Chapter 2 – The new sword and its first fight ever

De Soto examined his new sword, which had arrived from Spain the day before. It had been made especially for him in Toledo by a renowned swordsmith. The alcalde could not wait to use it to kill Zorro, a feat which would allow him to return to Madrid as a hero.

Just in case the new sword could not fulfil its purpose, De Soto was also waiting for the arrival of a crate containing a new kind of cannon, capable of blowing Zorro away in tiny little pieces. He thought that Victoria's wedding, if it happened, would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. In case Zorro tried to destroy it, he could also set a trap around the crate on its way to Los Angeles.

De Soto smiled grimly with delight at his own cleverness. He looked at the picture hanging on the wall. It was a portrait of Machiavelli, his role model.

He would be so proud of me, he thought.

ZZZ

Diego came back to the hacienda, where Felipe told him about a mysterious large crate guarded by the soldiers, on its way to Los Angeles. He decided Zorro should have a look inside that crate the next day, because that night his priority was Victoria, and the crate could wait.

After dusk, he changed into Zorro's clothes, jumped on Toronado and headed for Los Angeles. He had overheard Sergeant Mendoza complaining earlier about the tedious task of guarding Victoria at all times, so he was prepared for a possible trap. He had seen De Soto talking to Mendoza in the tavern, and he knew the alcalde was up to something.

Zorro arrived quietly in the dark, stood on Toronado's saddle to climb onto the roof, as usual, and walked along the tiles carefully, looking for the guards. Corporal Sepúlveda was standing outside the tavern yawning, guarding the entrance and the window. He took his helmet off for a moment to scratch his scalp, and Zorro neutralized him by dropping a tile on his head, entering the tavern through the ceiling right afterwards. Another lancer was inside, following Victoria around while she tidied up, to her utter annoyance. Zorro approached him from behind, knocking him out with a hard blow to his head.

"Victoria," Zorro called, quietly.

"Zorro! You are here!" she gasped, running into his arms. Zorro hugged Victoria, breathing in deeply the sweet scent of her hair. "I knew you would come tonight," she said happily.

"Yes, I need to talk to you," he said, looking into her beautiful dark eyes, not sure which words to use next. "I've seen you busy lately, looking for a husband," he teased.

Victoria looked down, embarrassed, and smiled nervously.

"Yes, well. You know how much I would love to start a family… to share my life with a man I love." She looked at him again, waiting for him to ask her to be his wife.

"I have been thinking… You should have a husband," he said, softly, caressing her cheek. She awaited his next words with anticipation. "Someone like… Don Diego," he pushed.

"Don Diego?" she asked, puzzled. "But…, I don't understand, I thought we shared special feelings… I thought you came here to tell me you didn't want me to marry anybody else but you."

"Of course, I would like to marry you, Victoria, but I don't think I can give you the kind of life you are longing for. Outlaws don't make good husbands. Besides, Don…" Zorro was interrupted by the arrival of the alcalde and a handful of soldiers.

"I knew you would come to see señorita Escalante," the alcalde said with his evil smile on display, brandishing his new shiny sword. "You are so predictable, Zorro."

"Alcalde," Zorro saluted, bowing his head slightly while pushing Victoria aside with his left hand, drawing slowly his own sword. "Why are you always interrupting? It is so impolite." He smiled, stepping slowly backwards, ready for action. "What do you have there? Is that a new sword, Alcalde? Be careful not to slash yourself, it looks awfully sharp," he scoffed.

Spurred by these words, De Soto lunged at Zorro with a furious groan. Zorro deflected the blade easily with a beat parry, moving to a side at the same time, allowing the alcalde to carry on with his momentum. He then turned quickly and kicked the alcalde hard on his bottom, sending him flying across the room. De Soto banged his head on a wall, knocking himself unconscious.

"Alcalde, are we done already? How disappointing!" Zorro said, walking closer to him. With a flash of his sword he carved a neat Z on his trousers, over his rear end, right where he had kicked him before. He then turned to face the soldiers to attack them, and one by one disarmed them all with a succession of quick beats with his sword. One of them drew a pistol, and Victoria shouted:

"Zorro, look!"

He quickly grabbed a bottle from the counter with his left hand and threw it to the soldier's face, knocking him unconscious as well.

"Anybody else? I really don't have the time or the patience for this tonight!" he said menacingly. The soldiers stumbled backwards, away from him and his sword.

"Señorita, I have to leave," Zorro said, sheathing his sword. "I hope you will consider my words." He kissed her hand and, before she had time to say anything, he stepped out into the night and disappeared.

She walked furiously towards the alcalde, who lay unconscious on the floor, and kicked his bottom too, right on the "Z".

"You, idiot!" she cried.

ZZZ

Victoria was twisting and turning in bed that night, sleepless. She was very disappointed with Zorro, who not only didn't ask her to marry him, he even suggested she should find another man. Zorro's words resonated in her head once and again: "You should have a husband… I don't think I can give you the kind of life you are longing for." She was so despondent over these words that she never once considered the implications of the rest –"someone like… Don Diego."

In the morning, after a long night of deliberation, when Juan asked her again to marry him, she accepted.

"We can get married in the afternoon, and leave for Monterey immediately after. Thank you, Victoria, I am so happy," Juan said, overjoyed.

Victoria had little time to send invitations, to prepare a few things for the wedding, to pack her things to move to Monterey, and to decide who would run the tavern for her until she could sell it. She was enjoying the adrenaline rush such frantic activity provided, but soon she started to have second thoughts about her hasty decision.

ZZZ

It was already late in the morning when Diego decided to have a look at the mysterious crate. He was very cross with the alcalde for the interruption the night before, and was very keen to spoil De Soto's plans, whatever they were.

"Diego! Where are you?" Don Alejandro called upstairs, looking for him.

"Oh, what does he want now?" he asked, annoyed. "Felipe, just tell him I went to Santa Paula to the bank."

He changed quickly into Zorro's clothes, jumped on Toronado, and left the cave, completely unaware that Victoria had accepted Juan and they were going to be married that afternoon. He still thought he would have time to talk to Victoria again soon, either as Zorro or himself, and sort things out.

ZZZ

Zorro was approaching the crate to have a look inside, his senses distracted with thoughts of Victoria, when the ground suddenly gave way and he fell into a trap. It was a large pit, too deep to climb out from the bottom. The lancers were expecting Zorro and arrived quickly to surround the pit, pointing their muskets at him. Zorro cursed himself for being so careless.

"We have Zorro!" the soldiers shouted, excited.

Zorro stayed calm, smiling, despite the amount of muskets pointing at his heart, and was able to create havoc, cracking his whip all around the pit. He lashed at the lancers repeatedly, managing to either: disarm them; make them miss their aim; or drag them into the pit. To get out of the deep hole, he climbed over the pile of soldiers who had fallen inside. He called Toronado and they left, swiftly galloping away.

Some of the lancers fired their muskets at Zorro in their usual aimless, hurried way. They were so disappointed he had escaped from the trap that they gave up on the chase and didn't bother to get on their horses. Toronado was so fast there was no point in following.

But, this time, Zorro was shot in the back. The lancers didn't even notice. They were so used to missing their target that they didn't think it was possible to hit him, as if he was protected by a mystic, impenetrable aura.

ZZZ

"Diego!" Don Alejandro called again. Why is he never around when I look for him? "Ah, Felipe, listen. Where is Diego? I want you to find him. We are going to a wedding. Victoria is marrying Lieutenant Juan Ortiz this afternoon."

Felipe read the invitation, quite worried. He could not tell Diego because he had already left to have a look at the crate. It would take him a while to return, and it would be too late.

ZZZ

Zorro leaned forward in pain, trying not to lose his balance, to avoid falling off the horse. It was difficult to keep on the saddle while Toronado galloped so fast, in his usual frantic style. When they were out of reach, Zorro grabbed the reins with his right hand and slowed down Toronado's pace. He could not move his left arm, felt a throbbing pain in his shoulder with each step, and was having trouble breathing. Due to his medical knowledge he was worried the wound could be deep, penetrating into his thoracic cage damaging the lung, not just a flesh wound affecting the shoulder's muscles. Knowing that it would be hard to reach the cave without passing out, Zorro gritted his teeth and continued slowly, holding onto Toronado's mane, because he had no other choice.

After an hour of torture, Toronado stepped onto the plank to open the cave entrance. Zorro just held on for a few more seconds while the horse stepped in, walking slowly to his stall. Zorro dived into the inviting darkness, and slumped on the ground. He didn't even hear the loud thunk his body produced. Luckily for him, he didn't feel it, either.

ZZZZZ