"I'm coming, Montero, there's no need to break down that damn door!" Alejandro shouted as he crossed the patio.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before he unlocked the gate.
"Comandante! What owes us this little visit?" he asked, pretending to be oblivious of the soldiers dispersed around his property.
Montero stared him down, not showing any sign of apology for his lack of manners. "We're looking for Zorro."
Alejandro mustered his most convincing expression of innocent surprise – and doing so, was suddenly struck by the mental image of Diego routinely doing exactly that.
"Zorro? You really expect to find him here?" he said, as if it was the most ridiculous idea in the world.
"We're looking for him everywhere", Montero said sternly. He tried to pass by Alejandro but the haciendado was blocking the way. "He's injured, he'll need help."
Alejandro looked offended. "And you think I'd help him?"
Montero narrowed his eyes. "Well, he did help you in the past, didn't he? I've read the reports..."
Alejandro swallowed, thinking as fast as he could about the right words to choose. "Different time, different place, Comandante, we were fighting a common enemy."
He shrugged for good measure. And once again, he was struck by the fact that Diego was doing this kind of things all the time.
Sadly, his lies didn't seem to deter his opponent.
"But can you vouch for everyone here? Your servants, your vaqueros? I need to interrogate everyone."
"Everyone?! But how long would this take? I need my vaqueros. I have a ranch to run!"
Montero's patience was running thin.
"That's enough, de la Vega. Move aside and let us in."
Alejandro wondered if it had been long enough. But Zorro – Diego – had also told him not to antagonize Montero too much, and he had seemed quite worried about it. So, after considerations, Alejandro thought it was best to trust his son. Swallowing his anxiety, he stepped aside.
Montero called for a group of lancers and they entered the patio. He ordered two lancers to check the upper floor, while the two others followed him into the sala. He was now completely ignoring Alejandro, but the haciendado was right on their heels, hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to defend his son if necessary.
But it appeared Diego didn't need any defense. He was sitting at the large table in the sala, wearing his silk blue robe and showing disheveled hair, as if he had just got out of bed. Bernardo entered the sala from the kitchen precisely as Montero walked in from the patio. Unfazed, the servant put a large tray full of food in front of Diego with a satisfied smile, and then stepped back.
"Comandante!" Diego said cheerfully. "What a lovely surprise. And right on time for breakfast! Please take a sit."
Alejandro could hardly believe his eyes. Diego was his usual cordial and smiling self, looking as if, indeed, he had just woken up after a restful night, every inches the idle privileged boy he always was. He did look a little paler than usual, but Alejandro wondered if, had he not known the tumultuous night his son just had, he would have even noticed.
Montero rolled his eyes with impatience. "Some of us have breakfast before noon," he grumbled. "This is not a social visit."
"Oh, what is it, then?"
How could he sound so cheerful and innocent staring right at the man who shot him the night before?
"We're looking for Zorro."
Diego mustered his best expression of fear. "Zorro? In my home? This bandit?"
Alejandro couldn't help but roll his eyes at the clear contempt with which Diego said bandit. If he wasn't so tense himself, he would probably enjoy his son's little show. Alejandro had to admit he was quite good at it.
"Do not worry, Don Diego," Montero said, straight in his boots. "If he's here, we'll find him." He gave a short bow. "With your permission."
"But of course, Comandante," Diego said. "Search away!"
Montero ordered his soldiers to search all the rooms on the ground floor. Alejandro took advantage of the moment the Comandante was turned away to look at Diego. During the conversation, the young man had made a show of stabbing his tortilla with his fork, slicing the bread, and peeling an orange, in reality he had barely eaten any food. Alejandro knew for a fact that Diego usually had a great appetite in the morning. He had actually wondered how one could get so hungry after evenings spent playing the guitar… But today, Diego clearly had no appetite. Catching his father's glance, the young man sent him a reassuring smile.
Alejandro's heart tightened as he wondered how many times Diego had put up such a show for him, pretending everything was fine, while he was hiding an injury. Would he have noticed, or would he have been too busy disapproving his son's lazy way of life?
There were many things Alejandro wished to talk to Diego about. Unfortunately, Montero would not leave the sala, instead pacing back and forth in front of them.
"Comandante, you are driving me nuts. Please, sit down," Diego said with an annoyed yawn. "I'm getting tired just seeing you running circles. Are you sure you don't want to eat something? The oranges are delicious."
Montero darted a dark look at Diego, shaking his head with utter exasperation. Was Alejandro imagining things or did he see sparks of mischief in his son's eyes?
After what felt like an eternity to Alejandro, the lancers finally came back and made their reports. "No one is hiding here, and no one seems to be injured either, Comandante. It's all clear."
"You managed to harm Zorro?" Diego asked innocently. "Congratulation, Comandante."
Montero shrugged, impatient. "He still managed to escape," he grumbled. "And he's proven as elusive as ever. No one seems to have seen him."
"Well, better luck next time..." Diego said philosophically.
Montero ignored him and signaled his lancers to exit. He turned toward both de la Vegas and raised a hand to his hat. "I apologize for the disturbance. Have a good day, cabaleros."
Bringing his hand to his forehead, Diego saluted him back. "A pleasant day to you, Comandante. Good luck chasing after that elusive bandit!"
Alejandro followed the soldiers all the way to the gate and closed it behind them, finally letting go the breath he'd been holding ever since Montero had barged in. He walked back to the sala, where Diego was still at the table, carefully eating a slice of orange.
Alejandro sat down at the other end of the table and put his head in his hand. "How can you do that all the time? It's exhausting. I almost had a heart attack and they barely stayed twenty minutes..."
He looked up at Diego and they exchanged a knowing smile. Diego had dropped the act and appeared suddenly a lot more tired than a minute before. There was also a floating expression of anxiety on his face, as he looked back at his father. In that moment, he looked so young, and innocent. All Alejandro could see was the little boy his son once was. How could his precious little boy had become the invincible champion of the pueblo?
"How many times have you put up that show for me, hiding an injury and pretending to be just fine?" Alejandro finally asked. There was no reproach in his voice, just the genuine concern of a father for his son.
Diego waved it off with a grin. "Actually, it's my first time being shot," he said casually. "Though I did get blown up, once."
But that didn't seem to make Alejandro laugh. Diego smiled reassuringly once again, trying to hide his pain and fatigue. He would have very much liked to excuse himself, not unlike he had done hundreds of times, but no matter how tired he was, his heart told him that, for once, he should stay until the end of the conversation. He owed it to his old man.
"I'm sorry, Father," he said in a low voice.
Alejandro raised an eyebrow, surprised. "What for?"
"I'm sorry for the deception. All the lies. For leading you to believe I was a useless dandy who only cared about music and poetry."
"Diego, you know I love you no matter what." Alejandro tried to protest.
"Of course, Father. But I know how disappointed you've been in me. You haven't exactly been subtle about it," he added with a grin.
"I'm sorry, Son," Alejandro said in turn.
Diego shook his head. "Don't be. It's all my fault. Convincing you – along with everyone in the pueblo – that I was harmless, and the farthest thing possible from Zorro was capital to the whole charade." He shot his father a vaguely sad smile. "And you played your part very convincingly. But believe me, deceiving you was the hardest part of it all."
"Why didn't you tell me? I've been so hard on you, all this time..."
Diego made a contrite face, knowing very well how the proud haciendado was going to take his answer. "To protect you."
Without a fail, Alejandro protested angrily. "I don't need protection!"
Diego tilted his head and raised an amused eyebrow. "Didn't I save your life a couple times?"
Alejandro rolled his eyes. "Fair enough," he grumbled reluctantly.
He went on, pensively. "Even that time, in the wood..." Diego knew he was referring to the time he and his wounded father were hiding from Monastario. "You didn't let me look behind the mask. But it was you..."
Diego swallowed. It had been such a difficult decision. Hearing his father expressing his dreams, thinking they were foolish dreams, that his son was the hero of the people, it had broken Diego's heart. And yet, he had grabbed Alejandro's hand, preventing him for reaching the mask, in turn, breaking his father's heart. There had been days where keeping his secret from his father had really weighted heavily.
"If anything were to happen to you because I'm Zorro, I couldn't live with it," Diego admitted softly.
In that regard, it was easier that way. His father's blissful ignorance was keeping him safe and Diego didn't have to worry Alejandro would feel compelled to endanger himself by helping him. At least that was what Diego thought, but the morning events had proven him wrong.
Yet, Alejandro seemed to understand where he was coming from, as he simply nodded.
"But why inventing Zorro at all?" he asked.
"It's safer that way. I can come out and strike, then disappear, hide in plain sight, until I strike again. You called me back to fight Comandante Monastario, remember? The day I arrived, he arrested Don Nacho. Opposing him openly wouldn't have helped much. You two tried that, and you both ended in jail."
Alejandro conceded the point. "That's… quite smart."
Diego exchanged a knowing glance with Bernardo, which Alejandro caught.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I know you're smart, Son. I'm just not used to you being so..."
"Cunning?" Diego said with a grin.
Alejandro smiled back. "Exactly." He paused, as a thought occurred to him. "So, all this time, it was just a facade, and you were hiding your true nature, pretending to be a... poet."
Diego had to laugh at the effort his father was making not to sound too disdainful of the idea of a poet.
He shrugged. "Most of the time, it's actually pretty fun. Everyone is so sure I just cannot be Zorro, that if I'm ever unmasked, they'd probably think it's a lie." Diego chuckled. "You should have heard the good Sergeant's laugh when Monastario accused me of being Zorro... But to tell the truth, I'm not much of a poet. It's a good thing no one ever asked to see my poetry. I haven't written a line since I came back from Spain."
"Not much of a guitar player either, if I recall."
Diego laughed. "Oh no, that would have been Bernardo. He, hum, covered for me a few times. Made it look like I was here when I was not. But Bernardo seems to be the only Spaniard who didn't know how to play the guitar."
Alejandro turned to Bernardo, who had remained at the entrance of the sala, not wanting the disturb the conversation. When Alejandro turned an inquisitive frown toward him, he made a very expressive apologetic face.
"Given he's deaf, that's excusable," Alejandro said.
Diego sent his servant a silent inquiry, to which Bernardo shrugged, and after some consideration, nodded. It was just as well to get all the secrets out now.
"About this, Father..." Diego said. "Bernardo isn't really deaf, though he is still very much mute."
Alejandro stared at Bernardo, his face morphing from surprise to vexation. The not-so-deaf servant offered the haciendado his most contrite smile.
"Don't blame him," Diego intervened. "It was just another part of the charade. Bernardo is Zorro's eyes and ears. How do you think Zorro is so well informed of everything going on in this pueblo?"
Alejandro's eyes narrowed. "I did notice you seemed to understand me surprisingly well, yesterday," he said, talking directly to Bernardo.
Bernardo pointed at Diego and made a scared face, while miming a heart pounding.
"Oh, you were worried about Diego." He softened. "I guess we all were."
"I'm sorry I gave you a scare. Both of you." Diego smiled tenderly at his father and his servant. "I owe you two my life."
He looked as his mostly untouched breakfast. He really had no appetite this morning. His wound was painfully throbbing and he really needed to lie down and sleep. They still had many things to talk about, but they would have plenty of time for this later. He cautiously stood up and both men instantly hurried to his side. Diego couldn't help but laugh, though he did accept Bernardo's help.
"Now, you'll excuse me, I'm going to retire to my room. I really need to rest." He saluted his father. "Con permiso."
Diego was about to exit the sala when his father called him back.
"Son," he said, and his voice was surprisingly tender. "I'm proud of you."
Diego wasn't expected to be so moved. He knew the man that his father was disappointed in wasn't his true self. He knew – at least he had hoped – that when his father would eventually find out, he'd be proud of him, finally. After all, he had heard Alejandro praise the masked outlaw more than once. But finally hearing his old man actually express his pride for him, his son, it touched Diego more than he would have imagined.
He smiled at his father, unable to say anything.
"Now, go to bed," Alejandro said, gesturing for him to leave. "This one time, I'll allow you to sleep all day."
Diego chuckled. "Gracias, Father."
The End.
AN: This is it! My first (but hopefully not last!) Zorro fic is complete. I hope you all have enjoyed this fic. Many thanks to everyone who followed and commented, your kind words have truly been appreciated.