A/N: Wanted to recognize that the Family Channel was able to use again the beautiful horse tack from the 1975 Zorro movie again in 1990…so I made up a little short story about it, making the chapter somewhat longer. The series added the black saddlebags, so I did too. Hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who reviews.
CHAPTER EIGHT – Horse Tack History & Visits
The second week, Diego had Felipe saddle up Toronado and take him outside – so that he could sketch Toronado in full tack – for the beautiful detailed bead work on the bridle, the decorative harness with stars in circles encased in more bead work, looking like an extended charm bracelet encased in beaded elongated eye-shaped chain, and silver=plated accents on the saddle…in case anything would ever have to be recreated. He also did it for posterity. Toronado looked grand that day. He seemed to know what Diego wanted of him. He held his head up high while Diego drew quick sketches from different angles. Felipe brought Toronado near so that Diego could sketch the detailed work close up. Diego thought back to when he purchased the beautifully made tack and saddle.
Z
It was a month before he left for Spain, and a traveling leatherwork merchant from San Francisco was on his way home from a long business trip. He pulled his wagon into the plaza on Market Day from San Juan Capistrano, and uncovered his wares. The quality of his work was excellent, but it was difficult to make sales because the price was generally out of reach of most rancheros, except for the very richest. He hoped a rich caballero would buy something this day. He decided that his featured product today would be his 'Black, White and Silver' Fancy Horse Tack Set, which included the saddle, bridle, and beaded decorative shoulder harness.
Young Diego noticed it immediately and was drawn to it.
"This is magnificent work, Senor. It must have taken you a long time to complete it," Diego ran his fingers over the silver-plated coverings on saddle horn, seat back and stirrups. The black leather seat was smooth. The bridle had a silver heart that brought all the black/white/silver beaded 'strands' together in the middle. When put on a horse, the heart would appear in the middle of its 'forehead.'
Diego continued. "The detail is quite amazing and very impressive."
The leatherwork merchant replied, "Gracias, Senor. As I recall, it took me six months to make the set and place the silver touches on it. It is only slightly used, but has been stored for fifteen years. It was commissioned by a magistrado with a passion for justice. He was a wonderful man – a sort of lone crusader. Unfortunately, his stallion died tragically soon after he took possession of it, so he sold it back to us. He couldn't bear to put it on any other horse. He asked us to find a new owner. Somehow, it got put into storage. We recently re-discovered it – cleaned and completed minor repairs on it. It would be stunning on a black stallion or mare. Do you have such a horse, Senor…?"
"Oh, pardon me. I am Diego de la Vega…at your service. And you are…"
"I am Senor Rodolfo Rodriguez of San Francisco. I am a partner in a large tack shop there. My partner runs the local shop, while I attempt to sell our goods along El Camino Real."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance Senor Rodriguez. And no, I do not presently own a black horse, but someday, I hope to. I agree – a black horse would look magnificent and stand out in a crowd with this tack set. But I am leaving for Spain soon to attend the University of Madrid…so I'm afraid it would do me no good to purchase this exquisite set now."
Senor Rodriguez studied the slender young man a moment. He wanted to get rid of the set, for in every town; at least one caballero was always drawn to it, but for some reason or another, no one would or could never purchase it. He liked the young man. He liked him a lot. He decided he would do anything to make sure this teenage caballero purchased this tack set. He knew by the look of him, that this young man came from a wealthy family. He'd heard a little about the de la Vegas. Who hadn't?
"Young man, when you come back to California from University, I believe you will get your black horse. I will make you a special deal. I usually charge a thousand pesos for a tack set like this, but for you – I will reduce it to six hundred – for even though it is a slightly used set – it is in excellent condition."
Diego thought a moment. He would have to keep the purchase a secret and hide the tack until he got home from Spain. He knew his father would never agree to such extravagance when it came to horse tack. Don Alejandro was a practical man – he admired high quality leatherwork tack with limited flourishes, but Diego knew his father would think this set was too impractical. But it's so magnificent. I must have it, he thought. And it will be a good price – if I can get him to throw in a saddlebag set as well…
To Rodriguez, he said, "Senor, if you will make matching saddle bags of black leather with silver buckles and conches, I will gladly purchase this. It is a magnificent set." Diego didn't know when he'd be able to use the tack, but he felt he had to buy it.
Senor Rodriguez agreed. The saddle bags were completed one week before he departed for Spain. Diego stored the set in a forgotten area of one of the storage barns. He forgot all about it until he got home, and found Toronado. After three years, the set only needed a little cleaning, because Diego had wrapped the set in a couple of bolts of material, then put it in a large sturdy box labeled "Diego – Private. Do Not Open!"
When Felipe helped Diego get the set out of storage, the day after they found Toronado, Diego told him the story of the set. "It's like we're continuing a legacy of justice, Felipe. Toronado is going to look absolutely magnificent in this set. It is unique and I've never seen anything like it before – or since. I feel very privileged to have it. I can hardly believe I had the nerve to spend that much money just before I went to Spain – and was able to successfully hide it from Father."
Z
The day Diego planned to draw Toronado, they had to plan it when the gardeners, vaqueros and Don Alejandro were away from the hacienda, because Diego could only go as far as the edge of the garden wall on his crutches without encountering encumbrances like rocks and holes. Felipe had brought a stool and an easel outside by the wall so Diego could sit while he sketched. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but cool. Diego wore a borrowed pair of baggy work pants to sketch, with socks and sandals.
About halfway through the second week, Felipe and Diego were in the Library, when Diego tried putting weight on the leg again – with the same results.
"Aack! It's still not ready yet!" He growled, and threw his head back in frustration, shaking it. "One of these days…you know…you never know sometimes how much you take the simple act of standing up and walking for granted – until it's difficult to do! Ugh!" Felipe nodded soberly and with empathy.
A couple days later, Felipe came into the Library and found Diego sketching again. He signed another question mark.
"Another 'invention' I'm working on to help me walk…I hope. This sketch is a sort of special sandal attachment to my other sandal to give my foot and leg more support, so that I can hopefully 'walk' without two crutches. The sole will have to be really thick, but very strong. I hope it works. I'll call it my 'walking support' – for lack of a better term."
When Alejandro saw the sketch and heard the idea later that evening, he shook his head in amazement. "You really are inventive, son. I guess your studies weren't a total waste after all." Within a day or so, Diego had his 'walking support' sandal, and it enabled him to occasionally use only one crutch. He had to get the hang of walking with it…carefully. He nearly fell a couple times trying to get used to being so far off balance – it made his broken leg longer than his left leg. He'd reach out for the closest thing to him for balance. He realized he would still need at least one crutch even with the support sandal.
The highlight of the week was when Sergeant Mendoza came to visit. It was a Thursday afternoon, and Diego was in the Library with his lap table writing some poetry…about Victoria, of course…her beauty is like the cool eastern breeze that comes from Venus…her passion like the hot southern wind that radiates from the sun, her…and that's all the farther he got before Mendoza arrived. He hastily put his papers and pencils away in his lap-table.
"How are you, Don Diego? What's it been now, two weeks?" Mendoza came over and shook Diego's outstretched hand.
"Hola, Sergeant! Si, it has been two weeks since the accident. Did I tell you, I'm going to need more recipes for your Senor Estómago column? There isn't much news with the Alcalde out of town. When did you say he is coming back?"
"He's due back from his month-long leave in about a week and a half. He left two and a half weeks ago. That is, unless he decides to come back early."
"Do you think there's much chance of that?" Diego thought, uh-oh, what if the Alcalde comes back early and starts initiating more taxes. I still won't be able to ride yet. I need to be able to at least walk on both feet before I can ride a horse. As it was, he still couldn't put weight on it for longer than a minute, but with his 'walking support sandal' the time extended to about five to ten minutes.
"Probably not, but with the Alcalde, you never can tell."
"Sergeant, how would you like to stay for dinner tonight?"
"Oh si, Don Diego, gracias. I would love that. I left Corporal Sepulveda in charge of the garrison for the evening. He likes to take charge now and again."
Z
During the third week, Diego was able to put weight on his leg for short periods of time even without the walking support sandal. This enabled him to put one crutch aside most of the time and be on his feet a little more. He visited the cave at least once a day.
At least I'm progressing. I can feel the pain diminishing and leg strengthening with the weight bearing. I hope all goes well next week, he thought.
When Diego came into town to work on the newspaper that week, a few of the stand owners waved at him in greeting. Peralta, a local peasant farmer, waved and joked, "Senor Torero! Senor Torero!" Diego forced a smile and a small wave…but he did not appreciate the joke. He did not want to be known as "Senor Bullfighter."
Diego was in the Guardian office working on the next edition when Victoria brought him some lunch. He was writing an editorial on community spirit in the pueblo. His leg was propped up on a stool. With the alcalde gone, not much happened, thankfully, the paper was mostly ads and columns. The 'bull fight' was the biggest news to hit the pueblo since the Alcalde went on leave, but there was no way Diego was going to focus on his part in it. Instead, he included an update on his leg in his short editorial, used material that had been bumped from earlier issues, but focused on the roles others played in the event.
The regular columns of Senor Estómagoand Dońa Corazón were expanded during the weeks the alcalde was gone. Zorro hadn't been seen for nearly a month, so there wasn't any news of him. At the beginning of the fourth week, Diego wrote a lengthy editorial about the importance of community cooperation – in order to accomplish certain goals. Diego had also contacted editors of neighboring communities like Santa Paula and Santa Barbara for their top news.
"Good afternoon, Diego. How is everything going today? How is your leg?" Victoria held out the tray of chicken enchiladas and set it on Diego's desk – after he hastily cleared it of a couple short stacks of papers.
"The issue is coming along nicely. I'm expanding Dońa Corazón this week, using your longer answers. I'm sorry that I sometimes have to shorten them to fit. And – uh – the leg is coming along as well, but I can hardly wait to get the splints off. Doctor Hernandez is going to be taking a look at it in a few days. How's the tavern?"
"As usual. Sergeant Mendoza is in tamale heaven, I think." She chuckled.
All of a sudden, Diego's leg itched down near the ankle, and he jumped, because he couldn't lean over that far to scratch it. A surprised gasp escaped his lips.
"What was that, Diego? Are you all right?" Victoria's face showed the alarm she was feeling.
Diego looked around the office for a ruler of some sort. He tried to chuckle, but it fell flat. He spoke crisply. "Yes, I'm fine. Victoria, could you get me that ruler over there on the drafting table? My leg just gave me a powerful itch. I've had itches at home for over a week, but not here. I guess that means it's getting well. But I can't reach it with my hand..."
Victoria let out her breath in relief. "Is that all it was? I was afraid something had bit you, but I couldn't see any spider or snake." She went over the table and brought the long ruler over to him.
Diego hastily took the ruler from her and began moving it back and forth under and between the wrappings. But he moved it slowly, with great deliberation, so he wouldn't cause himself more pain. "So, besides crutches, I'll now have to have a ruler or a stick or something else handy. An itch can be very annoying – almost painful – if not scratched." He grimaced and sighed in satisfaction as the ruler finally found the right spot.
Victoria thought of something she had never followed up on before. "Diego, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"No, I don't mind. What is it?"
"On the day of your accident, you said something kind of strange, and you laughed at something... Can I ask you about that?"
"What are you referring to?" Diego tried thinking back, but all he could remember was his embarrassment at getting hurt.
"Well, I said that Zorro would have been proud of you, and you laughed. I was serious when I said that. Dr. Hernandez said it was probably your reaction to his painkillers. I've said something like that to you before and you didn't seem to be offended. Why this time?"
Diego fidgeted in his chair, then looked down. He was trying to remember what she was talking about. "I'm sorry. I wasn't angry at you." He tried to chuckle, but it didn't come out right. "I was probably angry at myself for being awkward and getting hurt. I'm sure I wasn't thinking clearly." Watch what you say… "Does that answer your question?"
Victoria nodded. "You know Diego, it seemed like you were angry at Zorro for being a man of action that you aren't – normally."
"Me? Angry at Zorro?" He cleared his throat and gulped. Then, he chuckled. "I guess there could be some truth in what you say. It just seems to me that he never gets himself in as much trouble as I do. There must be something about wearing black…" Watch what you say…but I'm tired of watching what I say…
Victoria looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean by that? Zorro's been in some pretty serious situations before; but I guess I can see where you might be frustrated. After all, he has a whip, a horse, and a sword – and you come to the pueblo totally unarmed. Maybe you should consider wearing a caballero's sword…like when I first saw you again…" Her mind drifted back to the handsome caballero who had just returned from Spain.
Diego smiled himself at the memory. "Unfortunately, Victoria, I'm not sure wearing a sword would solve any problems. A person who wears a sword has to be prepared to wield it. I do not wish to be prepared to use one. I am a man of peace. I believe in the power of words…so I fight for justice with the newspaper. And you know the power some words can have." He gave her a smirk, that seemed oddly familiar to her, but at the moment, she couldn't place it.
"Oh please, don't remind me…" Victoria blushed at the memory of Dr. Henry Wayne's potions, and the 'love' she felt for Ignacio De Soto.
Diego chuckled. "I'm sure you were embarrassed about that…that's kind of how I feel…more embarrassed about it all – than anything else. It may be illogical, but that's how I feel. Father Benites said I shouldn't compare myself to Zorro anymore. That it's not helpful."
Victoria gave him a compassionate smile of understanding. "I can understand that, Diego… although I will always remind you of how brave you were that day…but I'll try not to compare you to Zorro anymore either." But she still couldn't understand what his problem was.
TBC