The characters in the following story belong to the creators of Zorro. I hope you enjoy this story.
Bed Time Story
"Mama, tell me a story please." The young girl of 5 years asked her mother before bed. She looked up at her mother with wide hopeful eyes.
"I will tell you a short story my little one. Your brother and cousins will be her tomorrow, and you need plenty of sleep." Her mother replied with a loving smile.
"Please tell me about how you and Papa met." The young girl begged her mother.
Her mother's smile brightened, and she patted her young daughter's shoulder lovingly. "You have heard it so many times before. Don't you want to hear about a Prince rescuing a Princess from a monster, or maybe a story about a young girl who has big dreams?" Her mother suggested.
"I want to hear about how you and Papa met." The young girl begged again.
"Alright, but this time I will add a few more exciting details for you to dream about when you go to sleep." Her mother replied happily. Settle into bed, and I will begin the story." She helped the young child settle under the covers, and sat down on the chair next to the bed.
"I'm ready Mama," The child smiled up at her waiting mother.
Her mother began telling her daughter the story of how their little family began.
" Your Papa and I have known each other since we were children. We played games, and my brothers were very close friends with your Papa. They would ride their horses out to the wide open land, and have races to see who had the fastest horse. They would also play tricks on the other towns people. Your Papa was the ring leader of the group. I would follow them, and they would allow me to join them, but only after they teased me about how I like your Papa. They would tell me to go back home to cook, sew, clean, or whatever girls do. I had eyes for your Papa, and I just wanted to be with him. I could keep up with them, so I proved many times. One day they were playing hide and go seek. They thought it would be funny to let me hide first, and then they would find me. I found a really good hiding place, and waited for them to find me, but they didn't find me. I began to worry, so I went looking for them instead. I found them racing their horses close by, and your Papa was watching my brothers race. I was so mad that they tricked me, so I went over to them and yelled, "I'm telling Mama, and she will make you do extra work in the stables." I rode home as fast as my horse could run, and just as I was about to inside the house, I heard my brothers and your Papa, ride up to the house. They argued that I was lying, and trying to get them into trouble for no reason. Your Papa spoke up, and defended me, and my brothers had to do extra chores each day for a week. They tried to be sneaker, but each time they were caught, and your Papa defended me. They found themselves doing more chores each morning, just so they stayed out of trouble."
"As we grew older, our family reasonability's took over and we didn't see each other much until the chores and farm work was done for the day. Your Papa was a handsome young man, but he was about to go off to a University in Spain. I was sad to see him leave. I was alone, and running my families Tavern. My mother was killed, and my father was missing. Your Grandpapa helped me with the Tavern, and was there for me when I needed some support. I worked hard, and did my best to make my parents proud, while my brothers went off to war."
"One day a handsome young man came into my Tavern with your Grandpapa. I hardly recognized your Papa, for he had changed and grown into a young scholar of science and books. That was also the first time he met our Alcalde. Your Grandpapa and I were put into jail for speaking out for the people. It was also then that things changed."
" A masked rider came to rescue us, and he introduced himself as El Zorro. He defended the Pueblo for many years, and your Papa also changed for many years. He became more involved with his books, art, and science experiments. Zorro and I fell in love, and your Papa was just a friend who helped when help was needed. He wrote the Pueblo newspaper, defending the people through his words. He worked around the Hacienda, and home schooled your brother. Zorro was mysterious and handsome, and the Alcalde was determined to hang him for his supposed crimes."
"Mama, someday I want to meet Zorro. He sounds amazing and heroic." The young girl interrupted her mother.
" He sure was amazing and heroic. He stood up to the Alcalde and many others who wanted to bring harm to Pueblo De Las Angles. And if you listen closely to the story, you will soon hear more about Zorro and who he really was behind that black mask." The woman replied kindly to her curious child.
Her mother continued," One day I was on my way back to the Pueblo, when I was attacked by some bandits. The wagon wheel broke, and I was thrown to the ground. I was hurt badly, and Zorro saved me. He took me to his secret cave and bandaged my sprained ankle. He took me back to town so I could rest, and also to keep his identity a secret. But before we left his cave, he proposed to me. I said yes, but I knew our engagement had to be kept secret, or else Zorro might hang. I kept our secret, and one day I became suspicious. Your Papa came into the Tavern while I was working on the ledger books, and asked a strange question. I played along for a while, but my suspicions grew stronger with each encounter with Zorro."
"One day I asked your Papa about where he was during the times Zorro was riding to the rescue. He responded with answers such as; he was painting, sleeping, or something science related. It was then that I knew what I had to do. I asked your Grandpapa about the ring he had given to your Grandmamma. When he couldn't find it, I asked for a description of the ring. At first was confused as to why I was asking, I told him her would find out later. When I saw Zorro a few days later, I asked him where he got the ring he gave me. He replied with, "It was my mother's ring.""
The woman looked down at the small ring on her finger and smiled. "I wanted to say something to him then, but I didn't want to risk his life, or the people of the Pueblo. So I asked if we could go on a picnic, and then we could be far enough away from the Pueblo for me to ask him about my deep feeling. It was on that picnic that I learned the true identity of Zorro. He explained why he hid behind the mask, and how much he wanted to tell me, but he didn't want to put me in anymore danger. We would keep his secret, and soon he would be able to disappear, because the Alcalde was going to face charges for all the trouble he put the Pueblo through."
"A few weeks later the Alcalde left, and a new Alcalde took over. He was, and still is a great man who runs the Pueblo nicely. He is fair, honest, and treats the people with the respect they deserve."
The young child yawned and snuggled down deeper into her bed. Her eyes were growing heaver with sleep. "What happened next?" She asked sleepily.
The woman continued with a smile, " Zorro left the Pueblo to live his own life now that he was no longer needed as a defender of the people. Your Papa and I married, and five years later you were born." The women ran her finger through the child's long dark hair. She leaned over the sleepy child, and kissed her forehead softly. "Sleep now my child, tomorrow will be a very busy day. I love you so much." She kissed the child's cheek, and stood up from the chair. As she was about to blow out the light, she heard the young child say, " I love you Mama, please tell Papa goodnight for me when he gets home." The child yawned and drifted off the sleep.
The woman smiled and whispered, " I will tell him, we both love you very much." She closed the door quietly behind her.
As she climbed into bed, she heard her husband come in the front door. She waited for him to enter the bedroom. "I thought you would have been asleep by now." the gentlemen said with a handsome smile for his lovely wife.
"I just finished telling Maria about how we met for the first time. She really likes that story." The woman replied as she laid down and covered herself up with the thick blanket.
"Yes she does, but don't you think we should still be careful about how much we tell her about Zorro?" He questioned, and sat down to remove his boots.
The woman laughed, " I think your secret is safe with her. She wouldn't want to see Zorro hang, she loves him very much, as do I." She rolled onto her side and reached for his hand.
Several minutes later they both lay wrapped in each others arm for the night. "Goodnight Diego," the woman whispered and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight Victoria," her husband replied, and kissed her forehead softly.
The next day Felipe and his wife arrived. Their two young children played just fine with Maria. And Felipe was happy to be home.