When The River Meets The Sea

Chapter 3

Carla, that was the name of the girl in white.

Unlike her experience, Antonio was kind while Tora was evil. Tora fancied Carla the moment he first laid his eyes on her. It wasn't because of love, but it's because Tora knew he could use Carla to his advantage. After all, Carla was Antonio's fiancee, the man he hated the most.

Tora wasn't really fond of the man's dwelling. Antonio was rich and lived life easily while Tora has to use every part of his body just to make it through the day. It was his pride that took the best of him.

Tay Fusa and Tora shared the same goal. It was to annihilate the Spanish colonizers and make the land theirs.

Adding Tora's goal and his hatred towards the man, he lost control. He did the immoral thing to Carla and drowned her at the sea. Tay Fusa, on the other hand, ordered one thousand Japanese pirates to conquer the land.

Antonio, who learned what happened to his beloved, called his father. Governor-General Ronquillo commissioned Juan Pablo de Carrión with forty land soldiers, sailors, a galley, sloops, and a light vessel. Though different in numbers, there was a huge gap between weapons. The Japanese relied on their swords while the other had firearms. The war ended and the Japanese lost but Antonio lost something more.

Carla had the chance to changed that but she needed help. That's why Carmela is in the picture. But, due to her own greed, Carla lost this chance.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's fine." Carmela stopped sobbing, shocked by Clara's response.

"I'm sorry too. You got dragged into this." Carla brushed her hair as the cool breeze danced with it. Carmela calmed her self before asking.

"I hope you don't mind, but.... why me? And how can you make me go to the past?"

Carla stood there for a second. Her white dress moved with the flow of the wind. She then gave Carmela a look of mischief and spoke.

"Well, that's another story to tell. You might change it again."

Carmela felt her blood rose to her cheeks and awkwardly smiled. Carla is really good at teasing, it was part of her charm.

"Well speaking of that," Carla went down and sat on the sand. Carmela sat beside her and faced her, anticipating the next words Carla is about to say.

"....mind telling me what made the past change?"

Carmela blinked as she tried to recall what really happened. By the time she set foot on that time and place, things were already different. She wondered if there's also someone changing the past.

"I'm not sure. When I got there....."

Carmela told Carla everything. She tried to remember the details. And as if it only happened yesterday, her memory suddenly became clear.

It was 1580.

A hand grabbed onto her arms preventing Carmela to face slap with the shore. The strong grip from the man held her carefully, as he brought her feet back on the surface. The girl from the future turned and she saw a man with a well-built body. Not too large eyes, pointed nose, and bushy brows. His hair was tied with a bandana and his radiant smile caught Carmela's interest.

It was the first time she met Tora and it was her first time to fell in love.

Antonio appeared out of nowhere, dragging her away from Tora. The Spanish man then talked to her. He was apologizing for being late and something.

Months passed and Carmela quickly adapted. Though there were times when people around her eyed her weirdly, it still didn't blow her cover. Besides, it's not like they'll buy her reason anyway.

As time passed, Carmela saw how different it was.

There was no loving family and a gentle fiance, they were all greedy for power and money. The Japanese weren't also dangerous, they were hardworking. And as times passed, Carmela's feelings for Tora grew.

For a year, they dated secretly. By the time Tora introduced her to Tay Fusa, that's when things changed drastically.

After Tora proposed to Carmela, he went back home to Japan to ship for new products. Months have passed but the Japanese didn't come back. Mayor Reyes learned Carmela's secret affair, this was the start of her own family hurting her. Antonio was way worse, he would physically hurt her. Especially at that time he saw the ring Tora gave her.

One. One year passed before Tora came back. But, that's when the war started.

Tay Fusa never changed. His goal was still there. The Japanese came back with their weapons and attacked their town. Antonio, his family, and her family believed that this was led by Tora to take her. After all, Tora was Tay Fusa's apprentice. What they didn't know was that Tora was captured by the Tay Fusa and was imprisoned. Tora did everything he could to escape. Fortunately, he did. He boarded a small sampan and sailed across the sea by himself to see Carmela.

Carmela felt her heart weighed down again. The memory at the shore...