I am no one, I'm nothing

Capitulo Dos

Aldonza set the plate of runny pork roast on the table and watched the hoard of muleteers dive towards it as if it was the first time they had seen substantial food in months. Perhaps it was. She listened to the clanking of silverware as she maneuvered around them, filling mugs with wine and beer and dodging tidbits of flying food from mouths and grabby hands. The innkeeper bustled out of the kitchen and placed more bowls on the table, overflowing with steamed vegetables and rice and beans before taking his place at the head of the table. "Well, gentlemen, I see you're eating."

"As well as the mules." One of them muttered, receiving a smack on the head from one Aldonza had learned as Paco.

"God forbid." Aldonza murmured, sliding in between the innkeeper and Anselmo as she took her seat and began to quickly eat what was left of their feast of sorts.

"So, Pedro, your friends and yourself-where are you heading?" The innkeeper asked with polite interest, tearing off a piece of pork and eyeing him across the table. His free hand let go of the grip on his napkin and rubbed a calming thumb across Aldonza's, smiling at her and nodding to make nice with their guests.

Pedro downed the contents of his mug and nodded to Aldonza, who promptly stood up and filled it along with others who were finishing theirs as well. "We come from Salamanca and the nearby villages, the hills and plains, mi amigo. We are what they call wandering souls, restless natives..." A glazed expression filled his eyes as he spoke, staring off into the distance with reverence to his title. "We were originally commissioned by Juan's father to wrangle the wild donkeys and horses of the area, and we did that for a while. But, the wild mistress of Adventure beckoned us to her, and we've been following her ever since." He took a hefty chug from his mug and glanced at Aldonza across the table, that same damned smirk rearranging his features as he wiggled his brows at her. She lowered her eyes, the grip on her knife becoming tighter along with the tug on her heartstrings.

"This mistress, the lewd Adventuress, where will she take you?" The innkeeper asked as he scraped the remains from his plate.

"Precisely." Pedro replied with a cocky grin. "We never know where we are going to end up. That's what keeps it exciting, new, fresh, uninhibited." Never during this string of sentences did his leave the mocha orbs of Aldonza's, and she huffed with frustration at the pull he seemed to have over her being, her conscious attention, her knowledge. "But we pick up jobs where we can, mainly herding cattle or butchering, working on a ranch when we come across one for a month at a time."

The innkeeper seemed to have gained the knowledge he desired. "Ahh, well, Aldonza, it looks like we can end our search for hard-working farm hands." He exclaimed, standing up and crossing over to Pedro. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "I'd like you to take over the neighboring farm. The crops have been failing miserably in this weather, and the old man who owns the land, his wife just died, and we haven't seen him since. For all we know, he could be dead, too." He proclaimed roughly, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "For 10 pesos a week, you won't find much a better deal than this."

Pedro considered this offer, bringing a hand up to stroke his facial hair, his jaw. "Free room and board?" He questioned, nodding to his friends around the table and fixing a powerful stare on the innkeeper.

"A 2 peso cut for food and amenities." The innkeeper bargained with slick wit.

"Make it 15 and you've got a deal, old man."

Aldonza caught the attention of the innkeeper and internally fought through what would be best for the inn and what would be best for her. However, the innkeeper was already extending a hand, shaking his head with surprised pleasure. "Well, boys, it looks like we will be seeing a lot of each other for the next while." He shook Pedro's hand and made a loop around the table, shaking hands with each of the muleteers. "Aldonza, clear the table." He ordered like an afterthought. "Make yourself useful."