Chapter 3
The sound of steel being drawn slowly from a scabbard was what finally drew them apart.
It took a few short seconds for Diego's eyes to clear and all too soon he realized that now they would have to live with the consequences of their very public display.
He heaved a heavy sigh and whispered. "Well, it's done now."
A sad, apologetic look swept through his eyes and Victoria didn't understand until she followed his gaze as it settled on the armed man walking toward them.
"Dios!" Victoria whispered. "Oh no. Diego we-"
"What's done is done." He pressed a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth while keeping a steady gaze on the advancing man. "I would not go back even if given the chance."
"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen that kiss with my own eyes." De Soto's eyes were mere slits as he raised his blade and extended it toward Diego.
Diego instinctively placed his body between Victoria's and the alcalde's blade. The man was glaring daggers at both of them.
"You have no quarrel with Victoria." Diego's voice was firm and the tone familiar.
"Oh, I believe I have had a quarrel with your entire traitorous family for years, Señor," De Soto snapped, glancing to his side as Alejandro approached from the podium. The man was strangely just as shocked as everyone else to see his son kissing Victoria.
A warning look from Diego caused Alejandro to stop in his tracks and stare at his son. He knew that look. But the face he'd seen it on before was not that of the son he knew. Alejandro took a deep breath and trembled. The whole tavern knew a secret now, a secret that could prove deadly for his one and only son.
"Father, protect her," Diego said firmly and Victoria's eyes flashed. Alejandro gave the alcalde a wide berth as he stepped behind Victoria and gripped her shoulders.
The crowed pressed back as the alcalde moved toward his nemesis but Diego didn't move an inch.
"Will you stand there and deny it?" de Soto glanced quickly at Victoria and smirked at her bloodshot eyes and tear streaked face.
"I haven't heard you make an accusation yet, Ignacio." Diego made no attempt to distinguish his voice from that of the familiar tone that Zorro used.
Gasps of familiarity and recognition filtered through the crowd but were largely ignored by those standing in the middle of the dance floor.
De Soto laughed, loud and long but continued to advance on the unarmed caballero.
"Diego," Victoria rested her hand on his back. "Please don't-"
Alejandro pulled her backwards, away from his son and hopefully away from the impending danger.
"I'll hang you next to him, Señorita." De Soto hissed.
"I will be dead before I allow you to lay a hand on her." Diego hissed, his tone cold. There was no trace of the old, well-known Diego and even Victoria suppressed a shudder. At the alcalde's threat, the tall caballero's eyes hardened and his jaw set.
"That is the idea, Zorro!"
Diego effortlessly moved to the side as de Soto lunged. The revelers who had stepped closer to hear the discussion suddenly flattened themselves against the nearest wall with loud gasps.
Alejandro glanced down at Victoria's tear-streaked face. He needed confirmation. "Is it true?" He could scarcely believe it. He pulled Victoria even further away from the combatants and turned her around, gripping her shoulders tightly.
"Yes," She breathed, sniffing back the last of her tears.
Alejandro released a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Oh Dios."
A glint of steel caught their eye and they turned just as a blade sailed through the air toward Diego. He caught it effortlessly and saluted quickly to the boy who quickly disappeared into the crowd of onlookers. Diego easily parried the thrust de Soto made when he thought Diego was distracted.
De Soto continued his offensive, with Diego simply parrying each attack easily. "Fight, de la Vega!"
"You drew on me, Ignacio." Diego said simply while parrying another thrust. "I have no desire to kill you, or fight you."
"You should have thought of that when you decided to don the guise of an outlaw!"
"You're delirious." Again Diego parried and Alejandro had to cover his mouth as a grin came to his lips.
His son was playing with the alcalde. Just as Zorro often did. In fact, Zorro tended to take great enjoyment from his games with the alcalde. It was clearly evident in Diego's relaxed manner and the way he energetically swept across the wooden floor. Diego was putting forth just enough effort to keep from being harmed.
"You have the gall to deny it?" De Soto was aghast.
"I have denied nothing, Ignacio." A small smile tugged at Diego's lips and even Victoria couldn't suppress a small chuckle. Dios, she loved this man. Standing at the tip of a deadly blade, he could still smirk and joke as if he were playing a game of chess.
But Diego was now playing a very deadly game. His secret was out. Victoria hadn't considered such implications when she'd allowed him to kiss her on the dance floor. It felt so right to stand there in his arms. She cursed her selfishness now. Because it could very well mean the death of the man she loved.
She frantically thought of how she could get him out of this mess. But there was nothing that would ever convince de Soto that Zorro deserved to be pardoned. Movement by the tavern door caught her eye and she squinted as she recognized the strangers Diego had spoken to earlier in the evening.
The men stood to the back and watched the events unfold with rapt attention. Victoria's eyes narrowed at them but de Soto's next cry drew her attention back to the duel taking place right in front of them.
It became clear very quickly that de Soto was no match for Diego and he called for his inept sergeant. "Mendoza!"
"Sí, Alcalde?" The man stepped from behind Alejandro, hands trembling.
"Musket or pistol, I don't care what you choose. Put a round in his leg!"
Victoria's eyes grew huge and Mendoza blinked. "But alcalde, that's Don Diego-"
"Mendoza, if you don't follow my orders, I will stand you in front of a firing squad at dawn!"
Mendoza gulped and lowered his eyes in resignation. He was spared the necessity of obeying the order when a large object cracked him over the head, his assailant disappearing once again into the gathering crowd. Alejandro caught most of Mendoza's weight as he slid to the ground and Victoria knelt beside him with concern but cast a relieved look in the direction of the young deaf mute whom she could see blending into the crowd.
"Sepulveda! Lancers!" de Soto cried. "Do your duty! Now!"
His advances were getting him nowhere. He knew he was no match for Zorro's skill. He needed only to keep the man busy enough for one lancer to put a round in his leg. But they had all, curiously, disappeared! Cowards!
As he and Diego moved around the floor, de Soto saw an opening. Victoria was closer than Diego and he knew the traitor would surrender if he found de Soto's blade at her throat. He lunged and Victoria screamed.
Diego's eyes flashed as he saw the woman he loved fall backwards. "No!" The next move anyone saw Diego make was executed with such precision that if people hadn't been watching the duel closely, they would never have seen the man disarmed. De Soto's blade slid across the tavern floor with a loud clang. It took only a few short seconds and Diego had the alcalde on his knees begging for his life.
Diego's blade was at the kneeling man's neck and in his rage his arms were shaking. A small trail of blood appeared where steel met skin and Diego's eyes blazed with a furious anger that not even Alejandro had ever before witnessed.
Alejandro helped Victoria to her feet and she immediately called out to the man she loved, assuring him she was uninjured. Felipe's hand had appeared from the crowd as de Soto's blade sailed toward her heart, and pulled her back at the last minute.
"Diego, no! I'm all right! I'm fine! He missed me!" Victoria stood right behind him now, joined by his father, and he craned his neck to make sure she was telling the truth.
"She's just saved your life, Ignacio." Diego gritted through clenched teeth.
De Soto laughed. "And she's just ended yours!" He nodded to the two lancers aiming muskets at Diego from opposite sides of the room.
Diego realized his mistake too late. He dropped his blade and shoved his father as hard as he could into the crowd. The man couldn't keep his feet and fell unceremoniously to the floor. Diego pulled Victoria into his arms, hoping his body would shelter her from the musket fire, and dove to the ground.
"Shoot him!" Were the last words uttered out of de Soto's mouth as the muskets fired, leaving a trail of white smoke in their wake.
Victoria screamed, her body shaking, her large as saucers. The gleeful smirk wiped off his face, De Soto's eyes widened when he looked down and noticed the red stain spreading across his pristine uniform.
TBC
