ZORRO AND THE GOLDEN SCEPTRE
Disclaimer - I don't own the rights, Zorro Production Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.
Plot - Zorro and de Soto have to put aside their dislike of each other, to discover the reason why a stranger was attacked on the way to Los Angeles.
This was written for a facebook challenge, to write a more Zorro centric story, to make it more like an episode rather than a novel type story and to keep it within a word limit of under 15,000. It was definitely a challenge for a couple of reasons.
Usually my stories are character based and focus on the relationships of Diego with Victoria, his father, Felipe etc and rarely does it focus on Zorro. In fact, about half of my stories don't even have Zorro in them, which is kind of strange considering that it is the name of the show. The other challenge was the word limit, as I tend to ramble on with large descriptive passages but I surprised myself and managed to get it under the limit :)
Anyway, here it is for everyone to read and hopefully enjoy.
Prologue
The grand San Gabriel Mission and its surrounding buildings rose from the fertile plains, close to the San Gabriel Mountains and nestled beside the life giving waters of the Rio Hondo, in testament to man's tribute to God. The Mission was part of a much larger plan, created by the Spanish, to spread the word of the Almighty throughout the region and to convert the local natives to Christianity. It was also a place to worship, a place to provide religious teachings and guidance and to perform the essential services of marriage and baptism, all designed to keep the people from descending into a life of sin.
Not only did the Mission provide religious needs to the local populace, it also provided employment. Many of the inhabitants tilled the land, while others worked in small but essential industries of leatherwork, woodwork as well as the making of candles and soaps, all of which contributed to the needs of the community and beyond. It was said that the candles from the San Gabriel Mission, could be found in homes as far away as San Diego.
However, there was one more service the mission provided and that was as a source of information.
San Gabriel Mission was situation on the main road, el Camino Real, which traversed Alta California from San Diego in the south to San Francisco in the north, bringing all kinds of travellers to the mission. New settlers came from all over the colonies looking for a better life, soldiers on their way to their new postings, as well as the occasional government and church officials, all exchanging news with the priests and each other. Some may call it gossip but to one man gossip was the reason he had travelled to the San Gabriel Mission.
Father Jose de Zalvidea found his guest in the courtyard preparing his horse for the ride to Los Angeles, "Ah Comandante Aragón, I have sent Moses, our most trusted neophyte, to Santa Barbara at your request."
Aragón nodded, "Gracias Father de Zalvidea. I am in your debt," he replied, "It will save me time from riding back to Santa Barbara before heading to Los Angeles."
The priest gazed at the older man, "Is your mission so urgent that a delay of several days would greatly affect the outcome?"
Aragón sighed, "Perhaps not but I rather not take the chance -" he was interrupted by a young boy rushing up to him, "Excuse me Señor, I have something for you." he said as he held out a piece of paper.
The military man looked down at the boy, "And what is this, Ernesto?" he asked as he took the rumbled paper.
"I just wanted you to have it." Ernesto said with a smile before he scurried away.
Father de Zalvidea chuckled, "That boy is always copying things from books and giving them away," he said, "What is it this time, Comandante?" he asked curiously.
The Comandante gazed down at the drawing and smiled, "It's from a story I told him earlier, about Kings and Queens of the olden days." he replied before he placed it into his pocket. He held out his hand to the priest, "Thank you for your hospitality, Father."
Father de Zalvidea smiled as they shook hands, "You are most welcome," he replied, "Rest assured Comandante, your mission will remain secret between us."
Aragón nodded as he mounted his horse, "Gracias. Adios." he said as he pulled on the reins and urged his horse out of the mission grounds.
As he began the half day ride to the small pueblo of Los Angeles, Aragón knew all his hard work, patience and diligence over the last nineteen months was about to come to fruition. His careful questioning of Father de Zalvidea, whom he had informed part of his assignment and with the information gathered from several visitors at the Mission, he now had no doubts whatsoever that the man he was looking for was currently living in the vicinity of Los Angeles. It seemed that the final setting in the drama, which began in Granada all those months ago, was to take place in one of the smallest outpost of the colonies.
Comandante Aragón was nearing the end of his journey when he saw two well-dressed men riding in his direction and as he came closer to them, the hair on the back of his neck rose up. Something was wrong, very wrong. He glanced furtively around him, searching for signs of other people travelling along the road but he saw nothing except barren rocks and trees. It was a perfect place for an ambush.
"Buenos dias, señores." he said warily, as they passed on the dusty road.
"Buenos dias, señor." said one of the men, while his companion pulled a pistol from his belt and aimed it at Aragón's chest, "Here's a little gift from Maximo." he sneered.
Aragón was not going to wait for the man to fire his weapon, so he kicked his horse in a vain hope of escaping the assassin's bullet but it was not to be. He heard the shot and then a second later he felt a hot, searing pain in his upper body before darkness closed over him and he tumbled off his horse onto the hard, unforgiving ground.