The Prussian soldiers watched Carlos carefully.Though his solitary approach seemed to relax them slightly, their posture remained alert, eyes scanning for any hidden threat.
When he reached the edge of the village, Carlos spoke calmly.
"I am Carlos Gómez, patriarch of the Gómez family. I was told someone here wished to speak with me."
The translator blinked in surprise. He had not expected the man to come in person.He knew the reputation of this family—the strange middle force in the civil struggle consuming New Granada. Carlos had not betrayed the Crown by declaring independence, yet neither had he offered Spain full loyalty. That ambiguity had given hope to many families unwilling to choose between monarchy and theocracy, though others merely used the uncertainty to enrich themselves without disturbing the fragile balance.
