Chapter 25: Despair

His face was sallow, solemn and didn't announce anything good. Don Alejandro went slowly closer to his son. He knew too well this face and knew it was bringing bad news.

"Señores," he began with a voice full of embarrassment. "I... Your wife is dying, Don Diego."

"What does she have?"

"I couldn't tell you. I never had such a case to treat in the past. Those aren't usual poisoning symptoms, for that reason I can't prescribe her any particular antidote."

"You can't be serious," the young don said by squeezing his fists.

"Alas, Don Diego, I can only pray for her," he said before putting back his hat. "Padre Felipe is at her side. He told me of having some knowledge with this maleficent science. Maybe he will be able to help her more than I can," he added before leaving.

Avila was so overcome that he forgot the first reason of his ride.

The young don was despondent. It was only when he made a first step that he realized he was standing up thanks to his father. Slowly, very slowly, they joined the bedroom where Salena was.

On the other end of the room, Bernardo was still observing the dagger and the little cut he made on himself. Then, like if the weapon had a bad smell, he carried it in his outstretched arms under the curious look of Don Esteban and went to put it away in his room where no one would think to look. He breathed in greatly before heading toward the shelves where he kept his varied medicinal herbs. Nothing he had in store suited him. He wiped his forehead and decided to go and look for what was missing. He had a small idea of the product used; nonetheless, it wasn't enough to do the correct antidote. If he was mistaken, the effects could be even more disastrous.

...

When Ricardo arrived on the working site, there were no traces of Doctor Avila. Some convicts raised their heads at his arrival and got an amused smile by recognizing him. Ricardo didn't pay attention to them, at least he tried not to.

"Señor Fango, you come to take a second bath?" one of the convicts asked, creating laughs around him and making reference to the mud bath that Del Amo and the young De la Vega had unfortunately made some days before.

Del Amo saw red and squeezed his fist with rage. Before he made a mistake, the guard called order on the convict by whipping at his sides.

"Alberto, do you want to benefit of additional chore days?"

"Certainly not, Rodrigo."

"So keep on working silently," the guard said. "What led you here, Señor?" he asked then by turning to him and hiding a smile.

"I'm looking for Doctor Avila. I was told he could be here, but visibly it isn't the case yet."

"Doctor Avila didn't come yet."

"Could you tell him that it is imperative that he go to the De la Vegas?"

"To the De la Vegas?"

"Si."

"Did Don Diego wound himself again?" the guard asked with worry.

"No... His spouse has been poisoned," Ricardo explained, intrigued by the soldier's reaction.

"Oh! Be sure that I will give the message to Avila as soon as I will see him."

"Muchas gracias."

...

On his way back, Ricardo noticed a rider lying on his mount whose path was quite hazardous. Puzzled, he urged his steed toward the unknown and the horse stopped at his approach.

"Señor Monastario?" he called by recognizing him.

"De la Vega," he whispered.

"No... Hold on, Señor, I will lead you to the pueblo," Ricardo asserted.

"No, not pueblo... De la Vega," he whispered again.

But his voice was so weak and his intonation so tired that Ricardo didn't hear him. He caught the reins of his horse and led him along behind him. Arrived in the pueblo, he went to the cuartel.

"Hola," he called.

Señora Toledano, alone in the cuartel at that precise time, went to see who was calling. When she saw Señor Del Amo, her first reaction was to want to close the door, but in her move, she noticed Señor Monastario who seemed to be quite in a bad shape. She stopped straight, thoughtfully. Did he deserve her attention? She finally went out of her quarters and went closer to them.

"What is the matter, Señor?" she questioned.

"I found him while I came back from my searching place. I believe he also needs the doctor's visit."

"We have to bring him back home."

"Back home? I don't know where he lives."

"He lives with his niece, Doña Isabella De la Cruz. They are neighbors of the De la Vegas if I believe the sergeant's words."

"It won't help me..."

"De la Vega," Monastario whispered, again puzzling Raquel.

"Why is he talking about the De la Vegas?"

"I ignore it… I will go back to their home; I will touch two words with… Don Alejandro."

"Is Doña Salena in that bad of shape?" Señora Toledano interrogated with compassion.

"..."

Ricardo's silence wasn't reassuring and Raquel shivered despite herself.

"I will carry him to the tavern. Could you inform your husband when he returns, I beg you?"

"Of course," she asserted before going back to her quarters.

Ricardo crossed the plaza and, helping Monastario, called for the innkeeper who hurried to come. Together, they led the former capitán in a free room, then Ricardo left away, in direction of the De la Vegas' hacienda.

…

He had almost arrived when he recognized Bernardo, whose walk seemed to him to be uncertain. While he went closer to him, his look was attracted by a luminous brightness. He dismounted to get closer and have a better look on it.

Bernardo had seen Ricardo coming closer and was intrigued by his behavior. Curious, he went to meet him, fighting to keep his walk as steady as possible. When he arrived at his side, he noticed straight away the broken vial, of which Ricardo, gloved, had picked up one piece. At his turn, he took one piece of the broken vial the more delicately as he could and brought it to his nose. The remaining smell confirmed his fear. He dropped the piece and stood up. He needed additional herbs... But finding them close to Los Angeles would be truly an achievement. Those herbs, those plants should we say, were considered as weeds and often ended rooted out. Rare were the rancheros to know its medicinal use and, with the end of the day coming, troubles were ascending. He knew that those plants were growing in the sierra. He remembered having seen some on the Indian Territory and when they went to see the old "witch". But it was out of the question to venture in the mountains in his condition.

As he stood up, Bernardo was seized with a dizzy spell he couldn't master and fell down heavily on the ground, worrying Ricardo.

"Hola, Bernardo," he called as he leant over him trying to wake him up.

But this latter remained without any reaction.

"But what have they all got today?" he exclaimed by taking him in his arms to put him on his horse as best he could.

Fortunately, the hacienda was only twenty meters farther away.

...

"Diego," he called like a maniac by going in the court with Bernardo in his arms.

"Diego," he yelled even more in front of the lack of answers.

"Are you crazy, Ricardo? May I recall you the state of..." Don Alejandro stopped dead when he saw Bernardo. "What happened to him?" he asked as his anger suddenly vanished.

"I ignore it. He was looking for I don't know what on the ground and his walk was already unsteady. I went closer to him and he collapsed," Ricardo explained still holding Bernardo in his arms.

"Follow me," Alejandro asserted before opening him the way and leading him to Bernardo's bedroom.

There, Del Amo laid him down on his bed while the old hidalgo ran a hand over his face. How will he announce this new situation to his son?

"Ricardo... Gracias."

"De nada."

"Too bad that the doctor has already left us."

"Señor Avila was here?" Ricardo said, astonished.

"Yes, I thought it was you who informed him," Alejandro said in front of his astonishment.

"No... When I arrived in the pueblo, I went to find Diego in the first place. Then I left looking for the doctor with some lancers by order of the capitán. I will go back to Los Angeles to inform Señor Toledano. Furthermore, the doctor could treat Señor Monastario."

"Monastario? What is the matter with him?"

"I don't know. I met him while coming back from my searching place. He was unconscious, or almost. At the pueblo, he whispered your name: De la Vega, but I don't know why."

"Hasten yourself, Ricardo. I'll take care of warning Diego."

"Si."

Both men went out of the room. It was with a breaking heart that Alejandro went to see his son.

He knocked at the guest's room and went in without waiting for an answer. Padre Felipe was at Diego's side, a hand resting on his back in a gesture of comfort. But his face was also reflecting worry and resignedness. When his look met the one of the old hidalgo, Padre Felipe knew he was bearer of more bad news.

"Diego," Alejandro whispered.

"What is the matter, Father?" the young don asked without turning back and holding his wife's hands in his. "What did Ricardo want?"

"He… He met Bernardo on his way… He is unwell and lost consciousness."

Diego tensed and turned without letting go of Salena.

"What did you say?" he stammered.

"Bernardo is unwell. Ricardo placed him in his room before leaving."

Diego's look was lackluster, he felt himself becoming weak and let himself fall on the chair at his side. Seeing that he couldn't support him at that precise time, Don Alejandro went out of the room.

"Diego, don't lose hope. Bernardo didn't..."

"He slightly cut his forefinger when he pulled out a dagger from furniture. Dagger that Salena's torturer threw some minutes before."

Padre Felipe remained silent, understanding what it was implying. Bernardo must have fallen victim of the poisoner.

"Courage, Diego," the padre said before leaving the room.

Salena, tossing and turning, regained consciousness.

"Diego," she whispered by lightly squeezing his hand.

This latter brought it to his lips and she felt tears falling. Lifting her head toward him, she noticed the sadness and the confusion of her husband.

"Diego, I... I heard your father," she winced.

"Keep your strength, my love," he said with a quavering voice and stroking her forehead with one hand.

"I know you are torn. I see the conflict within you. Go and see your friend."

"I don't want to let you alone."

"I'm not alone," she smiled in spite of the pain she was feeling and which didn't let her rest since she'd been poisoned. "Diego, I know that your heart is suffering. Don't feel guilty and don't put the blame on the shoulders of another one. I lacked carefulness," she winced.

"Salena!"

"I won't move from here, go and see Bernardo," she smiled, squeezing again his hand.

"Si," he said before kissing her forehead.

It was with a pricking heart that Diego went out of the room. He took a long breath in and went to find his friend.

...

In his bedroom, Bernardo retrieved consciousness and stood up with difficulty. He had to hurry. In spite of his troubles to remain up, he took what he needed to brew the herbs he had picked up. He could already slow down the poison's effects. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before catching himself with the table in front of him while the bedroom's door opened on Diego.

"Bernardo?" he astonished by seeing him up. "Father told me you were suffering."

Bernardo lowered his head an instant to get a hold on him. Then he raised his wounded finger.

"The blade was bearer of poison, wasn't it?"

Bernardo nodded and brought his right hand on Diego's shoulder to make him lift his head. He indicated then the herbs and his equipment.

"You have the antidote?" the young don questioned with hope.

Bernardo nodded negatively and tried to make him understand that he could slow down the effects of the poison but that he needed wild herbs that we could only find with certainty in the sierra to do the correct antidote. Nonetheless, in front of Diego's face which was enlightening with hope; he hastened to explain that he was not sure to find this plant.

"I assume that I can't help you."

Bernardo sighed and made a Z with the tip of his fingers.

"If I can't help you, how could Zorro..." he interrupted him suddenly. "Si, Zorro must go and find El Envenenador... But Salena... I can't let her," Diego asserted lowering his head.

His friend put again his hands on him and shook him to make him react.

"Forgive me, Bernardo. You're right, I have to keep my spirit up," he said by seeing him wincing and hiding his worry. "I'm counting on you my friend."