Disclaimer: I own Talia, Montezuma, Francisco, Juan, Gabriella, Allanah, Saladin, Maria, Roberto, Little Tulio , and Ana. (Does that cover everyone? I think so) Kuzco, Pacha, Kronk, Bucky, Chicha, Tipo, Chaca, and Kiki belong to Disney. Tulio, Chel, Miguel, Altivio, Bibo, and Tannabok belong to Dreamworks.

---

Spain 1527- "Tulio, Tulio!," the excited voice of Tulio's best friend Miguel ran through the house. Maria and Roberto, Tulio's stepchildren, giggled at the arrival of the blond man. "Excuse me kids!," Miguel called out then entered the house. "Tulio, guess what?", he asked.

"You know I hate that, Miguel.," Tulio moaned.

"Hate what?," Miguel asked. "Coming in here yelling guess what when I have no idea what you are getting at," Tulio snapped. "Oh sorry," Miguel finished.

"Oh Miguel," Tulio prompted. His friend nodded. "It's obvious I'm not going to guess what, so you might as well tell me."

"Oh okay, " Miguel added. Tulio shook his head angrily as his friend continued. " I was at the tavern when I overheard two people speaking. One of them was Captain Pedro Fransisco."

"Yeah he's the conquistadore so?," Tulio asked,
"Well, the king and queen just gave him permission to finance a trip to the New World and I sort of let slip about our trip to El Dorado.-"

"-You didn't tell him about it did you?," Tulio asked. Miguel reassured his friend, "No, don't worry, I'm not stupid. I told him that Cortes hired us as his guides and that we were experts on the area, but alas we couldn't find it. Good thing he was living in Portugal at the time and Cortes is dead, so he can't ‘back up that story'.," Miguel said.

"Yes, that is a good thing," Tulio added sarcastically. "Get to the point!" Miguel blinked slightly taken aback, but he was used to this behavior by now from his friend. Tulio had always been sarcastic and pessimistic, but the death of his wife, Sofia left him angry and bitter and sometimes he lashed out at his friend unintentionally. "Well, he wants to hire us as guides. "

"Nope, sorry not going to happen," Tulio shook his head, "You know how I feel about conquistadores."

"I know, Cortes gave us a bum ride at El Dorado and I know your sister almost married one." Miguel told his friend.

"For all I know did marry one," Tulio said wistfully. He looked out the window at the children playing in the streets They were playing some sort of game, running a race, he guessed. Maria had tricked Roberto into looking down and ran ahead of him (though she really didn't need to , she was so tall and limber for a ten year old, but she was like her stepfather loved to cheat). Roberto caught up with her and pushed her down. It was so much like how he and Talia would play when they were younger. He would cheat her, but she would usually fight him. It's been twelve years since she's been gone let it go, he told himself .

"He is paying us real money , money that is better than the nothing that we are making now. ", Miguel said. "Come on, you told me that you are tired of making nothing with these con games. Please," Miguel gave him the face that Tulio could never resist. "What about the kids?," Tulio asked.

"I already spoke to Ana and she said that Little Tulio can have a playmate.," Miguel said

"Are Altivio and Bibo coming?," Tulio asked. "Don't they always?," Miguel quipped.
Tulio sighed. " I'm almost tempted to say no. When do we start?"


Cusco- The four children looked down at their feet not wanting to look at the five adults looking directly at them. High Priest Saladin looked from one child to the other, making a paricularly murderous glance at Prince Montezuma. His fine purple robe was covered in mud. Emperor Kuzco tried to cover up his laughter with a cough. He made sure that no matter what he did, he didn't look at his wife, Talia or his friends ,Pacha and Chicha for fear that they would be too. "Saladin, state your case.," The emperor said.

"Yes sir," the high priest began, " I was walking to the llama herder's home to get the prince just as you advised me to, when the prince and his friends were playing with their toy soldiers in my way. I kindly asked them to move them out of the way when they refused. I proceeded to step on their toys accidentally when they vehemently accused me of stepping on them on purpose."

"Well you did!," the prince shot back. "Montezuma," his father warned. The prince shut up. He knew that when his father called him Montezuma and not Montey like he normally did, he was in trouble. Kuzco waved for Saladin to continue. "Thank you Kuzco well, after the prince accused me, I proved my point by deliberating stepping on a couple of them. That's when the other boy called me a ‘skinny worm-faced llama man' I see nothing funny in that nickname, sire. " "No of course not," Kuzco said covering up his giggle with a cough. He glanced over at his wife and friends' direction. Talia's pale face turned red in her effort to hold down her laughter. Chicha actually bit her lip. Pacha counted to five behind his back , before he looked at the others. He forgot that sometimes Saladin still treated Kuzco like the troublesome prince he once was who still needed lessons in ruling. Saladin continued. " I told the boy that if he continued to insult a man of my station I would bring him personally before the emperor and have him imprisoned. That's when the prince became agitated and pushed me into the llama pen."

"I told Montey that it was stupid," Chaca said. "But it was his idea."

"No it wasn't you said ‘push him in'" Montey said prepared to fight it out with the pre-teen girl.

"Yes, it was, stupid!" Chaca said. "Don't call Montey stupid, " Kiki challenged her older sisiter. Montey blushed at the eight year old girl defending him. "Enough kids!," Pacha barked. "The four children remained quiet. "I agree," Kuzco said, "Montey, do you deny your accusation?"

"No, it was true.,"Montey sighed. "Then your punishment is to apologize to High Priest Saladin at once.," Kuzco commanded. Prince Montezuma turned to the high priest, his face a look of pure innocence. "I'm sorry, sir," but then his voice rose in anger, " I'm sorry that you're a mean stupid jerk!"

Kuzco rose off of his throne like an iceberg. Talia raised her eyebrows, "Montezuma!," she said warningly, her face angry.

"But Mother , Father , he is he-," Montey said. "I don't care," Kuzco answered "You are to go to your room this instant!" Montey's mouth dropped open Seeing no support from his mother or his ‘aunt' and ‘uncle' Montey stomped out of the room sticking his tongue out at Saladin as he passed. Kuzco, then dismissed the other children

"You may go Saladin and change out of that robe," Kuzco commanded. " Of course, Kuzco, it's not my place to question the raising of your child, but I would suggest he needs more discipline."

"Yes, Saladin, I will do that, " Kuzco said. After Saladin closed the door, "Right after the laughter dies down," Kuzco said as the room erupted into laughter at the pompous priest's expense. "Well, it was funny anyway, but then Saladin never liked me.," Talia chuckled.

"I know, do you think I was too hard on him?," Kuzco asked after they settled down. "Well, it's ‘not my place to question the raising of your child' "P acha joked with a dead-on impression of Saladin . "But he did threaten Tipo, I probably would have done the same , but still –"
"-He threatened him, " Kuzco said, turning to his wife, "Looks like we'd better talk to the ‘little criminal' Sometimes, I don't know whether to hug or throttle that kid. I swear you've never seen a more spoiled difficult child."

"Oh yes, I have.," Pacha observed watching the couple leave.

"Okay, who's turn is it to talk to him?," Talia asked sticking out her fist. Kuzco joined in suit. After playing paper-scissors-rock, Kuzco drew the paper to Talia's scissors. "Looks like it's my turn, " Kuzco said. "Anyway, you need to lie down. " He rubbed his wife's swollen belly.

Talia rolled her eyes. "With you around, who needs a nursemaid?," "Look, Viper, " Kuzco said sarcasitically, "You're a lot more trouble than you are worth sometimes. Forgive me, if I don't want you to get sick like when Montey was born. "

"All right, all right. Overprotective men, that's what I have in my life, overprotective men. What is really bothering you? You can tell your wife, unless it's trouble with your mistress then I'll just kill her."

Kuzco grinned. "Nothing, all right?" "Llama Boy, I know you too well something is bothering you." He didn't want to tell his wife that another kingdom had fallen to invaders. He had gotten the news that morning and he didn't want to upset Talia when she was so close to the end of her pregnancy, especially since they were her people , Spaniards who did the invading. Perhaps unreasonably, she felt guilty about that. When they got the word that Kuzco's uncle Tannabok had been killed during the invasion of El Dorado, she went into such a deep depression. Unfortunately, that was the year Montey was born and her already difficult pregnancy was made worse and she nearly died. This pregnancy was more difficult than the last one. He tilted her chin up and kissed her. "Whatever it is, you know it will be all right, " she told him firmly, before going in her room.

Prince Montey was fighting with imaginary opponents knocking them down with his toy sword when there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he commanded with all the bravery of a seven year old. "I'm ready for you." The door opened and his father came in. "oh yeah?," Kuzco teased. The father and son pretended to sword fight. Montey giggled as he knocked the sword out of his father's hand. "Oh you got me, "Kuzco said falling on the floor in a dead faint . Montey leaned over his father. "No, you didn't ." Kuzco teased getting up. He tickled his son, Montey giggled. "All right you win!" he said.

The emperor's face turned serious. " I want to talk to you about what happened today.," "But, Papa he did threaten Tipo." Montey protested.

"I have no doubt about that and I have no doubt that he is a ‘skinny wormfaced llama man', " Montey smiled as his dad continued. "But you are still the prince you need to set a better example for your friends.
Whether you know it or not, people look on you as a leader. At least that's what my father told me."

" Dad, but it's hard !," the prince said. "I know, and believe me it doesn't get any easier kiddo.," Kuzco said. "But you still need to try. " I will.," Montey sighed. He looked up at his father. He shared his thin body and narrow features, and long dark hair, but his coloring, his pale skin and blue eyes resembled his mother's . He crossed his arms aaround his blue tunic defiantly looking more like his mother than he intended. "Promise you'll do better?," Kuzco whispered.

"I promise," Montey said. Kuzco pushed a few strands of hair from the boy's forehead and kissed him. On his way out of the room, he caught Montey curling up with his toy, Wampy. Kuzco smiled wistfully and wished his son good night.

Spain-Tulio hugged his children good-bye. "Be good you two, " he warned, "or just be yourselves, but I would prefer you to be good."

"Let us come with you , Papa Tulio?," Maria begged, " I can fight those savages." Tulio smiled at her. The girl was so much like her mother. Both Maria and Roberto inherited their mother's dark gypsy skin and ebony hair. Even though, they weren't his children by blood just by marriage he grew to love them as his own.. "I'm afraid those savages would be too helpless against you , Maria.," Tulio said.
"Are you going to find gold, Papa Tulio?," Roberto asked. "Maybe, Bobo, Tulio answered. He hugged the children one last time before he walked up the gangplank.

He looked over at Miguel. He kissed his wife, Ana one last time. Tulio felt a slight stab of guilt as he looked at the strawberry blonde woman. Ana was somewhat frail and he hoped she would be all right without her husband. Their three year old son, Little Tulio, a miniature version of his father hung sadly behind his mother. Miguel hugged the boy again. "Miguel , sometime this year.," Tulio complained. Irritated, Altivio snorted on the dark haired man. "Right back at you, Buddy!," Tulio warned. Miguel jumped on the ship just as it was about to disembark. The two men waved at their families as Spain receded further and further into the horizon. "So what do you think that we will find in the New World," Tulio asked.

"I know one thing you want to find," Miguel said. "Yeah, gold.," Tulio answered.

"Not gold, Chel.," Miguel said. Tulio winced at the name of their one-time female partner. "Come on, I don't think about her anymore. I married Sofia."

"Look Tulio , I know you better than you know yourself, and I know no matter how much you loved Sofia , Chel was really your true love. "

Oh I am so anxious to discuss this topic for the nine hundredth time, Tulio thought. After they left El Dorado, Miguel , Tulio , and Chel, had traveled around the world going from scam to scam , form one search for treasure to another. After awhile Tulio and Chel just argued all the time, things got tight. Then , four years after they met, Chel left, and Tulio never heard from her again. Later that year he met Sofia and Miguel met her cousin, Ana. They were in a tight spot, and the boys helped them out. Things just blossomed from there.

"No, I married Sofia, I didn't marry Chel. I love Che-oops, I meant Sofia." Tulio objected.

"Low blow, " Miguel teased at Tulio's blush. He ducked avoiding Tulio's swat.

A whistle interrupted them. The men jumped down as the rest of the crew met their captain. Pedro Francisco was a tall well-built man, with a large black beard and black hair that trailed down his neck. His dark piercing eyes brimmed with indifference. " Men, we will soon arrive in the New World for the good of our King and our Lord. "

"Or for the good of our captain," Tulio joked loud enough for Miguel to hear. Miguel chuckled.

"Is there anything you would like to share with the rest of us, Senor Anteveros?," Francisco asked.

"No, sir of course, not, " Tulio objected.

"I've heard about you and your little sweetheart, Senor Bolivar," he indicated Miguel who waved politely. "I have heard you are to be our guides. I'm warning you , if I catch any insubordination you will be punished Do I make myself clear?" Tulio and Miguel nodded. Fransisco turned to all of his men. "We will be promised everything in the New World the king and queen have seen to that. I am to be viceroy. Whatever they have is ours. If it's gold, we will get it. If there are savages, we will convert them. If there are materials, we will use them. Are you with me, men?"

"Aye!," the men yelled excited. Tulio and Miguel looked at each other and shared the thought that maybe they were making a big mistake.


Continue to Chapter Two