Chapter 2
Later that night Victoria was doing the last of the cleaning before she retired to her room. The girls had helped with the washing and drying of the plates and glasses but she let them go home to their families while she did the last of the chores. The work was easy enough, she had placed the benches on top of the tables and with her strong broom she swept the entire floor of the tavern. She knew she could have waited to the morning to do the work but she hated having an unclean tavern, not only was it her place of business but it was also her home.
As she swept, she let her thoughts drift in no particular direction and she was so unaware of her surroundings, that she jumped when she heard a noise behind her.
Victoria whirled around. "Zorro, you startled me." she smiled warmly at the masked man standing in front of the kitchen curtains.
He smiled back. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to alarm you." he paused as he took in her work. "Can I help you with this querida?" he asked as he stepped forward.
She blushed at the thought of Zorro doing ordinary housework. "There's no need..."
"Nonsense, tell me what to do." he persisted as he removed his hat and gloves and placed them on the bar. "Besides, it won't take long with the two of us working together."
Victoria heard the truth of his words and nodded gratefully. "Well.. I'm almost finished but do you mind putting the benches back down on the floor?" she asked hesitantly.
Zorro gave her such a warm smile that it melted her insides. "Of course not." he replied as he moved over to the first of the tables and lifted a bench from the top and placed it back on the floor. "Do you do this often?" he asked curiously as he placed another bench on the floor. He often wondered how she kept her tavern so clean and tidy when she was on her own. He knew that Pilar and Maria helped her a great deal but it still must take a lot of work to keep the tavern clean.
"What, sweep?" she grinned as she teased him.
He chuckled. "No, I mean placing the benches on the tables, they're quite heavy."
She shrugged. "Perhaps once a week, usually I just sweep around seats but with the extra crowds today and yesterday too, I had to do a more thorough clean."
He nodded as he continued placing the benches on the floor. "You know, I couldn't imagine what your life is like here, in the tavern. Aren't you afraid of being alone?"
She paused in her sweeping as she thought about his question. "No, not really. I've gotten used to it and besides I'm not always alone, I regularly have overnight guests, although most of them keep to themselves. And I have you to visit." she smiled at the man she loved. This was turning into one of their longest conversation they have had lately, what with bandits and cattle thieves to the Alcalde's endless tactics to capture him, they haven't had time to themselves except to exchange a few heated kisses before he had to race off again.
He smiled back and their eyes held for several moments before she felt a blush creep over her face at his intense gaze. "Well...just let me finish here and then I'm all yours." the second those words were spoken, her blush deepened. "Umm...I didn't mean the way that sounded."
Zorro chuckled. "I know what you meant Victoria." he reassured her.
Victoria ducked her head in embarrassment as she swept the food scraps into her dust pan and moved quickly to the kitchen and out the back door to empty the scraps over her small vegetable garden. She couldn't believe she had said that to him, it just came out, not that she wouldn't mind being his in every way. In fact, she was glad that he had come tonight; she needed to talk with him. She needed to move their relationship forward and there was only one way that could be done. She had to know who he was.
When she returned to the taproom, she saw that Zorro had replaced all benches to the floor and was standing deep in thought. She gave a small gasp at the familiar stance of his posture. It reminded her of something or someone from long ago.
Zorro turned and was surprised to see a stunned look on her beautiful face. "Is there anything wrong querida?" he asked as he crossed over to her.
Victoria shook her head, smiling softly. "No, it's just you remind me of..." she paused, not sure if she should continue, he might feel insulted.
His heart missed a beat, had he in some fashion, given away a clue to his identity? He didn't think so. "I remind you of...?"
Victoria felt heat rise over her face once more. "Well...my father." she admitted.
Although the mask covered the top half of his face, she could almost see his eyebrows rise in surprise. "Your father?"
She nodded. "I just had a memory of Papa standing there, just as you were, looking with pride of his tavern." she smiled fondly and a little sadly at the memory.
"You miss your parents don't you?" he asked kindly.
She nodded again. "Very much. Although they worked hard here in the tavern, there was aslso a lot of laughter and much happiness. They loved each other and they loved us." she paused as she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "I never really thanked you for helping Ramon and me, for getting papa out of the horrible place." her voice crackled at the memory of visiting that disgusting prison they called Devil's Fortress.
He reached out and gently caressed her face with his fingers. "You don't have to thank me Victoria, I was just glad that you and Ramon could see your father one last time." he leaned down a planted a soft, tender kiss to her forehead before he pulled back and grinned cheekily. "I guess I should be grateful that I didn't remind you of your brothers, because you Victoria Escalante, are definitely not my sister." he teased with a glint in his eyes.
Victoria blushed once more and looked into his vivid blue eyes, shining with amusement and with love. "And I'm glad that you are not my brother, Zorro."
He pulled her into his arms. "So am I querida, so am I." he whispered as they embraced.
As Victoria wrapped her arms around his broad back and laid her head against his solid chest, her mind recalled the image from her dream, where she had driven Zorro out of her life and she shuddered at the thought of losing this man.
Zorro loved holding her in his arms, loved her soft curves pressed against him and longed to feel her warm flesh against his but he couldn't go down that path, no matter how wonderful it would be. He frowned slightly when felt he shudders and somehow knew that it wasn't in pleasure. He pulled back slightly and gazed worriedly into her soft brown eyes. "Vict..." He didn't get any further as she kissed him.
She couldn't bear to be separated from this man, the man who had stolen her heart all those years ago and had never given it back. She pulled his head down and kissed him with a desperate hunger. The memory of his hurt, his dismay was etched in her mind and even though it was only a dream, she wanted to erase it forever.
He was a little startled by the intensity of her kiss. Occasionally she would take the lead in their kisses but never like this, it was as though she wanted to devour him. He pulled her tight against him as her warm soft lips crushed against his before her moist tongue ran the length of his lips and he willingly parted them. Their tongues danced together in a frenzy of passion and he was swept away by her needs, by her desires and returned them with growing passion of his own.
They eventually came up for air, both breathed heavily as they stared at each other, both stunned by the strength of their desires. Never before had she so much wanted to become part of him, to be with him that she would have willingly taken him to her bed with no thought of the consequences.
"I'm...sorry...I don't know what came over me." she stuttered, her voice cracked with her emotions as she moved out of his loving embrace, away from temptation.
"There's nothing to apologise for querida." his voice was rough and deep. He was shaken by his desire for her; he had been on the verge of picking her up in his arms and taking her upstairs to her room. They had never lost control like that before.
Victoria was trembling, her desire for him had almost overwhelmed her. She took several more steps backwards, trying to put some distance between their mutual wants and needs. She turned and faced the darkened fireplace and let out a deep shuddering breath. "Oh Zorro." she whispered
Zorro tried to settle his raging emotions. "Is something wrong Victoria?" he asked as he stepped up behind her. He knew that he should keep some distance between them but he couldn't help but noticed that there was something worrying her.
She shivered again at the memory of her terrible dream, a shiver so strong that Zorro instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his solid chest in an effort to comfort her. "Is it this dream that you had?" he whispered.
Victoria stiffened. "How did you know that I had a dream?"
He shrugged and planted a soft kiss to her hair. "I heard it in passing, that you had a strange dream."
She snorted as she leant back against his chest, felt his racing heart pound against her back. "Strange doesn't begin to describe it. It was a nightmare." she shuddered again at the thought of...him...in her bed.
Zorro held her tightly against her shudders. "It must have been a terrible dream." he said sympathetically.
"It was horrible." she confirmed as she slowly relaxed in his loving embrace.
He planted another kiss to her hair. "Sometimes just talking about it, makes it disappear." he said softly.
She sighed, should she tell him about it, or not?
He felt her reluctance. "Dreams can't hurt you."
Victoria let out her breath, perhaps she would feel better if she talked about it. "Do you remember a couple of months ago when I wanted to use that...potion on you, to make you love me? But the Alcalde drank it instead and then he and I..." She blushed, embarrassed and ashamed by her behaviour over those couple of days, of how she and de Soto fell in love.
Zorro tightened his arms in support. "How could I ever forget that?" he replied softly. He remembered the displeasure he had felt, along with a twinge of jealousy when he saw de Soto kissing Victoria. He knew it had been under the influence of those potions, which he had finally discovered to be only coloured water but regardless of that, it hadn't been easy to watch his lady being kissed by another man, especially that man.
She continued. "And how you came that night to break us up during that dinner and you had the fight with the Alcalde?"
"Of course I remember. Was that what you dreamt about?" he asked softly.
She nodded and began telling him of her terrible dream.
He remained quiet and unconsciously rocked them gently, giving her comfort in her distress. He was shocked to think of his lady with De Soto in that situation but he smiled to himself, she had also dreamt of marrying him, that in her dream, she had accepted his, Diego de La Vega's, help. Perhaps there was hope that she loved him, the real him, that she was beginning to see himself in a different light. "Oh querida, no wonder you are upset" he said compassionately.
Victoria turned in his arms and buried her face into his broad chest. "It seemed so real, Zorro." she wailed. "I still remember everything about it."
"Shhh...it's okay, it was just a dream." he paused then continued, "It was just a dream, wasn't it?" he teased.
She pulled back and hit him hard on the arm. "How could you say such a thing Zorro...I would not, I could not, not with him." she hissed furiously. "I would never betray you like that Zorro, never."
He gave her a warm smile as he pulled her back into his arms, he loved her spirit even when it was directed at him. "I know you wouldn't Victoria, I was just teasing."
Victoria's temper disappeared, she giggled nervously as she rested her head against his chest once more. "I know, I'm sorry too Zorro but just the thought of..." she shuddered lightly.
"Well, don't think of it any more." he paused for a moment. "Do you feel a little better?" he asked.
She nodded. "Si, I do feel a little better." But now she had something else to discuss with him and she hoped that he would understand why she had to do this. She gazed up at him and kissed him softly. "I love you Zorro."
He was a little surprised by her tenderness. "I love you too Victoria." he replied as he ran his fingers through her soft curls.
She sighed and moved away from him. "I wonder if you do." she said sadly.
Zorro frowned. "I don't understand. Of course I love you, never doubt that."
She sighed once more as she tried to gather her thoughts. "We need to talk and it might be better if we sit down."
He frowned once more at her serious tone, what did she want to talk about, he wondered as he sat down on a bench and Victoria sat down opposite him, her gaze on her hands in her lap.
After a moment of silence, Zorro spoke up. "Victoria, what is this about?" he asked.
She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "It's been five months since you proposed to me, five long months." she paused. "I need to know what your intentions are."
"My intentions?" he was confused, she should know what his intentions were, after all they had talked about this before, that when Zorro was no longer needed, he would keep his promise to her.
She nodded. "Yes, I need to know, whether you still want to marry me." she said quietly, seriously.
He leant forward, startled by the seriousness of her words. "Of course I still want to marry you Victoria."
"But when Zorro?" she interrupted. "I need to know when. I can't go on like this any more, with stolen moments here and there. I can't keep waiting for you. I want a husband and children and I want that with you."
He gaped at her, he wasn't expecting this at all and couldn't find words to say as Victoria continued. "Zorro, I know you fear my reaction, you fear that I don't love the man under the mask and that I would reject you."
He nodded, his heart pounded hard, it was his greatest fear.
Victoria leant forward slightly. "I don't know how to convince you that your fears are baseless. I love the man you are, I love the man of flesh and blood." she paused, trying to hold back her tears. "But I won't live like this anymore."
He finally found his voice, which crackled with his shock. "I...I know and I'm sorry for all of this. I don't know how."
She sighed once more. "I want you to unmask for me... Not now." she confirmed when she saw panic cross his eyes. "I don't mean right now, I want you to think about what you want, what you really want and come back say in a week's time and..."
He paled. "A week, why a week?" he interrupted.
"A couple of days ago, a gentleman from San Diego offered to buy the tavern. It was a really good offer, in fact it was a very tempting offer." she replied.
He gasped aloud. "You want to sell your tavern?"
Victoria shook her head. "No, I don't want to sell but I don't have a lot of options. If you are unable to overcome your fears, then you need to let me go. I need to get on with my life and that means starting fresh elsewhere." her voice crackled with her emotions, her hands wrapped tightly around the fabric of her skirt. She hated to do this to him but she must, they had to move forward with their relationship or it had to stop.
Zorro was utterly dumbfounded. "But...but you can't leave." he choked.
"I can and I must. I cannot stay here any longer while we continue as we have been for the last five years." she paused to wipe away the tears that flowed down her face. "I'm sorry Zorro, I know that I have shocked you but it's time for us come together in marriage or for us to break up completely." she reached for the chain around her neck and pulled out a small leather pouch from inside her blouse and removed her engagement ring from it. She stood up and pressed it into his trembling hand. "In one week's time, I want you to come back with this ring in one hand and your mask in the other." her voice shook with her regret of causing him pain. "Even if you are unable to remove your mask, I need for you to tell me to my face."
She leant over and planted a kiss to the silk covered head. "I will always love you, the man of flesh and blood." she whispered. She turned and walked quietly up the stairs to her room. Once she closed the door, she fell onto her bed and cried into her pillow.
Zorro's body shook with disbelief, his heart pounded so hard it hurt. He felt cold and slightly nauseated. What she was asking of him was enormous. He knew in his heart that it wasn't right to keep her waiting for him but his fears rushed back in great waves of uncertainty. How could she love him, Diego de la Vega, when she only ever thought of him as a friend, almost like a brother?
He found that he couldn't think, couldn't breath in the tavern and stood up on unsteady legs, stumbled to the bar, grabbed his gloves, hat and fled. He leapt onto Toronado and urged him into a fast gallop. He didn't know where he was going; he allowed his faithful steed his own head. Before he knew it, he was back in the cave and he slid off Toronado's back and stumbled to his chair. He was thankful that Felipe wasn't there for he didn't feel like talking. He was so distressed by what had happened.
When he had gone to visit Victoria, he had only wanted to see her, to hold her and to kiss her but he never imagined that she would give him an ultimatum. That he must unmask or she would leave Los Angeles forever.
"Oh dios." he cried out as he ripped off the mask and buried his head in his hands. He understood why she was doing this. She had wanted long enough, they both had. But could he do it? Could he get over his fears and tell her? What did he want? Did he really want to marry her? Oh yes, he moaned, he loved her like no-one else but his fears were real but somehow he must overcome them. He had to, for he couldn't imagine life without her.
"Why can I fight a squad of lancers, chase after bandits and yet one single woman has me quaking in fear?" he asked aloud as he stood up and paced around the cave. "Why am I having so much trouble with this. It should be so simple. Just tell her." He felt something caught his hand on his trousers; he reached into the pocket and pulled out his mother's ring. "Oh dios, Victoria, I love you, I don't want to lose you. I must get passed this fear, somehow I must."