Chapter 2:Victoria is Safe
"Where were you? I told you to meet me at the Tavern, and you didn't show up." Zorro asked angrily when he entered the cave.
Felipe signed that he lost track of time and was busy in the stables. Diego's response scared him a little.
"We will discuss this later, but for now, please help me get Victoria down so I can treat her wound." Zorro asked Felipe as nice as he could, trying to hold back his disappointment.
The young man helped Zorro lay Victoria down on the cot and cover her up. "Victoria wake up please." Zorro lightly brushed her face with his ungloved hand. When she didn't respond, Zorro carefully leaned over and kissed her lips lightly.
Victoria responded slowly and opened her eyes. She looked around and tried to talk. "Shh, just relax, you are safe." Zorro soothed her in a calm voice.
"I need to look at the back of your head, you have a nasty bump. Please stay calm." Zorro gave her a deep and trusting gaze. She stayed still and quiet while he carefully cared for her injury. He spoke to her softly as he worked to relax her so she wouldn't panic. "You need to rest, I will be right here if you need me." He reassured her with a pat on the shoulder as he carefully made her as comfortable as she could be on the small cot.
"Where am I?" Victoria asked quietly as he reached for a thicker blanket to cover her up with. Her head hurt, and the cave was a little foggy.
"You are in a safe place, no one will hurt you here. My cave is very well hidden." Zorro replied with a comforting smile. He made sure she was warm and leaned over to kiss her forehead lightly. "Drink this, it will help with the pain, and relax you so you can sleep better." Zorro reached for a bowl of fowl smelling liquid.
Victoria wrinkled her nose at the liquid he held in front of her. "What is that?" She turned her head and refused to drink it.
"It's cactus tea, and just take a few sips." Zorro said as he offered his hand so she could sit up a little more on the pillows behind her.
"It smells so bad. Do I really have to drink it?" She wined.
"It doesn't taste or smell very good, but it does wonders in easing the pain and relaxing over worked muscles." Zorro replied with a small smile. "Close your eyes, and it may not taste as bad." He offered her the bowl of fowl smelling liquid again.
"Oh, alright, I will drink it, but only a few sips." Victoria agreed, but looked like a child about to cry.
Zorro sat down on the edge of the cot and helped her hold the bowl of cactus tea. After a few sips, she relaxed back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She fell asleep quickly, and slept for an hour before Zorro checked on her again.
Zorro had to do something about Felipe. He was forgetting to do some of the chores around the hacienda, made up excuses for why he did not get to the pueblo, and was gone when he was needed. He wanted to go look for Felipe, but leaving Victoria alone was not a wise idea. He couldn't change into his daily clothes for fear of Victoria waking up and needing him. His hands were tied, so he went to his desk and sat down to think about the next step of action. He soon fell asleep on his desk using his arm like a pillow.
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Victoria slept for half the day. She woke up and slowly sat up. She looked around the cave for Zorro, but couldn't see him from where she was. Her head hurt a little, and her throat was dry. She carefully uncovered and slid off the cot and stood up slowly. Her balance was a little off, but overall not to bad. Victoria went in search for water, and knew there had to be a canteen of water on Toronado's saddle. She slowly walked over to the wall and peaked around the corner, and she noticed Zorro was asleep at his desk. She slowly made her way over to him and picked up a blanket she found tossed on a pile of burlap sacks. She carefully draped the old blanket over Zorro's shoulder's and back. She went to get the canteen of water of from Toronado's saddle and pulled a stool over next to Zorro and sat down.
"Who are you under that mask?" She said quietly to herself. She watched him sleep for a while longer. She thought about all he had done for her. He put his own life in danger for her, made secret trips at night for a kiss, and faced tough battles with banditos and the alcalde. Her masked love was an amazing man and hero to the people of Los Angeles.
She began to make a mental list to figure out who was under that mysterious black mask.
Zorro was very tall, had dark hair, had a way with words, he was quick and graceful on his feet, and his kisses made her melt.
She thought about her regulars at the Tavern. She remembered that he told her he was a regular guest and enjoyed her food very much. He also had said once that she knew him very well and they talked everyday. Victoria ruled out most of her guests and thought about who she spent time chatting with while working. She ruled out the older patrons, and the very young ones. Zorro looked like he was around her age. Her mental list only had a few names on it, and her best friend Diego was one of them. Diego was very tall, had dark hair, had a way with words, but he usually avoided trouble. His talents included; reading, writing, painting, playing the piano, and he made friends quickly. He helped the poor farmers with their crops and soil during planting season, put the local news paper together, and taught young people how to read and write.
Victoria was starting to get a headache again, and shifted on the stood she was sitting on until her feet touched the floor. She stood up and dizzy spell made her fall over and pass out.
