Chapter 30: A Surprising Tournament
The ceremony day was finally here.
It was excitement in the hacienda and in Los Angeles. To ease the schedule of jousters, it was decided to begin the tournament on the end of the afternoon. We have to admit that with the summer weather, planning it in the middle of the afternoon would have brought additional difficulty, the sun was at its highest point...
The wedding was celebrated in the fresh air of the chapel, in joy and good mood. The yeses exchanged were full of emotions and when the groom and the bride sealed their union by exchanging a tender kiss, there was a royal cheer in the church.
Then the festivities went on at the hacienda. Food, music and dance livened up the warm mood.
...
In the mean time at the pueblo, citizens were enjoying the different meal and drink stalls. Children were dumbfounded in front of the stallholders, which one of them was presenting conjuring tricks. Another was praising the virtues of a miracle product; a third one was explaining the running of a microscope permitting the elders to use it with great carefulness.
In a corner, the poster of the tournament was doing discourse... Who would dare participate to such event? There was no prize as a bonus and the game remained dangerous. However, the rules were strict... The jousters would have to wear a wood dickey. They had to touch the one of their opponent to mark one point. Three points indicated the end of the encounter. The eight best fencers would then clash in an elimination pool. It was forbidden to hit in the back. All injuries, judged voluntary, were eliminatory; however, every injury couldn't be avoided in this sort of game and only the judge was disposed to rule on the type of wound inflicted.
A first rider arrived and noticed the turmoil which was prevailing in the village. His sight stopped then on a poster on his right. Astonished, he pulled it out to read it closer. Zorro had been reprieved; he was now a fully free man. Mad with anger, the man tore up the pardon under the curious look of another rider who was arriving at his turn. This latter waited for him to move away before going to see what could have caused such anger.
He dismounted, collected the pieces of paper and put again the text in order. A smile briefly enlightened the stranger's face before trying to find again this man. If this one had reacted in such virulent way, it could only signify one thing. He was a bandit and Zorro must have had arrested him. Should he then approach him? Lost in thought, he tied his horse after having found a free space and went closer to the tavern. On his way, he was taken apart by the man in question who pointed a pistol between his shoulder blades.
"Not a word, Señor." He ordered before leading him away from the crowd.
"What do you want from me?" He asked firmly in spite of the weapon.
The man was visibly accustomed to being threatened.
For an answer, he was knocked out.
"One, you're too curious; and two, your clothes typical of Mexico are interesting to me." The bandit explained mischievous, knowing well that his victim couldn't hear him before undressing him to steal his clothes.
Then, he took time to gag him, to tie him before moving him in a dark corner, far from the crowd, far from traffic where nobody would notice him.
The bandit pulled the Mexican clothes on and went back on the plaza, looking innocent. As he went closer to a stall of animal masks each as ridiculous as the other, he bought one. After all, it was a day of festivity and what a better way to go unnoticed than to blend into the crowd and to mask oneself.
He stopped close to a second poster and discovered the fencing tournament.
Interesting. He thought with a devilish smile.
The time of the tournament was close; he looked for the register of registrations and enrolled for it.
...
At the hacienda, everyone prepared in order to continue the festivities to the pueblo. Diego left his groom suit to the benefit of brown pants and a black shirt. He then met his father and Salena in the patio. Both of them also changed to go to the pueblo.
A few minutes later, the cart of the De la Vegas arrived in town. Diego, Alejandro and Bernardo went to register to the fencing tournament after having led Salena to Doctor Avila. She was feeling tired and Diego had preferred to conduct her there before everything else. When he went back to the doctor's office, this one explained him that his wife needed rest and then she quickly fell asleep. Worried, Diego wanted to go and see her but the doctor restrained him, the tournament was about to begin. Torn, Diego finally turned back and went closer to the fighting zone.
Don Nacho Torres, the duels' arbitrator, explained the rules to the jousters. Diego took fun to retranscribe it for Bernardo. Once things were explained, he observed the participants. Two of them were masked.
One had a slender look, his hairs were restrained by a stick and the mask which totally covered his face was white and unexpressive. He answered to the name of Salvator and didn't seem very talkative.
The second one was well-built. His clothes weren't typical from California and he was wearing a mask ridiculous enough. His name, Señor Obolle.
Although puzzled like everyone, Diego didn't make any comment; nothing in the rules was contrary to the wearing of a mask.
"I should have taken mine." He discreetly slipped to Bernardo who approved the joke of his friend.
All in all, sixteen people dared to register for the tournament. In order that each one could have the possibility to qualify, each jouster would encounter the fifteen others. When the citizens discovered the young De la Vega among the competitors, there were smiles of amusement. The young don was by advance a loser. It was useless that he participates.
Besides, the first joust opposed him to Salvator.
The silence was made around the fighting zone. Both men saluted then the fight began. Diego won the first two points easily... A little too easily for Don Alejandro's opinion, who made him discreetly a sign to go more gently . Diego stifled a smile and then played clumsy while his opponent changed his game and managed to come back to the score. Finally, the last point of this encounter was attributed to Diego, not without difficulty. Salvator was an experienced fencer.
The crowd remained doubtful in front of Diego's performance.
"His opponent has had pity of him." A first man whispered.
"Señor Salvator let him win." A second one added.
"It's just luck." A third one asserted.
The following fight found opposed Don Alejandro to Capitán Toledano. In no time, each marked a point at his turn under the admiration cries of the crowd. Then the score went up at two for each and it was finally Don Alejandro who just managed to impose himself.
"Don Diego got it from you." Toledano whispered him by squeezing his hand.
The third fight, surprising enough and which made laugh more than one, opposed Bernardo to Monastario. This one was smiling ironically.
Would the manservant be an expert as his master? He interrogated himself.
The joust began and Monastario had trouble to mark the two first points in front of Bernardo who was playing with relevance. Perturbed and under the cheers of the crowd who was discovering Bernardo's ability, Enrique conceded a point reluctantly. Bernardo was delighted. Then the joust ended by a quick point of Monastario.
Among the other participants were Sergeant Garcia, Corporal Reyes, Don Cornelio, the young Rodolfo , Señor Obolle and other rancheros. The interest increased for the encounters of Don Diego, the ones of Bernardo and the ones of the mysterious Salvator who won the majority of his jousts. Señor Obolle, as for him, didn't seem to have his place in this tournament.
Another fight who made admirers was the one which opposed Capitán Toledano to Señor Monastario. The game was tight and the two first points were scored by Enrique. However, Arturo came back to the score under the worried looks of Isabella, Raquel and Angela. Even protected and controlled, the game remained dangerous... It was finally the former capitán who won after an exchange which gave rise to a lively clamor among the spectators.
Of the sixteen participants, forty-three points were obtained by Don Alejandro and Salvator. Señor Monastario followed with forty points. One less was attributed to Toledano. Bernardo created the surprise by winning thirty-eight points , beating Sergeant Garcia by six touches. Behind, humbly, was Diego with twenty-seven points. The eighth place was divided with twenty-six points by Corporal Reyes, Señor Obolle and Don Cornelio. To decide between one and the other a last encounter was organized. It began between Señor Obolle and Don Cornelio.
Señor Obolle didn't appreciate his position and his consecutive defeats. He saw in this fight a manner to take his revenge. However, the joust already leaned in favor of Don Cornelio who won the first two points quickly. The jouster with the werewolf mask could only be angry with himself. His visibility was limited. When the third point began, Señor Obolle attacked slyly; Don Cornelio dodged and attacked at his turn. Vivacious, Señor Obolle managed nonetheless to unarm him and won his first point. But blinded by rage, he didn't stop and plunged his weapon on his opponent's wood dickey on which he had located a hole.
Touched, Don Cornelio fell down, creating surprise and worries in the crowd. Under his mask, Señor Obolle gloated and got ready to finish his opponent . Fast, Diego intervened and stopped the opposing weapon with his. The blades clashed together, making the werewolf react, who noticed then the young don with a decided look. Behind him, Don Alejandro leant over his friend for taking away the dickey as Doctor Avila was clearing a way toward the fighting zone.
"Señor Obolle, you're disqualified." Don Nacho let hear.
"Wh... What?" He stammered.
He looked at his weapon, looked at his opponent on the ground and suppressed his anger before moving away in front of the surge of the other jousters who came to stand next to Don Diego. This latter tried to look under the mask. He knew that voice, he would have sworn it.
Don Cornelio was declared out of competition by Doctor Avila. The wound wasn't very serious, but the don needed to rest. Avila asked him to settle in one of the tavern's rooms where he accompanied him in order to treat him correctly.
The eighth remaining competitor proved to be Corporal Reyes. A little further away, Señor Obolle was trying to take a hold of himself. It wasn't the moment to compromise him. He moved away a little more but remained observant. The young De la Vega was greatly interesting him... After all, he knew his secret... But acting now would have been lack of understanding for the citizens... He had to wait a better time to make of this day of festivity, a mourning day...
Around the fighting zone, comments were racing about the clumsiest swordsman of the pueblo. Padre Felipe let it be heard that Don Alejandro had given some teachings to his son.
"Bernardo is also quite talented." The innkeeper remarked.
"But who is Salvator?" A first vaquero asked.
"Could he be Zorro?" A second one proposed.
"No." the innkeeper asserted. "He is too frail and not big enough."
After all, he was well placed to know it, at the sight of numerous fights that Zorro went on inside the tavern itself.
The eight last competitors went on a line, side by side, and waited for the next step.
"In this hat, we can find your eight names. I will conduct a drawing for the four next jousts. The winner of the first will meet the one of the second and the one of the third will be against the one of the fourth. At last, each winner will meet in a final joust. Am I clear enough?" Don Nacho asked by observing each competitor.
"Very well... For this first fight, we will see a duel between... Sergeant Garcia and... Bernardo." He said by drawing out two first pieces of paper.
The sergeant smiled by rubbing his hands while Diego explained to Bernardo the new rules and who will be his next opponent. And then, he made him understand that it wasn't necessary to hold back his assaults anymore. It was Bernardo's turn to smile and to rub his hands.
"For the second fight, Corporal Reyes will be face to... Face to face with Capitán Toledano." He continued on the same manner.
Reyes winced. He would have preferred fighting against Don Diego.
"Our third joust will bring into conflict Don Alejandro... With Señor Monastario." He pursued. "Finally, for the last fight, Don Diego will clash with Salvator." Don Nacho asserted without drawing the remaining two last pieces of paper.
Puzzled, the sergeant drew them out and checked it.
"You're right, Señor Torres... How did you guess?" Garcia interrogated by making laugh the crowd.
"Baboso." Monastario sighed by raising his eyes to heaven before verifying that Isabella didn't hear him. He noticed Angela hushing a laugh and threw her a beaming smile by making her a discreet nod.
When the first quarter finals began, each could observe the change in Bernardo's game.
It's that he was hiding his game, the fellow. Monastario thought with astonishment.
In spite of his good will, the sergeant didn't get any touches and the joust was wrapped in no time for the spectator's greatest pleasure.
Sighing out of di sappointment , Garcia congratulated his opponent by raising his thumb before saluting him with his blade.
The second quarter final went as fast as this one. Capitán Toledano won three zero facing Corporal Reyes without surprise.
Then came the turn of Monastario and Don Alejandro. Both men saluted, blades crossed and the engagement began. The exchanges were lively, powerful. There was no restraint… Don Alejandro conceded the first two points in spite of himself and came back to the score very quickly.
"You're almost as talented as your son." Monastario whispered.
"Except for today, I never won against him since he returned from Spain and since I learned the truth." Don Alejandro proudly smiled by lunging toward his opponent.
This latter dodged in the nick of time and as soon counter-attacked, scoring the qualification final point.
"It was a pleasure, Señor De la Vega." Monastario asserted by saluting him.
Finally came the joust which opposed Diego to Salvator.
When Don Alejandro left the fighting zone, he met his son and nodded. Time had come.
"Be careful, Son. Salvator doesn't do any favor to his opponents."
"It's my understanding from earlier." Diego asserted by slipping on the wood dickey.
Don Alejandro gave him a pat of encouragement on his back, avoiding his bad side, before going closer to the crowd where wagers were still open.
Confident, Señor De la Vega bet a lot on Diego.
"So what? He is my son after all. I won't bet on an unknown." Don Alejandro argued in front of his friends' looks. "Sergeant Garcia." He suddenly exclaimed when this one announced his bet on Salvator.
"Señor Salvator is quite gifted." Garcia sustained, ill at ease.
"Do what you want, Sergeant." Alejandro asserted as he shrugged his shoulders before turning back toward the fighting zone.
On this one, both men saluted. Salvator felt the tension of his opponent and he knew that he also had to give everything he got in hope of winning the joust. Diego observed once again his opponent. He wasn't fat or very big. His silhouette was surprising for a man... Even the young Rodolfo was better built.
When Don Nacho gave the signal of the fight's beginning, the bets stopped. It was silent and we heard nothing else than the crossing swords. The first point was marked by Diego who managed to surprise Salvator with his new game. Under his mask, Salvator smiled. The Diego he knew was coming back. He increased his attacks at his turn and changed his tactics, putting Diego ill at ease. He knew this sword's play and this technical aptitude. Salvator tied the score while Diego winced, a pain on the back of his shoulder and in his right arm...
The wince didn't stay unnoticed by Salvator who got worried. Although his mask didn't betray his emotions, his way to attack did and Diego as soon noticed it.
"Señor, don't hold back I beg you, you offend me." He asserted by scoring a second point.
The sentence had the wished effect and Salvator corrected himself. His new attack unsettled again Diego.
This can't be... He thought with confusion.
He realized that his opponent just came back to the score at the moment, when he felt also the opposing tip of blade touching him unwittingly on his left arm after having slipped on the wood dickey.
"Diego!" Don Alejandro exclaimed with stupor while his son winced of pain.
As soon, Salvator lowered his weapon and excused himself by using the language of signs, feeling his heart racing.
"It's nothing, Señor, your weapon slipped. These are the game's risks." The young don explained calmly in spite of that.
Don Nacho observed Diego who didn't seem to be any more bothered by this injury.
"Regulation point." He ended to say while the crowd began to be heard.
Diego saluted again his opponent, making him understand that the joust wasn't over yet. Salvator breathed in a long time and gave him back his salute. The young don concentrated more. He must joust like his life depended on it.
The last exchange made him wince once again but he managed to hide his pain and surprised his opponent with his speed. However, Salvator dodged at the last moment and attacked Diego at his turn. This latter was badly engaged and only an expert like him could dodge the assault. There was a "oh" of admiration for his defending move and his following attack which made him score the decisive point.
A hail of applause could be heard while both men saluted.
"Could we see your face, Señor?" Diego finally asked.
Salvator negatively nodded and pointed toward his left arm before indicating him Doctor Avila.
So, he is one from the pueblo to know who the doctor is. Diego concluded by smiling.
His opponent was still worried for him and certainly must be feeling bad about it. On the side of the betters, Don Alejandro got the big prize.
While Diego was led away by Doctor Avila, the following joust began. It opposed Bernardo with Capitán Toledano.
"You're quite good for someone clumsy." Avila joked by observing the wound once Diego had taken away his shirt. "It's a nice scratch that your opponent left you there. I should stitch up your arm, but you risk being bothered for ending the tournament."
"I certainly will be lesser bothered than with using my right arm." Diego underlined as he sighed while there was a lively acclamation around the two jousters.
"Come back to see me after the tournament, I will take care more seriously of your arm." Avila asserted by putting a bandage around the wound before throwing a look to his back under the interested look of Señor Obolle. "The scar is a little red but it's nothing to worry about. Try not to put force on it."
"Is Salena still asleep?"
"I suppose so... How is your head?"
"It's fine. The pain I felt since the incident has strongly lowered."
"Can I have a look under your scarf?"
"Later, Doctor Avila. I have to go back soon on stage."
"Diego, if you want one piece of advice, don't consider this tournament like a game even if it's one. You seemed to be elsewhere facing your last opponent."
"I admit having been unsettled by his game... The fact is that I think to know who he really is." Diego explained. "And she risks to feel guilty a moment for having wounded me."
"She?" Avila questioned, puzzled.
"Si." Diego smiled, amused by the doctor's reaction.
