“Of our thirty, sir, nineteen dead.”
“Nineteen?” Juan repeated, astounded. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved that only nineteen men were killed or shocked by the reduction of his army by that number.
“There’s more, sir,” Eduardo added.
“More?”
“Aye. One of the nineteen was Avispa.”
Juan cursed the thought of losing a warrior such as Avispa (the soldier’s real name was Hernando but he was called Avispa which mean wasp).
“He suffered an arrow to the chest but he didn’t die right away. He fought until the battle was over before collapsing. He called for me. As he died, he spoke one word.” Eduardo paused before speaking the one word, “Columbus.”
Diego and Juan were connected in many ways. As such, he could sense the thoughts that momentarily consumed Juan. He knew Juan was thinking of their sorted past.
Diego had discovered the fabled island of Bimini because of the man Avispa.
Avispa had been involved in many skirmishes with the Taino in Cuba and word of his fighting skills reached Diego’s ears.
Juan also heard of the man’s prowess and approached him in the tavern. He offered him a flask of rum which the man accepted.
Juan questioned him about the sea and found he was also an experienced sailor, having worked on ships off the African coast. Juan told him of his upcoming expedition and offered him a position with the crew of his flagship. The only position unfilled, however, was in the galley. “If you can cook half as well as you fight, we’re in for a real treat.”
Avispa accepted.
Diego waited and watched outside of the tavern as Juan left. Juan was followed by a man who approached Diego and told him all he had overheard. Diego dropped a coin in his hand and entered the tavern. There, Avispa stood at a table.
Diego joined Avispa and offered him a flask of rum as well; only this rum was of finer quality than that of Juan. “I hear you are to sail with Juan Ponce de Leon?” Diego asked.
“Aye.” Avispa knew who Diego was and had no reason to lie to him.
“And I hear you are to work in the galley?”
“Aye.” He was curious of Diego’s intentions. “I do what I’m paid to do. It appears news travels fast.”
“It’s a small island. Now let me ask you – how would you like to triple your pay?”
“Triple?”
“Aye, triple. You will sail with Juan as you have been paid to do. All I ask is that you dump the empty rum crates into the sea. As you do, you will indicate the direction you sail by carving that information on the bottom of the crates before sending them overboard. For that you will accept Juan’s pay and I will also double that pay. Do we have a deal?”
Avispa considered. He was no fool. He wanted the money but also wanted to make sure he was not being short-sighted. Men did not pay that well if there was no risk involved.
In the end, he weighed through the options and found the arrangement agreeable. “We have an agreement.”
Two days after Juan set sail, Diego left in pursuit.
Juan and Diego came back from their thoughts as they neared the house of Solomon. The home was not overly ornate but absolute attention to detail created the impact. The intricate facets were observed in all aspects of the house including the surrounding lands. Each of the structures on those adjacent lands served a purpose and had been built to maximize that purpose.
Juan appreciated a fine home as he appreciated a fine ship. In fact, the home reminded him of his flagship, the Santiago.
He thought with sadness on how the ship had been sold to a merchant in Cuba who was thrilled to have such a prized and legendary ship among his possessions. The ship was sold again several times over the following years until finally a wealthy businessman had the ship decommissioned and broken apart. He then used the lumber to build his home and the home became a landmark destination to visitors to Cuba.
That home lasted several generations until it was ultimately destroyed by a hurricane and most of the lumber was washed to sea. The thought that the ship had been returned to the sea at the end gave the story a sort of silver lining.
They reached the doors of the house and Menelik motioned that they should follow him. Rehoboam went inside while Juan and Diego followed Menelik around the backside of the house and witnessed a magnificent garden. “My father had this built for my mother.”
They walked together through the garden and reached an open area where an altar had been fashioned. “You will wait here,” Menelik said, motioning to a bench on the fringe of the garden.
Menelik removed his sandals and carried the ibex to the altar. He knelt before the altar in prayer and when he was finished, pulled out two knives. He struck them together and a spark was sent into the bed of tinder that had been prepared within the altar. Menelik leaned forward and breathed gently and soon a small flame was lit.
Menelik prayed again, this time aloud.
More wood caught, feeding the flames which soon engulfed the ibex, sending smoke to the sky. The smell of burnt hair reached Juan and Diego first followed by the aroma of roasted meat.
They waited patiently for the ceremony to end that would guide the soul of Menelik’s mother to the afterlife. It took an hour for the ibex to be completely burnt in sacrifice and at the end of that hour, Menelik said one final prayer and left the smoldering altar.
With his sandals back on, he rose and acknowledged
