Words Overheard Can Never Be Forgotten
Disclaimer - I don't own the rights, Zorro Production Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.
What if Victoria overheard Diego's confession?
Set in the first season episode Honour Thy Father and contains excerpts from the transcripts. Just a short addition to the scene.
I'm back! It's been a long since I last posted anything (about a year and a half, can you believe it!). Real life took over and I lost my mojo for writing fanfics but now I've found some time and it seems my mojo is starting to come back. LOL.
Anyway, I'm slowly going through my old unfinished stories / ideas and finally get some of them done. Smaller stories first, then the larger ones. Well that's the plan anyway, but whether it works out like that is another matter. :)
The callous shooting of Don Alejandro by the bandits who had robbed the garrison payroll, affected Victoria deeply. Not only had she witnessed it, albeit from a distance, but she was also the first to attend him. She had struggled to put pressure on his wound, which had bled profusely out onto the dusty ground, while at the same time she hoped and prayed for someone to come along to help her. She had known Don Alejandro since she was a child, she trusted and respected him and to see his life slip away was heartbreaking.
What was more heartbreaking was Don Diego's obvious distress at his father's shooting. So much so, she decided to stay at the hacienda and support her friends rather than return to the tavern.
As Victoria stood waiting outside Don Alejandro's private rooms, she saw Consuela coming towards her carrying a tray of food, 'Here, let me take that for you'.
The other woman nodded and handed it over, 'Gracious senorita', she replied tiredly. 'It's for Don Diego. He hasn't eaten anything since ...'
Victoria nodded, 'Perhaps I can get him to have some soup', she replied as she balanced the tray in her hands with ease. 'How's your nephew? Is he going to be all right?'
Consuela gave a soft sigh, 'The doctor said Pedro will live but it might take some time before he heals completely. He's only been in the militia for six months and to be shot for escorting the payroll ...' she shook her head, 'I just hope those bandits are caught'.
'I'm sure they will be', Victoria replied reassuring. 'Not just for your nephew but for Don Alejandro as well'.
The older woman nodded, 'Let's hope so', she replied before she turned and left.
Victoria watched her leave, 'Zorro will find them', she whispered. 'I know he will'.
As she entered Don Alejandro's room, she heard Don Diego talking to his father about cattle prices. She carefully placed the tray on the side dresser before she turned to her friend, 'Don Diego,' she began kindly, 'you know he can't hear you. He's delirious with fever'.
Diego kept his gaze on his father, who stirred restlessly in his bed, 'There's a chance that he might hear, for him to know that I'm here', he replied. 'It might be a slim chance but I will take it'.
She held back a sigh, she doubted the older man could hear anything, but if it gave him some comfort to believe it, then who was she to say otherwise. She glanced back towards the side dresser where she had placed the tray of food, 'Would you try and eat something?'
'No. I'm not hungry'.
This time she did sigh. She didn't know what to do or say to ease Don Diego's obvious grief. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, 'You need some sleep, it's important that you stay strong'.
He shook his head, 'Sleep I can have anytime. I don't know how long I'll have him'.
'He has a good son in you, Don Diego', she replied softly as she removed her hand.
Something in her words pulled Diego from his thoughts of his father. A good son eh, he shook his head before he rose to his feet, a good son wouldn't keep secrets from his father.
'You're a good friend senorita', he said. 'Thank you for staying to help'.
'I wish I could've done more for him'.
He reached out and briefly touched her arm, 'You've done more than you know', he replied. He glanced to his father lying in his bed, 'You gave him a chance of life'.
'He's going to be all right,' she said reassuringly. 'I will pray for his recovery'.
Diego nodded as he turned back to his father, 'So shall we all'.
She turned and left the room, knowing there was nothing else she could do.
As she walked down the hallway, a cool breeze from an open window caused her to shiver. She stopped and rubbed her arms, knowing she had left her shawl in Don Alejandro's room and she debated whether she should return and retrieve it. She didn't want to intrude on her friend's privacy and yet she couldn't shake the chill from her bones. She shook her head; she could easily slip back into the room without disturbing Don Diego.
She turned back and as she approached the doorway of Don Alejandro's rooms, she heard her friends' voice and the words that were spoken made her stop and listen.
'... I have a secret life. The time has come to share it with you ...'
Victoria frowned, what was he talking about, she wondered. What kind of secret could he have?
'... Father, I am Zorro ...'
Victoria gasped; her hand flew to her mouth in shock. How could her friend be Zorro?
'... as Zorro, I have not always obeyed the written law. That is why I could never tell you. It would endanger you as well ...'
Victoria's mind simply couldn't accept what her ears had heard. Don Diego was Zorro. How was it possible for someone like him could be Zorro? He was nothing like him. He was studious, preferred peace over action, preferred reading over fighting.
Her eyes widened in sudden understanding, 'Madre de dios, of course', she whispered, 'it makes sense. If he acted like Zorro he would have been arrested'.
'... I have not always made you proud. I am Zorro. But I still need you. I still need a father'.
Hot tears welled in her eyes, her throat constricted at the heartfelt plea in her friend's voice. Not only for his father's life but also for the burden he had carried since he had returned home.
Even though he hadn't been home very long, she thought she knew him, knew the kind of man he was and now she realised she didn't know Don Diego at all. He was a mystery to her and yet in one way she did know him. His desire for justice, to see people treated fairly matched hers and while she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, she now realised Don Diego couldn't do the same at the risk of his life and the life of his father.
Yet, who was the real Don Diego de la Vega? Was he Zorro or the man who was now praying for his father's life?
She shook her head, she didn't know anymore. She thought she knew Zorro but even that was gone and along with it, her childish dream of a dashing hero had disappeared into the mist of time. Only to be replaced with something more real, more tangible. Friendship. She didn't have many real friends and she hoped to include Don Diego as such a friend. And if anything else came from that friendship ... well that would be for the future.
Soft murmurs from inside the room broke into her thoughts. As she listened, she knew she would do anything to lessen the burden of her friend, to support him in their struggles against a corrupt government and most importantly, she wanted to discover what kind of man Don Diego de la Vega really was.
Victoria straightened up, wiped the tears from her eyes and with hope in her heart she turned and walked away.
The end
I hope you enjoyed this little vignette. :)
In case you're wondering, I'm using British English grammar / punctuation, which means single quotation marks instead of double and the punctuation is on the outside.