Entry #5

Oh, Adan!

I barely had time to write my last entry, considering how fed up Carmen had become of me. Our fight was brief, and not so terrible. More like a mother angry at her child, though I wish Carmen would keep from speaking to me in such a manner. Yes, I am younger, but that does not make me a babe.

“You disappeared! Where did you go?”

“I heard voices. I wanted to see what they were.”

“Were you seen?”

I could not lie.

“Nieve, were you seen?” Carmen insisted.

“Yes,” I replied, and awaited the scourge that was about to render me guilty for the rest of the evening.

Carmen crossed her arms, she had already thrown down her sack next to one of the two small beds. I eyed my own, wanting nothing more than to escape under the covers. “So. Seen by who?”

“I am not sure. One of them was a Captain, a Captain Alejandro, and he was arguing with another priest here.”

“Perhaps I would not mind so much if you had gone unseen, but now? How rude they must consider us! We are supposed to be good examples for the children here, for the cloister at home.”

“We are, Carmen.”

“Oh, please, I don’t want to hear anymore,” she dropped onto the edge of her bed, and turned away from me. Haphazardly, I approached.

“Carmen,” I sat on the other side of the bed, my back also to her. I was afraid to look at her, I just felt so awful. “I am so sorry I offended you. I know you are homesick, and I must be making things harder. In any case, I do not think they will send us back to Spain for some cat-like curiosity.”

She must have heard the smile in my voice, and glancing over my shoulder I saw that her frown had been cracked. She did not want to smile, she wanted to be angry, but I could see that I had calmed her. Even if for a little bit.

“Perhaps I over-reacted.”

“I will make sure my trouble does not become your trouble… should I even fall in trouble,” I laughed, and she shook her head at me.

“A trouble maker. Despite all your oaths and promises to God - ”

“Oh, I meant every word!”

“To God, Carmen! You are still a trouble maker.”

“Perhaps I am,” I was up from her bed, our spat over and our spirits mended. I dropped onto my bed which stretched out from beneath a narrow window. “I like this place, Carmen. What do you think?”

We made idle chat, but eventually the long morning and noon caught up with us. We both drifted to sleep. My rest was dreamless, save for I was on the stone path leading through the jungle. The leaves were stirred by a faint breeze, and the stones rumbled beneath me. I awoke shivering and suddenly. I should not have been afraid. The steel rays of dawn had broken through the canopy, and there were crystal beads left on the leaves from a previous night’s rainfall. The scene was peaceful, but something startled me so.

I pressed up from my bed, washed my hands over my face and sighed the vision away just as the church bell struck. Adan, I thought I would leap out of my skin. Gathering my wits, I shook Carmen’s shoulder softly, raising her for the dinner Father Alvarelo had promised us earlier. When Carmen attempted to stand, she was off-balance. I was instantly there to steady her, and peered at her closely.

“Carmen, are you well?”

“Just hungry. May I lean on your arm on our way?”

“Of course, hermana, of course,” I cooed, and we linked arms together on our way through the hall. There were dim lamps bolted to the walls, all of them flickering to keep the night where it belonged; outside. Beyond the few windows we passed the sky was dark blue, and the forest’s canopy had become a rustling, shadowy blanket across the horizon.

We entered the mess. There were soldiers we recognized from earlier seated at one of the tables. There were Tairona sitting among them, and also populating the other table. They looked like some of the workers we had passed earlier that day. Sitting at a head table was Father Alvarelo, who excitedly waved us over, two deacons I did not recognized, a young boy in a simple robe and poncho, and the stolid looking priest I had seen earlier.

As Carmen and I made our way to the head table, I could not find Captain Alejandro, the angry man that had been so vehement with the older priest. There was a soldier among the group I did not recognize. He was eying Carmen and I up and down, and whispering with his comrades as we passed by.

Father Alvarelo was to his feet, and pulled out chairs for myself and Carmen. I helped Carmen to her seat. Her infirmity withdrew a frown from the young priest.

“I say, Hermana Carmen, are you well?”

Carmen smiled weakly. “I think I am in hungry spirits. I only had a little to eat on the ship before we docked today.”

“By all means then,” Father Alvarelo swiftly retrieved a bowl of bread. Carmen took a piece and attempted a few small bites. Father Alvarelo turned to me as Tairona servants brought out two deep dishes of soup, a bowl of fruit, and more bread. They also deposited wine and tea on the tables, and returned to the kitchen. “Have you two settled in well?”

“Yes, very much. We enjoyed a nice nap before dinner.”

Before I could say anything more, the older priest interjected. “Our new sister is quite inquisitive. Perhaps after dinner you could show her the Tairona village.”

My cheeks glowed red, my hands folded in my lap. Oh, God, forgive me. I really had been spotted. I began to think like Carmen; what an inconsiderate creature I had been. But you know me, Adan. I cannot help myself. My curiosity has always had the best of me.

“I would like to see the village,” I cleared my throat nervously. “I have heard so much about it.”

Father Alvarelo’s voice leveled into a serious tone. He nodded to the older priest. “This is Father Gabriel Leoncio. He founded this missionary.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Father Leoncio. I am - ”

“Hermana Nieve. Yes. Your abbess has appropriately identified you. Light brown eyes. Rather small. She neglected to mention you were a spy as well as a sister.”

“Father Leoncio, I heard shouting.”

He lifted his hand, sneering as he swirled some wine in a short goblet. “No, I think that is about enough.”

“Nieve…” Carmen’s voice was more than enough to draw my attentions away from this ghastly Father. How rude!

“Yes, Carmen.”

“Perhaps I should lie back down?”

“Oh, Carmen, you are quite pale.”

Father Alvarelo was to his feet, happy to escape the Father’s presence too, I think.

“Nieve, I will help you,” he said, drawing his arm around Carmen’s back. His other hand held hers in a gentle, yet supportive grip. He was so delicate with her. “Brother Ivan,” he called to the man in the simple robe. He sat up straight and suddenly, nearly choking on his soup. He had a very long face, contrasted by two very large hazel eyes and a tiny nose.

“Uh, yes, Father Alvarelo.”

“Send soup and bread to Hermana Carmen’s room, please? Make sure she eats.”

“Yes, Father,” he bobbed his head and went quickly into the kitchen.

“Come,” Father Alvarelo said to me, and we withdrew from the mess hall. I could still feel Father Leoncio’s gaze hard on the back of my neck until the doors shut behind us. “How long has she been feeling this way?” Father Alvarelo asked, his brows knit with concern.

“Oh, I am not sure. Since we woke for dinner. We had very little to eat today. I’m sure if she can rest and have some of her dinner she will be well.”

“You are both so kind,” Carmen swallowed, and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I am so sorry to interrupt dinner this way.”

“Do not be foolish,” I chastised her tenderly. “You did no such thing. Besides, a spell like this cannot be helped sometime. You need rest.”

Father Alvarelo looked to me. “Do you have the key?”

“Yes, Father. Here,” I handed him the small item, and he rushed ahead of us to open the door.

“I do apologize for being so angry earlier.”

“All forgotten. You focus on getting better. We have our first class in a couple of days, and I certainly cannot do it without you.”

Carmen smiled at me as Father Alvarelo returned. “Here, Carmen, let me help you to bed,” he took her into his arms, lifting her off the floor with the lightest of touches. I followed him back into our quarters, and we helped settle Carmen under the covers. Just as we were leaving, Brother Ivan was arriving with a Tairona servant bearing soup, bread, and mango slices. A warm pot of tea was in the corner of the tray, wagging a thin, slow tail of steam from its spout. Close by, a little cup.

“How is she?” Brother Ivan caught his breath.

Father Alvarelo grinned. “My dear boy, you do not need to be so worried. So much travel and so few meals today have simply left Hermana Carmen in a bit of a spell. Stay with her, make sure she has her meal. Understand?”

“Yes, Father.” Brother Ivan led the servant into our room, and Father Alvarelo sighed. He leaned back against the wall with a mild sigh.

“Quite a day, yes?”

I nodded. “Yes, Father.”

“I know Father Leoncio upset you.”

“No,” I said hastily. “No, I behaved poorly. I heard him arguing with the Captain. He is right to be annoyed.”

“He is a bull. Takes so much to please him, and hardly anything to embitter him. Pay his moods little mind, or you will be miserable in paradise.”

“That is very kind advice, Father.”

“He did have a good idea though.”

I cocked my head. “Did he?”

“Yes. Come with me. The night is still early enough. I will show you the Tairona village.”