Lessons
Prologue
Gilberto Resindo's death had had a profound effect on the whole pueblo. Though he had lived his entire life as a Resindo, he now lay buried in a grave marked "Gilberto de la Vega". For in the last months of his life, it had been revealed that he was a true son of Don Alejandro de la Vega. Suckled on bitterness and nurtured with hate, all his life had been a course of revenge against Don Alejandro. The hate had transferred to his own twin, Don Diego de la Vega, upon arriving in the pueblo de Los Angeles. In a dramatic turn of events, Gilberto had almost killed Diego, but instead had been shot dead by the Alcalde, Ignacio De Soto. The news of the events of that day had spread like wildfire throughout the entire region and the ramifications were still being felt.
Alcalde De Soto had escaped a death sentence himself with the killing of Resindo. He had saved the life of Don Diego with his action and had offered that up as the excuse for the shot in the back that brought Resindo down. But, in truth, he cared not one whit for Don Diego, whether he lived or died. The gratitude of the de la Vega family for saving Diego's life was merely a pleasant consequence of necessary events. Resindo had to die. His threatening of Don Diego only provided the legal means to achieve that end. The Alcalde's only regret was that his deed had not met with as much approval from Madrid. Resindo had been a Royal Emissary of the King, and that had meant weeks of seemingly unending paperwork in dealing with the death.
After a very brief introspective period (one does tend to examine one's life closely when death has appeared imminent), De Soto had developed a stronger resolve than ever to escape this miserable little pueblo, and return in triumph to his beloved Madrid. That was his dream. He meant to return a hero, and to do that, he must bring down a hero—Zorro! Now, more than ever, he was determined to see the masked man hang!
Don Alejandro de la Vega was grateful that his son was safe. A child of his loins lay in a grave in the churchyard, but Diego had been his only son in his mind since his birth. Diego had always been a good son, a placid, peace-loving young man, a lover of the arts and sciences. But that day had also changed Alejandro's opinion of Diego. He had seen him wield a sword with such ferocity and determination and with a decided skill. And with his left hand yet! He knew from that moment that, for all these years, his son had been holding back something. Diego had been withholding not only a secret skill, but also a secret life. The swordsmanship he had witnessed could only be equaled by one other man. Don Alejandro now knew his son was that man. Diego was Zorro. He could glow with pride inwardly and worry himself sick for his son's safety. He could help him in so many ways in this campaign for justice. But until his son came to him freely with an admission, two men would be keeping secrets in the de la Vega hacienda.
Victoria Escalante had changed too. At first, she hadn't realized just how close she had come to losing her best friend in all the world—Diego. But when that truth had dawned upon her, she promised herself that some things would change. For one thing, she would make more time for her friend. How often she had brushed him aside in her busy work at the tavern! But he deserved more than that. And after all, someone needed to take him in hand. She could sense a growing unhappiness in him, and she worried that the episode with Resindo would haunt him. He was so sensitive. It was one of his greatest strengths, but sometimes, it was his greatest fault.
Diego de la Vega wasn't really unhappy. No, just impatient, impatient to get on with his life. His was a personal life put on hold by the rule of two evil Alcaldes. When the late Alcalde, Luiz Ramón, had fallen to his death at Devil's Fortress, there had been a hope that the oppression was over at last. And truly, Diego's heart swelled with hope on that day when he watched his acquaintance from the university ride into town to take over the duties of Alcalde. But, if anything, he had proven to be worse that his predecessor.
Diego's recent brush with death had also made him wonder if it weren't time to make some changes in his life. He had almost revealed his secret right there in the middle of the street to both his father and to Victoria. But, at the last moment, he had backed down yet again. It was time, he felt, to let them both know, but he'd be putting them in danger by doing so. He wasn't sure if he had the right to make that decision. But if he didn't, who did?
