Author's note: Sorry about the late update. Between work and the rest of my life I kinda forgot yesterday. I hope this chapter makes it up to you.
― Chapter 10 ―
Engagement
When Don Alejandro rode into town with Felipe about two hours before the wedding, he was delighted to see that many people had already gathered in the plaza. He was hailed by his friend Emilio.
`Don Alejandro! It's a good thing you've come early. There won't be enough room in the church for everyone to sit. Where is Don Diego?'
`My son will be here later. I'm certain he will be one of the people standing in the church,' Don Alejandro replied merrily. `Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see how Señorita Escalante is doing.'
`How are you doing, my dear?' Don Alejandro asked as he walked into the tavern's kitchen.
Victoria threw down the cloth she was holding and put her hands on her hips.
`I've been cleaning. That's what I do when I'm nervous and my kitchen has never been this spotless.'
`According to Felipe, Diego wasn't doing any better, if that's any consolation,' he said softly. `He had the hardest time getting his father to stop worrying and go to bed. Did you sleep at all?'
`Yes, but only because I started cleaning last evening and worked myself to exhaustion,' Victoria sighed.
`It will all be happening soon. We should go outside,' said Don Alejandro, offering her his arm.
They walked out of the tavern with Felipe and immediately stumbled on Sergeant Mendoza, exactly the man they were looking for.
`Mendoza, I want to ask you something,' Victoria said directly. `Will you be the witness at my wedding?'
`Señorita Escalante, I would be honored! But why don't you ask one of your friends, like Don Diego?'
`I'm afraid my son is otherwise engaged, Sergeant,' said Don Alejandro.
`And Don Alejandro is already giving me away,' explained Victoria, `and Felipe here is the best man. Besides we both consider you a friend.'
`Señorita, I thought you were going to marry Zorro!' Mendoza said in confusion.
He didn't notice the sudden silence in the plaza or that everyone was looking at something behind him.
`And what makes you think that she's not, Sergeant?' said a deep voice.
`Zorro!' the sergeant exclaimed as he spun around. `Zorro?'
Mendoza looked him up and down. It was definitely Zorro, sitting on Toronado. He could see the mask and the sword and the whip, but the masked man wasn't wearing his usual costume, although his clothes were black.
`Nice suit!'
`Thank you, Sergeant,' Zorro chuckled, `but you didn't answer my question. What makes you think that Victoria is not marrying me?'
`Well, she said that Don Alejandro is giving her away and Felipe is the best man.' Mendoza frowned. `For a moment I thought that she was going to marry Don Diego.'
`And what makes you think that she's not?' Zorro asked with a wink at Victoria.
`Why, you're here!'
`Very perceptive of you, Sergeant.'
Zorro glanced sideways at the alcalde, who had slowly walked from his office toward them and was now staring at the masked man's clothes. De Soto tried to comprehend what he was seeing: Zorro dressed as a gentleman.
`You... You're a caballero?' he stuttered.
`Like the good sergeant, you have excellent observational skills, Alcalde,' Zorro mocked. `Yes, I am a caballero. Does that surprise you?'
The alcalde frowned. He had always assumed Zorro was some peasant who happened to have some skill with a sword. He tried to go over all caballeros in his head, disregarding those he saw around him and some he thought could not possibly be the masked man. Zorro watched him intently but saw not the slightest flicker of realization on the man's face.
`I think, Señor, that you are only going to discover my identity when I take of my mask,' he said pointedly.
`And just when will that be?'
`Right now, with the señorita's permission,' Zorro replied, looking at Victoria.
`I would like to see your face, Zorro,' Victoria said excitedly, `as always.'
Zorro smiled down at her and echoed, `As always.'
He put his hands behind his head, pulled the knots free and let the mask fall away. He heard the collective gasp from the crowd gathered in the plaza.
`Hello, Diego,' Victoria said happily.
`De la Vega?' groaned the alcalde.
Like most people in the plaza, Sergeant Mendoza simply stared at him. Diego saluted him, before dismounting with a grin. He caught Victoria in his arms and spun her around.
`Hello, querida,' he said, putting her back on her feet.
The sound of a sword being unsheathed could clearly be heard across the plaza.
`Alcalde, what are you doing?' Mendoza gasped. `He is Zorro!'
Diego and Victoria turned to see de Soto standing with his sword pointing toward them.
`Ah, Sergeant,' Diego said merrily, `but the alcalde sees only Diego de la Vega, who cannot possibly beat him in a duel.'
`Exactly!' sneered de Soto.
`How predictable,' Diego grinned.
Victoria laughed; he had predicted this very behavior when he explained the plan three days earlier. She took a few steps back to stand next to Don Alejandro.
`I must warn you, Alcalde,' said Diego. `It is far easier to feign inability than to show skill where there is none. With or without the mask, I am a master swordsman. Perhaps I should give a little demonstration.'
He pulled of his jacket and threw it to Felipe before unsheathing his own sword. De Soto swallowed. The confidence radiating from Diego unnerved him.
`The first time we crossed swords I told you that I always try to match my style to that of my opponent,' Diego said, nonchalantly resting his sword on his shoulder. `Would you care to see what happens when I don't?'
De Soto began to realize the mistake he had made, but he had drawn first. He couldn't simply throw aside his sword and admit defeat; doing so went against his sense of honor. Recognizing that he had no other choice, the alcalde nodded. The crowd watched breathlessly as they saluted and Diego invited de Soto to attack with a hand gesture. Reluctantly the alcalde lunged. His sword was immediately knocked out of his hand by a forceful parry.
`Try again,' said Diego, tossing the sword back with his foot.
The alcalde lunged again. This time Diego didn't parry, but simply sidestepped the attack. De Soto continued in his attempts to strike Diego, but the caballero blocked and dodged every attack. The alcalde quickly became infuriated.
`First lesson, Señor. Never attack in anger,' Diego said calmly, disarming the alcalde with another parry.
The alcalde nodded and tried to compose himself while he retrieved his sword.
`Would you feel more confident if I used my other hand?' Diego taunted, transferring his sword to his left hand.
Thinking he had a chance, de Soto immediately lunged, but once again his sword was knocked out of his hand.
`Let me guess. You're as good with your left hand as you are with your right?' he groaned.
`Not quite,' chuckled Diego, `but good enough to defeat you, and I haven't even taken the offensive.'
`All right, I give up. You win,' the alcalde sighed. `There are just two things I want to know. Who's been helping you, and how long has Señorita Escalante known you are Zorro?'
`There's the answer to your first question,' said Diego, pointing toward Toronado.
The horse was nickering happily at Felipe, who was stroking his head.
`The deaf-mute?' de Soto said incredulously.
`Felipe is a mute, yes, but he's not deaf. He's been my assistent, my spy. He's the best friend ― the best son a man could wish for.'
The alcalde looked from the son to the father and back, while the people in the plaza whispered to each other. He was surprised to see that a change had come over Felipe as well; he no longer looked timid and shy.
`As to your second question,' Diego continued his answer. `Victoria has known since last Monday.'
`You mean that you unmasked for her, proposed to her and will be married to her all in one week?' exclaimed de Soto, disbelief evident in his voice.
`Not quite. We've been engaged for almost a year,' Diego said cheerfully.
`You really expect me to believe that Zorro proposed a year ago and that Señorita Escalante accepted without knowing it was you?'
`It's called love, Alcalde,' said Victoria, walking over to Diego and putting her arm around his waist.
Sliding his arm around her shoulder, Diego added, `Perhaps, if you're lucky, you will experience it sometime.'
They left a gaping de Soto standing in the middle of the plaza and walked toward the tavern. When they had almost reached Don Alejandro and Sergeant Mendoza, Diego turned around.
`And in case you were wondering, Alcalde, in my last letter to the governor I informed him of Zorro's identity. If anything happens to me or my family, I'm sure he will thoroughly investigate your involvement.'
If possible de Soto looked even more shocked, but Diego ignored him.
`So, Sergeant,' he said, turning back to the soldier. `Will you be the witness at our wedding?'