Gold Raven (13 page)

“
Oh. You do not know…she is Esteban’s mother, the one whom gave birth to him.”

Hope’s mouth opened in surprise. “I thought you were-…” She let what she assumed trail off. Maria smiled. “He is Miguel’s son, and so, mine. I love him as if he were. Anyway, back to Ephraim. He was originally the leader here. He often beat Miguel and bullied him. He made him fight against his will with other young men who were bigger than him at the time. As time went on, he grew larger, stronger…angrier. With his size, came a determined strength. It was not long before he grew tired of being the center of entertainment, and began jumping on others first…beating them up. The last straw was when Ephraim tried to force him to wear one of the women’s garbs as a little girl. That is the day he began fighting Ephraim. Of course, always losing, but he never gave up the fight. Gradually by choice, he began fighting ones bigger and stronger than himself, sometimes he won, sometimes he lost. As time went by, he began to win, more than lose. Until one day, he began winning against them all… that is when others began fearing him, dodging him as he hardened his heart and shed the limits of what he would do to win. This is when Jessie started to take notice of him.”

“
You have been here that long?”

“
No, not I; my cousin Juan, he could see what was happening and began following Miguel, he and Eugene. When I came to this camp, my cousin began telling me about him. You see, even then, Juan wanted me to be with him…he somehow knew that Miguel would one day be leader here. It was not hard for me to follow my cousin’s lead because from the very beginning, I loved Miguel… wanted him.”

“
So when did he become leader?”

“
It was not long after I was brought here. Ephraim began feeling threatened by Miguel as he grew. He would often openly taunt him about his manhood, and one day…Miguel threw the taunt back at him.” Maria shook her head remembering, so afraid for him. She thought, surely he would be killed and she would then have to find a way from the camp with Esteban.

“
What happened?” Hope pushed, enthralled by his story.

“
Ah – the fear that I felt…you see, Ephraim was a very large man. He was bear like and dangerous, cold like Diablo himself. No one, until this time, had the nerve to openly challenge and defy him. Ephraim, with spittle flying from his enraged mouth, laid down the law of battle. Vicious in his anger, he yelled…they would battle…and it would be to the death.”

“
And they fought.” Hope inserted eagerly.

“
Yes. They fought…like…two uncivilized animals. It was a long and bitter battle. Both of them bleeding, wrestling and grunting in their fight.”

“
At first, it seemed that Miguel would lose. I could no longer stay and watch. So I took Esteban and hid from it, as Jessie stood among the others watching in anticipation for the victor. I cried the whole time they fought. In the end, it was Ephraim who began to wither. Age and hard living went against him this time. Miguel was driven by some angry, maddening determination to conquer him. He also gained wisdom and endurance in his many fights. Ephraim had not been ready for him, and so because of his own law laid down… he lost his life. It was not until then, that I realized the type of man I’d fallen in love with.”

“
What do you mean?” Hope asked.

Maria sat reflecting back. She wasn’t sure what it had been, that told her the battle was over, but she remembered coming out of the dwelling with Esteban still held tightly in her arms.

“
Tell me.” Hope exclaimed.

“
He killed him. He broke Ephraim’s neck with his bare hands…and, to instill lasting fear into those who watched him. He propped him up outside the camp walls, skewered him through, he shoved stakes up into his body, more into the pits of his arms and he levered him up for all to see, leaving him there for the buzzards to feast upon. Still covered in much of his blood, breathing deep, he called out to all within who witnessed.
“There is still more room to be filled beside the dog I have killed! Anyone willing to challenge me as your leader come forward now. The buzzards will be here soon, let us not force them to more than one trip for the feast!”
No one stepped forward; they all seemed to be holding their breaths. Again he called out to them.
“Come forward I said!! Challenge me! I have fought one – surely this is to your advantage!? Will no one challenge me!?”
He raged. Not one man dare move for fear of gaining his attention.” Maria paused in reflection, remembering that day so clearly.

“
He then told all loud and clear
, “Then hear me now… I Miguel – am hereby leader within this camp – over all who dwell here! I will from this moment on say what will be, what will not! Later, if one grows the nerve for the position I now hold, the invitation is open for him to challenge me! And know this – when and if you do, it shall be to the death!!”
Oh how I shook. I couldn’t believe he made such a statement as that.” Maria’s hand rested against her chest as her heart beat faster from the memory of it. “He then went into Ephraim’s hut and collapsed. Eugene and Juan took up guarding it as he slept. So far, no one has challenged his authority here. Almost a year later, I married him.” She finished.

Sitting back, Hope absorbed all that she had heard. He’d been through hell, but came out the victor, thus far. Could it be that he blamed their father for having to go through such hell? She turned to look at her brother who was now laughing at some jest Hector had made.

When her eyes found Esteban, to her shock, he was standing by his father and for some reason, holding a young Mexican boy his age, in a headlock as if nothing untoward was going on. She wondered if her brother was aware of what his son was doing right there next to him. Then when he leaned over to say something to Esteban that made him laugh out, she realized he knew. He straightened back up laughing himself as if this were a normal occurrence. Hope found that she was appalled by it.

“
Maria! Why is he standing there while his son bullies that young boy! Does he not care about his son’s behavior?!” She asked staunchly, her tone reflecting her distaste.

“
That is Carlos. He is always aggravating Esteban, trying to get him to come and play with him and the others by hitting him and running away. Esteban has never cared for their company, and he knows this. When Carlos hits him and tries to dart away, his escape is not so swift. Esteban’s solution to get him to leave him alone is to catch him, and then imprison him in a headlock. Because Carlos has grown slow in his retreat, the headlock is the consequence he must bear until Esteban releases him -(she sighed)- I fear he is as aggressive as his birth mother.” Maria turned from the two and grinned at Hope. “But then, there is his father.” She shrugged at the dawning. “Who knows…he will release him soon.”

They both looked on with Hope feeling sorry for the captured youth. “Oh Maria, make Esteban turn him loose, surely it has been long enough.”

“
If he does not in a moment more, I will.”

A moment more came and went when Hope brought this to her attention. Maria nodded in agreement and called out in Spanish. “Hijo!” He turned and looked. “It is enough, let him go now.”

Esteban made a face and tightened his hold on his victim’s neck - unnoticeable to those around him. He knew if he released him too soon, he would be back again, and he didn’t want to be bothered with getting angry, chasing him down to beat him up. But Maria had spoken, and he was hesitating. A familiar throat clearing sounded above his head, bringing his attention around to see his father with a raised brow, accompanied by a questioning expression as if to say, “Well?”

Very agitated at having to halt the lesson, Esteban released him. However, before Carlos could clear a decent distance, Esteban punched him in the back as hard as he could.

“
Esteban!!” Mike called his name in reprimand. With a scowl he mumbled humbly, “Jefé, he will not leave me alone otherwise…he is bothersome.” Mike shook his head giving the matter not another thought.

Mike turned back to the matter at hand, with the men who were always in attendance, Juan, Eugene and Max, a statuesque black man of dark brown skin with a habit of keeping mostly to himself. He was a deep thinker often reflective, depressed and pensive. Yet, when Mike showed signs of pursuing a certain course of action, he was right up front to give his muscle to the task. His gratitude and loyalty stemmed from a time when Mike had been in Louisiana, he and his men were moving into position to commit a robbery, and at that very moment, a slave auction was underway. Max had been the main attraction. It took six men to get a fine black “buck” onto the platform to be viewed and bid upon. Many lost out on that opportunity because Mike was paralyzed by his fight and determination not to be bartered as prime stock. His men in their places watched him, noticing how immobilized he was by the event. Knowing him as they did, they knew their plans had changed, as it turned out, the only robbery taking place, had been to free Max…and he was loyal to Mike from that day.

There was also Hector, of average height, middle aged – a slightly overweight Mexican. He enjoyed the telling of outlandish tales, and dirty jokes – often laughing at his own jesting; serious only when in the midst of a robbery or raid. His other pastimes were the enjoyment of well-cooked food, and maybe…a little sex as dessert. The sixth fixture in the group was Tobias, a dangerous Apache who had little tolerance for the white man. He was of slender build, while whipcord strong, with a Mohawk and feathers adorning it throughout the long braid that hung for the length of his back.

He chose to follow Mike not necessarily because he liked him, but…because he respected his bravery and his ability to take control and prove himself a worthy leader. Tobias knew that this oddly shaded man’s bravery matched his own. He too
had entertained thoughts of challenging Ephraim for role as leader, and the only reason he had not, was because he could not be bothered with the obligations and responsibilities of it. He hadn’t a clue as to how long he would be within the camp, so, rather than feel he had abandoned what was his responsibility to uphold, he refused to obligate himself to anything or anyone knowing that the day would come when he would be gone.

“
So you see Jefé, Wednesday would be the best time to relieve the bank of it’s currency. I saw many wealthy in and out of this bank. We wait until night, blow the wall, in – get the gold, and we leave… richer richer!" Eugene finished after filling Mike in on the casing of the New Orleans bank. Mike nodded in thought as if giving the matter thorough consideration. “Sounds smooth and easy.”

Eugene and Juan smiled at the compliment.

“
I will leave it to you two to carry it out with whomever you choose among the others to take with you.” Mike decided.

“
Will you not lead us as always Jefé?” Juan wondered as did Eugene.

“
No, not this time. While you two were away, we did a little spying and planning of our own. In preparation of something bigger, is where I returned from last eve. As you know, the yanquis are quickly on the move for land holdings. Since their arrival on this land, they have opened an entrance gate, as it would seem, never to be closed again; in fact, it looks as if the gate has been removed from its hinges. In doing so, land everywhere is being snatched from those who are the rightful owners. Until now, there has been no need of land deeds, and unfortunately now that they are in need, the white man is the one in possession of them; using them to claim land from those whom have had no such deeds.”

“
Jefé? What has this to do with us? Why should we care as long as they stay away from here?”

“
With so many taking advantages of the opportunities being offered, how long Juan, do you think it will take before they seek land in our direction? I can assure you, not long. It is only a matter of time before they venture into the ravines and mountains in their exploration. For the time being, we are safe…this will not continue to be the case. That is what we must now face, to be prepared for that time, when our camp is discovered.”

“
What has that to do with your ride last eve?”

“
I discovered that a fort is being built, or – has been. Fort Le Croix it is called.

This fort is positioned for the lasting protection of those settlers who wish to dwell in the area where it is built. Now the question is protection against whom
? What would the settlers possibly fear?”

Juan’s look of confusion was clear for all to see. “I don’t know, who?”

Eugene threw his head back and with an, “I yih yih! Us, stupido and the Indians; any that the armies consider a threat!”

“
Ohhh, okay. I understand…that cannot be good, Jefé!” He responded beginning to worry.

“
I have a plan. Hijo, go beneath my sleeping cot, retrieve the map I have there.” Happy to do his father’s bidding, Esteban ran immediately to get it. Standing by his father’s side as his plotted strategically to outwit the invading gringa’s was his greatest pleasure. Upon his return, Mike unrolled the map onto the small wooden table the men used for playing cards. He pointed out where they were on the map, which was between Galveston and Port Bolivar. Fort Le Croix was west of them, sixty to seventy miles past the area, -soon to be – Austin Texas.

“
Here we are, -(he pointed)- and here is Fort Le Croix, coming from there my friends, -(his finger tapped up north on the map to another fort)- is a load from Fort Jacques. In that load are legal land deeds and claim agreements for the settlers to legalize their stolen hold on the lands, and with them-…”

“
You would rather rob land deeds, than money from an easy bank?!” Juan broke in astonished. Mike looked up from the map, irritation from being interrupted showed in his expression. Juan swallowed with a smile and quieted so that he could continue.

“
As I was saying…with these land deeds, will be a payroll for the soldiers there-…” A dawning light went on in Juan’s head as he and Eugene looked at each other. “What’s more important than that…” Mike continued. “…guns.”

“
Guns?!” Juan repeated.

Then his expression became wounded, realizing this was the reason he and Eugene were given free reign to the bank on their own, it was something to keep him out of the way of the heist.

Mike could see and feel the hurt that Juan felt at that moment, but was forced to ignore it. He could not afford to take a chance on Juan blundering this; there was too much at stake. “Yes…guns, rifles, hundreds of them. They’re coming right through here with them.” He drew a line from Fort Jacques, which was on the edge of the border between Arkansas and what would soon come to be Oklahoma, Indian territory, down past them to Fort Le Croix. “As I said, this X is us, meaning they have to come real close to X, before they can get to Y, and right here is where we’ll be laying, waiting.”