She was confused.
And he was the cause.
Always, it had been like this. From the moment that they had first come in contact, she would always be confused. Every action of his she could question. Often she did, but kept to herself sometimes.
From their first moment on, he continued to have moments with many other lands. And with that, he built himself an empire. The Spanish Empire. But, in over 300 years time, he lost it all. Lost all but his few 'possessions'. She was one.
So, as strong as he was, he would try everything to keep her as one. In his eyes, she became important. She herself could sense that as well, but never figured out how she was important; how she was important to him. Most likely a game piece, she would think to herself.
He had control of her and her island. Though, maybe not all of it. Not like he had thought.
About that island girl, there seemed to be a certain... Something. She spoke just as much but lately seemed... Secretive?
Inside sources had failed her though, and with all his tactics he figured out her plan. He counteracted her as she went to claim herself the Republic of Puerto Rico. First, she tried to make her move with a revolutionary act: quickly controlled. History would write itself and it became known as the Grito de Lares: the Cry.
A cry indeed. For everyone who had so greatly wanted to help achieve a non-existent goal; they were imprisoned. They were charged. Treason, the Spanish had called it. Treason and sedition, as they saw it, deserved death.
She had charged into his room. It's been a while since a confrontation, the green-eyed man thought to himself. He recalled the moment from day one, back when he was simply a teenage body scoping the seas. She has grown very much since the first.
"I don't understand," she claimed.
"...What is there to understand?"
She balled her fists for a moment. "This! All this!"
"What are you talking about?" He almost growled.
"Don't play that way with me, Jefe," she said, the ice sharpening in her voice as she called him. He shivered. "This, happens every time! I don't understand! Why?!" The tanned girl turned to him.
"Because there is nothing to understand!"
"Mierda." Her eyes stared up at him from her shorter stature. "I am supposed to be part of your so-called empire anyway, Spain! You're supposed to build me up! Why do you insist on tearing me down?"
"You know that's not what it is." He stated, as calmly as he could.
"Everyone else is practically gone! Let me go! None of your 'buddies' or enemies would notice that I'm even gone; no one would!"
"You stop that. Puerto Rico..."
"It's 1868 already, what are possibly trying to hold onto?" She shouted with force.
"You!" Spain shouted and huffed, about to move toward her, but going against himself. She would have retorted at him but quieted down, simply looked at him. "Just- Leave!" He ordered.
For a moment, she stood and made no effort to move. It's been almost 400 years, her thoughts wandered. He still won't give up.
Nothing he does will stop me from trying. And with that, she was gone.
He sat in silence, watching her.
Years to come and revolts wanting to arise. How delightful.
Lately, a young American was starting to take notice. United States, his name was. His wanting to chat more south of North America was distasteful to Spain. Oh, if the Spanish man heard what he said about them...
Just one shy of almost 30 years and it was his turn.
He knocked the door to her room. "Oh, Puerto Rico," he called.
The wooden door opened to reveal the young lady. "Hmm. What brings you here now?"
"I think I have something that you would surely enjoy." A smile almost grazing his lips as he tried.
What is God's name is he implying? She thought, narrowing her light eyes up to his garden ones. "What?"
"Well, some things got signed..."
"Alright..." she urged on.
"And well," Spain sighed, as though something was holding him back. "In short, let us just say that you have some more freedom now."
Her lips dared fall in faint surprise, golden eyes widening and blinking, as if trying to wake from a dream.
"What?" was all she could spill out. "What, no, you are joking. Let me see...!" She managed to get out, grabbing for some sort of conformation.
"Here, here, some papers I have, read them." Spain handed them over as she eagerly searched through the lines. He simply couldn't help but crack a smirk at her. She smiled as she focused fiercely on the papers, tan fingers pointing and sliding across the pages, and it infected him. His face broke out in a grin, and Puerto Rico all but missed it. He ghosted his hand over his mouth.
"So, what do you thi-"
"Ah, yes! I love it, me encanta! Gracias, gracias, gracias, I could just hug you, Spain!" She almost jumped in place, hair and all its curls bouncing along. "This is almost as great as when slavery was abolished a couple of years ago. Ay, 'Carta Autonómica.' I can see it already; I can finally make some of my own decisions for myself. Just... Oh, thank you so much!"
Ah, yes, self-governing! She could practically feel it: chains lifting ever so slowly, but lifting. Every step lighter than the last. That is what it felt like, for sure. Having choices of her own. 25th of November of 1897. Approved.
He took action. Despite her surprise, he hugged her suddenly, his tall frame leaning over her much shorter one. "No problem..." His voice trailed, as if he dare add any other words to her; for her. "No problem, Puerto Rico."
In that moment, the atmosphere. It was just the two of them. All was in peace, and a man and a woman were embracing under a doorway.
And little did she realize how soon it would all be taken away.