(Yah-�u Nahkts)
Chapter 1
A strong gust of cool night wind blew into the room through the open window, and she woke up with a shudder. Annabelle blinked sleepily and sat up, her mind still fresh with the disturbing images from her dream. Shivering slightly from the touch of nocturnal coolness on her bare skin, she gathered up her blanket and wrapped it around her body, looking mournfully at the pale shadow that the moonlight left on the covers. Silent tears glistened in her eyes like little ice crystals on a bright frosty morning.
Diego stirred beside her, and she quickly wiped her tears away and slid back under the covers. He lay on his side, his face turned to her, but his eyes remained closed. �Asleep,� Annabelle sighed with relief, though somewhere deep inside she felt a tinge of disappointment. She watched his sleeping form for a while, her eyes caressing every line of his handsome face. Soon another sigh escaped her lips, and Annabelle cuddled up closer to her husband and buried her face in the pillows.
***
�Something bothering you, Diego?� the older de la Vega looked up from his book, watching his son pace back and forth in front of the fireplace.
Diego stopped in his tracks and looked blankly at his father. �I am sorry � I did not hear you,� he mumbled in confusion.
�Apparently so,� Alejandro de la Vega answered his own question and stood up slowly, sauntering over to the young man. �What is it, my son?�
Diego sighed, shaking his head. �It is not me, Father. It is Annabelle. I think she might be having nightmares. She wakes up in the middle of the night, crying � She ��
�Did she talk to you about it?�
�No,� he turned away, placing both hands on the mantel and looking absently down at the empty fireplace. �When she heard me stir, she just covered her face up with a blanket, pretending that she was sleeping. I do not think she wishes for me to know.�
Alejandro gently squeezed his son�s shoulder. �Do not worry, Diego. I am sure she will tell you when she is ready.�
�I hope so,� Diego whispered, stepping away from the mantel. �I would like to go out for a while, Father. Con permiso?�
He left the room, and the old don sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly, and sat back down in his chair by the fireplace.
***
�Don Alejandro?� came a soft voice from behind him, and the old don lifted his head up from the book.
He turned to see his son�s beautiful young wife standing above him by the balustrade, her petite hands nervously clutching the rail.
�What is it, my child?�
Annabelle stepped down hesitantly and approached her father-in-law. �Don Alejandro � I � I need to go back to England for a while,� she blurted out, and her eyes locked on his, begging for advice, begging for support.
�England?� Alejandro rose slowly, intrigued by her obvious unease. �Why?�
She sighed, and the green in her eyes grew dimmer, overshadowed by the dark and melancholy brown. �It will soon be a year since my father�s death,� she spoke, her voice trembling. �I � keep having the same recurring dream every night � that he is being torn away from � that I am left alone. � And the images get worse and worse every time�� Her eyes widened in terror, as the pictures from her dream flashed before her eyes yet again, and her hand flew up almost instinctively to suppress a cry that threatened to escape her trembling lips.
The elder de la Vega placed his hands gently on her shoulders and sat her down in his chair. �It is all right, my child,� he whispered soothingly, worry etched in his dark hazel eyes. �Calm down.�
�I want to tell him goodbye, Don Alejandro,� Annabelle murmured quietly after a long pause, looking past him into nothingness, � � to let his soul rest in peace � and mine as well.�
She buried her face in her hands. �I am afraid to close my eyes at night, Don Alejandro. I did not want Diego to know. I did not want him to worry�,� her voice trailed off.
�He already is,� a familiar voice startled her, and Annabelle jumped to her feet, staring at the tall slender figure of her husband in the doorway.
�Diego, I �� she brought her hand up to her throat, confusion etched on her face.
He shook his head reproachfully and closed the heavy door behind him. �You were wrong not to tell me, querida,� he said quietly, as she moved toward him hesitantly at first and then eagerly, falling into his strong arms. He held her, while she mumbled hurriedly into his wide chest, �Oh, Diego, I am so sorry. I was scared and I � I must go back at least for a while. I��
�We will go,� he whispered softly in her hair. �We will go together,� he repeated firmly, as she looked up at him in surprise.
�But� if you leave with me � what about Zorro?�
Diego shifted his gaze onto his father and read the same expression of perplexity and concern in his face that he saw in the green-brown eyes of his wife. The young caballero smiled confidently. �Capit�n Juarez is a good and honest man. Since he has been placed in charge of the garrison, there has been no trouble in the pueblo. Zorro has not ridden for weeks.� He cocked his head slightly, looking into Annabelle�s deep sparkling eyes. �I will not let you travel alone, mi corazon. The journey is too long and may be a dangerous one as well. Besides, it is only proper for a husband to accompany his wife.�
She smiled at him hesitantly but gratefully, feeling as if the ground were being swept away from under her feet, and she were drowning in the warm loving gaze of his deep hazel eyes.
Don Alejandro coughed uneasily, bringing the two young people back to reality. �I will go and have Bernardo and �tienne pack your things for the journey,� he said and hurried to exit the sala, hearing the embarrassed laughs of the young couple behind him.