Title: Decision From High
Author: MEG (MadaMag)
Rated: PG
Summary: A higher force gives a clearly wise, but painful order for Zorro to reveal himself to Victoria.
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It was siesta time. The air was hot and sultry. It was quiet. No sounds. No insects, no birds, no people. Everything was sleepy.
In a small garden near the church, two people were sitting playing chess. They were in the shadow of a tree, and had two glasses with lemonade keep them cooler. They moved in slow motion, thinking lazily about their next moves. They talked a little.
"I heard some interesting gossip..." Said the elder, in priest's clothes.
"Oh... About what?" The younger, dressed in a blue caballero's outfit, asked lazily.
"That Senorita Escalante saved Zorro's life two times in the past two weeks," the padre said after a while and moved a pawn.
The young don looked at the board and took a rook.
"I heard. Two weeks ago Zorro was in town to make Ignacio reduce the taxes. Before he left, he went to Victoria and was standing under the roof. A few tiles, probably loose from soldiers' bullets, began to slide down. If Victoria hadn't pushed him, he probably would have been struck hard on his head." After a little thought, he set the rook up.
"But still two tiles hit his left back." Padre Benitez made his statement sound like a question.
"Yes." Don Diego de la Vega answered. They both were still for a moment.
"And have you heard what happened last week?" Padre Benitez prompted him. Waiting for an answer, he looked precisely at the chess-board. He took the knight.
"Zorro had a fight with two bandits who tried to steal Victoria's wagon, if nothing worse. While Zorro fought with one of them, the second jumped into the wagon and tried to run it over him. And he could have succeeded if Victoria hadn't screamed. Zorro turned around and in last second got out of the wagon's way."
The padre put the knight on the board. Diego looked at him with a wry grin.
"And before you ask: Yes, he was hit in the same place on his back as before. He came away with a few bruises."
They played for some time in silence, lost in their thoughts. Finally the padre broke the silence, asking, "Don't you think it's a sign from above?"
"What do you mean?" Diego looked at Padre Benitez, who innocently looked back.
"I know Zorro doesn't want to tell her who he is because he worries about her safety. But this time it was Victoria who saved his life. The role was changed."
Padre looked away from Diego's face. "I can't lose the feeling that this is a warning. If he hadn't had her as a guardian angel, Victoria would already have known who he is, twice. Two times he was spared from death. But, you know what they say. 'Everything comes in threes.'"
"So you think Zorro will face death a third time?" Diego smiled a little. Zorro often faced death.
Padre Benitez took a pawn and put it on another place.
"The third time he might not to be so lucky." He looked at his friend with a knowing look. "Check."
Diego, a bit confused, concentrated on the chess board. They played, Diego thinking about the padre's words, Padre Benitez thinking about the young man sitting opposite him.
He admired his fight for the people and at the same time, grieved for him being alone. Until today he never give a hint that he knew his secret, even if he suspected that Diego knew that. But today something ordered him to speak. Something in him, maybe God's voice, prompted him to have the talk with Diego. What the young don would do now, was only his decision.
Diego sighed. He looked at Padre Benitez half with hope, half with regret.
"Something deep inside tells me that you are right. That Victoria should know who she saved. Zorro is scared not only for her safety, but also for her reaction when she finds out who he is. However, as you said in your last sermon, we should listen to the little voice of God in our hearts." Diego smiled at him and moved his bishop. "Check–mate."
TBC