PREPARE TO LOVE.
A historical journey where love takes us into the lives of two lost people.
Gabriella; a poor, young village girl who grew up in cruel words and hatred. Through the sadness, joy, and anger she is brought up into something spectacula...
Manuel stood before the flowers and plants in the garden as he painted it on his canvas. He whistled as the gentle breeze passed through, gathering some leaves by a corner. He had to make a choice, would it be the people or himself?
Aaron came with Charcoal behind him, the two seemed to be friendly with each other. Manuel was happy by this for he too wanted to be friendly with Charcoal as well. Who was she? She never spoke unless she was spoken to, she was always lady Denissa as well and when she was not with lady Denissa, she was alone.
But alone, doing what? What was her goal in life, what did she want to achieve?
"My Lord, she is here." Aaron bowed before leaving them alone.
"My Lord?" She stood before him like a scared girl but she tried not to show it. She did not look at him but stared at his painting instead. Manuel noticed, finding a door to a conversation.
"You like painting?" He asked her.
"Yes my Lord, very much." Charcoal nodded.
"So do I. I know that you were the owner of the paintings, not Denissa." He said watching her nod. He wanted her to do more than just nod. Maybe respond with a 'yes' or say something more. "How did you learn?" He asked her.
"I taught myself. After studying many things about artists in school, I so badly wanted to become one." Charcoal explained.
"You taught yourself to play the pianoforte as well?"
"No, my mother taught me that one. We used to play duets in church gatherings." Charcoal smiled, thinking of the lovely memory.
"Tell me more about your mother, I am sure she is the opposite from my own." Manuel rolled his eyes, remembering the annoyance of his mother. It was just yesterday that she reminded him of marriage. "Yes, every mother is different. But my story is simply a bore my Lord, people do not care to hear it."
"I am not the people, I am ready to listen." Manuel gave her a friendly smile as he handed her a brush, his painting was getting out of hand and clearly he needed help. "Well, my mother was a fair beauty. Always singing, working and baking. She was born here in Spain but people hated her for having me elsewhere."
"Where were you born?" He asked her.
"Here in Spain but I moved to Louisiana when I was less than a year old. My father was a slave before he met my mother but because he escaped, we did not have the best life. We were always kept away, hiding in secret from the world. It was not easy, so he left us. My mother and I moved to Spain where I was given well education because she worked as a teacher in the school I attended, that is where I learned to speak Espaniol. But one day after a false sexual accusation, my mother was sacked from the school."
Charcoal spoke as she painted and Manuel listened very carefully, he had never cared to hear one's life story as her own.
"So she decided to work for a farmer, and l stoppedschool to help her around our cottage. I managed our little garden and washed our dresses. One day I was home reading the righteous King's book when the town guards broke into our home and took me. They would have taken my mother too if she was home but she had gone to the town market. They threw me into their wagon with other girls, I remember some of them crying, I kept on telling myself that I was going to be okay, that the Lord was with me."
"Where did they take you?" Manuel asked her.
"To a selling and trading place in Toledo. A very fat uncle wanted to buy me at first but thankfully, he did not have enough money. I remember the salesman making my price so high, I did not understand why I was worth so much. Then Lady Denissa and her father Duke Philip stopped by in their wagon. They would not have stopped if Lady Denissa did not order her father to. She saw me standing there with my arms wrapped around my scared heart, knowing how high my price was, she spent all her Christmas money to buy me."
Charcoal shed a tear as she continued to speak.
"I became her court maid, serving her with all my heart. I never complained about the way she treated me because I could have been in an even worse situation, maybe even death. That was four years ago. I always think about my mother and where she might be, I pray for her life and that one day we will meet again. I really want to see her. She always made me feel loved and taught me many things about the righteous King. Now I have nothing left, not even the book, only what I remember. I am nothing, just an ugly black girl with the biggest mould and darkest skin, people remind me every day."
"Tell me the next person who says that to you and I will cut off their head. That is wrong, I do not care how high or low you are, criticism deserves to be a law, and if broken the person's punishment is death," Manuel said he had a soft heart for her and hearing everything she had been through made him feel like a petted prince.
"It is not a problem my Lord, I do not refuse the truth and what they are saying is true."
Manuel realized how strong Charcoal really was, from the second he saw her she never did him any wrong but helped him instead. She sacrificed her own time and life to be standing here in the palace today. She deserved a reward for that. "Your mother seems like a kind, brave woman. She would never name her child after earthly minerals. Tell me, what is your real name?" He asked her.
Nobody had ever cared to know what her real name was, they called her all sorts of names and she accepted because that was who she was. "My name is Gabriella, my Lord. Gabriella Lily Roza Williamson." Charcoal said her full name for the first time in four years. And it was not just to anyone but the prince of Spain. She did not know how to feel.
"Gabriella, the most beautiful name I have ever heard. Why do you allow yourself to be called Charcoal? That is rubbish, I will make that change for you. You are what you say you are. My name is Emmanuel, the prince of Spain." He said.
"The peaceful prince's name is Emmanuel. It means that He is with us." Charcoal explained. "I did not know my name had a meaning," Manuel said, looking surprised.
"Yes, all names have meanings. My name means 'pure and good.' Your own is one of the best. And thank you for saying my own is beautiful."
"No, thank you for everything you have done," Manuel said, meaning every word realizing that she was the first person he had said thank you to since the death of his father. He was not forced to do it either, he did it from his heart.
"Do not define your beauty, Gabriella. You are worth more than gold itself. I learned that the hard way." Manuel smiled, feeling his side. The evil witches wolves almost ended him and because of his stubbornness, he put his life on the line.
"Thank you, Manuel. I will come to love myself someday." Aalayah said, hoping she was not taking this too far by calling him a nickname. But he only smiled back, he did not correct her or shake his head in dissatisfaction but seemed quite pleased.
It was only a minute later that the two of them realized what a beautiful painting they had finished together.
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"It is beautiful, is it not?" He asked her.
"Yes, truly beautiful." She answered him.
It both reminded them of a peaceful Sunday morning. How lovely things could be if only there were no threats upon the kingdom. And most importantly, love.
