Chapter 7

Back in the cave.

And now, mere minutes ago, it had almost seemed that moment had arrived. So close. What had made Diego change his mind?
Victoria also wondered, or he did expect her already to have fallen asleep? She had pretended to drink from the bowl filled with the white, bitter-tasting cactus tea. The taste was so awful the first time she couldn't pursue herself to swallow a second time. As a child, Victoria had done it almost every day. Her mother always insisted her children have a spoon of herbal oil. Thanks to that, she had become very skilful in not swallowing fluids.
Victoria hears footsteps coming down the stairs. Quickly, she closed her eyes.

"Victoria!" Zorro comes back into the cave and holds something in his right hand. "Victoria?"

He must believe her to be awake. Victoria waits a moment before she begins to stir in the chair to pretend she was half asleep. She flutters her eyes as Zorro kneels before her and takes her left hand.
Victoria giggles. "I'm so sleepy."

With her eyes half-opened, she sees Zorro is holding a beautiful ring in his hand.
"This ring belonged to my mother."

She jerks her head and focuses on the ring. She grabs onto the hand that is holding it. Suddenly Victoria feels more awake than ever before. He did not change his mind. Joy, relief, amazement, and most of all love, are fighting for what she feels most. Zorro is about to tell her who the man is hiding behind a mask. She bites on her lips and utters. "It's beautiful."

Zorro looks at her, and Victoria can see straight into his soul. No longer can this man hide any secrets from her. His love for her is showing in his eyes. Like it has always been.
"This is a symbol of our future."

Excitement is overwhelming Victoria. It is the moment she has been waiting for for so long. Inner Victoria glows. What shock awaits Diego when he finds out she already knows his secret. "Our future?"

Zorro takes a deep breath. "Victoria, will you marry me?"

"Marry you?" He proposed to her! Without telling her who he is first!? It made Victoria feel a little angry. How can he believe she will give herself to a man while she doesn't even know his name?

Zorro, nodding again. "Mm-hmm. As long as I wear this mask, the ring must be our secret. But believe me, the day is coming when I will tell the world of our love. Till that moment comes, let this ring be a symbol of my love and our future."

Victoria only had to know one thing. Who was proposing to her? And therefore, she is asking. "Now, who is proposing. The man or the legend."

Determination is in his voice when Zorro answers her question. "The man. What is your answer?"

Victoria looks into the ice blue eyes she knows so well. The eyes that fooled her for years. They look at her so full of hope. The sparks flew off.
Her eyes drift to the pretty ring. The ring contains a large emerald in the middle, surrounded by numerous small diamonds. She forces herself to swallow the tears that burn behind her eyes.
The tension in the cave was palpable. Zorro waits for her answer.

Diego had said the ring was to be the symbol of their secret, their love and their hope for a future. It is hard. So hard. Determined, Victoria makes up her mind. She no longer wants any secrets between her and the man she loves more than anything.
Tenderly, Victoria placed her hand on his. Still staring at the ring, she took a deep breath and faltered. "I was convinced you thought it would be a better idea if I married someone else? A man like don Diego. Wasn't that what you said at the time."

Zorro was confused by her answer and fully aware that she had a point. Zorro meant danger. He wanted to offer her so much, a life together. Victoria might develop feelings for Diego if it turned out he was Zorro. Another outcome seemed impossible.
She adored an illusion, but he needed her so much. Her smile was the zest for his life.
Everything seemed worthless without her. Diego knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong. He should confide in her. If only it were that simple.
"I still believe it would be wiser. But a heart doesn't always listen to what the mind tells it." Zorro had to do his very best to control his voice. "Victoria, I cannot marry you yet. Let this ring be the secret symbol of our promise to one another. An oath of eternal love and fidelity." For a moment, Zorro allowed himself to close his eyes and enjoy the spark of hope that had ignited and made his heart glow.
"I understand if you preferred to marry a man like don Diego. A man like he can offer you something I never can. Safety, security. Diego is a good man." Zorro couldn't bring himself to look at Victoria. Suddenly, his greatest desire was for Victoria to reject Zorro and prefer his alter ego.

Victoria smiled. "He most certainly is. But if I ever was to marry a man like don Diego, I would never do it because it's safer."

Zorro struggled to squeeze a sound out of his throat. "Not?"

She shook her head. "If I were to marry a man like don Diego, I would do it because I am in love him." Victoria paused before continuing. "And..., because he's the man hiding behind this mask."
The silence that followed these words was deafening. Seconds that lasted for hours passed at a slow pace. "Because that is your name, isn't it? Diego de la Vega."

"Why...," Zorro cleared his throat. "Why would you think something like that?"

"Do you still want to deny? Do you actually believe that since I found out, I do not see? Diego, I love you. And yes, I want to marry. To the man, not the mask."

Then Victoria was finely pressed into a pair of strong arms. And she felt his lips burn against hers.
With his lips still on hers, Zorro stutters. "Victoria, please tell me I am not dreaming."

Victoria leaned back, laughed and said. "Is it so hard to believe in my heart knows who I love?"

Zorro shook his head. Happiness and despair waged a hard inner battle. "It is hard to believe you love me. And it's too dangerous. Those bandits won't rest and said they find you and force you...,"

Victoria hesitated. "And you are afraid I'll betray you?" Her tone changed and became forceful. "I would never, ever do that to you."

Enclosing her hands in his, Zorro pressed kisses on it. "I know. No, darling, I fear I cannot protect you. I do not want anyone to harm you. Not for my sake."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you feared I couldn't love the man hiding under the mask."

He looked at her uncomprehendingly.

"Diego, I have known who you are since Christmas last year. The reason I haven't said anything until now was.., I sensed you weren't ready to share your secret."
He wanted to interrupt her.
"And why I've told you now is because of what you just said. That, you have only one fear. That, I wouldn't love you, which is total nonsense. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. What you just said broke my heart."

Zorro felt the need to explain. He had never wanted to hurt her, hiding his secrets for her.
"I never wanted to keep Zorro, his identity, from you." Diego began to apologize again.

Victoria soothed him. "I know, and if I had suspected it was you earlier, I had never paid attention to Zorro. It was just ..., Zorro is everything a girl could dream of. And you were so ..."

"Boring, cowardly, studious, ordinary, plain?" He summed up.

"No. It was just..., You weren't like I remembered you. Zorro is more like Diego than you are. Before you left for Spain, I mean. I had feelings for you even before you left. And when you came back, so much had changed. You had changed. Ramon was alcalde, which made life in Los Angeles just awful. My mother had died, and my father had disappeared with my brothers. You came back and were so different from the man I remembered. Zorro, he was everything I hoped you would become.'

Diego pulled her back into his arms. "I understand what you mean. I played a role, and maybe too well. I became Zorro because someone needed to stand up against Ramon and his tyranny. Someone who had nothing to lose. Or, at the very least, try to make Ramon think that.
He threatened to take everything my father had accomplished should I dare challenge him. I created Zorro, and he had to be as different from Diego as possible. We already share some physical resemblance, so there had to be a few other similarities possible." He grinned.

Victoria agreed. "Mmm. Ramon was a devil in disguise. Diego..., it feels strange calling Zorro that." Victoria apologized to herself. "It is brave what you have done. And if your offer still stands, then yes, I would love to marry you. To the man," Victoria carresed his cheek. "not the mask."

Diego covered her face with feathery kisses.
"Nothing would please me more. If it is up to me, I'll make you mine as soon as possible." He assured her, still feeling overwhelmed by what had happened in the last couple of minutes.

"I wish it to happen rather today than tomorrow. But how can you do that without arousing suspicion in De Soto."

Diego leaned back and lifted both of her hands. Sliding, the ring around her finger. He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed both. "We'll come up with something. I don't call myself el Zorro for nothing."

Again Victoria swallowed away some tears. This time they were tears of joy a faint smile was on her lips. "And I'll wait as long as I need to. There is, however, one thing I refuse to wait for any longer. May I?"
Victoria held her hands next to his head. Diego nodded and bent over, making it easier for her to reach the knot.
Her hands trembled as she began to untie the knot. It felt like ages, but then, suddenly, the knot gave way.
The mask went down, and a familiar face emerged.

For the first time ever, Diego and Victoria look each other in the eye. Neither tried to hide their feelings.

Diego was feeling shaky, his voice softly whispering. "Victoria."

There was disbelief on her face. She stroked her fingers over Diego's moustache with trembling hands.
"It is you," murmurs Victoria. "I mean, I already knew, but…," an apologetic smile. "To actually see it. It is unbelievable."

They talked some more. Victoria shared how she found out about Zorro's identity. Suddenly Diego realized something and asked, "Victoria, I..., not that I am complaining. But why aren't you sleeping? You should be because of the tea I gave you."

"You call that poison tea?" Victoria had a teasing tone in her voice before she admitted. "I spat it out when you didn't look. Look, my handkerchief is wet. I did the same with the oil my mother gave us every evening.

Diego laughed.
Victoria out tricked the fox. And he didn't even care.

"It is getting late. I think you'd better bring me back to the tavern. We can talk more later. If you insist, I'm willing to wear a blindfold. But please don't ever ask me to drink that brr..." Victoria shuddered at the thought of the cactus tea.

Diego laughed. "It's of no use anymore. I'll have to think of other ways to ensure your safety. Wait here, and I'll change to Diego and take you back to the tavern. We shall say Zorro brought you to the hacienda after your injury." Diego started to get up.

Victoria grabbed his shirt to stop him. "Not so fast, señor. You made a promise to me once, and I want you to keep it."

"A promise?" he asked in surprise. The mischievous smile Victoria gave him made his heart skip a beat.

"I've been waiting so long to hear you say it. Almost as long as I've waited for you to unmask yourself."

"Ah, I see." Diego dropped back to his knees. Their eyes on the same level, he utters, "Victoria Escalante, I love you. And I won't hide my feelings for you any longer." He continued apologetically, "Not when it is two of us, anyway."

Victoria laughs widely. "That, mi querido, is all I ask...,"

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The end

More to your liking? After all, HEA are the best.

As sort of footnote I also added the ending for the originel story as was writen the first time. THe part only made sense when the first chapter started in the cave, so I deleted it.
It is also the reason I didn't post the HEA before. It can be read as the next chapter and that never was my intention as you can read below.

Back in the cave

Señora Claus, the words the woman had said, had flashed through Victoria, her mind for a moment. Perhaps you make discoveries you wish you had not.
And now, mere minutes ago, it had almost seemed that that moment she had been waiting for had arrived. What had made Diego change his mind?
She heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Victoria!" Zorro comes back into the cave and is holding something in his right hand. "Victoria?"

Victoria wakes up and stirs in the chair as she tries to open her eyes. Zorro kneels before her and takes her left hand.
Victoria is giggling and feels so tired. "I'm so sleepy."

In his hand, Zorro is holding a beautiful ring.
"This ring belonged to my mother."

She jerks her head and focuses on the ring, grabbing onto his hand that is holding it. Suddenly she feels more awake than ever before. Diego didn't change his mind. Joy, relief, amazement, and most of all love, are fighting for what she feels most. Zorro is going to tell her who he is. No longer was she to hide what she had discovered. "It's beautiful."

Zorro looks at her, and Victoria sees straight in his soul. No longer can this man hide any secret from her. It is all there in his eyes, as it had always been. "This is a symbol of our future."

Excitement is overwhelming Victoria. This is it, the moment she has been waiting for. O, why is she so tired? Victoria fights to keep her eyes open.
"Our future?" She mutters.

"Victoria, will you marry me?"

"Marry you?" He proposed! Without telling her who he was first?

Zorro, nodding again. "Mm-hmm. As long as I wear this mask, the ring must be our secret. But believe me, the day is coming when I will tell the world of our love. Till that moment comes, let this ring be a symbol of my love and our future."

Victoria only had to know one thing. Who was the man proposing to her? And therefore, she asked, her voice trembling. "Now, who is proposing, the man... or the legend?"

"The man. Victoria, what is your answer?"

Victoria looks down at the beautiful ring. There is a large emerald in the middle, surrounded by countless tiny diamonds. She forces herself to swallow away the tears burning behind her eyes. It is not their time, not yet. But no matter, she'll wait.
"Yes. Absolutely and definitely yes." Always Diego. I will always be by your side, even when you think I am not.

Zorro puts the ring on the finger of her right hand. Victoria holds out that hand and looks at the ring. Then she wraps her arms around his neck as he folds his arms around her waist and hugs him.

Victoria sighed, uttering almost unhearable.
"Every time I dreamed of this moment, I've been awake." She yawns a little and rests her head on his shoulder. "I'm so sleepy."

"Victoria?" Zorro sighs as he realizes Victoria is no longer responding.

She shifts from his left shoulder to his right and continues to sleep.

He looks down at the woman who means the world to him.
"Sleep now, my love. It is time to take you home." Zorro presses a kiss on her forehead.
Victoria mumbles something in her sleep. And if he had not known any better, he would have sworn the word she just uttered sounded like Diego.
That can not be true, he knows, a mere fantasy. But it sure feels nice, thinking Victoria said his name. With a deep sigh of regret, Zorro picks Victoria up and carries her across the cave.

When the time was right, and he had found the courage.

The end

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