Walt Disney's Zorro - based on the Monastario era - I do not own any of the characters present in the show nor do I intend to make money with any of my stories. They're written purely for fun.
Again a big thank you to IcyWaters, who's volunteered to beta for me again :)
And now, enjoy!
*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*Z*
My friend, the Fox
On a beautiful Sunday morning, I saddled the horses for my master and myself for our ride into the Pueblo de Los Angeles. My master, who was more my friend, had promised to join the sergeant of the garrison for breakfast at the tavern.
In fact, Sergeant Demetrio Lopez Garcia enjoyed the tavern most in the company of Don Diego de la Vega, my master and friend since his days at the University of Madrid. It was easy to see why. Diego was the easygoing son of the wealthiest haciendado in Alta California and the sergeant was constantly out of money.
Diego liked the sergeant, as I did, too, but even more my young friend liked to get information out of the big man. Information that would be of great use to El Zorro, the fox. El Zorro was an outlaw with a price on his head. But he was an outlaw only in the eyes of the military, especially in those of Capitán Enrique Sanchez Monastario. He had come to hate the fox with a passion; it had become his obsession to capture the elusive Zorro.
To achieve this goal he stopped at nothing to lure his enemy out of hiding. He would think up ridiculous taxes, arrest innocent people under false charges, and he even dismissed the sergeant from the army once in an attempt to trap the notorious outlaw.
But the fox, my master, was clever. Not only did it just cost him a few pesos now and then to have the sergeant tell him all he needed to know, he also had an extra pair of ears: me.
When Diego decided to become the fox while aboard the ship that carried him back to California, I, being born mute, suggested I could pretend to be deaf as well. People would speak freely in my presence if they would think I cannot hear a thing. In this manner it was possible for me to gather any type of information for Zorro that otherwise would have stayed unknown. It helped us to stay one step ahead of the capitán and other scoundrels that planned evil.
But becoming the fox had come at a hefty price for my young friend. In order to convince everybody in the pueblo that he was completely harmless and could not possibly be that daring outlaw, he had to hide all his skills. Not only those with a sword but also everything else that Zorro needed to pull off his stunts. Diego loathed exercise so Zorro could act. It was hard on my friend because it also meant he had to keep his pride and his temper in check. People would openly belittle him due to his lack of skills. He had to take it all in stride, which was difficult, but he managed.
It got even tougher for him when it came to his father. Don Alejandro made no secret out of his disappointment in his son. Long forgotten seemed the words the old man greeted his son with when he first arrived back home.
I sent a boy to Spain and a man returned.
Even Diego's old friend, Sergeant Garcia, felt the need to protect the popinjay offspring of Don Alejandro. Only I knew the real Diego. The fox owned all of him. Diego only owned his quick wits.
Upon our arrival at the pueblo for breakfast, we saw Capitán Monastario and a stranger leaving the tavern and walking across the plaza towards the cuartel. The stranger wore expensive looking clothes and laughed at something with the commandante. Diego and I waited until the doors to the cuartel closed again before dismounting and entering the tavern.
It only took Diego a second to locate the sergeant who was smiling a big smile and waving at us.
"Buenos dias, Sergeant Garcia," Diego greeted the man, always displaying perfect etiquette. Don Diego was the ever polite man that hardly ever could be swayed to lose his temper. No matter what accusations or insults were thrown at him, he always stayed polite and smiled. Inside though, the fox would be waking up, planning how to protect himself from these attacks.
"Buenos dias, Don Diego - and to you, too, little one." The friendly sergeant waved his goofy little wave and I copied it, grinning back at him. Then I resumed my place at the counter while my friend settled into a chair opposite the sergeant. I don't know why the sergeant always referred to me as the little one. Certainly I wasn't as tall as Diego or Garcia, but I wasn't that short. Ah well, smile and smile.
From where I stood, I could see my friend and the sergeant were having a lively conversation. I decided to take a stroll outside to see what was going on in the pueblo.
Stepping onto the plaza, I saw the well dressed caballero leaving the garrison, a smile on his face. Seeing me he walked right up to me.
"Buenos dias, Señor. Have you seen Sargento Garcia around?"
I gestured my established signs towards my ears and my mouth. The middle-aged caballero frowned but then smiled. It was a smile that gave me the creeps.
"Never mind," he said and patted me on the shoulder as he walked past me into the tavern. Shaking my head in confusion, I walked on over to where Diego and I had tied the horses. From where I stood, I could see the backdoor of the tavern and to my surprise witnessed Garcia and the strange caballero stepping out shortly afterwards. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but getting closer meant risking discovery. So I hid behind our horses and tried to see as much of the conversation they had.
The exchange seemed to be of a less than pleasant nature. Occasionally, their raised voices would carry over but not enough to understand. Then both men turned and returned to the tavern. Imagine my surprise when the caballero walked right through the tavern to exit again. He looked left and right as if he were looking for someone. Then he strode over to the garrison once more. As soon as he had passed the gates, Sergeant Garcia left the tavern and took the same route as the strange caballero.
When the sergeant had left my sight I made my way inside to find Diego. Maybe he had an idea what all that was about. I found him sitting at his table finishing the remainder of his breakfast. When he saw me he waved for me to join him.
I sat next to him putting my hand on his arm to get his attention. When he looked at me I signed my observations as quickly as possible.
"You saw Garcia and Señor Iniesta talking outside?"
I nodded, si. Some more signs told Diego I hadn't been able to make out any words, only that it seemed a rather heated conversation.
"Señor Iniesta had news for the sergeant from the commandante. He was told to come straight to Monastario's office. But you know the good sergeant won't let free food and wine go to waste so he made sure the wine made its way down his throat alright." Diego chuckled at that and so did I.
Quietly, we finished the rest of the breakfast and Diego ordered some more tea for us. No sooner had we finished that the sergeant appeared in the door, followed by Monastario and Señor Iniesta. Monastario sported a disdainful sneer looking at us whereas the sergeant looked petrified. They group strode right over to our table.
"Ah, Sargento. I didn't expect you back so soon, especially not in such," he looked at the commandante, "illustrious company."
"Believe me, Don Diego. It wasn't my idea," Garcia replied, sounding like he'd been forced to eat glass. "But I've come with the orders to put the little one under arrest."
"WHAT?" Diego's outburst silenced the tavern and my eyes went wide with shock at the sergeant's words. "Is that some sort of a joke?" Diego's question was directed not at Garcia but at Monastario.
"To the contrary," the capitán grinned, then grew serious. "It's a serious crime to steal."
"Steal? And what is it that Bernardo supposedly stole?" Diego had gotten up at Monastario's accusation.
"Señor Iniesta here claims your servant stolen his watch. Gold, with little diamonds." I couldn't trust my ears. Surely I had heard wrong. But I had to keep a straight face. I was lucky enough nobody had noticed my eyes turning to saucers at the initial accusation.
Monastario stepped right in front of me and patted my clothes down. I tried to make the best confused face I could muster. And by the life of me I don't know how he did it, but he produced the described watch right out of my pocket. I could only stare at it open mouthed.
"There it is," gloated Monastario. "I trust it serves as proof. Your mozo is a petty thief, Don Diego. Arrest him," he ordered Garcia.
"This is a cheap trick, Monastario and you know you will never get away with it." Diego was trying hard to conceal it, but he was seething. I saw it from the way his jaw was set.
"You think?" Monastario sneered and stepped right into Diego's personal space. "Then prove it!"
Turning, he barked at Garcia to move the prisoner, me, to a cell. Looking at Diego in confusion, trying to put on a pleading look I saw my friend take a deep breath. Then he nodded at me curtly. Everything would be alright.
"I will," Diego said quietly with cold determination. Then the sergeant pushed me through the door with a soft apology on his lips and I lost sight of my friend.