I don't know if is still reading this story or not, but if you are, the last scene with Alicia is for you. She'll be more important when the plot gets closer to her episode, but I decided to write that short bit here because you like her so much.
THE RIGHT TURN OF THE ROAD
Chapter 20
"Somehow I get the feeling that they don't like us."
Placid turned to look at Serrano at these words. The other lieutenant was riding by his side on their first patrol through San Tasco. They were careful to leave space for everyone else in the street, but nobody had the courage to move before they had passed. Most people stopped what they were doing and turned away or stared at the ground. Placid had tried to make eye contact several times, but nobody would look straight at him.
"I think so, too," he remarked. He thought back to what Commander Raymond had said about how it was necessary for the army to make harsh decisions in this area. It had been easy to agree when he had stood in the commander's office, but now he felt some doubt gnawing at his resolve. These people were farmers, fishers and miners – fathers, mothers and children. Surely they didn't all deserve to be punished for the actions of few?
Serrano chuckled. "I guess our predecessor wasn't very popular. They probably think we're just like him."
Placid was inclined to agree. He didn't like gossip, but it would have been impossible to miss all the talk and whispers of Lieutenant Gabriel. If even half of what he had heard was true, the man had been impatient, rude and cruel. He had been in charge of most of the disciplinary measures against the people. If the citizens associated him and Serrano with a man they had all universally hated, it was no wonder they didn't like them.
"In time they'll realise that they can trust us. We'll just have to work to earn their respect," he said.
Gabriel had obviously abused his position, which was inexcusable in Placid's eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if Raymond had closed his eyes from that on purpose because Gabriel had been doing a good job at keeping the people at bay. Hard times called for hard actions, but… This was wrong.
He supposed it was a lucky coincidence for the people that Gabriel had been injured and could no longer carry out his duties. Now he and Serrano had the chance to show them that not every officer was as bad as him. Maybe that would make the people remember their loyalty to the king and there would no longer be a need for all this violence and hate.
"It almost makes me wish some bandits would attack so that we could arrest them," Serrano remarked.
"I find it hard to believe that you'd even say such a thing."
"I said almost," Serrano said with a shrug.
Placid chose not to reply. He wasn't really sure what he thought of his new companion so far. He supposed Serrano had to be competent if he had been promoted to a lieutenant and positioned in San Tasco, but he had an irritatingly laid-back attitude about his work. Placid liked to think that he had a sense of humour, but he had always been of the opinion that his duties came before anything else. Serrano apparently liked to mix the two, which made Placid wonder if he could be as effective as needed.
"I don't see why we have to patrol here like this. There's nothing going on," Serrano remarked.
It was obvious their patrol in town had no other purpose but to announce that there were two new officers in San Tasco. Perhaps Raymond hoped that their appearance would frighten the people and remind them of the army's power. It didn't matter if officers or soldiers were taken down. New ones would always arrive to take their place.
"I don't mind it. I'd like to get to know the town," Placid said.
"If you see any taverns, let me know."
Placid was starting to think that he'd be very pleased if he was allowed to work with either Captain Jekyll or Sergeant Gonzales as much as possible. He didn't know either one very well yet, but he had got the impression that they at least tried to take their work seriously enough to his liking.
Gabriel gave the plank a kick to make sure it was properly secured and deep enough in the ground. It wobbled a little, so he raised his hammer to strike the beam a few more times. He preferred doing it with his left hand because he couldn't raise his right arm high enough to get any force into the blows. Besides, he had realised that his right shoulder didn't like the impact. He hadn't got much sleep on the first night after building the fence with Pablo due to the ache.
The fact that he had to do the work with less strength and accuracy than usual would have normally annoyed him, but he was feeling too good to care about that. Apart from helping at the mine, he hadn't done anything productive since Raymond had removed him from service. Building a fence wasn't fun work, but now the foremost thing in his mind was the sense of accomplishment that came from doing something and seeing the result.
"There. That should do it," he said once he was pleased with the work.
"We're making good progress. If we keep this up, this field should have a fence around it in a week," Pablo said.
Basilio looked up from his work with hopeful eyes. "In that case, can I take a quick break? There's something I need to do."
Pablo shared and amused glance with Gabriel. Basilio had been asking that same thing every chance he got. So far they hadn't let him go, but that wasn't doing anything to ruin the young man's enthusiasm.
"No. You'll be in trouble with Don Augusto if you keep skipping on your work," Pablo said.
"Only for a moment. And Augusto isn't even here, so who cares?"
"Your minute is more like an hour when you get talking to girls. And don't even try to say that's not what you have in mind," Pablo replied.
"If you bother any of the women in the fields, they won't be able to do their work. If that happens and you're to blame, I'll report it to Don Augusto right away," Gabriel remarked. He had less patience for Basilio than Pablo did. People who avoided their duties got on his nerves on principle. Had he been in charge of Basilio, he would have given the lad a piece of his mind already.
"Err…" was all Basilio could say to that.
Pablo chuckled. "You had better watch out. We're expecting army-level discipline out of everyone now."
"And I thought Don Augusto was bad," Basilio grumbled. He sighed and sat down on the grass next to the unfinished fence. He turned to look over to the fields. Gabriel followed his gaze and spotted a young woman who was picking grapes together with her mother.
"She's not even looking in this direction," Basilio moaned in disappointment.
"That's because she knows that if she stops working even for a minute and Gabriel sees that, he'll fire her," Pablo said.
"I would tell her off and give her another chance. If she did it again, then I'd fire her and everyone in her family," Gabriel said. He was being serious, but the guffaw from Pablo revealed that at least he thought he was joking. He didn't bother to correct him.
"I guess I'll just have to wait until the evening. If Lupe's mother is fired because of me, she'll never let me marry her," Basilio mused in thought.
"Yes, and then you'd have to blackmail her for the permission, so you had better get back to work and forget about her for now," Pablo said. He picked up a hammer from the ground and threw it at Basilio's feet. The lad frowned at him but did get up and return to work.
Gabriel did the same, but he couldn't get into it like only moments ago. Pablo's words had reminded him of Lolita and his several attempts to convince her and her family that she should marry him. It had seemed so simple back then. He had wanted her, and he had thought he could always have whatever he desired. Her hateful words and objections hadn't mattered; he had been so sure that everything would work out. Now his previous boasting and shameless courting of her made him feel like an idiot.
It wasn't that his feelings for her had changed. He still wanted no other woman as his wife. He wanted her because… Gabriel frowned, unable to name a single reason other than that she was beautiful and the daughter of a wealthy landowner.
Some hours later, it became too hot to keep working. It was almost noon, and just standing outside was enough to make anyone feel uncomfortably hot. Basilio still found the energy to hurry off to get some water for his girl who would be having a break with the other workers, but Gabriel and Pablo preferred sitting down in the shade.
"We're running out of nails," Pablo said as he leaned back against the only tree that was growing near the fence. "Do you want to go to town to get more, or should I do it?"
"I'll do it," Gabriel said. He hadn't been to San Tasco since he had started working at the estate. It would be a nice distraction to have something else to do for a while.
"Then I can just take a nap. Wake me up when you're back," Pablo said. He crossed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. He started snoring in no time, and for a moment Gabriel just stared at him and wondered about this man who treated him like a friend. He didn't think he had ever met anyone who got so well along with everyone. Well, maybe Diego was a little like that. And Gonzales.
The thought of the sergeant gave him the energy to get up despite the heat and go to prepare a horse for the trip to town. He hadn't talked to Gonzales since the accident at the mine. He was curious to know how the investigation had gone.
As he was walking towards the stables, he spotted a little girl drawing something into the sand in front of the main house. She didn't look up even when he stopped to stand right next to her and his shadow fell on her.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Gabriel asked.
The girl briefly glanced up at him and then returned her attention to her drawing. A doll was sitting in the sand by her side, right next to a bundle of some sort. Just as Gabriel was starting to lose his patience and grab the girl by her ear, she spoke.
"I'm Pepita. My mama forgot her lunch, so I brought it for her," she said.
"Does she work in the fields?" Gabriel asked.
Pepita just nodded.
"Then take the lunch to her and get out of here! You can't just come here uninvited!" Gabriel yelled.
Pepita finally turned to look at him again. She had a somewhat annoyed frown on her face, and Gabriel suddenly got the feeling that she thought he was stupid.
"I can't. It's not time for her break yet, and mama said I shouldn't bother her when she works."
"Then at least get out of the way!" Gabriel snapped. He had never liked children very much, especially snotty brats who didn't know their place.
The last time he had talked to a little girl like this had been during the incident with the poison in one of the neighbouring towns. He had almost shot her to the face that time. In hindsight, it was probably a good thing that Zorro had intervened. Killing a child would have landed him in a lot of trouble, no matter what way he looked at it. And it would have been despicable, even by his standards, he thought with some discomfort as he looked at Pepita.
"I'm not in your way," Pepita announced. She frowned and momentarily glanced down at her doll before turning her eyes back to Gabriel. "And besides, you should be more worried about those bandits who just went into the house."
"The what?" Gabriel asked and turned around to look at the house. Rafael was alone inside, probably still asleep. If there were bandits in the house, there was no telling what they would do to a pathetic wimp like him. He could only hope that Rafael would hide under the bed before he got himself killed.
"Why didn't you say that right away?" he growled at her and started running towards the house.
"Wait!" Pepita called out after him, but Gabriel didn't listen. He only stopped at the door when she continued, "I'm sorry. There are no bandits."
Gabriel turned slowly around. "What?" he barked.
"I'm sorry," Pepita repeated sheepishly.
"Sorry? You lied to me, you little brat!" Gabriel snapped. He marched to her and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up from the ground and ignoring her pained protests. "Now you're going to get it!"
"I didn't lie! I don't do that anymore! I -"
Gabriel raised his hand to give her a smack, but he stopped when he heard an alarmed yell. He turned to look and saw a woman running towards them. Pepita noticed her, too, and tried to struggle free and go to her, but Gabriel wouldn't let go.
"Mama!" the girl called out.
"Let go of my daughter!" the woman demanded as soon as she got closer. Her eyes were burning with anger, but Gabriel wasn't intimidated by that. He only tightened his hold on Pepita's wrist.
"She deserves a good slap for telling lies," he said.
"Let go of her," the woman repeated. "Please," she added a moment later, her voice trembling. Gabriel couldn't guess whether it was out of anger or fear of him.
"You should teach the girl some manners. She's wasting everyone's time," he said, but he decided to let the girl go. She immediately reached down to pick up her doll and only then ran behind her mother. She turned to glare at Gabriel with a defiant frown on her face and pursing her lips, but she had to hold onto her mother's dress for courage.
"Pepita doesn't lie. She…" the woman drifted off, glancing down at her daughter. "She sometimes gets a little carried away when she plays alone."
Gabriel snorted. "She shouldn't be playing here in the first place. And it's no wonder she has to play alone if she keeps telling lies."
"I'm very sorry that -" Pepita's mother started to say, but something in Gabriel's words had struck a chord in the girl. She let go of her mother and took a step forwards, the frown on her face becoming even more furious.
"I have friends!" she snapped. "I have Bernard and Figaro and Zorro! They like me!"
"Zorro? Ha!" Gabriel turned to glare at Pepita's mother. "See? Your daughter just lies to people," he said. It was obvious this woman had completely failed at raising her daughter into a compliant little girl who knew her place. Her claim that Zorro was her friend was so outrageous that Gabriel couldn't even be angered by it.
"It's true! I helped Zorro to -" Pepita started, but her mother hushed her into silence and put her hands on her shoulders.
"That's enough," she told her before turning her eyes back to Gabriel. "Sir, I'm sorry that my daughter has been trouble to you. I promise it won't happen again."
"Make sure it doesn't," Gabriel snarled. He marched past the girl and her mother and continued towards the stables. He didn't have so much time that he could waste it arguing with peasants, and he was eager to ride to town.
He arrived in San Tasco some time later. The ride to town had considerably improved his mood, and he had almost forgotten about the incident with Pepita and her mother. He left the horse before a familiar tavern near the town square and started walking down the street. It occurred to him that he didn't even know where to buy nails since he had never needed them before, but this was the least of his worries.
This was the first time he was back in town after he had left it in disgrace. He felt a little awkward walking in the streets and didn't know how he should have reacted to the people. Or what he should have expected of them. He was used them either fearing him or showing their open hatred for him. Now there was neither. People walked past him, and most of them didn't even turn to look at him. He was sure they recognised him, but maybe his removal from the army had already stopped being interesting news. Now he wasn't even someone worth hating.
It was probably this new indifference that was the most difficult to stomach. He was used to being at the centre of attention – both positive and negative – wherever he went. Being as thoroughly ignored as this made him feel unimportant and lonely.
He would have probably spent the rest of his time in town fuming to himself if he hadn't noticed Gonzales sitting in the shade with a glass of wine in his hand. He was waving his hat before his face to get some comfort from the heat, but he was still smiling as he nodded a hello to the people who passed him.
"Shouldn't you be on patrol at this time of the day?" Gabriel asked as he approached him..
"Gabriel!" Gonzales blurted out, and Gabriel couldn't help but frown at how wrong it sounded to have him address him by his name, not his rank.
Gonzales didn't seem to notice anything. He gestured for Gabriel to have a seat and offered him some of the wine, but Gabriel declined.
"The patrol isn't my responsibility today, so I had the chance for a longer lunch break," the sergeant said.
"So, it's Jekyll who's leading the men today?" Gabriel asked. Asking about the matters of the army felt like poking at a sick tooth. It brought him mostly pain, but he couldn't help himself; he was too curious.
"Not exactly…" Gonzales said, suddenly turning his eyes to his wine.
"Then who?" Gabriel asked. It surely couldn't be Raymond.
"Two new officers arrived the other day," Gonzales replied after a moment of hesitation.
Gabriel scowled. Gonzales didn't need to say any more. The officers had to be there to replace him.
"What are they like?" he asked, half-fearing the answer. What if they were really good? What if one or both of them took over his place as Raymond's second-in-command and got the wealth and glory that was meant for him?
"I don't know them very well, yet, but… They seem alright," Gonzales said carefully. "Lieutenant Placid is a lot like Jekyll, but I'm not sure what to think of Lieutenant Serrano. He's a bit casual."
"Then you should have no trouble getting along with them," Gabriel said. The thought bothered him a little. It was stupid, but he didn't like the idea of Gonzales getting friendly with the newcomers.
"I think so, too," Gonzales said, oblivious to Gabriel's distaste. "At the very least, I and the captain can take it a little easier now that there are more people to share the work."
Gabriel didn't want to spend another moment talking about the new lieutenants. He hated them already. He decided to change the subject before Gonzales would say another positive thing about these idiots.
"That reminds me. Did you find out what happened at the mine?" he asked.
"Oh, that. Yes, and it was quite a surprising turn of events. I guess you haven't heard about it at the estate yet," Gonzales said.
Gabriel shook his head, and Gonzales started to tell him about how men working for the South India Trading Company had been buying mines and threatening those owners who refused to sell theirs. Apparently, they had blown up Adans' mine because he hadn't given in to their demands. The men had been captured and arrested when they had been trying to sabotage another mine.
"Of course, the head of the South India Trading Company knew nothing about this. He has already promised to pay for all the damage that his men caused," Gonzales finished.
"How generous," Gabriel said. He couldn't help but wonder if Raymond had been involved in this incident. The commander would never allow anything to happen in his town without watching over it.
He wondered if he could somehow use the South India Trading Company to get revenge on Raymond. Even though Raymond and Kapital were plotting together, Gabriel knew that at least the commander wasn't the type of man who wanted to share his power. Sooner or later, the two would clash.
"I think so, too. It's great to have a man like Kapital here in San Tasco," Gonzales said.
"How did you capture his men? Was someone on patrol near the mine they wanted to blow up?"
Gonzales coughed. "Well," he said, as if he was embarrassed, "it wasn't exactly the army who captured them."
"Don't tell me it was Zorro," Gabriel growled, but he could already guess.
"I'm afraid so," Gonzales said.
"Damn," Gabriel muttered, clenching his fists. Whatever satisfaction he could have felt knowing that Kapital's – and therefore probably Raymond's, too – plot had failed was ruined because Zorro was to thank for it. That damn bastard just couldn't stop being a nuisance!
"But at least he didn't act against the army this time. I mean, we were looking into this matter, too," Gonzales said, but Gabriel couldn't have cared less about that. His hatred for Zorro had nothing to do with the army or the law. It was personal, and he would feel it scorch him every time he saw a man carry a sword.
"That changes nothing. Zorro is still an outlaw," he said.
"Of course," Gonzales said with a miserable sigh. Then he brightened again when he thought of something. "But he didn't just capture the criminals. He also saved two children from trouble!"
Gabriel was about to snarl that he didn't want to hear another word about Zorro's heroics, but Gonzales continued before he had the time for it.
"Who knows what would have happened to Bernard and Pepita if Zorro hadn't been there?" the sergeant wondered.
"Pepita?" Gabriel asked. Could it be the same girl he had met at the estate?
"Yes, she's some friend of Bernard's. She tried to tell me that she knew something about the incident, but I didn't believe her because everyone told me she was a liar. I guess I should have had more faith in her," Gonzales said, a regretful frown settling on his features.
"Hmm," Gabriel said in thought. Maybe Pepita hadn't been lying when she had said Zorro was her friend. It was worth looking into. He might be able to use her to lure Zorro into a trap once he had made plans for his revenge. It should be easy to trick a child like her into telling him everything she knew.
As he was pondering this possibility, a man approached them from down the street. A wide smile appeared on his face as he recognised Gonzales, and he came to give the sergeant a pat on his back.
"Hey, Sergeant! I thought I'd find you here! Don't forget about tonight's card game, alright?" he said.
"Of course not! What do you take me for?" Gonzales asked.
The other man laughed. "It's your turn to buy the wine tonight, so I just wanted to be sure," he said. "But I have to be on my way. Don't be late! Roberto is bringing his wife's pies."
Gabriel watched how the man waved at Gonzales and continued on his way. He was suddenly reminded of the time when he and Gonzales had gone out to eat during his recovery. Gonzales had been smiling and talking with everyone with complete ease. The sergeant had more friends than anyone could ask for.
He had been getting better at his work, too, and all on his own. The way he had taken over the rescue at the mine and kept the whole situation under control had been very impressive. He had improved so much during and after Gabriel's recovery that even he couldn't deny that Gonzales had just needed the chance to handle more responsibilities and make his own decisions.
As much as Gabriel wanted to, he couldn't delude himself. Gonzales had no need for him. He was a fine officer and popular both among the soldiers and the commoners. Gabriel had spent such a long time talking to Gonzales in insults that the sergeant should have told him off a dozen times already, and yet he not only tolerated him but treated him like a friend.
"Did you even hear what I just said?" Gonzales asked, and Gabriel turned to look at him in surprise.
"What? Sorry, I was thinking about something."
"I asked you what you're doing in town."
"I came to buy some nails."
"What?" Gonzales asked, blinking at him in surprise and freezing in the middle of lifting his glass to his lips.
"I need some nails, and I have no idea where to buy them. I never needed them before," Gabriel said.
"Oh," Gonzales said. He still looked puzzled, but he was tapping his forefinger against the table and thinking hard. "I'm not sure. I've never needed them either. But why do you want them?" he asked.
"I'm building a fence," Gabriel said, cringing inwardly at how pathetic that sounded.
Gonzales, however, immediately latched on the topic. "That's right! You said you're working at the Alvarez estate. How are things?"
"Fine," Gabriel said. At the very least, it was much better than what he had hoped to get, but he couldn't will himself to feel entirely grateful. He deserved so much more.
He told Gonzales in more detail about the life at the estate, the wine fields and his responsibilities. He kept expecting the sergeant to appear bored or show his indifference towards such common work, but it never happened. The usual smile returned to his face, and Gabriel started to feel a little more at ease in the situation.
"It's great that you found work after all, and it's such an important position, too. Not everyone could deal with so many responsibilities," Gonzales said.
"That's true," Gabriel said. The compliment felt good.
"You should probably look for a blacksmith for those nails," Gonzales suggested.
"Oh. That's a good idea," Gabriel said. He had to admit he hadn't even thought of that, but it made sense. Who else but a blacksmith could make nails, after all?
"I'm glad if I could help," Gonzales said. He took a gulp of his wine and sighed. "I just wish all problems could be solved that easily."
Gabriel frowned at the uncharacteristically worried expression on Gonzales' face. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"It's nothing. I don't want to trouble you with it," Gonzales said.
"After everything I've been through with you, I doubt this can be any worse," Gabriel remarked.
Gonzales hesitated only for a moment, clearly anxious to talk about his problem to someone. "Well, I met this wonderful woman a few days ago," he started. He proceeded to tell Gabriel about someone called Sella who owned a flower boutique and was being harassed by a money lender. Apparently, some dead friend of hers had borrowed money and hadn't been able to pay it back before his death, and now the lender and his henchmen had come after Sella.
"Why don't you just take a few men with you and show them?" Gabriel asked. That should look so impressive that maybe it would get this woman interested in Gonzales. He clearly liked her, but he wasn't the type of man who made good first impressions.
Gonzales shook his head. "Oh, I can't. Sella hates soldiers because the army caused her parents' death. I haven't had the guts to tell her that I'm a sergeant."
"That's idiotic," Gabriel said.
"I know. She's going to find out anyway. I was just hoping that if she grew to like me, she wouldn't mind that I serve in the army," Gonzales said. He sighed. "But maybe I shouldn't have lied to her."
"That depends on what you're planning. If you just want to have a little fun with her, it shouldn't matter what she thinks of you once it's over and she learns the truth," Gabriel said.
"What? How can you even suggest that I'd – Never! Not with Sella!" Gonzales blurted out, looking outraged at the mere idea.
So, it was love, then. Gabriel supposed he should have guessed. Gonzales wasn't the type of man to seduce a woman, take her to bed a few times and then forget about her. That was more Gabriel's style.
"You can't lie about that forever. If you want her, you should tell her the truth," he said. He could hardly believe he was giving Gonzales advice about women, but he knew two things. One, Gonzales needed it. Two, nobody could lie about not being a soldier for long. Lying was an art, and Gonzales was especially hopeless at it.
"I know. I think I'll do it tomorrow when I have the day off."
"Let me know what happens."
"Certainly! And thank you for the advice! If all goes well, I'll introduce you to Sella next time," Gonzales said. Then he suddenly jumped to his feet as he seemed to realise something. "Oh, I need to get back to my duties!"
Gonzales put his hat on his head and said a quick goodbye. His smile reached his eyes again. Gabriel found himself amazed by how easily Gonzales could forget about his worries and be happy. He wished it would have been that simple for him, too.
Diego kept a happy smile plastered on his face as he followed Lolita around the town square and listened to her chatter about everything that she needed to buy. He was carrying two bags already, but he didn't mind that. Lolita had been in a good mood ever since she had learnt of his idea to help Mr. Adans. She hadn't complained even when he had been late to pick her up.
However, he wasn't in town just to have a good time with his friend. His father had mentioned that two lieutenants had arrived to replace Gabriel. Diego was certain that they'd show up in town sooner or later, and he was hoping to catch a glimpse of them when they did. If they were both like Gabriel, it would be troublesome for Zorro to have to battle two new enemies. But if even one of them was a decent man, he might eventually have one more ally by his side.
And even if the new officers were rotten to the core, it would take a while before they could do anything. Raymond had a disadvantage for as long as he didn't have anyone take Gabriel's place as his henchman. Diego was certain that the commander was anxious to find someone to do his dirty work for him, but Raymond was careful and calculating. He wouldn't approach either of the new lieutenants until he was sure doing so wouldn't risk his position.
In the meantime, he was busy keeping an eye on the South India Trading Company. Diego didn't have any evidence, but his gut feeling told him that Kapital wasn't as ignorant of his men's actions at the mines as he claimed. Something about that man wasn't right, and Diego was certain that his name would come up again in the future.
Kapital might turn out to be a difficult enemy to defeat. He didn't have as many men in his service as Raymond, but he had more money and influence than the commander. Unlike Raymond, he didn't have to respond to anyone, so he was free to do as he pleased. The only thing the two had in common was that they preferred orchestrating everything behind the scenes so that there would be no evidence to prove their guilt.
They're probably working together, Diego thought. Raymond's command over the soldiers and Kapital's money could be a dangerous combination. Even worse, their goals didn't conflict since Raymond wanted a better position and Kapital more power to his company. If they supported each other, they'd both get what they wanted.
"Diego," Lolita suddenly hissed at him. She was looking at something behind him, so Diego turned around.
Several soldiers were approaching on horseback. Everyone had already noticed them, and people quickly hurried from their way. Shopkeepers hid their most valuable goods from sight and tried to look everywhere else but the men. It was a useless effort, Diego knew. The soldiers would take whatever they wanted anyway.
Sure enough, the soldier leading the group rode closer to the fruit stand where Lolita had just bought some apples. Diego recognised him as Pastrana. It seemed like every time there was trouble with the army, this dark-haired man was there.
"Hey, you!" Pastrana snapped at the vendor.
"Can I do something for you, sir?" the poor man asked in an apprehensive voice.
"Yes, I want -" Pastrana started, but then he turned his eyes from the apples to Lolita. "Never mind. I think I found something better." Without a warning, he moved his horse closer and snatched the bag of apples that she was holding.
"Hey! Those are mine!" Lolita snapped.
"Then come and get them, sweetie!" Pastrana said with a chuckle. He tossed the bag to one of his friends who caught it and flashed Lolita a toothy grin. He took one apple from the bag and bit into it. After that one bite, he threw the apple to the crowd where it barely missed hitting someone on the head.
"That's it!" Lolita snarled. She took one step onwards to get her apples back, but Diego put a hand on her shoulder before she could make it too far.
"Don't be stupid. It's not worth it," he said.
Lolita turned to glare at him with furious eyes. "It's not about some stupid apples! They shouldn't treat anyone like this and get away with it!"
"I know, but what can we do?" Diego asked.
"We could stand up for ourselves and not just take this anymore!" Lolita replied, but the frustrated tone in her voice told Diego that she knew how hopeless it was.
They watched how the soldiers moved on to harassing another vendor. Their laughter and the angry and defeated look on the people's faces made Diego clench his fists in frustration. If only he could slip away. Then he'd come back as Zorro and –
"What is going on here?"
Everyone turned to look when a loud and angry voice suddenly penetrated the ruckus created by the soldiers. The whole town square grew silent as everybody realised that a new group of soldiers had arrived – and this one was being led by two officers.
Diego made quick observations about both of them. The one who had voiced the question was a young man with somewhat curly, brown hair. Nothing about his appearance stood out, but Diego immediately noticed the small crossbow attached to his saddle. It was an odd choice for a weapon, and it might prove troublesome. It was far faster to reload than a musket, so if this lieutenant was a good shot, he had a great chance of taking care of Zorro for good.
The other man didn't look any more special. He had tanned skin and dark hair, and he was sitting in his saddle in a relaxed, almost lazy manner. He was observing his surroundings with half a smile on his face. There was nothing interesting about him, so Diego turned his attention back to the other officer.
"Well?" the man asked. His voice was harsh with anger, and he was glaring at the offending soldiers with a furious scowl on his face.
"Sir, we were just…" Pastrana started to say, but he drifted off. The situation was as strange to him as it was to the people. It wasn't very often that any officers in the army tried to stop the soldiers from terrorising the commoners.
"I can see quite clearly what you were doing. What I want now is an explanation for it," the lieutenant said. He waited a moment, his eyes locked on Pastrana and his companions, but none of the soldiers had anything to say. "Very well. In that case, I want all of you to return to the barracks at once. You will report to Captain Jekyll about this. I expect to hear all about it when I return."
"But I… Uh, yes, sir," Pastrana said. He and his companions rode away from the town square, shoulders hunched and with irritated frowns on their faces.
The tension didn't disappear even after the soldiers had left. Everyone was staring at the newcomers, not knowing what to think. Even Lolita was quiet.
The second lieutenant was the first to speak. "Well, well," he said. "It looks like our good commander forgot to tell us about this disciplinary problem."
"Be quiet," his companion said to him. He got down from his horse and walked to the vendors whose goods had been stolen or destroyed by the soldiers. The poor men were looking at him warily, which didn't change even when the anger slowly left the lieutenant's face.
"I'm Lieutenant Placid, and I'm very sorry about this incident. I will make sure nothing of the sort happens again. You can file a complaint at the barracks, and I'm sure the army will pay for all the damage," he said.
"Uh…" was all that the first vendor was able to say.
"That won't be necessary!" the second one quickly added.
Placid frowned in confusion. "You don't want to be compensated?"
"No, no, it's not necessary at all. This was no problem," the second vendor said. "Have a nice day, sir!" With that, he hurried to collect the fruit that were still edible. He did his best to avoid the lieutenant's eyes, which left the man looking at him in puzzlement.
"I don't understand," Placid muttered. Diego felt a little sorry for him. It was clear that at least Placid was a man who had his heart in the right place. Diego hoped that the people's attitude wouldn't discourage him from honourable actions in the future. The army needed men like this.
"Seems to me like you ruined the men's fun for nothing. It's clear these people didn't mind them," the other lieutenant remarked.
"How is terrorising people supposed to be fun? Please enlighten me," Placid remarked.
"I was just making an observation," the other officer said.
Placid was about to return to his horse, but then he noticed Lolita's bag of apples on the ground. He went to pick it up and turned to look at the crowd, or what was left of it. Most of the people had decided to go away and not risk it with the army, even if these officers had come to their aid.
"Those are mine," Lolita said.
"They appear to be damaged. Let me buy you new ones," Placid offered.
"That's not necessary. You've given me something a lot better already," Lolita said as she took the ruined apples.
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
"When you've lived here a little longer, you will," Lolita replied. She turned to look over her shoulder at Diego, and he saw his chance. He really wanted to have a word with this lieutenant and hopefully his companion, too.
"That was quite impressive," he said as he approached Lolita and Placid.
"Not at all," Placid said, his face turning grimmer. "No soldier should act like that. I was only doing my duty."
"That's more than can be said for most officers here," Lolita said.
"I hope you don't mean me. I was ready to act, too, but I wanted to let Placid here be the hero this time," the other lieutenant replied as he got down from his horse and approached them.
"This is Lieutenant Serrano," Placid said and nodded at his companion. Diego noticed the slightest frown on his face as he introduced the other man. Maybe the two didn't get along very well.
"It's nice to meet you both. We were already wondering who the new officers are," he said.
"I hope you got a favourable first impression. So far it appears that nobody likes us," Serrano said.
"The army doesn't have a very good reputation in these parts, but you shouldn't worry about that. When the people notice that not everyone is like the soldiers you sent off, their attitudes will change."
He noticed how Placid and Serrano glanced at each other at his words. He should have known. Raymond had no doubt talked to them already and given them his side of the story. It would be difficult to change their opinion now, just like it was with Jekyll.
"Sure," Serrano said with a shrug.
"But we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Diego de la Vega, and this is Lolita Prideaux," Diego said.
"Oh, I might have heard of your families. You're among the wealthiest landowners in the area, isn't that right?" Placid asked.
Diego chuckled in embarrassment. "Well, I wouldn't really say that, but -" he started, but then he noticed the sudden dark look that flashed in Serrano's eyes. It made him forget what he had been about to say. Thankfully, nobody had the time to wonder about his sudden lack of words because Serrano took that moment to leave.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to return to my duties. It was nice to meet you," he said stiffly and went back to his horse.
"That sounds like a good idea. I'm sorry to be so abrupt, but we're supposed to be on patrol. Maybe we can talk more later," Placid said.
"Of course. I'm sorry if we kept you," Diego said.
He and Lolita watched the lieutenants get back on their horses and leave with their group of soldiers. Lolita let out a hum when they were gone.
"Was it just me, or did the atmosphere get really chilly all of a sudden?" she asked.
"Really? I didn't notice anything," Diego said with a smile, but in truth he agreed. Something about either his or Lolita's family had struck a chord with Serrano. He hoped it was his. The look that had crossed the lieutenant's eyes didn't promise anything good.
Gabriel had been asking around about where he could find a blacksmith. The first person he talked to claimed he had no idea, but Gabriel guessed he only said it because he wanted to be difficult. The second person told him about a young woman called Alicia who had taken over her father's smithy after his death. He had decided he would give it a try, so he was now on his way to her store.
It looked deserted when he arrived there. The door was closed, and grass was growing thick by the walls. No neighbours were in sight, so he supposed his only chance was to knock on the door and see if anyone came to greet him.
There was no answer, so he pushed the door open and took a look inside. It was dim because the unwashed windows weren't letting much light into the smithy.
"Hello?" he called out. He frowned in irritation when there was still no answer. So, he had come all this way for nothing. He was just about to turn back and go outside, but then he noticed the items that were carefully placed so that they were standing against the anvil.
Swords, three of them. Each looked graceful and strong, and for a moment all he could do was stare at them with an empty feeling in his chest. He realised he still didn't know what had happened to his own sword. Not that it mattered much. He wasn't even sure if he wanted it back.
But that didn't change the fact that seeing these swords filled him with longing. The temptation was too strong, and before he even knew what he was doing, he had taken one of them into his hands. It felt good to hold it, even if it wasn't anywhere near as good as his. He took a hold of the handle and a defensive pose, momentarily enjoying the familiar movement. He imagined an enemy before him and struck, feeling a little surprised by how smooth it was. It was as if there wasn't anything wrong with him. He couldn't even feel any new pain in addition to the ache that had settled in his shoulder and was always present.
For a moment, he allowed himself the fantasy that he might start carrying a sword again. Even with his injured shoulder, he was a very good swordsman. He would have no trouble defeating most men. But then he remembered the one thing that mattered to him more than anything else. Zorro wasn't just any man. Gabriel had never bested the outlaw before his injury, and he knew he could never do it now.
This realisation brought a sour taste to his mouth, and he let go of the fighting pose. He suddenly found that he hated the sword in his hand. He was just about to throw it to the floor in protest at the unfairness of the world when an annoyed voice caught his attention.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Gabriel turned around to look at the door. A young woman with long red hair was standing there and staring at him with her lips in a tight line. She was wearing overalls and was dirty from hard work. Her otherwise pretty face was marred by an angry frown.
"You must be Alicia," Gabriel said.
"That's none of your business before you've answered my question," the woman said, putting her hands on her hips.
"My name is Gabriel, and I was told you're a blacksmith. There was no answer, so I wasn't sure if there was anyone here."
His answer did nothing to soothe Alicia's glare. "That gives you no right to come to my smithy like this."
"I know. I'm sorry," Gabriel said. He realised he was still holding the sword, so he went to put it back where had taken it.
"Oh, were you interested in a sword?" Alicia asked, and her voice made Gabriel freeze. All of a sudden, every hint of anger and annoyance was gone, and her face melted into the most charming smile.
"No, I -" Gabriel started, but Alicia had already hurried to his side and taken the sword into her hands.
"I love swords. My father taught me how to make them, but I'm afraid I'm not very good yet. It's my dream to make the most wonderful sword in the world one day. It's all I ever want to do. So, what do you think about this one?" she blabbered and held the sword in her hands like it was the most precious thing she had ever seen.
"There's a little too much weight towards the handle," Gabriel said.
"Really? Huh, I knew something wasn't right," Alicia said in disappointment and turned to look at the sword with a frown. "But thank you! I'll try to do better when I make another sword."
"Anyway, what I wanted was -"
"You probably wouldn't be interested in a sword like this anyway. I think this one is a lot better for you," Alicia said. She took another sword by the anvil and pushed it into Gabriel's hands. For a moment, he could only look at the eager smile on her face and wonder what was wrong with this woman.
"It's not often that I get a customer who knows anything about swords. Most people here just want me to fix their scythes or knives. I really don't have the time for that sort of thing," Alicia continued.
"Are you even listening to what I'm trying to say?" Gabriel asked. "I'm not interested in a sword!"
"What?" Alicia asked. "Then why are you here?"
"I want to buy nails for a fence," Gabriel said, hoping that they could now put this nonsense past them. This woman wasn't even very good at making swords. He'd be insane to buy one of these!
"Nails?" Alicia repeated, sound like she had just uttered the filthiest word she could imagine. "You're wasting my time because of nails?"
"You're the one who started to talk about swords!" Gabriel snapped. And how were nails a waste of time? Wasn't it her job as a blacksmith to do what her customers asked, not what she wanted? Then again, looking at the state of her smithy, she probably didn't have that many customers in the first place.
"Just because I thought someone intelligent had come here for a change, but I see you're just another boring peasant like everyone else," Alicia said. She snatched the sword from Gabriel's hands and put it carefully back to its place. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to get your nails elsewhere. I'm too busy right now."
"Busy doing what? Making swords that no swordsman with any self-respect would handle?" Gabriel asked, outraged that this woman had the guts to talk to him like this. Didn't she have any idea who he… well, who he had used to be?
"How dare you? My swords may not be the best yet, but one day my name will be known even in Spain!" Alicia retorted. She didn't raise her voice at all, but she was able to put so much disdain and arrogance into her tone that Gabriel felt his face go red with anger.
"I very much doubt that!" he snapped.
"And how would you know? What do you even know about swords?" Alicia asked.
"More than you ever will. I've fought countless battles, won competitions, duelled with Zorro and -" Gabriel started to list, but Alicia interrupted him yet again.
"Wait, you've fought with Zorro?" she asked. She sounded doubtful, and the irritated frown never left her face, but the mention of the outlaw seemed to calm her down a little.
"More times than I care to count," Gabriel said.
"Then you must tell me what his sword is like," the woman said, her eyes shining with determination.
"How should I know? I've never handled it," Gabriel said. He'd probably be able to recognise it if he saw it, but that was it. It wasn't like he had that much time to look at anyone's sword when they fought.
Alicia let out a disappointed sigh and crossed her hands behind her head. "Oh, well. I guess I was expecting too much. I'll probably never get to hold such a wonderful sword in my hands."
Gabriel couldn't really care less. He thought the mere idea of a woman getting her hands dirty and dreaming of making swords was a little ridiculous, but he supposed Alicia had no choice now that her father was dead and she wasn't married. He just hoped she could have been a little more professional about her work and spent less time admiring Zorro.
"This is ridiculous. Can I have those nails or not?" he asked.
"I've never made any. I'm too busy for that kind of work."
"Then this whole thing was a complete waste of my time," Gabriel snarled. He took a few angry steps towards the door, but Alicia told him to wait. When he turned back to look at her, she was pursing her lips and frowning as she pondered about something.
"I might have some left. My father was very good at making them."
"I thought you couldn't be bothered with something like that," Gabriel pointed out.
"That's right. I can't," Alicia said coldly. "But I suppose I owe you one for telling me what was wrong with that sword. So wait a moment and you'll have your nails." With that, she rushed somewhere in the back of her smithy and started rummaging around. She returned a moment later and was carrying a wooden bucket.
"I'm afraid the only container I have is this bucket. You can keep it. No need to bring it back," she said and shoved it into his hands.
Gabriel grumbled a thank you, which he thought was quite generous after the way Alicia had talked to him. When he asked her how much he owed her, she only shook her head.
"Just go. I've wasted enough time already," she said and pointed at the door. Gabriel was sure that if he hadn't taken that moment to move towards it, Alicia would have given him a shove and kicked him out. She was a frail little thing compared to him, but somehow he got the feeling that she could have done it.
What an irritating woman, he thought, but he soon forgot about her altogether. On his way back to the Alvarez estate, his mind was consumed by nothing but how wonderful those short moments of holding a sword in his hand had felt like.