Title: Vindication

Author: MEG

Rated: G

Summary: Diego's birthday day

AN: It's word by wort translated from polish, so expected some awkward sentences.

AN2: Roberto de Gama is mine!

"Alcalde was about to lash peon Paolo. But he got interrupted when Zorro arrived to save him. How it's possible, that you, a de la Vega, don't care what with Citizen of Los Angeles happen?" Don Alejandro disgustingly shakes his head.

"But Father! I really care about them." Diego protested.

"If that be the case , you wouldn't be sitting there idle, but you would be there to help people in pueblo."

"I'm helping, Father."

"How? By reading book? Making your pointless experiment?" Elder de la Vega saw him with disgusting. "Father..." Don Alejandro shook his head. He has had enough of excuses from his son. Muttered Don Alejandro gets out the room. "Zorro does do many good things, but why my Father doesn't see, that saber is not the only way to help people?" Diego shrugged.

Alejandro sighed. When he saw excuses written in the painful sight of his son, he realized that, he again embezzled his own resolution. It didn't care how much he tried, but he couldn't accept the fact, that his only son like poetry and experiments much more, then action with saber in the hand. He tried to convince himself, that he couldn't expected that Diego would ever act like Zorro, and that he should be proud of Diego's intelligence, his well-read and that his son is such a gentle young man. He loved his son, but when comes to such a situation, he couldn't hide his disappointment with Diego.

"I hear you are awaiting a guest?" Victoria put glass of cold lemonade on the table. "Yes. He is Diego's old schoolmate. He comes for a month to get acquainted with California."

"What's his name?"

"Roberto de Gama. Diego say that he was one of his best friends."

"When he should come?" Don Alejandro smiled. "We are expecting him in few next days."

Victoria got up to serve other guests in tavern. She was wondering, how he would be like. She knew that Diego has a lot of friends, but seldom someone was coming to Los Angeles.

When Roberto arrived Victoria has state, that he is like Diego. He was a few years older, but was as handsome as don Diego. He was as quiet, gentle and quite educated as Diego too. He was only more outgoing, and because of that he win many friends in pueblo.

Some morning don Alejandro comes to library, where Diego and Roberto were reading books and say. "It's time to beginning..."

"What, Father?"

"Preparing of your party, of course. In two weeks it is your 30th birthday."

Don Alejandro looked at his son. Next year has passed and Diego was even less closer to get married and about to start a family as when he comes from Madrid. When don Alejandro pronounced how much he wanted grandsons, Diego gave him only little smile.

Birthday at de la Vegas were always a big feast. De la Vega family have always given a big party. That day every vaquero and servants have a day of to enjoy herself.

There were many people invaded to the party. The kitchen start to cook, invasions was send. Hacienda had to be cleaned and decorated. There was so many things to do, so many servants were running from one side to other of the house, so many decision must be made, that Diego and Roberto with reliefget away to tavern. Don Alejandro was tired too, so he too came to pueblo.

Don Alejandro went in tavern with hiding anger on his face. Those who really knew him could tell that something is upsetting him terribly.

"Father, what happed?" Elder de la Vega saw his son and his friend playing chess. There were only a few pieces on the board – Diego has a quite good opponent. "Alcalde..."

"What is he doing this time?" Diego and Roberto exchanges worry glances.

"The invitation was sent over a week ago. He got one too, and confirmed, that he will be there. And today he came to me to say, that he has other business in Monterey, and he can't come to your birthday party tomorrow.

I can imagine that he specifically chose tomorrow." Don Alejandro was far from saying that he like deSoto. But the retreat from Diego birthday party was disparagement of de la Vega pride.

Diego wondered what deSoto has on his mind and looked at his friend. To his surprise he saw that Roberto was pleased and smiled. "Oh, Don Alejandro, he was really called back to Monterey."

"How do you know?" Diego looked at his friend with attention."Do you have something with that to do?" He didn't confirm, but didn't deny it either. "Why are you then so happy, Roberto?"

"Do you care for Ignacio? Do you like the careful look that people throw in his presence? That they fear to speak what they really think?" Roberto, like both de la Vegas shook his head. "No? Then be happy too and let the people peacefully celebrate your birthday."

The day begin with a mess at church and then the invited caballeros and rancheros ride to de la Vega hacienda for dinner, and peons, servants and other people comes to party under the open sky.

After the dinner the caballeros goes to library for a glass of wine and to talk. From this moment the official part was over. If someone must or want go home was free to do it without to be impoliteness. While elder caballeros was staying on door, the younger were going outside. There, on the yard (/out door?) the people was eating, drinking wine, dancing and have fun. Everyone who has no objections to be with work class (don't think that are better and can't lower to they level) was free to remain and enjoy oneself.

Diego was going outside when he was only able to do it. He liked much more to be with ordinary people, laughing and dancing then to set down in a chair and speaking with stiff caballeros about cattle.

In the evening, when the first stars appear on the dark sky Roberto came in front of the people and was waiting. He said no word, didn't make any move, but the people slowly silenced, and gave him attention. After a few minutes when everybody was quiet Roberto look around. He saw merry faces. People that for one day forgot about they hard lives. There was many people that he recognizes and a few that nodded to him with smile. He saw both de la Vegas and Victoria that looked at him with mild concern. He started to speak.

"Dear people of Los Angeles! We come here today to celebrate Diego de la Vega's birthday. Everybody of you knows him. Gossips say that he is handsome, gentle, polite, well-educated. It says too that only that interest him is poetry, books and pointless experiments. That he avoid weapons, fights and any others kind of violence. But, is gossip telling whole true? . Isn't there more true about Diego? That's what I have discovered in one week I would like to present you, Diego, and your father too."

Roberto bows to a woman. "Señorita Luisa could you begin, please?"

A young, little shy woman comes in center of the yard and bows to Roberto and de la Vegas with smile.

"My name is Luisa Servantes. Someone of you perhaps remember that I was working here in Los Angeles at the tailor's a few months ago." A few women nodded.

"When I came to Los Angeles over a year ago I was horrify. I had no home, family, money. I was alone on the whole world. I went to the tavern and was sitting down there for few hours not knowing what to do. When it came to closing time two people, like two angels comes to my aid."

"My first angel, senorita Victoria seeing that I had no place to go offered a room where I could stay. So I became a home. My second angel was able to find a job for me. I learned that in Los Angeles were not many work places except for the work at ranchos. Especially for unmarried women it is hard to find a job. But my angel convinced the tailor and I started working there. I became money so that I could pay senorita Victoria. With my two angels I became a sort of family."

"One day I told them my story. After my father's death my brother had driven me out. He said that father didn't leave any money for me and that he would not maintenance me. I was without live hood." Senorita Luisa's voice broke down. The reminiscence about brother of hers cruelty was grievous.

"One day, a few weeks later, Don Ernesto Calderon came to Los Angeles. He said that he heard what happened to me and was investigating my case. He said that my brother lied and I was able to get some money from my brother's. With or without help from court. So Don Ernesto went to my brother and I got my money back."

"I came back to the city. And there only by accident I learned, that it was my second angel that told don Ernesto about my case and convinced him to pick it up and then helped him with the investigation."

Seniora Luisa lifted her head up. "Someone of you reflect why I'm talking about it. Someone others probably already guess. My second angel was don Diego personally." She turns around and gives him and Victoria her hands. "Thank you, me friends. I'm in your debt. Please, remember that my home is always open for you."

Then senora Luisa goes back into the crowd and Mario takes her place. Mario is the leader of small community west from Los Angeles. He was a strong, self-confident man that was familiar in his work.

"Peons have a hard life in Los Angeles. The soil is unfavorable, barren and alcalde constantly imposes new taxes. Four years ago it was even harder. I think everybody can remember long drought and then the big storms. The weather devastated our even so poor harvest. We ware going to die. To our aid came the good patrons, de la Vegas. The most help we got from don Diego. Even if we didn't know it at the time." The peon smiles wryly.

"Someday don Diego came to us with a few sack of corn. We accepted his gift, but we chose not to sow it. These coin were tiny, grey – rotten. We thought. We had heard that don Diego had no interest to work at hacienda, so we thought that someone sold him bad seeds." Mario smalled at himself with irony.

"Two weeks later don Diego came to us to see, how are we doing. He asked about his seeds. We didn't wanted to say, but he surmise, that we haven't sowed it. He saids that this seeds are good and one from one of his experiments. Well, today I can say a loud that he paid us for sowing his seeds."

"Over a month we looked like in spite of heats and downpours his corns, in opposite to ours, grows and rose. It was one of first years that we didn't have to fear the famine. Now we all sowed don Diego's seeds." Mario looks at don Diego with respect and thanks in his eyes. He bows deep and walks out.

On the center of the yard came old peon Paolo. With estimate he bowed for de la Vegas.

"Three weeks ago alcalde has condemned me for non-paid taxes to flogging. I do not know, what would be happened to me, it there wasn't Zorro. He came to plaza and enforced alcalde to release me." A few people nodded. Diego saw how Victoria's eyes glowed at remember of this moment. Pablo nodded to himself with consideration. "For most of you this history finished at this moment. Not for me." People looked at him with new interest.

"As you know surely, I live alone. Nobody - except farthest neighbors- is concerned with me. So, this day I pulled myself down from square then thought what should I do. How could I get to home and rest? I don't know how long I sit there, supported to a wall, when wagon has driven up. Friendly, concerned voice has called to me. „I'm sorry for what happened. Please, come with me. I will carry you at home." I was so tired that I took place on wagon with difficult. Before we have approached, I got into a deep sleep.

When I woke up I have noticed, that I have new clothes and my wounds have been purged. I saw that doctor Hernandez was going out. The man, who had taken me home, for three days has stay and took care of me. When I could stand up he asked my neighbors if they could help me if it's necessary. He left a basket with feed and some money, so I could pay the tax. Now, I would like to pay off this debt."

Pablo turned to his hosts. "Senior Diego, I will never be able to pay off whole debt which I have incurred at you. I can return you only so much." Paolo drew a bag with money and hand it to Don Diego. He refused to accept it, but when Pablo insisted, he whispered something to old man's ears. Pablo nodded and kept the bag. Then he disappeared in the crowd.

Don Alfonso and Don Carlos were known as inseparable friends in whole pueblo. Now they stood together up and came to the center. They began to speak alternately.

"It so, like don Roberto has said. Diego is such a tender and quiet person, that he feel in our bunch of brawler principally uncertainty and useless. Sad but true, we make fun of him sometimes. He comments it with timid smile for what we are ready to fight for death and life."

"Hard to admit, but we need Diego de la Vega. Like Don Roberto said - Diego's peace and intelligence are causes, that even if we ignored him on common days, he came to be our voice of reason for serious circumstances."

"We can duel and wound ourselves. Make silliest bets; chase after narrow paths and trunk ourselves to unconsciousness. Why? Because even if we don't admit it aloud – except for this special night – we know that Diego is keeping vigil. Diego who in this or other manner will be concern, that we will not exaggerating."

"You want a proof? Here is a small story…" Don Carlos smiled at his friend.

"Several month ago a gossips have come to my ears. It has said that my friend is scoffing me behind my back." "I have heard that he try to fool me." "At the beginning we didn't give belief. He is my fairest friend yet. But when it appeared more and more gossips… And it comes from different persons... I have come to conclusion that something must be in it."

„One day we have a quarrel. We have not forgotten it after a moment, like usually. All the gossips were whirled in my head. When I have heard next one, I have decided, that it's time to stop it."

„I've been sought-after my friend and then I have called him to duel." "I've been planed the same. To kill him or die."

"But the duel wasn't accomplished. Don Diego has encouraged several of our friends in order to calm our anger down. He was successive."

„But new gossips have appeared. So we have agreed to duel again, this time so that nobody knew about. Nobody, but not Diego! When we have crossed sabers he came and stood between us."

"We were ready to duel even across him. However, his rational, quiet voice has managed us to calm down. He has persuaded us to trust in each order and mentioned that we should discover who is sending the gossips before we try once again to duel."

"With his help we have discovered, that it was alcalde. He tried to scraping us in order to confiscate our properties, when one of us will kill other. When we discovered that we were so angry, that we wanted to kill him."

"Then Diego has kept us from hasty action again. Instead of killing the alcalde what could for us end to same tragically manner, he convinced us to give him tit for tat. You surely already know that we were very successful." People laughed. They remembered how alcalde was irritated to be an object of several ridiculed gossips. Nobody until now has known where they came from.

"Don Diego, your calmness and wisdom we are owed our properties and life"

"If you ever required help remember that we and our sabers are ready fight for you."

Don Alfonso and Don Carlos bowed with exaggeration, yet still smiling.

"Thank you, though I hope I will never be forced to duel." Diego said serious and the men's took a seat behind the table.

"Let me go! I want to say something too." One unexpected person took a stand on center of the yard. They recognized him as Don Juan, poor haciendero from other part of pueblo, who very seldom come to pueblo and more rarely began to speak public. "Courage is not an attribute which is connecting with Don Diego. Each from us knows that he escapes sword, duels and every encounter."

Don Diego and Don Roberto mentioned disturbed looks. Has Don Juan know something more then the others? „ I'm not intending to say otherwise. However I want to tell, what I have witnessed several months ago." Diego become a hint what he was going to say. After short reflection he give sign to Don Roberto - let's Juan talk. "Surely you remember the storm a few months ago." People nodded. More of them made account of conscience this day, judging that the day of Last Judgment have approached.

"This day Don Diego has come to my hacienda. He has arrived in his fathers businesses matters, but as he has the habit, he found time to talk about pueblo news. We were in deep talk, when suddenly sky became dark. After a short moment first beads of rains have began to fall down. The storm has raged. I can admit - because many of you surely could say the same - that from fear I couldn't move." Don Juan has looked around at faces. Nobody even risk a weigh smile that this adult man has admitted his fear. They remembered their own fear well.

"My peons have fallen on his knees and began to pray. I self started to pray. Trees with roots, stones, flew around of building, streams flooded. Animals have run to panic and began darting on fence. They have overturned gate. I was failed trying to move from place. And I would have lost my whole property, if there wouldn't be Don Diego. Where from he has taken his courage to run on manor and facing crazy from fear animals, I do not know. He has pulled a cart in front of gate closing the escape way for animals. Thanks his outcry my peons and I have recovered courage and we could moved on to help him. All the time until storm pass he has given us courage." Don Juan looked firm around. "So nobody should say that Don Diego is a coward. He has much of civil courage on his own."

Seeing how great impression on listener Juan made Don Roberto reacted. "It's true... But it has not saved him form catching cold." Wave of laugh unloads tension and Don Roberto has motioned to next speakers.

A couple came on the center. The man was hired for different work in pueblo; woman was taking care of about ten of their children.

"A week ago Don Roberto asked if I would like to tell about Don Diego. I have wondered. Don Diego is fine, gentle caballero, from old and respected family, but what can I tell about him?" The man shrugged. "Don Roberto goes, and I start to wonder what he wanted to hear. I had my own problems so I stop thinking about it. But within this week I've began to pay attention when somebody mentioned de le Vega. It was amazed. Most of the evening stories and talks are about Zorro. But in space of days we oft are talking about Don Diego. I do not know or someone is aware how much he cares abut us. Within this one week there was no one day he has not came to see us. He never crossed our street within a smile or greeting someone of us. He has brought feed for Carlos widow, talked with old Juan. My neighbors have asked him about advices, whatever about decide a dispute or a family matter. So does me, when I decided to send my son to serve at le Ramirez hacienda." As the man silenced the woman began to speak with shaky voice.

"When Don Diego came from Spain I often saw him walked around pueblo. I saw from window as he talked with oldest and children. One day he was staying in my house threshold. He has asked, if he can assign several questions for his newspaper. I have answered him that I can't read. He answered that it not matter. Someone else can read it then for me or he come herself. He has given me many questions. That was even amusing, because I have answered no one question poorly. He has gone and I thought that this was the end of the matter. So I was very surprised, when I saw him next week. He came to read me as promised." The woman became red from pride.

"He is coming to us from time to time. I like to talked with him. He talk about fascinating things and heard with interest what I have to say. One day he has asked why I not send my youngest at mission, in order to learn read and write. I didn't know what for good it was. But don Diego could even a pillar encouraged to move from place. Anyway, a bit calm in house was always nicely. So I have sent children to school. Since I send them I required that they learn. And my children exercised reading on Don Diego's newspaper. From what they read aloud I learn very much. And the usefulness of writing and reading I have learned when my oldest Paulo has left for work in city."

The woman has stepped up to Don Diego and has extracted her overworked, old hands. Diego shake them with estimate. "Thank you, patron. Letters that Paulo write and Ann read makes my very happy."

.

One more time Don Roberto stepped on center of yard. "You have heard stories of few people. I'm sure you known more of them. Did they have confirmed gossips? I think that in particular manner yes, they do." Don Roberto has smiled in silence and - before his words flow over - he touched several strings on his guitar.

"Let's dance, Ladies and Gentleman." He called and first streaming notes have put the people on their legs. His music was magic, full of joy and freedom. It forced to dance, so that even oldest couldn't stay calm. After a moment whole square whirled. Then Roberto has returned guitar to one of players who started play older people's dances.

He settled with smile behind table. After a moment Diego and Victoria, both redden from the dance came to him. "Your play is incredible. Please play something more Don Roberto!" Victoria and others called to him. "Only, if you and our birthday child would show the others, how to dance." He answered with a grin to the senora and began to play.

In a break between the dances Don Alejandro found Diego. "Son, I think that Roberto makes greater present me then you. I'm sorry. I should see for my own your devotion for the people. I should be proud of such like you are and not required from you to be like, well, Zorro. Those people have showed me how important your manner of battle, without violence, is. Even, if often imperceptible. Really, I am proud of you." Oldest de la Vega embraces him tight and the heart of Diego was full of joy. At last his father was proud of him and not the figure that he has created.

It was late night when the last guests go home. Diego has invited Victoria to moonwalk in the garden. From house come peaceful, romantic music. Diego recognized it as Roberto's lullaby. Beneath influence of the moment he pulled Victoria at himself and they both began gently to sway.

END
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