Winds of Fate [Books IV - VI]

Chapter 188.1: Refusal

The little boy blinks fast. "Señora!" Carlo immediately bows to her and Anton then too, and seeing Doctor Wells, he says, "Señores. ¡Buenos días!"

A curly-haired girl stares at them wide-eyed. "Visitors!" She gasps, happily, in Spanish, and gives a gap-toothed grin to Eleanore. "You're so pretty! Hola!"

"Oh! Gracias." She laughs, and continues in Spanish too. "I'm Leonor. And I met Juliana too..." The girl giggles. Eleanore sighs. "Juliana only, I'm afraid."

"Esperanza!" Guadalupe calls, answering Eleanore's unspoken question. "Help me with the table and... what did you buy?"

As Esperanza skips away, chattering to her mother, Carlo shakes his head at his sister and smiles up at Eleanore. "Esperanza, Juliana, and our baby is Luisa." She thanks him, and Carlo notices his grandfather. "Abuelo? Oh... you put him to sleep?"

Doctor Wells explains the medicine for the infection naturally sends him to sleep, which he needs, and Anton translates. "How about you?" Anton then asks the boy with a smile. "Been from the church?"

Carlo shakes his head. "No, Señor. I told Padre I might return maybe tonight... Mamá only got better last night. I can leave them this afternoon. Gracias, Doctor—"

Rustles stop them.

Guadalupe frowns. She puts on her shawl. "Carlo, Luisa," she immediately says, and to them she instructs, "please hide."

"No need to hide." They all turn to the window where Pilar is just outside, holding a protesting Torkin by the tail, his beak bound by twine. She scoffs. "Did you know pretty parrots were hunted for their feathers by the caciques, princesa?"

"Torkin!" Eleanore gasps. "Let my bird go!"

Torkin is trembling, and visibly nauseous. Even little Poco barks for his brother, and Anton stands with a hand raised to diffuse the situation. "What do you want?" He does not mince. "This family has nothing. We met the boy yesterday and learned about their plight, came here to help. What do you want?"

Pilar imperiously eyes Anton. "Shut your mouth, Castellano. You are no slave master or don for me to listen to you—"

Oh! Eleanore boils in anger, despite Anton scowling not at Pilar's disrespect of him but for Torkin and Guadalupe's family. He is an ancient prince! A great captain! How dare you, you woman—argh!

"Here, it is our land, not even your Taína wife can save you, and my patience is running out with you two! Who is this? Your father?!"

Doctor Wells does not budge.

Guadalupe shakes her head. "The old man is a doctor—a doctor, Pilar!" She huffs... and this makes her cough terribly that Carlo presses her hand and Esperanza gets drinking water. But Pilar is unmoved even by this. Eleanore frowns. "Leave them be," Guadalupe says for them, "they mean no harm. They helped Carlo and me—"

Pilar just scoffs. "Father has always been patient with you and Señor Paulo, but you keep bringing Spaniards into our lives! For the last time, Guadalupe, get it in your head that our people will never be one! Her grandmother already sold herself to the Conquistadores!"

Her ears ring. Eleanore curls her hands to fists... and the dastardly temptation of what she could do before snips at her so treacherously. That anger. That rage. That darkness could all be channeled into a shaman's magic—

Do it Eleanore, Jones taunts slyly, awaken the magic again. We both know you want to. Do it!

No, no! Stop it Jones! She takes a deep breath... only to feel a tight grasp on her wrist. Anton. He keeps his furious gaze on Pilar, but glances at her with worry.