Revelations

Author's note: These characters are not mine (save one) and are property of Fireworks Entertainment and ContentFilm. This story is not for profit and is for entertainment only.
For some unknown reason, I thought of this show a few weeks ago and rewatched the series for the first time since it was new.

Chapter 1 - Peace & Boredom

In the summer of 1819, peace had come to the town of Santa Elena. The scheming Colonel Montoya had been stripped of his command and shipped back to Spain. His accomplice, the American Captain Grisham, had fled. Rumors said he'd been sighted far to the north in el pueblo de San José. A new civilian alcalde arrived from Spain along with a young captain of the guard. With the corrupt officers removed, Santa Elena had entered a new era of peace and prosperity that had not been seen in a decade.

The vigilante Queen of Swords was no longer a wanted woman. She had barely been seen in the last few months, save for depositing rogue bandits neatly gift-wrapped in the town square on rare occasions. The townspeople were safe and, for the most part, happy.

"I'm so bored, Marta," sighed Tessa Alvarado as she slumped in a chair in her lavishly furnished hacienda. She tossed her attempt at ladylike needlepoint aside.

"How can you be bored? You run a hacienda, go to parties, and play nurse three days a week. You do more than all of the dons' wives put together."

Tessa sprung out of the chair, hands defiantly on her hips. "I do not play nurse!"

The gypsy gave her a wry smile. "So what do you call all the time you spend at Doctor Helm's office?"

"I'm helping. Learning a useful skill-"

"And spending time with the good doctor any way you can."

"Marta!" Her young mistress scolded. She sighed and flopped back down on the chair. "Now that Uncle Alejandro is the alcalde, I don't have very much freedom. And there isn't much need for the Queen anymore."

"But you also do not need to hide behind a mask anymore," Marta replied, picking up her basket. "Now let's head into town. I believe you have plans to see your doctor."

Tessa's mood brightened as she followed Marta out the door.

Despite Marta's incessant teasing, Tessa was becoming a competent nurse. Perhaps the one most surprised by this development was her reluctant teacher, Doctor Helm. He had long thought señorita Alvarado naive and a bit vapid, so he was shocked at how quickly she'd progressed under his tutelage. It had taken a full week of her asking to assist him before he'd relented just to make her stop. He thought she would run screaming after just one day; however, she quickly proved him wrong. The señorita showed herself to be an intelligent and diligent student.

At some point she'd also developed a rather sarcastic sense of humor. The doctor now actually found himself looking forward to working with her instead of dreading her previous habit of unannounced visits and nonexistent ailments. Had she always been like this and he had somehow failed to notice, or had her personality shifted over the last few months?

While the doctor now found himself enjoying the company of señorita Alvarado, he sorely missed the company of the Queen of Swords. He'd last seen her from halfway across the town square as she brought in a highwayman calling himself the Fox, and while he knew she had seen him, she disappeared before he could reach her. He hadn't spoken to her in almost two months and found himself scanning the shadows of his office at times in the hopes she would appear.

Don't be daft, the doctor chided himself as he caught himself once again daydreaming about the Queen of Swords when he should be working. She obviously has more important things to do. Better to focus on those around you.

A soft knock sounded, shaking him out of his reverie, as the door opened to admit Tessa Alvarado. "Good afternoon, doctor." At his startled expression, she continued, "You were expecting me, yes?"

"Of course." Helm shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Good afternoon, señorita. The knocking led me to believe it was someone else."

Tessa played along, hands on hips. "Why ever would you think that?"

"Years of experience." He started sorting through small medicine bottles on the shelf. "Would you please start with señor Rodriguez? He took a tumble from his horse. No head injury, just some cuts and scrapes to be cleaned. Let me know if you think he requires sutures."

"Yes, doctor."

"And send in señora Oliveros," he called after her as Tessa slipped out the door. It wasn't the first time she'd caught the doctor off-guard, no matter how he tried to hide it. She wondered what-or who-had him so preoccupied.

As Tessa finished wrapping clean bandages around señor Rodriguez's hand, she heard the door open and a familiar voice call her name. She looked up to see her uncle in the doorway. The alcalde was well-dressed as always in a fashionable suit brought from Spain.

"My little angel of mercy. Your papa would be so proud to see how you care for the people of Santa Elena."

"Gracias, tio," she replied meekly. Playing the simpering señorita was still the easiest way to handle her uncle.

"Where is the doctor? I want to invite him to dine with us tonight."

"I'll let him know you're here." She turned to her patient. "Señor Rodriguez, be sure to change your bandages daily and come back in two days so I can make sure that's healing properly."

Tessa knocked on the door to the back room of the doctor's office and peered in. "The alcalde would like to speak with you."

Alejandro Alvarado was right behind her, and Tessa admitted him into the office. "Doctor Helm, this is purely a social call. I would be honored for you to join us for dinner at the hacienda tonight. I would like to know more of the man who has provided my dear niece such a wonderful opportunity for charity."

Doctor Helm was not entirely sure if he was being invited to dinner or an interrogation. At any rate, it wasn't an invitation he could easily say no to. Before he could even reply, Don Alejandro said, "We shall expect you at seven." The don turned on his heel and departed, leaving Tessa and the doctor to stare awkwardly at each other.

"I believe you have been summoned, doctor."

He rolled his eyes. "At least it's just dinner. Under the old regime, I would have been forcibly thrown in jail...again."

"You have managed to stay out of jail since my uncle became alcalde, but there's always a first time," Tessa teased. "I guess this means I should head home and prepare for dinner. Oh how you inconvenience me, doctor."

"I assure you the inconvenience is mutual. Now go so I can finish my work." He shooed her out the door, but Tessa knew he was all bluster. In fact, he was warming up to Maria Teresa Alvarado. Maybe he didn't feel about her the way he did about the Queen of Swords, but it was definite progress.

Back at the hacienda, Tessa found Marta and told her to prepare for a dinner guest.

"I'll need my red dress, please, Marta."

Marta raised an eyebrow. "I take it the esteemed doctor will be dining with us tonight?"

"Yes. And don't look at me like that. It was uncle who invited him." Tessa could tell by Marta's expression that she didn't believe her. Tessa sighed in exasperation and went to her room. Marta just smiled. She'd had a dream a few nights ago that foretold good things for Tessa, but she couldn't resist a little teasing. It was too easy.

Dinner was uneventful, though a little nerve-wracking for Tessa. With her uncle, she still acted a bit like the naive Maria Teresa of old, but with the doctor, she had become accustomed to being herself. With both of them present, it was a tough balance to strike without arousing suspicion from either party.

Once the table was cleared, Don Alejandro dismissed Tessa, saying the men had business to discuss. She left for the drawing room, but as soon as the door was closed, she crept back and pressed her ear to the door, eager to hear what the alcalde and doctor could possibly have to discuss.

Doctor Helm was equally unsure of what this "business" entailed. He sipped his glass of madeira and eyed the alcalde, who began to slowly pace the room.

"Doctor, I know you are a good man, held in great esteem by the people of Santa Elena," Don Alejandro began in a formal tone. "So I will get right to the point. What are your intentions towards my niece?"

Helm nearly choked on his wine. "Intentions, señor?"

"If it were up to me, I would send her on the next ship back to Madrid to find a suitable husband, but she insists on staying here. She spends an inordinate amount of time in your company. Doing good charitable work, to be sure, but I must also look out for the best interests of my niece. She does not think of her future."

"Don Alejandro, I would never presume to know what señorita Alvarado is thinking."

Tessa, listening from outside, stifled a laugh at the doctor's comment. She detected the faintest hint of sarcasm in his tone that would likely go unnoticed by her uncle.

Don Alejandro sighed. "Yes, women are a great mystery, are they not? But my niece could do far worse than you, even if you are not a Spaniard."

Damning with faint praise, indeed, the doctor thought.

"This is the new world," Don Alejandro continued with a grand gesture. "I constantly remind myself of this. It is filled with many possibilities."

Helm took a moment to ponder the alcalde's meaning. He had grown fond of Tessa, and she seemed to enjoy his company as well, or else she would not have asked to assist with his work. He realized he would sorely miss the entertaining verbal sparring and brilliant smiles she always greeted him with.

On the other hand, it was true he had loved the Queen of Swords, but he had started to resign himself to the fact that she was no longer a constant presence in Santa Elena or his life. Maybe she had moved on or maybe she had simply retired, her services no longer needed. The rational part of his mind told him he would do better to pursue the woman who was actually a part of his daily life than the one he may never see again.

Perhaps his wits were addled by wine, but before he realized what he was doing, he looked Don Alejandro in the eyes and said, "I would like to court señorita Alvarado."

Outside the door, Tessa's eyes widened and she just about fell over in shock. In her wildest dreams she didn't dare imagine that. Oh who was she kidding, she'd imagined more than that, but she constantly reminded herself that he was still in love with the Queen.

Don Alejandro clapped his hands together. "Excellent! You have my permission, doctor. I wish you the best of luck. With Tessa, you will need it."