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Chapter Text

They thought they had escaped the raids. They thought they were safe. 

The news of the war being over had spread quickly, but that didn’t seem to matter as Alma and Pedro watched as the sky turned orange as fire engulfed the village. Loud hoof beats and yelling, screams of agony and terror sounded chaotically throughout. 

“Go!” Pedro hissed, pushing Alma ahead of him. He packed quickly as Alma gathered their five year old triplets. 

They ran.  

They ran for hours. A small band of people trailing behind them as they fled. The triplets were clutched tight in their arms. Pedro held Pepa clutched to his chest and all their stuff on his back, while Alma carried Julieta and Bruno on her hips. 

Silently thankful for the light the burning of their village provided as they wove through the dense woods. It had grown more quiet, the shouting and screaming more distant. Just before a sense of relief could wash over them, the hoof beats of three horses came up fast behind them. Faster than horses had any right being in the packed woods. 

They came upon a slow river, almost still, reflecting the burnt orange sky. Ushering the others ahead, Pedro and Alma followed along the hoofbeats approaching rapidly. 

Turning to look at Alma, Pedro put Pepa down, placing Bruno and Julieta beside her as he pulled Alma to him quickly. Stroking his thumbs across her cheeks as he pulls out of the hug, kissing her one last time as she stared at him with watery eyes filled with slight confusion and disbelief. Pedro glanced over his shoulder right as the horsemen appeared on the opposite river’s edge. Machete’s glint hauntingly in the orange light as they raised them threateningly. 

The horsemen came closer, slowly, the one in the middle looking full of unearned confidence as they came. Pedro stepped into the river to meet them, walking with hands raised, hoping to buy them some time. The man in the middle smiled menacingly at him, before glancing behind him at Alma and the triplets. 

“Did you really think you’d be able to hide?” the leader of the horsemen purred at him.

I took a moment for Pedro to place him, but at the sight of the six fingers on his right hand, it clicked immediately. Eugenio. 
“No,” Pedro said confidently. “But I had hoped that a man of the law yourself would cease your tyranny with the end of the war being announced”. 

Hopping down off his horse, Eugenio sauntered up to Pedro, looking him in the eye as the smirked. 

“You’re a fool,” he stated. Before quickly bringing his machete up and slashing through the delicate flesh of Pedro’s throat. A loud gurgle fell from Pedro's mouth as his lungs filled with blood. Collapsing into the water at the feet of the six fingered man.  

Alma stood stock still, shock running through her body as she watched Eugenio raise his machete. Feeling completely frozen as Pedro fell, his blood darkened the water. She did not immediately notice that her babies had run forward to their Papá. 

The three of them stood near him, glaring at the man in front of them who simply looked at them with amusement. 

“You three are just as foolish as your father,” he chuckled. Raising his blood coated machete once again. 

Alma finally could feel her limbs again, lurching forwards, “NO!” she let out a desperate cry. Just as Eugenio swiped his sword across their faces in one fell swoop. Alma’s arms wrapped around all three of them pulling them back harshly. As she fell backwards with her babies landing on her, she saw Eugenio’s smirk stretch into an angry grin. Her family's blood glinting off the sharp metal was all she saw as she closed her eyes. 

Rage and grief flooding through her body as tears streamed from her eyes, clutching her babies desperately against her. Her head felt hot, like her brain was boiling in her skull. Letting out an agonised raw scream into the night air, she felt the boiling stop, leaping out of her. A sharp cry from Eugenio and the horsemen as the earth rose with ferocious speed between them and the remaining Madrigals. 

Alma opened her eyes to see large mounds of earth stretching high into the sky. Glancing at the river she found Pedro’s body had disappeared. Shakily getting to her knees she stood her babies in front of her. Looking them over, she found them generally unharmed mind the cut along their faces. It didn’t look too deep thankfully; their large eyes filled with confusion and fear as they watched her. 

Dropping kisses to each of their foreheads, she looked behind her with distrustful eyes before getting to her feet. 

“Come,” she said quietly, ushering them along with her. 

“Mamá?” a small voice asked, she wasn’t sure who, but she just shook her head. 

“Not now, we need to go,” she whispered urgently. 

They walked in heavy silence for an hour before reaching a clearing, where the rest of the people they fled with stood. Walking a little further past them closer to the edge of one of the many forests, she bent, placing the candle down. Gasping as twinkling lights fluttered around it, into it, before flying out the bottom. Tiles appeared under their feet as the lights continued to zip around. They watched in awe as walls appeared quickly dropping into place as they climbed up. 

Stepping outside once the house stopped settling into place around them, Alma looked at it in shock. The kids bouncing excitedly beside her as the confusion temporarily left them at the magic before them. The door swung back open, as if inviting her in, tilting her head she looked at it. 

“Mamá! Look!” Bruno said, tugging on her skirt, pointing at the shutters, which waved at her as she looked. Waving back hesitantly, surprised as the house seemed to dance with glee at her acknowledgement. 

On the triplets’ tenth birthday, they got their gifts. 

Over the years the whispers that followed them crept deeper and deeper into their brains. The scars on their faces’ a constant visual reminder of why they have the Encanto. Slowly stoking the fire of revenge in Pepa’s young mind. 

Chapter Text

The sun was just beginning to set as the band of three made their way over the hills, apprehension grew as they approached the invisible border. The air became oppressively still, as if the earth was holding its breath. They felt like they were meant to continue, like there was an encouragement forwards, but not an invitation to stay. The two adults glanced at each other, confirming the other felt it. A quick glance at their son walking between them, showed an eagerness to his steps, apparently not feeling what they were. His steps sped up at the sight of the small village. 

As they got closer to the clay houses, a strong sense of unease overcame the adults, as if trying to push them back. But not the boy. 

“Mijo,” the woman said, crouching down to stroke the young boy's face, glancing behind her worriedly, tears filling her eyes as she looked back at his innocent face. “I.. I don’t think your Papá and I are going any further”. 

“But-” the young boy started to protest, looking at his parents fearfully.  

“We must go, it’ll be safe for you here, I promise,” she said, pulling him to her in a tight desperate hug. 

“Where-” he cried, running after his parents as they tried to leave hastily. 

“Shh!!” the man said gently, but firmly, pressing his finger to the boy's mouth. “We don’t have time to explain everything mijo, but we must go before anyone suspects we left, comprender?”

“We love you, Agustín,” the woman said, giving him one last kiss on the forehead, before they turned and ran straight back the way they had come. Leaving young Agustín standing alone at night just outside the village, staring at the retreating form of his parents' backs. 

He stands there, waiting for them, surely they’ll come back? He thinks to himself. He waits there for twenty minutes before reality finally comes crashing down on him. His throat constricts, eyes filling with tears as he crumples to the ground and sobs. His brains screaming at him for oxygen, he finally sucks in a harsh ragged breath. Just as he’s about to start sobbing again, he feels a small hand touch his shoulder lightly, he almost jumps out of his skin, flipping over onto his back as he scrambles away.  Only to look up and see the concerned face of a young woman looking back at him, one hand still reached towards him. Meeting her eyes he immediately feels safe, relaxing back to the ground he breathes out sharply with relief. Vision going cloudy, yellow and black, his brain feels … wrong, and she looks so concerned, were his last thoughts before unconsciousness took him. 

Chapter Text

Julieta sat on the cool clay tiles of the roof, watching the horizon wistfully as the sunset. At first she thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her, a blop appearing on the outskirts of the wooded hills. But as it persists, growing closer, becoming more defined, Julieta perks up. She leans forward to watch the blob intently, watching as it wove through the small trails in the outskirts of the valley. 

As soon as the blob is close enough to discern that it is not one hulking mass, but three separate people–a couple with a young child, it stops moving. Riveted to the scene before her, watching as one of the adults crouches down to the child, before pulling them into a hug. Just as suddenly as they had stopped, they left. Julieta waited for a moment, watching as the adult figures kept their quick pace out, as the child just stood. 

“Mierda,” she whispers to herself, quickly clambering down the roof. Grabbing a leftover arepa she hurries out of Casita, making her way to the remaining figure. 

It doesn’t take too long for her to get there; approaching she realises the child is closer to her own age. Not wanting to frighten him, she slows her steps, and just as she does, the boy falls to the ground, shaking with sobs. Startled, she stands there watching him, waiting for his cries to slow before approaching any further. 

Eventually the cries stop as he sucks in a deep breath. Now. She reaches out, resting her hand gently on his small shoulder. He jumps, flipping around to scramble away from her, his face full of fear. Her heart aches for him, as she watches, reaching out to him still. He meets her eyes, full of fear and confusion, but not able to completely dilute the warmth they carried. 

he brings her hand back to her side as he slumps down with relief. Taking a few hesitant steps towards him as he lays there, fingers on one hand rubbing together nervously. He releases a sharp long breath before going completely limp. No more hesitation in her steps, she drops to her knees at his side, hands fluttering over him briefly before settling on his chest. Feeling the slow steady beat of his heart, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest fills her with relief, and she sits back on her butt. Crossing her legs she sits beside him, waiting for him to wake up. 

A few minutes pass before he starts twitching, a small groan escaping his lips as his eyes flutter open. She leans over him eagerly, watching as he wakes. When his eyes finally open fully, and meet hers she smiles. 

“Hola,” she whispers through her smile. He stares back at her, a small twitch of his lips is all that she gets back from him. With a soft roll of her eyes, she moves to her knees, pulling him up slowly as she does. “Come, I’ll take you home, Mamá can help,” she said confidently, slowly getting them both to their feet. 

She slings one of his arms over her shoulder, bringing her own to his waist as they stand. 

“Oh! Here, it’ll help,” she says, pulling the arepa from her pocket and handing it to him. He looks at her like she’s crazy before hesitantly taking a bite, eyes widening with delight as he feels…better. The tiny scrapes on his hands and forearms disappear in an instant. He looks at her with amazement. Her smile widens as he looks at her. 

“Gracias!...” he blurted out as amazement momentarily took over his mind, before trailing off, not knowing her name. Her smile grew even larger at that, a light flush running over her cheeks. 

“De nada,” she said as they stood there, looking at each other curiously. “My name’s Julieta,” she said as if reading his mind. 

“Uhm, I’m Agustín,” he said as it finally clicked as to why she was looking at him expectantly. 

“Nice to meet you,” she said cheerfully, before looking away and starting to lead him home. 

They make the relatively short walk back across the village to Casita. He doesn’t speak a word but she finds herself comforted by his presence, arms still supporting the other as they go. 

Uncertainty grows in  Julieta as they approach Casita. Not wanting to wake her Mamá, and knowing she shouldn’t let the stranger sleep in the house without her mamá knowing. She stops. Looking around for somewhere to keep him for the night. Her eyes land on the small outbuilding just adjacent to the kitchen. Pulling him around the side of Casita, and to the tiny wooden building. 

“Here, just for tonight, before I talk to my mamá, okay?” she looks at him imploringly. He blushes lightly at her intense gaze, looking down at his feet to hide his reddened face, he nods. 

“As you wish,” he mumbled. Hoping she wouldn’t hear the overwhelm in his voice. 

“Gracias,” she says back with a small smile. She starts to leave, before turning back quickly to press a chaste kiss to his tear stained cheek. “It’ll be okay, I promise”. And with that she disappeared into Casita.

Chapter Text

The break of dawn woke Julieta early the next morning. Whipping the covers off, she vaulted out of bed, hurrying out of her room to knock rapidly at her Mamá’s door. It swung open instantly, her Mamá looked at her just as startled as she looked at her. 

“Julieta?” 

“Ah…. Buenas días, Mamá,” Julieta stumbled out, nervously twisting her fingers together.

“Buenas dias, Julieta,” she replied with amusement. They stood in silence for a moment before Julieta let the words tumble from her mouth. 

“I…Last night, you know how I watch the sunset…I saw something? Well I wasn’t sure if it was something at first, but then it became something. And they just left the boy! So I had to go, and he’s fine!” Julieta quickly assures at Alma’s concerned bewildered look. “I brought him here, his in the storage house,” she finished, sucking in a large breath of relief. 

Alma stood, just looking at Julieta as she processed her words. 

“Show me,” she said gently, holding her hand out to Julieta. 

Placing her small hand in her Mamá’s sure grip, she led her downstairs and out the back to the storage building. Hesitating at the door, she looked up at her Mamá, who nodded encouragingly at her. Dropping her hand, Julieta steps forward, knocking hesitantly before cracking the door open. Her shoulders fell with relief at the sight of the boy, he was still there. He quickly scrambled to his feet.  Dark eyes darted to Julieta’s as she gave him a smile. 

“Come meet mi Mamá,” she said gently, gesturing at the regal looking woman standing just outside. 

He moves forward cautiously, before Julieta hooks her arm through his and drags him out into the morning sun. 

“Uhm, Hola,” he said timidly, not looking past her chin. 

“Hola…” she said looking at Julieta with a raised brow.

“Agustín!” Julieta said with exuberance, grabbing the boys hand. Alma felt a small smile creep across her face as she watched her normally more quiet daughter light up. 

“Ah, well then. Hola, Agustín,” Alma said briskly. “Julieta told me what she saw…” she trailed off as tears began falling from his eyes. “We will find you somewhere to stay. In the meantime, the nursery is available for you”.

“Oh,” he responded quietly, darting his eyes to Julieta before quickly looking at Alma. “Uhm, if it’s alright I’d like to stay in here,” he finished, gesturing behind himself. 

Alma looked at him curiously, lips pursed as her arms crossed in front of her. Julieta rubbed her thumb on the back of Agustín’s shaky hand as they watched her weigh things in her mind. Finally, coming to a conclusion, she nodded. “Fine, but we will need to make it more livable, alright?” she aimed the last bit at Julieta, who nodded quickly. 

“Of course Mamá”. 

“Come, let’s have breakfast, we’ll talk more afterwards,” she said decisively before turning and leading them back to Castia. 

Julieta had Agustín come with her into town the next day to show him around. The hissing of whispers followed them, making Agustín huddle closer to Julieta. Looking down as he brushed against her, she grabbed his hand easing some of his fear. His arrival unsettled people, they saw what it meant for the world outside the Encanto; that thing’s were still just as uneasy as they were six years ago at the end of the war. The news spread quickly; rumours of the War and Pedro’s murder once more came to the forefront of every conversation. 

A small frown took over Julieta’s face at how brazen they were, blatantly watching them move through town as they spoke. She veered off course suddenly, tugging him sharply as she turned. Stumbling, he let his body catch up to his hand as he came to her side again as she led them through one of the many small wooded areas of the Encanto. 

“They’re harmless,” she said with anger coating her words. Shooting a glance his way she sighed. “They talk and talk, about me, my siblings, my Papá…. Now you,” she finished with a shrug. “Mamá says they worry”. 

They stepped out of the woods to a small meadow bordering a part of the river system that wound through the village. Plopping herself down unceremoniously, he followed not wanting to release her hand.

“It’s why Bruno stays in his tower so much,” she said sadly, after they had sat there for a few minutes in silence. 

He had ‘met’ her siblings at breakfast, but he couldn’t tell you what they looked like as he kept his eyes on his plate the entire time. 

“Oh…” he whispered in response. His small quiet voice floating on the breeze. 

“It’s made Pepa very angry,” she said as she closed her eyes. “Every year more of my Pepa gets eaten away,” she continued as she breathed in shakily. Agustín scooted closer to her, wrapping his other hand around their clasped fingers. “She wants revenge”. 

“Oh,” he said again, her eyes opened and she gazed into the distance. “Uhm, revenge for what?” he asked, shrinking back as the words left his mouth. Her eyes widened completely, coming back into focus as she let out a startled laugh. 

“My Papá, was murdered. In front of us apparently, that’s what we hear. None of us remember much…Mamá says that’s a good thing…” she says nonchalantly, with a shrug to her small shoulders. “It’s how we got this,” she said, raising her hand to a faint thin white line that ran over her nose. 

“We?” he asked after a moment of studying the small scar. 

“Si, Pepa and Bruno too, on the right of her cheek and the left of his”.  His brows furrowed and a small frown took up residence on his face. 

Without thought, he leaned forward and pressed a small quick kiss to the scar on her nose, just like his Mamá always did for his cuts. 

“All better,” he declared, looking at her hopefully. Julieta giggled as she scrunched her nose. 

“Ew, you’re just as bad as mi Mamá!”

When they get back to Castia, they find Bruno exiting the tiny outbuilding. He stops, looking at them owlishly as they came towards him. 

“Bruno!” Julieta lit up, not expecting to see him before dinner. 

“Hey, Juli,” he said, shuffling his feet, he glanced at Agustín before looking back at her. “I uh, I made Agustín’s room a room….I knew you’d be busy showing him around,” he said tapping the side of his head. Agustín’s eyes widened, amazed that someone else was now helping him out too. 

“Oh, gracias, Brunito!” Julieta exclaimed, giving him a quick hug before dragging Agustín inside. 

For half a year, Julieta brought him a small snack at the crack of dawn. It just occurred to him as he was chopping wood, that it was a very odd thing for her to do just for him. Dropping the axe, he trotted over to the kitchen window. He leaned his head in, watching her steady movements for a moment before softly calling her name. 

She whirled around with her hand on her heart, face melting into a smile as she saw it was him. 

“Ay, Agustín! What are you doing here?”

“Why do you always bring me food in the morning?” he asked her quietly.  

“Because we both need a little something before starting our morning chores,” she told him, studying him for a moment as she felt her cheeks heat up. 

“I…You don’t have to bring me food, Julieta,” he said lightly. Quirking a brow at him she grinned. 

“Why don’t you come to Casita then, eat with me in the mornings,” she asked. Delighted at the small flush that crawls over his cheeks at her words. 

“As you wish,” he replied, stumbling over his words, backing away from the window and returning to his work. 

Over the years, Julieta and Agustín grew closer, their friendship deeper and more caring, more loving. Agustín became more confident in himself, happy that Alma did not try to force him to leave, and instead just had him doing general house chores. Which, as they aged, catered more and more to Julieta’s needs as she found great pleasure in playfully bossing him around. 

At sixteen, Pepa found Julieta at her stall in town, dressed for travel with a sword at her side. Dread pitted in her stomach as she watched her approach. Pepa pulled her away, and she told her she was leaving. She was going to find the Six Fingered Man. With a kiss to her forehead, Pepa was off. Julieta was left standing there in shock as Pepa got farther away. 

Which is where Agustín found her. 

“Julieta?” he asked as he stretched a hand out to grasp one of the limp ones at her side. 

“She’s gone,” she said, looking at him with tear filled eyes. It took a moment, but he realised she was talking about Pepa. It was bound to happen one day, but none of them expected it this early. “I- I need to tell Mamá… walk me home please,” she asked as if he would leave her there. 

“As you wish,” he replied. Tugging her forward to get her legs moving, he walked her back to Casita. 

Chapter Text

“Agustín, fill these with water,” she said, approaching him with two empty pails, “please,” she added after a moment, looking into his eyes.

“As you wish,” he replied as he always did, with reverence coating each letter. 

That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying ‘as you wish’, what he meant was, ‘I love you’. And even more amazing was the day she finally said it back. 

She watched him with soft eyes, as he brought logs in and piled them neatly in the corner. 

“Agustín,” she calls to him softly. Looking around as he turns back to look at her, trying to find something to ask of him. Anything to get him closer to her.  Eyes landing on the empty pitcher hanging just above her head, she points towards it with her lips and a twitch of her head, “fetch me that pitcher”. 

Agustín walks over to her slowly, eyes caressing hers as he approached. Not looking away, he stood in front of her, reaching just over her shoulder for the hanging pitcher. 

“As you wish,” he whispered, handing her the pitcher. Her eyes smile before her mouth as she looks at him with eyes full of longing. Slowly taking the pitcher from his hands, she puts it down on the counter. Taking his hands with hers, she gazed up at him, standing impossibly close she smiled brilliantly at him. 

“I love you too,” she said softly but confidently. Her heart swelled as his eyes became misty at her words. “Kiss me,” she requested, stretching up into him, her hands resting against his waist. 

“As you wish,” he whispered, bringing his hands up to cup her face. He nuzzled his nose against hers, before she stretched up fully and pressed her lips to his. 

Shortly after Agustín proposed to Julieta, Bruno came to them with a worried look and a green plate held in his hands. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he started glancing at them both as he clutched the plate closer to his chest. “It was so vague and there was so much…” hesitantly he held the vision out to Agustín, “do you recognize this place?”. 

Agustín sucked in a breath at this sight of his first home, destroyed. “My parents,” he said, worry clouding his eyes as he looked up at Bruno. 

“I don’t know if anything’s happened to them…I saw a bunch of stuff that didn’t make a lot of sense. But…” he trailed off again, twisting his fingers nervously. 

“Bruno,” Julieta prompted, her hand gripped tight to Agustín’s thigh. 

“If Agustín goes, somehow Pepa returns…” he said, warily eyeing them both. “I’m not sure when, or how, or even if he has anything to do with it,” he continued, gesturing at Agustín before holding his hands up in surrender. Julieta deflated, sinking back against the sofa, as Agustín traced the small house pictured on the green glass. 

“Bruno,” Agustín called as Bruno turned to leave. “Do you think there’s time for Juli and I to get married before I go?” he asked, finally looking up. 

“I –” he started, noting that Julieta was rubbing her middle and forefinger together, “Yes”.  And with that he left them alone. 

After a few minutes of sad but comfortable silence, Julieta stood and pulled Agustín up after her. 

“Come, we must tell Mamá” she said as her voice trembled a bit. 

They married two days later, keeping it from the rest of the village for now, until a proper wedding could be put on when he returned. 

Four days later, Agustín was packed and ready to go. Eager to leave so he could return to his Julieta.  

“I fear I’ll never see you again,” she says, voice warbling slightly with emotion as she hugs him tight. 

“Of course you will,” he responds, lips brushing against the top of her shoulder, as his thumb lightly rubs against her back. 

“But what if something happens to you?” she says, voice full of concern. Agustín pulls back out of her tight grip, holding the back of her arms firmly as he looks into her watery eyes. 

“Hear this now. I will always come for you,” he says with confidence, bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face. She leans into the touch, the feel of his calloused palm against her cheek, warms her deep inside.  

“But how can you be sure?”

“This is true love,” he replies, brushing her hair behind her ear reverently, “do you think this happens every day?”. He smiles at her as his thumb rubs along her cheek, the distressed look on her face slowly collapses into a painful smile of acceptance. 

Julieta brings her lips to his, giving each other a few short desperate kisses, before she wraps her arms around him again, burying her face in his shoulder. They hold each other for a moment longer, before Agustín pulls away, letting his hands fall down to rest on her waist as he bends and picks up his bag. Both of Julieta’s hands fall to lightly clutch at his forearm as his hand withdraws. Standing, he takes a step away from her, then another, letting his arm stretch out as her hands slide down to his hand, and then finally, off. Slinging the strap across his shoulders, he looks at her one last time. Eyes full of promise and love. As she stands there watching him, her gut twisting further with each step he takes away from her. 

Agustín did not reach his destination. He was attacked by the Dread Salteador Roberto. When Bruno approached Julieta with another vision, and a horrified look on his face, she felt ice shoot through her veins. She felt it solidify as it was revealed that Agustín had been murdered. Julieta went back into her room and shut the door. For days she neither slept nor ate, before resolutely, emotionlessly, deciding she will never love again. Unknowingly mirroring her own Mamá’s moment of resolution two decades prior. 

Two years later, in the city of Tumaco, the main square was filled like never before, to hear the announcement of Apumayta’s bride to be. “I must thank my dearest council for setting up such a brilliant match,” he projects to the crowd below. “I never imagined that a small trip west would have ever led me to this moment”. 

From inside the stone walls, Julieta heard the fanfare, the cheerful energy of the town almost had Julieta feeling something. Almost. She only agreed to this marriage because he wouldn’t stop breathing down her Mamá’s neck. Though there was nothing outwardly wrong with him, she did not trust him, and wanted him to leave their Encanto as quickly as possible. Accepting his proposal did just that, and he brought her far across the country to his home. 

Julieta’s emptiness consumed her. Despite Apumayta‘s reassurance that she would grow to love him, the only joy she found was in her daily strolls around the outskirts of Tumaco, collecting wildflowers and herbs. 

As she wandered, she was brought up short at the sight of two men standing on her little trail through the woods. 

“A word my lady,” said the shorter man. As the slightly taller, and larger man stood silently to the side, with a look she couldn’t quite place. “We are but, poor, lost, circus performers, is there a village nearby?” the smaller man implored. A small tingle of misgiving traveled up her spine as she took in his words. 

She looks at the two men with a hint of suspicion. “No… there is nothing nearby. Not for miles”. 
“Then there will be no one to hear you scream,” says the small man, matter of factly, as the larger man approaches her, reaching up he squeezes a point on her neck just right, knocking her unconscious with a small noise of alarm escaping her. 

Carlos rips off a large chunk of embroidered edge from Juleita’s skirt, tucking it into her basket, leaving it on the trail, as Felix carries Julieta to the cart, laying her down gently. Settling her amongst their bags of clothing and linen to keep her comfortable, before covering her entirely with a blanket. He turns around to watch Carlos after he is satisfied with her comfort. 

“What is it you are doing?” 

“Leaving a piece of her behind….” Carlos trails off, looking up at Felix with a smug grin. “When suspicions arise and they go looking, finding this basket and the tracks from our wagon. To follow them, only to find her dead body on the shore…”.

“You never said anything about killing anyone,” Felix said with gentle reproach. 

“I’ve hired you to help me bring the downfall of Apumayta,” Carlos says, a tone of exasperation coating the words he assumes were self-evident. “It’s a prestigious line of work”.

“I just don't think it’s right,” Felix says, shaking his head, “killing an innocent girl”.

“Am I going mad, or did the word THINK escape your lips,” Carlos said, tone heated with annoyance as he crowded into Felix. “You were NOT hired for your brains”. 

“I agree with Felix,” Pepa said, hopping out of a nearby tree. 

“Oh!” Carlos exclaims, throwing his hands up in exasperation as he walks over to Pepa, “the Fractious has spoken! What happens to her is not truly your concern. I will kill her!” he continues, getting up in her face as she leans back away from his foul breath. “Remember this! Never forget this! When I found you, you were so overcome with rage that you couldn’t see straight!” He finishes before turning back towards Felix. “And you!”  he shouts, slowly stalking towards him, “Friendless. Brainless. Helpless. Hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed, in Taganga,” he drawls, tauntingly in his face, turning irritably and marching forwards. 

Pepa sidles up to Felix, resting her hand on his forearm gently as she looks down at him, giving him a warm smile. 

“Ay!” Carlos groans, “you are supposed to be making your way up the cliff face already!” He shouts pointing a meaty finger at her. 

“Yes, yes,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t making the trek for no reason,” she continued with a pointed look at the limp form of Julieta under the blanket. 
“Go!” Carlos shouts as his face turns red. 

“I’m gone!” Pepa shoots back, sauntering away back into the brush, shooting a look back at Felix as she goes. 

Chapter Text

The sky darkens quickly after that as night fell over the valley. Julieta had woken about an hour prior, stoically sitting in the bed of the wagon, watching the greenery pass. Carlos guided the horse attached to the wagon as Felix trailed behind, glancing over his shoulder every few minutes. 

“Why are you doing that?” Carlos called back, as Felix once again glanced behind them. 

“Making sure no one is following us,” he said like it was obvious. 

“That would be inconceivable,” he states with a pompous air. 

“Despite what you think, you will be caught. And when you are, my Apumayta will see you to your deaths,” she said with surety. 

“Of all the lives on this trip, little witch, the life you should be worrying about is yours”. Glancing back at Felix once more, only to see him looking backwards again. “Stop doing that!”. 

“Are you sure no one is following us?” Felix asks, in a way that sounds mostly rhetorical. 

“As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, inconceivable! No one knows what we’ve done….but out of curiosity, why do you ask?”. 

“Oh, no reason,” Felix says nonchalantly, “it’s just that suddenly I look behind us, and there’s someone there,” he finishes dismissively. 

“What,” Carlos mutters in astonishment. Quickly coming around the wagon to stand beside Felix. Julieta does not move, only darting her eyes around now that they’ve stopped moving. “Probably some local hunters, out for a hunt….at night…in jaguar infest woods…” he says like he’s trying to convince himself more than anyone else. 

Making up her mind quickly, Julieta hurls herself off the wagon and into the bush. Rolling through the sharp twigs and rocks as she tries to escape. 

The loud rustling of bushes and thump of a body sound, as the men turn back to see the tail end of Julieta’s skirts slip into the shrubbery. Coming to a stop she quickly gets to her feet and starts to carefully run through the dimly lit woods. 
“Get after her!” Carlos shouts at Felix, who just looks back at him with disbelief. 

“I’m not going in there,” he says eyes wide, “listen,” he holds up a finger, no noises are being made by the wildlife. Predators are near. 

“Argh!” Carlos yells, unhitching the horse before hopping on its back, pushing his way through the underbrush. 

The adrenaline coursing through Julieta’s body fine tunes her senses, bringing her to an abrupt halt as she registered how quiet it was, sans the noises of Carlos hastily making his way to her. With a low groan of desperation she freezes, not knowing what else to do, as he comes up behind her. 

“You have a choice to make,” he says gleefully, “come with me or leave yourself for the jaguars, it always grows more quiet when they’re about to feed. If you come with me now, I promise, no harm will come to you. I doubt you’ll get such an offer from the jaguars,” he teases. 

With one last panicked look around the darkness, at the glowing eyes she can see starting to surround her. A low growling fills the air as the eyes come closer and closer, her heart in her throat. Suddenly a strong arm pulls her back, tossing her on the back of the horse. 

“Go!” Felix shouts, trotting after the horse as they hurry away. Making it to the wagon, slightly more lit out of the denseness of the brush, Julieta felt a sense of relief. Even as she was dumped unceremoniously back into the bed of the wagon and tied up. 

“Look, he’s getting closer,” Felix said with just a hint of concern. 

“Get in the wagon!” Carlos demands, hitching the horse back up before hopping on its back. He set the pace to a trot, putting more distance between them and the man in black. Getting closer to the Cliffs of Insanity. 

Dawn broke across the sky as the cliff face came to a front. 

“He’s too late! See!” Carlos cried with delight, pointing at the flat vertical rocky side of the mountain. “The Cliffs of Insanity! We’re safe. Only Felix is strong enough to go up our way, he’ll have to ride around for hours to find another way up”. 

Julieta looks at the cliff face with concern, the ball of dread in her stomach growing larger with each passing minute. They tie her to Felix’s back and Carlos takes the front, placing himself face to face with the kind man, to berate him further. 

Julieta clings to his shoulders as he starts to climb, shutting her eyes tight as she hides her face. It stays silent for a while, just the sounds of Felix’s stained breathing, the wildlife, and the crumbling of broken rocks. 

“He’s climbing the rope,” Carlos said with astonishment. “And he’s gaining on us! Faster!”. 

“I thought this was faster,” Felix grunts out. 

“You were supposed to be this legendary strong man! And yet, he gains!”.

“I’m carrying two people, he’s only got himself,” he grunts again, rolling his eyes lightly at what he assumed was obvious.

“I do not accept excuses!” Carlos yelled right in his face. Spit flying everywhere.  Julieta squeaks as Felix somehow increases his pace just a little bit. 

After what feels like hours, they finally reach the top. Carlos grabs her and tosses her facedown on the ground. The soft landing of light feet sounds as Pepa jumps down from where she was waiting. She shoots a brief glance at the bound woman on the ground, confusion growing as she seems familiar. Turning, she joins the men at the cliff's edge, watching the man in black climb up. 

Julieta rolls onto her back, sitting up to watch her now, three captors watch the man climb. 

“Cut the rope,” Carlos orders, stepping back as he unsheathed a dagger, handing it to the woman. She knelt down in the dry dirt, and began sawing away and the thick braid of the rope. Bit by bit splintered off. 

Chapter Text

As the rope falls, Carlos claps once with satisfaction, before his mouth falls open in astonishment as he sees the man in black holding onto a ledge. 

“He’s got very good arms,” Felix remarks. 

“He didn’t fall!?! Inconceivable!” 

Pepa looks over at him from her corner of her eye, “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.” She pauses looking back at the man hanging below. “He’s climbing!” She exclaims. 

Julieta feels her blood run cold. She knew that voice. She grew up with that voice. She spent countless nights watching for the owner of that voice. Frozen in disbelief that her triplet’s quest of revenge has brought her here, with this strange angry little man. 

“Whoever he is, he’s seen us with the witch and must therefore die. You,” he points at Felix, “carry her,” he points to Julieta. “We’ll head straight for the border. Catch up when he’s dead. If he falls, fine. If not, the sword”. Carlos finishes, sweeping away, gesturing Felix to follow, Julieta slung across his shoulders and he moves. She tilts her head back to look at Pepa. Hoping Pepa looks back and actually looks at her. But hope fades as they leave the ruins, disappearing out of sight. 

Pepa looks down again, impatiently. With a huff she crosses her arms across her chest before shouting down to him. 

“Slow going?” 

The man in black pauses, taking a deep breath before looking up at her. 

“Look,  don’t mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t distract me”. 

“Ay, lo siento,” she mumbles, throwing her hands up before backing away again. Resuming her pacing.  Walking back over to the edge she shouts down again, “I don’t suppose you could hurry up?” she asks hopefully. 

“If you’re in such a hurry, lower a rope or something,” he huffs out in annoyance. 

“I could do that… but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you.” 

He pauses a moment, looking back up at her he deadpans, “That does put a damper on our relationship”. Pepa sighs. 

“What if I promise not to kill you until you reach the top?” she offers hopefully, earnestly. The man in black stares back at her. Searching her eyes for deceit, coming up surprised at the vague familiarity to them. 

“Promise me.” He states softly, eyes boring into hers. 

“I promise, you will reach the top alive”. 

“Throw me the rope,” the man says decisively after a moment's hesitation. Fingers aching as he holds on while she disappears. The rope is tossed down, hitting him smack in the face before falling to the side. He glares up at her, her eyes wide and apologetic. 

He quickly scales the remaining cliff face, rolling to the top, he lays there catching his breath. Pepa hovers over him, observing. 

“I’ll give you a minute,” she says. 

“Thank you,” he mutters sincerely. A few beats of silence pass as the man in black catches his breath. 

“I don’t suppose you have six fingers on your right hand?” 

Shooting her a look, he raises both hands, lightly wiggling his aching fingers. Seeing the curious look in the man's eyes, Pepa continued. 

“When I was five, a group of men chased us from our home, cut my Papá’s head off right in front of me….” she trails off, looking into the distance wistfully. “Enraged, we ran up to him to…I don’t know what we thought we were going to do, but he just laughed, he left me alive, but gave us this,” she said, stroking the light raised flesh on the side of her face. “After that, we fled, made ourselves a new home, and I dedicated my life to the study of fencing, so that when I find him, I will not fail,” she finishes with a shrug. 

“You’ve done nothing but study swordplay?” 

“More or less,” she shrugs, “I needed a way to fight that would work away from my home…” she trailed off before shaking her head. “It’s more of a pursuit than study as of late. I can’t find him. It’s been seven years, and I am starting to lose confidence. I just work for Carlos to pay the bills,” she finishes, looking back down to the ground.  

“Well,” he says, pushing himself to his feet, “I certainly hope you find him someday,” he said as he turned around to face Pepa. 

“You’re ready?” she asked with less enthusiasm than before. 

“I don’t think that matters, you’ve been more than fair,” he said, pulling his sword out. 

“You seem a decent person, I hate to kill you,” she said, unsheathing her own sword and readying it. 

“You seem a decent person. I hate to die”. 

With a gentle smile and thrill in her eyes, Pepa slowly nods her head in acknowledgement, before she says, “Begin”. 

Their swords whip out and clack together before they both step back, slowly circling, watching every little movement the other makes. Pepa went in for a stab, but the Man in Black titled away and swiped his sword where her face would have been had she not moved. 

They pause a moment, both calm as they continue to size each other up. With a smile Pepa advances on the Man in Black, their swords clashing together quickly as they parry each attack. Back and forth they shuffle, in a dance of swords, neither gaining the upper hand. They both smile as they find their skills matched, worthy opponents. 

Pepa continued to advance, backing the Man in Black up a crumbled rocky wall of the ruins. The Man in Black hops down  at the end of the wall, backwards without looking, landing softly on his feet. Pepa runs forward, with a leap of the end she flips over him. He turns to face her just as she lands, advancing on her now and their swords once again rapidly clash together. 

“You are wonderful,” she says with a hint of awe in her words. 

“Thank you,” he says, continuing to advance on her, “I worked hard to become so”. He was pushing her farther back and around, closer to the edge of the cliff they had all scaled not very long ago. 

“I admit it, you are better than I am,” she said with a wide grin. 

“Then why are you smiling?” 

“Because I know something you don’t know,” she said mischievously, as she approached the edge of the ruins. 

“And what is that?” he asked, not slowing any of his strikes. 

“I am not right- handed,” she said with glee, right before her feet met the edge of the cliff. She tossed the sword to her left hand, aggressively advancing on the Man in Black. Pushing him back up a staircase to a small landing that sat flush with the cliffs edge. 

“You are amazing,” he said as he got pushed further and further back. 

“I know,” she replied with a twinkle in her eye, with one final clash she had him pinned against the crumbling stone wall, pushing him into it with her arm. Rocks tumbled off, making him slip, leaning further back. 

“There–there is something I ought to tell you,” he grunted out, trying to push back against her as he felt himself being bent more. 

“Tell me,” she said pausing for a moment. 

“I am not right-handed either,” he said smugly. Pushing back up, she jumped backwards as he switched his sword to his left hand, slicing it through the air before jabbing at her. Their sword fight resumed with an intensity it was lacking before, both more determined. 

With a quickly swirly and flick of his wrist, he send Pepas sword flying from  her hand. She looked at him shocked. Jumping backwards a bit from his sword, before she flipped over a wall to go after her sword. The Man in Black waited until she was armed again, before throwing his own sword to land perfectly in the ground, before he too flipped over the same wall. Picking up his sword he stood tall, amused before her. 
“Who are you?” she asked, as she looked at him with curious wonder, sword at the ready. 

“No one of consequence,” he replied with a smirk, bringing his own sword up. 

“I must know,” she said with fascination coating her words. 

“Get used to disappointment,” he quipped out quickly. 

With a small shrug of her right shoulder, she blinked in acceptance, “Okay”. 

She immediately starts for him again. They dance around the ruins, the clashing grew feverish with its intensity. Getting lost in her desire to win, she forgot her technique, grabbing her sword with both hands she twirled it around and around his. 

He flicked his sword at one of her dangling pieces of hair, not enough to cut it, but just enough to move it across her face before he knocked her sword out of her hand again. Shocked, she stared at him both of them panting harshly. 

“Kill me quickly,” she said with slight desperation as she fell to her knees. He circled around her with his sword pointed at her face. 

“I would just as soon destroy a stained-glass window as an artist like yourself. However, as I can’t have you following me either…” he said before whacking her on the head with the hilt of his sword. With a grunt of pain Pepa’s eyes rolled back in her head before she fell to the ground. “Please understand I hold you in the highest respect,” he finished shaking his head mournfully as he dusted off  his sword. 

Running over to where the sheath lay, he scooped it up quickly before moving out of the ruins. 

Chapter Text

The Man in Black rounded through the ruins, running across the low hills as he followed the path of Carlos. As he ran his mind finally caught up with the alarms that had been ringing in his head. The woman’s familiar eyes,  the change in her story about her papá–from “me” to “us”, the scar on her cheek….her quest for revenge. 

“WHAT!?” Carlos gasped, from the top of the hill, watching as the Man in Black moved towards them. “Give her to me. Catch up with us quickly,” he spat as he hustled away with Julieta, who was now blindfolded. 

“What do I do?” 

“Finish him! Your way!!” he shouted back as he paused, looking at Felix with impatience.

“Oh good. My way…” Felix said with a shake of his head. “Which way is my way?” he asked. 

“Pick up one of those rocks,” Carlos said aggressively, “get behind the boulder. In a few minutes, the Man in Black will come running through. The minute his head is in view, HIT IT WITH THE ROCK!” he shouted. 

“My way isn’t very sportsmanlike,” Felix said with a raised brow and crossed arms. 

“Ay!” Carlos huffed, throwing his arms in the air before finally hurrying away with Julieta. 

Lost in thought he didn’t notice the man standing just off side as he came through between some boulders–he didn’t notice that is until a rock came flying in front of his head smashing into dust against the boulder just behind him. Whipping his head around to look at the man who threw the rock.

“I did that on purpose,” Felix said, gesturing to the small pieces of rock and dust on the ground at the Man in Black’s feet. “I didn’t have to miss”. 

“I believe you,” he replied with hesitation in his voice. “So what happens now?” 

“We face each other, as god intended…sportsmanlike.” Felix shrugged. “No tricks, no weapons, skill against skill alone”. 

Eyeing him he relaxes his stance somewhat, “You mean, you will put down that rock, and I’ll drop my sword. And we’ll try to kill each other like civilized people?” 

“I could kill  you now,” Felix offered, waving the large rock in his hand. The Man in Black pursed his lips. 

“Frankly, I think the odds are in your favour,” he said, eyeing the muscles that made up Felix. Felix just shrugged in response, waiting to see what he would choose to do. 

Slowly, the Man in Black places his sword down, Felix drops his rock to the ground, just in time for him to run full force at him. The Man in Black hits him like a brick wall. Grunting and pulling against him to no effect. 

“Are you just playing around with me or what?” the Man in Black asked, as he stepped back. 

“I just want you to feel like you’re doing well. I would hate for you to die embarrassed,” he said genuinely before coming up and reaching out for the Man in Black, who ducked out of the way. “You’re quick,” he commented cheerfully. 

“Good thing too,” he replied, skirting around Felix’s imposing frame. 

“Why are you wearing a mask?” he said, slowly walking him backwards. “Were you burned with acid or something like that?” he finished with a slow swing of his fist. 

“Oh no,” the Man in Black ducked another swinging punch from Felix, “it’s just I think they’re terribly comfortable,” duck, “I think everyone will be wearing them in the future,” he ducked once more before skirting away from the boulder Felix tried to back him into, around to hop on his back. 

Felix slapped his arms behind himself ineffectually, as the Man in Black pressed his forearm against his throat. Slowly walking backwards towards the boulder again. 

“You’re giving me a lot of trouble,” Felix grunted out. 

“Oh why’s that,” he started before Felix rammed him back into the boulder, with a pained noise he continued, “do you think?”

“I’m used to fighting multiple people. It’s been a long time since I fought just one person,” Felix responded, grabbing at the arms around his neck. 

“Why would that make much,” he paused briefly as Felix slammed him into the boulder again, “difference,” he finished with a strained voice. 

“You use different moves,” Felix explained, still trying to wiggle out of the Man in Black’s grip, “when fighting…more than one…. Person,” he finished before dropping to the ground unconscious. 

Crawling off Felix’s unconscious form, the Man in Black rolled him onto his back. 

“I don’t not envy you the headache you’ll have when you wake. But in the meantime, rest well, and dream of beautiful women,” he told his unconscious form before jumping to his feet, grabbing his sword and hurrying off after Carlos and Julieta.  

As the Man in Black had been fighting Felix; Ampmaya, his closest advisor Eugeino, and a group of guards had made it to the ruins. 
Stepping carefully in a few footprints before speeding up, Ampmayta followed the dance Pepa and the  Man in Black had done. 

“There was,” he started, quickly following the prints as he twirled across the ruins, “a mighty duel,” he said, scanning around before he moved up the same half wall the Man in Black had jumped off of backwards not too long ago. “It ranged all over! They’re both masters…” he finished stopping at the ledge. 

“Who won? How did it end” asked Eugenio, still seated on horseback along with the guards. 

“The loser,” he said as he hopped off the edge, “ran off alone,” he continued looking at the prints in the ground curiously once more. “But the winner followed those prints there,” he finished pointing in the direction the Man in Black had gone. 

“Should we track them both?” Eugenio asked as if knowing the answer. 

“The loser is nothing,” he said, turning towards Eugenio fully, “only the Julieta matters,” he said quietly before walking around to face the entire group. “This was clearly planned by enemies of the State. We must all be ready, for whatever lies ahead,” he projected with authority before walking back over to his horse. 

“Could this be a trap?” Eugenio asked as Apumayta swung a leg over his saddle. 

“I always think everything could be a trap,” he said confidently, “which is why I’m still alive”. 

Chapter Text

The Man in Black hurried along the grassy hills with his sword drawn as the sun still shone strong in the sky. As he cleared the top of the next hill he slowed his approach at the sight of Carlos seated at a rock that he was using as a table. The ‘table’ had a cloth over it, some apples, cheese, bread, and wine. Behind him were the rolling greens of more hills, interrupted by grey rocky outcroppings. Beside him, blindfolded sat Julieta. Carlos had a thin dagger pressed against her throat as he watched the Man in Black approach cautiously. 

“So…it is down to you, and it is down to me,” he said, gesturing at each of them respectively. The Man in Black stepped forward a few times, before stopping as Carlos said: “If you wish her dead, by all means, keep moving forward”. 

“Let me explain,” he said, a cocky grin on his face as he held his arms out and started calmly walking forwards again. 

“There’s nothing to explain. You’re trying to kidnap what I’ve rightfully stolen,” Carlos said, gesturing at him then to Julieta, who sat stock still and tense against the blade at her throat. 
“Perhaps, an arrangement can be reached?” he said, stepping even closer. “As you cannot steal a woman”. 

“There will be no arrangement,” Carlos said, gripping Julieta’s forearm tightly, “and you’re killing her,” he finished, pressing the tip of the blade even harder against her skin, pointedly eyeing the steps the Man in Black was taking towards them. 

He stopped as soon as Julieta inhaled sharply at the press of the blade growing firmer, the smirk falling from his face and his hands dropped to his side. 

“Well, if there can be no arrangement, then we are at an impasse,” he said. 

“I’m afraid so,” Carlos replied. Julieta breathed shallowly as she listened. “I can’t compete with you physically, and you’re no match for my brains”.

“You’re that smart,” he stated, with his arms crossed, watching as the knife lost a bit of it’s pressure against her neck. 

“Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato? Aristotle? Socrates?” 

“Yes”

“Morons”. 

“Really,” he said, the smug smile returning to his face, “in that case, I challenge you to a battle of wits”. 

“For the witch?” The Man in Black tilted his head down in affirmation. “To the death?” Carlos asked with intrigue in his eyes. The Man in Black tilted his head again. “I accept,” he said cheerfully, pulling the dagger away from Julieta’s throat, sheathing it at his waist. 

“Good. Pour the wine,” he said as he took the final few steps to reach the ‘table’. Carlos poured the wine into two metal goblets as the Man in Black seated himself. Julieta’s bound hands relaxed a bit in her lap as the tension eased off of her and onto the two men. Carlos sat back, watching the Man in Black as he pulled a small vial from his pocket. Uncapping it he gave a small sniff before holding it out to Carlos. 

“Inhale this, but do not touch,” he warned, passing the tiny wooden vial over. 

With a strong sniff, Carlos passed it back, saying, “I smell nothing”. 

“What you do not smell is called iocane powder,” he said, taking the vial back into his gloved hand. “It is odourless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in liquid. And is among the more deadly poisons known to man,” he said, both men smiling, Carlos to hide his fear, the Man in Black with confidence. 

“Hm,” Carlos said, intrigued. He watched as the Man in Black shot a glance over at Julieta as he grabbed both goblets of wine. 

Turning his body to shield the goblets from Carlos’s view, he dumped the poison in as Carlos looked on. Turning back around with a bit of drama, Carlos looked at him unimpressed. The Man in Black waved the two goblets back and forth before placing them delicately on the ‘table’, as Carlos gave a laugh of disbelief. 

“Alright,” the Man in Black declared, “where is the poison,” he said spreading his arms, “the battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide, and we both drink,” he continued, pointing at Carlos, “and find out who is right. And who is dead”. Both men kept smiles on their faces. 

“But it’s so simple!” Carlos said, “all I have to do is divine from what I know of you,” he gestures at him with the hand that once held the dagger to Julieta’s throat. “Are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet or his enemy’s?” The Man in Black said nothing, just watching Carlos speak with mild amusement on his face. “Now a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must’ve known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me,” he finished, resting his arm on his leg. 

“You’ve made your decision then?” 

“Not remotely!” he started again, leaning in closer again, “Because Iocane comes from Australia as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them as you are not trusted by me. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you”.

“Truly you have a dizzying intellect,” he said, hand resting thoughtfully on his chin. 

“Wait till I get going!” Carlos said with exuberance. “Where was I?”

“Australia”. 

“Yes! Australia! And you must have suspected I would have known the powder’s origin, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me,” he finished more calmly. 

“You’re just stalling now,” the Man in Black said softly. 

“YOU’D LIKE TO THINK THAT! Wouldn't you?” he started again getting very animated as he spoke. “You’ve beaten my fighter, which means you’re exceptionally strong, so you could’ve put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you”. The Man in Black sat there watching Carlos speak his thoughts, his composure not slipping once. “You’ve bested my fencer, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me”.

“You’re trying to trick me into giving away something. It won’t work,” he replied, his smug grin growing just a bit larger. 

“It has worked! You’ve given everything away! I know where the poison is!” Carlos said with more vehemence than anything else yet. 

“Then make your choice,” he spoke the words quickly but calmly. 

“I will! And I choose –” he trailed off pointing behind the Man in Black, “what in the world could that be!?” 

“What? Where?” the Man in Black said, humouring Carlos by turning to look where he was pointing. As his back was turned, Carlos reached forward and swapped the goblets. “I don’t see anything,” he finished as he turned back around. 

“Oh, uh,” Carlos spluttered for a moment, “I could’ve sworn I saw something. I-I, no matter,” he said holding up his hand apologetically, chuckling a bit as he did. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“I’ll tell you in a minute. First we drink! Me from my glass,” he said, picking up the goblet infront of him, “and you, from yours,” he gestured with said goblet at the one remaining. 

The Man in  Black slowly reached forward as Carlos gave him a taunting look. Giving a gentle cheers in the air, they both brought the goblets to their lips. Each taking deep drinks of the wine. Putting the goblets back on the ‘table’, Carlos started chuckling again. 

“You guessed wrong,” the Man in Black said, as he watched Carlos’s face fill with glee. 

“You only think I guessed wrong! That’s what’s so funny! I switched glasses when your back was turned!” He started to laugh in earnest, “You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!”  he finished as his laughter took over,  shaking his small frame. The Man in Black watched impassively as Carlos laughed to himself at his win in the battle of wits. 

The Man in Blacks eyes followed as Carlos’s laughter abruptly stopped before he fell to the ground. 
Getting up quickly after Carlos died, he hurried over to Julieta, gently removing her blindfold. 

“Who are you?” she asked, distrust clear in her words, as she blinked a few times as she adjusted to the bright sunlight.

“I am no one to be trifled with,” he answered as he unbound her hands. “That’s all you need to know”. 

Julieta looked over at Carlos’s body as the Man in Black continued working her bonds. “And to think, it was your cup that was poisoned all along,” she said looking back at him. 

“They were both poisoned,” he said, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet. “I spent the last few years building up an immunity to iocane powder,” he finished before dropping one hand and pulling her quickly away from the scene.

“Someone has beaten a strongman,” Apumayta said from his crouched position between the boulders. “There will be great suffering in Tumaco if she dies,” he stated as he hopped back on his horse. The group of them continued onwards down and over the hills, following  quickly to the next point of action.