Miguel didn’t even pause before saying, "He’s a Protestant no longer. He recently converted to Catholicism."
Oludara could see Gerard about to protest, so he squeezed his arm in a crushing grip. Gerard composed himself and nodded.
"I don’t believe that for a second," said Antonio.
"I baptized him myself," said Father Miguel. "Do you doubt my word?"
When Antonio hesitated, Miguel raised his voice, "I am Provincial of the Society of Jesus. You will obey my command. Release the children now!"
Antonio gave in with a shrug and said to his men, "Release them." Then he added, "Father Miguel, you can be sure that Governor Veiga knows that, without slaves to work the sugar mills, Brazil will be lost. You may take these now, but it’s only a matter a time before all of them are ours."
"Not while the Society of Jesus remains," said Miguel.
The children ran back to the natives, calling to their parents and grandparents.
"Don’t think I’ll forget this, Gerard," said Antonio. "Time and again you rob my fame and ruin my livelihood."
Gerard said nothing, so Oludara spoke for him, "If this is how you make your livelihood, ruining it is a pleasure."
Antonio huffed and turned away. Before leaving, Grilo mocked holding a harquebus and shooting at Oludara.
Miguel turned to Diogo and Tinga. "What will you do now?"
They looked at each other and Tinga shrugged. Diogo said, "Who knows? We’ve been running through the wilderness with Antonio for a long time."
"Would you be willing to stay in Sao Paulo for a while? Help shore our defenses from those such as Antonio?"
"Yes," said Tinga. "That is the least we can do."
"Anything to atone for this terrible deed," said Diogo.
"Good," said Miguel. "If you don’t mind, please help Pasquale and Isabel escort everyone back. Gregorio, you go as well."
"You’re not coming with us?" asked Gregorio.
"No," said Miguel. "I have unfinished business with these two."
For some reason, Oludara felt a chill as Miguel made eye contact with him and Gerard.
#
Once again, Father Miguel led Oludara and Gerard through the forest highlands. This time, however, he allowed a more casual pace.
"Where are we going, Father?" asked Oludara. "To look for the Headless Mule?"
"Toward the mule, yes. Toward destiny, I suppose you could say."
"Destiny?"
"Call it my way of thanking you."
"We haven’t done a thing!" said Gerard.
"Perhaps not today, but you have done much, and you will do much. Leave it at that."
Oludara looked to Gerard and he shrugged.
When they reached a clearing, Father Miguel looked around and said, "This is the place. We can rest here."
The three of them sat down. Gerard unsheathed his rapier and oiled it.
"Can a priest tell a lie?" Oludara asked Miguel.
"Hmmm?"
"When Antonio asked for Gerard, you said he had converted."
"Oh, that. Telling a lie is a sin, but not saving a life is a greater one. I will ask for God’s forgiveness for that untruth, along with my other sins."
"Other sins?" asked Gerard. "Like what, forgetting to cross yourself before supper?"
Miguel grinned at the remark. "Much worse than that, I’m afraid. I was once much like Antonio."
"What?"
"I sacked the Tupiniquim villages, then sold them by land and by sea. From their suffering, I made a fortune."
Oludara’s eyes widened. Gerard dropped his rapier.
"But how long can a rational man do such a thing?" continued Father Miguel. "How long can a man tell himself that what he does is right, knowing in his heart it is wrong?"
"That thought has never occurred to Antonio," said Oludara.
"Perhaps one day it shall. In my case, I awoke one day and my sins weighed so heavy upon me, I couldn’t move. At that moment, I swore the rest of my life to God. Many days I pray to God to strike me down, to end my worthless existence. But the sublime glory of a martyr is reserved for heroes.
"Instead, my life is penitence. I will serve the Tupiniquim until I die, that I may gain some redemption."
At that, Father Miguel stopped and looked around.
"What is it?" asked Oludara. Knife in hand, he scanned the area, but could see nothing. Gerard, at his side, did the same.
Father Miguel focused his eyes on one spot in the woods, then stood and, arms outstretched, placed himself between that point and the two men.
Shots--at least three of them--rang from the woods, and Father Miguel collapsed. Gerard lunged to the priest’s side. Oludara looked toward the shots, but could not spot their attackers.
"Gerard," he said, "we must seek cover!"
Gerard, however, didn’t move. Oludara looked down to see him cradling the priest in his arms. Father Miguel had taken a shot to the chest and one to the neck. He clutched both hands to his neck and blood gurgled from his mouth as he tried to form words he could no longer speak.
"Gerard!" yelled Oludara.
He knew the time it would take their enemies to reload their harquebueses--and that time was almost up. He yanked at his companion, but it was no use.
Another volley sounded, and Oludara raised his arm over his face. He felt a wind whip by him and looked to see that a whirlwind had formed in front of him, whisking away the shots.
"What was that?" came a voice from the woods.
"I don’t know, but forget the guns," came Grilo’s voice. "Let’s just skewer them and be done with it."
The whirlwind flew off into the woods and in its place Oludara saw Grilo, a long knife in his hand, leading two other bannermen out of the woods. One wielded a machete and the other an axe.
Oludara stood between Gerard and the men.
"Gerard, please!" he begged. "I cannot fight them alone!"
Gerard remained in shock.
Oludara planned his attack. Grilo stood in the middle, so going at him first would leave him open to attack on his sides. He decided to make a lunge for the man with the machete, try to take him out quickly, then deal with the other two. It was desperate, impossible even, unless Gerard took hold of his senses and joined the fight.
As Oludara prepared his attack, a yell interrupted his thoughts.
"You fool! What have you done?"
Antonio, followed by the rest of his bannermen, raced into the clearing. He knelt by Father Miguel, opposite Gerard.
"It’s not my fault," said Grilo. "That stupid priest got in the way."
Father Miguel stared up at Antonio, who said, "I didn’t mean for this to happen. Grilo was supposed to capture van Oost, that’s all. Please forgive me, Father!"
Father Miguel took a blood-covered hand from his throat, mouthed some words, and with his thumb, drew a cross on Antonio’s forehead in his own blood. He then held his hand toward Grilo, who sneered and turned away. At that, Father Miguel closed his eyes and slumped down, dead.
After a long silence, Antonio shook his head and said, "This was a terrible deed."
"What’s one dead priest?" said Grilo. "They line up like lambs for the slaughter. There’s nothing they like better than taking a bullet in the name of God."
"Enough!" said Antonio, standing. "I’ll have your service no more. Leave me!"
Grilo reached for his knife and Antonio glared at him through squinted eyes, daring an attack. After a short pause, Grilo thought better and relaxed.
"Fine by me. You’ve gone just as soft as the others."
At that, Grilo motioned to the other men who had aided in his ambush, and the three set off down the path. Once they disappeared from sight, Antonio turned his attention to Gerard.
"This is all your fault, van Oost!"
Those words finally snapped Gerard from his trance.
"My fault?" he retorted.
"You always have to meddle where you don’t belong." Antonio unsheathed his r
apier. "Draw your sword, van Oost, and let’s be done with it."
"I won’t fight you, Antonio."
"Then you’ll die."
Antonio struck, but Oludara lunged at the last second to parry the blade, angling it mere inches from Gerard’s face. They pulled back their weapons and prepared for a second engagement when a command of "Enough!" stopped them both.
Gregorio stepped between them and pushed back their blades. He knelt before Father Miguel, spoke words of Latin which Oludara could not understand, and made the sign of the cross. He reverently removed from Miguel’s neck a rosary made from grape-sized wooden beads, which he hung at his own side in the sash he used as a belt. Then he turned toward Antonio.
"You would dare shed blood here, on ground sanctified by his? With his mark written in blood on your forehead?"
Antonio held his ground, but said nothing.
"Begone!" yelled Father Gregorio.
"No," said Antonio. "You’re not Father Miguel, and I’m not leaving without van Oost."
"Begone forever! Return here again and I’ll have you excommunicated."
"You don’t have that authority."
"Now that Miguel is gone, who do you think will be the next Provincial?"
Antonio looked the priest up and down, considering, before finally saying, "Very well." He looked down at Gerard. "Your day will come Gerard. Next time you won’t have a priest around to protect you, and nothing less than your head on a pike will satisfy me. Consider us in first encounter!"
Antonio motioned to his group and they walked away in silence.
"What is first encounter?" asked Oludara.
Gerard said nothing as Gregorio removed Miguel from his arms and laid him gently on the ground.
"Gerard, what is first encounter?" Oludara asked again.
Gerard, not taking his eyes from the dead priest, said, "It is a call for a duel. It means that the next time we meet, wherever it may be, only one of us leaves alive."
#
Gerard studied the massive group which had gathered for Father Miguel’s funeral. Dozens of priests had come, along with hundreds of European settlers: everyone from landowners to tradesmen to scribes. Most impressive, however, were the thousands of natives. In their best clothes, they roamed the area, shouting everything from Christian phrases like "God, protect his soul!" to the more traditional Tupi, "We also want to die with you!"
After an open air mass, a crowd gathered behind the church for the burial. The children played a nocturne, and Gregorio gave a eulogy.
"Father Miguel was a light of kindness," he said, "the glory of our Society. He chose poverty over riches, penance over pride. He suffered hunger and thirst, braved both wilderness and sea. Uncountable are the rivers he crossed and the mountains he climbed in service to his beloved Tupiniquim."
Few eyes remained dry, and Gerard shed his share of tears. Beside him, Oludara commented, "And so the ‘sublime glory’ of the martyr is his after all. Did he truly believe that death could be a reward?"
"I don’t know. We’ve met many on our travels through Brazil, but none such as he." Gerard looked at Oludara. "I’m sorry I froze that day, during the ambush."
"Indeed," said Oludara, "it was the first time I have seen you so, although I did not wish to press the matter afterwards."
"It was as if the sun dimmed away before me. He tried to tell me something, but I couldn’t make out the words."
Gregorio approached them. "Gerard," he said, "I have a favor to ask. Seek no revenge on Antonio and Grilo, Father Miguel forgave them of their sins."
"I seek no revenge, Father," said Gerard. "I’ve never killed a man, and never will. Our soul is the only thing we don’t receive on loan in this world."
"Well said, Gerard. For a misguided Protestant, you’re not a bad man."
"Gregorio," said Oludara, "how did you know to come back to us?"
"Call it divine inspiration, whatever you wish. A vision, Oludara. I saw him dying." At that, tears fell from Gregorio’s eyes and he had to pause to compose himself. "At that moment, I knew he was destined to die, but that by going back, other lives could be saved."
"I believe he had a vision as well," said Gerard. "He led us to that spot. He stepped between us and the shot, without warning. There is no way he could have known."
"Two visions for the same purpose. It was God’s will that he should die in your stead."
"I never asked him to..." Gerard stammered.
"I don’t mean to burden you, Gerard. God’s works are not to be questioned." He wiped away his tears and stared off. "But one thing God has not shown me. How do you replace someone who is irreplaceable?"
They stood in silence for some time, before Oludara finally spoke: "My people have a saying. ‘If you are not able to build a house at once, you first build a shed.’"
"Thank you, friend. There is wisdom in those words. And now that you mention it, I believe we have unfinished business to attend to."
"What is that?" asked Gerard.
"The Headless Mule."
"We couldn’t possibly think about that at a time like this."
"It was his final task. If it is my burden to replace him, that is where I must begin."
#
Back in the woods where they first met the Headless Mule, Oludara shared a fire with Gerard and Gregorio. They dined on roasted tubers, and Oludara knew the time for hunting drew near. He lifted his bow and tested it.
"You won’t require that," said Father Gregorio. "In fact, I’d prefer you leave your weapons here."
Oludara and Gerard looked at each other.
"You ask us to go against a fire-breathing beast with no weapons?" asked Gerard.
"This isn’t a fight," said Father Gregorio. "It’s more of...an intervention."
"I think it’s time to tell us what you know of the beast," said Oludara.
"I know only what Miguel told me." He pulled Miguel’s wooden rosary from the sash, where it had hung since he had first taken it. "You must have thought it strange when I removed this from his neck. He wore it for this very task. He told me that the only way to stop the mule is to place this on its neck. He also told me that we should not harm the mule in any way."
"Unusual," said Oludara.
Gregorio, after one last look at the rosary, handed it to Oludara.
"Miguel told me all of this before he set out with you. I thought it strange, at the time, but he must have known, even then, that he would not live to see the task done."
"I’ll leave my gun," said Gerard, "but I’d as soon go naked as leave my rapier behind."
"As would I with my knife," added Oludara.
"All right," said Gregorio. "But unless your lives are in peril, try to keep them sheathed."
"Do we have a plan?" asked Gerard.
"Does the Mule ever sleep?" asked Oludara.
"Not that anyone has ever seen," replied Gregorio. "By all accounts, it simply disappears when the sun rises."
"I don’t think sneaking up on it is an option," said Oludara, "not so close as to collar it. Thus, our choices are capturing it or confronting it."
"And if we confront it?" asked Gerard.
"Coming at the mule from the front would be suicide," said Oludara, "and trying to reach it from the sides or back not much better; mules are notorious kickers. So our best chance is coming at it from above. One of us hides in a tree with the necklace and the other lures the beast under it."
Gerard pulled at his goatee. "Sounds reasonable," he said. "Let me act as bait, I’d as soon not jump from another tree this week."
"And what would you have of me?" asked Gregorio.
"Stay nearby," said Oludara, "but don’t let the beast see you. Your presence might cause it to flee. If our situation becomes desperate, try to send the beast away, as did Father Miguel."
"As Antonio said so eloquently, I’m no Father Miguel, but I’ll do my best."
#
Oludara knelt in the crook of a tree, rosary in hand. The th
ree of them had rubbed themselves down with leaves and dirt to mask their scent, and taken up positions around the same lake where they encountered the mule the first time. Oludara thanked his god Olorun for the full moon, which provided as much light as they could hope for in the middle of the night. He hoped their strategy worked as planned, but from past experience, that rarely happened.
Oludara shifted his tired legs in the tree as the better part of an hour passed, but froze when he spotted a dark shape approaching the water. The mule’s headless neck turned from side to side, scanning the area around it in a way Oludara could not fathom. After a short pause, it went forward to drink from the water.
Gerard snuck from his hiding spot and set himself halfway between Oludara and the mule. He called out, "Hey, you, son of a mare!"
The saying was a common insult in Brazil, but seemed to Oludara a little silly using it on a creature that was, in fact, born to a mare. And from what Oludara had seen--or better yet, not seen--the mule was female.
Nevertheless, the phrase had the desired effect. The mule turned and whinnied, flames blasting from its neck. Gerard didn’t wait; he turned and ran. After his first few steps, however, he tripped and fell.
"For Olorun’s sake!" said Oludara. He leapt from the tree, knowing he had no other choice but to reach Gerard before the mule.
The mule charged as Oludara recovered from the fall. Oludara waved his arms, trying to make the creature pause. Gerard scrambled to his feet. Faced with the two men, the mule reared up and shot its flame skyward.
For a moment, all three stood in silence. Oludara shuffled toward it, hoping to sneak close enough to place the collar, but a shot of flame singed his hair and he knew it would be next to impossible without a distraction.
Gerard seemed to have the same thought, and bent down to grab a branch. He waved it toward the creature, then threw it. This indeed drew the Mule’s attention, but it turned its body so Oludara could no longer easily reach its neck.
Gerard unsheathed his rapier and swished it in front of the creature, holding its attention. Oludara crept around towards the beast’s haunches, hoping to mount it from behind. He ran forward, but spotted the Mule’s legs bending for a kick.
Nothing left to do, Oludara slid and the hooves whisked past his nose. The beast spun on him and, in desperation, he threw the rosary toward its neck. For a moment, he thought it might catch, but it failed to encircle and slipped off. Gerard rushed in with his rapier, but too late. What looked like red-hot coals burned within the creature’s neck. For a second time, Oludara found himself helpless before the flames of the Headless Mule.
A Minacious Appearance (The Elephant and Macaw Banner - Novelette Series Book 8) Page 3