A/N: Please read and review! I love feedback from my readers, especially
for this fic. I know there's a lot more Tessa/Marcus fans out there! So get
going! Btw, thanks to Kali for the beta reading, I couldn't have done this
chapter right if it wasn't for your suggestions and guidance.
Confrontation
"Maria Teresa Alvarado!!!" Marta finally cried out in vexation; her patience was wearing thin.
"Marta I wish your medicines weren't always this bitter!" Tessa complained to her mentor.
"What do you want me to do? Conjure up a strawberry flavored drink?" Marta retorted in irritation.
"Yes!" Tessa replied to Marta's little taunts.
"Come on, Tessa, please, drink it for me? This medicine will help your wound heal much faster," Marta pleaded with her.
"Fine. But when I start choking don't yell at me!" Tessa stubbornly replied before gulping the medicine.
"Muchas gracias!" Marta sighed in relief.
"Please Tessa would you tell me about your fight with Grisham? You are obviously injured but still remarkably alive right now. What happened?!" Marta was eager to understand the situation that concerned her young charge and the captain of Montoya's army.
Looking apprehensively at Marta. Tessa realized she couldn't keep many secrets from her. Remembering the incident she told Marta the sword fight and her injury in detail up to the point where she fainted.
"Then what?" Marta inquired.
Sighing in frustration Tessa answered, "I don't know. That's all I remember. If anything else happened while I was unconscious, I don't remember it."
"What about Grisham? Did he do anything to you?!" Marta's worried voice caused Tessa to wonder if Grisham dared to touch her in any way while she was unconscious. Taking the now cleaned handkerchief with the captain's name on it from Marta, Tessa replied with resolve, "I really don't know Marta. But I intend to find out!"
At the sight of Tessa's determined eyes, Marta knew she wouldn't be able to convince Tessa otherwise. After helping Tessa out of the bed and lacing up the Queen's corset, she examined Tessa with a wary eye.
"Are you sure you want to go out tonight? Your injury hasn't completely healed and.........."
But Tessa cut her off by turning around and giving her mentor a silencing look.
"Just come back safe." Marta cautioned, giving Tessa a look of her own.
"Yes Marta."
Taking her sword Tessa leapt on to Chico and rapidly rode towards the pueblo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bright yellow moon was in full view tonight, so the Queen had no trouble in reaching Grisham's room.
Stealthily the Queen entered the small room. The moon's light was bright enough to penetrate through the pale white curtains of the captain's room, which allowed the Queen to see everything clearly-too clearly.
Seeing Grisham's sleeping figure on the bed made her stop dead in her tracks. Her lace mask thankfully covered the blush that appeared on Tessa's face.
Watching people sleeping usually didn't faze her. But Grisham's obvious nude form under the thin sheets that barely reached his waist with his tanned chiseled torso was enough to make the Queen stumble. Staring at his muscled stomach and tough arms that were strangely softened by the moonlight made the Queen questioned how a dangerous man like Grisham could look so vulnerable in his sleep. Surprising herself she was even curious about the little guy under the bed sheets. Snapping out of her dangerously drifting thoughts Tessa was about to make her presence known but the captain woke up without her aid.
The sudden change of air jerked Grisham out of his sleep. He hardly raised his head when the feel of a cold blade grazing his neck stopped him rising fully from his bed. Instead he bent his arms to support his half raised body.
Muttering a curse under his breath Grisham looked up to see the grinning Queen.
"What did I do to have you grace my room with your presence, Your Highness?" Grisham's blue eyes blazed in fury at her uninvited entry.
Seeing his apparent lack of weapons at hand Tessa decided to have a little fun at the captain's expense.
"I am not sure. I was going to ask you the same question." Her smile grew wider at his uncomfortable position.
"What do you want?" His shortening of sleep time irritated him even more.
"I want to know what you did after I passed out on the cliffs the other day." Tessa aimed for a straight answer. There would be no beating around the bush this time.
Giving a noisy sigh. Grisham looked up again to see the Queen's serious expression. Now was not the time to push her with more banter.
Gathering his bed sheet around his waist after the Queen gave a sign of approval, Grisham sat up fully in bed. However her sword was now pointing at a more important part of his anatomy.
Keeping his anger in check. Grisham told the Queen of her rescue by him that day.
"Why?" Her whisper came out softly instead of a demand.
"Because..........." Before Grisham was about to reveal his true intentions he caught himself. No need to tell the Queen more than necessary.
"I have my reasons." Grisham instead replied mysteriously with these words.
"Can't you just tell me a little more?" At the end of her sentence, the Queen's sword surprisingly pushed harder against the precious part of his body.
"Hey!" Grisham almost yelped in pain. "Not tellin' and leave before I call for my soldiers!"
"Thank you." Tessa murmured in a respected reply.
Disappointed at his staunch refusal the Queen saluted him with her sword and disappeared out the door before Grisham could do anything.
Letting out a held breath. He looked out his window in time to see the Queen riding by on her horse out of town. He cursed himself for not threatening to call his guards earlier. He wondered why there had been such a delay in his actions.
Getting restless Grisham glimpse down to see his handkerchief dangling near the end of his bed left by the Queen. Picking it up he could just barely make out the smell of rose water. He shook his head in exasperation at his wandering thoughts about the Queen.
"Ah Hell!" Turning over his body Grisham tried to fall asleep despite the Queen's hostile move on his exposed form. But after a few hours of tossing and turning Grisham decided to get up anyways. It was about four in the morning when he got out of his room and approached his white charger to take it out for a quick run.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike the earlier silent morning that Grisham woke up in, the small pueblo was bustling with people eager in buying the special of today's market. The early sun cast a small warmth on if not cold day of Santa Helena.
"Buenos dias, Jose! How's today sale going?" Tessa greeted brightly at the small man in front of the fruit stand.
"Sorry senorita. But the crop famine hasn't gone away yet. I think it's getting worse. Even these apples don't look as big as a few months before." Jose like many other small farmers in Santa Helena was suffering from the low crop yield this year. Fruits and vegetables were in such high demand that prices were raised higher than before. However, the condition of the produce didn't merit the excessive prices the sellers demanded. Even the Dons were worried of the town's suffering.
"Oh Jose I am terribly sorry! I hope this.........helps." Unable to watch the farmer's distress any longer, Tessa gave him all the money she had with her.
"Gracias Senorita! Gracias!" The unanticipated kind gesture brought tears in Jose's eyes.
"No need to thank me, Jose! It's the least I could do." Tessa replied in earnest.
Marta came up just as Tessa was about to leave the fruit stand. "What about you, Tessa? You just gave that man our spending money for food today."
Walking away quickly to prevent Jose from overhearing them Tessa replied in anger.
"He's starving Marta! His family is starving! Just because of this insidious famine everyone in this town is starving! What do you want me to do?!"
"I understand your need to help the poor Tessa, but there are more farmers like him. How are you going to save them all? First of all we need to get food in you so you will get better. I am worried Tessa, your wound hasn't healed yet. Such a thing like this usually is better by the third day but your cut is still bleeding. And your nighttime jaunt to Grisham's room didn't help matters either. "
Marta's explanation touched Tessa deeply.
"I appreciate your concern Marta but I am sure it will be better soon. It's only a sword lesion. And yes I will help all those farmers. If it's the last thing I do! I just have to find a way. I'll rob Montoya's treasury again if I have to." Tessa declared her aspiration to save the town.
"Remember the last time you took Montoya's money? Tessa you ended up unconscious and under Grisham's care, and I still think he's planning something by saving you." Marta prudent warning made Tessa bear in mind of her doubt in her ability as Queen.
Before Tessa could reply in defense, she saw the captain riding back towards the pueblo. Wondering what Grisham could have done during the past few hours, she purposely strode up to him in question. Sitting upon his horse Grisham could see Tessa approaching him under the shining sun's rays. Each stand of her dark hair blew enticingly around her face and the tight bodice of her cream colored dress emphasized her curves, making Grisham stop his horse in front of the lovely woman just to gaze down on her.
"Good morning captain! My, you look quite pale today! Did you not get enough sleep last night?" Putting on her best cheery smile as possible she could note the dark circles under his eyes and the tired look he gave her.
"I just went out riding to check the soldiers in their posts a few hours ago. I think that's why I am more than a little pale, senorita." His nasty sarcasm didn't go by unnoticed by Tessa. Grisham was still angry by the Queen's intrusion earlier this morning.
"Oh I am sorry to hear that captain. Maybe you should rest for awhile." Tessa's breezy answer seemed to make Grisham want to laugh.
Keeping on a tight smile he replied in agreement. Though the sight of Senorita Alvarado seemed to ease his tension a little, he couldn't help but being a little irritated by her. Sure, she's such a wonderful good person to be around, but Tessa Alvarado was the kind of person that would make Grisham ashamed of his actions as Montoya's dog in command. Her bright smiling eyes would sometimes seem to taunt him, telling him that someone in her position would never see Grisham as anything more than someone's property. He would find himself wondering if he can ever receive true love from a woman like Tessa instead of the usual give and take with Vera.
"I just might do that senorita. Good bye." He abruptly turned his horse around rather than allow Tessa see to see the sorrow in his eyes.
Sensing Grisham's unease with her this morning Tessa assumed if it had anything to do with why he rescued her that day on the cliffs. Without any more evidence to go on, Tessa was going to let this go for the time being. Nonetheless, Tessa's curiosity made her ponder about Grisham's purpose a lot more lately.
An ear-piercing scream broke the peaceful setting of Santa Helena as everyone including Tessa turned around to see a woman in her mid-thirties crying her eyes out on the ground in the middle of the market. But what made everyone gasp was the abundant amount of blood on her hands and body, staining her pale green dress. Rushing towards the woman Tessa questioned the weeping female.
"Socorro!!!" The petite woman cried out in misery.
"What happened? Please senorita if you tell me I can help you!" Tessa's voice was bordering on hysteria; if the woman didn't tell her why there was blood on her body, she might just lose it.
"He killed my husband! The pandillero threatened us and ordered us to give him food but we didn't have enough for him and his pandilla! When he saw that there's no foodstuff in our home he killed my husband as punishment!" At this point the woman continued on her fit of crying. The death of her husband was too much to bear. But Tessa had to pry more information from her.
"But what's the name of the murderer?!?!" Tessa cried out in frustration and grief.
"El......El Cazador!" Finally the woman collapsed in Tessa's laps.
As other helpful townspeople carried the grief stricken woman away from Tessa into a chair. Tessa couldn't help but weep at the woman's loss. Tears streaming down her cheeks she turned to see Marta running towards her. She didn't even register the words Marta was saying to comfort her. All she could do was cry at her helplessness in preventing this recent death.
^Ok! It's a good and sad chapter. Good: because of Grisham's night rendezvous with the Queen. Sad: because the death of a farmer, we don't know if Tessa/Queen is keeping up her demeanor anymore to do her job, there are questions and insecurities she must face; bad things are happening and things are going to change for Grisham and Tessa but well it turn out alright? Stay tuned!
^^For the Spanish words that appeared in this chapter here are some translations at the harder words.
Buenos dias=Good morning socorro=help! pandillero=gangster pandilla=gang(s) El Cazador=The Hunter
Confrontation
"Maria Teresa Alvarado!!!" Marta finally cried out in vexation; her patience was wearing thin.
"Marta I wish your medicines weren't always this bitter!" Tessa complained to her mentor.
"What do you want me to do? Conjure up a strawberry flavored drink?" Marta retorted in irritation.
"Yes!" Tessa replied to Marta's little taunts.
"Come on, Tessa, please, drink it for me? This medicine will help your wound heal much faster," Marta pleaded with her.
"Fine. But when I start choking don't yell at me!" Tessa stubbornly replied before gulping the medicine.
"Muchas gracias!" Marta sighed in relief.
"Please Tessa would you tell me about your fight with Grisham? You are obviously injured but still remarkably alive right now. What happened?!" Marta was eager to understand the situation that concerned her young charge and the captain of Montoya's army.
Looking apprehensively at Marta. Tessa realized she couldn't keep many secrets from her. Remembering the incident she told Marta the sword fight and her injury in detail up to the point where she fainted.
"Then what?" Marta inquired.
Sighing in frustration Tessa answered, "I don't know. That's all I remember. If anything else happened while I was unconscious, I don't remember it."
"What about Grisham? Did he do anything to you?!" Marta's worried voice caused Tessa to wonder if Grisham dared to touch her in any way while she was unconscious. Taking the now cleaned handkerchief with the captain's name on it from Marta, Tessa replied with resolve, "I really don't know Marta. But I intend to find out!"
At the sight of Tessa's determined eyes, Marta knew she wouldn't be able to convince Tessa otherwise. After helping Tessa out of the bed and lacing up the Queen's corset, she examined Tessa with a wary eye.
"Are you sure you want to go out tonight? Your injury hasn't completely healed and.........."
But Tessa cut her off by turning around and giving her mentor a silencing look.
"Just come back safe." Marta cautioned, giving Tessa a look of her own.
"Yes Marta."
Taking her sword Tessa leapt on to Chico and rapidly rode towards the pueblo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bright yellow moon was in full view tonight, so the Queen had no trouble in reaching Grisham's room.
Stealthily the Queen entered the small room. The moon's light was bright enough to penetrate through the pale white curtains of the captain's room, which allowed the Queen to see everything clearly-too clearly.
Seeing Grisham's sleeping figure on the bed made her stop dead in her tracks. Her lace mask thankfully covered the blush that appeared on Tessa's face.
Watching people sleeping usually didn't faze her. But Grisham's obvious nude form under the thin sheets that barely reached his waist with his tanned chiseled torso was enough to make the Queen stumble. Staring at his muscled stomach and tough arms that were strangely softened by the moonlight made the Queen questioned how a dangerous man like Grisham could look so vulnerable in his sleep. Surprising herself she was even curious about the little guy under the bed sheets. Snapping out of her dangerously drifting thoughts Tessa was about to make her presence known but the captain woke up without her aid.
The sudden change of air jerked Grisham out of his sleep. He hardly raised his head when the feel of a cold blade grazing his neck stopped him rising fully from his bed. Instead he bent his arms to support his half raised body.
Muttering a curse under his breath Grisham looked up to see the grinning Queen.
"What did I do to have you grace my room with your presence, Your Highness?" Grisham's blue eyes blazed in fury at her uninvited entry.
Seeing his apparent lack of weapons at hand Tessa decided to have a little fun at the captain's expense.
"I am not sure. I was going to ask you the same question." Her smile grew wider at his uncomfortable position.
"What do you want?" His shortening of sleep time irritated him even more.
"I want to know what you did after I passed out on the cliffs the other day." Tessa aimed for a straight answer. There would be no beating around the bush this time.
Giving a noisy sigh. Grisham looked up again to see the Queen's serious expression. Now was not the time to push her with more banter.
Gathering his bed sheet around his waist after the Queen gave a sign of approval, Grisham sat up fully in bed. However her sword was now pointing at a more important part of his anatomy.
Keeping his anger in check. Grisham told the Queen of her rescue by him that day.
"Why?" Her whisper came out softly instead of a demand.
"Because..........." Before Grisham was about to reveal his true intentions he caught himself. No need to tell the Queen more than necessary.
"I have my reasons." Grisham instead replied mysteriously with these words.
"Can't you just tell me a little more?" At the end of her sentence, the Queen's sword surprisingly pushed harder against the precious part of his body.
"Hey!" Grisham almost yelped in pain. "Not tellin' and leave before I call for my soldiers!"
"Thank you." Tessa murmured in a respected reply.
Disappointed at his staunch refusal the Queen saluted him with her sword and disappeared out the door before Grisham could do anything.
Letting out a held breath. He looked out his window in time to see the Queen riding by on her horse out of town. He cursed himself for not threatening to call his guards earlier. He wondered why there had been such a delay in his actions.
Getting restless Grisham glimpse down to see his handkerchief dangling near the end of his bed left by the Queen. Picking it up he could just barely make out the smell of rose water. He shook his head in exasperation at his wandering thoughts about the Queen.
"Ah Hell!" Turning over his body Grisham tried to fall asleep despite the Queen's hostile move on his exposed form. But after a few hours of tossing and turning Grisham decided to get up anyways. It was about four in the morning when he got out of his room and approached his white charger to take it out for a quick run.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike the earlier silent morning that Grisham woke up in, the small pueblo was bustling with people eager in buying the special of today's market. The early sun cast a small warmth on if not cold day of Santa Helena.
"Buenos dias, Jose! How's today sale going?" Tessa greeted brightly at the small man in front of the fruit stand.
"Sorry senorita. But the crop famine hasn't gone away yet. I think it's getting worse. Even these apples don't look as big as a few months before." Jose like many other small farmers in Santa Helena was suffering from the low crop yield this year. Fruits and vegetables were in such high demand that prices were raised higher than before. However, the condition of the produce didn't merit the excessive prices the sellers demanded. Even the Dons were worried of the town's suffering.
"Oh Jose I am terribly sorry! I hope this.........helps." Unable to watch the farmer's distress any longer, Tessa gave him all the money she had with her.
"Gracias Senorita! Gracias!" The unanticipated kind gesture brought tears in Jose's eyes.
"No need to thank me, Jose! It's the least I could do." Tessa replied in earnest.
Marta came up just as Tessa was about to leave the fruit stand. "What about you, Tessa? You just gave that man our spending money for food today."
Walking away quickly to prevent Jose from overhearing them Tessa replied in anger.
"He's starving Marta! His family is starving! Just because of this insidious famine everyone in this town is starving! What do you want me to do?!"
"I understand your need to help the poor Tessa, but there are more farmers like him. How are you going to save them all? First of all we need to get food in you so you will get better. I am worried Tessa, your wound hasn't healed yet. Such a thing like this usually is better by the third day but your cut is still bleeding. And your nighttime jaunt to Grisham's room didn't help matters either. "
Marta's explanation touched Tessa deeply.
"I appreciate your concern Marta but I am sure it will be better soon. It's only a sword lesion. And yes I will help all those farmers. If it's the last thing I do! I just have to find a way. I'll rob Montoya's treasury again if I have to." Tessa declared her aspiration to save the town.
"Remember the last time you took Montoya's money? Tessa you ended up unconscious and under Grisham's care, and I still think he's planning something by saving you." Marta prudent warning made Tessa bear in mind of her doubt in her ability as Queen.
Before Tessa could reply in defense, she saw the captain riding back towards the pueblo. Wondering what Grisham could have done during the past few hours, she purposely strode up to him in question. Sitting upon his horse Grisham could see Tessa approaching him under the shining sun's rays. Each stand of her dark hair blew enticingly around her face and the tight bodice of her cream colored dress emphasized her curves, making Grisham stop his horse in front of the lovely woman just to gaze down on her.
"Good morning captain! My, you look quite pale today! Did you not get enough sleep last night?" Putting on her best cheery smile as possible she could note the dark circles under his eyes and the tired look he gave her.
"I just went out riding to check the soldiers in their posts a few hours ago. I think that's why I am more than a little pale, senorita." His nasty sarcasm didn't go by unnoticed by Tessa. Grisham was still angry by the Queen's intrusion earlier this morning.
"Oh I am sorry to hear that captain. Maybe you should rest for awhile." Tessa's breezy answer seemed to make Grisham want to laugh.
Keeping on a tight smile he replied in agreement. Though the sight of Senorita Alvarado seemed to ease his tension a little, he couldn't help but being a little irritated by her. Sure, she's such a wonderful good person to be around, but Tessa Alvarado was the kind of person that would make Grisham ashamed of his actions as Montoya's dog in command. Her bright smiling eyes would sometimes seem to taunt him, telling him that someone in her position would never see Grisham as anything more than someone's property. He would find himself wondering if he can ever receive true love from a woman like Tessa instead of the usual give and take with Vera.
"I just might do that senorita. Good bye." He abruptly turned his horse around rather than allow Tessa see to see the sorrow in his eyes.
Sensing Grisham's unease with her this morning Tessa assumed if it had anything to do with why he rescued her that day on the cliffs. Without any more evidence to go on, Tessa was going to let this go for the time being. Nonetheless, Tessa's curiosity made her ponder about Grisham's purpose a lot more lately.
An ear-piercing scream broke the peaceful setting of Santa Helena as everyone including Tessa turned around to see a woman in her mid-thirties crying her eyes out on the ground in the middle of the market. But what made everyone gasp was the abundant amount of blood on her hands and body, staining her pale green dress. Rushing towards the woman Tessa questioned the weeping female.
"Socorro!!!" The petite woman cried out in misery.
"What happened? Please senorita if you tell me I can help you!" Tessa's voice was bordering on hysteria; if the woman didn't tell her why there was blood on her body, she might just lose it.
"He killed my husband! The pandillero threatened us and ordered us to give him food but we didn't have enough for him and his pandilla! When he saw that there's no foodstuff in our home he killed my husband as punishment!" At this point the woman continued on her fit of crying. The death of her husband was too much to bear. But Tessa had to pry more information from her.
"But what's the name of the murderer?!?!" Tessa cried out in frustration and grief.
"El......El Cazador!" Finally the woman collapsed in Tessa's laps.
As other helpful townspeople carried the grief stricken woman away from Tessa into a chair. Tessa couldn't help but weep at the woman's loss. Tears streaming down her cheeks she turned to see Marta running towards her. She didn't even register the words Marta was saying to comfort her. All she could do was cry at her helplessness in preventing this recent death.
^Ok! It's a good and sad chapter. Good: because of Grisham's night rendezvous with the Queen. Sad: because the death of a farmer, we don't know if Tessa/Queen is keeping up her demeanor anymore to do her job, there are questions and insecurities she must face; bad things are happening and things are going to change for Grisham and Tessa but well it turn out alright? Stay tuned!
^^For the Spanish words that appeared in this chapter here are some translations at the harder words.
Buenos dias=Good morning socorro=help! pandillero=gangster pandilla=gang(s) El Cazador=The Hunter