"Hi Nick." Contessa said walking over.
Nick laughed to himself. She looked so different now that her long cape and crown were gone.
"Hey there! Glad you could make it." Nick said as he stood up.
Contessa was dressed casual in a pair of dark blue jeans and a pink sweater and yet she still carried herself with the same poise as she had earlier.
"So, how did you become Queen? Were you born like that?" Nick asked as she took a seat across from him.
"Whoa Nick, take it easy." She laughed.
Nick blushed a bit and sat quietly as she ordered herself a sprite with lemon.
Contessa turned to Nick spreading her cloth napkin in her lap.
"No Nick, I wasn't born queen. I had to work very hard for the honor and run."
"So, is it like the Miss America pageant?"
Contessa shook her head.
"No, I don't have to parade across stage in a bikini, I have to know the history of my city, what the queen represents, how Santa Fe became a city."
"What does Santa Fe stand for anyway?"
"The City of Holy Faith."
"That's pretty."
She nodded.
"See Nick, being queen isn't about wearing a pretty crown and waving. I have the responsibility of teaching our younger generations about our history and yes; fiesta does mean party. But most importantly Nick, the fiesta is a time of thanksgiving and prayer."
"Can you tell me the story about the city and becoming queen?"
Contessa nodded. She quickly placed her order with the waiter and she sat back taking a sip of her sprite.
"Santa Fe is one of the oldest historical cities. It was established by Don Juan de Oñate at San Gabriel in 1598. The city expanded 30 miles over to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where Santa Fe was founded in 1610. It was in 1680 that the Indians revolted and they drove the Spaniards out of the city and as it burned, they fled to Mexico. The Indians were unhappy about the Spaniards taking over and wanted their land back. But before the city burned, the Spaniards were able to rescue from the burning church the 29-inch wood carved Marian statue, La Conquistadora, originally brought to Santa Fe in 1625 by the missionary, Fray Alonso de Benavides."
Contessa paused sipping on her drink again; letting the first part of the story sink into Nick's mind.
Nick sat, picturing a great city burning down as the Spanish people ran for their lives and carried a statue with them flying for the Indian's that were trying to kill them.
"It all sounds interesting so far." He said.
Contessa smiled and continued the story.
"It was twelve years later that the king of Spain appointed Don Diego De Vargas to go resettle Santa Fe. De Vargas was able to accomplish this difficult and remarkable mission without bloodshed on September 4, 1692. With how angry the Indians had been before, it was a miracle that De Vargas and his troops were able to do this. But in December of the next year, the Indians resisted when De Vargas returned from a trip to recruit more colonists, so he set up an encampment outside the city near the present site of the Rosario Chapel. The anxious colonist placed La Conquistadora on a makeshift altar and implored her to intercede for the successful re-entry into the town. Before the end of December 1693, De Vargas led his triumphant forces back into the City of the Holy Faith."
Nick's eyes were wide, amazed at her story and to think that it was all true.
"So how exactly does it tie with what you do?"
"Well, in 1712, a proclamation was signed to honor what had happened and ever since we have been celebrating the victory, attending masses, praying and being thankful. Then of course there is the fun stuff like the burning of Old Man Gloom (A.K.A. Zozobra) to parades and stuff like that." "Zozobra? What exactly is that?"
"Zozobra is a very large puppet that is made every September; actually, the event is coming up soon, and in front of thousands of people is burned. They say that they are able to burn away their troubles and problems. I dislike it however; to me it’s just a reason to party and get drunk." Contessa rolled her eyes.
"Is the statue from the story still around?"
"Oh yes, she is the original statue in our church the cathedral, I'll have to show her to you. She has a crown that has wonderful jewels in it, including a three carat diamond and she has Spanish lace and she's just beautiful."
Nick nodded impressed with what she had told him. He smiled at her as their food came. Contessa lifted her fork and she and Nick settled down to dinner as she explained more history of her culture
