A/N: Since I have always adored Victoria/Diego, it felt natural to write a fanfiction about them. I wrote a One-Shot and thank you so much for the response on that one. I really appreciate it! I hope you will enjoy this story. This takes place after the Zorro series. I decided to write a little "different" story of theirs. :)
Summery: Victoria is betrothed to the Crown Prince of Spain, when Diego gets sent to Madrid to work as her bodyguard.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with the Zorro franchise, however this written storyline is mine.
ANYTHING FITS A QUEEN
Chapter I
Madrid, Spain
October month and rather chilly in the air during the nights. A big capitol and even a bigger palace. It was situated on top of the hill with the greatest view over the valley. Built of grand stones it rose high above the city.
It was a carriage that was being pulled by eight white Arabian horses. Matching the lines of the carriage, the feathers they had were in gold. Both in front of the carriage and behind, rode guards with rifles.
The night had been pitch dark, but at that time - the sky was partly brighter as the sun soon would rise. It had been a long night and Victoria was more than ready to collapse on her bed and sleep long past noon the following day. Her eyelids were heavy and every now and then, she woke up with a jolt from the wheels running over a stone.
She tightened her silky shawl around her shoulders and glanced to the Crown Prince beside her. Her future husband. He was sleeping heavily, the chubby man. Brown hair and a golden crown topping his head. He wore a white coat with golden buttons.
The golden rings on his fingers shimmered and as a reflection, Victoria's brown eyes moved to gaze over the jewel glistening on her very own ring finger, revealing her position. The diamond in the middle caused her to swallow and she quickly pressed her hand deep below the fabric of her shawl to move it out of her vision. Instead, she kept her focus out the window of the carriage to watch the approaching castle.
"You look beautiful, Victoria."
She looked at the Crown Prince and smiled slightly. "Thank you," she let out.
They came to a halt and a servant was fast to open the door. He fell down the little stair and held his hand out to assist her.
He bowed upon her appearance in the doorway.
"Lady Victoria," he let out and guided her down.
"Pablo," she smiled and jumped down the last step. She lifted her red gown slightly as she took a step forward and examined the mansion she nowadays called home.
"Your Highness," the servant assisted the Crown Prince as well. A smaller thud was audible when he stepped onto the gravel path.
"Make somebody bring supper up to my room," he ordered the servant. "And perhaps a-."
He was interrupted by the sound of a shooting.
Victoria jumped and spun around. In the nightly air she could see the figures of grand men running towards them with drawn swords. Some with rifles.
Another shot was fired in their direction. She screamed and backed as the doors of the palace flung open. The royal guards ran outside to stop the ambushers.
The Crown Prince ran to hide behind a bush when a guard approached him.
"Your Highness, come with me!" he shouted. He also grabbed Victoria's wrist to pull her along towards the entrance of the castle.
Another group of guards ran outside and shouted for more backup.
Victoria just hurried inside and threw a look over her face to make sure Pablo also made it to a safe place.
A man appeared in the hallway. Perfectly and properly dressed like always. His hair was neatly combed and he bowed at the couple.
"Come with me, Your Highness," he then turned to Victoria. "My Lady."
The Crown Prince frowned upset. "What is going on?!" he demanded to know. He walked up to promenade beside the man.
"The Spanish Royal Trading Company has sent even more ambushers to bring you down, Your Highness."
The Crown Prince was furious. "I say we must get rid of them all."
They entered the library room where the fireplace was lit. A maid helped Victoria get wrapped in a blanket. She sat down in an armchair whilst keeping her eyes on her future husband and his loyal advisor.
The Crown Prince sat down in the couch and the advisor in another one. The advisor snapped his fingers to a servant to leave them alone and close the doors.
"That cannot just happen. Your father is supporting the company. However he must insist on tracking the traitors down," the advisor admitted.
The Crown Prince's face grew redder.
"This ambush was too close. It occurred in my own garden for God's sake!" the Crown Prince persisted.
Victoria looked between the men. "Did anybody die?"
The advisor's mouth was formed in a straight line. "Probably. I would almost dare to say so. Hopefully only ambushers."
The Crown Prince nodded slowly as he frowned deeply. He mused and looked up after a while. "I want more security here. And Victoria shall have at least one excellent swordfighter by her side for protection."
Victoria shook her head. "I insist, Bernard. I am fine," she tried.
Bernard shook his head. He stood up and so did the advisor at once. He pointed angrily into his chest. "You will find new security guards for me. Magnificent ones that will never let this happen ever again!" he demanded.
The advisor bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."
Bernard nodded sternly and let the advisor take a step back. He then waved his hand. "You are dismissed."
Monterey, New England
The meeting had been going on for hours. Yet, the men had not come up with a proper agreement.
"I am telling you, this is the time to strike!" a nobleman tried to push. He was pacing around the table and gestured with his hands.
Another one shook his head, clearly disagreeing. "Even if Bernard of Spain just got attacked, he is not vulnerable for a single moment. Believe me, he has for sure made his army around him stronger."
A man at the edge of the table chuckled as he nodded. "For sure. That man is too paranoid."
The pacing man stopped tracks and leaned against his empty chair's backrest. "Then what do we do? We must bring that martyr, tyrant down in some way."
The man at the edge of the table stopped laughing and silenced. He cleared his throat. "As we spoke about. He is hiring new security, and apparently he is looking for an excellent swordfighter. We have already hired the assassin, it will do."
Another man at the table, dressed in a proper white shirt, stood up at the table, rather harshly. "We cannot let an assassin do that job. I have seen his records. He kills even innocent people surrounding the bad ones."
The table around him silenced for a longer moment before the pacing one opened his mouth again.
"We cannot take any more risks, can we? The martyr is killing the Spanish population and wants to conquer us over here. We must get rid of him before the throne is his. We truly got no choice, Diego."
Diego crossed his arms. "The assassin is rather bold in his ambushes. What if he... what if he kills... the lady by Bernard's side?"
"Ah..," a man at the table let out. "The woman from New England?" he turned to his side to elbow another nobleman. "Heard she is a true beauty."
Diego snorted and sat down promptly. "I bet," he muttered under his breath. He had not missed the newspapers.
The man standing up then looked at Diego. "But Don Diego, you have this great reputation in Madrid of being an excellent swordfighter," he began.
Diego tried to sink into the backrest of the chair as if he would disappear when doing so. He did not like where the conversation was going.
"Yes, indeed!" another one joined. "You could get hired as one of the lifeguards he is searching for, and easily get rid of him in some way."
Diego shook his head. He did not know if he chuckled in anger or in amusement. "Even if I do feel hatred towards Bernard, and trust me - I do! I still find it hard to kill him."
One of the noblemen leaned over the table. "Then don't. Bring him here or to the men that will cooperate with you."
Diego still gave the men a skeptical look.
"It is your choice, Diego. You could do this, save the damsel and the people - or we can let the assassin save the world. Perhaps by not sparing that many lives you would."
After a long silence, Diego sighed. He glanced at the papers that were spread on the table. He grabbed one and browsed the words down towards the final drawn line. He grabbed a nearby pencil which he let hanging just above, causing it drip a drop of ink which fell down to the white paper.
He looked up from the paper. He could see the assassin and Victoria. Not that it was meant to happen. But the slightest thought of it being a possibility caused him to feel sick in his stomach. He swallowed and nodded slowly.
"I guess then I will be a bodyguard of Spain."
A/N: So... this was a little introduction to the story. There might be some questions, but they will get answered within the following chapters! I hope you enjoyed this! What did you think of this?