Pride

Don Alejandro de la Vega straightened proudly and looked around the sala. Everything was just as it should be: his friends gathered in his hacienda sitting around the long table, his son just on his right hand, unusually for him vivid and interested. He smiled to Diego for a moment and took voice:

"My friends! I asked you to come here today to discuss the future of our community. Long enough we put up with the crime and injustice taking place just in front of our eyes. We have allowed that felonious scoundrel, that murderer to terrorize us and our families. And we have just stood aside, when the one, single man dared to throw the challenge and fought Monastario alone. Well, I think we cannot stay aside any longer."

"What do you propose, Don Alejandro?" asked Don Augustin, his eyes already lit with the battle fire.

Don Alejandro glanced at his son, the only one who didn't seem to be moved by his speech. Diego only looked at him a bit anxiously, but remained quiet.

"Not what you may suspect, my friend, considering my previous actions. I do not propose you the fight with the weapon in our hands. We have many other means at our disposal."

Don Alejandro waited for a moment, satisfied with the impression he made on his friends. Now everyone, including Diego, listened to him holding their breath with undivided attention. He pointed at the papers lying in front of him on the table and continued:

"I have prepared a complete report on all of Monastario's abuses and discussed them with the alcalde. In his – and my – opinion it is enough not only to remove him from his post, but also to put him in prison. I also prepared the official claim to the governor, demanding that Monastario be replaced and his crimes – trialed. If you sign it, I will ride to Monterey to present it to the governor. And – if it will be not enough, I decided to issue a personal suit against him. If he looses it, he would be ruined. The more of you follow my example, the better."

He didn't have to look at the gathered Dons to feel their full support. He also noticed Diego, relaxed and approving.

The world seemed perfect.

And exactly in this moment, when the first haciendados started to rise to sign the petition, they heard the clutter of horses' hoofs and blue jackets of lancers filled the patio.

The Dons looked at themselves, confused and anxious. Diego with one swift gesture shoveled the documents from the table to the cupboard.

The boy can think fast and act fast, when he wants, managed only to think Don Alejandro, until Monastario burst into the sala.

Don Alejandro turned to face him:

"You are not welcomed in my house, Capitán," he said fiercely.

Monastario only smirked and shrugged his shoulders, though he was curiously looking around the sala:

"I didn't come here to pay you a visit, Don Alejandro. I didn't suspect I will interrupt such... interesting gathering, whatever may be its purpose. I am here to fulfill my duties."

"What kind of duties?" asked sharply Don Alejandro. As for Monastario, he was unusually polite. It didn't bode well.

"To protect the safety and order of the pueblo and its citizens. To protect you from bandits and law-breakers."

"You suggest that there are bandits among us?" asked Don Augustin, getting red with anger.

"Only one, from what I know" replied calmly Monastario, evidently savoring the moment.

"So please, name him," said Don Alejandro with a confidence he didn't feel. Monastario was too content, almost exhilarated. He must have had some ace in his sleeve. Don Alejandro tried to exchange looks with Diego, but his son sat with his head lowered, fully occupied with studying the carvings on the wine glass he was keeping.

"Gladly. But, before I do it, may I ask one question? Even if it is not a social visit?" Monastario grinned with mocking politeness.

Don Alejandro didn't bother to answer, only waved his hand in agreement, surprised, when Monastario for the first time during that conversation turned to Diego and asked:

"Tell me, Don Diego, you attended military school for three years, did you not?"

"Si," replied calmly Diego.

Diego didn't seem to be especially interested, neither in Monastario's presence nor in his question, yet while replying he corrected his perfectly smooth hair behind the ear. That simple gesture made Alejandro's anxiety grow – Diego always did it when was embarrassed or confused.

Monastario continued in innocent voice, gazing intensely at Diego:

"And during those three years they didn't teach you even how to keep the blade properly?"

"I didn't particularly appreciate that part of training," replied obliviously Diego, shrugging his shoulders, but Alejandro jumped and hit the table with his fist:

"Capitán! You allow yourself too much coming here in the company of lancers and insulting us!" he almost shouted, fighting to control his anger.

"Sit down, Father!" Diego raised his hand calmingly, while Monastario turned to the old Don with mocked astonishment:

"Oh, but your son doesn't seem to be insulted, Don Alejandro. Just look at him. He is – curious, amused, a bit bored, maybe – but not insulted. Or scared. You are never scared, Don Diego," he looked again at Diego.

Alejandro saw that Diego almost raised his hand to his ear again, but this time managed to control this gesture.

"I will take it as a compliment, commandante," he replied with unbroken peace, "but it would be welcomed, if you could clarify a direction of your thoughts a little."

"Yes, Monastario," snarled Don Alejandro sitting down. "Say something understandable or leave."

Monastario nodded.

"All right. I hope, Don Alejandro, you will find it understandable enough. Don Diego de la Vega – I accuse you of conspiracy, assaulting government officials and treason."

Dead silence fell upon the sala. Neither of the gathered men, not even Alejandro, was able to say anything, as they were trying to gather their thoughts.

In the silence clearly sounded the amusement in Diego's voice:

"Well, well, and how did I manage to do all that?"

Monastario leaned over him and hissed:

"You had busy nights."

Diego didn't move. Alejandro noticed that he avoided eye contact with commandante. He avoided eye contact with anyone. The cold shiver ran through the old man. Was it possible that there was a grain of truth in these accusations?

"You seem to fancy riddles today, Capitán," said Diego ironically after a moment.

"I thought you will appreciate it. Aren't you the master of the riddles... and masquerades, Senor... Zorro."

When Monastario said it, after the moment of shocked silence, the gathered Don's, including Diego, burst into laughing, looking at the commandante with disdain. If that was the reason for his accusations... well, he just compromised himself again.

Alejandro tried to force a smile on his face too, yet couldn't. He sat near enough to Diego to notice that his son didn't shiver or even wink with surprise after Monastario's accusation. Only before he started to laugh, he closed his eyes for a moment and took deep breath, like a man that is about to drown. Yes, Diego was not surprised. He was worried.

Monastario seemed to be unmoved by the laughters, but Alejandro knew that they must irritate him. The commandante hated to be ridiculed. He turned to Diego, not paying attention to the other men in the sala.

"Is it that funny, indeed? So how can you explain the fact that Zorro made his first appearance just after your return from Spain?"

"I do not know, he never confided to me," Diego shrugged his shoulders. He was perfectly in control right now. Just as Monastario said: he seemed amused and bored. But not scared. He should be scared, thought desperately Don Alejandro. Any unfairly accused man should be scared.

And Diego didn't even stand up from his chair. He was sitting comfortably, with casually folded arms and looked up at Monastario with indulgence.

Monastario slowly was loosing his shammed calm and, circling around Diego's chair, spoke with more and more fury:

"But you must know, Don Diego, why you are never present when Zorro attacks? And just do not say that you try to stay away from troubles! You even missed the trial of you own father!"

"That certainly makes me ungrateful, but is hardly the reason for arrest," noticed Diego obliviously, but the Dons exchanged confused glances. Alejandro could see how the first shadows of doubts appear in their eyes. He felt irritation – he had the right to be angry at his son for his strange absence, but he certainly didn't want Monastario to use it as a proof against him. However, he had no chance to interrupt him, as Monastario continued with malicious fire in his eyes:

"Oh, you are not that ungrateful, Don Diego! You made quite an effort to help your father, when he was justly accused of the rebellion! To protect him when he was wounded, you made my soldiers that had to guard you so drunk that they hardly could see one another!

"Have you put it in an official report? That your lancers were blind drunk?" Diego seemed to be sincerely curious.

"It is no concern of yours!" shouted Monastario. "And you missed the trial, because el Zorro was busy with disturbing the righteous judge in performing his duties!"

"Oh – that night when you sent Sergeant Garcia to delay the arrival of the judge, so that you could sentence my father to death?" asked Diego innocently.

"So, you suddenly remember! The very same, Don Diego! And just do not tell me that you do not possess Zorro's skills! I saw you fighting Carlos Martinez just in front of my eyes! Strange that he bested me, but you, though fighting so awkwardly, managed to disarm him?"

"Carlos Martinez! The one that resurrected so mysteriously from the grave you put him in? When he stole the Crown of Jewels from the mission at your order?"

"Exactly, so you remember that too!" Monastario looked triumphantly around and seeing the faces of the gathered Dons, suddenly realized what he said. "No, I mean: no! Of course not!"

The men in the sala exchanged malicious smirks, enjoying Monastario being so easily manipulated to openly avow his mean tricks, yet Alejandro wasn't laughing. He swallowed hard, trying to catch a breath. There was only one thought in his mind: How could Diego know it all, if he weren't the Fox?

Monastario took a few deep breaths and gathered himself surprisingly quick. He folded his hands too and looked at Diego almost calmly, though with obvious hate.

"Very nice show. The last one. You are under arrest," he said simply.

He mocked Monastario once again, as the Fox did it so many times. As he did it so many times. The good-by show, thought Don Alejandro blankly.

And indeed the show was over. The amusement in the sala soon faded, the gathered men looked at themselves anxiously. "You cannot possibly arrest him based only on your premonitions," said one of the Dons uncertainly, but Monastario only snorted.

It was over.

For the first time during that confrontation, Diego raised eyes on his father, and Don Alejandro was stunned by the wave of fear. He saw such glance once, in the eyes of his wife, when they both get to know she was going to die. She looked at him then with the heart-breaking apology, as if it was her fault that she will leave him alone in mourning...

Now the same sad apology was in Diego's eyes.

Memory can play vicious trick. Alejandro suddenly reminded himself the words he threw once into his son's face: Sometimes it is better to die, than to live as a coward...

I take it back, God, please I take it back, he thought panicked. I want the son who is coward, but alive!

His despair must have been visible on his face, because Diego smiled to him warmly and winked, as if he wanted to hearten him. Then Diego closed his eyes once more, taking another deep breath, and when he opened them again, he wasn't looking at Don Alejandro anymore, only on Monastario. He was smiling again, but this time it was the smile no one has seen him on him before: sneering, perilous and proud.

"Mi Capitán..." he started mockingly, finally rising and Alejandro almost wanted to cover his ears, so that he wouldn't hear what his son was going to say. The confession confirming that the father's dreams were true and he can be proud of his son. The confession meaning the death of his child.

However, Monastario misunderstood Diego's gesture and interrupted him growling:

"Just spare me your idle excuses, de la Vega! I have all the evidence against you I need! Just listen!" With these words he unrolled a pile of papers and started to read the list of accusations, very detailed and precise.

Diego closed his mouth and stepped back a little, looking around the sala with raised eyebrows, as if he was saying: 'I apologize for him', when something behind Don Alejandro drew his attention.

The old Don turned quickly back and saw Bernardo, staying on the stairs and hectically signing something. Diego narrowed the eyes and tried to follow the signs, but he soon shook his head helplessly– even he couldn't understand what his servant meant.

Bernardo looked desperately around, finally pressed one finger to his the mouth, signing silence. Then he showed the clock – and then smiled and raised calmingly his hands. He is asking him to wait for something, realized Don Alejandro.

Diego nodded and lowered his head for a moment. When he raised it, the grasping expression disappeared from his face, giving place to the insulted innocence. Alejandro could only admire how quickly his son changed his masks.

"Forgive me, commandante," Diego said politely as usual, "but I am afraid I have lost the thread. Would you mind repeating it from the beginning?"

However, Monastario was not going to be ridiculed again.

"I will repeat it tonight," he hissed to Diego with hate, "when you will be standing on the gallows."

Having heard that, Don Alejandro felt the fury take over him. Not the usual de la Vega temper, but white, cold fury he never felt before. Not fully aware what he was doing, he stood up and looked straight at Monastario:

"I swear to you for all that's holy, that if you kill my child there will be no place for you in this world to hide before me."

There was something in his voice that made all the Dons sit still and motionless, even Diego finally kept quiet. Monastario couldn't help stepping back a little. He breathed loudly for a moment until he finally shouted:

"Lancers!" and when a few soldiers rushed into the sala, he pointed at Diego and ordered: "Take him to the cuartel."

Yet, before they managed to carry the order, through the open doors ran Sergeant Garcia, red and breathless:

"Commandante!" he shouted quickly, then noticed Don Diego surrounded by lancers in front of Monastario and gasped with fear.

"What is it? I asked you to stay at the cuartel, did I not?" gnarled Monastario and the sergeant gathered himself:

"Si, commandante, but the messenger has arrived... The viceroy is coming to Los Angeles, he will be at the pueblo in no more than an hour!"

"What?" exclaimed Monastario surprised. "But how?... Why? I didn't know... I didn't hear about..."

"Perhaps he heard about you," sounded joyful voice just behind Monastario's back.

Diego evidently relaxed and looked at the commandante cheerful and calm as usual. The viceroy is his friend, he studied with his son, remembered Don Alejandro with the small spark of hope.

Monastario looked at Diego a bit unconsciously and suddenly his face beamed:

"You! Good, just in time. You will be the main point of the evening, the final proof of my abilities to maintain the peace and order. Lancers! Garcia! Take him to the cuartel, but keep an eye on him all the time! If he runs away, I will personally hang you all in his place!"

Diego only shrugged his shoulders once again:

"As you wish, Commandante. I am sure it will be a night to remember. I wouldn't like to miss it anyway."

Having said that, he winked to the scared Sergeant Garcia and waved for the lancers. Don Alejandro wanted to approach him, but it only drew the attention of the commandante, who immediately blocked his way. Looking at his face, the old man understood, that now Monastario would make him pay for the fear Don Alejandro aroused in him few minutes ago.

"You, Don Alejandro, you are under the house arrest. You will remain in the hacienda, under guard. But do not worry, I will send for you just before the execution of your son. You will be on time to see it," Monastario grinned. Alejandro moved toward him with clenched fists, but Diego quickly touched his arm, saying merrily:

"Stay calm and wait, Father, everything is going to be just fine."

Alejandro slowly sat down and followed him with his eyes as long as he could, thinking that whatever happens tonight, calm would be the last thing he is going to feel for a very long time.


Just one explanation: the last chapter begins after Diego managed to convince viceroy that he is innocent, just as he did it in the episode "The fall of Monastario". For these, who didn't watch it, it is enough to say, that Diego kept the cool blood, denied all accusations and proved that Monastario has no real evidence against him. As the result, Diego was acquitted from all charges, Monastario - imprisoned and Sergeant Garcia became acting-commandante... :)