A/N: Looking back and re-reading some of the chapters, I see that there are endless typos ^_^; sorry about that folks! By the way, since school is starting soon, the chapters may not be as frequent, but I will do my best to complete the story soon :) Thank you again to all my awesome readers and reviewers - I'll see you next time!
Chapter Nineteen: The Fox and the Snake (Part 1)
"Isn't this rather rushed?" Catalina asked as she watched the servants scurry around the courtyard with an assortment of items for her youngest daughter's wedding, which would take place tomorrow. "They've barely had two weeks to prepare-"
"You know why Yolanda agreed to this," Carlos whispered. "The honeymoon at Monterey will be a perfect opportunity to present the governor with the problem of Riviera." He silenced himself just in time as Carlotta walked past, avoiding Lolita all the while. Lolita, in turn, did not bother to glance back at Carlotta as she helped Consuela and the other maids set bouquets of flowers all around the vicinity in preparation for the fiesta after the ceremony. "Odd, isn't it?" Carlos murmured. "The girls haven't spoken to one another since Don Diego brought Lolita home the day of the storm."
Catalina shook her head, her heart heavy as she looked to her husband and placed her hand on his arm. "I spoke with each girl separately…Carlotta is jealous of Yolanda for being the first to marry and feels that Lolita is responsible for it. After Lolita ran off, she felt awful but she doesn't dare go near her and admit she's wrong or that she feels sorry. Lolita on the other hand refuses to approach her because she thinks Carlotta hates her."
"For Heaven's sake," Don Carlos sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I suppose it's my fault," Catalina mused sadly, earning her husband's attention at once. "I tried to raise her as a proper young woman, but I failed to see that her pride would only make things worse. I thought it empowered her in a sense, so I allowed her to mold herself once she became older…I think that's why she never really got along with Lolita. Lolita has never been afraid to defy her and has never been intimidated by Carlotta's words or presence, which hurts her."
"Don't blame yourself, cariña," her husband consoled her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he looked back at the two estranged girls, wondering how he could get them to reconcile. Seeing the food in one of the women's hands being taken off to the kitchen, he snapped his fingers, a smile stretching onto his face. "I have it!"
"Have what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Just wait." Clearing his throat, he called for the two sisters to see him, clasping his hands behind his back. "Girls, we are in need of more bread."
"More?" Lolita asked, her nose crinkling as she listened to him in disbelief.
"What does it matter? Send the servants to town-" Carlotta waved it off.
"Ah, but the servants are needed here," he said sternly, jutting his chin out at them. "I shall need you two to put your differences aside and go into Los Angeles together to ask Beatriz to come here and make more bread for the guests. Tell her she can stay overnight if she wishes it."
"But-!" Carlotta whined.
"But nothing!"
So it was that the two females came to sit beside one another in their father's carriage and ride silently into town. Carlotta sat stiffly, staring at the scenery to her left as Lolita focused on the road before her, breathing in the fresh air around them. Neither of them uttered a peep at the other, making the ride seem endless until at last they approached the city walls. Carlotta immediately flung herself out of the wagon, her skirts swishing as she scurried off in the opposite direction, clearly not interested in even facing the humble baker as she approached them.
"Hola, Lolita…it seems Carlotta's in an unpleasant mood," Beatriz greeted her, noticing how the elder sister avoided Lolita.
"She's usually like that, isn't she?" Lolita shrugged. Walking alongside the baker, she followed the young woman back to the bakery, her mind distracted with thoughts of the two men who haunted her every waking moment. Fighting to shake it off, she explained to Beatriz what her father had instructed, smiling as the woman beamed and nodded her agreement.
"Of course I'll go with you! I just hope Carlotta doesn't get upset-"
"Don't pay any mind to her," Lolita shook her head, when a cry pricked at her curiosity. Turning her head, Lolita's eyes widened in panic as she saw Riviera standing over her stepsister, gripping her arm tightly.
"Let me go, I demand-ah!" Carlotta cried, falling to her knees as Riviera's iron grip became fiercer.
"I shall show you to pay me some respect!" he bellowed, grabbing her face and forcing her to look up at him. "You prostitute! You're in Spain, where you can bat your pretty eyes at any fool and coyly play with him – this is California, bruja! And if you show interest in making yourself look like a fool but refuse an officer such as myself, then you shall pay!" Riviera snarled at Carlotta, relishing the fear in her large eyes and raising fist to humiliate her in public, when a hand flew up and slapped sharply against his face, stinging his cheek. With a grunt of pain, he released Carlotta and whirled around, his eyes widening at the sight of Lolita Pulido's narrowed brown eyes glaring him down. "You-"
"Stay away from my sister," she hissed, edging away so that Beatriz might sneak around and yank Carlotta away. "You think you can push people around and treat them like dirt – you're nothing but a heartless, cowardly bully!"
"Hold your tongue-!" he started, only to receive another slap from the girl, this time on the opposite cheek.
"Ever since I've come here, you've terrorized everyone! Is it not enough that Zorro has to constantly put you in your place-?!" A scream ripped out of her throat as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her harshly. "Let go of me-!" she demanded, able to yank one arm free before he squeezed her wrist painfully tight.
"Don't you dare say that fiend's name to my face," he growled, pulling his fist back once more.
Lolita shut her eyes and turned her face away, anxiously waiting for her punishment. A hard smack reached her ears, but she felt nothing on her face. Rather, another body crashed against hers just as Riviera released her hand. Falling back, she opened her eyes and felt her stomach twist into a knot. Horror filled her as she saw Diego crumpled over in pain, blood spilling from his nose. "Diego!" she cried, falling to her knees and crawling towards him to take his face in her hands. "Diego, are you all right?!"
Beatriz and Carlotta watched on, their hands covering their mouths in shock, tears filling the baker's eyes as she watched the scene unfold. Carlotta felt her heart break upon seeing Lolita nearly get beaten on her account, only to have Diego de la Vega come to her rescue. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she froze, imagining the worst. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw it was Ricardo del Amo, his worried eyes trained on her face. "Are you all right?" She nodded back, wondering if this was what it felt like to be in Bernardo's shoes. "Come on," he whispered, urging the women to follow him. "Let's back off. Keep away from that man."
Riviera stood stunned as he gawked at Don Diego de la Vega covered in dust and blood, coddled by Lolita Pulido. The jealousy and lust he had pent within made him tremble, his fists shaking as he fought to control himself. "Don de la Vega," he sneered, watching as Diego accepted Lolita's help to stand. "I never would have imagined that you of all people would dare to block one of my punches."
"Some people are worth dying for, Commandante," Diego answered coldly, his eyes like two flames as they stared him down. "Unfortunately, with your temperament, I don't believe you've ever had the privilege of ever feeling anything like that."
His nostrils flared as he listened in disbelief. Don Diego was known for avoiding violence and conflict…why was he now suddenly exerting himself? Glancing at Lolita, he smirked cruelly. "You would give up everything you have for this female?"
"This woman is a rare flower to me, more precious than anything in this world, and I intend to do what I can to protect her," Diego answered, earning a harsh laugh from the official.
"Oh, really? So you plan on serenading her? Offering flowers? Starting a philosophical discussion?!" His eyes shone wickedly as he grinned, enjoying every moment of tormenting the young don. "It's time to face the facts, de la Vega – you're a washed up coward that women look at as a brother-figure, nothing more. No woman would be mad enough to accept a fop like you for a husband-"
"I would!"
All heads turned to see Lolita, grasping Diego's arm as she glared at Riviera. She did not pale in fear, nor did she blush in embarrassment…she merely stood by Diego's side as he gawked at her in surprise. "Diego de la Vega is a hundred times the man you could ever hope to be!" she shouted, standing tall as she declared her loyalties.
Riviera was itching to get his gun, especially as he sensed the townspeople giving him scalding looks. Seeing Fernandez, Garcia, and Reyes leave the cuartel with their guns at the ready, he fought the urge to terrify the self-righteous brat of a don and straightened himself. "This conversation is not over." Sticking his nose into the air, he fixed his hair and moved away, ignoring everyone around him.
Lolita waited until the horrid man was a good distance away before tugging on Diego's arm, guiding him back to the carriage. He did not protest, but he did not speak, and when she looked to see his face, she was shocked to see the same burning anger that would appear in Zorro's eyes whenever an unjust act had been committed. "Diego, you shouldn't jump in front of people like Riviera," she scolded him, making sure he stood under the shade of the canopied vehicle as she wiped his blood away with her handkerchief. "He's dangerous-"
"And that makes it all right for you to act brashly, especially when you are aware of the same facts?" he snapped, shocking her once more. He had never so shown so much temper and fury, his hands curled into fists so tightly that his tanned skin was going white.
"Diego," she frowned. "I don't want you getting hurt because of me. Besides, if he had demanded that you fight a duel with him, what would you have done? You can't face him-?"
"Why not?!" he all but bellowed, making her jump back in surprise. "Is it because I can't use a sword?! Is it because you think I can't handle myself? Just because I am not Zorro, does not mean I am a complete incompetent!" There was something about his anger that terrified and thrilled her, sparking her memory of when she first met Zorro. The experience of meeting the masked vigilante gave her that same mixed, confused emotion, just as both their kisses had made her heart skip a beat. "You once told me," Diego said, his voice lowering as he took deep breaths to calm himself. "That your father would have done anything for your birth mother, and I had responded that perhaps someday I would find someone who would awake that same urge within me…well, I found that person, Lolita." Looking away, he realized how dangerous it had been to react so angrily, and it wasn't fair to take it out on the poor girl. "That person is you…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I'd best be go-"
His dark eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his mouth, his body numb and alert all at once. He could scarcely believe it – Lolita had kissed him of her own free will, and she continued to cling to him once he surrendered and let his arms down, closing his eyes to enjoy the gesture of deep affection. It all ended too quickly for him, as she pulled away and covered her mouth daintily with her fingertips, blush covering her cheeks.
"I…Diego, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she apologized shyly, a familiar wave of happiness and excitement running through her veins. "I don't know what to say, except-MH!" Lolita felt herself freeze as Diego took her in his arms and responded with a hungry, passionate kiss. It was unyielding and desperate, thrilling her at once. She had never been kissed quite like this, not even with Zorro…it was something she had heard other girls giggle about back in Spain but never quite understood. Her heart beat within her like a drum, her fingers grasping onto the lapels of his fine jacket for support as they deepened the kiss, making her want to swoon in his embrace. Still, there was something about the kiss that felt familiar…
When at last he pulled back, the two of them were breathless as they looked into each other's eyes. He smiled boyishly at her, scratching the back of his neck as he chuckled in embarrassment. "Ah…I'm sorry, Lolita…I don't know what came over me." Seeing how she continued to gaze at him in awe, her own smile growing on her face, he remembered how she had defended him before Riviera's insults. "…did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" she asked, fighting to snap herself out of her trance and focus on what he was saying.
"Commandante Riviera said no woman would be sane enough to marry me because she loved me for who I am…and you said you would." Raising an eyebrow, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Did you mean that?"
Timidly, she nodded her head, fighting the urge to laugh as she saw his eyes widen once more that fine morning. "I've been thinking for some time now, Diego, ever since the storm…I must be truthful, Diego. I do love Zorro, and I believe I shall always love him, but…" Biting her lip, she wrung her hands together in anxiety as she fought to explain herself. "When I think of the future, of the man who I can stand beside and…and have a family with, a man who accepts me and is proud of me no matter how outspoken I am, a man who has been my friend and confidant, and has loved me despite believing he was unworthy…I think of you, Diego." Taking his hands into her own, she confessed softly, "I love you, Diego de la Vega."
His heart swelled within his chest as he smiled brightly at her, taking her in his arms and kissing her once more. "And I love you, Lolita Pulido, with all my heart." Holding her in an embrace, Diego felt content at last…until he saw faithful Bernardo waving a warning that Carlotta and Beatriz were coming their way. Heaving a sigh of reluctance, he pulled back and nodded his head at the two approaching women. "I won't keep them waiting…I must attend to some business, also. Will you save me a dance tomorrow at the wedding?"
Offering her hand to him, she smiled and winked. "You may have all my dances." Her memory flashed as she remembered how she had met Zorro, watching as Diego took her hand in the same manner and kissed it reverently. Concealing her wonder, she bid him goodbye and watched him go. "I wonder…how is it that Diego and Zorro kiss almost identically?"