Greeting, greetings, everyone. Here I am, posting on time! Barely, but on time nevertheless. :) Thanks to everyone for the great reviews! I love them and treasure them.
This next chapter kind of moves into the start of season 4, and definitely has spoilers for the first episode. So if you haven't watched it yet, go do so immediately. Then come back and keep reading. :)
Thanks again! On with the fic!
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Time passed slowly for Alejandro. The frustration of his knowledge...the yearning to see his son act openly and without need to conceal his true nature was close to driving him mad. His temperament was not made for a patient waiting game. And so he acted as he always had when made to wait. Thus, Diego spent much of his time away from the hacienda and the servants kept their distance as much as was humanly possible. All of them were bewildered at the conduct of the caballero. Don Alejandro was well noted for being short tempered and prone to rash actions when riled, but it was unlike him to maintain a state of high dudgeon. His outbursts were generally like the desert rains. Fierce, but quick to blow out their wrath. Now it appeared that a monsoon had been brewing and was not about to leave. Three weeks at least he had marched about his lands and hacienda with a look on his face to frighten away all but the very brave. He needed a distraction, that much was obvious. And it arrived one morning in the surprising form of the king's tax collector; Don Emilio.
Alejandro heard much of Don Emilio before meeting him. The men of Los Angeles were impressed by his wit and conversation. The women spoke of him in whispers and giggles, and more than one of them blushed when he bent over their hand and pressed a genteel kiss to their knuckles.
It was Diego who actually introduced Don Emilio, however. In the quest to avoid his father's bad temper as much as possible, the younger de la Vega had been spending a great deal of time at the tavern, where he had become acquainted with the king's tax collector. An invitation to dinner was quickly extended and accepted, and soon Alejandro was enjoying the clever stories that spilled from Don Emilio's tongue.
It wasn't long before Alejandro invited the don to stay at the hacienda as his guest.
Tensions lifted with Emilio's arrival. Alejandro focused on being a good host and pushed thoughts of his son's secret life aside. For Diego's part, he actually came forward more than was his wont; discussing a large variety of topics with an ease that both impressed and infuriated his father. Having another face in the household helped the elder de la Vega tighten the reins on his temper, but like a skittish colt, it could only be held for so long...
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"Are you sure you won't stay a while longer, Don Emilio?" Diego pressed politely as the two de la Vega's escorted their guest to the stable.
"If only I could," the tax collector sighed as he adjusted the saddlebags over his shoulder.
"Oh, your work here is done," Alejandro stated, hoping to persuade the charming man. Things between Diego and himself were so much smoother when there was another present to make him hold his tongue and temper. Besides which, he was genuinely fond of Emilio. "Come, why not? We'll enjoy ourselves. The time to relax is now!"
"I don't think that King Ferdinand would appreciate it if his colonial tax collector turned his trip into a vacation!" Don Emilio chuckled heartily at his own words and shook his head.
"Probably not," Diego agreed with some regret as the three men approached the de la Vega stables. "From what we hear, he needs all the money he can get before the alliance conference in Verona next year."
The king's tax collector stopped in his tracks and looked at the younger caballero in amazement. "Music, literature, and politics too, Diego." A friendly slap to Diego's arm emphasized his words. Emilio grinned at the elder don with approval. "You've raised quite the renaissance man here, Alejandro."
"Yes." Emilio had no idea. "Here's something else I've raised, Emilio." Alejandro motioned to the powerful stallion behind him. With a smile, Alejandro saw the look of admiration cross Emilio's bearded face. "Finest race horse in all the colonies." If there was a note of pride in his voice, he trusted that God would forgive him for the sin, as it was also the truth. The de la Vega's raised only the best horses, but this one...he was a prince.
"What a handsome fellow!" The tax collector quickly stepped past Alejandro to stroke the stallion's elegant nose. Fortunately, the colonies' finest race horse was reasonably sweet-natured. Had Emilio tried that with Alejandro's Dulcinea, it was likely she would have left some very deep teeth marks in the fine material of his coat.
"In honor of our new friendship..." Alejandro paused to share a quick smile with his son. He had told Diego of his decision the other night, and his son agreed that the tax collector would almost undoubtedly appreciate the gesture. "I'm going to name him Emilio."
Don Emilio's charming smile creased his face as he stepped forward and warmly embraced Alejandro. Breaking apart, the elder de la Vega could see that the king's tax collector regretted his leave-taking more than ever.
"In all my years serving the Spanish crown, I have never known such hospitality," Don Emilio admitted. He nodded genteelly to the ranch hand who approached him with his horse. Swinging himself onto the animal, the man looked down at the de la Vega's; amiableness and charm twinkling in bright blue eyes. "You've made my stay in Los Angeles...truly memorable."
Alejandro could not help but smile at the man. Emilio was just one of those people that everyone liked. Dark eyes noted the empty landscape surrounding the de la Vega hacienda, and alarm rose swiftly. Surely the tax collector could not mean to ride with all that money alone...? "By the way," he said quickly, before Emilio could depart. "I don't see an escort. You're not riding to Monterey without one, are you?" If he was planning such foolishness, he could think again. Alejandro would escort him personally. It was the least he could do for a friend.
"Of course not," Emilio soothed him quickly. "I've got two men waiting to ride North with me just outside the pueblo."
"That's excellent." Alejandro beamed at his guest. He really was genuinely fond of the man. "Listen, when you get back to Monterey, please, give everyone there our best regards."
"I will amigos." The tax collector raised his hand in farewell. "Until next year then. Adios."
The two de la Vegas stood briefly in mutual amity as they watched their guest canter away. Alejandro sighed softly to himself. He was going to miss Don Emilio for many reasons. The least of which not being that he served as a buffer between the younger and elder de la Vega.
"Well," Diego said brightly as the two men turned back to the hacienda. "Don Emilio is certainly more impressive than the clerks the king usually sends to collect his taxes."
A vision of the man who had come last year drifted into Alejandro's head, and he nearly snorted. The former tax collector looked and acted as though he slept in embalming fluid. The memory was particularly unflattering when held in comparison to Don Emilio. "Indeed he is," Alejandro agreed with his son, smiling. "Cultured man. Charming." The memory of living in a place where meeting such men was not an uncommon event made Alejandro sigh just a little. "I almost feel homesick for Madrid."
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The thief! The con artist! The unmitigated gall of the man! Alejandro stormed across his property, his dark eyebrows drawn into a fierce V over flashing eyes. He was truly upset. Not so much for himself, but for the people of Los Angeles. They were poor farmers. The cabelleros could afford to pay taxes twice, with some pinching and tightening of their belts. The farmers? Never. If the Alcalde did not catch el Conejo...
Alejandro leaned against the wall of his stables, suddenly tired. One hand rubbed at the bridge of his nose. At a younger age, he might have put his fist into the wooden planks next to him. Common sense (and unfortunately, previous experience) told him that this would leave him as frustrated as ever, with only bloody knuckles to show for his outburst.
With a grimace, the don slashed his hand through the air; pushing all thoughts of el Conejo to the back of his mind. Alejandro straightened and strode with quick and impatient steps to the stall of his pride and joy. He would have to christen the animal anew, that much was for certain. But some time spent currying the stallion's powerful flanks would help him deliberate...and it would help him keep his head...
Or it would if the horse were there.
Alejandro froze, his foot still in mid air as he prepared to step across the threshold of his stallion's stall.
The horse that was present, calmly munching hay, was not his animal. It was, in fact, the attractive, if somewhat docile mare that Don Emilio had ridden out only this morning.
It took a few seconds for the truth to work its way through the shock in Alejandro's mind, but when it did...
A few moments later, the don was cradling his hand, cursing violently as he removed splinters from his knuckles. If he had been upset before, now he was enraged. One thing was for certain, the Alcalde would never catch up to el Conejo riding the aged nags of the garrison. Alejandro snorted his violent and derogatory opinion of the military's equine property. The only beasts that would have a prayer of
hunting down horseflesh raised and trained by the de la Vegas would be more of the same.
His own Dulcinea was fleet as the tempestuous North wind, with a temperament to match. The former soldier shook his hand once more in a futile attempt to be rid of the stinging pain before striding to Dulcinea's stall.
The pale mare looked up with a snort as her master approached. Upon seeing Alejandro her fierceness faded and she condescended to bump her long head against his chest in a manner that could possibly be construed as affectionate once the bruises faded. The elderly don chuckled, despite his anger. She was a beautiful animal, his Dulcinea. Long, slender, straight legs. Sleek, powerful, graceful...
Evil, Diego called her.
It was true, for some. Dulcinea was no common animal. She was a princess of noble blood and would have everyone know it. Only Alejandro or Diego could ride her without repercussions, and even the stable hands preferred one of the de la Vegas groom her. The mare had a temper that was easily raised, and not easily ameliorated. Like any good woman, she could hold a grudge with unswerving dedication. Alejandro knew that he was the single person she gave anything that could be considered affection. In many ways, this horse was much like himself, he realized with rueful amusement. His temper was also high, his ire easily earned. As for holding a grudge...
He was in the midst of holding one.
Alejandro ground his teeth together as he pulled Dulcinea's saddle down from the wall. Did he not have a reason to maintain his anger? His son had lied to his face for years!
Fingers quickly tugged buckles into place with practiced ease. All the while he pretended incompetence, the man was actually the most skilled swordsman...rider...Alejandro suddenly paused in his actions. Yes...his son was very skilled. A chuckle rose in the caballero's throat. Here he was, preparing to dash off on his own. He was, of course, going to leave Diego behind because his son could not track, and all the while he was gone he would stew and fume over the discovery that his son was Zorro. Zorro who could track. Undoubtedly, the fox would be setting out after the rabbit shortly. Alejandro slowly rubbed his chin, his thoughts swirling.
With a few quick jerks, the elder de la Vega finished saddling his mare. Diego would not escape so easily.
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Alejandro threw the door of his hacienda back on its hinges as he strode into the hall, calling for his son. Rounding the corner of the sitting room he caught sight of Diego and Felipe. They were standing oddly, side by side as though posing for a portrait. Or blocking something from his sight. Making a mental note to examine the fireplace at a later date, Alejandro strode towards his son.
"Ah, Diego, there you are." Half his life was spent calling for his offspring. At least now he knew why his son so often was not to be found. The former soldier took a second to observe Diego's expression of mild interest, the dark eyebrows raised ever so slightly. Obviously, the younger de la Vega was prepared to listen politely to whatever his father had to rage about, say something non-combative (and infuriating), and was probably counting the seconds until Alejandro stormed away so that he could transform into the man of action that he truly was. An ill-suppressed smirk kindled fire in Don Alejandro's dark eyes as he planted his feet apart, fists on hips. He had a surprise in store for Diego. "Saddle up your horse, son. We're going after him."
And it was a surprise. Not entirely a pleasant one. Alejandro could almost see Diego's nimble mind spinning its cogs, trying to dodge this unexpected bullet.
A patronizing smile creased the younger de la Vega's face. "Now, Father," Diego stepped forwards, hands raised in a conciliatory manner. "I'm sure your letter to the Governor will solve a lot of problems..."
"A letter to the governor will not get my Emilio back!" Alejandro interrupted, tapping himself on the chest to emphasize the point.
Another surprise. Diego's brows drew together in consternation "What?"
"Yes," Alejandro gritted between clenched teeth. "The stallion is gone. Alphonso...Alonzo...El Conejo stole him!" Oh what he wouldn't give for five minutes alone with that man...
"The garrison horses can't give your stallion much of a chase," For once, his son's voice was serious. Deeper. His thoughts were obviously far away with the thief. Calculating how much time had elapsed since El Conejo had departed and the stallion's fleetness of foot.
"Exactly," the elder don agreed emphatically. "Our Andalusians are the only ones who stand a prayer of a chance!" He saw the change the moment his words registered with his son. Diego drew his disguise about him once more, the look of semi interest replacing keen intelligence. It was enough to make him want to tear out his graying hair in large clumps. Alejandro glared at his offspring. Diego wasn't going to get away with it this time. "Come on," he demanded, "let's go; we can't lose a moment!"
"But, Father..."
"Don't 'but father' me," Alejandro interrupted once more. He couldn't stand it. If Diego would not willingly reveal himself to his father, than by all that was holy, Alejandro would make him. "The horse was stolen," he began, listing the events on gloved fingers. "It's our property." The old man's voice flattened, his words turning into a growl. "I want it back. Let's go."
With that foolish, disarming smile, Diego capitulated. One hand gestured for Alejandro to lead the way. He would follow, as the dutiful son that he was.
Not trusting himself to speak further, the elder de la Vega spun on his heel and marched. Dulcinea was waiting for him at the door, her reins held by one of the ranch hands. Another man was already preparing Diego's Esperanza.
The roan mare was obviously pleased to see her master as he approached, though her affection was rewarded with only the most lukewarm of caresses. Diego's attention was somewhere far away. With another horse perhaps? A black stallion noted for his intelligence and speed?
With a heave, Alejandro pulled himself onto his saddle and gathered the reins. A pang smote him as he swiftly turned Dulcinea's nose toward the tracks leading away from the stables. He could see Diego's blue eyes raking the ground, checking for clues. Yet through thick and thin, he kept his face blank. As they traveled further away from the hacienda Alejandro shot glances at his son; fascinated by Diego's perseverance in keeping his secret. Only his eyes held any hint of what was going on behind the bland, pleasant expression he habitually wore. Why had he never seen it before? Because (he was ashamed to admit) he had never looked closely enough.
Now that he bothered to pay attention to the tall man riding beside him, he was gleaning snippets of reality that peeked through the persona Diego wore.
Large hands handled reins with an ease that was almost second nature. Without removing his eyes from the trail that unfolded before them, Diego controlled Esperanza skillfully and completely. As sweet as the roan colored mare was, she was still of the de la Vega stock. Spirit and power were in her bloodlines. Alejandro shook his head in wonder. Diego's secret, he realized, was that the younger man never made anything look difficult, even when it was.
"Father?"
The older don was brought back to reality abruptly at the sound of his son's voice. Diego had brought Esperanza to a halt, his eyebrows drawn together in concern as he observed his father with careful scrutiny. "Father, what's wrong?"
Alejandro realized with a jolt that he had been staring. Not at the tracks, but at his son. "Nothing! Why would anything be wrong?" His tone sounded harsh even to his own ears. Ignoring the exasperated expression creeping into the tightened corners of Diego's mouth, the former soldier quickly dug his knees into Dulcinea's sides, urging her past her stable mate. He needed to be more careful. If he did not become more cautious, his son would realize that something was wrong.
Of course, the three week long sulk might have already tipped him off... Alejandro snorted and brushed the voice of reason to the side with practiced ease.
Focusing his attention once more upon the tracks, the elder de la Vega decided that he would remain in front of his progeny for now, the better to concentrate.
The mashed tracks of the garrison lancer soon joined the trail of El Conejo; making tracking all the more difficult. Already testy, Alejandro could feel his brows knitting together into an ever deepening scowl. The lancers could not perform the simplest task without making a total and complete hash of it. Every tracking novice knew that trampling your quarry's marks was frowned upon, just in case the need arose to retrace your steps! Miserable, incompetent, useless...
Dulcinea pulled away from Esperanza as Alejandro's sharp eyes observed the ground before him. A smile finally creased his face. "Look at here, Diego." The older man gestured to the marks upon the ground. To an experienced tracker, the tale of passing creatures was an open book. Alejandro swelled a little with pride as he grinned. El Conejo thought that he was clever, but obviously he had only thought himself to be dealing with the buffoons of the garrison. "He laid one set of tracks to fool us then he doubled back and went deeper up into the ravine." Alejandro nodded sagely to himself. Like a book. He could read tracks like a book. "He covered his real tracks with a branch."
"Looks to me as though both trails are false." The flat certainty of Diego's tone struck a raw nerve.
Alejandro forced himself to chuckle patronizingly. "I'm sorry, Diego but what you know about tracking actually would not fit a thimble." He smiled sweetly at his son, his dark eyes snapping with challenge. Prove to me that I am wrong, my son. Show me! Reveal yourself as who and what you truly are. "Diego, Please, stay with me son!" The don gathered his mount's reins and turned her head to pursue the trail that appeared to be hastily covered. "Dulcinea!" He pretended not to hear the sigh of frustration behind him. If Diego wished to be taken seriously then he needed to act seriously! Otherwise he could endure the patronizing tone and condescending treatment.
What was truly salt in the wound, Alejandro realized several minutes later, was that his son was correct. The trail was false. Blast!
So, how far does one follow a false trail before he admits that he is wrong? Was it his imagination, or did reason take a distinctly snide tone with him? Perhaps he shouldn't ignore the little voice quite so often and it would be a little more polite. Swallowing one's pride was a bitter pill, but Alejandro opened his mouth to admit that they should turn back when his sharp ears caught muffled wails emerging from the hillside. "Listen..."
He could see that his son was already aware of the sound. His introspective look had returned, and he was pulling Esperanza up. Swinging one long leg behind him, Diego quickly dismounted and threw the reins over a nearby bush. Alejandro followed suit, though he knew that Dulcinea would not appreciate being left behind.
Swiftly ascending the rocky terrain, the two de la Vega's followed the sound that quickly resolved itself into calls for help. From the lancers. "Up there," Alejandro strode up the rough incline, Diego following. "By the...cave." Or what had used to be a cave. Now it was a solid looking wall of rock. The lancers had been lured in, and then trapped by el Conejo.
To give his son credit, he did not say 'I told you so'.
"Don't worry," Alejandro called, his tone reassuring. "We'll get you out!" His dark eyes surveyed the pile of rocks dispassionately and admitted to himself that it would take a long time. During which, the caballero's stallion would carry el Conejo far, far away. The don sighed in aggravation, but what could he do? The lancers could be injured...he could not very well ride away and leave them. Despite temptation to the contrary. Stepping forward, he bent and dug gloved hands under a large, rough boulder expecting Diego to grasp the other side. He remained in his awkward, half crouched position for a second before looking back over his shoulder.
Diego remained stationary, arms crossed over his broad chest.
"Come on, Diego," Alejandro called, surprised that his son had not moved. "Lend a hand!" Surely his son did not intend to leave them entombed.
"I may not know enough about tracking to fill a thimble, Father," Diego's tone was...pouting? Alejandro's eyebrows rose slightly. His son was pouting!
"...but I do know a thing or two about leverage." And without another word, he strode off!
Alejandro straightened up, jaw slightly agape. "Diego..." The dark head moved into a stand of brush and trees; turning back and forth, obviously looking for something. When there were people in trouble! "Not one of your foolish experiments! Not now!" Alejandro jabbed gloved fingers towards the boulder. "Please!"
Diego did not even turn around. The dark head disappeared for a moment, ducking down beneath Alejandro's eyesight. Straightening, the younger de la Vega held his prize aloft. A stout branch. Fallen from some tree, but thick and strong. Long legs quickly carried Diego back towards the cave's former entrance.
"As Archimedes said," the younger man quoted as he quickly ascended the rocky terrain. "Give me a lever long enough, and I'll move the world."
Fascinated despite himself, Alejandro stepped back and watched his son work.
Diego placed one end of the branch behind a specific boulder and began to slowly pull back against the wood, testing the strength. Satisfied that his lever would hold, the younger don began to exert himself. A creaking, groaning sound filled the air, and Alejandro feared that the branch would give before the rocks would move.
Muscles bunched in Diego's shoulders. A thin trickle of dust drifted into the air.
Hold...hooooooold...
The younger de la Vega set his jaw and pushed harder.
With a crash, rocks tumbled free, dust billowed, and through the haze Alejandro could see the pale and sweaty faces of the garrison lancers. Diego had saved them. Single-handedly. "Well done, Diego!" The sentiment of honest admiration burst from his lips with the accompanying swell of fierce pride. His son had saved them! "Well done!"
The Alcalde was one of the first to emerge from the cave, white hair coated with dust. "El Conejo," he choked through the cloud of grit he seemed to have inhaled. "He trapped us!" The lancers crawled from the cave after their commander with cries of relief and gratitude. Dirt streaked and sweaty, they were a sorry sight. Not that they were ever very impressive, but on this occasion the poor lancers were particularly bedraggled. Stepping forward, Alejandro stretched out his hands to help them over the rocky ground, noticing as he did so that more than one was limping pathetically.
De Soto was still standing straight. His jacket was unbuttoned; white trousers stained with dirt, but he was uninjured. Blue eyes raked the countryside and he groaned. "Oh no...the horses! He's scattered them!"
"Your men are in no condition to make the hike back to town," Diego called as he helped lower a lancer to a seat.
"You're right, Diego." Alejandro pretended not to notice the look of the surprise that flickered briefly over his son's face. It's not the first time I've ever said that...is it? "Alcalde," he turned to De Soto. "He and I will ride back to town and send some wagons out for you." It was a shame that el Conejo would escape, but they could not abandon the injured men...
"Ah...but Father," Diego quickly interjected in what Alejandro often referred to with a snort as his 'wheedling' tone. "If el Conejo returns there should be at least one of us here to give chase on horseback." Again, that simple, disarming smile tweaked the corners of his mouth. "I'll go for help."
How many times had he been fooled by that smile? By the seeming eagerness to avoid danger? In reality, Diego had been charging headlong into the thick of the fray. Before Alejandro could protest, or stop him Diego was already moving away.
"Right again, Diego," Alejandro called to his son's back. A thread of fear twisted his stomach as he watched the younger man depart. He knew what he son actually intended...this was his excuse to disappear. He would probably show up much later claiming a horrible sense of direction had kept him moving in circles.
In reality, the Fox was going out to hunt. Alejandro wouldn't be surprised if Felipe had been following them all along with Zorro's effects. Throat suddenly dry, the elder don watched his son throw a long leg over Esperanza's side. He was heading into danger. "If el Conejo dares show his face I'll be here!" Be careful. "Ready to pursue a fresh trail!" Be careful, my son.
Diego's eyes met his for a bare second before Esperanza's hooves kicked up the dust and carried him away. Alejandro turned from the lancer's briefly; making a show of scanning their surroundings. In truth, for a moment he did not trust himself to keep his worry from his face. This was the first time he knew that Zorro would ride since he had made his discovery, over three weeks ago. Seeing the cruel way their quarry had left the lancers to their fate filled him with foreboding. It wasn't Zorro who was riding out to right all wrongs anymore. It was Diego.
The elder de la Vega planted gloved hands on his hips and forced himself to smile. Whatever happened, he could not allow himself to betray his son's secret. That being said, it nearly killed him to watch Diego ride away without roaring orders to come back safely.
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There you go! Next chapter should be up day after tomorrow, but might possibly take a bit longer. I'll try to get it posted on time. See y'all soon!