out to your lands as well. Though the main part is in these lands." Antonio looked at each man in the eye. " If we work together we can get triple the money we get now."
Don Carlos pondered for a second before saying something. "What about the new owner of the lands? Have you come to an agreement with..." looked at his fellow companions, "...this Camilla De La Rossette?"
"Señor, por favor (must I do everything? Jk it means please) she's still not of age, I am her guardian, plus things can easily be… covered." Answered Antonio. "I'm offering you an alliance of sorts. We work together to get the oil and it can easily be done. Agreed?"
Everybody was tense. The silence was tense and everybody seemed to be nervous and deep in though, trying to figure out what was best. After five minutes Ramon stepped up to him and extended his hand.
"I believe this will be a good," He paused searching for the right word. "investment." He finished. Then went back to his seat. Next came Rodolfo also agreeing to this. Then Jose, followed by Manuel and lastly Carlos.
"Very well, now for the details, we have approximately one year to dig up the oil." Antonio announced.
"But why? Surely we can't take the oil out in a mere year. Your mines are quite large if I recall rightly. And we all have quite a good stretch of land." Said Manuel.
"Yes but your forgetting something."
"What?" Asked Jose.
"Camilla."
"But you just said we were to keep it from her, and that you were her guardian."
"I am her guardian, but only till she comes of age and she will be 17 in on March 3rd a mere week away. As you well know, I cease to be her guardian as soon as she turns 18, nothing but a week and year away."
"Then we must hurry!" Exclaimed Carlos. Everybody was busy talking on how to speed the progress. But Enrique was deep in though, and soon an idea came to mind. One that could give them infinite time to mine the oil and give him a bit of a boost in the properties as well.
Joaquin looked at himself in the full length mirror. Yes I do look like him. He would show his parents he could be–would– be Zorro.
He wore loose midnight black pants with a matching silk shirt. Flexible but sturdy black leather boots, a black leather belt with a sheath and black leather gloves that matched as well. An ebony black cloak on his shoulders added to the combo. On his sheath a silver sword handle peeked through the cloak.
Joaquin grabbed the mask from a table besides him, and put it on. The mask only added to his mystique. Then he grabbed his black hat with silver embroidery on it and looked at himself again. Yes, he thought to himself again, I would show them.
He grabbed the saddle and started towards tornado. Then he stopped and looked at Tornado. He decided to taunt his parents a little.
"Perdon, Tornado, pero estaves no. (sorry tornado, but not this time)" Then Joaquin moved towards his own horse–another full black horse–but unlike tornado this one was a girl.
"Hello Midnight." Joaquin greeted her as he started saddling her. Midnight could make tornado have a run for his money if she wanted, but she was still young, and like Joaquin was as reckless as could be. But she unlike tornado could understand more than basic English. And she understood most Spanish.
Soon Joaquin had saddled her and was on his way out. He would prove them wrong was all he could think of as he galloped off to find adventure. Unknown to him that he was already going to be part of a mayor plot.
Blah, blah note: Ok, now, chapter five will be comin' soon! You'll get a big surprise! Where is Joaquin headin' to? What does it mean by '...part of the a moyor plot...' and when is Camilla comin' in? He, he, he...Stay tunned! And review! Buh bye!
