”Blackbirds tend to like shiny objects” ~ The Bloody Raven
Scrapping the bottom of my Mexican Silver Stack and hoping to get more soon is our most recent version of the Libertad coin or more precisely…Round, though LEGAL TENDER, it doesn’t indicate a Fiat amount anywhere and why the Mexican government doesn’t set fixed value is that the Bank of Mexico rather announces a floating value based on the daily spot value of silver.
The design is simply beautiful and even after a cursory study of the early years of the Mexican revolution for Independence I could grasp how important symbolism portrayed by the ‘Angel of Independence’.
ON TO THE LIBERTAD ONZA
2017 Mexican 1 Onza Libertad
1The prominent Image element is the Goddess Victoria set between Mexico’s major geographical landmarks of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes and the thriving valley landscape.
If you have yet the first two parts of Sister Teresa D'Mordecai; here are the links Part One and Part Two
Sister Teresa D'Mordecai Part 3: Duel
"Buenos Dias Mother Evangelista, I am on my usual patrols so do you have any more rebels for us?"
"Captain Oréaga, we sisters of St Angeléasta's offer sanctuary and wound care to anyone regardless of uniform. Your intrusion violates the sanctity and protection of the church."
The Captain's indifferent expression changed into anger, "My orders allow me to take anyone I suspect as a traitor hiding behind these walls, even you when I find evidence!"
Since the defeat of Hidalgo’s forces the Royalists have constantly sought out any rebels real or imagined. No due process and only a collective judgment. It wasn't long ago that the Royalists forced their way into the Convent and rounded up all the wounded Revolutionaries and executed them all in a most horrific manner. His eye’s pointed to the blood-stained western wall where the helpless Revolutionaries were lined up, the holes and faint blood stains still remain. His cruel eyes turned to the huddled nuns.
"I feel that you still collude with the rebels." Turning to his Sargent, "Sargent, pick a girl!"
A big soldier steps forward from his rank with an evil grin, "Si, my Capitan!"
"No, not again, I beg you!", Mother Eva cried.
The Sargent punches aside brother Francisco adding to his misery then wades through the Sisters stopping at Sister Ana. He yanks off her head piece with a laugh, "You're the young one, lucky you. "
"Let go of me!", Ana shrieked as he grabbed a handful of her hair and his other hand squeezed her breast.
Picking up the young nun by the waist the Sargent turns to one of his squad, "Chico, come with me to the stable and we make her scream heh heh!"
The nuns recoil in horror.
Argénta grimaces and her hands clench.
Teresa felt her hands tightened around the pointer.
"No, not our Ana!" Screamed Sister Clareta. In an act of courage, she tries to separate the Sargent from the young girl only to feel the stock of a rifle smash into the side of her head, her body goes limp and collapses into a heap. The remaining women gasped.
The Captain shakes his head in amusement, "Mmmm...anyone else?"
2017 Mexican 1 Onza Libertad
1Without word Teresa steps over to the Sargent and pokes his Shakos headwear off and slaps the pointer over the officer's bald head.
"Ouch!" He cried dropping Ana to the ground.
"Didn't your mother teach you how to treat a woman, it's detention for you!” Snapped Teresa.
Mother Eva's jaw drops.
By sheer instinct Teresa sidesteps the flying rifle stock and as the solder follows through, her knee lifts and buries it into the front the soldier’s white breeches. The soldier moaned as he fell to his knees in pain. Relieving him of his rifle, she twirled it over his head then jams the bayonet end into the ground. And for the coup de grace she knocked off his Shakos as well, "Detention for you too!" Again, there was the sound of slapping wood.
The furious Sargent lunged at Teresa with his hands towards her throat. She steers his hands aside; her boot sweeps his foot sending the fellow down face first into the dust. And for good measure slaps him with the pointer across the back of his breeches.
"Ouch!" he yelped.
Now enraged the Sargent gets up and drew his sword, "You will regret that!"
Assuming the Guzman’s stance Teresa steps aside his downward slash, stepped forward, turned ducking under his backhand side slash, then slapping his wrist hard forcing him to drop his weapon.
"Oww!" He yelped again as she now slapped him on the back of his other hand then forced him a few steps back with the point of the stick against his belly until he stumbles backwards upon the dust.
Teresa gingerly picks up the Sargent's sword by the pommel, "I will be giving this to your irresponsible parents for allowing you to play with knives!" The sword was a typical forged sabre, low quality and ill balanced as she handled the weapon like an expert before jabbing the point safely into the ground.
Some of the Sargent's fellow soldiers struggled to hold back their laughter others dumbfounded.
The Captain signals his men to stand down. His expression was still of amusement as he dismounted from his horse in the clatter of his armor.
Smiling he walks towards the bold nun, his right hand up in respect and then waves in a little circle. "Interesting, I have never met a nun that could wield a teaching stick with the skill of an accomplished swordsman."
"I teach, Capitan, a wise man once said, 'The pen is mightier than the sword.'”
"I have never seen you before, so you are new here."
"If you must ask, I am here to take the place a Sister that have dearly departed us to be with God."
"If I didn't know any better you have the dueling style of the famed Guzman Arms Academy of Madrid"
"I know many styles, Who will you to try a pick a contest with? A helpless little nun or me? Queried Teresa.
"I like to know who you are?"
"No one of consequence."
"Oh, but I must know." Shaking his head.
Backing a few steps from the Captain, Teresa flexed her pointer then swishes it in an X motion before holding the harmless weapon down at an angle to her right before holding it straight up in front of her face. Her free hand resting on her hip in an open stance, “¡Estoy listo!”
The Captain's expression changed to that of surprise, "So you are familiar with the Academy's dueling tradition!"
"When I defeat and embarrass you, you Capitan will swear upon the name of his highness King Ferdinand that you will never return to bother anyone in this convent and town again."
"Such a bold woman. I don't believe you. There has never been a woman studying at the Academy! Very well I shall test...." The Captain hesitated in drawing his cavalry sword realizing that he just put himself in a no-win situation. She continued to brandish the useless teaching stick rather than his Officer's sword. It was senseless suicide on her part, damned religious people do anything to be a martyr but If he won or even lost it would be an embarrassment to his family's name. To defeat a Nun of the church would eventually bring consequences from the Spanish bishop but his own superiors as well.
She played into his deep sense of pride well. There was no proof she sided with the rebels. His own command would be witnesses to his rash judgment and he could lose everything he had gained including his respect. With a gentleman's smile he slid his sword back into his sheath. There was more to this Nun than meets the eye.
"Very well played like anyone from the school, but I still don't know your name."
Teresa lowered her stick from the Ready to a Neutral posture, "Get used to disappointment my Capitan."
At this moment there was a staccato of gunfire not very far from the town. A Royalist lancer rides into the compound with an urgent message. "Capitan, a rebel army is approaching from the east. We are all ordered to fall back."
"Gracias Lieutenant we go now!" The Captain tips his ornate shakos to Teresa in respect as to Mother Eva, "Buenos Dias Senoritas."
The encroaching gunfire was now punctuated with a loud canon round or two. The Captain quickly assembles his command but before he departs, he sends an admiring glance to Teresa before riding through the gate with his men following.
Teresa silently replies by slipping the stick into her waist tie like a sword and rested her fists on her waist.
Then the nuns gleefully mob their Sister Teresa.
I hope you enjoyed this coin feature, thank you for stopping by my Blog for this quick read.
Previous chapters of Sister Teresa D’Mordecai;
#fiestatuesday: 1933 Silver One Peso – Sister Teresa D’Mordecai, Part One
The #fiestatuesday tag is the brainchild of 
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain 
References
1. My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W
Other References and more information of the 2017 Libertad
Numista 1 Onza 2000 to 2019
“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”
