Capítulo 67: Mathew Silva Part -1

** 1552 AD, Goa **

Mathew Silva and his wife Julia felt excited and hopeful as they set foot on Indian soil. They had travelled a long way from their home, driven by the promises of a better life and new opportunities awaiting them in India.

Mathew grew up in Portugal in a family of metalworkers. His father taught him everything about making cannons and working with metal.

As he grew older, he had the chance to work with a famous blacksmith who served the king. This helped Mathew learn new and advanced techniques.

He loved his work and got really good at it. He learned how to use watermills to help him make things even better. Because he worked hard and did a great job, Mathew became famous for making really precise and innovative metalwork, especially cannons.

His life took an unexpected turn in his late 30s, when Rodrigo Vasques, a high-ranking official in the Portuguese administration, visited his workshop. Vasques was impressed by Mathew's skills and reputation, so he offered him a great opportunity.

He asked Mathew to set up a new branch of cannon manufacturing in colonial India and become the incharge of his own workshop.

Excited about the opportunity for wealth and success, Mathew eagerly accepted the offer, seeing it as a chance to provide a better future for himself and his wife Julia, who was the daughter of his respected master.

Arriving in India, Mathew was filled with wonder and excitement as he entered the new lands.

However, amidst the busy streets and lively markets, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust for the majority of the locals who look dirty due to their skin complexion.

In the midst of the bustling port city, Mathew heard a piece of sad news. A beautiful nun known for her kindness had been found dead and violated in a nearby village.

Rumors circulated that the local villagers were responsible for the heinous act, unable to control their lust for her beauty. They took out their pent-up anger on an innocent soul like her, who was there to spread the word of God.

It was Captain Raul Mendes, a formidable figure in the military, who wasted no time in taking quick action after receiving the news. He led his troops to punish the perpetrators and the village came under control as the military presence intensified.

The incident only made Captain Mendes's reputation stronger, earning him more respect and authority in the region.

Mathew couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for Captain Mendes as he watched the soldiers return with pride.

One day, a notorious incident occurred that deepened Mathew's disdain for the locals.

The wife of a local wealthy landlord was discovered practicing witchcraft. She had been using unknown potions, rumoured to contain the blood of infants of European descent, to heal people in her community.

It was revealed that she had made a pact with the devil in an attempt to bring her husband back who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances.

The church inquisitors took swift action. They condemned her to be burned at the stake, while priests prayed for the salvation of her soul.

Her land and possessions were confiscated by the church, with the belief that only through good deeds could her cursed life be redeemed, and the proceeds would be used to aid the less fortunate.

On the day of the woman's execution, Mathew's wife Julia shook with fear as she watched the woman's painful death on the stake in the busy market square.

The sounds of agony pierced Julia's heart, and she held tightly to Mathew's arm in the midst of the chaotic scene.

Meanwhile, Mathew observed the events with a mix of fascination and disgust. He felt his sense of superiority grow as he witnessed what he saw as the backward superstitions of the local people.

Driven by his colonial upbringing and the belief in the superiority of European culture, Mathew harboured a sense of entitlement and privilege. He viewed himself as having a responsibility as a white man, seeing it as his duty to bring the supposed benefits of European civilization to the so-called "savages" of what he considered backward India.

When Mathew finally met Captain Mendes in person, he was impressed by the captain's humility and sense of duty. Despite his growing status and formidable reputation, Mendes appeared humble and reliable.

However, Mathew couldn't shake the feeling that something was off when he noticed the lustful gaze in Mendes's eyes whenever they fell upon his wife. Though he tried to dismiss it as a misunderstanding, the feeling of being possibly targeted troubled his mind.

In the following days, Captain Raul Mendes approached Mathew with a proposal to take on a trip to explore Goa under his protection, offering an opportunity for the newly arrived settlers to familiarize themselves with the centre of Portuguese power in India.

Despite his reservations, Mathew reluctantly accepted, hoping to get close to the rising figure and solidify his position in this foreign land.

As they journeyed deeper into the coastal region, their group was suddenly ambushed by a band of local rebels. Arrows flew through the air, and chaos ensued as panicked settlers sought cover.

In the midst of the chaos, Mathew watched in horror as Captain Raul Mendes, their supposed protector, deserted them without hesitation. He fled to safety with his small group of loyal soldiers, leaving the settlers to struggle for themselves.

Soon, Mathew and his wife were captured by the rebels along with the other survivors. They were taken to the rebels' base for further questioning. Despite the language barrier, they were fortunate to have someone skilled in Portuguese among them.

However, the situation became grave when Mathew got news that his wife was wounded who was taken separately along with the other female prisoners. He felt a slight sense of relief when he was informed that despite being shot with an arrow on her hand she was being treated by a local doctor.

Fearing the use of witchcraft, Mathew insisted on seeing his wife's treatment with his own eyes. When he was finally allowed to witness it, he was utterly astonished.

Mathew observed in surprise as a young woman with a humble appearance tended to his wife's wound with remarkable skill. Her name was Ratna, the sole healer among the rebels.

He watched in amazement as she treated his wife's injury with precision, using herbs for disinfection and providing natural remedies like juice squeezed from leaves.

This contrasted sharply with the rumors spread by the church about horrific claims involving European blood.

In the days that followed, Ratna continued to care for Julia's wound with meticulous attention, her gentle touch and comforting presence providing peace to Mathew's anxious heart regarding his wife's safety.

As time passed, Mathew's perception shifted, and he began to engage with the people around him, seeking to understand them first-hand rather than relying on colonial biases.

The more Mathew immersed himself in the lives and hardships of the local people, he heard countless tales of oppression and injustice inflicted upon them under Portuguese rule.

Each story he heard painted a vivid picture of the harsh reality they faced, and his heart became weighed down with sorrow and anger. The once-privileged perspective he held was shattered by the brutal truth of colonial exploitation.

Mathew's perception of Captain Raul Mendes underwent a drastic transformation when he heard firsthand from a rebel who was the sole survivor of a recently attacked village.

According to the survivor, the Portuguese troops arrived without warning and demanded the majority of the village's produce. When the villagers tried to reason with them, the troops responded with violence, dragging women away and subjecting them to unspeakable acts while forcing other family members to watch at gunpoint.

Then, without mercy, they lined up the villagers and opened fire, burning the entire village to the ground and looting all its resources.

The survivor, who happened to be outside the village at the time, was the lone witness to the horrific genocide. This account shattered any remaining illusions Mathew had about Mendes and the true nature of Portuguese colonial rule.

The revelation of Ratna's tragic past struck the deepest chord within Mathew's soul. He realized that Ratna was the daughter of the woman he had once feared as a witch, who was none other than the wife of a wealthy landlord.

Her husband had been taken by church authorities for refusing to convert to Christianity. Despite her repeated pleas to the authorities, they ignored her, and she dedicated her life to the welfare of the local people.

This hindered the church's attempts to perform miracles and ultimately led to her unjust trial by fire.

Fortunately, Ratna who fled with her merchant lover earlier, who returned after learning of her mother's injustice.

Hemu, Ratna's lover had already traded with the Portuguese and tried to convince Mathew to switch sides, as he believed that the days of the Portuguese in India were numbered.

He assured Mathew that he would become the general of the North Indian empire, as he had gathered support in local politics of ruling dynasty and promised to take care of Mathew and his family, ensuring that his expertise would be valued and his name renowned in whole Indian subcontinent.

Although the offer was tempting, Mathew ultimately rejected it. He couldn't bring himself to betray his own country, no matter how wrong its actions were.

He politely declined, stating that even if he were forced, he wouldn't be able to give his all as his heart belonged to his own people. He could only pray for success in his endeavors.

Impressed by Mathew's honesty and loyalty, Hemu spoke with the rebel leader for the release of the prisoners , putting his weight as the financer. Though he gained nothing from it, this act of humility touched Mathew's heart deeply.

However, the return to the colony was not the joyous homecoming Mathew had envisioned.

Instead, they were met with suspicion and scrutiny from the authorities. Relentless questioning followed about their time in captivity and whether they had divulged any secrets to the rebels.

In that moment, Mathew couldn't help but wonder if rejecting Hemu's offer had been the right choice?