Chapter 26: Epilogue.

One year later, by a spring morning.

"Isabella, what a treat to see you." Diego says inviting her to come in after having kissed her hand.

"I don't stay, Diego, I have a message for you know who." She says by noticing Don Alejandro just behind him.

"You can talk freely." Diego smiles.

Isabella notices then that father and son were armed and in a state which showed their physical efforts.

"Buenos días, Dona Isabella. Is everything fine?" Don Alejandro interrogates.

"Buenos días, Don Alejandro. Yes, thank you, everything is fine. Take this, Diego, it is for you. I'm sorry, I can't stay, little Diego is waiting my return impatiently."

"Well, don't make little Diego wait, and have a good return, Isabella." Diego says by taking the message.

"Gracias. Diego, Don Alejandro, have a good day."

Father and son observe her as she is going away, then Don Alejandro interrogates his son.

"What is it?"

"It's a letter."

"I'm not blind, Son. From who is it?"

"It's from our dear Señor Monastario."

"Oh... What does he want?"

"I don't know yet, but I think that this message is for Zorro."

"He won't let go the subject after all this time?"

"Don't worry, Father, we promised each other a new duel."

"A new..."

"Yes... Well, it's just a fight between him and my alter ego; we made this promise the day when you discovered my aptitude with swords."

"Oh, this day... The Señora De la Cruz was right; I should have tried to stop you... But what is done is done."

"Yes, Father. And it's from the past that we learn about our mistakes that we are correcting today. And by living in the past we don't live in present time like we should."

"You're wise, Son."

"I had a good teacher. Somehow, Señor Monastario learnt it to his cost."

"Yes and his interventions were saving."

"For us and for him." Diego adds.

"Even so, I heard it told, at that time, that the governor and Judge Vasca received an unexpected visitor in the person of El Zorro." Don Alejandro says with a smile.

"It's true that El Zorro made them a little visit of courtesy. But I doubt that it was very efficient. After all Zorro and Señor Monastario always were enemies."

"Is there anything else that I could be taught by now? You never explained to me why the governor asked for you a week after Monastario surrendered."

"The governor wanted to hear my version about El Diablo, too."

"Your version on El Diablo? Why this?"

"It seems that he crossed El Diablo's path."

"Why do I have the feeling that you don't tell me everything?" Don Alejandro interrogates skeptical.

"I may have told him some other little anecdotes." Diego says ironical.

"Señora De la Cruz is right. Judge Vasca was merciful towards Señor Monastario."

"I think that Señor Monastario is conscious about it, even if he had to pay a heavy tribute."

"A tribute?"

"Leaving the army may have not been accepted with good heart." Diego says.

"Exactly. On a military point of view he is a good strategist, and he always was surrounded by incompetents. If the poor sergeant heard me..."

"Though Sergeant Garcia took his role of substitute comandante very seriously."

"With, some time, Zorro's help."

"It's true, but he took his mission with heart, and Zorro didn't have to make remarks on his way to manage the situations." Diego retorts.

"Son, we both know what it is. What did our friend want?"

"He thanks the Fox for his interventions towards his niece and he would like to meet him to challenge him to a friendly duel, he has underlined this sentence."

"He seems to have become wise. Maybe this last year, back in Spain, was beneficial to him."

"If he hears you, he would tell you the contrary."

"No doubt... En garde, Son."

Surprised, Diego lacks to drop the message and prepares, ready to riposte.

It was then a set of vigorous sparring where Don Alejandro ended unarmed, one more time.

Then, the day after, a few miles from the pueblo of Los Angeles, noises of crossed swords echoes around.

"You're in form, Señor Zorro." Smiles a man more than delighted.

"You too, Señor Monastario." The Fox retorts.

The exchange is vivid, powerful and fluid.

"You should have taken off your cloak." Monastario taunts him. "You seem to be embarrassed."

"I undress only for the Señoras." Zorro retorts mischievous.

"Impudent, you're lacking of courtesy!" Monastario attacks.

Not very far from there, sitting on rocks and observing the swordsmen.

"They really are acting childishly." A señora sighs.

"Who are you saying to, Dona Isabella? ... Dieg... Zorro is still young, it's still acceptable, but your uncle..."

"Rivalry always was a fountain of youth for him." She has fun to explain. "Don Alejandro, I didn't have the chance to tell you this before, but thank you."

"Thank you? Why, Dona Isabella?"

"As he learnt about the facts concerning my uncle, by the fox's mouth, Judge Vasca brought a clemency verdict; and the case of El Diablo how you explained it, is no stranger to his decision."

"Judge Vasca is not so easily swayed."

"That's the reason he wanted Diego's point of view."

"It's not his point of view that he was eager to hear, but his version of the facts. After all, I don't know the whole story in the same manner as him or you. By the way, since we are discussing about it, what really happened in Spain, with El Diablo?"

"To answer you, Don Alejandro, it happened how Diego told you one year ago, except for two or three things."

"It's these details which interest me." He says by making her smile.

"Well, I don't know if I can relate this but..." She exchanges a look with Bernardo which nods, confirming her silent question.

And while the two men continue fighting, she came back on her encounter with Diego, only interrupted by Don Alejandro exclaiming, 'Dios' when she admitted that Diego's life was saved because of a locket. And once she finished her story.

"You know, Dona Isabella, I prefer this version as an explanation for the fall of El Diablo. I'm not a fool, and his version, which satisfied me at that time I admit it, was lacking of Diego's temper. I find him more in your version."

"Don Alejandro, I think that Diego didn't want to worry you unduly."

"Nor to unmask, and yet..."

"Yet, he doesn't... My uncle has some suspicion but never has had real clues or any evidence. For me, I succeeded to unmask him by using my charms." She says by reddening. "As for you?"

"I had a lot of suspicions since he returned from Spain. And yet his behavior wasn't the same anymore, he seemed different... Zorro was more like him before his departure, and then on this day... This fateful rainy day, when I saw him fighting, I have had certainty; but this sweet heart lacked to let it all go for the love of a señorita, and I made him understand that I knew... Somehow, he learnt it at this time."

"The day when the governor proposed him amnesty?"

"That's the day."

"You would be the reason why he refused?"

"No, the reason is the people. The people need him. I made him remember this."

"By knocking me and tying me up." Zorro intervenes by startling them.

"Zorro!" Exclaims Don Alejandro.

"Señores." Isabella salutes by seeing both men close to them.

"Isabella, my dear, Zorro defeated me once again." Monastario admits sitting on her side. "He is a formidable opponent, with or without mask."

"You don't stay, Señor Zorro?" Isabella interrogates.

"Alas no, I can't. There are some riders coming... I don't want, if they are soldiers, for you to be bothered."

Zorro whistles Tornado, which comes like a shot. And once on his mount, Zorro salutes them while his horse friend reared up, saluting at its turn.

End.

Nda : Just one great thank to IcyWaters for all the beta work she has done. :o)

See you soon for another adventure.