Chapter 5

"I – I don't understand," Victoria fought to keep her voice steady. "I – I thought you loved me. I thought we shared –"

"Victoria," he pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes. "You have to let Zorro go and – let me court you in my own name."

Victoria looked up at him, her eyes glistening. "Does this mean – that you are going to tell me –"

He pressed a finger to her lips. "Not yet, querida. Your change of affections needs to be believable. You need to break with Zorro and come to love my real self – but it may take months. How I – present myself to you without this mask – is not the real me. It will take time for affection to grow between us."

His words were confusing and frightening her. She had a dozen questions, some of which began spilling from her lips the moment he stopped talking. "Not the real you? You see me when you're not Zorro? But – how will I know it's you?" Her eyes held concern that she would come to love the wrong man if she began accepting suitors.

Zorro bent to press a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I think your heart already knows." He lifted her hand and turned it over, kissing the pulse point at her wrist. "Listen to its call and accept my friendship." Pulling her into his arms one last time, he kissed her with a desperate longing, trailing his lips down her cheek and burying his face in her neck. "I love you with all of my heart, Victoria Escalante," he said with such conviction her legs nearly buckled, "never forget that."

She moved to say the same but his fingers covered her lips.

"Say the words only when you can say them to the man behind this mask," he whispered, his heart in his eyes," for it is my hope that it is that man you truly love."

"I do!" She implored, her eyes hopeful. "I told you that the day you asked me to marry you!" She turned away, suddenly fearful and she didn't know why. "Why don't you believe me?" She turned back to him, a challenge in her radiant dark eyes. "Am I so difficult to trust?"

A small smile spread across his face and his eyes held hers for a very long moment, "I am just a man beneath this mask," he stepped toward her and trailed a finger down her cheek, "and that man is afraid you love only this hero that he has created and not the ordinary man whose heart you have truly captured."

"And I told you that day," she repeated, unsure of how to make him understand, "the man who lives in Zorro's heart also lives in his, whoever he may be."

"Then open your eyes and your heart to that love, bella," he gathered her into his arms and hugged her close for one last moment, "because I will never be far from you."

He mounted Toronado with a small wince as his sore thighs touched the saddle and gazed down at her with adoration gleaming in his eyes that would be very difficult to mask. "Cry for our parting, querida . . . let the pueblo know something has happened between us." He raised his hand and saluted her, "Adios."

She stood staring after him for a long moment before gathering the reins of her own mare and mounting her slowly. Victoria forced the tears to flow and she was amazed at how easily they came. She cried for the loss of what had been and the unknown that was to come.

De Soto glared at Victoria as she rode slowly through the gates.

Victoria took a deep breath. Now was the time. Would she be convincing enough?

"You are under arrest, señorita!" he roughly grabbed the reins and pulled the mare to a halt. "I don't know how you got out of my jail cell this time, but it will not happen again!"

Alejandro and a few caballeros rushed out of the tavern where they'd waited impatiently for the taverness to return. Instantly, he knew something was wrong. Her face was covered with dust, but tear stains marked clear paths down her cheeks. He glared at the alcalde and offered lifted his arms to help the distraught señorita from her horse. "What is it? What's happened?"

Victoria 's eyes were emotionless when she met Alejandro's concerned gaze. "He doesn't want me anymore," she said in a disbelieving, monotone voice.

De Soto stood back and stared incredulously at the woman, seemingly for the first time noticing her distraught state. "What, did your masked man take what you so foolishly gave and then tire of you so quickly?" he almost instantly regretted his words as Alejandro's eyes shot daggers at him and the two caballeros' hands went to their swords.

"Were you never taught how to respect a lady!" Alejandro seethed and wrapped his arm protectively around Victoria's shoulders. "Can't even your hardened heart see that something is terribly wrong here?" He turned and walked back to the tavern, leaving de Soto staring after them with a curiously astonished look of disbelief.

When the alcalde finally found his voice, he followed them into the tavern and was immediately drawn to the distraught woman's tale of her disastrous meeting with her former love. He was not completely convinced that the woman had broken with her masked man, but he would leave her be, for now, and observe.

De Soto sat as far away as he could, and still eavesdrop on the supposedly distraught woman's whimpering on Alejandro's shoulder.

"He wanted to see me so I went out and met him," She sniffled, careful to speak loud enough for everyone who was listening, to hear. "All he wanted was an embrace and a kiss, nothing else, nothing new. When I told him I wanted a husband, and children, he – " she sniffled again and Alejandro produced a kerchief which she took with a small sniffle of thanks, "he said he wasn't the marrying kind." She lowered her head in shame. "I told him that I would find someone else then who loved me enough to give me those things. He – he bowed over my hand and said goodbye." Victoria dabbed at her eyes and hurried into the kitchen to hide her embarrassment.

Alejandro glanced up when Diego walked in the door and narrowed his eyes. He could have used his son's help today and he was at home reading! He glared when Diego sat slowly down at the table and looked around expectantly for Victoria. If de Soto arrested her again . . .

"I could have used your help today, son!" Alejandro exclaimed a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Oh?" Diego adopted a curiously innocent expression.

"And Victoria is in the kitchen, distraught over her breakup with Zorro,' Alejandro answered his son's unspoken question which drew the younger de la Vega's gaze quickly to his father's face.

"Oh? Well, I did miss something today then."

"If you'd pull your nose out of your books once in a while, life wouldn't pass you by so swiftly," Alejandro winced at his own tone but was prevented from any further response by the sound of something shattering from behind the kitchen curtain.

Diego and Alejandro exchanged a startled look.

Even Mendoza glanced up from where he had happily saved the lonely tamales on his plate from a cold demise, had the alcalde insisted on taking the señorita to jail again.

Alejandro moved to stand but Diego raised his hand. "Let me check on her."

Alejandro raised a curious eyebrow and acquiesced with a shrug of his shoulders. Victoria had finally reached the angry stage. That his son was willing to walk into the middle of the woman's angry rampage spoke volumes about how clearly he did not understand women. Or, Alejandro mused with a soft chuckle, his son was far braver than he thought.

A few caballeros moved from their table over to Alejandro's and leaned toward the man, "Your son is either very brave or very foolish."

Alejandro chuckled in agreement as they all waited impatiently to see what happened as a result of his son's desire to help.

"Victoria?" Diego's soft voice echoed in her ears but she threw another dish against the wall anyway, enjoying the sound of the loud shatter.

Diego swallowed hard and took a step closer. "I'm glad I'm not that dish;" He glanced around the room until his eyes fell on another lying broken in the far corner, "or that one;" another shift of his eyes revealed another shattered dish, "or that one."

Victoria's anger subsided at Diego's light tone, but she still needed to act too upset to laugh, and simply turned away, plunging her hands into the soapy water.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked softly, stepping closer.

"Do?" she asked, a certain edge to her voice that Diego had very rarely heard – and would never want to hear again after today. "Why yes, there is a lot you can do."

"Name it."

Victoria took a deep breath and turned around. "You can take those bags of supplies into the store room, clean up my shattered dishes, re-hang my planters – I – uhm, broke them, snap Zorro's neck, finish my dishes –" she turned back to her soapy water with a smug grin.

Diego blinked and a small, slow grin began to creep into the corners of his mouth. "Well, I can help you with most of those things, but I believe Zorro would highly object to my attempt to break his neck."

"Pity," she muttered.

Diego shook his head and decided to start with the heavy bags of supplies. He should have known, however, as soon as he lifted the bag of flour, what would happen. Suddenly, the bag ripped open and he was standing in the middle of a plume of white powder, his face and clothing covered with the stuff. Diego groaned and Victoria stared at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, Victoria," Diego sneezed, "the bag must not have been sealed properly. I'll replace it tomorrow." He shook his head and powder dropped from his hair. He brushed off his clothing and proceeded to carry the rest of the bags – very carefully – into the storage room. He trailed the fine powder with each step, and Victoria couldn't help but to chuckle quietly to herself as she returned her attention to her dishes.

He reached for her broom, deciding to sweep up her shattered dishes and the spilled flour all at one time, but as he pushed the materials into the dustpan, the old wood splintered, leaving him holding two pieces of broom. "How long have you had this old thing?" Diego muttered, annoyed; "since you were in swaddling clothes?"

"Probably," Victoria said softly, not turning to look at him.

Looking up, he decided to check and see what kind of damage her planters had sustained. That was a mistake also, because as soon as he lifted the bowl from its hook, it broke in his hands, dumping potting soil as well as a perfectly good rosemary plant on top of his head and down his pristine white shirt.

"Ugh," Diego grunted as he shook his head and arms to rid himself of the uncomfortable feeling of the soil sliding down the inside of his shirt.

"Diego!" Victoria screeched, whirling to stare incredulously at her friend. "You're not helping!"

Alejandro winced from the taproom and even Mendoza glanced up from his nearly empty plate of tamales.

"I think your son is taking the brunt of her anger at Zorro," Don Ricardo joked with a loud laugh.

"Sí," Don Eduardo patted Alejandro on the shoulder before dropping a bottle of wine on the table beside his friend. " Better save this for Diego. He'll probably need it after he's done trying to help the angry señorita."

Mendoza gulped and favored Alejandro with a pitiful look. "I'm glad I'm not Zorro right about now."

Another crash from within the kitchen drew Alejandro to his feet.

"No, let the boy handle her! He needs the experience," Don Ricardo laughed, taking another sip of his wine.

"I'm sorry, Victoria." Diego looked down at his feet and around at the mess he'd created. "Father told me what happened and I wanted to see if I could help . . ."

Victoria stared at him, trying to force herself to be angry. Instead, she simply dissolved into fits of laughter, bending over her dishwater and holding her sides.

Diego tried to look properly horrified but he could only imagine what he looked like. "You know, it is very rude of you to laugh at this situation."

"Oh, Diego!" Victoria wiped at the tears of laughter slipping down her cheeks as she stepped over to him and reached up, removing a sprig of rosemary from his hair.

He grinned sheepishly down at her and held up his flour and soil covered hands, "Careful señorita, turnabout is fair play."

A properly horrified look passed across her face and she stepped away. "You wouldn't dare."

Diego grinned smugly at her and took a step forward, more soil falling out of his hair with every shake of his head. "Wouldn't I?" He had a delightful gleam in his eye as he backed her against the kitchen table. "What do I get for trying to help a lovely lady in need but - " he glanced down at his appearance.

"A mess?" Victoria laughed, resting her hand on his chest as she tried to brush the gathered flour and soil off the crisp, no-longer-white shirt.

He brushed his fingers across her cheek leaving a trail of white powder and her heart strained against her chest, wondering at the strangely intimate gesture. Her hand flew to her cheek, which tingled from his simple touch, and wiped at the flour he had deposited there. She gasped, realizing the reason he'd touched her cheek, and pushed him away in mock annoyance.

"Oh, no. You made this mess yourself. I am, so far, clean and wish to remain that way!"

Diego's eyes held a merriment Victoria had seldom seen as he stalked toward her. "That can be rectified, Señorita Escalante."

With wide eyes, she backed away from him, reaching for one lone carafe that sat half-filled with juice on the table. She reached for it and aimed it at him. "Don't come any closer. I'll throw it."

"Go ahead," he challenged, his eyes bright.

She grinned evilly. Obviously, he didn't know there was still something in the carafe. "You don't want me to do that." She said softly.

He shrugged broad shoulders. "What's one more broken dish in a room full of them?"

Victoria laughed and he made a lunge for her but she stepped aside and hurled her missile at him.

The look of utter shock on his face was worth the many hours she would have to spend cleaning her kitchen. He reached for the carafe but it tumbled end over end, spilling the orange juice all over the table and all over Diego. He missed the dish as it fell at his feet and shattered, spilling what was left of the contents at the bottom.

Alejandro, Mendoza, Don Ricardo, and Don Eduardo rushed into the kitchen and stopped short, gazing incredulously around at the mess.

When Alejandro's eyes fell on his son, glaring most malevolently at Victoria, he clutched his sides and let out a belly laugh that could be heard throughout the entire tavern.

"Dios mio," Mendoza gulped, his eyes widening to the size of small saucers. He gaped at Diego and said matter-of-factly, "I'd hate to see what she'd have done if you were Zorro."

Felipe walked in carrying fresh, warm water and Diego glanced up, water dripping into his eyes from his recently washed hair.

Diego noticed the mute desperately trying to control his laughter and Diego glared at him, "Oh, fine. Get it out. Laugh. I'm used to it."

Felipe poured the water into the end of the porcelain tub and started to chuckle silently. But the more he thought about Diego's disheveled appearance, the harder he laughed.

"I would love to know what has caused all of this –" Diego trailed off, not sure what to call it. He threw his hands in the hair, sending droplets of water all over the room. "If Victoria was paying the slightest bit of attention, she'd have figured it out by now!"

Felipe continued to laugh, adding nothing to the conversation.

"Bad luck!" Diego cried with a sudden revelation, "that's what this is!"

Felipe finished pouring the water and plucked the washing cloth from Diego's hands. He dipped it in the water and scrubbed his friend's back, giggling to himself as he wiped away each fleck of flour and soil.

"What did I do to deserve this? Who did I upset –" Diego's eyes narrowed as a sudden thought occurred. "Wait a minute –" Diego suddenly stood and stepped out of the tub, desperately needing to consult one of his books. Unfortunately for the tall caballero, his sudden movement caused water to splash all over the tiled floor and as soon as his foot touched the liquid, Diego slipped.

For one split second, Felipe considered diving in the other direction so Diego didn't fall on top of him. But he was saved from making that decision as Diego's tall form slipped in the other direction, landing him very unceremoniously on his backside in the middle of the room.

Felipe's eyes widened in concern until he noticed the mortified look on his friend's face. Diego simply sat on the floor, glancing disbelievingly around the room and shaking his head.

Diego muttered something incomprehensible while Felipe held out a towel at arm's length to his friend.

"I need to go back out to the reservation," Diego informed Felipe much later as he sank into one of the library's comfortably cushioned chairs.

Felipe's eyes narrowed and he signed a question.

"It seems as if I have – upset my, er, totem spirit." Diego wasn't sure how else to explain it.

Felipe, he could see, was struggling to control his laughter but a stern look from Diego wiped the grin off his face.

"Here, listen to this," Diego began to read a passage out of one of his books. 'The Raven is also a Trickster. Raven steals from man and from other spirits. He plays jokes on us.'

Felipe's eyes widened in disbelief and he signed another question.

"Yes, it appears the – bird is the cause of all of this – bad luck," Diego muttered with an air of disgust.

"There's more," Diego's eyes scanned the page. 'Sometimes his tricks go awry and he ends up the butt of his own joke, but even then, there is humor.' Diego glanced at Felipe. "I've certainly been the butt of a great many tricks gone awry in the last few days."

Felipe nodded, a small smile creeping slowly across his face. He signed a question to which Diego frowned slightly.

"I don't know if I believe all of this," Diego said with a heavy sigh, "but, something is going on. I need to at least try."

Felipe signed again, his brow furrowed in concern.

"I've got to fix this," Diego stood and walked to the fireplace. "The alcalde is getting confident with all of these unusual things happening to Zorro and when they start happening to me, Diego, it won't take long before everyone puts two and two together."

The chief waited with an unreadable expression as the masked man galloped closer. He knew the man would return soon. It had been written in the stars, and in his dreams.

"It appears I have done a great disservice, Chief Helaku," Zorro dismounted, a bit slower than normal to save his bruised thighs and backside.

"Come inside." The Chief indicated his lodging and the two men disappeared beneath the leather flap.

"What can I do to correct my mistake?" Zorro asked, his eyes full of concern.

"Believe," came the simple answer.

"Believe?" Zorro questioned.

"Yes."

"Is there nothing more specific?" Zorro asked, his mind working swiftly to understand the customs of these people.

"The Raven chose you for a reason. It is your guide, your ally." The chief's unwavering eyes unnerved the masked man. "If you do not trust, if you do not believe, Raven will be very unforgiving."

Zorro grinned wryly. "He already has been quite unforgiving."

"Believe," the chief repeated as he stood.

Zorro blinked. That was it?

Toronado waited as they exited the chief's lodging.

"Believe," the chief smiled at Zorro as he mounted his faithful stallion.

TBC

Thethirdtroll – I never said I was GOOD at writing humor….heh. There's only one more chapter left. Then I can go back to my angty, sad stories!