Title: Only Time Will Tell
Rated : PG
Synopsis: Zorro takes a shot meant for Victoria.
Misc Notes: This story takes place a few months after the series finale 'A Conspiracy of Blood'
Written: 6/05
Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.
"True love is when you have to watch a friend leave, with the knowledge that you might never see him again. But you know he'll be in your mind and heart forever..." - Unknown
Only Time Will Tell
"With any luck, soon there will be no more need of my services." His eyes were bright, full of hopeful excitement.
Victoria nodded with a warm smile. "The alcalde has seemed to be a changed man these last few months."
"His brush with death at the emissary's hands, the cause, no doubt." He brushed her hair off her neck and trailed long, gentle fingertips down the smooth skin.
"He owes you a pardon for saving him from such a cruel, painful death." Victoria leaned into his caress and arched her neck in silent invitation. She trembled when his cool lips dropped to place a lingering kiss to the soft, sensitive skin.
The day began like any other. The plaza was bustling with merchants selling their wares and soldiers practiced their marksmanship in the cuartel. Victoria smiled at Alejandro and Diego as they trotted toward the tavern, their magnificent mares carrying their riders proudly.
They dismounted and tied the mares to the hitching post and Alejandro excused himself to conduct some business. Diego smiled warmly at Victoria as she stepped away from him to shake out a blanket.
"Buenos dias, Diego."
"Indeed it is. Good morning, Victoria."
He followed her into the tavern once she was finished shaking out her blanket and leaned against the bar as she poured him his customary glass of juice.
"Gracias." He watched her over the rim of his glass as he took a slow sip.
When she turned suddenly and caught him staring, he quickly covered himself by asking, "Finished selecting your vegetables already this morning?"
"Oh, Diego," Victoria was instantly distracted by his question. "It's after ten. Of course I've finished. "
There were few in the tavern right now as breakfast was over and lunch hadn't yet begun. Alejandro joined Diego a few moments later and Victoria smiled warmly at him. The two took a seat at a table closest to the bar and watched with amused grins as Mendoza, followed by de Soto stepped into the tavern.
"It's so hot already out there!" Mendoza leaned heavily against the bar and Victoria immediately poured him a large glass of lemonade. She moved noticeably slower in filling a glass for the alcalde but he seemed not to notice and thanked her with a kind smile.
"Could you fill a large pitcher of lemonade for us please, Señorita?"
Victoria nodded and disappeared behind the kitchen curtain to complete the alcalde's request.
Before the alcalde could pay her, gun shots echoed throughout the plaza and the alcalde and Mendoza were gone before Victoria returned from the kitchen. She rushed to the door, Alejandro at her heels and watched in horror as a dozen or more bandits tore through the plaza, taking careful aim at the lancers diving for cover behind whatever they could find large enough to hide them.
Alejandro grabbed Victoria's shoulders and pulled her into the doorway out of harm's way. Felipe had just arrived and Alejandro grasped the boy's shirt and tugged him onto the porch with Victoria.
De Soto shouted orders and for a few moments the soldiers managed to hold off the bandits. But they regrouped and returned, shooting anyone who stood in their path. A few were pulled off their horses, but many of them jumped off, some running toward the alcalde's office, the bank and . . . the tavern.
Alejandro pulled Victoria and Felipe quickly inside, followed by a few other customers. But they were too late as three of the bandits wrestled open the door and burst inside.
Mendoza and de Soto followed those bandits but didn't notice that three more appeared behind them and pushed them into the building and slammed the door shut. They bolted the door behind them and leveled pistols at the occupants.
"What do you want with us?" Victoria cried, Alejandro pulling her back as one of the bandits approached.
One bandit disappeared into the kitchen and pulled out a screaming Pilar while another one rushed up the stairs to check each and every room for anything of value to steal. The bandit checking the rooms cheered with delight when he found a young señora who had stayed overnight with her husband.
"Ahh, we can have ourselves some fun before we leave, Juan!"
"Leave her, Manchito!" Juan started toward the stairs, gesturing for the younger man to come down. "We came for money, not women!"
The other four bandits occupied themselves by tying up the few people who had run into the tavern.
"I'll be down in a few minutes!" The señora screamed as Manchito pushed her into one of the rooms and slammed the door. They could hear the woman's screams and even de Soto was moved to act.
"No!" Victoria rushed toward the stairs but Juan grabbed her waist and pulled her away.
Alejandro started toward her but was grabbed by another bandit and thrown to the floor. De Soto was similarly handled and Mendoza and Felipe were already tied securely to a beam as were the other three peasants who were unfortunate enough to also be trapped in the tavern.
"Where is the cash box, señorita?" Juan turned Victoria toward him and shook her.
She spit at him and clawed at his face in an attempt to not only get away, but to lend aid to the poor woman locked in the room upstairs.
"Damn you, woman!" Juan raised his hand to hit Victoria.
"Striking a woman would not be good for your continued health, Señor!" A booming voice echoed throughout the tavern.
"Zorro!" Victoria cried as he stepped through the kitchen curtain and drew his blade.
"Unhand the señorita . . . " Zorro advanced on Juan, but not before he cracked his whip and disarmed two advancing bandits. "Now, señor."
"Zorro! Ups-" She tried to warn her masked love about the violence going on upstairs but she was roughly thrown to the floor as Juan advanced on Zorro, drawing his blade
One bandit came from behind the bar brandishing a pistol and another advanced from where he'd just finished tying de Soto and Alejandro.
"I'm sorry I cannot prolong this encounter, Señor." Zorro quickly disarmed the man and sent him sprawling to the floor with a hard right hook. "But, you have friends that would like to play as well. I must give them equal attention."
Victoria crept toward the stairs, intent on helping the poor woman still trapped while Zorro quickly handled the remaining bandits.
Zorro turned toward Victoria just in time to see Juan grab her from behind.
"Hiding behind a woman's skirts is a cowards way out, señor." Zorro advanced slowly, eyes darting from Victoria to the Juan, weighing his options.
Victoria brought her heel down on the top of Juan's foot and bit his arm hard, causing him to cry out and his grip to loosen. She pulled away from him and ran toward Zorro as the bandit pulled a pistol out of his sash.
"Victoria!" Zorro cried when he noticed the bandit take aim at his ladylove.
Victoria's eyes darted toward the masked man moments before a black-gloved hand slid around her wrist.
Felipe struggled wildly against the bonds that held him and opened his mouth to warn his friend. He was just as shocked as everyone else when his voice strained around the words, "Zorro! No!"
Zorro pulled Victoria roughly out of the way and inserted his body between her and Juan's pistol just as it fired.
Victoria screamed as Zorro collapsed to the floor, blood spreading across the wood beneath him.
TBC