Chapter 18. Tell me everything.

Victoria had been restless for several days. She felt that Diego was more distant with her. They hadn't been alone since the night of the storm. She decided to visit her friend Teresa, training with her always made her mind clearer.

Two hours later she returned, and after checking that everything was under control in the tavern she went to look for doña Carmen.

"Carmen, I'm going to the hacienda. Will you come with me?" she said abruptly.

"Sure, but what's wrong with you, why are you so angry?"

"First, I have to talk to him, then I'll tell you."

"All right, I´m coming with you."

When Victoria arrived, she went straight to the library. Don Alejandro was reading, and looked up when he heard her hurried steps.

"Where is he?" asked Victoria in a determined voice.

"He hasn't come back yet," he said somewhat astonished.

"Well, I'll wait for him downstairs."

"As you wish," he said without daring to argue.

Victoria came in through the fireplace, and at that moment Doña Carmen entered the room.

"What happened?" asked Don Alejandro.

"No idea, but I think your son is in some kind of trouble."

"I hope they can clear it up."

"I don't think we should leave them alone."

"I certainly don't intend to get into an argument between those two. Besides, I'm convinced we can trust them."

"She may be angry right now, but as soon as they clear it up they could go too far. They're very much in love, don Alejandro, and they haven't been able to be together for years. Any day, one of them will take the initiative and they won't be able to stand it anymore."

"It wouldn't be a big deal either. The wedding's next month."

"It would be a pity if they waited so long to mess up now."

Don Alejandro seemed surprised that she was so strict, but as a good gentleman he made no comment. She became suspicious. "You didn't wait." she said in a stern voice.

"It's been a long time since that."

"But you married her. Didn't you?"

"Of course I did. What kind of man do you think I am?"

She looked away and thought she knew what he was thinking. She couldn't have been more wrong, because the next thing he said surprised her.

"These days I've seen that Diego is still affected by the death of those people, but he's not the only one. You haven't been the same since. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

"That's what he tells me, and it's not true either. Has Don Raimundo bothered you again?"

"What do you know about it?"

"I met him at the tavern and he reproached me for wanting your services just for me. I didn't hit him right away to avoid a scandal, but I told him I'm willing to defend your honor with my sword, so I hope he won't insist again."

She was completely amazed. "How could you think of doing something like that?"

"I have said that you are a respectable widow and I won't let anyone doubt my word, least of all him."

"It's a lie."

"It's my version and I'll keep it."

"But he knows that what he says is true. What if he accepts the challenge?"

"Raimundo? He's a coward at heart. Besides, I couldn't resist the temptation and I've been practicing with Diego and Felipe. He would be in for an unpleasant surprise."

"I can't believe it. Here you are, ready to defend a lie like a knight errant fighting windmills."

He stared at her for a few moments "Don Quixote is my favorite novel." he said somewhat surprised.

"So is mine," she acknowledged. "And you see in me a Dulcinea when I am no more than Aldonza."

"I don't agree, because Dulcinea is my favorite mare and although she's also a beauty she doesn't look anything like you."

"You know what I mean," she said, unable to stop herself from smiling.

"Yes, I know." he said in a soft voice. "You think I'm a madman living in a world of illusions. Maybe you're right, that would explain about my son. But if enjoying your company is the result of madness, then I don't want to be sane again."

He sat down at the piano and started playing. She was relieved, because he had left her speechless.

zzZzz

Victoria waited in the cave, and as she circled like a caged beast she saw two staffs leaning against the wall. She assumed that Diego and Felipe were using them to practice fighting. She took the shorter one and began to practice spinning and hitting. Soon after that, Diego came in with Tornado. She stopped.

"How do you feel?" Victoria asked. "Does it still hurt?"

"I'm feeling better. Fortunately, I don't need to drink cactus tea anymore. It's very effective, but it tastes terrible." She nodded. She remembered it very well. "Yesterday I took off the bandage."

He dismounted from Tornado and took him to the stable, where he removed his saddle and reins.

He left his gloves on the table and after taking off his cape and mask he approached her, but she stopped him by putting the staff in front of him.

"I think you forgot to tell me something."

"I don't know what you mean," he said cautiously.

She made a quick turn with the rod and directed it towards his chest. "Have you visited the Indian village lately?"

"No. How about you? Have you been talking to your friend Teresa?"

"So you know she's my friend. What else do you know?"

"That you've learned how to handle that with her." he said, looking at the staff she was holding.

"Do you want to take yours?"

"Why?" he said suspiciously.

"I'd like to train with you as we speak."

He took the stick and stood in front of her. Without warning she made an attacking move that almost tore it out of Diego's hands. He managed to turn his rod in time, but on her counterattack, he took a blow to his forearm.

"Is this about Washdea?" he said. He immediately regretted it, when she hit him three times in a row. He managed to stop the first two attacks, but the third hit him above his left knee.

He continued to talk as he stopped almost every blow Victoria directed at him. "The singing woman told me she's solved it, and the chief won't try to force me to marry her." He had to duck to avoid another hit. "Really, Victoria, one warrior wife is my limit."

She attacked again, and this time he managed to stop her movement and catch her rod, pulling it to disarm her. She tried to hit him and he held her hand. Both were panting from the effort.

"I assure you I am not engaged to her."

"And does she know? Because she was saying that if Zorro is no longer going to marry me, there is no obstacle to his marrying her. She asked me how to find you, that little..."

"You're the only woman I want to marry."

"So why don't we see each other alone anymore? You're distant... If there's no other woman. Why do you keep me from you? And why do you keep hiding things from me?" she said furiously.

He stared at her without releasing her wrist. "There's no one else, but you're right about one thing. I must be honest with you even if it is difficult." He stopped for a moment and finally spoke. "Since those two people died, I only feel good being with you, but I don't trust myself. That's why I prefer us to be accompanied. I'm afraid that if we kiss again like the day of the storm, my desire will be stronger than I am." he looked away a little, but then looked at her again intently. "When we kiss and you caress me I find it hard to wait for our wedding day." He realized that he was still holding her, and he let go of her arm. "I assure you that when we are married I will not seem distant to you."

She blushed at these words. She went over and kissed him. He parted from her for a moment, but she guided Diego's hands to her waist, under her blouse and kissed him again, caressing his neck and hair. Almost out of breath, he spoke. "Please. I promised to respect you, that's what inspired me all this time, to wait until I make you my wife, but I can't if you're so close to me."

Victoria parted from him with effort. "Is that really what you want?"

"It's not what I want, but it's what I have to do. I promised your father."

"When did you talk to my father? Wait. Is he still here?"

He seemed embarrassed. "He said he wouldn't leave until he was sure we were married."

She opened her eyes in surprise. "Can he see us now?"

"No, Luis Ramón was so nasty that for some time now I have made the hacienda, including the cave, my sanctuary, no ghost can enter here unless I summon it."

"Gracias a Dios. And did he say anything else?"

"Well..."

"Diego, tell me." she said firmly.

"That he wants grandchildren."

Victoria started laughing. "Same as your father. It's a conspiracy."

"They once said it at the same time. It was very strange."

Victoria handed him the white shirt while laughing. "I'd better wait for you upstairs. It's going to be a long five weeks."

"Five weeks and two days," he mumbled sadly.

Victoria went out to the library and met Don Alejandro and doña Carmen.

"Has Diego arrived yet?"

"Yes, he's changing his clothes."

"Good. Did you get a chance to talk to him. How is he today?"

"His wounds are almost healed, and I think he's getting over it."

Don Alejandro saw that she looked a little tense. "Did you argue?"

"It was just a misunderstanding."

zzZzz

Diego accompanied Victoria and doña Carmen to Los Angeles and on his return he put on work clothes to help with some calves. He rolled up his sleeves and his father noticed a bruise on his arm.

"What happened to you? I thought you didn't have any trouble with the bandits today."

"And I haven't had them. It was Victoria. She was very angry with me."

"Did your fiancée hit you?" he said, trying not to laugh.

"We were practicing with some staffs. She's very fast. She learned with some girls from the indian village."

"But. Why was she angry?"

"A few months ago the chief of the tribe offered me the hand of his daughter. Now it's settled, but Victoria just found out and didn't take it very well. Luckily, we cleared it up."

"They offered you another woman? You're lucky she only hit you once."

"I've taken more than one hit, but still, yes, I've been lucky."

"Be that as it may, I'm glad you two have reconciled."

He looked at his father sideways with a guilty expression.

His father stared at him for a moment with a surprised look on his face, "Oh, wow," he said, but pretended to add. "Let's go back to the calves." Diego realized what he was thinking. "Nothing improper has happened," he said somewhat offended.

His father looked at him strangely. "It didn't seem that way when I saw Victoria."

Diego looked at him with determination. "I told you I'd respect her."

His father still seemed somewhat surprised, but his son's serious look convinced him that he was telling the truth. He noticed his appearance, upright, calm but authoritative. He noticed the tone of voice he had used. He was a man, a leader. The son he had always wanted. He felt like he was seeing the real Diego for the first time and realized how proud he was of him.

"Son, I believe you, even though lately I wonder if you're a human being."

zzZzz

Victoria also had to endure the suspicion of doña Carmen. "I won't leave you alone with him again." she said in a stern voice.

"It hasn't happened as you think."

"But it was close. He can't be trusted."

"I can't really be trusted. He was the one who said we should wait. Besides. Why do you care so much?"

"Because I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. It's only a few weeks. I know it's hard, but you can do it. It's worth it to do the right thing."

"He's not like the man who seduced you and then abandoned you. He would marry me even if something happened, of that I have no doubt."

"I know, it's just... I loved that man, or at least I thought I did. I wanted to give myself to him and then be his wife. I ruined my life and it was my fault. I wish someone had advised me."

"All right, I won't leave your side for a moment when I go to visit the hacienda. You're worse than a mother-in-law."

Dona Carmen smiled slightly.

Victoria noticed something about her. "There's something else bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?" Doña Carmen looked away. "Is it because of the child you had?" she ventured, hoping she had not hurt her feelings.

"I think about her every day. I haven't been there for her, to help her if she ever needed it. I hope she's had more luck in life than I have." she replied sadly.

Author´s note:

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra published his novel The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha in 1605. In 1614 an author published under the pseudonym of Avellaneda the spurius part two, called Second volume of the ingenious hidalgo don Quixote of La Mancha, usually known as Quixote of Avellaneda. Cervantes in turn published the Second part of the ingenious gentleman don Quixote of La Mancha in 1615, which contained numerous allusions and criticisms of Avellaneda's work. In Cervantes' Segunda Parte, Don Quixote visits a printing-house in Barcelona and finds Avellaneda's Second Part being printed there, in an early example of metafiction. So, at the beginning of 17th century, the work Don Quixote already had its own fanfic.

If anyone knows of any other example of fanfic in the history of literature, please include it in the reviews. On Facebook they have already mentioned The Tale of the Grail by Chrétien de Troyes (12th century), which the author left unfinished and gave rise to several continuations.

So we, fanfic writers, are heirs to a tradition that I've been able to trace back to the 12th century. Maybe by doing some research I'll be able to go back to Ancient Greece. Who knows.