A/N: Thanks again to my reviewers! I own nothing except OCs. Please enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think! See you next time!
Chapter Three: Zorro Meets the Señorita (Part 3)
"You seem anxious," Don Alejandro de la Vega noted as he watched his son flex his fingers over the ivory and ebony keys for a third time since he had sat down at the piano in the sala. "This wouldn't have to do with our guests, would it?"
"Me? Anxious?" Diego asked, turning to face his father with a curious look. "Why would you think that?"
"I've never seen you pause so many times while playing a piano piece you know inside out," his father smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me more about this Lolita. You seem rather taken with her."
"Oh, not you, too," Diego sighed, faking a grimace as he arose from the bench. "Bernardo accused me of that this morning."
"And for good reason. I've never seen you so distracted and dazed," Alejandro laughed, clapping his hand onto his son's back. "What's she like?" he asked eagerly, guiding his son out of the house and into the open, gated courtyard of their home. The crickets chirped merrily outside as the stars twinkled overhead, with the moon illuminating the sky as paper lanterns dimly lit the courtyard.
"Well," Diego shrugged. "From what I've seen, she's very outspoken, spirited, loyal-"
"Beauitful?"
"Beauti- Father!" Diego exclaimed as he saw the old man grinning widely. He couldn't resist smiling back, however, and admitted defeat. "Yes, she's very beautiful…wait until you see her, Father. Hair as dark as night, eyes that shine, a breathtaking smile…" He stared off into the distance, a distracted smile on his lips as he recalled his previous encounters with the young lady.
"You mean like that?" Alejandro asked, pointing to the door as Bernardo opened it and allowed the Pulidos to enter the threshold.
Diego whipped his head forward, his eyes wide in surprise as he wondered how he didn't hear them approaching. Glancing at his father, he shrugged sheepishly before walking with him to greet their guests. "Welcome my friends! We're delighted you could make it," Diego said, shaking hands with Don Carlos before introducing him to Alejandro. "This is my father, Don Alejandro de la Vega. Father, this is Don Carlos Pulido del Castillo, his wife Doña Catalina, and his lovely daughters, Carlotta, Yolanda, and Lolita."
"An honor, señor, señora, señoritas," Alejandro smiled cordially, shaking hands with Don Carlos before kissing Doña Catalina's hand. "I'm thrilled you could join us. Please, come this way." With a wave of his hand, he motioned for them to follow. Yolanda trailed behind obediently; Carlotta strayed.
"Don Diego, your home is stunning," Carlotta started, her hands moving to grab Diego's arm.
"You think so?" Diego asked, forcing himself to smile though he took a step forward, casually joining Lolita's side. Redirecting his attention to the younger sister, he pointed at a weak plant sprout leaning against the wall. "We've just received a rose bush. Hopefully, within a few months, it should be covered in flowers."
"I beg your pardon, but that hardly looks worthwhile. I believe you've been swindled," Carlotta sniffed, stepping up to join Diego's side as he walked them both to the sala.
"And you say I'm impatient," Lolita commented, glancing at the bush. Returning her gaze to Diego, she smiled kindly. "I hope it grows quickly, so that I might see those beautiful flowers you envision."
Diego felt his heart skip a beat at her words, his eyes softening as he looked into her large dark eyes. "Then I hope you'll be visiting us often, señorita." With his boyish smile, he ushered them inside, leaving the door open for Bernardo.
The mute man-servant, meanwhile, was motioning for the carriage driver to head towards the stables when a lone rider approached on horseback. His brows furrowed upon seeing the Pulidos' servant, Consuela, leaping from her horse and rushing over to him. Her braid was disheveled and she was out of breath. "Please," she pleaded, grabbing Bernardo's arms looking him squarely in the eye. "Where is Don Carlos? It's important!"
Bernardo's brows furrowed as he listened to her, but he quickly remembered that he was supposed to play a deaf fool. Instead of showing any sign of understanding of her urgency, he merely pointed towards the house and made gestures with his hands that those inside were about to eat.
"Gracias," she breathed, running away as quickly as she could. Entering the house, she skidded to a halt upon seeing the family seated at the dining table and raising their glasses. Don Carlos lifted his head upon seeing her in her state, his brows knitting together immediately. "Consuela, what is it-?"
"Banditos, Don Carlos," Consuela gasped. "Banditos were heading for the hacienda when I left to join you after giving the servants the night off. Please, señor, we must go back and fight!"
"Banditos?!" Alejandro gaped, rising from his seat at once.
"Ay Díos mío," Doña Catalina swooned, leaning back against her seat. Yolanda immediately arose and began to fan her with her handkerchief. Carlotta ran to her mother's side, sharing in her sister's worry.
"My friends, I ask that you excuse me," Don Carlos said gravely, bowing to them all. "Please, Don Alejandro, keep watch over my family while I am away. Might I borrow one of your pistolas?"
"This way," Don Alejandro nodded, leading the way to his private quarters while Lolita arose and hurried to Consuela.
"Did they see you?" she asked, taking her friend's hands into her own.
Consuela shook her head. "No, I'm sure of it, but we must hurry."
"I'm going with you," Lolita said sternly when she unexpectedly felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Diego de la Vega's concerned eyes resting on her.
"You can't be serious," he said as she turned around to face him. "It's too dangerous to go and face those men."
"I won't leave my father to fend for us alone," she stated firmly. "I'm going with him to protect our home. Please, Don Diego," she pleaded, reaching for her locket. "Won't you help us?"
"Certainly," he said sternly. "You can count on me." His stomach twisted as he saw her smile, only to frown as he added, "I will write a note to Sergeant Garcia to alert him of what's happening and send Bernardo to bring it to town."
"You won't help fight?" she asked, her voice strained as she fought to contain her disappointment.
"Violence is rarely the answer to any conflict, señorita," he shook his head. "The soldiers will-"
"Be too late by the time they arrive," she snapped, spinning on her heel and heading for the door. "Come, Consuela, let's get the horses ready for Father."
"Señorita, wait-!" Diego called after her, only to receive a deadly glare.
"How can you call yourself a caballero when you won't even try to help those in need? I thought that-!" Lolita stopped, choking on her words as she felt her eyes burning. "…the way you stood up for Beatriz…I thought you might be able to stand up for us, too…but it seems I was wrong. Buenas noches."
Diego felt as though she had stabbed him in the stomach as he watched her go, not even seeing Consuela's apologetic eyes on him. His jaw hardened as Don Carlos ran from the house, pushing past Bernardo as the mute man entered the building. Running up to his friend, he grabbed his shoulder and motioned with his eyes to go upstairs. Bernardo nodded and left at once.
"Diego, would you-?" Don Alejandro began as he entered the sala once more.
"Father, Bernardo and I will ride into town to alert the lancers," Diego cut him off, sending a meaningful look.
"I see. I'll stay with the ladies for the time being. Be careful, my son," he said quietly, squeezing Diego's arm before calling for a servant to bring some tea for Doña Catalina and her two daughters.
Diego wasted no time, running up the stairs and catching up with Bernardo, locking the door to his room before leading the way to the hidden wall door, which opened to reveal a secret room. "Quick, Bernardo," he ordered at once, ripping his jacket from his shoulders as Bernardo pulled out his black disguise from a nearby shelf. "I will write a quick note and have you go to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, I need to catch up with Lolita and Don Carlos."
Bernardo made a swishing sound, moving his finger to make a 'Z' in the air. He raised his eyebrows at Diego playfully, earning a small smile out of his master.
"But of course," Diego answered, reaching for his mask.
~Z~
Lolita, Consuela, and Don Carlos all approached the house cautiously, walking on tip-toe towards the front of the house. Lolita frowned as she saw the four horses tethered to the post outside of her new home. "Papá," she whispered, pointing to the animals.
Don Carlos nodded, leading the way to them. Swiftly, they untied the reins and quietly sent the animals on their way with a gentle slap on their rumps. "Lolita, Consuela," he spoke softly, his heart pounding like a drum. "I can't risk you getting hurt. Please, stay out here and hide."
"No, Papá. I'm helping you," Lolita insisted, clasping her hand over his.
"I as well, Don Carlos," the servant woman nodded, her dark eyes filled with determination.
The elder nodded, admitting defeat to the females. "Very well. I will approach them through the front. I want you both to take the back entrance and be careful." With the orders given, he waited for them to run off, watching them disappear into the darkness. Saying a silent prayer, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before making his way soundlessly to the door, peeking through the window to see the perpetrators. Four men in all were scouring the sala, muttering amongst themselves, all wearing bandanas over their noses and mouths. Painstakingly, Carlos opened the door, holding his breath as he slipped inside.
"You think they have more gold upstairs?" one of the fiends asked as his friends chuckled in mirth at their findings.
"Could be," another answered. "Still, we need to be careful. The boss doesn't want us to get caught-"
"Too late!" Carlos shouted, pointing Alejandro's rifle at them. The four bandits spun around at the sound of his voice, their eyes widening at the sight of the don aiming a weapon at them. "Hands in the air!"
Three of the men complied, but the leader narrowed his eyes at the old man. "In case your vision is failing you, old man, there are four of us, and one of you."
"Wrong, señores!"
A figure dressed in black lunged from the banister of the second floor, swinging from the chandelier over their heads until he sailed towards Don Carlos and landed nimbly, pulling out his rapier and pointing it at them accusingly. Both Don Carlos and the criminals gawked at the newcomer, unable to believe their eyes.
"Zorro?!" gasped one of the bandits.
"I believe this should even the odds," Zorro grinned.
"Señor Zorro, why are you helping me?" the elder asked quietly, his eyes darting from the four men to the outlaw beside him.
"Because no man should have to fend for his own by himself, and these men have no right to covet what you have earned," Zorro answered evenly in a low tone that made the men cringe. "Let us finish this, señores. En guarde!" Hopping forth, he slashed a 'Z' into one of the goons' shirts, then proceeding to punch the man squarely on the nose.
As the man fell to the floor, the leader lunged at him, only to hop back as Don Carlos thrust the point of his rifle before him. "Don't even think about it," he snapped. "Or I shoot!"
Zorro, meanwhile, continued to fight gaily, laughing as the two remaining men drew their swords and struggled against him. An infuriated cry confused them, the sound of metal clanging making one man jump while the other fell limp. Zorro, Don Carlos, and the leader of the gang all gawked as they saw Lolita standing tall, wielding a frying pan over the unconscious man's head. She glared at the second man hatefully. "Which do you prefer? Frying pans or rolling pins?"
Before the second man could even open his mouth, Consuela leapt out from behind the sofa, smacking the man over the head with her large rolling pin and sweeping her foot past his feet, sending him flying face-first to the ground.
The masked leader growled under his mask, unable to take the humiliation any longer. Seeing Don Carlos was distracted, he grabbed the barrel of the rifle and yanked it from the old man, using the butt of the weapon to hit him in the stomach. As the old man fell, he swung the rifle towards Zorro's head.
"NO!" Lolita screamed, seeing what was happening. With a violet shove, she sent Zorro stumbling, raising her arms to cover her head, bracing herself. A pained cry escaped her mouth as the hard weapon hit her left shoulder, sending her falling to the polished floor. Wincing in pain, she reached for her arm when she heard a cry of anguish and the sharp whistle of a sword slicing the air.
"Lolita!" Consuela cried, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around the girl. Helping her adoptive sister sit up, she gently rubbed the injured arm. "It's going to be all right."
Lolita wasn't listening, though. Lifting her head, she saw that Zorro had tossed her father back the gun, but not before using the weapon to knock the bandit down. He pointed his sword and the man and pressed it into his shoulder, watching a thin stream of blood pour out of his wound. "You would harm an innocent woman and show no remorse?" Zorro asked, his voice soft and menacing, like a lion preparing to pounce upon his prey.
"Argh!" the bandit cried, grasping his arm as he became pale. "Please! I…I didn't mean it-"
"If I catch you doing such a thing again, I may not be so kind." The sword was removed from his arm, but not before a 'Z' was sliced into his vest. Lolita felt her blood racing in excitement as she watched, sensing that his rage was from seeing her getting harmed. As he turned around, Zorro faced Lolita and locked his gaze with hers, his eyes seemingly on fire. The moment he saw her face, full of awe and admiration, his fury seemed to be cooled. "Are you all right, señorita?"
Lolita nodded her head, unable to find any words at the moment. Just seeing his lips stretch slowly into a relieved smile sent her stomach churning in anxiety. How she wanted to thank him, but her tongue felt like lead.
"He's escaping!" Consuela's angry voice snapped her out of her daze, prompting Lolita to look up and see the first man Zorro had fought with running for the front door.
The black-clad outlaw wasted no time pulling out his whip and flinging it over their heads, the tip of his weapon snapping the bandana right off of the criminal's face. The startled man made the mistake of turning his head, his eyes large in shock as he saw what Zorro had managed to do. With a yelp of panic, he bolted out of the hacienda and into the night.
Zorro pulled his whip back, his brows knitting together under his mask as he remembered the man's face. "That man…that was Tomas, one of Señor Juarez's workers…why would Juarez want to send his men to attack the Pulidos…?" Juarez was known to have made some poor choices, having lost much of his savings within the last few years, but he had never bothered anyone. His thoughts were soon distracted as he heard Lolita making a sound of discomfort as she allowed Consuela to help her up. "Señorita, please, allow me," he said, walking over to her and offering his hand at once.
Lolita felt her heart pounding madly as she accepted his hand, allowing him to curl his gloved fingers around hers and lift her to her feet, closing the space between with another step. "Gracias," she said softly, feeling foolish and childlike as she spoke. She could already feel her cheeks flushing with color.
The masked man shook his head, a wistful look in his eyes. "No, Señorita Lolita…I should be thanking you. You should not have blocked that blow from me." A smile grew on his face as she ducked her head, shyly avoiding his face. Tucking his hand under her chin, he gently forced her to look back up at him. "I thank you, Señorita. You saved me."
"You saved me first," she answered honestly, her lips turning up into a smile at him.
Just as Zorro opened his mouth to speak once more, the sound of horse hooves approaching made him turn away. Glancing at the door, he knew who was arriving.
"You have protect my home and fought back for my daughter's honor and well-being, Señor Zorro. For that, I am grateful, but I do not believe the soldiers are fond of you," Don Carlos noted, offering his hand to the bandit. "Please, go now before they catch you."
Nodding in agreement, Zorro shook hands with the middle-aged don. "Gracias, amigo. Until we meet again." Facing the women, he bowed his head to Consuela, who bowed in return. At last, he took Lolita's hand in his own and gazed into her eyes, sending a shiver of thrill through her. "May I…?" She nodded once, holding her breath as he pressed a warm, reverent kiss to her hand for the second time since they had met. Saluting them all, he bowed to them once more before running off, making a beeline for the kitchen and disappearing just as the soldiers burst in.
"Put your hands in the air and-!...oh! Don Carlos!" gasped Sergeant Garcia, his eyes widening as he saw the three ruffians lying on the ground.
"What happened?" Capitan Fernandez demanded, entering the threshold and taking in his surroundings. "Are you injured?"
"We're all right," Don Carlos answered. "Consuela, take Lolita and tend to her, won't you?"
"Sí, señor," she answered, guiding Lolita away into the kitchen.
"What happened, Don Carlos?" Capitan Fernandez asked, his eyebrows raised at the culprits. "We received a note from Don Diego de la Vega that there was trouble here."
"There was…but we had help," the old man answered.
"Who helped you?" Fernandez asked, startled by Garcia's jolly laugh.
"Who else, Capitan? Look at their shirts!" Tugging on the gang leader's vest, he winked and said, "There is only one man who could have done this handy work, and that man is Zorro."