“Clement! Are you looking for drowned bodies?” He turned his mount to keep up with the rest of his unit.
“We need to pick up the pace,” said Bruno. “There may be more of them passing through like that.”
“I win!” said Amelina.
“You what…?” said Bruno. “Oh. Yes, you do win. We have a little further to go, yet. The game is not over.” It was late evening by the time they made it to the lower camp. They rested for half an hour, and it was another two hours before they reached the main settlement.
All the structures had been destroyed by the winds, but the lumber was still dry and the ground solid. Bruno noticed someone had done some digging. André came out of the woods.
“I had to do some burying when I got up here.”
“André!” cried Bruno and rushed to embrace his old friend.
“I didn’t realize I was missed so much. I should go away more.”
“I have come to appreciate your reckless sense of survival, my friend.”
“My what?”asked André.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“And someone else is waiting for you a little further into the mountains,” said André. “Take that trail through the forest, and you’ll come out near some boulders.”
“What are you talking about, André? Who’s waiting for me?” André just shook his head and walked away.
The moon and stars were both in attendance on this night, and Bruno could see the path clearly. So he pushed past the overhanging pine branches and fern bushes to begin following it. But why was he going? Love had ended up just as badly as he’d expected. First, he was a coward when he didn’t want it, and when he accepted it and tried to defend it, he almost died—should have died. He couldn’t imagine it would be any different now. It would be better if he let her go. Someone else would be better for her, could protect her better. These thoughts and arguments were ready on his tongue when he reached the edge of the path leading to the cave. He could see from the shadows at the entrance that she’d gotten a fire going. The aroma of her stew cooking reached him, and his hunger almost buckled his knees. But no… he had to be clear, firm. She would be better… she stepped into the mouth of the cave and just stood watching him. She had on one of her colorful pagnes. He was suddenly afraid… if he could just turn back now—
“Bruno…” she said. It was a whisper, but it hit him like a hot arrow to his heart. “Bruno…I—”
“Wait! Just wait… I need to… think.”
“Please come, Bruno. I need you. We need you.” He started to cry and dropped to his knees.
“You know that’s not a good idea. I’ve warned you before. Why don’t you listen! I’m just… I’m not…”
“You’re the only person I’ve ever loved,” she said. He looked up, and she was standing over him. “And you’re…” He saw that the moon seemed to be doing something to her eyes, and her smile. “… You’re never getting away from me again.” Did she lift him? Because he was suddenly on his feet, moving toward the cave, toward the fire, toward the stew and… he heard a baby’s cry. He stopped again and made to pull away, but Juliette’s grip was like Arnaud’s; he was pulled by her incredible strength. “No turning back now. It’s time she met her father.”
“She?” he said.
“Yes, she.”
“A daughter?” She led him into the chamber, and it was as if his cabin had somehow been transported here. There was the wooden table with the chairs and wildflowers for a centerpiece. In the far corner, two wooden beds stood side by side. Only now, there was a smaller strange looking contraption at the foot of them, and a cry issued from within it.
“What… what is that?”
“It’s a bassinette. I remembered it from when the master’s first child was born, and the wet nurse brought him out on the veranda, where it was cooler.
“But how did it get here? Everything in the manor was under water.”
“I described it to one of the Taíno carpenters, and he recreated it exactly.” The baby made a sound, as if not wanting to be ignored. “Oh, and it’s occupant wants to meet you.” She reached in and picked up the infant and placed her in Bruno’s hands. “Babette, say hello to papa.” The baby began to cry at the same time that Bruno did. “I guess we know where she gets her emotions from.”
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“We should attack the vessel now,” said Camaguey. “It only holds a few guards.”
“That’s what I would like to do,” replied Enriquillo. “But she is worried about the fate of her family.”
“Yet we know they are only concealing them as they plan her death. Why not attack now? Even if we don’t take her. So they know we are watching.”
“No. I don’t want to risk my cousins lives just yet, and we wouldn’t have the advantage of surprise. We should be practicing, though.”
“We have also acquired some of the fire sticks.”
“That’s good to know. We may need them. The arrows are good, but they respect the sound of the fire stick.”
“We have also been given more warriors from Guayo’s camp. We have twelve now.”
“Guayo is worried about Bayamo. Cousin still wants to fight. Something else is happening, too. The runaways say the white men have sent for a special cacique to pass judgment upon her. The people are allowed to watch. I will watch, too.”
“Count the number of guards they have left since the storm,” said Camaguey.
“That’s a good idea.”
“I would also like to say: the scar becomes you, young cacique,” said Camaguey. “You have been in battle and survived.”
“It was not what I thought it would be,” said Enriquillo. “I didn’t manage to kill anyone. I may not be so lucky this time, or someone will end my life. If I have to… it doesn’t matter. I will do what I must for my dark princess.”
“We will be with you, Enriquillo.”
They were crouched in one of the cedar trees in the upper mountains. The Taíno were helping Bruno rebuild his settlement at a new site. All the runaways that had survived the battle with the troopers had acquired a horse from those left wandering in the forest. They had also captured more guns. Enriquillo led them to a fallback location. In case the camp is overrun again: A large cave nearby. It wasn’t as large as the mother cave, but it provided more shelter from the chill at that altitude. Bruno preferred that his wife and child reside there with the women. Juliette had already managed to fill her chambers with every manner of accessories: flowers, weaving and carvings from Higuamota and the artisans of the tribe. There was even a pictograph showing how Bruno had been captured, escaped, and survived the storm to return to his love. It was created by the warriors of the tribe, and Enriquillo himself. He enjoyed coming to the cave and playing with the small children. He even shared a dream walk—he convinced Agueybana to assist with this—to show them their homeland.
“Who was the girl, Enriquillo?” asked Amelina.
“That is my dark princess.”
“She is very pretty. My mother was pretty. Is she asleep, too?”
“Asleep?”
“Bruno said the troopers we saw on the ground when the storm was over are sleeping. Is your dark princess sleeping, too?”
“No. She’s awake. I will try to bring her back from where she is, so she can meet you.”
“I would like that.”
One of the most important features of the cave was an underground water source. It would make the runaways impossible to find. This dwelling did not have as many dark chambers as his mother cave. Those had developed over thousands of years, as spirits came to inhabit them. The runaways might not stay in the caves as long as the Taíno. This land wasn’t their home. They often spoke of returning. Though no one had any idea how that could be accomplished, without one of the large vessels that brought them.
It didn’t take long to for tragedy to strike the camp. A group of the women went out into the lower valley to pick flowers and gather pretty stones to adorn their cha
mber. Amelina had begged her father to let her go with them. She was like any other child: she insisted on going further away from the women, in search of any flower that she had never seen. When she ventured down a little gully to the left of the women, she saw a man lying near the stream. She immediately had an idea.
“You can wake up now,” she said, poking the large man with a stick. “The storm is over. You can wake up.” The man did open his eyes and looked at the child.
“And who are you?” he asked. He sat up and smiled at the little girl.
“My name is Amelina. I’m picking flowers for our home. We will also give some to Juliette.” The man became very interested at the mention of Juliette.
“Oh, I know Juliette,” he said, grinning like an old friend excited to learn of a past acquaintance.
“You do? She is very pretty, and her baby is, too.”
“Is it now? Well, that’s wonderful. I happen to know where there are some pretty flowers you can take to the baby. Is it a girl or a boy?”
“It’s a baby girl,” said Amelina.
“I know where there are some special baby girl flowers.”
“Oh good! I’ll go tell the others. They will want to pick some, too.” Christian thought about this for a moment.
“That’s a good idea and very nice of you. Let’s go tell them together.” He stood up and grabbed his machete as he followed the child. As they were climbing out of the gulley, one of the women met them on the rise.
“Look, Yiella. I woke him up. He’s going to help me look for some special baby girl flowers for Juliette’s baby.” Yiella froze for a moment, and Christian smiled.
“Good morning, Yiella.” The woman came to life suddenly and scrambled backward so quickly she fell. Christian advanced on her. She could see he had cuts on his face and a wound on his head where he must have struck a limb as he plunged through the tree. Christian reached down and pulled Yiella to her feet.
“Don’t kill me, Christian. I’ve never done any harm to you.”
“You are right about that, Yiella. I’m sorry for all the things I’ve done to you. I don’t plan on killing you. I want you to take a message to Bruno. My friend and I are going to be picking some flowers in this valley for the rest of the day. If he shows up tomorrow, alone, she will get to bring them to his baby. If not… well, tell him not to take too long. I’m not good with children.”
62
The trial started about two weeks after the vicar general arrived. The proceedings were to take place in the chapel. That was the largest structure and also very close to the Cabildo. It wasn’t until the townspeople began to gather outside the church that the archdeacon got a sense of the spectacle he had contributed to. Although he wasn’t entirely shut out of the process; he was named as a witness.
“This is insulting,” he complained to Father Reyes.
“Yes, it is, Phillipe. You still must attend. Lest you be charged with concealment. The child healed you, as well.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about that.”
The church pews had to be pushed back in order to allow for the pedestal upon which the vicar general was to be seated. There were chairs arrayed to the left of the judge’s podium, which were designated for the witnesses.
Phillipe noted that the group of people lined up before the front door of the building, were only there to view the entrance of the child who was to be judged. Nyira was transported chained to the rear of a wagon, and accompanied by a guard on each side of her. When she arrived, she smiled at the people as if she were a princess in a parade, and tried to wave, but her hands were secured to the side of the vehicle. The crowd appeared confused at the sight of her. She didn’t have the air of someone soon to be condemned. No one thought to yell derisive comments or fling objects, as were common during such gatherings. It wasn’t until she stepped from the wagon and they saw the chains, did they realize that this sweet child was the one to be tried and burned.
The archdeacon decided to avoid the gauntlet out front; he came in from the rear of the chapel as most of the priests. When he entered, he saw Father Montaine standing before the podium of the vicar general, and it was all he could do not to rush him and tear out his throat.
63
Once the defendant and the spectators were seated, the prosecutor brought out the first witnesses. Eight of the stableboys were marched to the witness section. Diego had been badly injured and had to be carried to the witness stand to give his testimony. He glanced over and saw Nyira sitting in the box before the vicar general. He couldn’t make eye contact.
Don’t worry, Diego, she communicated to him in his mind
I’m sorry, replied the boy. They have nearly murdered me and threatened to hurt the others, to make me speak against you.
The evidence was clearly against Nyira, as each boy described a wound he’d sustained, and how Nyira had fixed it. After this, Constance Dugard came and added her testimony.
Nyira decided that the best course for her was to be completely honest.
Nyira’s examination:
“Are you in league with Satan, child?”
“No, I’m not.”
“And yet you have been observed performing Satanic acts. Who do you serve then?”
“I serve no one. I am as I’ve always been.”
“But do you deny that you are a sorceress?”
“No. I don’t deny it.”
A gasp went through the spectators. They were then wooed by her sweet smile. Montaine stood quiet for a moment as if to allow that answer to sink in.
“So you confess to turning chickens to stone?”
“Yes.”
“You seem very pleased with yourself. Are you not afraid of the consequences of your actions?”
“My actions were not meant to harm anyone.”
“But you agree that you are evil?”
“No. I don’t agree. I am who I was born to be. I was born a sorceress. I don’t regret it. How could I? It would be as if you could regret your white skin.”
“I’m not to be compared to you, child. I am a holy man of God.”
“What does that mean?”
Montaine looked confused.
“It means that I follow the tenets of our Lord. Are you familiar with our commandments?”
“Yes. I have read them, and I feel I understand them well enough.”
“What is it that you understand, girl? Can you tell them me, so that I might understand what you mean?”
“That you should respect your neighbors as you would yourself. That you should do to others only what you would do to yourself. And you should not kill. Is that so?”
“Well, yes,” replied Father Montaine. “It’s a rather general definition. But not untrue.”
“That is why I find this proceeding so puzzling, Father.”
“Why is that, girl?”
“Well as you know, I and my kind were brought here against our will. Most of our families were murdered. Yet I hold no ill feelings toward you or your people. And I am condemned only because I saved some of your lives.”
The archdeacon could hold his tongue no longer.
“How dare you twist the holy words, devil!”
The vicar general looked very calmly upon the archdeacon’s outburst and dismissed him with just his look.
“I—I’m sorry, your grace,” said the archdeacon, looking up at Vicar General Dumont. “I couldn’t sit and allow this creature to spout such blasphemy.”
“I hope the court considers,” replied Father Montaine, “that it is just such blasphemy that will seal the fate of this child.”
The archdeacon saw the comment as a direct attack on him—but didn’t dare stand to answer it.
Nyira displayed a very calm outward demeanor, but she was distressed by the fact that Claude and Esmerelda were not brought out to testify. She at first imagined that this was a contrivance of the archdeacon’s, but he didn’t appear to be in charge at the moment. She decided to reach out with her mind and try
to communicate with Esmerelda.
Nolwazie, she asked. Are you well? Are you close?
Oh my goodness, child! replied Esmerelda. It is so good to hear you! Are you well?
Yes. Do you know where you are being held, Nolwazie?
We have had our heads covered when the mounted police came to retrieve us.
They mean to keep us apart.
It is very confusing that I can’t see you. Oh, this is such a cruel affair!
“Are you listening, child?” asked Father Montaine.
Nyira was pulled back to the courtroom.
“Yes.”
“Good. The court would ask that you give a demonstration of your evil powers. Heal the slave, Diego.”
Nyira didn’t initially respond to this request. She seemed to be considering the consequences of such an act. She then decided that she had the perfect example that she would like to give.
“Please place him with the others,” said Nyira. “So that I may heal him from a distance.” The guards were directed to place the boy among the other stable boys.
Nyira stood up, faced the stable boys and closed her eyes. When she opened them, all the boys vanished.
At first, there was clapping from the spectators. Father Montaine stood stunned. When Nyira turned and looked at him, her eyes had their hot green glow. The priest threw up his arms.
“No! Don’t look at me!” he cried.
“In the name of our Lord!” cried the vicar general. “Guards, seize her!”
“Cover her head!” cried the archdeacon from the witness section. “If she can’t see you, she can do no harm! Put the hood upon her!”
The mounted police rushed to her, but Nyira only stood looking calmly at Father Montaine.
Nyira and the Invisible Boy Page 26
