DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters. I have only borrowed them for a time. I wanted only to try to develop a history for my favorite character as portrayed by my first love, Guy Williams.
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MY DEAREST ALEJANDRO
Excerpts from the journal of Isabella de la Vega
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My dearest Alejandro;
As I am confined to the library couch in these last days before I give birth to our first child, I can't help but reflect on our lives together thus far. I feel that I have been blessed beyond measure with a loving and caring husband, a wonderful new frontier that you have brought me to, and a safe home where we may raise our children. You have provided for my every comfort and continue to be the attentive gentleman that you were when you courted me.
I still wonder at times how I could have been so blessed as to catch your attention when there were so many others that you could have courted. That day when I first saw you standing so proud and tall, my heart felt as if it began to beat for the very first time. Your fiery spirit that evidenced itself when my brother, Esteban, sold you those stones, and then you found them to be less than genuine, called to my adventurous side. And your compassion at not running Esteban through after that thrilling duel told me you were a forgiving man. If you could forgive Esteban, I knew that you possessed the patience of a saint.
I must admit that my brother is a rogue but he is most entertaining at times. You are a bit of a rogue yourself, telling my brother that you would marry me in repayment for the stones. It truly infuriated him, you know. You didn't know that he told me you said that in an attempt to get me to refuse your proposal. I thought it very amusing and if it were the only reason for you to marry me, it was good enough for me. I knew that I was getting the better prize in the arrangement.
As I lay here, feeling the small life moving within me, I can only pray that our first child would be a son. I would love to make you proud by presenting you with a son that would grow to be a mirror image of you. I can see him already as very tall, broad shouldered, with your dark hair and my hazel eyes. I can see him training at Madrid University as you did. He will be first in his class at riding, at fencing, and will also possess the knowledge of the finer arts. He will appreciate music and books and have an unsatisfied thirst for learning.
He will possess kindness and gentleness. But he will also be adventurous, seeking the thrill of competition.
I would wish our son to possess a fiery spirit that would not tolerate wrong, regardless of who it was against. I would like him to be a leader in the community, maybe in government affairs. I would love for our son to stand up for the weak and to be a gentleman in the grandest manner. He would be like his father in that he would turn the head of each lady that had the pleasure of seeing him.
You must have known about the stir that you would cause when you came to the fiestas in Spain. Every one of my friends and acquaintances were vying for your attention. I can't tell you the amount of money that was spent by nearly every family on new gowns, new jewels, and the like in the hopes of gaining your favor. I was the envy of every girl in Madrid when you chose me for your bride. And I still do not know what made you chose me above the others but I thank God daily that you did.
My father was never so proud of Esteban as he was of you. I think that you were the son that he always hoped that Esteban would have been and I pray that our son will follow in your example.
I tire now, my love, but it is a pleasant fatigue as I await the birth of our child. My love for you could only be magnified by the addition of this child to our lives. You are my life, Alejandro. You are my world. How proud I am to be called Dona de la Vega. I pray that I may make you proud of me each and every day of my life.
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling,
The time is here for me to be delivered of our child. It is a wonderful day in the pueblo de Los Angeles. The sun is shining and it is warm. A breeze is cooling the room as I await your return home and Juan to bring the mid-wife to help me to bear our child. Poor Teresa is watching me as if I will at any moment erupt. She is really quite funny. She helped me to sit up to write this as I wait. Now she is sitting next to the door, not willing to take her eyes from me.
I am so full of emotion today. I am fearful of what is to come in the next few hours as these pains grow stronger. But I know that at the end of it all will be the greatest gift of God to make the pain worth while. I am happy that I will finally get to hold our child in my arms and see his face, touch his tiny fingers and toes. It is the first day of our greatest adventure, Alejandro, and I can't tell you how excited I am at the years to come as we watch our son grow to manhood and to be everything that we would pray for him to be. Yes, I refer to our child as a son as I would want that to be so. I want to speak it into existence, praying that God will grant the desire of my heart.
My heart is bursting with new love, as on the first day that I fell in love with you. You have given me a second new love and I pray that this will be the first of many children for us.
I love you, Alejandro, now and forever,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Darling Alejandro;
God has heard my prayers! We have a son. Little Diego. I love the sound of his name and I love the beauty of his face. He is perfect and sweet. My heart is filled with more love for you now than I have ever had before. You have given to me a son.
I feared when he was so quiet at his birth but it was the angels singing when he burst out with his first cry of life. He is already strong and perfect, like his father. I could not keep the tears from my eyes when I saw you holding him for the first time. You were glowing with pride, speaking in a low voice to your son. Or were you praying with him? You held him so close to your chest, cuddled close to your heart, his small body supported in your strong hands. It is a memory that will be ever in my heart.
I can't wait for him to be old enough for the two of you to go on outings together, to go riding, or perhaps you could begin to teach him the sword. I know that I am getting too far ahead of myself, but I can see the wonderful things that Diego will get to share with you in the years to come and I look forward to it all.
I pray for him to enjoy adventure and excitement, that he may ever have a smile on his face and joy in his heart.
I love you both,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling Alejandro;
Little Diego is showing signs already of being like you in so many ways. While you were out inspecting the cattle today, our two-year old came toddling out of the sala, dragging your sword behind him. I was amazed that he was even able to lift it at such a young age. I can see that we will have to place certain things above his reach for his own safety.
He is beginning to have a liking for music, I think, as he spends far too much time plinking on the piano in the sala. I pray that someday it will be love songs that he is composing and not just making noise. He does enjoy sitting on the floor, brushing his toy horse and listening as I play. We spend time during the heat of the day doing this. I want him to appreciate music as much as he seems to appreciate the horse.
We spend wonderful days together while you are away from the hacienda. I keep these notes so that you will not miss anything that our son does as he grows. He is such a pleasure to me and I want to enjoy time with him before we are blessed with another child.
All my love, to you,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling Alejandro;
You would never guess what our darling boy did today. I was standing at the sala door, watching for your return when suddenly a rope dropped from the balcony right in front of me. Before I could say anything, here came Diego, swinging off of the top of the stairs. He was having a fine time up until he met the post in front of the sala window. The abrupt stop was something that he had not planned for and I was glad that I was right there to comfort him.
He will have a lump for a while, I suspect, but no permanent damage to anything other than his pride. He was not pleased that I saw his unsuccessful flight. I told him that it was a good thing that he met the post because if it had not been there, I would have been picking him up in the sala floor after he had flown through the window. He told me that that was where he was aiming for in the first place.
After a long discussion on flying five-year olds, he has promised not to try for the sala windows again. I tried to make him understand that glass is dangerous to jump through and that it would be difficult to replace the glass in the sala windows. After all, they have been there since his Grandfather built the house. I explained to him that he didn't really want to be the first to break them. With his adventurous spirit, perhaps we should send to Spain for a few extra panes of glass, just in case.
The rest of our day was spent in the library. Diego is beginning to read well. He is a good student and is learning quickly to appreciate books. He tries to read the more advanced books and I have to redirect him to the simpler writings. I enjoy our time together.
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Diego, you little scamp!
Before you were born, my son, I would pray for you to be strong, a leader in the community. I wanted you to be looked up to by your friends. That did not include you leaping from one side of a gorge to the other on a green broke stallion to impress your friends! That horse could have stopped and dropped you head first into the gorge and we would have been deprived of our only child. Sometimes I think that you have too much of your fathers adventurous nature in you. It is no less than I deserve as I used to pray for that for you.
You are growing into a strong young man, Diego. But at the age of eight, you are not ready for some of the things that you attempt to do. I saw you standing that stallion on his hind legs earlier in the day. You were standing in the stirrups and holding your hat high above your head as he reared. I was amazed and quite fearful seeing you do this. I hope in the future, you will forgive me for having your father take that horse from you. I am fearful for your safety and as I seem to be the only one who is, I have asked your father to get you a horse that is not so wild and that is mild mannered for your own good.
You had me truly worried yesterday when I could not find you. I know that you had gone to your room but I could not find you and I am still not sure how you could have hid so well in your room that I could not have found you. But a few moments after I returned to the patio, you came out of your room. If I didn't know better, I would think that you could walk through walls.
Diego, my son, please be more careful and don't worry your mother so much. You are a blessing to my life.
Mother
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My dear Alejandro,
Our wild son seems to be trying very hard to injure himself. Today as I was sitting on the patio enjoying the sun, I heard many cries of the vaqueros and the thunder of hooves on the road outside. I ran to the gate and opened it in time to see our eleven-year old son being dragged down the road by a wild coal black horse. My heart nearly stopped as I watched the vaqueros racing after him.
Do you think that he would have let go of the rope? Of course not. The horse might have gotten away! I learned this after the horse was roped by several other men and brought to a halt. Our son, dusty and quite beat up, came back with a triumphant look on his face. He is so proud of what he had accomplished today.
Alejandro, I shudder to think what Diego will be doing in the future. He is too wild, I think, and needs your strong guidance if he is ever to grow up. He has a wild heart that acts before he thinks. I think that he is trying to replace that black horse that I had you replace when he was eight. He seems determined to have a black horse.
I am beginning to think that it is a blessing that we did not have ten more sons just like Diego. I don't think that I could take seeing them all dragged by wild stallions.
All my love,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To My Gentlemen;
You both are my greatest treasures. God has been so good to me in that he has given me so many years with you both. I pray for many more.
Alejandro, my first love, I will never regret a moment of time that I have spent in your presence. I will take into eternity the many special moments we have shared. Your sweet smile after fourteen years still stirs my heart to sing. Your strength as you lift me to bring me out into the sunlight each day is an inspiration to me as I strive to overcome the weakness that has come upon me.
I know that the doctor has told you that I will not recover but just you watch me. I will make you proud of me once more. I refuse to allow a small tumble from a horse to keep me down for very long. Dr. Fernandez does not know me very well if he thinks that a few bruised ribs will keep me from riding with you and Diego again.
I just need a little time to heal. That is all.
I look forward to our next ride as a family. I pray it will not be too long from now.
Forever yours,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My dearest Alejandro and my darling boy, Diego;
As I sit once again confined to the library couch, I reflect on my life. I would change nothing except to ask God for more time. But it would seem that it is not His will.
My husband, I would pray that you would live long and be strong in the face of the future, as you have always been. At the end of time, I shall be waiting for you with open arms. How I love to feel your arms about me, your strength and your love enveloping me. How I shall miss your touch, your gentle words of love and devotion, your smile. Smile for me each day, my love, I shall be watching to see that you do.
Diego, my son, I would pray for you to continue in your love of knowledge and adventure. I once sat in this very place, writing as now, waiting for your life to begin. Now, it seems, I await the time for my life to end. But you must be brave, my young man, and fulfill all of your own dreams and desires. Go to Madrid University and cause a stir in the hearts of the young ladies there as your father did. I only regret that I will not be here to receive you and your new bride when the time comes. Be a wise man like your father, Diego.
Take care of each other, my loving men. Be strong for one another and most importantly be supportive of each other in all things.
Diego, fill the hacienda with happy children as it was my dream to do. You are my only child and I have found joy in each day of your twelve years of life. I regret that I could not have given your father many more sons just like you. Give your Papa many grandbabies and kiss each one each night for me. Be a good husband as your father has been.
Do you remember, Diego, when you were young and you would hide in your room? I was never able to find you and it puzzled me for some years. But I must tell you now that about a week ago, Diego, I discovered your secret hiding place. You are very clever, my young fox. I meant to ask your Papa about it but I have not had opportunity. You can imagine my surprise when I pressed . . .
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MY DEAREST ALEJANDRO
Excerpts from the journal of Isabella de la Vega
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My dearest Alejandro;
As I am confined to the library couch in these last days before I give birth to our first child, I can't help but reflect on our lives together thus far. I feel that I have been blessed beyond measure with a loving and caring husband, a wonderful new frontier that you have brought me to, and a safe home where we may raise our children. You have provided for my every comfort and continue to be the attentive gentleman that you were when you courted me.
I still wonder at times how I could have been so blessed as to catch your attention when there were so many others that you could have courted. That day when I first saw you standing so proud and tall, my heart felt as if it began to beat for the very first time. Your fiery spirit that evidenced itself when my brother, Esteban, sold you those stones, and then you found them to be less than genuine, called to my adventurous side. And your compassion at not running Esteban through after that thrilling duel told me you were a forgiving man. If you could forgive Esteban, I knew that you possessed the patience of a saint.
I must admit that my brother is a rogue but he is most entertaining at times. You are a bit of a rogue yourself, telling my brother that you would marry me in repayment for the stones. It truly infuriated him, you know. You didn't know that he told me you said that in an attempt to get me to refuse your proposal. I thought it very amusing and if it were the only reason for you to marry me, it was good enough for me. I knew that I was getting the better prize in the arrangement.
As I lay here, feeling the small life moving within me, I can only pray that our first child would be a son. I would love to make you proud by presenting you with a son that would grow to be a mirror image of you. I can see him already as very tall, broad shouldered, with your dark hair and my hazel eyes. I can see him training at Madrid University as you did. He will be first in his class at riding, at fencing, and will also possess the knowledge of the finer arts. He will appreciate music and books and have an unsatisfied thirst for learning.
He will possess kindness and gentleness. But he will also be adventurous, seeking the thrill of competition.
I would wish our son to possess a fiery spirit that would not tolerate wrong, regardless of who it was against. I would like him to be a leader in the community, maybe in government affairs. I would love for our son to stand up for the weak and to be a gentleman in the grandest manner. He would be like his father in that he would turn the head of each lady that had the pleasure of seeing him.
You must have known about the stir that you would cause when you came to the fiestas in Spain. Every one of my friends and acquaintances were vying for your attention. I can't tell you the amount of money that was spent by nearly every family on new gowns, new jewels, and the like in the hopes of gaining your favor. I was the envy of every girl in Madrid when you chose me for your bride. And I still do not know what made you chose me above the others but I thank God daily that you did.
My father was never so proud of Esteban as he was of you. I think that you were the son that he always hoped that Esteban would have been and I pray that our son will follow in your example.
I tire now, my love, but it is a pleasant fatigue as I await the birth of our child. My love for you could only be magnified by the addition of this child to our lives. You are my life, Alejandro. You are my world. How proud I am to be called Dona de la Vega. I pray that I may make you proud of me each and every day of my life.
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling,
The time is here for me to be delivered of our child. It is a wonderful day in the pueblo de Los Angeles. The sun is shining and it is warm. A breeze is cooling the room as I await your return home and Juan to bring the mid-wife to help me to bear our child. Poor Teresa is watching me as if I will at any moment erupt. She is really quite funny. She helped me to sit up to write this as I wait. Now she is sitting next to the door, not willing to take her eyes from me.
I am so full of emotion today. I am fearful of what is to come in the next few hours as these pains grow stronger. But I know that at the end of it all will be the greatest gift of God to make the pain worth while. I am happy that I will finally get to hold our child in my arms and see his face, touch his tiny fingers and toes. It is the first day of our greatest adventure, Alejandro, and I can't tell you how excited I am at the years to come as we watch our son grow to manhood and to be everything that we would pray for him to be. Yes, I refer to our child as a son as I would want that to be so. I want to speak it into existence, praying that God will grant the desire of my heart.
My heart is bursting with new love, as on the first day that I fell in love with you. You have given me a second new love and I pray that this will be the first of many children for us.
I love you, Alejandro, now and forever,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Darling Alejandro;
God has heard my prayers! We have a son. Little Diego. I love the sound of his name and I love the beauty of his face. He is perfect and sweet. My heart is filled with more love for you now than I have ever had before. You have given to me a son.
I feared when he was so quiet at his birth but it was the angels singing when he burst out with his first cry of life. He is already strong and perfect, like his father. I could not keep the tears from my eyes when I saw you holding him for the first time. You were glowing with pride, speaking in a low voice to your son. Or were you praying with him? You held him so close to your chest, cuddled close to your heart, his small body supported in your strong hands. It is a memory that will be ever in my heart.
I can't wait for him to be old enough for the two of you to go on outings together, to go riding, or perhaps you could begin to teach him the sword. I know that I am getting too far ahead of myself, but I can see the wonderful things that Diego will get to share with you in the years to come and I look forward to it all.
I pray for him to enjoy adventure and excitement, that he may ever have a smile on his face and joy in his heart.
I love you both,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling Alejandro;
Little Diego is showing signs already of being like you in so many ways. While you were out inspecting the cattle today, our two-year old came toddling out of the sala, dragging your sword behind him. I was amazed that he was even able to lift it at such a young age. I can see that we will have to place certain things above his reach for his own safety.
He is beginning to have a liking for music, I think, as he spends far too much time plinking on the piano in the sala. I pray that someday it will be love songs that he is composing and not just making noise. He does enjoy sitting on the floor, brushing his toy horse and listening as I play. We spend time during the heat of the day doing this. I want him to appreciate music as much as he seems to appreciate the horse.
We spend wonderful days together while you are away from the hacienda. I keep these notes so that you will not miss anything that our son does as he grows. He is such a pleasure to me and I want to enjoy time with him before we are blessed with another child.
All my love, to you,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My darling Alejandro;
You would never guess what our darling boy did today. I was standing at the sala door, watching for your return when suddenly a rope dropped from the balcony right in front of me. Before I could say anything, here came Diego, swinging off of the top of the stairs. He was having a fine time up until he met the post in front of the sala window. The abrupt stop was something that he had not planned for and I was glad that I was right there to comfort him.
He will have a lump for a while, I suspect, but no permanent damage to anything other than his pride. He was not pleased that I saw his unsuccessful flight. I told him that it was a good thing that he met the post because if it had not been there, I would have been picking him up in the sala floor after he had flown through the window. He told me that that was where he was aiming for in the first place.
After a long discussion on flying five-year olds, he has promised not to try for the sala windows again. I tried to make him understand that glass is dangerous to jump through and that it would be difficult to replace the glass in the sala windows. After all, they have been there since his Grandfather built the house. I explained to him that he didn't really want to be the first to break them. With his adventurous spirit, perhaps we should send to Spain for a few extra panes of glass, just in case.
The rest of our day was spent in the library. Diego is beginning to read well. He is a good student and is learning quickly to appreciate books. He tries to read the more advanced books and I have to redirect him to the simpler writings. I enjoy our time together.
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Diego, you little scamp!
Before you were born, my son, I would pray for you to be strong, a leader in the community. I wanted you to be looked up to by your friends. That did not include you leaping from one side of a gorge to the other on a green broke stallion to impress your friends! That horse could have stopped and dropped you head first into the gorge and we would have been deprived of our only child. Sometimes I think that you have too much of your fathers adventurous nature in you. It is no less than I deserve as I used to pray for that for you.
You are growing into a strong young man, Diego. But at the age of eight, you are not ready for some of the things that you attempt to do. I saw you standing that stallion on his hind legs earlier in the day. You were standing in the stirrups and holding your hat high above your head as he reared. I was amazed and quite fearful seeing you do this. I hope in the future, you will forgive me for having your father take that horse from you. I am fearful for your safety and as I seem to be the only one who is, I have asked your father to get you a horse that is not so wild and that is mild mannered for your own good.
You had me truly worried yesterday when I could not find you. I know that you had gone to your room but I could not find you and I am still not sure how you could have hid so well in your room that I could not have found you. But a few moments after I returned to the patio, you came out of your room. If I didn't know better, I would think that you could walk through walls.
Diego, my son, please be more careful and don't worry your mother so much. You are a blessing to my life.
Mother
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My dear Alejandro,
Our wild son seems to be trying very hard to injure himself. Today as I was sitting on the patio enjoying the sun, I heard many cries of the vaqueros and the thunder of hooves on the road outside. I ran to the gate and opened it in time to see our eleven-year old son being dragged down the road by a wild coal black horse. My heart nearly stopped as I watched the vaqueros racing after him.
Do you think that he would have let go of the rope? Of course not. The horse might have gotten away! I learned this after the horse was roped by several other men and brought to a halt. Our son, dusty and quite beat up, came back with a triumphant look on his face. He is so proud of what he had accomplished today.
Alejandro, I shudder to think what Diego will be doing in the future. He is too wild, I think, and needs your strong guidance if he is ever to grow up. He has a wild heart that acts before he thinks. I think that he is trying to replace that black horse that I had you replace when he was eight. He seems determined to have a black horse.
I am beginning to think that it is a blessing that we did not have ten more sons just like Diego. I don't think that I could take seeing them all dragged by wild stallions.
All my love,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To My Gentlemen;
You both are my greatest treasures. God has been so good to me in that he has given me so many years with you both. I pray for many more.
Alejandro, my first love, I will never regret a moment of time that I have spent in your presence. I will take into eternity the many special moments we have shared. Your sweet smile after fourteen years still stirs my heart to sing. Your strength as you lift me to bring me out into the sunlight each day is an inspiration to me as I strive to overcome the weakness that has come upon me.
I know that the doctor has told you that I will not recover but just you watch me. I will make you proud of me once more. I refuse to allow a small tumble from a horse to keep me down for very long. Dr. Fernandez does not know me very well if he thinks that a few bruised ribs will keep me from riding with you and Diego again.
I just need a little time to heal. That is all.
I look forward to our next ride as a family. I pray it will not be too long from now.
Forever yours,
Isabella
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My dearest Alejandro and my darling boy, Diego;
As I sit once again confined to the library couch, I reflect on my life. I would change nothing except to ask God for more time. But it would seem that it is not His will.
My husband, I would pray that you would live long and be strong in the face of the future, as you have always been. At the end of time, I shall be waiting for you with open arms. How I love to feel your arms about me, your strength and your love enveloping me. How I shall miss your touch, your gentle words of love and devotion, your smile. Smile for me each day, my love, I shall be watching to see that you do.
Diego, my son, I would pray for you to continue in your love of knowledge and adventure. I once sat in this very place, writing as now, waiting for your life to begin. Now, it seems, I await the time for my life to end. But you must be brave, my young man, and fulfill all of your own dreams and desires. Go to Madrid University and cause a stir in the hearts of the young ladies there as your father did. I only regret that I will not be here to receive you and your new bride when the time comes. Be a wise man like your father, Diego.
Take care of each other, my loving men. Be strong for one another and most importantly be supportive of each other in all things.
Diego, fill the hacienda with happy children as it was my dream to do. You are my only child and I have found joy in each day of your twelve years of life. I regret that I could not have given your father many more sons just like you. Give your Papa many grandbabies and kiss each one each night for me. Be a good husband as your father has been.
Do you remember, Diego, when you were young and you would hide in your room? I was never able to find you and it puzzled me for some years. But I must tell you now that about a week ago, Diego, I discovered your secret hiding place. You are very clever, my young fox. I meant to ask your Papa about it but I have not had opportunity. You can imagine my surprise when I pressed . . .
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~