Neophyte

Confession

Padre Federico and Padre Lucas walked inside the Mission. "Can you believe that the savage woman dared raise her voice at us?" Padre Federico did not respond, but Padre Lucas noticed his thoughtfulness when he glanced at him. "Padre, are you well?"

Padre Federico stopped in front of the infirmary, where he saw Anna Maria's widow lying on the bed, unconscious. The memory of Metztli begging to suffer in the couple's place was something he had not seen before. No one ever volunteered to do such a thing. Her cries and tears for the couple's mercy made him feel guilty. "I am going to rest; Bishop Victoriano may let the savages rest due to the funeral."

Before Padre Lucas could say anything, Padre Federico walked away and decided to go inside the church. It was almost comical to him since he never wanted to be a Padre, and he did it to escape his punishment. He knew it was not wise to admit it, but he didn't believe much in God. If anyone found out, then he would face banishment, but not before suffering a severe punishment.

 What was worse was that if banished, Padre Federico would become destitute and die from starvation. 

However, it was undeniable that being a Padre had its benefits, such as having a roof over his head, food, and control over the Tongva. Having power over the powerless made him feel the power he used to have as a free man. 

Upon arriving at the church, the Padre entered and closed the door behind him. No one was around, so he slowly walked toward the altar, looking at the cross. He then wondered if there was another explanation for his attraction to Metztli: God.

"I always believed in your existence as foolish. To rely on a being for one's salvation; to test us if we follow your will. After I lost everything, people told me it was a punishment for my sins. When I was given a choice to become a Padre, people call it God's mercy. I called it a mockery." His footsteps echoed inside the church while looking at the cross. "Then, she came along, Metztli. It was as if she arrived so suddenly."

Padre Federico stopped before the altar, feeling conflicted. While focusing on the cross, Federico didn't notice someone outside the church door.

Esteban.

Esteban didn't have the strength to go to the Soldados' barracks. Many of his comrades spoke horribly about what happened to the couple, and he didn't want to hear it. When everyone was slowly leaving the cemetery, he wanted to speak with Metztli. He wanted to apologize for doing nothing, but Mariana believed it was best to leave her alone. 

He felt sick of everything that had happened and wanted comfort; he decided to go to the church. The Soldado felt relieved that the path to the church was empty; he felt he would get some privacy to pray for Anna Maria's soul. Esteban was about to open the door, but stopped when he heard a faint voice. 

There was someone else, and he decided to take a peek; the door was slightly open to give Esteban a view. 

Padre Federico was inside talking to himself. It didn't feel right to listen to another speak to God, and Esteban was about to leave, but he heard Metztli's name. His curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to listen more.

"Her timely arrival was so sudden, and when looking at her, I felt my mind and body shift. She holds a beauty that I have never seen before. I tried to think nothing of her since she looked to be a mestiza, but when seeing more of her and listened to her beautiful voice, my thoughts changed. Metztli is too good to be true. She is beautiful, brave, and innocent. I tried so hard to deny that she was anything but a woman. However, I could no longer deny what she is, an angel."

Esteban was shocked to hear Padre Federico speak about Metztli. There were rumors about many of the Padres doing unspeakable things to the Tongva people, and some of them had to do with women. Esteban believed they were rumors, but hearing Padre Federico speak disturbed him. 

"I am starting to believe that you brought her before me to test my belief and faith. Yet, I wonder if you are testing me for something else: my desire. Or are you seeing if I fall into the temptation to destroy me for my sins? Well, I will eventually find out. You have piqued my interest."

It was too much to hear, so Esteban quietly closed the door and ran far from the church until he reached a tree. Esteban was shocked to hear Federico's dark confession. Soldado feared for Metztli's safety and didn't want to sit around doing nothing. "I need to tell Bishop Victoriano about this, but he is going through troubles. I will tell him when the time is right."

Esteban then returned to the Soldados' barracks, feeling disturbed. He couldn't forget what he heard and witnessed in the church. What made it more disturbing was that Federico was a Padre who took a vow of chastity, but Esteban would forget that Padres were men.

Men had urges that were sometimes difficult to suppress, and being a man of God was no easy task. Although Esteban's duty was to obey orders from the Mission and others who paid for his services, it still didn't sit right with him regarding the Padres' wrongdoings. He could lose his position if he became too involved in the Padres' business, as they were powerful and had secret wealth.

"Lieutenant?"

Esteban left his thoughts and looked toward the door, where another Soldado de Cuera stood. The man was shorter than he was and had medium-tan skin with a couple of scars on his face and hands. He had short, curly black hair that looked tangled in certain parts. His black mustache was thin, and his face was slightly chubby, giving him a baby-like appearance. His eyes were black with a hint of shine, and his eyebrows almost made a unibrow. "Hola Manuel."

"No te vi afuera. Pensé que estarías aquí (I didn't see you outside. I thought you would be here)". Manuel entered the room, closing the door behind him. "¿Molestado lo que pasó hoy? (Bothered by what happened today?)" Manuel was Esteban's second-in-command; they became close and saw each other as brothers. Like Esteban, Manuel didn't agree with how the Tongva people were treated, but they couldn't say anything, for fear of losing their positions. 

Being a Soldado de Cuera was their only livelihood.

"Si, hoy se perdieron tres vidas (Yes, three lives were lost)."

Manuel slowly walked toward Esteban, but stood at the corner of his bed. "¿Tres? (Three?)"

Esteban nodded. "A ese hombre que fue azotado también le quitaron la vida, su familia (That man who was whipped also had his life taken away, his family)." He looked at Manuel, who returned his gaze with a tired expression. The event left him emotionally exhausted; it made Esteban wonder how long he could survive being a soldado.

"¿Qué pensaste de esa mujer que suplicó por sus vidas? Ella era valiente, pero imprudente (What did you think of that woman who pleaded for their lives? She was brave, but reckless)."

"Se llama Metztli. No diría que fue imprudente. Ella es una inocente a la que no le gusta ver sufrir a los demás (Her name is Metztli. I wouldn't say she was reckless. She is innocent, who doesn't like to see others suffer)."

Manuel raised an eyebrow as he noticed the way Esteban spoke of Metztli. The fact that Esteban knew her name in the first place surprised him. A few women tried to get Esteban's attention, but he wasn't interested in them. "Parece que pareces estar interesado en ella (It looks like you are interested in her)."

Esteban chuckled. "¿Cómo estás con Toypurina? (Like how you are with Toypurina?)"

Manuel tried to refrain from blushing when Esteban mentioned Toypurina. His lieutenant was the only one who knew he had feelings for Toypurina, but was afraid to express his feelings. Manuel believed that Toypurina hated the Spaniards after what they had done to her people. He cleared his throat. "Se nos ordenó vigilar la Misión y sus trabajadores. Alguien importante llegará en un par de días (We were ordered to monitor the Mission and its workers. Someone important will arrive in a couple of days).

"Muy bien, de cualquier manera, debemos estar atentos (Very well, either way, we need to be vigilant)."

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