I probably made Alejandro a bit too fiery in this chapter. I think I'm channelling the character from other versions of Zorro, but I can't help it. I can't remember if we ever saw him grow angry in the anime; no matter what was happening around him, he just stood there with those sad eyes and tried to talk things through. It's... frustrating.
Another thing to point out is that some events in chapters 31-35 are based on episode 39, The Battle in the Storm. These chapters will be the end of the second story arc of this fanfic. I know rain of this magnitude is out of place for the location where Zorro traditionally takes place, but since it happened in the episode, I feel like I have an excuse.
THE RIGHT TURN OF THE ROAD
Chapter 31
The rain that Pablo had predicted turned out to be far more than that. Water had been pouring down for half a week, and there was no end in sight. Gabriel couldn't recall ever experiencing such a thing in his life. At first it had felt like a blessing – after all, water was often scarce – but it was becoming apparent that too much water could be a bad thing.
Their renovation work around the estate had to be halted. The wine fields were in danger of becoming flooded, so they had to dig ditches to lead the water away. Spending all day out in the rain, feeling cold of all things, quickly destroyed the fascination everyone had with rain.
"So, when do you predict this will stop?" Gabriel asked.
Pablo paused his work with the shovel and squinted his eyes against the rain as he turned to look at the sky.
"Not in a while," he said.
Gabriel shook his head in disgust and shot an angry look at Pablo.
"It's not my fault! I just knew it was going to start," the man said defensively.
That did little to improve Gabriel's mood. Water was pouring down his pack, and his hair was falling into his eyes. His shoulder didn't like the cool dampness, so it was aching more than was normal.
He looked up when the sound of a horse arriving reached his ears. There was a rider crossing the front yard. Gabriel and Pablo hurried to greet him, glad to get a distraction from the muddy and dreadful work.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked when they reached the man.
"I'm Lucas Armando. I came to ask for your help," the man said.
Upon closer inspection, Gabriel recognised the man as the owner of the lands north from theirs. He had wine fields as well, and he had visited the Alvarez estate a couple of times to see if there was anything he could do for the newcomers. After the way Rafael always spoke to him, his visits had become increasingly scarcer.
"Is something wrong?" Pablo asked.
"The river that flows through my lands is going to overflow if this rain doesn't stop soon. That would cause serious damage not just to my fields but here as well. I'm trying to gather volunteers to build a dam along the riverbank so that the disaster can be avoided," Lucas explained.
"We'll be there," Gabriel said. His first thought was on the danger to their land, but it wasn't his only reason. Don Lucas had helped them with the fence without asking for anything in return. Some part of Gabriel hated being in debt to someone. Another felt a twinge of gratitude and wanted to return the favour.
"Thank you. There are many who would like to come but can't leave their lands. I hope this won't be inconvenient for you," Lucas said.
"Not at all. I'll be more than happy to let Basilio dig in my place here so that I can help you," Pablo said.
Lucas cracked a smile despite the grim circumstances and nodded. "Good. We're gathering at my estate in the afternoon to plan everything," he said. He bid them farewell and turned his horse around so that he could go to the next estate and find more volunteers.
"Just the distraction I needed. I was growing tired of playing in mud," Pablo said.
"It's not funny. Building a dam is going to be even harder," Gabriel said.
"I know, but it'll be more interesting. Besides, I can't wait to see Basilio's face when he hears that he'll be digging the ditches from now on," Pablo said.
"I doubt that's going to worry him much right now."
It was a little less than a week until Basilio and Lupe's wedding. The young man was beyond himself with joy – whenever he didn't turn into a nervous wreck and worry about if he was ready and if he could take care of Lupe like a good husband should. The dreadful weather didn't help either. If it didn't stop raining soon, they couldn't expect a very jovial celebration.
"You're probably right. I envy him. I wish I had someone to keep me warm at night," Pablo remarked.
"If you'd talk less and work more, you'd be so tired that falling asleep wouldn't be a problem," Gabriel said.
"You and your negative attitude. Maybe I'll get to know someone at the wedding. I hear Lupe has two cousins who are unmarried. I'll take the prettier, and you can have the other one."
"I'm more interested in building the dam," Gabriel said. On the other hand, the idea wasn't that bad. Even when he had been determined to marry Lolita, he hadn't said no to female beauty. Now that it was apparent that he was never going to get her, maybe he should just learn how to settle for less. If he waited too long, his options would become even more limited.
Then again, the idea of marrying some peasant's daughter didn't sit well with him. He didn't want a wife whose hands were rough from work and who was always sweaty and dirty. His wife had to be there for the world to admire, for him to show off.
But he'd worry about all of that later when it had stopped raining and he didn't ache and feel so cold all the time. Right now there were far bigger problems in his life.
There were fewer people gathered at the Armando estate than Gabriel had expected. Most of the people in the area had to deal with the problems caused by the rain at their own lands, so only those who would be directly affected by the possible flood had come. Gabriel could understand it perfectly, but at the same time he found himself irritated by everyone's disinterest.
Of those who were present, many were familiar faces. Almost everyone had worked at the Alvarez estate when they had been picking grapes. Gabriel supposed they were there to make sure the flood didn't ruin the fields and their chances of having work next season. Then he thought back to how these people had helped them with the fence even though it had been such an extra burden to them. Maybe they just wanted to help.
"I'm happy to see you here. You all know the situation. If the rain doesn't stop soon, the river is going to overflow. My grapes were late this year, so we haven't picked them all yet. I'm going to be ruined if water gets to the fields, but I wouldn't be the only one in trouble," Lucas said.
"It's not just the fields, either. There are people living here," a man added from the side.
"If the road is covered in water, we'll be cut off from San Tomas," another one said.
Lucas nodded. "I know. There's more at stake here than just us. I will later go and request help from the army, but for now we should get started on our own," he said. He turned to Gabriel. "Do you think the army might help us?"
"I don't see why not. Nobody will benefit from the road being blocked," Gabriel said. He doubted even Raymond could come up with a plot that would require something as drastic as that.
"Then it shouldn't take too long before the dam is finished," Lucas said.
"If possible, you should ask Captain Jekyll about it. He's the likeliest person to do anything," Gabriel added. He had no idea if either of the lieutenants would care. Gonzales would, but he didn't have the authority to send anyone on such a mission. And Raymond... Probably yes, but he would find a way to make it an unpleasant experience for them. There was always room for a new tax or restrictions on their rights.
Lucas already had an idea about what to do. It turned out he had some experience with construction, so he had gone ahead and planned the dam's structure and what supplies they needed. The others, Gabriel included, were glad to let him lead. Nobody else had the necessary knowledge to get the work started.
"There is an abandoned mine in the mountains. Half of us will go there to get boulders while the rest go to the river and start digging the foundation. I'll be with the second group," Lucas decided.
Gabriel and Pablo volunteered for the first group; they had done enough digging for a lifetime. Four men accompanied them, and they hurried to prepare a wagon for their trip to the mountains. They decided to bring a few planks with them in case they got stuck on the way. The rain had ruined many of the less used roads.
"I never thought we'd all be working together again so soon," Edmundo said.
"How's your hand?" Pablo asked.
"Getting better. It's still not what it used to be, but I can't stand to stay home and do nothing for another day," Edmundo replied.
"You had better not get in the way," Gabriel said.
"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't work," Edmundo said, giving him a sour look.
Pablo chuckled. "Don't worry. It's his way of telling you to be careful."
They reached a point where the road had turned into a field of mud, so they got off the wagon and walked. Gabriel wondered if they'd make it back with the boulders without sinking into the ground. It might be more sensible to load the wagon only half full and make more trips than try to fight the odds.
When they reached the mine, they were all drenched and exhausted from the journey. The horses let their heads hung low, having just as little enthusiasm as them. Pablo went to give them a pat to the neck.
"Hey, cheer up. That was nothing. Wait until you have to drag the wagon full of boulders back," he said.
"It's downhill," Gabriel reminded him.
"That just makes it harder in this weather," Pablo said.
"If the horses can't do it, we'll just make the boulders roll down the road and hope they don't hit anyone," Edmundo suggested.
Gabriel turned to glare at him and wondered if he was being serious. At first he thought he was, but then both Edmundo and Pablo started laughing. And he hated it when people laughed at him!
"I hope you're equally enthusiastic about the work," he grumbled.
"I wouldn't say I am, but humour makes it easier to endure. You should try it," Pablo said.
Gabriel couldn't be bothered to answer. He let the others talk some more and went to take a look at the mine. It was dark and even colder than outside, but at least there was shelter from the rain. From what he could see, it looked like the mine was still in decent condition and probably safe.
They started their work swiftly. They had brought a few lanterns with them and had been able to protect them from the rain, so they soon had light in the tunnels. One of the old passages that had been abandoned among the first was exactly what they needed. The miners had used it to store the rubble and boulders that they hadn't bothered to take outside. All Gabriel and the others had to do was take it.
The work was slow and tiresome, and the weather didn't make it any easier for them. Despite this, Gabriel thought it was a welcome change to his life. The mindless chatter of the other men and how they addressed him made him feel like he was one of them. He couldn't say when that had stopped being the most bitter thing to swallow, but it felt good. It gave him some sense of support in a life that was currently without a real purpose.
Gonzales shivered as he handed the reins of his horse to one of the Prideaux servants. His uniform was drenched, and he was certain that his boots were filled with water. He could only hope that someone would serve him some wine to warm him up.
Maybe Emilia, he mused, and that thought was enough to make him feel better than the best wine in the world could.
He was greeted by Lolita when he entered the house. He hoped to see Emilia lingering somewhere, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Sergeant, what a surprise. We didn't expect you. Is something wrong?" Lolita asked.
"Well, no, not at all. I just thought I'd drop by to... uh," Gonzales stammered, realising all too late that he had no good excuse to visit the Prideaux estate.
"To make sure we aren't having any trouble because of the rain?" Lolita finished for him, a cheeky smile playing on her lips.
"Yes! That's exactly right," Gonzales said.
"Then you must be glad to know that everything is fine," Lolita said.
"Oh," Gonzales said, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice. That meant he had no excuse to stay. "I mean, that's good to hear."
Lolita poked a finger at her cheek and hummed in thought. "Then again, I'm not the right person to answer that question. Why don't you ask Emilia instead?" she asked.
"Of course! That's exactly what I'll do," Gonzales said happily, but then he realised that Emilia was even less qualified to talk about the estate than Lolita. He felt a blush creep on his face as he realised that Lolita was making fun of him.
"Don't look so heartbroken, Sergeant. I was just kidding. I'm sure Emilia will be happy that you came to see how she's doing. She doesn't have too many friends here."
"Where is she?"
"Helping out in the kitchen. I tried to tell her that she and her grandfather are guests here, but she insisted."
"I hope Mr. Lapenti is doing better," Gonzales said.
"He'll be on his feet in a few days, but it'll take a while longer before the wound is healed. He was really lucky that the shot only scratched him," Lolita said. She didn't have to say it, but Gonzales was certain that she was thinking of Gabriel and how he had been injured.
"At least the crooks who shot him are now behind bars and will face a trial for what they did," he said to cheer her up.
"You're right," Lolita said. She hesitated for a moment before she continued. "Did you notice anything odd during that battle?"
"What do you mean?" Gonzales asked.
"Zorro looked like he was having trouble with his blade. I've never seen him like that. I hope nothing is wrong."
"I'm sure Zorro knows how to take care of himself." Gonzales had of course noticed the same thing. It had to be because of the injury Zorro had received when Placid had shot him. Gonzales couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the outlaw; he doubted Zorro was getting the rest he needed.
"I know, but I can't help but be worried. I wish I knew who he was so that I could help," Lolita said. "And there is something I need to talk to him about."
Gonzales didn't want to know what private business Lolita could have with Zorro, so he quickly asked if it was alright that Emilia came from the kitchen to have a word with him. Lolita agreed with eagerness that surprised him a little, but he supposed that he would never learn to understand her.
"Oh, Sergeant. Good day," Emilia said as she stepped into the main hall and noticed him. She was no longer wearing her usual clothes but had changed into something less flashy. Gonzales thought she looked even more beautiful like this.
"Good day," he said. He tried to come up with something else to say, but his mind was suddenly devoid of any thoughts. What an idiot he was!
"Lolita said you came to make sure everything is alright. That's very kind of you," Emilia said.
"Not at all. It's part of my duties to make sure all the citizens are fine," Gonzales said. No, wait. That wasn't a good thing to say. It might make Emilia think he was only here because he was an officer. "But I would of course do it anyway!" he hurried to add.
Emilia smiled, and it was enough to make Gonzales feel like the dreadful weather had turned into bright sunlight. He couldn't really say why she had such an effect on him; she just was the sweetest thing he had ever seen.
He knew he was getting distracted with his thoughts, so he coughed to get a little more composed. "I hear your grandfather is doing better."
"That's right. Soon enough we won't have to be a burden to Lolita and her family anymore," Emilia said.
"Are you planning to move to town?" Gonzales asked. That would be wonderful. Then he could more easily bump into her, and he wouldn't even need an excuse.
"I think my grandfather has had enough of this town. He'll probably want to go elsewhere, maybe even return to Spain," Emilia said.
"What?" Gonzales blurted out, much louder than he meant to.
Emilia looked started. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, of course not," Gonzales said, though he felt like his heart had just been split into two. "Are you sure about that? San Tasco is a wonderful town. I'm sure you could be really happy here."
"I think so, too, but my grandfather is really stubborn. He doesn't want to stay in a place where he was so gravely wronged. And I will of course follow him wherever he goes."
"That's terrible," Gonzales said miserably. He couldn't bear the thought of Emilia leaving. He was sure he'd never meet anyone like her again. She could make him happy simply by saying a kind word to him, and she didn't judge him for his flaws. He couldn't let her go, at least not before he had told her how he felt.
But he couldn't tell her now. He had no idea what to say, and he knew he wouldn't make much of an impression, shivering from the cold in his wet uniform.
"Tell your grandfather that I'm glad he's doing better. Or maybe I can say that to him myself when I visit you again," he said.
"Oh, so you'll be back," Emilia said. There was an odd tone in her voice, and for a terrible moment Gonzales wondered if she maybe didn't want to see him again.
"Unless you have something against it?" he asked at once.
"No, of course not. I'm just surprised by your concern. I haven't heard much good about the army here," Emilia said.
Gonzales lowered his eyes in shame. Of course. Now that she knew how the army usually dealt with the problems of the people, it was no wonder that she had grown wary of him. Any normal person would have.
"I'm sorry," he said. "If it makes you -"
"And that just shows what a good person you truly are," Emilia said and stepped forward to take his hands into hers.
"What?" Gonzales asked.
"You don't care about the pressure from your superiors. You do exactly what you feel is right. I have never met a soldier like you," Emilia said. She sounded so eager with her praise that Gonzales couldn't help but become even more flustered. And Emilia didn't know how she was affecting him, or else she wouldn't have done it.
"Thank you. Your words mean a lot to me," he said. If he only had the courage to say something like that to her in return, but he didn't. Not now. He had been turned down too many times in the past, and he didn't want to hear those words from Emilia.
Suddenly, Emilia stepped back and shot a worried glance behind her. "Oh! I think I need to get back to the kitchen. I don't think I remembered to remove the kettle from the stove before I left!" she said and ran away before Gonzales even had the time to say goodbye.
He sighed as he watched her go, wondering how she could be that energetic when the weather was like this. He felt miserable just thinking about the ride back to San Tasco and how wet and cold he'd be by the end of it.
Lolita chose this moment to return from upstairs. Gonzales supposed she had remained close by, just to make sure he and Emilia weren't alone for too long. Judging by the twinkle in her eyes, she had heard everything.
"Can I get you anything, Sergeant?" she asked.
"No, thank you. I need to be getting back to town," Gonzales said. The idea of a glass of wine was tempting, but he felt uncomfortable when Lolita was looking at him like she was inwardly laughing at his expense.
He bid a quick farewell and reluctantly returned to the pouring rain.
When he was sure that his father wasn't looking, Diego shifted on his seat and tried to find a more comfortable position. It didn't help; the wound on his right arm bothered him no matter how much he tried to avoid putting any pressure on it. And he couldn't avoid it that much – he had to appear normal so that his father wouldn't suspect a thing.
The battle with the men from the casino hadn't improved matters. Diego knew that if he would just get proper rest, he would soon be back in fighting condition. Bernard kept nagging about it to him every chance he got. It just wasn't that easy. Zorro had to ride almost every night, and those rides usually ended with battles. He couldn't just ignore his responsibilities, could he?
"You're awfully quiet today, Diego. Is something wrong?" his father asked.
"Not at all. I think the weather is just making me a little depressed."
He knew that if he didn't let his arm the chance to heal soon, it might never get back to normal. It might have been a price he was willing to pay, but he also knew that it would cause more trouble than it was worth. Zorro had to be in perfect condition if he wanted to defeat Raymond. He hadn't faced the commander in combat yet, but he had seen him handle a sword. He was frighteningly good, perhaps on the same level as him.
His father shot him a scrutinizing glare, as if trying to read his mind, but before he could ask another question, there was a knock on the door. Bernard hurried to open it and led the guest in.
"Oh, Don Lucas. Welcome," Alejandro greeted the man who entered.
"Thank you. I hope you don't mind that I remain standing. I wouldn't want to drip water all over your furniture."
Alejandro chucked good-naturedly and went to pour their guest a glass of wine. Out of courtesy, he didn't sit down again after handing it over to him.
Diego didn't move a muscle.
"What brings you here? Has something happened?" Alejandro asked.
Diego was wondering the same thing. While Lucas and his father got along, they weren't the closest of friends. Their estates were a good distance away from each other, and they were in different business.
"Not yet, but I'm doing my best to prevent something from happening," Lucas said. He proceeded to tell them about how the river flowing by his lands was in danger of overflowing and how it would ruin the wine fields in the entire area.
"I have already gathered some volunteers to strengthen the riverbank, but we need more help. If you could let me have even one man, I would be eternally grateful," Lucas said.
"Of course we'll help," Alejandro promised. "I'll talk to the men and find out who can come. Right now I can only promise you the help of myself and my son, but I'm sure there will be more."
"I could never ask you to come. You have more important matters to worry about," Lucas said.
"The well-being of my fellow men is the most important matter right now. Besides, if the rain doesn't stop soon, we might need help at our estate as well. I wouldn't dream of turning my back on anyone," Alejandro said. He turned to look at Diego. "Isn't that right?"
"Of course," Diego said right away. "But father, maybe you were a little hasty when you promised my help. You see, there's this fascinating book that I just -"
"Are your books more important to you than helping those in need?" Alejandro asked, and Diego couldn't decide if he sounded more surprised than angry.
"There are already so many others there. What could I do?" he asked. Saying each word was like taking a sip of poison, but it was necessary. Not only to keep up his act. If he started helping at the dam, his injury would get worse. Someone might even notice that something was wrong. He couldn't afford that.
"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Alejandro snarled. He shook his head and turned back to Don Lucas. "I apologize for my son. I don't think he realises how serious this is."
"It's no problem. I should probably get going and talk to a few more people. When you know anyone who is willing to help, just send him over to my estate," Lucas said. He offered Diego a brief smile before he made his exit.
"Diego, what was that?" his father asked as soon as their guest was gone.
"There's no reason to sound so upset, father. I merely pointed out that I might be busy with something else. In fact, it was a little thoughtless of you to promise my help without asking me first," Diego said.
"Thoughtless?" Alejandro barked. "The only one being thoughtless here is you! How could you say such a thing? Do you have any idea how ashamed I am of you?"
"You're exaggerating," Diego said. It took all his self-control to appear calm before his father's blazing eyes. He was ashamed of his behaviour, too.
"Does this have something to do with that secret project of yours? It's very tempting to just force the truth out of you and give you a good beating because it looks like you didn't get enough of that as a boy!"
Diego stood up and put his book away. "I'll be in my room until you've calmed down."
"No, you aren't going anywhere. I want you to tell me what you're up to right now," Alejandro countered.
"I'm a grown man, father. I can do whatever I want," Diego said, not quite able to keep all of his frustration from his voice. Why did his father have to get this difficult right now? As if he didn't already have enough problems!
"Then start acting like it," Alejandro said.
For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes, neither of them willing to back down. Diego had never felt such a strong desire to just blurt out the truth. For the briefest moment he cherished the image of the shock on his father's face. That would show him.
But no, that was petty and childish. He couldn't reveal Zorro's secret just because he wanted to teach his father a lesson. That would only result in more problems – then Alejandro would want to help him, go over all of his plans with him and practise sword fighting. Maybe he'd even want to ride as Zorro!
No, it was better to back down for now.
"Fine," he sighed in defeat. "I'll go help at the dam if it's that important to you."
"It is, but I wish you had decided to do that without my guidance," Alejandro said.
Some guidance, Diego thought. More like forcing him to choose between a raging fire and being stabbed.
He excused himself and went up to his room. He was certain that Bernard would soon follow him and nag at him about being careful with his arm and that he should tell his father everything. The mere idea of going through that conversation again was enough to make him tired.
"I heard some interesting news today."
Raymond lifted a brow. "Oh? And what would that be?"
"Some men have started building a dam near the Armando estate to prevent the river from flooding," Kapital replied. He was standing behind his desk, as he usually did when Raymond came to visit. Raymond, in contrast, preferred having a seat. If Kapital was trying to make him feel threatened by towering over him, he wanted to let him know that it wasn't working.
"That makes perfect sense. And they're well within their rights to protect their property. I would think that a flood would cause severe damage to the area," Raymond remarked.
"You know just as well as I do that this is exactly what we were hoping for. I need to buy that land, but the owners are stubborn and arrogant. They refuse to sell, but if a flood ruined everything, they would be forced into it," Kapital said.
"And you were waiting for a natural disaster to do your dirty work for you? I think you're losing your touch," Raymond said.
"The weather is very convenient. Since your men are incapable of stopping Zorro, a catastrophe like that will be useful," Kapital said.
Raymond chose to ignore the jab at him. "So, what do you expect me to do about this? Do you want me to send men to deal with the problem?" he asked. It would get tricky since the men weren't doing anything wrong, but he was sure he could come up with some lie to make his actions look justified.
"That's not necessary," Kapital said. "I have already taken care of that myself."
"Oh?" Raymond said. He appeared interested, but he couldn't help but feel irritated. Kapital had been taking care of many things on his own lately. Raymond was starting to feel like he was being pushed aside from the man's business, and he didn't like that.
He had made reasonable progress with Lieutenant Serrano. The man lacked the arrogance and greed that had made Gabriel so useful, but he had the same cruel streak. It just took a lot more work to make it show. In time, he was sure that he could bend the lieutenant entirely to his will.
"I have hired an expert swordsman from Spain. He and his friends will harass Don Lucas and the others into giving up their little project. If Zorro appears, he will be taken care of," Kapital said.
"It wouldn't be the first time Zorro defeats the best assassin money can buy," Raymond said, but he was intrigued.
"It will be different this time. These men are clever and will set up a trap for him," Kapital said. He kept a pause here, and Raymond didn't miss the amused gleam that appeared in his eyes. "And actually, I have some more news for you. I hope you'll find this interesting."
"What is it?"
"My sources tell me that your former lieutenant is contributing to the efforts at Don Lucas' estate," Kapital said.
Raymond couldn't hold back a chortle. "Gabriel? Doing something for the common good? How much are they paying him?" he asked.
"Nothing," Kapital said with a shake of his head. "It's all volunteer work."
"I wonder what he's up to," Raymond said. There was no way a man like Gabriel ever lifted a finger without getting something in return.
"What could he possibly do? He's just a peasant like all the others," Kapital said.
"True," Raymond admitted. He had stopped keeping an eye on Gabriel's doings after a while. It was clear the man was in no position to do anything that might cause trouble. Maybe he had finally accepted his role in life.
"Then again, it might still require some thought. A former officer could gather the others and organize a counter attack when my men make their move," Kapital said.
Raymond snorted. "Gabriel might be stupid enough to try something like that, but you don't need to worry. He's playing a good peasant for now, but I know what kind of man he is. All you have to do is throw him a few coins and he'll gladly betray all of his new friends," he said.
"It's worth a thought if things don't go as smoothly as I'd like," Kapital said and turned back towards the window so that he could watch the pouring rain outside.