Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Conquering Fear	By : emmarae3579 Category: S through Z > Zorro Views: 2149 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Zorro, and do not make any money from writing this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Author’s Note: Isn’t it a glorious morning? Thank all of you for your reviews and comments. Let’s see what Felipe is up to.
zzz
Felipe kicked the rock which was keeping him company as he walked, and he frowned when it bounced too far out of his path to kick again. He told himself he was being childish. When he’d given the rings to Diego last night, he’d imagined spending the day talking about all the adventures they’d had over the years. Diego could show the picture Felipe had taken of him after they finally got Diego’s gadget to work. He and Diego could spar for real and Alejandro would swell with pride for a change. Instead, Diego wanted to watch Victoria sleep. He came to town to see if he could hear anything about the mine, since Diego didn’t have time to tell him the story, but all anybody was talking about was Diego and Victoria.
Felipe idly chased down the rock anyway since he had nothing else to do. Rather than kick it again, he looked around for a stick. Next time Diego threw him a rock, Felipe would hit it further. Then Diego would want to spend time with him again. He didn’t even mind if Victoria played, too. He found a decent sized stick behind the cuartel in a pile of discarded wood. Felipe tested its strength, bending it over his knee a little to see if it would snap. Satisfied he’d found a good bat, he took a practice swing and then hit the rock one-handed like Diego had done.
Felipe scowled. That wasn’t impressive at all. He walked over to pick it up again, turned, and wacked it again. He smiled. That one almost went over the fence. He imagined someone’s surprise if they were standing on the other side if he hit a rock over. He happily searched for another, determined to hit it over next time. He paused only briefly when he heard voices, and Felipe stayed bent over and collected rocks in his pockets as he listened. It sounded like the alcalde and the man from this morning, and they didn’t sound happy about Zorro’s interference. Felipe smiled and tried not to laugh.
“That’s him!”
Ok, so maybe shouldn’t have made any noise at all. Felipe tried to turn around as if he hadn’t heard the voice, but his shock was genuine as he turned just in time to fall to the ground to duck a punch. He rolled away from the man, probably one of the guards Diego had mentioned from the mine. His eyes widened when he saw a knife in the man’s hand.
Felipe stepped back again as the man lunged, and he automatically used his stick to hit the man’s wrist. Felipe froze, shocked again when it actually worked and the knife fell from his attacker’s hand. Diego taught him to fight the same as Zorro, and Zorro was always using his environment. A simple stick beat a knife. Felipe put his foot on the knife and watched the man run away. Though he hated practicing drills over and over again, he would never complain again. Felipe hadn’t had to think about how to disarm the man. Those drills Diego had him work on had just saved his life.
Felipe froze as the man came back through the gate, this time armed with a sword. Felipe took a look at his stick. Zorro wouldn’t blink. Felipe, however, thought a stick was a poor match for a sword. He took off running for the main street. Mendoza should be looking for dinner by now, or maybe he should just get on his horse. Diego would know what to do. Felipe had heard his name, had heard the alcalde swear Felipe was deaf. He wasn’t sure what they had been talking about before he was spotted, but they’d sounded angry and Diego should know what was happening.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Felipe had reached his horse, but he hadn’t heard the man so close behind him. He grabbed the back of Felipe’s shirt and threw him to the ground.
The alcalde ran up behind the man and put a hand on his shoulder. “Roque, stop.”
Felipe let out his breath, finally glad for the alcalde’s presence though Roque didn’t lower the sword he held too close for Felipe’s comfort. “This boy overheard us. He was the only one around. You said he was deaf. I don’t believe you.”
Felipe looked up at the alcalde, silently asking for help from a man who should be in jail right next to Roque. Felipe’s heart sank when he saw DeSoto’s empty scabbard. Roque must have taken DeSoto’s sword, and Felipe didn’t see any soldiers running to the rescue. Roque looked over at DeSoto, and Felipe used the distraction to scoot carefully away.
“You’re in this,” Roque growled at DeSoto. “Someone told Zorro what was going on. If it wasn’t this boy, it was you.”
DeSoto glared at Roque. “It wasn’t me.”
Felipe’s horse brought their attention back to Felipe just as the boy rolled under the pony. Felipe didn’t pause, but went after the stick he’d dropped when he’d reached for his saddle. Not his weapon of choice, but something was better than nothing.
Roque growled and lunged at Felipe, and the teen ducked under the hitching post which blocked the attack for him. He focused on calming his breathing, and told himself his stick was a sword. Diego had disarmed him once with a broomstick. Felipe had the best teacher in the world. Now, he’d make Diego proud. He lifted his ‘sword’ in a salute, and walked around the hitching post to face his opponent.
Roque laughed, but Felipe didn’t cower. “Roque, he’s just a boy, and he can’t hear.” DeSoto protested. “Zorro has ways of hearing things. Felipe can’t defend himself. If you kill him, it will be murder. I’m not going to be a party to murdering a boy who isn’t even fifteen yet and can’t hear or talk.”
Roque looked at DeSoto and pointed at Felipe, who stood calmly holding his stick out in front of him. “He sure looks ready to fight. I wouldn’t want to disappoint him. I’ll just rough him up a little. Teach him not to eavesdrop.”
Felipe grinned. Eavesdropping was his job, and he was damn good at it. Roque saw the grin and attacked. After the first exchange, Felipe remembered the first time Diego had hit his sword full strength. Felipe had whined and complained because the blow had shot pain up his arm, but Diego had made him pick up his sword right away. Diego had attacked again and again until Felipe’s arm could handle the full strength of a real attack, not just the textbook moves on how to parry. Now Felipe swung the stick confidently in a wide circle at his side. His wrist and arm didn’t hurt one bit, and he hadn’t dropped his ‘sword’.
He grinned at Roque and drove the man back, remembering to keep his opponent off balance. He angled his charge and smiled bigger when Roque stumbled over some flowers Alejandro had potted along the side of The Guardian porch. Zorro couldn’t have done better, though Alejandro might be upset about the flowers.
“I thought you said he couldn’t fight?” Roque said as he recovered his feet and advanced on Felipe again. Felipe smiled as Roque attacked again, and the man’s anger allowed Felipe to use his own momentum against him, leaving Roque in the dirt. Felipe kept grinning, and now it was he who held his ‘sword’ to Roque’s chest as Roque backed away from the confidence in Felipe’s stance. Diego had also taught him what momentum was. Maybe if he could speak, right now he would be quipping like Zorro about physics or how you shouldn’t attack in anger.
Roque’s fury gave him strength, and suddenly Felipe was reminded he didn’t have a real sword to pin Roque on the ground. Felipe backed away, looking forlornly at the foot of stick he still held in his hand after Roque had sliced through it with the real sword. Well, he hadn’t dropped it. He sadly looked at the other half of his stick laying uselessly on the ground. Felipe looked around for something else to use, but the pueblo was eerily quiet and empty. Felipe sighed. Everyone was in the tavern talking about Diego and Victoria. He wished Diego was here.
Roque was on his feet again. “You little upstart. You think you can defeat me with a stick? I’ll wipe that grin off your face.” Felipe wanted to point out that he wasn’t grinning anymore, but he was too busy ducking. He told himself not to panic, and forced his feet to move forward into Roque’s next lunge. He moved fast enough to block the next lunge of the sword, but Felipe’s eyes still widened at how the blade dug into his stick inches away from his hand.
The offense had worked, because Roque never imagined Felipe would have attacked. Felipe pushed as hard as he could, stepping behind Roque and trying to put him in the dirt again. The taller man stayed on his feet, but Felipe’s attack had been so unexpected Roque lost his grip on his sword. While Roque was off balance, Felipe grabbed the real weapon.
Roque tripped and sprawled on the dirt when Felipe advanced, this time holding real steel. Felipe was breathing hard as he stood over Roque now with DeSoto’s sword. This wasn’t a game. That last move could have been incredibly stupid. Felipe saw his hand tremble and re-focused on his breathing.
He had no idea what to do now.
Zzz
Author’s Note: Fun? I had a lot of fun with Felipe in this chapter, so I hope you liked it. Now ya might have to wait a few days as I clean up the next chapter, but I’ll try to get it up ASAP. Don’t worry too much about Felipe. He’s got DeSoto’s sword now, and he knows how to use it.
Oh yeah…DeSoto… you didn’t forget about him, did you? *evil laugh*
Hope you enjoyed, hope you review.
- 14
- 15
- 16
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Conquering Fear