BEGINNING OF THE LEGEND

Disclaimer – I don't own the rights, Zorro Productions Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.

This is an AU version from a part of the movie length episodes "The Legend Begins" whereby Diego's secret is immediately discovered the moment that Zorro makes his first appearance to release Don Alejandro and Victoria Escalante from the cells.

I wrote this on Monday and it's just a one shot and not intended to become part of an alternate storyline. I don't think I have the patience or the desire to rewrite the series with this change as others have done but the ending is close enough to the series that it should fit in without too much trouble - at least I hope it does :)

I have included parts from the episode.

Don Alejandro silently fumed as he looked around the dirty cell; he should not have let his temper get the better of him but when Ramón grabbed Senorita Escalante after he claimed that she was inciting rebellion, his strong sense of duty towards the fairer sex would not allow him to stand by and do nothing, so he had moved to stop their incompetent leader from arresting her. But when Ramón insulted him, he became so enraged that he couldn't help but punch the arrogant man on the nose. That action had landed him in one of the cells with Senorita Escalante in another.

Victoria gazed at the older gentleman through the bars. "Thank you for standing up for me Don Alejandro." she said sincerely.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "You're most welcome Senorita."

She nodded and moved to sit down on the cot. "What is going to happen now? Who's going to help us?"

He shrugged. "I not sure but if I know my son, he will come up with something to help us."

She nodded again. "I guess you are pleased to have your son home again." she commented.

Don Alejandro smiled as he too sat down. "Oh yes, I missed him a great deal these last four years."

Victoria smiled back. "He probably missed you too."

He chuckled. "Mmmm, perhaps not as much as he should. There are plenty of distractions for a young man in Madrid." he replied somewhat absently as he remembered his own youth in that wonderful city. To the time he met and married his beloved Felicidad, much to the astonishment of both families. Although the de la Vega family was very well respected, it wasn't of noble blood but Felicidad wasn't deterred by her family's concern and was determined to marry the man she fell in love with. Some believed that he should not marry such a wilful woman but he loved her strength for he knew that he needed a strong wife; all the de la Vega men did, for their own stubbornness was well known.

Victoria noticed the soft look that came over the older man's face and it was obvious to her that he was remembering the time had had been in Madrid with much fondness. She left him alone with his memories and sat more comfortably on the cot and strangely her thoughts turned to Don Diego.

She had been surprised by his appearance in her tavern; not that she wasn't expecting it, after all Don Alejandro had told everyone that his son was due to arrive home from Spain at anytime, she just wasn't expecting it right at that moment when she had trouble with that lancer. She didn't want him to think that she was some wild crazy girl running the tavern, she wanted to show him that she had grown into respectable woman; although she didn't want to think too hard on why she would want his good opinion but it seemed that he didn't mind at all.

In fact she had seen his obvious interest and it had made her heart pound. Over the years, plenty of men had watched her with interest, some with good intentions, while others had not but this time it had been different. This time she had felt her own attraction towards the young Don.

Both their musings were interrupted by the door opening and a dark shadow entered.

"Buenas noches." the shadow said making both Don Alejandro and Victoria rise to their feet and stare at the masked man.

"Who are you?" Don Alejandro asked as he narrowed his eyes at the strangely familiar figure.

"What are you?" Victoria asked as she gazed at the strange vision of a masked man on the other side of the bars.

The masked man gave a ghost of a smile as he introduced himself. "I'm a creature of the night. Like a fox. El Zorro."

Victoria almost snorted, what kind of name was that. "El Zorro?"

Zorro hid his grin at the disbelief on the young Senorita's face and moved closer to the bars. "Perhaps you would like to leave."

Don Alejandro frowned, he didn't like this situation at all and just why was that man so familiar to him. "How do we know that you don't work for the Alcalde?" It certainly was something that Ramón would do; to arrange a prison escape. "Maybe he just wants an excuse to shoot us." he added after a glance at the young woman who seemed rather taken by this stranger.

Zorro straightened to his full height. "Then he'll have to shoot me first." he stated calmly but forcefully as he reached over and removed several keys from a hook on the wall. "If its freedom you want, follow me." he added as he unlocked their cell doors and then replaced the keys back on the hook.

Don Alejandro glanced at Victoria, who nodded; both deciding to take advantage of the situation and leave. He grabbed his jacket just as Zorro opened the rear door of the cuartel and as he passed the stranger, he suddenly realised who it was. "Madre de dios." he muttered to himself. "Diego, what have you done?" he added silently. He had no intention of betraying his son, so he kept quiet and with Victoria, he left the cuartel and made his way around the rear of the building.

Victoria bit her lip as they reached the tavern. "Don Alejandro, when the Alcalde finds out that we are gone, he's going to be searching for us or at least he will come here and then I'll be put back in the cells for escaping."

Don Alejandro held back a sigh, he had hoped to talk with his son alone but she was right. "You better come back to hacienda with me then, at least until things have calmed down."

Victoria nodded. "Muchas gracias."

They arrived at the hacienda just after dawn and as they entered through the front door, they saw Diego walking by.

Don Alejandro frowned, wondering why his son was coming from the direction of the library at this time of the morning. "Diego!"

"Hello father." he said, pretending to ignore the fact that his father should not be walking around their home. Then suddenly he spun around to face them. "Father! What are you doing here?"

It was Victoria who answered. "Your father and I escaped from the jail. It was incredible."

Diego frowned slightly. "But how did you...?"

Don Alejandro gazed intently at his son. "A man in a mask came in and released us. He was dressed in black with a long flowing cape..." he replied as he silently dared his son to admit that it was him.

"And a whip." Victoria added.

Don Alejandro nodded. "And a sword."

Diego sceptically raised an eyebrow. "A masked man? Really?"

Don Alejandro was impressed by his son's acting ability; he had the right amount of disbelief in his voice that no-one would suspect him.

Victoria bounced lightly on her toes. "It's true. How do you think we escaped?"

Diego frowned slightly. "What about the Alcalde and the soldiers?"

Don Alejandro smiled with pride at the sight of his son fighting with such skill. "He overpowered them all single-handed."

Diego looked suitable amazed. "That's impressive. Who is he?" he asked them.

Don Alejandro again gazed at his son's face to see any indication of deception but saw none; his son was definitely a good actor. "He said his name was..." he gazed over at Victoria for help, he had been too caught up in the knowledge that his son had become a bandit, an outlaw, to remember what had been said.

Victoria glanced at Don Alejandro wondering why the older man hadn't remembered such an interesting name. "El Zorro." she replied.

Don Alejandro nodded. "Zorro."

Diego crossed his arms to show his disbelief at such a ridiculous name. "El Zorro? A Fox? Really?"

Victoria smiled dreamily at the memory of the mysterious man in black. "Yes and like a fox, he disappeared into the night. If only we could find this man, this Zorro. Well, he could help us fight the Alcalde." she added.

Diego frowned. "I wouldn't count on that Senorita, the man sounds like a brigand to me."

Victoria was insulted that he didn't see El Zorro like she did. "I wish you could have seen him, then you'd know what a true hero looks like."

Diego felt strangely hurt at that comment, did she think that heroes only ran around in black with a mask and sword, didn't she see that heroes were everywhere, not fighting with swords but battling against the weather, against sickness, against injustice in whatever way they could. Or was he reading too much into her comments, after all he didn't know her all that well; he had only been home for four days.

Don Alejandro saw something flicker in Diego's eyes and decided to change the subject away from this masked man that seemed to have captured Senorita Escalante's interest. "Diego, there's going to be a meeting of the caballeros tomorrow. Until we can do something about this tyranny, better stay out of the Alcalde's way"

Diego gazed at his father and wondered at the particular comment; had his father worked out that it had been him who had released them from prison? "Sounds like good advice." he agreed.

Don Alejandro nodded as he turned to Victoria. "I'm not sure about you Senorita but I'm feeling quite hungry. If you like, I'll have Marie cook up some breakfast for us." he said as he reached over and pulled the cord.

Victoria smiled. "Thank you Don Alejandro, I am feeling rather hungry, it must be the excitement of the escape and meeting El Zorro." she replied as the de la Vega housekeeper came up to them.

"Ah Consuela, can you please have Marie arrange breakfast for three in the sala. And can you please show Senorita Escalante to the sala as well."

Consuela nodded. "Si Patron." she replied before she showed Victoria to the sala.

Don Alejandro waited until Victoria and Consuela were out of hearing and gazed at his son. "That was very dangerous son." he said quietly. "I didn't bring you back from Spain to become an outlaw, which is what you will become, now that you have humiliated Ramón and arranged a prison escape."

Diego closed his eyes and took a deep breath; so his father had recognised him. "How did you know?"

Don Alejandro snorted. "Did you think I wouldn't recognise my own son. You may have been away for four years but I know you, son. I know the way you move, the way you speak, your height, I even recognised your moustache. Why did you do it?"

Diego sighed. "I couldn't let you or Senorita Escalante stay in those cells because of the Alcalde's idiotic reasons."

"You could have gone to our lawyers." he suggested.

"True but for all I knew, Ramón could have executed you both before they could arrive." He replied as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Father, I believe that this is the way we can rid our pueblo of Ramón or at least curb his excessive behaviour. If I do this openly, then your life will be forfeited as well as Felipe's. By helping our people in this way, it will protect you from harm for Ramón can't use you against me. You know I am right, father." he added.

Don Alejandro sighed and nodded his head slowly, his son was right. "You can't do this alone son, let us work together."

Diego shook his head. "I can't let you do that. You're not exactly..." he stopped, not wanting to insult his father.

Don Alejandro snorted. "You mean that I'm not exactly young anymore. Diego, I don't mean that I would physically fight with you but I can help with your strategies, remember I was a soldier for many years and you don't go into battle without a plan." Don Alejandro rubbed his hands together as he became more animated with ideas. "I would imagine that you will have to change your behaviour to differentiate between Diego and El Zorro, so that you don't raise suspicions and perhaps I can help with that too. Since El Zorro needs to be brash and cocky, you as Diego should be the opposite, weak or foolish and perhaps I can exaggerate my...dislike of...a weak...son..." he faulted as he realised what he was saying, that he would have to be disrespectful to his only son at least in public.

Diego placed his hand on his father's shoulder; he too knew what that meant. "That's too much of a sacrifice father." he said quietly.

Don Alejandro shook his head. "It would be a small price to pay to get rid of Ramón. Besides you are making the bigger sacrifice son but together we can do this. What do you say?"

Diego turned to the window and thought deeply; he didn't want his father involved at all, which is why he had decided not to tell him but as he already knew, perhaps he could help him in ways they haven't thought of.

He sighed as he turned back. "Alright, we'll do this together."

Don Alejandro was pleased, he didn't like the idea of his son doing this on his own; it was too much responsibility for one man. "Good, good. Now there's just one more thing before we go to breakfast."

Diego frowned slightly as they made their way towards the sala. "What is that?"

"Just because that mask hides your face, doesn't mean that you become a scoundrel. I still expect you to be a gentleman at all times. Do you understand me, son?" he said firmly.

Diego felt the tips of his ears burn at what his father was insinuating. "I understand father." he replied rather meekly as they entered the sala.

The End or rather it's The Beginning.

Hope you enjoyed it :)