Chapter 8 – Revelation

Victoria was leaning heavily on Diego, feeling exhausted from the past ordeal. Diego led Victoria to a bench in the back of the tavern and made her sit down, handing her a glass of water. Soon he was met by his father and some friends.

"Diego," Don Alejandro said, "I'm proud of you. I know you are not a fighter, but today you impressed me. I never thought someone could make a difference with mere words. Even Zorro couldn't have gotten Victoria free with his sword as you did with your speech today. I never expected the people to stand up against the alcalde as they did today."

"Thank you father, but I only tried to do my best. I can't fight with a sword so talking was the only thing I could do. My speech did not make a big difference."

"But it did, Diego," Victoria said. "Everybody was captivated by your speech. It was your speech that made the people of Los Angeles take their stand. Even if Zorro had asked them to stand up they wouldn't have done it without you. Don't think so low of yourself. I owe you my life today and I want to thank you for your help. I don't know how I would have gotten through the last days without you. You were always there for me." She put a hand on his arm looking at him gratefully.

Suddenly Victoria remembered the last words Zorro said to her on their final meeting. The words she had just said to Diego.

"I will always be there for you."

She looked in Diego's blue eyes and finally understood.

"You were always there... You.."

Diego looked in Victoria's wide open eyes filled with sudden recognition. He caught her when she fainted. He realized that she knew now.

"I will take her to the kitchen where it's more quiet," he said determinedly to his father while he gathered Victoria up in his arms. "The past days have been too much for her."

Diego sat Victoria down on a bench supporting her in his arms as she slowly regained consciousness. He asked Victoria's helpers to give her some moments of quiet and they left the kitchen without comment. Victoria looked at him as if she saw him for the first time.

"Diego?" Victoria started crying. "It was always you and I never saw you. I'm sorry, please forgive me."

"Shh, Victoria. There is nothing to forgive." He drew her closer and held her tight. "You're not disappointed with the man behind the mask?" he asked inquiringly.

"I think I have loved you as Diego as well, but I never could admit it, not even to myself, because I wanted to stay true to Zorro. I'm glad it's you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I missed that," he said with a grin that she had seen so often on Zorro's face when they drew apart.

"Me too", Victoria was now smiling as well. "But why are you armed today when you are here as Diego?" she asked only now noticing his sword.

"Well, it was to be the final option," he said with a small smile.

"Don't tell me you planned to.. you planned to ..." Victoria said with shock. But in his eyes she could see that he had indeed planned to reveal himself.

"I would never have allowed the alcalde to hang you in my stead."

"Oh Diego, please promise me you'll never to think of something foolish like that again."

"Only if you marry me." Diego knelt down on the floor beside her bench and asked in a sincere voice.

"Victoria will you marry me, now that you know?"

"Yes, I will and it is the man that I love and not the mask." She went into his arms again.

"Diego? Victoria? Is everything alright?" they heard Alejandro calling.

"Why can we never have some time in your kitchen without interruption," Diego said with fake desperation when he heard his father coming. "Maybe I should jump up to the balcony and leave now – you know old habits are hard to break," he said teasingly.

"Don't you dare leaving me. Now that I know you I'm gonna keep you," she said with a smile.

Alejandro stopped in surprise when he saw his son kissing Victoria in the kitchen.

"It seems the surprises today never end, is there something I should know?"

"You can be the first to congratulate us, Father. I just asked Victoria to marry me and she said yes."

"I'm happy for you. But what about Zorro?"

"Zorro and I have split up weeks ago," Victoria stated firmly. "He made it all too clear that he won't come to my rescue anymore and that we live different lives now. Zorro could never have married me and I'm tired of waiting. And besides it was Diego who was there for me while I was in prison and not Zorro."

Victoria gave the same answer to everyone who asked her about Zorro. She instantly understood they were on stage now. She must not give a clue that she knew Zorro's identity now.

"Victoria, I'd like you to come with us to the hacienda for some days. It has been a lot you have been through recently and I think you need some time to recover," Diego said having turned back to his well known placid manner.

Victoria agreed thankfully. She really needed to relax and it would give her the opportunity to ask Diego all the questions about Zorro that were burning on her mind.