Chapter 14

Victoria was asleep when soft whimpering cries woke her. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She felt tired. So tired, all her body was sore. However, Victoria felt no pain, only sincere happiness. It had been more than worth it. Her eyes slid to the left. There, relaxing on a rocking chair, sat Diego. In his arms, he held a small bundle, rocking slowly up and down.

As soon as Diego realized that she was awake, he glanced at her. "She is incredible, Victoria."
Diego got up to his feet, careful not to startle or hurt the precious bundle.

Victoria's face twisted in pain as she rose to a sitting position and held out her arms.

Diego handed her Felicia, their daughter, who had been born in the middle of the night. He took a seat behind Victoria, so she could lean her rear against his broad chest.
"I think I will never get tired of looking at her. She has already changed since this morning and gets more beautiful by the minute." Soft lips caressed Victoria's temples.

The cries grew a bit louder. Victoria unfastened her nightgown until one of her breasts got exposed. The baby in her arms opened her mouth and closed around the nipple to greedily suck. Cramps on Victoria's face made Diego ask worriedly. "Does it hurt?"

Victoria smiled widely, swallowing away a tear. "No, it feels wonderful. It's just a strange feeling and takes a little getting used to.

Diego wrapped his arms around his wife and child, holding them as close as possible.
After a few minutes, Felicia was content.
Without speaking a word to one and the other, Diego and Victoria enjoyed watching their daughter as she watched her parents with wide-open eyes.

Minutes slowly passed when, somewhere, in the hacienda, a door slammed. A familiar voice called out. "Diego, Victoria! I have wonderful news."

A moment later, there was a knock on the bedroom door, But before either could even try to answer, the door swung open, and don Alejandro entered, closely followed by Paco.
"You won't believe what happened!" When the old don saw the intimate scene of the new family, he stammered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." He turned and pushed Paco out of the room.

Diego held Felicia while Victoria buttoned up her nightgown. Victoria was pleased Diego was smart enough to hold Felicia as a sort of shield in front of her while his father stood in the room.

When she was decent again Diego asked his father. "Tell me, father, what is the news? It sounded important."

By now, Alejandro had also recovered. And could no longer keep his news to himself.
"The Mexican army of independence has arrived in the territory this morning. As of today, Los Angeles is no longer under Spanish rule, but is part of Mexico."

Diego stood up and placed his hands on Victoria's shoulders, tenderly squeezing her. "De Soto?" He asked, hiding the fear the pueblo needed Zorro on this special day.

"Has accepted the transfer of power and leaves tomorrow for Monterey by coach. The new alcalde got installed less than an hour ago."

It was kind of hard to believe that de Soto had given in without a fight. "Just like that?"

His father explained. "It wasn't like he had much choice. They had a decree from the governor that all pueblos in California must surrender to the new authority without resistance." Alejandro had a big grin on his face and could not believe his luck. Not only had he become a grandfather this night, but the second-best news in ages was that today the Spanish rule had come to an end, and there was even more.
"And not only that. Zorro is pardoned, and he is no longer considered an outlaw."

A sigh of relief escaped from Victoria's throat. She had been barely able to breathe ever since the moment Alejandro had told her she was now living in Mexico. Los Angeles fell under Mexican jurisdiction. Diego was safe, and that was all that she could think of.
The feelings both Diego and Victoria tried to hide, went past Alejandro.

He continued to tell his son and daughter what was currently happening in the small pueblo. Felipe had stayed behind to see what else was going on.

Alejandro had a somewhat mischievous grin on his face. "By the way, I have invited the new alcalde to stay at the hacienda. For as long as he pleases. Until he has been able to make up his mind where he wants to take up residence."

"Father, do you think that is wise?" It just didn't seem convenient to Diego to take in a highly placed person just as the baby was born, even when the man was the new Mexican alcalde. And then he hadn't even mentioned his father did not know what kind of man the new alcalde was.

Alejandro did not respond and walked to the door.
"Diego, I think your lovely wife would skin me alive if I hadn't invited the man over. Allow me to introduce you..."

He swung the door open.

Victoria's mouth fell open, and her eyes got as big as saucers. Her mind refused to believe what her eyes were seeing.
"Francisco…!" Victoria cried out.

Alejandro went on to say. "Francisco Escalante, alcalde of our beautiful pueblo."

Tears welled up in her eyes. Victoria threw the covers off her and laid Felicia on the other half of the bed. Francisco hurried himself to the bed. Before Victoria could try to get up, two hands gently pushed her back into the pillows.

"Stay where you are, dear sister of mine. Don Alejandro told me that you have made a major effort in the last twenty-four hours."

Victoria wrapped her arms around her brother and held him firmly as he bent over, and tears flowed copiously down her cheeks.
"Francisco, you came home. You are the new alcalde of Los Angeles?"

Diego seemed to be having just as much trouble grasping what was going on.

Alejandro had walked around the bed, anxious to hold his grandchild. He lifted the girl off the bed into his arms.
"As soon as I heard Francisco was part of the Liberation Army, I went to the commander to ask if Francisco could become our alcalde, if he wanted to, of course. The commander agreed, and Francisco also indicated he had no objection."

Francisco nodded in agreement. "After all the letters and stories I've heard about how things still are in Los Angeles, I can only be honoured to be able to bring the much-needed change. It feels great to be finally back home. Just in time to meet my niece."

Francisco got up and hugged Diego. "Don Diego, it's good to see you again. And congratulations on both your marriage and your daughter. What is her name?"

Even before Diego or Victoria could open their mouths, don Alejandro answered the question.
"Felicia Maria de la Vega. The first baby born in Los Angeles on Mexican soil. This day was already the best of my life, but it has now become ten times better."

The rest of the afternoon passed in catching up back and forth until Diego noticed that his wife literally could no longer keep her eyes open. He chased everyone out of the bedroom into the library. Not much later, he joined his father and brother-in-law. After early dinner, Francisco retired, determined to make the first improvements in Los Angeles starting tomorrow.
Paco was in the stables with Felipe to make the final round of visits to the horses.

Diego yawned. "I think I'll also go to bed. I am exhausted." He got up out of his chair. And saw how his father raised a hand in the air to stop him.

"Diego, my son, I was hoping we could have a little chat."

Diego knew his father too well not to give in. When his father looked this determined, not even an angry bull could stop him from continuing to do what he had planned. He better give in and gets it done as soon as possible.
"Just a minute, then." Diego wanted to go and see Felicia. He had met her a little over seventeen hours ago. And already, missed her when she wasn't near him. And he wanted to check on Victoria. She had done great during labour. But again, he needed to make sure she was recovering.

"Now that there is finally a fair alcalde, I assume Zorro will stop riding. What do you think?"

"Eh, I wouldn't know. But I suppose you might be right." Diego admitted. Already he had decided to stop being Zorro, now no longer there seemed to be a need for the man.

Alejandro slammed both his hands on his knees and got up from his chair. "Excellent! Then I suppose I may finally know my son is Zorro? I expect you to give me a full tour of your cave tomorrow. Yes, I know where it is, but I also know how tired you are. By the way, the night is too short to get all my questions answered anyway."

Diego was at a loss for words. His father knew he was Zorro? How, and since when?

"Well, I... eeh...,"

"Say no more, Diego. I'll hear about it all in the morning. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to worry about how to tell me you are Zorro. I suspected it for a while. In the end, it was don Efrem and the sergeant who affirmed what I was thinking. I suppose you didn't tell me because you thought I couldn't keep a secret, huh? Your old man being too impulsive? Well, I proved you wrong! Your father ain't as crazy as you seem to think." Don Alejandro fanned both his hands to his son.
"Now, go to your room and take care of your wife and my granddaughter."

Alejandro slapped Diego on the shoulder and then walked towards his room, laughing. Halfway down the hallway, he turned around once more.
"Oh, and Diego, one more thing before I forget. Toronado and Dulcinea! Can produce the finest of descendants. So I trust I can use his services on short notice, hna?"

In a cheerful trot, Alejandro walked to his room. It hadn't been easy, but when the opportunity had occurred, he seized it with both hands. His son had secrets.

He had his. And he didn't like to share. Like, no matter what people said, Mendoza wasn't the biggest gossiper in town. That was don Efrem. An old friend who could say everything and at the same time nothing. It was when he was still moaning over his lost son and doubted or Diego could be Zorro. His friend had come to visit him and said. "I think it is time that you and I start to meddle." Alejandro had denied, but don Efrem had not taken any for an answer.

When Alejandro had realized his son was out there somewhere with Victoria, a plan got formed.

Mendoza had been of tremendous help. He had stolen the Zorro outfit Ramón had let made out of the cartel. And don Efrem had been the one dropping the sum of money in the poor box. When Mendoza had come to the hacienda over sixteen months ago, don Alejandro had put on the suit. Luna, the colt black mare, shared a resemblance to the famous black stallion and had impersonated Toronado. In the night, the lancers had not noticed it was a different horse and rider riding against the night sky. The slightest doubt one of the lancers had Mendoza had wiped it away. The following day, Don Efrem had taken each opportunity to remind everyone how close the don and tavern owner was. This followed by go out riding the next day and bump into the pair. That was after Zorro was seen near the hacienda. And Victoria not having returned was a stroke of luck.

After everyone had returned to the pueblo, the hardest part had begun. Alejandro had talked to his son till his throat hurt. At the same time, don Efrem had somehow convinced Victoria into a marriage.

Right after the marriage, Alejandro had been a little frightened that things might not turn out as they had planned. The plan had been formed in only a couple of hours, and hadn't been flawless. But when he had returned after a cattle auction, he, under normal circumstances, would have skipped to the hacienda and found the newlyweds in the garden together very much in love, Alejandro knew it had worked. All that was left for him to do was continue what he had done since the day of the discovery, playing stupid.

Was there anything he wouldn't do for his grandchild?

Alejandro only doubted one minor detail for tomorrow, should he tell his son his nickname in the army had been the Fox?
There was one thing his son still needed to learn about foxes. Alejandro opened the door and went into his room while thinking. A fox might lose its hair, it never loses its tricks*.

.

5 days later.

The last couple of days had been exhausting ones. Guests were coming by daily to admire the newest citizen of the pueblo.
The work in the Guardian office was piling up rapidly. Diego was grateful for all the help he could get.
His father was asking a thousand questions about Zorro, luckily Felipe was willing to answer the majority. Still, the ones Felipe couldn't answer were endless.
Every spare second Diego had, he wanted to share with his wife and child. That included waking up at night when Victoria fed Felicia.

Diego was on his way to the bedroom with a bouquet of roses and a small present. To his utmost surprise, he had found the silver bracelet this morning in the cave. He had turned the cave upside down several times to find it, and this morning his eyes got drawn to something shining in a crack in the floor.

As quiet as possible, Diego opened the door. Victoria was sitting up with a breathtaking smile on her face, staring in the cradle where Felicia was sleeping.
How much he loved her. He loved her more than the day they got married, even more than yesterday or the day before.

"Diego," Victoria reached out a hand, and he hurried to walk over to sit on the bed and press a kiss on her hand.

Victoria noticed the roses he had brought with him. "Such beautiful roses. You spoil me."

"Never. And I am entitled to give you a present today."

"And what is the occasion today?" There wasn't a week going by without Diego giving her some kind of present.

"Today, we are married for five hundred days."

"Has it been that long? It feels like only yesterday."

"Si, One year, four months and thirteen days."

Suddenly, Victoria shivered. She remembered something. Something important she had forgotten and could hardly believe she didn't remember sooner. Her smile fainted off her face. If this was true and knowing Diego, it was true.
Disbelief was in her voice when Victoria said. "What did you just ?"

"We are married for one year, four months and thirteen days or five hundred days or twelve thousand hours, give or take a few. I thought it was reason enough to bring you roses."

Motionless Victoria said. "And Felicia is five days old."

"Yes. Victoria, what is the matter?" Diego felt concerned. All the colour Victoria had on her face was gone.

"Don Efrem, I forgot. The day we got married, I asked him why he forced us into this marriage. He said he had done it because it was my destiny, and I would thank him in one year, four months and...,"

Diego lifted an eyebrow. "Thirteen days? Come on, Victoria, are you sure that is what he said? It sounds highly unlikely to me. But...eh, don Efrem will visit us later today. I did run into him this morning when I was in the pueblo checking if everything goes as instructed for the Guardian."

Victoria placed a hand on Diego's hand. "Diego, there is more. He misspoke first and corrected himself. Don Efrem first spoke of eight days. That was..., the day Felicia was born...,"

A sudden knock was on the door, and Victoria and Diego heard don Alejandro saying. "Victoria, Diego, I have brought two visitors. Can we come in?"

The door opened, and a head appeared by the doorpost. Opening the door further, Alejandro came in.
"Ah, Victoria, you are awake. Don Efrem and his brother are here to pay you a visit."

"Don Diego," The man stepped past the two other older men to cheerfully greet the newborn father, shaking his hand.
"Allow me to congratulate you, and of course, you, Victoria. I can't tell you how delighted I am to see you both."

Diego got up off the bed to greet the don. His feet froze to the floor. The man who just had entered the room. A man he had never forgotten. It took seconds before Diego regained his ability to speak.
"Don Fernando? How? What?"

.

.

End

*A fox might lose its hair, it never loses its tricks, is an as literal translation as possible of the Dutch proverb.
Een vos verliest wel zijn haren maar nooit zijn streken.

I don't know whether there is an English equivalent.
The meaning is, someone may get older and say they improved for the best. It is rarely true. The proverb is mostly used when you talk about someone who did something wrong in the past as a warning. He might do it again.

The more positive meaning is someone who is a bit noddy and likes to do pranks. The man (When you use the proverb is is mostly over a man. I am sorry girls it just is.) might get older but still enjoys fooling people.

Like when a grandfather likes to fool his grandchildren. And when those are adults, and their grandfather is old, they laugh as the man still sometimes acts the way he did when they were younger.

It sure sounds a bit like don Alejandro, don't you agree?

Everyone, thanks for reading and reviewing.