Chapter 3

"Diego, please, it's over now," Victoria tried to calm him, realizing that he was still in shock. Despite of that, he held her in a firm grip with his hands on her waist, helping her down from Esperanza inside the cave.

Leading her to the big chair, he sat down and pulled her on his lap. "I thought I had lost you when you weren't breathing. I thought you were dead. It was the most horrible moment in my life," he whispered, holding her tight. "I can't live without you, Victoria." He calmed down a bit, holding onto her. He needed to feel her in his arms to reassure himself that she was alive. He kissed her a long time, stroking her again and again, touching her skin with his fingers, running his hands through her hair.

"Tell me what happened, Victoria!"

"I don't remember much. I was in my room, ready to go downstairs to meet my brothers, and then I felt something on my mouth. My vision went black after that. The next thing I remember was a white light, and it was coming closer and closer. Everything felt strange as if I was weightless, and then I was quickly falling down. I woke up and saw your face."

"I would have killed de Soto if you hadn't stopped me. I didn't care what would happen to me if I did."

Diego buried his head at the crook of her neck, holding her tight. Comforting him, Victoria realized that he was terribly shaken by events.

"What do you mean that I stopped you?" Victoria asked, confused.

Diego raised his head to look at her. "I was about to kill de Soto with my sword, lifting it for the fatal blow, but at that moment, from the corner of my eye, I saw you standing next to me in your white dress. You looked at me and put your hand on my arm to hold me back from delivering the killing thrust. When I dropped my sword, you had vanished, and I heard your brother shouting that you were breathing."

Victoria looked at him, stunned. "But, I didn't get up, Diego. I woke up, staring up at you and my brothers bent over me."

"I know that now. But, I saw you standing next to me, and if you hadn't been there to restrain me, I would have killed de Soto," Diego admitted.

"Maybe it was a sign from heaven?" Victoria asked. "A chance to save you from killing a helpless man, and a chance for me to live again."

"Do you believe that? That you wouldn't be alive if I had killed de Soto?"

"We'll never know, Diego. All that counts is that we're together!" Victoria reassured him.

"I will do everything to keep it that way. You're safe here," Diego declared, tightening his embrace. "Nothing will happen to you. I promise."

"We can't stay here forever, Diego," Victoria tried to make him understand. "We need to go back to the others. My brothers and your father will get concerned if we don't return." Diego didn't show any signs that he wanted to return to the hacienda, keeping her close.

"I don't care for company, Victoria. All I want is to be with you." He continued to caress and kiss her.

The growling of her stomach was loud in the quiet cave. "I'm hungry, Diego. I haven't eaten all day, because de Soto kidnapped me before I had breakfast. There is a big party arranged for us, and everyone will wonder on our whereabouts."

"We just got married, and already I'm a terrible husband," Diego smiled a little. "I should take better care of you and not let you go hungry. I will fetch us something to eat and bring it here."

Before Victoria could object, Diego had risen from the chair, and after a quick look through the spyhole, a habit ingrained in him over the years, he left the cave.

It didn't take long for Diego to return with a tray and two bowls of albondigas soup that he placed on the desk.

"I snatched this from the kitchen when the cook wasn't looking."

"This is like the first time when you brought me here and proposed to me," Victoria stated. "Except that you don't hide behind your mask anymore."

"I don't have to," Diego smiled, "You convinced me that you loved me and not the mask. And after you split up with Zorro, we could get engaged officially, fooling the alcalde and everyone else."

Victoria walked around in the cave and started stroking Toronado. He stepped behind her and put his hands around her waist.

"Toronado is used to your visits now," he whispered into her ear. "I think he has been missing you the last few days, just as I have."

"There was so much to do with the wedding preparations and my brothers occupying my time that I couldn't visit you," Victoria apologized.

"I know, Victoria. I don't blame you. We have both been busy, and there wasn't time to sneak away into the cave." Diego grinned as he continued. "My father tried hard to play chaperone while were officially engaged and not to leave us alone, but he had no chance when we vanished into the cave."

"Once I knew where to find you, you couldn't keep me away any longer," Victoria smiled. "After all these years it took you to remove your mask for me."

"But, I still have endangered you, Victoria. It was always my greatest fear that something might happen to you because of Zorro. And now, you almost died!"

"It's over now, Diego. I'm alive, and we are married. That's all we ever wanted." She turned around and embraced him. "It wasn't your fault! It was de Soto's plan, and you saved me. Without you I wouldn't be alive. You need to accept that."

"I don't know if I can do that so easily, Victoria." Diego caressed her, running his hands up and down her back.

Victoria freed herself from his embrace and sat down at the desk. "The soup is getting cold, can we eat now?"

"I'm sorry, Victoria. You're right. You need to eat." Diego sat down on the opposite side of the table, but before he started to eat he took her hand and kissed it, gently stroking across her hand with the wedding ring. "I can hardly believe that you're here with me as my wife."

After they were finished with their meal, Diego drew her on his lap again. "Shouldn't we go back to the hacienda, Diego? Our families will start to question where we are."

"I know, Victoria, but I'm not ready to share you yet," Diego admitted. "Seeing you dead in that coffin was the most terrible thing I could imagine, and I can't forget that so easily. I need to hold you and feel you in my arms a while longer before we go back."

He started to kiss and caress her, and Victoria returned his tenderness, relaxing in his arms, only now realizing that she could have been dead. Holding onto each other, they took some time to cope with the events of the day.

Diego was reluctant to leave the cave, but Victoria didn't want to stay any longer.

"No, I don't think we should continue to hide here, Diego. I'd prefer to go back to the hacienda and meet with our families. It was a terrible day, but we can't run away from life. We need to go on and leave the cave." Victoria kissed him. "You won't lose me so easily again. I'll be safe at the hacienda among our family and friends. De Soto is in jail, he can't harm us anymore."

"You're sure you don't want to rest some more? Do you feel well enough to join the party?" Victoria nodded, and he gave in, unable to resist her pleading. Releasing her after another long kiss, he led her over to Esperanza and helped her up on the horse.

"Be careful with your head when we ride out of the cave," he warned her, sliding into the saddle behind her. Using the door switch, he rode out of the cave, and soon they arrived at the entrance of the hacienda.

Locking hands, he led her into the parlor where his father and her brothers were sitting together, discussing the events of the day. They were joined by several guests, mainly members of the extended family, who were staying at the de la Vega hacienda for the wedding, and who had decided to feast on the prepared food even without their presence.

"Diego, Victoria," his father embraced them, "there you are! Where have you been? Ramon and Francisco arrived a while ago and were surprised you hadn't arrived earlier."

"We needed some more time, Father," Diego said with a small smile. "We got married before we came here."

"Congratulations!" Alejandro exclaimed, surprised. "Why didn't you wait until tomorrow? I wanted to be present at the ceremony!" he asked, offended.

"There was no time to get everyone back into church so quickly," Diego explained. "One of the church helpers served as witness, it was enough." Diego put his arm around Victoria's waist, assuring himself of her presence.

"Are you alright, Victoria?" Alejandro asked, concerned. "Your brothers told me that you appeared to be dead when Diego opened the coffin."

"I don't recall. All I know is that I couldn't breathe," Victoria remembered, scared.

"It was a nightmare for all of us. But, I will keep her safe now," Diego declared, and Victoria threw him a look that Alejandro didn't miss.

"You must tell me what happened, Diego," Alejandro insisted. "There is much I don't understand. I'm still surprised that you didn't believe for a moment that Victoria left you for Zorro. If you hadn't acted immediately, you would have been too late to save her. Francisco told me that you were about to kill de Soto, but suddenly you changed your mind. Why did you hold back? And how were you able to defeat him in the first place?"

"It was terrible, Father. I don't want to talk about it right now. We need to thank the Lord that Victoria is still alive." He showed a blank face, hiding his emotions, but his fingers cramped around Victoria's waist.

"It's over, Diego," Victoria assured him and threw a helpless look to Alejandro, who started to understand that it had affected Diego more than Victoria, and that Diego still needed to overcome his shock.

"Let it lie, Diego," Alejandro advised him. "Let's enjoy your wedding. You're finally married, and that's a reason to celebrate." Alejandro drew them back to their guests, putting glasses of wine in their hands.

"To the wedding of my son, Diego, and Victoria!" he toasted. "To the future of the de la Vega family!"

Diego faked a smile, sipping only at his wine, staying tense, unable to relax. There wasn't a moment he let Victoria out of his sight, placing himself in view of the dance floor and the rest of the room. Their friends congratulated them on their wedding, but his father wasn't the only one who was offended that they had married without them. Others simply didn't mind, as the celebration and the good food were the main attraction.

The arrival of the Mexican soldiers and the new government were discussed too. Francisco and Ramon were asked about their opinion, but they had only spoken briefly with the new captain and couldn't say much yet.

Take out scene from the cave that was included to serve the challenge requirement of carving a Z: He took the whip from a side table, and showing his skill from long practice, he carved a Z into a loose stone on the ground, before he hung up the whip on the wall next to his other weaponry.