Chapter 12

Smart Sixteen

Victoria went into the room, and glanced down at Diego as he slept. He was a teenager now. She could see the change in his face, the maturing of a boy into a man. She almost wanted to hold him, but he wasn't Diego, he wasn't her Diego.

He turned over onto his side, and she knew she had disturbed his sleep. She sighed, and went to leave.

"Don't go," he said softly. She froze.

"It's one of those weird days again, isn't it?" He turned his head, and stared at her for a few moments.

"What's your name?" He said.

She hesitated. "Victoria."

"Victoria Escalante?"

"Yes," she answered.

He stared back at the wall. "I'm not stupid you know."

"I know," she said.

"You are how much older than me?"

"I was 26 last birthday," she admitted with a sigh. She felt a little too old to be admitting that fact.

Diego made a strange noise. "I am 16 now."

"Congratulations," she murmured.

"Don't go, Victoria," he added, glancing back at her. "Tell me what happened to me? What is happening to me?"

She sighed.

"I am old enough to be an apprentice and work for my living," Diego said crankily. "I think I am old enough to know some things." He turned back onto his side, and stared at the wall.

"I don't even know what is going on," she protested a little. "You fell into a fountain of youth, and got drenched. We were given a cure, and you have been taking a dose of it every night, for a couple of nights now."

"What happens when I take the dose?"

"You age a little bit more."

"From what?"

"You were turned into a baby, Diego."

Diego chuckled a little. "It's impossible. I must be dreaming. There is no such thing, and no such problem."

Victoria shrugged. "You try to explain it then. You were always a little weird at this age," she said grumpily. "So pigheaded and rude."

"What?"

"You heard me. It wasn't right to tease me, I was only 12. I just wanted to join in, and play with everyone else, Diego," she said, and rapidly covered her mouth. "Sorry. I don't know where that came from."

Diego stared at her. "Why did you want to join in? You're a little girl," he answered.

"I always liked and respected you. You were kind for the most part, and you stuck up for the downtrodden. I admire that in someone."

"Why are you here? Do I marry you?" Diego said softly. "My father is here, because he lives here. Maria is here because she obviously lives her as well. But you?"

"We are great friends, Diego," Victoria said nervously.

"Hmm." Diego said, and sighed.

"Where is Felipe? I remember him. I found him last year in the battlefields. Is he alright?" He suddenly said, remembering the child.

"Felipe is your son now, Diego. You adopted him," she said with a smile.

"Of course, what a wonderful idea," Diego said softly. "He's big now, isn't he?"

Victoria gazed down at the teenager's stiff posture and tried to put herself into his shoes. It would be worrying the boy, and he must feel helpless before the enormity of the problem.

"We are the adults at the moment, Diego. We are doing the best we can, and things are getting better. In a few more days you will be the man you should be."

"It's not that simple. It has felt like years between these strange days. One at 4, one at 10, and now one at 16. I'm not a man yet, so more are to come. They come out of the blue, and interrupt everything. I planned on doing so many things today. Francisco and Ramon were going to race with me. I was going to win."

"Of course," she said a little crankily. Diego at sixteen was very handsome, an inkling of what was to come, but as arrogant as any other caballero boy.

"I could do it tomorrow, of course," he said after a moment's thought. "If you like, I could put you on my horse and race. I'd still win…you would like that Senorita?"

She sighed.

"Whatever helps you feel good, Diego. I'd like it," she said.

He smiled a little.

"I'm in the nursery again." He gave a short laugh a little. "I am meant to be in my normal room now. Father made it like a rite of passage on my birthday. In a few years I will be at University."

"I know," she murmured. "About University."

"Did I do well?"

"Yes, definitely," she said, avoiding his suddenly curious eyes.

"What?"

"I have things to do, Diego. I can't stay here at chat to you in your nightshirt all day," Victoria said, finally rising out of the chair she had sat in for their conversation.

"Very beautiful," Diego said to himself softly, as she left the room, and as she overheard the comment, she smiled.

Zzz

Diego sat at the dining table and listened politely to his Father. Alejandro talked of things that had been going on in the pueblo, carefully avoiding all talk of the alcalde's injustices and cruelties, which seemed to be increasing every day. He was annoyed by the man. It was like he was urging Zorro out to do battle, and Alejandro was a little frightened for his suddenly older boy.

He knew he could protect a four year old, or a ten year old. A sixteen year old Diego was much more capable of getting into trouble, and much more likely to. He remembered the teenager's thirst for justice and compassion. Alejandro had seen his son get into fights with vaquero's sons over their treatment of women and Indians. How had he ever forgotten that?

Diego smiled when the flan was brought out. He was beginning to look forward to these weird days, he realised. His favourite dessert was always on offer. Victoria was looking radiant in her red blouse and tan skirt, and he felt his heart beat a little faster whenever she glanced over his way.

She was beautiful, Diego decided. So this was what Victoria would become? He saw the spirit in her eyes that she had had as a little girl, as she had argued and forced her way into every game. He saw the way the clothes sat on her body, and realised she had quite a figure on her. He stared whenever he got the chance, and blushed when she looked at him.

Zzz

Victoria sat in Diego's room, on the chair, and passed him a little cup with the medicine in it. He swigged it down, and grimaced. That taste never changed.

Victoria rose to go, and he reached for her hand to stop her.

She glanced at his hands, still smaller than his adult hands, but nearly as large.

"Senorita, don't you trust me to take the medicine?"

"I wouldn't take it." She stared at the way his eyes twinkled. "Why would you?"

He lifted her hand to his lips as he had been shown to do, and kissed it lightly. She blushed a little, and smiled.

"Why, you are becoming quite the caballero," she said, remembering the day he had returned from University. There had been fire in his eyes, perhaps desire, or maybe just the beginnings of anger at the injustices the people faced. She hoped it had been desire, because she had felt some of that as well.

"How old will I be tomorrow?" He asked.

"You were 6 yesterday, and 4 the day before that. You were 2, the day before that." Victoria thought, but couldn't work it out. "Black Crow says there are different effects for different people, and it could work fast or slow. Two more days to go."

Diego sighed. "The medicine seems to always make me sleepy," he complained. "You have been sleeping here? In my room?"

"You were in the nursery…" She shrugged. "I need to go home soon anyway. My tavern is very busy."

"Why didn't Francisco or Ramon take over the tavern?"

"They left town." She didn't go into the horrifying details. She didn't want to trigger any Zorro type behaviour.

"Francisco and Ramon always said they wanted to be soldiers," Diego said with a yawn. "So they did."

"I didn't offend you with the kiss, Senorita?" Diego said with a shy smile. "I wanted to do that, and my tutor said it was the proper way to do things."

"Not offended at all, Diego. Sleep well."

Victoria watched as the teenager rolled onto his side, and sighed. She stood at the doorway, and watched as he drifted off to sleep. Then she blew him a little kiss, and made her way out to the library to join the others.