Finally Revealed
Chapter Four

    Diego had never had such a rough ride since he knows how to ride.  His
head was throbbing with pain and he can feel the wound on his shoulder
turning worst.
 
" I better get back before I become unconscious." Zorro thought as he rode
painfully.

Bernado was back in the cave; he was waiting for his young master.  He was
greatly worried; he had also recognized the man in the plaza.  He shivered
just thinking about it, because Desoto was his formal patron.  He remembered
deeply the day Diego asked him to be his servant.

"Bernado! Hurry up and prepare those silverware and napkins! And get those
nasty things of that vase!" Yelled Jose Desoto to his servant, Bernado.  He
hurried and got everything ready and dusted of a bug on THAT vase.  He was
the best servant of all Desoto has, so he couldn't afford to lose him.

" I wonder who's coming?" Bernado thought, born a mute, he had to communicate
using his hands or pen and paper.  Sometimes when he has trouble ' Talking'
with Desoto, his master loses his temper and yells at him, Bernado feels sad
deeply in his heart.  But he has no one who understands him until he met
Diego.

Just then, one of the servants came to Desoto and told him that the guest had
arrived.

" Show him in" Desoto barked.  The servant went to open the gate and lead the
guest into the sala.  Bernado peeked out from the kitchen to see who this
guest of his master's is.  He saw a young man walked in the door, tall and
handsome, there was somewhat familiar with this man, but he couldn't think
where he saw him before. He nodded to the servant that took his hat.  Bernado
rubbed his eyes, that was the first time in his life he saw a man with
position nodded to a simple servant.

" Beunas Nochos!  Welcome to my humble home, Don Diego, I apologize if there
is anything inconvenient to you." Desoto said.

" No, no, not at all, Don Jose, thank you for inviting me for dinner." Don
Diego replied. He caught a sight of Bernado looking towards him; he smiled at
him.
Bernado quickly ducked down the small window, " Don Diego! No wonder he looks
so familiar," He thought, " He won the school fencing championships!"
 

As they were seated, Desoto yelled at Bernado, " Bernado! Bring out the wine!"
Bernado quickly braced himself and carried the bottle of wine and glasses out
to them.

" Gracias" Don Diego said to him as he poured some wine into his glass.
Bernado simply nodded and continuing to pour some for his master.

" My servant is a mute, he cannot speak." Desoto said before Diego even had
the chance to ask.  " I see, but I have to comment that he is a excellent
servant" Done Diego replied, winking at Bernado, he blushed and went back to
the kitchen to bring out the tortillas.  But when he was about to place it on
Diego's plate. He accidentally dropped the sauce onto the guest's jacket.

" Bernado!!!! What do you think you are doing!!" Desoto screamed at him.
Bernado panicked, he knows Diego comes from an important family.  Desoto will
kill him if he is offended.

But Diego calmly said," It's alright, Don Jose, everyone makes mistakes.'

" Not my servants! I'll be sure to punish him Don Diego, for ruining your
jacket."

" It's alright…" Diego tried to tell him.

" No, Don Diego, I cannot let a simple servant offend one of my important
guests" Desoto implies, glaring at Bernado.  Knowing that the punishment will
be big, he said sternly," Don Jose, I was not offended nor was Bernado's
fault, now you keep your temper down or I shall take Bernado with me."

Bernado's head jerked up with bewilderment.

" Only if he is willing to." Diego finished, glancing at him.

Bernado nodded his head so hard like it's going to fall off.  This was the
first time someone ever stood up for him, he felt so happy.

" But..but…" Desoto stammered, afraid that he would be sue, he didn't say
anything.

" Come, Bernado," Diego said, staring at Desoto," We shall leave now."
Taking his hat and Bernado at his heels, they left.

Bernado kept signing something as Diego looked closely.  " My dinner? What
about it?" Diego said.  Bernado kept signing some more.  " What am I going to
do?" he said, Bernado nodded, Diego looked at him with a grin and said, " I
believe that there will be a tavern around here to let us enjoy, eh?' Bernado
looked at him with a smile.  " I'm glad that I came with you patron, thank
god." Bernado prayed in his heart, he smiled at his young master as they
walked into a tavern.

Hoof beating brought Bernado back to life, he hurried to Tornado's stable to
see if Zorro's back.  Indeed he is, Bernado was happy at first but when he
saw the blood on his shoulder, his smile faded. He hurried and helped Zorro
dismount and lead him to a small bed they had in the cave.

" How is it?" Diego asked weakly as Bernado took off his shirt and checked
the wound.  Bernado shake his head.

" Bad eh?" Diego said, the dizziness still didn't fade away, he's beginning
to feel sleepy and hot. And then blackness fell upon him.
 
To Be Continued