Chapter 19: A risky decision

While Don Alejandro was leaving on his side, escorting the señoras' cart, Monastario and the capitán mounted.

"This way." Monastario said by opening the path.

...

In the cabin, Zorro went down from his hideout, struggling again against dizzy spells. Making sure there were no more lancers around, he went out and whistled for Tornado.

The whistle didn't escape Toledano and Monastario who exchanged a smile. The Fox was well and truly present... However, must they believe Don Sebastián about his exploit?

Ten meters from their starting point, Monastario stopped, puzzling the capitán.

"You have trouble?" He asked.

"I have the feeling that my horse has a stone under his shoe... Keep going straight on, the encampment is less than ten minutes. I will join you there." Enrique explained by dismounting.

"Very well." Toledano said by frowning briefly.

Monastario watched him leave, and then he mounted and turned back in the direction of the first encampment. He arrived there when Tornado showed next to the Fox. Monastario erased a quick smile and rode more. By doing so, he noticed that the masked bandit had trouble mounting.

Diego had unfortunately confirmed the words of El Lobo, I'm afraid. Enrique became alarmed.

Tired, Zorro was startled when he felt some hands resting on his shoulders for support. He turned his head with surprise.

"Señor Monastario." He said astonished.

"The wolf left you a nice bite." The latter said by discovering the dagger and by moving his hand as for taking it out.

"Don't touch it." The Fox winced. "Although painful and very unpleasant, the fact that the blade is still in the wound lessened the bleeding."

"Let me at least help you mount your horse." Enrique said while the stallion, guessing the state of his rider, knelt to help him at its manner.

"Gracias, my friend." Zorro whispered.

"You should go and see Doctor Avila before anything else."

"Señor... I have unfortunately no time to go there."

"You won't be able to go back home like this!" Monastario exclaimed.

"And yet, I have to."

"Why didn't you show up when we were in the cabin?"

"And thrown into panic Señor De la Vega?"

On this point, I can't say anything. The former capitán sighed.

"Señor Monastario, go back with Capitán Toledano... I should be in measure be able to go back home."

"These aren't reassuring words, De la Vega." Enrique couldn't refrain to say.

Zorro smiled briefly.

"You know the way back to the cave, don't you? I'm not in the state to lead you there." He said to Tornado's attention after having saluted Monastario.

Tornado disapproved his rider's words by neighing.

"Try too not to make me fall." Zorro added as he lied down on his equidae friend's back, which galloped away under the worried look of Monastario.

...

The former capitán quickly joined Toledano just a few minutes before he arrived to the second encampment.

"Is everything alright?" Arturo asked.

"Yes, but a visit to the blacksmith is necessary." Enrique said soberly.

When they discovered what was left of the second encampment, they were flabbergasted.

"Señor De Otsoa overdid it." Toledano underlined.

"Yes, indeed."

"Hola... Is there anybody here?" Toledano cried out. "I am the Commandante of Los Angeles. The bandits have been apprehended. You can go out."

"Gracias" echoed to his words.

Monastario and Toledano saw numerous persons coming forward, including four women and three children.

"Who among you is Doña Lucinda?"

A young woman came closer apprehensively. Did the capitán have some bad news to tell her?

"I am Doña Lucinda." She said with a voice full of confusion.

"Do you know how to ride?"

"Y... Yes." She answered with surprise.

"Very well. Private Perez, dismount!"

"At your command!"

"I know that the carts won't be very comfortable, but please get inside. The lancers will escort you to Los Angeles. Doña Lucinda, your husband asked me to lead you to him." Toledano continued.

"Señor." Called a señora with a slightly stranger accent.

"Si, Señora."

"Where is the man in black?" She asked naïvely.

The man in black? Zorro for sure. Monastario smiled mischievous.

"I regret, Señora, we didn't see the man you're talking about... You have a slight accent. If you permit me, where are you from?" Toledano explained.

"I'm from Mexico City, Señor."

"Private Hugo, dismount... Señora, I beg you to be willing to follow us, too."

Hugo obeyed smiling and went to help his colleagues to board the former hostages in the carts before settling next to the coach drivers.

"Señor?" The Mexican woman interrogated, puzzled.

"We will lead you to the De la Vega hacienda. You will be better there than in the tavern."

"I don't need favored treatment, Señor. I just want to be able to inform my brother than I'm free."

"You will have more ease to write there than in Los Angeles, Señora?"

"Señora Angela De Santa Anna." She introduced herself.

Toledano and Monastario exchanged a surprised look, while murmurs could be heard.

"Are you a relative to Señor Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna?" Monastario asked.

"Si. He is my brother." She answered.

"Señora, I would follow the capitán's advice if I were you." Enrique sustained.

Hesitant, the señora finally mounted on the horse.

"Lancers, hurry to go back to Los Angeles. Señoras, Señor Monastario, let's go."

...

Tornado had galloped quicker than usual; slowing down in the delicate passages, feeling that his rider wasn't in top form. He arrived at the cavern long before Don Alejandro arrived to the hacienda. Inside, Tornado neighed to warn Bernardo.

Surprised, this latter stood up in one jump and went quickly next to the horse. His look laid on the black form completely round-shouldered on Tornado.

"Gracias Tornado." Diego whispered while Bernardo helped him to dismount.

"Gracias, Bernardo... Now, you have to help me... to dress... I have to join the hacienda."

Bernardo indicated him the inside stairs.

"No, Bernardo... I can't go back by the inside... My father will arrive in a moment or another."

Bernardo seemed to be surprise.

"My father won't be alone..." Diego winced by beginning to untie his cloak with his left hand, intriguing Bernardo who hadn't seen yet the wound.

"Our friend Don Sebastián... has treacherously stabbed the Fox. Taking benefit of a careless mistake from him." Diego explained as good as he could.

Bernardo became sallow and went round of his friend. When he discovered the dagger, he felt like a blow struck him and quickly went in front of Zorro.

"My friend, I have another request to ask you... You see my vest and my white shirt hanging... Go and fetch them."

The manservant obeyed to his friend and went back with the clothes.

The most difficult task still remains to ask him. Diego sighed

"Now, you will pull out the dagger and pierce the clothes at the same place."

Bernardo nodded a no, he found the idea bad.

"Time is short... I can't keep the dagger until my father's arrival. A man... Don Hernando will be there. He is a doctor... He was there when Zorro was wounded... He warned me and in a way he permitted me to avoid the worst... And if he sees the dagger..."

Bernardo sighed and winced... Then he moved behind him and looked at the weapon.

"Above all, take it out in one motion." Diego said by going to lean on the wall.

The manservant looked at the young don, torn between the will to obey him and the fear to hurt him even more. Just thinking of it, he was feeling nauseous. He went to put away the clothes on a wood chest, and then came closer again.

Diego closed his eyes. He knew it was a lot to ask, but he couldn't take the risk to be discovered like this. If he managed to go to the hacienda by the main door, in a pitiful condition, an attack was an easy explanation. When he felt Bernardo laying a hand on his back to take support, he breathed in a long time and waited.

The blade slipped sharply out of the wound, inducing sweat and weakness as well for one and the other. Bernardo dropped the weapon and, holding up his friend, helped him to sit down a moment.

"Gracias." Diego said by clenching his teeth.

Bernardo tapped him on his left shoulder to comfort him, and then he picked up the dagger and went to stab the clothes, trying to inflict damages at the level of the wound.

Afterwards, he helped Diego to dress. The ordeal was trying for both.

Once ready, Diego went closer to the outdoor exit of the cavern. As soon as he was near, Bernardo restrained him. The weather wasn't good.

"My friend, I must arrive to the hacienda by using the main door." Diego explained, his head feeling heavy. "If I'm not back in twenty minutes, you have the right to come and look for me."

Bernardo frowned. It won't take so many minutes to go from the cavern to the hacienda by outside, on foot...

Reluctantly, he released him and looked at him moving forward.

As they were on their way, Toledano, Monastario, Lucinda and Angela got the unpleasant luck to find themselves under a very light rain.

"That's all we need." Monastario grumbled.

In the brightness of lightning, he glimpsed a move on his left and guessed a black silhouette walking with difficulties. He stopped and observed.

"Señor Monastario, why stop? Do you want to catch Death?" Toledano questioned.

"Don't wait for me." He said without other explanation before leaving toward the point he was looking at.

Astonished, Toledano followed him with his eyes a moment.

"Señoras, let's hurry. We aren't far anymore."

"What about Señor Monastario?" Angela interrogated.

"He knows what he is doing." I Hope. "The weather is not good to wait. I will feel guilty if you'll get a cold."

They started again their path, puzzled by the action of Señor Monastario; lucky for them, the rain stopped, but the weather remained heavy. When the little team arrived to the De La Vega hacienda, the sky was so dark that it could be mistaken for night. The storm was growling. Flashes of lightning were streaking the sky. The wind was blowing even more violently and the rain had started to fall again moderately.

As soon as they arrived, a manservant opened the door for them. It's true that Don Alejandro, after having called vainly his son, had informed that he was waiting on some guests.

What's Diego doing? He should already be back. He got worried.

"Señor." He said to Hernando. "It appears to me that someone just arrived. I will leave you a moment."

"Do, Señor De la Vega." Retorted the doctor. "Say to Doña Isabella to remain seated."

"I won't miss it." The old hidalgo said by letting the doctor next to his ward in the company of Crescencia.

"Capitán Toledano, everything went alright?" He asked when arriving in the sala.

"Si. Let me introduce you to Doña Lucinda, the doctor's wife." Arturo announced.

"Señora." Don Alejandro saluted by bowing.

"Permit me to introduce you to Doña Angela De Santa Anna." He presented then.

Surprised, Don Alejandro didn't miss nonetheless to salute the señora like he should.

"Please, take a seat." He said inviting them to sit down.

Each took place around the table.

"And for you, Don Alejandro, everything was alright?"

"Yes, I installed Salena in a guest room. Don Hernando is near her with Crescencia. Doña Isabella, the doctor told you to remain seated."

"We always have to follow the doctor's advice, Mama."

"Yes, Diego, always." She said smiling.

"By the way, where is Don Diego?" Toledano asked all of sudden.

"Where is Uncle Enrique?" Isabella interrogated in the same time.

The capitán's question threw a slight unease in the room while outside the thunder growled strongly. A second one, very close, hid the noise of a table falling with a roar. Isabella raised her eyes to Don Alejandro and bit her lips. Why has the capitán asked this question? Did he have some doubts about her friend's identity?

Monastario quickly found himself where he was aiming at. He had seen the black form falling down. Dismounting off of his horse, he hurried next to the man on the ground and turned him.

"De la Vega!" He exclaimed by recognizing him.

Suddenly, lightning struck and the thunder growled immediately; frightening the horse, which galloped away.

"Just my luck!" He grumbled.

"Well, Don Diego, get up!" He shook him.

"Tired." The young don whispered.

At least, he isn't unconscious.

"I don't want to hear anything, Soldier. You have to get up, it's an order!" Monastario said authoritarian, helping him to stand up by holding him up on his left.

As good as they could, both men began to walk.

"Why didn't you stay home? You don't make life easy." Monastario moaned.

Diego was heavy. Lucky for them, the hacienda wasn't far anymore.

Bernardo, who was on the lookout for Diego's return, was surprised to see Monastario opening the patio gate, helping Diego to walk.

"De la Vega." Monastario called.

Inside the hacienda, Isabella and Arturo just came to ask their questions. To cap it all, the thunder growled in the same time, hiding the call of the former capitán.

"Don Alejandro." He cried out then before falling down, wincing, under the weight of Diego who passed out.

The table, next to them, fell down also, carried along by the fall of both men as a second hit of thunder roared.

Bernardo hurried in the hacienda, going down the stairs quickly.

"I suppose that..." Don Alejandro began answering, but he stopped suddenly while the main door was opened vividly, startling each one.

When the manservant noticed so many people, he didn't take time to be astonished and made signs to Don Alejandro to come. Without waiting, he braved the bad weather and went back outside.

Señor De la Vega and Toledano exchanged a perplexed look. What was happening?

Confused, Don Alejandro excused himself and went to the doorstep with a lump in his throat.

"Diego." He exclaimed with apprehension by discovering him lying on the ground, under the rain. Next to him was Monastario who just came to extricate himself.

He hastened to their sides and noticed his son's wound at a glance. Toledano had stood up at the exclamation of their host and went outside with urgency.

"Capitán Toledano..." Monastario began by grabbing the legs of the young don while the officer seized him under the arms. Enrique winced slightly under the effort. Bernardo went back to the hacienda and held the door opened to ease the movements.

Inside, the señoras have finally stood up, puzzled by the general reaction.

"What's happening?" Doña Lucinda asked, astonished.

"I... Diego!" Isabella breathed out.

Noticing her friend so pale and her uncle wet from head to toes, Señora De la Cruz felt her legs failing her.

She took support on the table, nauseous. Angela, who was at her side, helped her to sit down again.

"Who is he?" She asked.

"Diego De la Vega... Our host's son. He is a very good friend." She explained.

Diego...

The child turned to his mother, worried.

"Uncle Diego is not well." He said. "He is as unwell as Zorro." He whispered then, intriguing Doña Angela who seemed to be the only one to have heard him.

"Uncle Diego?" Isabella repeated with astonishment... "The doctor will come to take care him." She explained, getting a hold on her surprise.

"We don't have time to go and request Doctor Avila." Monastario, on to whom the first sentence of his little nephew didn't escape, remarked.

"My husband can take care of him." Doña Lucinda intervened while Enrique and Arturo laid Diego down on the sofa.

It's true that Don Hernando can intervene. However, I don't know how Diego was wounded. I doubt that he came back to the hacienda without having thought about it. I must have confidence in him. Don Alejandro mused.