*Luna's POV*

If there is one thing I thank my father with all my heart, it is that he taught me to be useful. Thanks to him I know something about fencing and riding a horse. I never thought I would get to use one that wasn't from our family, but there's always a first time for everything, how hard could it be to ride a horse that is not familiar to you? On second thought the idea seemed complicated.

The horse was tied to a post and was called "Preciosa" if I am not mistaken, so I suspected that she was a mare, it seems that they had prepared the saddle for her to ride. If you walked and pulled a little on her leash, she would follow you meekly, she was well tamed.

I got on the horse and we started galloping in circles, I looked like an expert, at least "Preciosa" was one. I could tell she had been well trained, and she didn't get scared with me, I thought of Beatriz. You must have a lot of patience to get a horse this docile, and she practically let me have it. For a moment I felt sad for interrupting her life, then annoyed, who does she think she is to take away the only memory I have with my mother, who does she think she is? If she knew her, why didn't she ever tell me? Enough is enough, it's time to stop thinking.

* End of Luna's POV*

Luna sat comfortably and squeezed her legs together, they had to pick up the pace.

The cold air that she felt as she went along reached the deepest part of her being. The weather in the mountains when there was no sun made you shiver, but the sun meant that you could not see the road well, fortunately I had a hat. The road was a series of chasms until you reached the town at the foot of the mountain. Happily it seemed that the mare knew the place. As she advanced Luna didn't catch a glimpse of Jeremiah or Hippolytus. She only saw the remains of a campfire as she entered the forest. Could it be them? Actually, it could be anyone.

Royalists or not, nothing was safe for a woman in colonial times, at least she was armed. Woman, woman, in reality no one was safe but for some reason men were respected more, because it was always like that. But not everybody, they discriminate you because of your skin color, your ancestors or your gender as if that was something you choose. You are simply born with all those characteristics, is it a sin to be different?

For a moment Luna thought of abandoning everything, perhaps Beatriz was right, why meddle in something that would not benefit her, but convent life was not for her. And these were not the times to think about marriage.

The forest was dreary and felt much more desolate than the previous time he was with Hippolytus, it was so lonely. You could hear the rustling of dry leaves as she moved forward, even the whistling of the wind. And the sound of the "horses", possibly a royalist squadron. All the patriots were closer to the sea and were in the middle of the mountains. Although they said that they were already expanding throughout the territory. The best thing to do was to hide, but if it was them? Not that I had many alternatives. I didn't even know which way to go.

She decided to approach the cavalry, as it was nighttime the colors of their flag or uniform could not be distinguished, there was not even a full moon, maybe that would have helped a little. In the distance a campfire could be seen, it looked like it was a camp, at least there would be light and food . There was not much to lose.

She approached the camp and spotted a woman? At least it looked that way and she decided to talk to her. It looked like a patriot camp, that was good. After all meeting Jeremiah and Hippolytus was not such a good idea.

"Good night." - Luna said

"Good night? What's a young woman doing up at this time of night?"

"It's a long story."

"If you want any kind of help, you'll have to tell me."

"And she told him the official story, that she was looking for Hippolytus and about her "sister", omitting the fact that she was apparently a real witch and the search for her quartz."

"Hippolytus? That name rings a bell, you say he's a patriot like us, but is he a royalist infiltrator? Well that's more or less credible, we need information from wherever we can. Believe it or not our biggest informants are the religious."

"I thought they would all be in favor of the monarchy."

"For the monarchy but against chaos. The last time there was a revolution they were beheading people. What they want is for another monarchy to be installed but an American one, so there won't be so many uprisings. It's very foolish to give all our profits to a small kingdom across the sea, don't you think?"

"And you are the cook here?"

"Something like that, I accompany the soldiers. This is a large regiment, and they are accompanied by their wives or mistresses."

"Lovers?"

"Did you think that men would be faithful to their wives who stay at home taking care of their children? No. Besides, for some it is their way of subsisting without being obliged to be locked up in a castle or convent. Others are simply women of scandalous life who charge for the favor."

"It doesn't sound so bad."

"It is not as long as you are not captured, then you end up in jail in the best case, or you become a slave of the other battalion. Some prefer to die at the stake accused of being witches. They are barbarians!"

"Witches? - Luna's eyes turned red and she began to tremble, her anguish was palpable."

"The witches' thing ended a long time ago" - the girl looked back at her and touched hershoulder to calm her down - "my grandmothers told it as a legend. But of course! The king leaves and everything collapses. Now they want to blame us for everything. Wasn't this the period of the Enlightenment? It seems that they want to go back to medieval times. Honestly, I would prefer a thousand times that an emperor from France arrives to make many believers understand that everything that happens has an explanation, economic, social or scientific." - Luna listened, actually that lady or girl talked a lot, but what she said made sense. That was creepy, it is strange that they put ideas in your childhood and then you realize that not everything was as they told you.

"So you're a mistress? What's your name? I'm Diana."

"Diana? I'm Maria, Maria Mercedes de la Santísima Trinidad. And I'm a cook. My husband is part of the battalion. They offered me the job in exchange for 20 coins a month. I didn't think it was so bad."

"How interesting - she definitely likes to tell her life story - And what should I call you?"

"Trinidad, there are too many Marias."

"If you want you can stay there are several women and you will go unnoticed, if the one you are looking for is from the revolution you will find him sooner or later. Otherwise, you can send a message."

"Aren't you afraid of being surrounded by so many men?"

"They respect me, the captains order something and their soldiers must listen to them, I only do housework and I have a knife to slit the throats of pigs in case someone is too smart" - she looked at the sky.

"What about the other women? Why do they want to be part of the revolution? Will they gain anything?"

"Because it is the first time that someone considers the importance of us as members of society, and not as an extra. In the future there will be free education for all, that is part of what they have offered us. Now they are trying it in the United States of America. I hope it will be the same here. So tell me, what do you know?"

"I know how to use a sword?"

"Do you know that we are surrounded by soldiers?"

"Well, I know how to make desserts." And she hated it, but she learned something at the convent.

"All right, that's quite a gift. Who taught you?"

"The nuns of Santa Pura."

"Nun's recipes?...interesting. You must be part of a rich family," she looked at her up and down, she didn't look like she had much money right now, her dress was dirty and disheveled, but she had her own horse, "What are you doing here?"

"I got tired of convent life," Luna, a.k.a Diana, answered.

"Diana, if that's your name. I'll let you stay here, don't go far from the kitchen and you'll avoid possible trouble."

"Why?"

"Because you look like someone Jeremiah is looking for, with the same characteristics, with the same name. You appear as a loss, and a reward is offered - "Diana" paled.

"We have a lot to talk about Diana. Ask for some blankets and sleep where you feel like it."