It was two days later when Nemesio came over to have the lunch with
the Partida's as planned. He tried his best to be courteous and polite
around them, seeing as how ruthless he was from his last visit, to win
Ora's affections.
Did he love her though? Of course not. In his eyes she was smart- mouthed, spoiled little strumpet. But she was beautiful and rich, and that was all Nemesio cared about. And her old fool of a father would have to die sooner or later. So in the end he'd have his trophy wife, a huge manor, plantations, his own powerful job as Captain, and he would be in control of all of Cid Partida's ships. Oh, life would be sweet.
But one thing was standing in his way. Cervantes. She seemed to have a soft spot for the bastard and that was a problem. But, as always, Nemesio had a plan.
"Ora, would you care to accompany me in the hall?" he asked, his oily voice trying to sound sweet and noble.
Ora cringed at the request. In truth she would rather have the slab of lamb she was picking at nailed to the side of her head. But, damn her etiquette, she stood. "Of course."
Once they were there, he asked, "I was wondering if you have reached a decision over my marriage proposal?"
Ora's brow furrowed and she faced away from him. "Well, I don't know Nemesio. I've seen the way you treat sick people. Who knows how you'll treat a wife?"
"You listen to me!" Nemesio screamed, raising his hand high. Ora turned around and smirked. Damn her! Nemesio lowered his hand and inhaled deeply. "Look, I know I have a horrible temper, but I am willing to change for you. You must believe me, Ora. You are the reason that I am. We were meant to be together. Just give it a chance. Please?" He made his cold gray eyes turn shiny with tears. He was really good at that.
But Ora knew that Nemesio was lying to her. Still, since he said he was willing to do anything to win her affections, she might as well have a little fun with it. "I don't know.... What could you possibly do for me?"
"I have just the idea. Cervantes! When he gets better, I'll show him around the town and see what it's like to live the good life like we do." Nemesio smiled. This was too easy!
"What about Miguel's friends?"
Nemesio's smiled faded and was replaced with a scowl. "As soon as I released them, they decided to leave the country. No matter what I told them about Cervantes, they refused to go see him.... I, uh, wouldn't mention that to him in the first place. You can't get well with bad news you know."
For that moment Ora let her guard down. She actually believed Nemesio. It seemed pretty logical. Thieves were no good liars and not very decent. "Okay, I won't tell him. But you better keep to your word, Nemesio."
"Oh, I will, my dear. I will. Tell your father that lunch was fabulous for me. Good day." Nemesio walked out the door, smiling smugly. "Gotcha...."
* * * * *
Truth be told, Ora didn't care what Nemesio did to Miguel at the moment. They had not talked since that fatal day and were still as angry as ever. Ora decided to read her book and then take her afternoon nap, but on the way to her room was Miguel's, and his door was open. She tried to pass by unnoticed, but something inside caught her eye. Miguel was propped up on the pillows and reading Utopia. HER BOOK!
"How dare you steal my book?" she snapped.
Miguel looked up, startled. His expression changed from shock to annoyance. "I was bored so one of your nurses gave me this to read. Is that okay with you, milady?"
"Okay?" Ora snorted, crossing her arms. "I'm surprised a simple thief like you can even read."
Miguel slammed the book by his side, his face turning a light pink. "Well, I'm surprised a spoiled little girl like you can read to. I thought your nurses, your father, or your boyfriend Captain Gargoyle read to you."
Ora used all of her strength to prevent from strangling him. "Look compadre! I don't know who you think you are-"
"Really? Well that makes two of us!"
"Give me my book back!"
"NO!"
Ora lunged for the book, but Miguel swiped it before she even touched it. Ora grabbed the book but Miguel kept a strong grip on it. (Which was impressive for someone who was sick) Suddenly, the book fumbled between their fingers and went flying through the air. They both watched as it sailed across the room.... And into the blazing fireplace.
"No!!!!" Ora screamed, clasping her hands to her mouth and weeping. "No.... What have you done?"
"What are you crying for?" Miguel sneered. "Your dear old daddy can go buy you another one."
"You don't understand!" Ora sobbed. "That book was special."
"Oh really? And how?"
Ora sniffled. "My mother gave it to me right before she died."
What happened next was both shocking and puzzling. Miguel flung the covers off of him and leaped out of bed, screaming in pain as he fell to his knees. He quickly crawled over to the fireplace and, hard to believe, grabbed the fiery book by flinging it to the ground. He then proceeded in beating it continuously until all the flames where gone. Panting, he picked up the book, crawled over to Ora, and handed it to her.
"The cover's a little charred," he wheezed, "but the pages are pretty much intact." As Ora took the book, he collapsed in a dead faint.
Ora could not believe what just happened. How could someone be so rude to her and then do something so outrageous and kind a second later. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a gasp. A nurse was standing in the doorway.
"Oh my lord! What on Earth are you two doing?"
"Uh.... Reading?" Ora said, smiling and holding up the book.
Did he love her though? Of course not. In his eyes she was smart- mouthed, spoiled little strumpet. But she was beautiful and rich, and that was all Nemesio cared about. And her old fool of a father would have to die sooner or later. So in the end he'd have his trophy wife, a huge manor, plantations, his own powerful job as Captain, and he would be in control of all of Cid Partida's ships. Oh, life would be sweet.
But one thing was standing in his way. Cervantes. She seemed to have a soft spot for the bastard and that was a problem. But, as always, Nemesio had a plan.
"Ora, would you care to accompany me in the hall?" he asked, his oily voice trying to sound sweet and noble.
Ora cringed at the request. In truth she would rather have the slab of lamb she was picking at nailed to the side of her head. But, damn her etiquette, she stood. "Of course."
Once they were there, he asked, "I was wondering if you have reached a decision over my marriage proposal?"
Ora's brow furrowed and she faced away from him. "Well, I don't know Nemesio. I've seen the way you treat sick people. Who knows how you'll treat a wife?"
"You listen to me!" Nemesio screamed, raising his hand high. Ora turned around and smirked. Damn her! Nemesio lowered his hand and inhaled deeply. "Look, I know I have a horrible temper, but I am willing to change for you. You must believe me, Ora. You are the reason that I am. We were meant to be together. Just give it a chance. Please?" He made his cold gray eyes turn shiny with tears. He was really good at that.
But Ora knew that Nemesio was lying to her. Still, since he said he was willing to do anything to win her affections, she might as well have a little fun with it. "I don't know.... What could you possibly do for me?"
"I have just the idea. Cervantes! When he gets better, I'll show him around the town and see what it's like to live the good life like we do." Nemesio smiled. This was too easy!
"What about Miguel's friends?"
Nemesio's smiled faded and was replaced with a scowl. "As soon as I released them, they decided to leave the country. No matter what I told them about Cervantes, they refused to go see him.... I, uh, wouldn't mention that to him in the first place. You can't get well with bad news you know."
For that moment Ora let her guard down. She actually believed Nemesio. It seemed pretty logical. Thieves were no good liars and not very decent. "Okay, I won't tell him. But you better keep to your word, Nemesio."
"Oh, I will, my dear. I will. Tell your father that lunch was fabulous for me. Good day." Nemesio walked out the door, smiling smugly. "Gotcha...."
* * * * *
Truth be told, Ora didn't care what Nemesio did to Miguel at the moment. They had not talked since that fatal day and were still as angry as ever. Ora decided to read her book and then take her afternoon nap, but on the way to her room was Miguel's, and his door was open. She tried to pass by unnoticed, but something inside caught her eye. Miguel was propped up on the pillows and reading Utopia. HER BOOK!
"How dare you steal my book?" she snapped.
Miguel looked up, startled. His expression changed from shock to annoyance. "I was bored so one of your nurses gave me this to read. Is that okay with you, milady?"
"Okay?" Ora snorted, crossing her arms. "I'm surprised a simple thief like you can even read."
Miguel slammed the book by his side, his face turning a light pink. "Well, I'm surprised a spoiled little girl like you can read to. I thought your nurses, your father, or your boyfriend Captain Gargoyle read to you."
Ora used all of her strength to prevent from strangling him. "Look compadre! I don't know who you think you are-"
"Really? Well that makes two of us!"
"Give me my book back!"
"NO!"
Ora lunged for the book, but Miguel swiped it before she even touched it. Ora grabbed the book but Miguel kept a strong grip on it. (Which was impressive for someone who was sick) Suddenly, the book fumbled between their fingers and went flying through the air. They both watched as it sailed across the room.... And into the blazing fireplace.
"No!!!!" Ora screamed, clasping her hands to her mouth and weeping. "No.... What have you done?"
"What are you crying for?" Miguel sneered. "Your dear old daddy can go buy you another one."
"You don't understand!" Ora sobbed. "That book was special."
"Oh really? And how?"
Ora sniffled. "My mother gave it to me right before she died."
What happened next was both shocking and puzzling. Miguel flung the covers off of him and leaped out of bed, screaming in pain as he fell to his knees. He quickly crawled over to the fireplace and, hard to believe, grabbed the fiery book by flinging it to the ground. He then proceeded in beating it continuously until all the flames where gone. Panting, he picked up the book, crawled over to Ora, and handed it to her.
"The cover's a little charred," he wheezed, "but the pages are pretty much intact." As Ora took the book, he collapsed in a dead faint.
Ora could not believe what just happened. How could someone be so rude to her and then do something so outrageous and kind a second later. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a gasp. A nurse was standing in the doorway.
"Oh my lord! What on Earth are you two doing?"
"Uh.... Reading?" Ora said, smiling and holding up the book.