A hot day didn't keep the citizens at home. The people needed to buy their weekly food, clothes for clothes or supplies for it or sell their animals, eggs or handicrafts.
A pair of blue eyes from beneath a head that concealed most of his features studied the buzzing and swarming crowd. There was a mission written in his eyes, but to those who accidentally crossed his vision never knew better than a man was leaning against the pillar of the arched over buildings of the plaza. His companion, also wearing a sombrero against the heat, was partly leaning against him and the same column.
He tried to count the people present, but there are too many to count as they moved like bees in a honeycomb. Suddenly his heart froze. There in the middle of the crowd he saw the best thing he had ever seen in his life. At the same time his heart was jumping and made his mind spinning. It was only a matter of standing up, walking toward his centre of attention and live his life he had never done before.
It would just be the stupidest thing he would have ever done as well. As he was observing, he tried to calm his racing heart, tried to keep his nerves in check and tried to keep a clear head. It wasn't easy as he was thrilled beyond words, but he succeeded.
Out of nothing he noticed another familiar figure approaching his dream and some hairs at the back of his head started to stand up with cold chills massaging his spine. He just did nothing, but observing what this new interaction would bring about. Ignoring the sick feeling that was welling up in stomach.
Hatred was deeply seeded in his anatomy he noticed, but he recalled his master's lessons. Keep calm. Whatever you do, keep calm and be ready for the right moment to attack. Learn your adversary known, before you strike and when you do, do it right.
Like a mantra it repeated in his head, waiting for the right moment. He figured it would be easy to get into town, get the information he needed and be gone with the so called treasure. This treasure of his, had more value to him than the kings empire. He just hadn't expected that it hat increased.
Slowly he poked his companion to get his attention. When he felt a faint movement he only nodded into the direction of the middle of the plaza.
He felt a soft bump in return and he knew he had the attention of his young partner. Both watched the scene with alertness, which changed into utter amazement as the sun crawled the sky.
A young woman and an older man, who both wore plain clothes, were visiting the market, obviously being good customers by the look of the merchandiser's faces. The conversations were light and relaxed, however an underlying concern was present.
Out of the blue, another man with grey hair joint them when they were doing some pleasant business. The laugh of the woman died at once after she noticed the new visitor of the stall. The older man seemed to freeze, but on closer look hidden anger was boiling.
The grey haired man, wearing the clothes of an educated, civilized man of the higher society, touched the woman's cheek with quite familiar fashion.
The woman obviously didn't approve the gesture. Some things were said and the older man stood up for her. The grey haired man called for his military, but the older man didn't step back.
"So that is the alcalde?" whispered the tallest observer asked his companion.
Silently the teenager nodded, while hatred shone in his eyes.
"Keep calm Felipe, be patient!" Diego soothed his wards nerves, although Diego didn't like what was happening in front of him either. The nonchalance radiating from the alcalde, the foilt attitude of the woman, although she otherwise seemed meek and the almost aggressive protective demeanour of the older man were ingredients to have a confrontation.
The next thing the observers saw was the older man being encircled by some soldiers and being taken to the cuartel.
Diego suddenly jumped up, followed by Felipe, who pulled Diego by his arms with all his might. Diego tried to get rid of Felipe.
Felipe was stronger than he had even imagined himself and was able to drag a struggling and fighting Diego to a more secluded area.
When he had freed himself, he questioned Felipe harshly," why did you do that? They are arresting my father!"
Felipe was frantically signing that it was of no use to intervene. "You, or we, would end up in jail next to him. And were would it take us? Let's make a plan. You taught me to have a strategy to get the hacienda back."
Diego calmed down by Felipe's words and looked back at the plaza, where he noticed the woman still standing with the alcalde. "You are right."
Despite of Felipes expectation, Diego didn't move to go into action.
Diego watched the woman trying to negotiate with the alcalde. The way she moved Diego was certain she tried to get his father out of jail. The alcalde seemed indifferent and touched her cheek again. Diego's blood boiled eager to confront the man again, but he kept his temper in check.
The woman hit the man in his face this time and turned around to walk back to the tavern.
"Soon you will accept my proposal and forget about the old man!" the alcalde yelled after her for every one on the plaza to hear.
"Who is she? Is she my new mom to be?" Diego whispered sounding a bit disgusted at the thought, covering the confusing feelings of attraction towards the young woman.
With his finger, Felipe wrote in the dusty ground "Victoria – tavern" and shook his head. Then Felipe gestured that Don Alejandro took care after her, when her mother died and her father with her brothers went after the alcalde.
"Alcalde De Soto?" Diego asked confused, not really understanding the timeframe.
"No, when you just had left for Spain we had another alcalde before this alcalde. That man killed her mother."
"What for?"
"I don't really know, I guess I was too young to understand." Felipe obviously hated for not having been able to give more information to his companion.
"That is ok Felipe," Diego felt sorry for the young woman, while he tried to ease Felipe's distress. "Come, let's go. "
He took his friend by the arm and threw a last glance over his shoulder to jail, where his father had just been brought into.
"You were right. We need to make a plan." Diego knew just the place to get inspired. Together they entered the tavern, took a seat and ordered something to eat and drink.
With the same feeling of frustration and powerlessness Diego watch Victoria and his father disappear in the crowd, while he sold some more of his delicious fish. His heart went out to his father for having such a touch life, but he promised himself he would change that very soon. At the same time he condemned Victoria for her weird relationship with the alcalde. She was a spitfire no less, and the way Ignacio accepted her behaviour meant more than a platonic one, to his opinion. And then there was this confession she admired, and even worse that she was falling for the creation he had made to frustrate Ignatio. Only until he was sure what his hidden secrets were and he would be able to give the dead penalty.
It was in fact him, who was condemned. Condemned for having lost his heart to this raven haired woman. Condemned for living his live in the shadows of masks.
With a sigh he shook his head and promised again, this madness would soon be over. Soon he would destroy all his enemies. He needed to put his plans into motion and the dices had already been rolling.
A/N Thanks everyone for your patience. It really had been too long for another chapter being posted. Still I hope you will be happy reading it.