It doesn't always have to be bad news.

Chapter 22

Alejandro was full of excitement and felt like hopping.
In the library, he found Diego reading a book. On the opposite chair sat Victoria, also engrossed in a book. Fortunately, he had not disturbed them in a private conversation.
"You could say that again, yes. Great news. Manuel told me that Dulcinea is in heat. And I was hoping you would allow me to borrow Toronado. Just think what beautiful foals that will produce."

Victoria struggled to hold back her inner laughter. Diego kept a straight face, but his body radiated irritation.

Alejandro noticed this, too. "It's just an idea." He uttered. "If you prefer not to, I accept. I thought we could claim that Jupiter is the father. He has white around his legs and has ablaze, but is otherwise black."

"No, father, it is not that. I think it's a good idea. We will, however, have to wait until Manuel goes home. We can attempt, though, by putting them together for the next few evenings."

"Excellent, excellent." The don was very much in his element now that his favourite mare had the chance to be mated by a stallion with Toronado's characteristics.
"Can I pursue you to play a game of chess? I think I will give Manuel tomorrow the day off. The more time the horses spend, the greater the chance of success."
Alejandro chatted on about the horses while Diego placed the pieces on the board.

.

Victoria was sitting at the dressing table, combing her hair. Diego, Felipe and Alejandro were outside by the horses. Diego had promised to come to her as soon as possible. She doubted his father was willing to let her husband go before at least one attempt got made.
Sooner than Victoria expected, Diego entered the bedroom and turned the key in the door twice.
"What are you doing?" She laughed as she got up to walk over to him.

"Assuring myself that we won't be disturbed this time. For twenty-nine hours, I haven't been able to think of anything else."

Victoria was wearing only a thin dressing gown.

Diego kicked off his shoes and took off his coat. "That is if you also...,"

His mouth went instantly dry. Victoria had risen and undone the belt. The silk fabric was undulating to the ground. She stood before him stark naked. The dim light of the candles enlightens her curves. Her voice was sweet. "More than anything else."

Buttons flew around as Diego pulled off his shirt in a jerk.
He hastily unbuttoned his trousers, which slipped from his hips, and Diego was as naked as she was when he stepped out of them.

"Are you sure you have recovered?" Victoria asked, thinking about the previous day.

Growling, Diego spooned her into his arms to carry her to the bed.
"My problem is more likely to be my need for you is too intense."

Victoria struggled to suppress her longing for her husband. As she lay in his arms, she kissed him fervently on the chest, neck, shoulders.

In seven large steps, Diego reached the bed, flattening her down. Victoria held him tight and pulled Diego with her without interrupting her from kissing him.
At first, exploring each other's mouths was enough.
The passion was flaring up more and more. Diego traced a wet trail across her skin that seemed on fire in need of his touch.
Victoria squirmed beneath him, stammering his name and encouraging Diego in a plea to continue.
Lower and lower, his mouth slid. Her nails scratched over the skin of his shoulders.

"Diego, Diego." The uttered words were nothing more than weak sighs, barely audible.
His long fingers played on Victoria. Impatient for a more intimate touch, she wriggled herself upwards, opening her legs.

The sight of Victoria yearning for him was a beautiful one. Diego stopped for a moment to take in the view of her.
Victoria supported herself with her elbows and watched as he busied himself by slowly caressing the inside of her thighs. His hands slid to the triangle between her legs.

He cannot and will not suppress his desire for her. However, Diego needed to make certain Victoria was as ready to make love and felt the same kind of desire for him as he has for her.
With his thumbs, Diego spread her labia. Her skin glistened with moisture. With his lips, he explored the area surrounding her vagina. Taking the delicate skin between his lips, he began to massage it. Victoria cried out for more. His tongue slipped from his mouth into her vagina. Her juices tantalize his taste, and he found his answer there. Victoria lusted after him.

She moaned boldly. Diego wanted to try and make her desire for him even greater, wondering what would happen if he ran his tongue over her most sensitive spot.
And he was not disappointed.
Teasingly, he circled the point where all the nerves seemed to meet. He took the sensitive nub between his lips and licked it with his tongue. He waited until Victoria breathed in, and then, he sucked the nub into his mouth. It made her cry out.

Victoria clawed her hands in the sheets.
Diego was driving her insane. She couldn't hold on any longer.
She grabbed him in his hair, pulling his head up. Her eyes twinkled with desire. "I need you, more than anything."

Diego worked his way back to her mouth. Victoria stroked his erect member, and, oh, how good it felt to feel her fingers embracing him. He lifted her hips slightly, grabbed her buttocks and turned on his back, pulling Victoria with him.

Victoria was surprised for a moment. They had made love like this before. She loved being on top almost as much as she loved the feeling of his weight during their lovemaking. She loved the prospect of being in the lead of the paste the same amount as when Diego was in control, and she merely had to follow him.

"I love you, Victoria. You are so beautiful. So beautiful."

Victoria loved running her hands over his chest. Feeling his steely muscles, spanned by satin smooth skin.

Diego massaged her breasts.

To further confirm her love, she bent forward to kiss Diego. Her hair fell like a curtain along with her head, creating a tiny, intimate tent. "I love you. More than you know. More than I can say." With her tongue, she caressed his lips. Diego was not content with this. He needed more.

He grabbed her head, making the kiss more intense. Diego didn't know how much longer he could hold out. She tasted so sweet, the moist curls between her legs tickling the sensitive tip of his member.
He broke the kiss. "Please, querida."

Victoria sat up straighter, sweeping her hair out of her face and for a moment teasingly sliding her nail across his chest.

"Please," Diego pleadingly mumbled as he rocked his hips.

Victoria lifted slightly. Diego pressed his penis against her opening, and she slowly lowered herself down.

Victoria moaned. "Oooh, this feels good." Diego filled her so completely.

She could say that again. This, it, must be what heaven felt like.
Diego put his hands on her waist. Victoria began to move. Soon they found together with the pace that gave them the most pleasure.

At a faster and faster pace, Victoria moved up, taking him back in as deep as possible.
Words got muttered in an unintelligible moan. Both understood what the other was trying to say, as both were caught in the same whirlwind of emotions.
Diego wanted Victoria to have her orgasm earlier or at least at the same time as his. He wasn't sure he was going to last. Her inside clunking around him caused friction. In desperation, he started to put names of the horses in the stable, in alphabetical order, backwards. Each time Victoria let him enter, he got distracted. If she squeezed her core around his penis one more time, he feared he was not going to last.

She loved him. She loved the way he loved her. Victoria was nearing her climax and the inner muscles no longer allowed themselves to get controlled. With his hands on her hips, Diego helped her lift herself, pulling her back so that he was thrusting deep inside her.
One wave after another engulfed her.

Diego couldn't get enough of the sight unfolding before him.
Victoria had closed her eyes, her face distorted in ecstasy. Her breasts were swaying at the same pace as her hips.
"Look at me." Diego puffed.

Victoria tried to comply with Diego's request. When she did, she saw how his ice-blue eyes shot off sparks, setting her heart on fire.

Because of the pillows in his back, his mouth was only inches away from the dark circles that were hard with arousal.
He bridged the distance, Victoria meeting him halfway by arching her back. Diego took a nipple into his mouth and sucked it into his mouth as far as he could. A few more times, she bucked up and down.

Victoria's breath caught, and her body shook as she climaxed. Diego moaned her name and released his seed deep inside her core.

Victoria collapsed forward against his sweaty chest. It took minutes for their breathing to return to its usual pace. Her hair was damp with sweat. Diego sniffed in the smell of mixed sweat and arousal, with a hint of rose scent.
"I love you, querida. I have missed this so much."

"Diego, I...,"

Before she could continue, he interrupted her. "Don't you dare say you're sorry." He warned with a threatening undertone in his voice. "You had every right to want to process what happened first."

Victoria rose slightly, leaning her elbows on his broad chest and searching for his eyes. "I didn't intend to. I wanted to tell you how much I love you."
She smiled. "But it is impossible. I love you so infinitely. There are no words to describe my feelings for you."

He twisted a lock of hair around his index finger. "I have the same problem. Saying I love you simply doesn't cover it. Even trying to make you feel my love is in vain."

"I love your efforts to try." She said. Her mouth slightly opened in anticipation of his reply.

Diego noticed that his body was beginning to respond, all too willing to make another attempt to show Victoria how intensely he loved her, how much he needed her. Hungry for skin contact, Diego threw himself into his self-appointed task.

.

Victoria felt languid and lazy when she woke up late the next day. Diego lay spooned against her. His arm around her waist.
They had hardly slept at all. Between various short and longer cat naps, they had talked, laughed, simply enjoyed being together and made passionate love time and again.
She felt his moustache tickle her earlobe. Diego was awake.
"Good morning, husband." He had taken her earlobe into his mouth and was nibbling on it.

"Señora de la Vega, you look exceedingly attractive this morning."
Diego let his lips slide over her cheeks. Victoria giggled, pressing her butt against his crotch and rubbing his calf with her foot. She noticed how his body immediately began to react.
"Be careful, señora. Or you may get more than you bargained for."
She turned her head slightly, opened her mouth and immediately his tongue slid in for a kiss which she answered passionately. Diego felt a hand encompass his scrotum and began to tenderly massage. "You minx." He let his hands slide up to cup her rounded forms.

.

Later, Victoria and Diego walked into the library hand in hand. Both with blushes on their faces. Don Alejandro said nothing about the hour of the day. He merely laughed when, after a quick meal, his son said he thought it was time for a siesta. His wife reddened as they walked out of the room together towards their bedroom.
The old don couldn't help but fold his hands in satisfaction, lean back in the armchair and grin. Not only was there a chance that Dulcinea would soon be in foal to the most formidable stallion in California. He also did not doubt that he soon would become a proud grandfather.

.

Felipe saddled Toronado while Diego quickly changed into Zorro. Minutes later, Toronado stepped on the floorboard inside the narrow opening. The hidden door swung open, and Zorro bent down double in the saddle to sit on Toronado and make his way through the low door opening.
He urged Toronado to gallop quickly. Sometimes he hated his sense of duty, Zorro and de Soto with his lousy sense of timing.
Zorro rushed over to the farm, on which, according to his father, de Soto was to confiscate the land for not paying his taxes.

.

Satisfied, Zorro returned home. Everything had gone smoothly. And hopefully, the alcalde would remember, if only for a few weeks, that every time he tried to force his will on people unjustly, Zorro would intervene to remind de Soto that he did not allow any injustice.
In the cave, there was a hint of disappointment creping upon him. He had hoped that Victoria would be waiting for him. But it was Felipe who was busy making smoke bombs.
Felipe was pleased that Zorro had returned safely back to the hacienda.
Without asking, Felipe began to take care of Toronado. While Diego was changing clothes, Felipe informed him of the things he had done.
"I cleaned and oiled the pistols. I also checked the stocks. You were running low on the smoke bombs, so I made some more." Felipe continued to make great leaps in speech. Diego was still not quite used to hearing Felipe speak, as if he had never lost his ability to do so.
"I used the last of the saltpetre, and the amount of gunpowder is running low."

"I will ask Victoria. Probably the tavern could use some new supplies as well. I could take her to San Juan to make a day of it. Next week, we'll have been married for six months, and I want to buy her something nice."

"Your father talked about wanting to go over to the cattle auction in San Fernando in a fortnight. He has asked me to go with him."

Diego stood in front of the mirror and checked whether he had put on his tie proper. "Plenty of opportunities. All items Zorro needs can get purchased in San Fernando as well in San Juan. And you should go with father."
Felipe didn't get out of Los Angeles much. It must be exciting for a boy, his age, to see a city like San Fernando.

For the past few weeks, de Soto had kept relatively quiet. Meanwhile, there were also rumours that the Estaban brothers seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. The hope of many was that the brothers had sought refuge elsewhere.
After consulting with Felipe, Victoria and his father, it got decided to sell the stolen jewellery and donate the money to the orphanage in Sonoma.
The pueblo was over four hundred miles north of Los Angeles. The brothers had committed most of their crimes in that area.
Alejandro had asked a befriended stage driver to deliver the package.
Life seemed to be smiling on them, and recently he and Victoria had made several attempts to make up for the lost time.
Zorro, had resumed his nightly patrols, which also took a lot of time.
To be fair, he was sometimes so distracted that he postponed his nocturnal plans for the following night.
Alejandro had been beside himself with joy when Dulcinea proved to be pregnant.

"Where is Victoria?" Diego asked Felipe.

"In the pueblo, it is market day, and she wanted to do some shopping."

By now, that too was back to business as usual. Victoria going to the pueblo by herself. During the day, she could often get found in the tavern. This was to his delight, and especially to that of Mendoza.
"Then I think I'll go over there as well, care to join me?"

Half an hour later, Felipe and Diego walked into the tavern.
Victoria was busy in the kitchen, and the men each ordered a piece of cake and coffee.
Pilar must have told Victoria Diego and Felipe were in the tavern. Because not long after, Victoria came to their table. She handed Diego a letter.

This came with the stagecoach this morning."

The letter came all the way from Mexico City. Diego noticed the envelope had opened prior. Assuming Victoria had already read it, he unfolded the paper.
The address, he had written on the envelope he had sent out, turned out to be the new occupants.
The man hadn't known the couple or their names. The writer had inquired with his neighbours. But they knew nothing more than a presumed surname and the pueblo where the sister lived who had written the letter found in the belongings.
"We can at least send out another letter and give it a try," Diego mentioned, feeling a bit disappointed the first effort had failed.

After this, Diego and Felipe went to The Guardian's small office.

Another task awaited, one to which Diego was glad to devote some of his time.

.

.

I don't mind getting reviews. ;)