"At least they didn't do anything to you."said Fernanda. "Thanks to my cousin. I have to hand it to him. I didn't think he'd even remember you guys, either."
"Well, someone had to. We know your aunt did."
"Oh, she would've. Was she very mad?"
"Very."
Fernanda giggled.
"And I wasn't there to see it! Se le va a reventar la bilis."
"You wouldn't be so happy if you were the one she was mad at."
"I wouldn't mind."she said. "She's always been mad at me, anyway."
The boys looked at her in disbelief.
"I'm sure she would have shot us if she had a gun in her hand."
"Probably."said Fernanda.
"So, where are we going?"asked Toad, who along with the other two was going on foot.
"To one of my cousin's friend's hacienda. From there, I'm hoping we'll take a boat. I want to see the entire world!"she said.
"Are we going to walk all over the world?"asked Toad.
"No. But that's an idea. I hadn't thought of it, before."she said, getting off her mare.
Pietro glared at Toad.
"I meant...um, it's just that I'm kinda tired, see."he said.
"I can see. I'd let you ride my horse, but she won't let anyone else but me on her, you see. Don't worry, it's a long way, but we'll be there before you know it."
"How many days?"asked Lance.
"I'd say about a week. We just have to make sure to stay out of site as much as possible from any soldiers and such. I'm sure they're looking for us."
"Great! We're wanted!"exclaimed Pietro.
"Well, you can go with them if you want! We won't be able to take the roads, but that's okay. It's faster this way. Come on."said Fernanda.
A few days later, as they were making their way, Blob spotted a couple of men in uniforms similar to the ones that the captain and general had worn.
"I think there's trouble."he said. "And they're heading this way."
They hid behind a bush.
"The bush will be a great cover when they get a little closer."said Pietro.
"They won't."Fernanda assured them, and suddenly, the earth in front of them created a canyon, and they had no choice but to turn back and go the other way.
"Do you suppose they were lookiing for us?"
"Probably. My aunt will never give up."
When they had almost reached their destination, they came to a small town.
"All these haciendas are build mostly around smaller towns. Though the hacienda itself is more of a town than this."she said.
They saw a man come out of a building, and someone was walking his horse to them.
"El alcalde!"she exclaimed. "Let's hope he doesn't recognize us, or news hasn't reached this far."
They tried to remain calm, as they saw him get on his horse, and ride towards them.
"You don't seem to be from around here."he said when he spotted them.
"No, we're not."said Lance.
"Yeah, see, we're just trying to get a message to someone."said Pietro.
"All of you?"
"Uh, well, the only one who was supposed to do it got sick, and I volunteered. Met these guys along the way, and, you know, we just decided to go togethor, since they were headed the same way."he shrugged.
"That's rather uncommon."
"Yes, it is, isn't it? Well, the message is of much importance, or so I've been told."said Pietro.
"In that case, instead of chatting, what you should be doing is getting that message to its final destination!"spat the alcalde.
"Of course, that's just what we were thinking of doing. Sorry for taking your time. Very, very rude of us, yes."
And they went on their way.
"Whew. That was a close one."
"Very close."
"That was kind of smart, Pietro."said Fernanda. "I woudln't have thought of it."she giggled. "And I used to think my Tia Petra was so aptly named because the name means stone or something. Now I see others can bear that name, and not be so much like her."
"What are you talking about?"
"Are you of Italian descent? Pietro es un nombre Italiano, pues."she said. "La version Italiana del nombre Pedro, o en caso de mi tia, Petra."
"What? You mean I have the same name as your aunt!"
"Of course."
"I'm cursed."he said.
When they finally got to the hacienda, and were led in, Fernanda gave the note to the owner. They were given new clothes, and food.
"Oh, good, for a while, I thought we were going to live like that for the rest of our lives!"exclaimed Pietro.
"We weren't. But we'll only stay for a short time."
"Will they look for us here?"
"No. The thought will never cross their minds. And if it did, hey, the alcalde, and the army can't doubt an aristocrat's word."
"Fernandita, you always were so...adventurous."he said. "Javier would always tell me you would give the count the worse headaches!"
She giggled.
"Well, I just never listened as much as I should have. I did very well while I was in the convent, though."
"True. I've heard that much."
"The nuns never had anything to complain about me. But anyway, I still don't want to stay here. I want to travel all around the whole world!"she said. "My aunt never let me go anywhere. Sure, the Capital, yes, and perhaps the beaches, and the convent, but that was all."
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
"First, I suppose by getting on a boat."she said.
"We don't have money."said Toad.
"We can solve that."Fernanda assured him. "Because I know just what I want, and I know just how to get it!"