This is for entertainment purposes only. All rights belong to the creators of Zorro. This Story is part of the Death in the Pueblo challenge. Please enjoy :)

Death in the Pueblo

Chapter 1

Diego and his father were sitting in the Tavern enjoying a bowl of Albondigas soup for lunch. They chatted about the new bull they were going to buy next month, and who was going to bring it back to the hacienda.

"Maybe you and Felipe should go. Someday you will be in charge of the hacienda, and Felipe needs to learn how to do some of the more difficult tasks so he can help you." Alejandro said after he finished his soup.

"Father, lets not talk about this now. You have lots of life to enjoy." Diego replied with annoyance.

"Diego I am not getting any younger you know." Alejandro spoke with a sharp tone and glared at his lazy son.

Diego was about to say something when there was a loud commotion outside.

"What is going on?" Alejandro looked around the Tavern, and jumped up from his bench. Diego followed his father to the porch.

The Alcalde was stand in the middle of the pueblo pointing his pistol at a poor farmer.

"What do you think you are doing, pointing your pistol at a poor farmer?" Diego marched across the pueblo and stopped a few feet away from the Alcalde. Anger filled his tone and he glared at De Soto.

De Soto glared back at Diego and a cruel smile curved his lips slowly, "well, well, Don Diego has a temper." De Soto laughed cruelly and the evil smile grew bigger.

"What has this poor farmer done to deserve this treatment?" Diego asked De Soto with anger.

"He can't pay his taxes, and he was unable to trade to keep his land. He threw dirt at me when I told him to pack his family up and get off my land." De Soto spat and hissed as he replied to Diego's question.

"That is not a reason to shot him." Diego yelled. "He is unable to pay his taxes because you over tax and create new taxes that are unreasonable and unnecessary." Diego's voice became more of a growl through his clenched teeth.

De Soto was about to reply, but Alejandro was now standing behind Diego, "Diego, what are you doing? Please be careful Son." Alejandro laid a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"Father please step back!" Diego told his father with a carefully controlled tone that was deeper than normal.

"Listen to your father Diego, or someone other than this poor farmer will die today." The Alcalde raised his pistol higher and turned to face Diego, pointing the weapon at Diego's chest.

"Shooting me will only make this situation worse for you. The King will have you removed and hung for your crimes." Diego said loudly and stood up straighter. He looked De Soto in the eye and prepared himself for the worst.

Alejandro took a few steps back and watched the stand-off between his son and the Alcalde. There was something about Diego that bothered him, and made him proud at the same time.

De Soto grinned evilly and moved slowly as he pointed his pistol in the farmers direction again. He slowly pulled the trigger, and just as the weapon fired Diego pushed the farmer out-of-the-way.

There was a loud cry coming from the Tavern. The gathered crowd turned around to see Victoria standing on the porch. "Diego, NO." She cried.

Alejandro was frozen in place. His eyes were locked on his son's body laying on the dusty ground. Disbelief at what just happened and anger filled his body.

De Soto was standing with a smug smile on his evil face, "well, it looks like your son got in the way." He looked at Alejandro and grinned. "Now it's your turn." He pulled the trigger of a second pistol he had in his pocket and shot the poor farmer in the chest.

Don Alejandro was even more shocked at the second shooting. The farmer fell to the ground and was very still.

De Soto turned on his heel and went to his office. He looked back at the crowd gathered around the still bodies on the ground. He laughed and shut his office door behind him.