Chapter 25:
This latter swallows by feeling the contact of the blade on his neck; however, his irony is so strong that he can't help but to show off.
"You think you impress me, Señor? Know that you aren't the first to put his blade under my throat. Besides, I think you are mistaken..."
The light voice of Diego in front of danger made rage his opponent. At the moment when Pedro wants to shut up this young whippersnapper, he realizes that this one was blocking his weapon with only his left hand. Pedro tries then to free his hand while Salena gets up, a slight pain on her head.
Juan thought that his brother was in trouble and changed his target, and then he threw his dagger, which flew through the room.
"Diego!" Cried Salena when she saw him prepare his gesture.
This one turned in spite of his tiredness and his pain; making then turn with him his aggressor, surprised by such resistance. The dagger hit the back of Pedro which let go off the shoulder of Diego and his weapon, warding off temporarily the danger...
Salena snuggled up to Diego's arm, succumbing to her panic and her fear while Pedro fell down.
"Easy, Salena." He winces.
Juan let himself fall down on the floor, incredulous...
"Lancers, get back the lancer Juan Cortès behind bars and take care of the wounded." Ordered the magistrado while at his side Ricardo stands up.
The lancers obeyed and quickly; the only people remaining in the hearing room are the magistrado, the lancer Ricardo, the De la Vegas, Salena, Garcia, Bernardo and the 'corpse' of Pedro.
"Sergeant Garcia, get the lancer to see a doctor and then... put him in a different cell than Juan."
"Very well, Your Excellency."
Ricardo exchanged a look with the magistrado. He was offering him a way to escape.
Don Alejandro, which was going closer to his son, stopped on his way and retrieved a piece of paper which caught his attention by falling out of the pocket of the lancer Cortès.
While the sergeant arrived to mid distance from the exit with his prisoner, Pedro stood up, dagger in hand and, getting ready to hit Diego, grabbed him by his left shoulder.
Salena, seeing the danger threatening her friend, apologized at her turn.
"No, Salena! Don't even think about it." Diego says to her, guessing her intentions and stopping her to act with foolishness.
In the mean time the magistrado, which comes to get back a pistol, shot.
Diego felt Pedro stiffen, becoming heavier, while the dagger slipped along his back. And just when Pedro is falling down, again and for good, the magistrado realizes that he just comes to score a precious point in his relationship with the De la Vegas.
Diego feels his tension lessen and his pains increase. He knows that his injury on his side didn't like his different gestures... sharp. Sudden, the breaths seems to miss him, and he falls, dragging Salena down with him.
Don Alejandro, which just turned after the shot, doesn't become aware of it. But the cry of surprised and worried Salena called him out as he observes the magistrado putting away the pistol still fuming with a trembling hand.
"Diego." Called Don Alejandro making echoed to Salena.
This one, lying on Diego, sits up straight, not taking care on the position in which she was then. She noticed the wound of Diego, on his right side, not recent according to the stain which was already decorating his shirt.
"Diego." She says even more worried and compressing the wound without discovering it.
The moaning and the wince that he made reassured her, somehow.
"Diego." Don Alejandro whispers at his side.
"Sergeant Garcia! Go summon Doctor Avila right away!" Ordered the magistrado.
"Straight away, Your Excellency." He says before leaving in a hurry.
Ricardo wanted to take benefit of the confusion, but Corporal Reyes, which was coming back, hailed him.
"Lancer Ricardo, it's useless wanting to go outside. The doctor will take care of you."
Don Alejandro turned then and, standing up, took out his weapon. Stopping next to Ricardo, he put the tip of his blade to him.
"Señor De la Vega?" Interrogated the magistrado.
"This man already has acted in a treacherous manner in the past... The life of Diego isn't in danger." I hope so. "I personally take care to watch this lancer until he'll be treated... As for the charges against Diego..."
"Your son is innocent, Señor De la Vega. I clear him from all accusations... I'm afraid we left on bad basis... I'm certain that we can get on well together."
"You're right, Señor Galindo." Ended to say Alejandro after a short silence.
It's preferable to adopt a low profile like Diego knows so good to do. Thought Don Alejandro.
When Doctor Avila came in, he wasn't alone. Padre Felipe was in discussion with him when the sergeant arrived in haste. Worried for his 'protected', he then, followed too, the sergeant.
The Padre crossed himself by seeing men shot down and follows Doctor Avila next to Diego. By doing so, they noticed Ricardo, wounded too, which was at the end of Don Alejandro's blade.
What happened here? Interrogated the doctor to himself.
Unceremoniously, he opened the shirt of Diego while Salena took place on his side, but without letting go of Diego's wound.
"Señorita, gracias... You can take away your hand now."
But Salena doesn't move.
"Señorita, por favor." Repeated Doctor Avila.
"Salena." Called Padre Felipe putting his hand on her shoulder and kneeling down to her side.
She reddened suddenly and finally took her hand away, allowing the doctor to take off the remaining of the shirt.
When Doctor Avila discovered the wound of Diego, who didn't put another bandage by the dressing, he looked at Padre Felipe, which nodded discreetly.
Also discreetly, Bernardo hit his face, and lets himself fall on a chair.
The exchange between the doctor and the Padre stays silent, but the doctor understood... The wound that 'Diego' got two days ago was partly opened again.
"I told him to avoid any brisk moves." Whispered Padre Felipe.
"He understood well, Padre." Sighed Salena in a whisper, on the verge of tears.
"Come, my child. Let Doctor Avila take care of Diego." Says the padre drawing Salena aside.
Doctor Avila takes advantage of the stitches made by the Padre and closed the wound after having cleaned it. Then, he inspected Diego, anxious not to miss any other injury and he noticed a slight cut on his left shoulder which won't leave any scar. He cleaned it and noted that it doesn't bleed anymore.
"Gracias, Doctor Avila." Whispered Diego with his eyes closed, making smile shortly the doctor.
During the care, Don Alejandro didn't let his attention wander from Lancer Ricardo. However, Garcia noticed the nervousness of the old hidalgo.
"Don Alejandro... Go join your son. I'm watching this rogue." He says with a great seriousness.
"Gracias, Sergeant." Answers Don Alejandro which felt a weigh disappear from his shoulders.
With difficulty, Don Alejandro went closer. Bernardo remarked the troubles of Don Alejandro and went to help him to walk.
"How is he?"
"He is well. I don't know what happened here, but as for Diego, he received a serious injury on his side..." Answered Doctor Avila before adding: "Diego has to be confined to his bed to recover... Tie him to his bed if you'll have to". Insists the doctor making smile the Padre and Salena.
...
"Don Alejandro." Began Padre Felipe in a serious voice, worrying this latter.
"What is it?" Asked Señor De la Vega.
...