AN: Considering the nature of the following chapters and the fact that I am trying to keep this story within canon, parts of them are either dialogue taken from the TV series or summaries of the events happening in the episodes. Those parts, since I can't claim them as my own, considering they had been written and acted by the wonderful people who gave us the NWZ series, I will mark with an * at the beginning and at the end. The unmarked parts, as well as some of the explanations, even when included into the 'borrowed parts', are my own doing, but based on the acting and… well… logic.
The first two chapters are based on, and mostly relate the events in "The Legend Begins" episodes of the TV Show, written by Robert McCullough.
As always, my gratitude goes to La Cuidadora for correcting this.
Disclaimer: I do not own the NWZ or its characters, make no money out of these stories, and only spend my time on them for fun and the enjoyment of other fans. While I am fine with others using the ideas and OCs in this story, its reproduction on other sites or accounts is not allowed without my express consent.
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Diego found the way back from Spain to be much longer than his first voyage had been, even if that was mainly due to his impatience to see his home again. Still, he enjoyed the voyage, as they were lucky enough to have good winds and cloudless skies. Most of all, though, he enjoyed the stops they had made along the way to restock their provisions and which, for him, were but an incredible opportunity to see new places and people.
It was on one of those stops where he also made what he considered to be one of his finest acquisitions to the day: a wonderful black saddle and the most beautiful bridle he had ever seen. They were made for a dark horse, on which they would look absolutely splendid, Diego realized, but, even if his favorite De la Vega horse, Esperanza, was golden, he didn't hesitate a second before paying the full requested price for them.
Returning to the ship, he placed the saddle and the bridle in the only trunk they still fit, and in which he was also keeping the sword Sir Edmund had given him, together with various other things he mainly looked at as memorabilia.
"You seem happy, Don Diego!" The Captain noticed as he returned to the deck a while later. "Your trip to the shore must have been fruitful."
"Indeed it was!" He answered with a grin.
"For the man who cheated him into overpaying for that saddle he bought." Another of the passengers, who was joining them till Acapulco, remarked with a playful smile.
Diego was lucky to find pleasant companions aboard the ship on his trip back, several of them also young caballeros, heading for either New Spain or, like him, to California. Just after their departure, in fact, seeing how they fancied themselves good swordsmen, some of them had even proposed spending their time practicing their swordsmanship on the main deck, and the De la Vega heir had gladly agreed to that idea, even if he mischievously downplayed his skill level. After a first duel, though – to which he only assisted – almost ended in a tragedy because of a wave which tilted the ship, throwing one of the adversaries, blade first, into the other, that idea was disregarded in favor of playing cards, reading, chatting and playing music, so Diego never even had the chance to take his new sword out of its scabbard.
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A little over five months after setting sail from Malaga, on October 1st, 1811, he finally reached his destination as the ship stopped in San Pedro. Once there, he hired a coach to take him and his luggage to the hacienda, and paid a young man to ride in advance and warn his father.
*Don Alejandro and Felipe were waiting for him at the entrance of the house when the coach arrived and, although he didn't let it show, the tall caballero was more than a little surprised to see how much the boy had grown while he was away.
He was, however, a little disappointed at hearing that the youngster was still deaf as he had hoped the boy's hearing might have returned during his absence. Just minutes after he arrived, a large military patrol rode pass the hacienda, an image Diego was used to in Madrid, but not in California, a land much more peaceful at the time than his country of birth.
"What's all this? What's all this about?" He asked his father.
"It's why I sent for you." The older man replied, abstaining from providing more details for the time being, as he guided his son inside the house.
"Ah, it's good to be home!" Diego uttered, taking off the black cape he was wearing.
"It's good to have you home!" His father agreed, a large smile adorning his face.
Running his fingers across the piano's keyboard after abandoning his cape on the small chair in front of the musical instrument, Diego turned towards his father and, trying as best he could, under the circumstances, to disguise his nervousness, he asked about Victoria.
"She's grown since you left. She's a woman now." His father replied.
"She hasn't married or anything, has she?" The younger man wondered, pretending he was simply making conversation.
"No." His father answered and Diego could hardly stop himself from fully displaying the relief he was feeling at those words. "But since she's inherited the tavern, she's become quite a businesswoman." Don Alejandro continued.
"Really?" His son uttered. "Well, perhaps I'll pay her a little visit sometime."
"The caballeros are looking forward to seeing you in the pueblo. We need every man we can get." Don Alejandro changed the subject of the conversation, completely missing the interest his son seemed to display for Victoria. Walking over to a small desk and picking up a long object wrapped in black fabric, he gave it to Diego. "And you're going to need this."
"What's this?" The tall caballero asked, taking it from his father and unwrapping it just enough to reveal a hilt. "A sword?" He wondered.
"A man has to take care of himself these days." Don Alejandro explained.
"I don't understand. The pueblo's secure. Those soldiers outside looked rather well-trained." He replied.
"Indeed. But they don't protect our people. They exploit them." His father answered. Then, eyeing the sword in Diego's hand he asked if he could handle it.
"Seems a little light, don't you think?" The younger man answered, after pulling the weapon free of the black cloth and holding it in his hand.
"It's beginner's weight." Don Alejandro replied, uncertain of his son's attitude. "Just don't hurt yourself with it, that's all."
"Father, I think there's something you should know…"Diego answered with a smile, about to tell the don that he was at a more advanced level when it came to swordfight than a mere beginner.
"I know." The old don replied. "You didn't have time to complete your studies with Sir Edmund. Ah, well, we'll just have to do the best we can." He assured his son, grasping his left shoulder, then left the room* to make sure the servants had taken proper care of Diego's luggage.
The tall caballero followed him shortly in order to instruct the servants what needed to be unpacked, washed or simply left alone, in the locked trunks.
As for the new sword, since it had been a gift from his father, although he couldn't see it as more than a decorative object, Diego agreed to wear it when, just a few hours later, after they had lunch and Don Alejandro recounted for him some of the events he had missed since he had left California, the two of them headed for the pueblo. The old don was more than enthusiastic to show off his son to his friends, certain he was soon to become a true leader among them, and the young De la Vega was looking forward to seeing Victoria.
*As they both stepped into the tavern, Diego's eyes at once found the Señorita he had kept in his heart all those years while he had been away. She was even more beautiful than he had ever imagined she might become, and he was mesmerized the moment he saw her.
"Diego, you remember Señorita Escalante?" His father asked as they both neared the taverness.
The two young people remained staring at each other for a few moments, before Diego took her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it.
"Indeed." He eventually answered, as soon as he found his ability to speak again. "But you've changed." He added, unable to take his eyes off of her beautiful face. "For the better, that is." He continued after seeing Victoria's questioning glance.
She smiled, also trying to force herself to react. "Thank you, Diego." She said, wondering what to say next as her eyes traveled to his waist. "You've changed too," she uttered. "You wear the sword of a caballero."
From right beside them, Don Alejandro didn't miss the looks the two gave each other, and the thought crossed his mind that they would make a great couple.
"Diego's returned to assume his proper place in the community." He stated. Then, decided to give them some space, he searched the room, his eyes resting on one of the other dons there. "Ah. Sebastian. Excuse me!" He said as he headed for one of the corner tables, a smile on his lips.
The two young people barely noticed him leaving as they kept on looking into each-other's eyes, until Diego realized it was by no means proper to continue to do so.
"He's a popular man." He said, referring to his father, finally forcing himself to stop staring at Victoria.
"Yes. And courageous, too." She answered, turning her head to follow Don Alejandro with her eyes for a few seconds, before she returned to looking at Diego. "You should hear how he speaks out against the Alcalde -"
As she said that, she found herself grabbed by the arm and spun around by a corporal whom, just minutes earlier, had faced her wrath when his advances were met with a pitcher of lemonade poured over his head. After doing his best to dry up and being forced to endure his companions' mockery, he was now furious and had every intention of making the taverness pay for her rejection.
"You owe me an apology!" Corporal Riqueta** informed her, ire in his voice.
Diego froze in place for a few moments, appalled by the man's behavior.
"Let go of me!" Victoria ordered, and the man laughed.
That was too much for Diego to allow, so he swiftly intervened, releasing the young woman from the corporal's grip. "The Señorita said let go!" He uttered as he stepped between her and her aggressor.
"Just who do you think you are?" Riqueta asked, defiantly.
Don Alejandro, who had, meanwhile, noticed, just like the other patrons, the scene, rapidly made his way towards the two. It was not yet time for his son to get into trouble, certainly not before he fully understood how things stood in Los Angeles. "This is my son, Corporal. He's just returned from Spain." He said, trying to appease the lancer.
"Where, among other things, I learned how to treat a lady." Diego said.
"And how to insult the uniform of the colonial military government?" The Corporal mocked, determined to make the insolent caballero pay.
"Gentlemen, let's not let this get out of hand!" Don Alejandro again tried to defuse the situation, putting his hands on each of their shoulders.
"Out of the way, Sir!" Riqueta ordered, pushing him.
"You need a lesson in manners, Corporal!" Diego informed him, ire in his eyes.
"What is going on here, Corporal?" A Sergeant asked from the door, stomping towards Riqueta at noticing the two standing face-to-face in what looked like the beginning of a fight.
"This man has challenged me." Riqueta answered, eying Diego.
"And with good reason, too!" Victoria confirmed. "Thank you, Diego!" She then addressed her old friend.
"Diego?" The new arrival asked with a smile. "Diego de la Vega, your son?" He proceeded to ask Don Alejandro.
"Pleased to meet you, Sergeant." The tall caballero said as he turned to shake his hand.
"Sergeant Jaime Mendoza." The man introduced himself proudly, wondering if his friend might remember him. "Permit me to welcome you to our Pueblo de Los Angeles… and to collect the traveler's tax." He then added as he remembered his duties.
"Traveler's tax? This is preposterous!" Don Alejandro muttered.
"How much is it, Sergeant?" Diego asked, starting to understand a little better the cause for his father's complaints.
"Five pesos. It's not much, but it adds up." Mendoza replied.
Five pesos was more than a peasant made per day. Perhaps more than even Mendoza made in a day, no matter how much he tried to make it seem as it wasn't a lot of money.
"If they could, they would tax the very air that we breathe." Victoria told Diego, visibly enraged, then walked away.
"Actually, the Alcalde is working on something." Mendoza uttered pensively.
"And what if one refuses to pay such a tax?" Diego questioned, visibly curious, his conflict with the Corporal all but forgotten.
"The Alcalde becomes very angry, and that is not a pretty sight, Señor." The older man answered.
At that very moment, shots were fired in the plaza, and they all hurried to exit in order to find out what was going on.
Just before the tavern, several men, hands bound and clothes dusty, were forced to listen to the Alcalde threatening their lives.
"Alcalde, what's going on here?" Don Alejandro asked as he followed Victoria and Diego to the plaza.
"It's quite simple." The man answered. "These vermin refuse to pay any portion of their taxes."
"These are poor farmers. They have no money for taxes." Victoria uttered sympathetically.
"The fact remains that these disloyal reprobates only understand one thing: force." The Alcalde informed her.
"Don't just stand there! Do something!" The taverness addressed Diego, who raised a hand to appease her.
"And force is what they will get." Ramone continued in a threatening tone.
"And how does the government intend to spend these new taxes?" Diego questioned.
Ramone turned towards him, a wicked smile on his lips. "You must not know who I am." He concluded, as he stared straight at the caballero.
"Oh, I know who you are, all right." Diego answered, a defiant look on his face. "Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Diego de la Vega, from Spain." As he said that, he politely bowed his head, but Luis Ramone took the opportunity to slap him with his gloves."You bear the rank of a gentleman. Why not act like one?" Diego wondered, enraged.
"Is that a challenge, De la Vega?" The Alcalde asked with a wide hyena smile.
"If it were, my sword would be at your throat." The caballero answered.
"Only long enough for my soldiers to put a bullet through your head." His adversary replied through gritted teeth, just as Diego reached for his sword.
Don Alejandro, noticing his gesture, was barely in time to stop him. "Not now, Diego!" He said. His son understood his message and backed down.
"Listen to your father! Be careful or you will regret ever coming back to Los Angeles." Ramone threatened before ordering his men to bring the prisoners to the cuartel.
Diego watched them all leave, furious at the man.
"Would you have challenged the Alcalde?" Victoria wondered, admiringly.
"The Alcalde has clearly lost his mind." The caballero replied, his eyes glued to the cuartel's door.
"Somebody's going to have to challenge him, or we'll lose this pueblo." His father stated pensively.*
So focused on the Alcalde and his men, nobody in the pueblo noticed the silver DeLorean making its way across the road just outside the pueblo.***
Returning to the tavern, Diego gave Mendoza the five pesos he had asked as traveler's tax, then spent the following hour listening to the caballeros discuss Ramone's reforms and new taxation policies, as well as their possible actions to stop his reign of terror, taking full advantage of the fact that no lancer was around at that time, and most of the other patrons had left or were seated far away enough not to overhear them.
From time to time, when nobody watched him, Diego's eyes followed Victoria, as she floated around the tavern, making sure all her customers had everything they needed, and all bills were payed before they left. The caballero wondered how soon he should start courting her before someone else had the chance to attract her attention. By the look she had given him, and considering how well they had gotten on before his departure, he was certain she would gladly accept his courtship.
"A full-fledged rebellion would just end up claiming innocent lives!" Don Alejandro's words drew his attention back to the conversation at hand. "My friends, I said it before, and I repeat it now: violence is not the way!"
"What other choice do we have?" One of the dons asked him. "Under your leadership, Alejandro, the people would stand a good chance of defeating this Alcalde."
"No. My father is right." Diego contradicted him. "The people of Los Angeles deserve to live in peace, and we'd stand no chance to succeed in the long time. On the contrary. People would die and, even if we'd be temporarily successful, the Governor or the Viceroy would, eventually, send their men to level this pueblo. We would all die."
"You are afraid to risk your life for a just cause, Diego? Wouldn't you rather stand for what is right, die a hero's death if that's what it takes, than let evil prevail?" Don Antonio – one of the young caballeros Diego had befriended during the parties his father had once forced him to attend – reproached him, misunderstanding his words.
"There's nothing heroic in causing the death of others, just because one ends up losing his own life, as well. A rebellion would be ill-conceived, and there would be nothing to be gained from it. Even if the worst doesn't come to pass, if we simply manage to have Luis Ramone replaced, who is to say whomever will be sent instead of him will be any better? We need to find another way. A way to reason with him." He replied.
"There's no reasoning with that tyrant!" Don Sebastian contradicted him.
"It's our only chance. We must make him listen, if not to our arguments, to the King's law, but we must do so peacefully." Diego said. "Now, if you'll forgive me, I have just arrived home a few hours ago, after a long and tiresome voyage, so I should get some rest." As he said that, unwilling to take part in the discussions any further, since he had already made his point, he stood up. "Father?" He asked, and the old don, deciding to leave with him, stood up and followed him out after they both took their goodbyes from their friends and Victoria.
"What do you think we should do, Diego?" Don Alejandro wondered on their way home, seeing his son deep in thought.
"I don't yet know, Father." He admitted. "But I'll think of something." He added, encouragingly.
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The following few days, Diego spent studying his law books, hoping they might provide him with a solution to their current predicament. His father soon became frustrated with him, uncertain what his son hoped to find in those books he had brought home, and just a few days later, begun complaining about him to his friends.
"Not the rebellious leader you were hoping for, De la Vega?" Ramone questioned at overhearing one of their conversation.
Don Alejandro threw him a disapproving glance. "My son has always been a man of peace, Alcalde. But, even if he is not a fighter, he has a good head on his shoulders, and sometimes that is more important than a sword."
Ramon sneered and left them to ask Victoria for a glass of wine.
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"Can't the Governor do anything about the Alcalde?" Diego wondered a few days later as he and his father were playing chess.
"Don't you think we've tried already to get his support in all the time he's been here? No, Diego, there's nothing he can do. Or, better said, nothing he will do." The old don answered. "Today he's sentenced those poor farmers to six months of forced labor to pay off their debt. Their families will have no means to survive without them, and he just doesn't care."
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The next time Diego went to the pueblo, he left his sword at home, considering it to be nothing more than a piece of jewelry. Besides, he didn't anticipate the need to use it, anyway. After all, if need be, he could always borrow a sword, or deprive a lancer of one.
Arriving in Los Angeles, he went straight to the tavern in search of Victoria, but the young woman was too busy at the time, and didn't pay any attention to him after barely greeting her old friend. Victoria still very much liked Diego, but was frustrated with the fact that he hadn't visited since he had first arrived back, and more than a little disappointed with the rumors being spread about his unwillingness to stand up to the Alcalde, especially after having first been convinced that he was to be the one to bring the man to his knees. So, for the time being, she didn't much want to talk to him.
Diego headed for the table occupied by some of his caballero friends. Three more young men had just returned from their studies in Mexico City that week, and they were celebrating and loudly recounting their recent adventures. About half an hour later, during which it had been Alicia, Victoria's helper who attended them and brought their orders, a large group of vaqueros – many of whom he had never seen before – entered and sat at three tables, thus giving the taverness even more work.
Diego was about to leave, accepting it was not his day, when he overheard one of his companions recount how he had managed to escape the rebels in New Spain by using a secret tunnel. That reminded him that he also knew of a secret escape route inside his own home.
As soon as he got back, finding himself alone in the library, he pressed the lever and smiled as he saw the sliding panel opening. Entering the place, he was glad to notice it was just as he remembered it, concluding that, through some miracle, it was still him the only one to have ever found it.
*Returning to the library, he noticed Felipe, his back turned to him, as he was sweeping the floor. Deciding to have some fun at the boy's expense, he stepped out and remained in front of the fireplace, wondering how long it would take him to notice he was there. It was not long.
After eventually showing him the secret passage, and asking him to keep it a secret, Diego followed Don Alejandro back to town as the old caballero came to tell him that the Alcalde had taken more prisoners.
By the time they arrived, people were being escorted to jail for minor offenses, their punishments absurdly harsh.
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AN: So? How am I doing so far? Let me know in a review. It helps.
Also, just wanted to say that this and the next will be probably the only chapters to integrate as much as they do from the TV episodes. I hope you don't mind, but everything about "The Legend Begins" seems important to me, I guess…
Just some more clarifications below:
** The Corporal grabbing Victoria's arm in 'The Legend Begins'' first episode is not named in the show, so his name was my own invention.
***The DeLorean is Doc's time-traveling car in 'Back to the Future'. As I had mentioned when first I started the 'A time for foxes' series, I do intend to explain things the show never did. Among them, the fact that cars were visible in the background, in two episodes (because why wouldn't someone explain that in a way that would make sense for the NWZ?). This also gives me a chance to insert a small crossover at some point. Hope you'll enjoy it.