The Governor's Proposition

Mendoza watched as the sun set behind a smoking mountain, one of the volcanoes that rimmed the valley of Mexico. It wouldn't be long before Marina returned to take him to Cortez. The young Spaniard was anxious to see the Aztec woman, yet the thought of Cortez's intentions weighed heavily on his mind. He felt certain that Cortez had ulterior motives for his hospitality.

A soft knock at the door announced Marina's return and Mendoza followed her through the wide halls of the palace. The Aztec woman silently ignored his attempts at communication as they made their way through the long halls of the villa.

At last they came to a large doorway, on the other side of which Mendoza could hear voices. Marina opened the door for him and the young navigator stepped into a lavish banquet room. Around a large dinning table were seated several men, including Cortez who sat at the head of the table. Conversation hushed, and all eyes turned to Mendoza as Marina led him to an empty chair.

"I am pleased you were able to join us, Señor Mendoza," Cortez greeted the young navigator as he took his place.

"The pleasure is mine, Your Excellency," Mendoza replied, ignoring the inhospitable gaze of the other men seated around the table.

With the silence now broken, the talk gradually resumed between the others in the room and Cortez motioned to his Aztec servants, who began serving a sumptuous banquet. Many of the foods they presented were completely foreign to the navigator, and he assumed that they were native to this land. A very large cooked fowl was at the center of the table and surrounding it were strange vegetables, some spicy and others mild. In addition to the wine, each of the dinner quests were served a flagon of a dark brown liquid which was frothy and sweet.

During the meal, Mendoza listened closely to the conversation of the other men around the table and began to decipher the purpose behind the Governor's hospitality. Apparently some months before, Cortez had sent one of his captains, a man named Cristóbal de Olíd, on an expedition to conquer the lands to the south. However Olíd had other plans. He had sailed to Cuba with his army and made a pact with Cortez's old enemy, Governor Velázquez, to share any spoils found in this new land. Furious over this betrayal, Cortez had ordered his cousin, Francisco de las Casas, to lead a force to Olíd's settlement to capture and execute the traitor. Many months had passed with no word from Casas and Cortez had decided to lead an army the settlement himself to finish the job.

"An expedition will also provide an opportunity to explore the lands to the south and discover if the rumors of a City of Gold are true." Mendoza looked sharply at the Governor as Cortez said those words.

"Perhaps there is gold, but it will be a treacherous march," a man named Estrada put in with feigned concern. "Who will guide the expedition? Even with an entourage as large as will be accompanying you, it is possible that you will never see Mexico City again."

Cortez was unconcerned. "Marina, who was born in that country, will be accompanying me as will my friend here, Señor Mendoza, who is an accomplished navigator. He will see that the expedition stays on course, won't you Mendoza?"

All eyes turned to the young navigator and most were anything but grateful. Mendoza met the Governor's gaze and knew there was no way to escape this ‘offer.' "Of course, Your Excellency," the Spanish navigator confirmed.

Cortez smiled coldly at his other dinner guests, "Have no fear, gentlemen. I shall return."

*****

Mendoza gazed at the stars, a navigator's guide in the dark of the night, as if to ask for their counsel. He had known that dealing with Cortez again would only bring trouble. The man was a master of manipulation. And yet, the young Spaniard's mind wandered back to the conversations at Cortez's table. ‘A city of gold.' Perhaps this expedition would be worth joining after all.

And Marina will be with us, Mendoza thought as he lay down to sleep.

Mendoza prepares for this new journey and his path again crosses with Doña Marina's. Next Time: Chapter Five - The Market.