The Island With No Parallel

Reflections of the Past

She frowned, a heat rising from her at his attitude. "What, because he's a pirate? You know, I was lucky to be able to work in the castle of Ecencia. But before then, I'd seen a lot of ugly things, and a lot of them happened with Lords and Ladies almost as much as with the common thief. Sometimes more. At least the common thief has a reason he's angry at the world. He's poor and hungry and no one pays him any mind. Valentini and his men look out for each other. That's more than I can say for rich Lords and Ladies that are nice to each other's face and then summon Dark Ones at night to kill each other. From what I've seen, Earth's aristocracy isn't any different."

When she was finished speaking so fast, she couldn't believe that she'd said it. What was she thinking telling him all that? From the look on his face, he was surprised, too. She could only stare at him with her lips flapping, wishing she hadn't said anything at all.

Just as she was about to muster something to say, he beat her to it.

"You're right."

Her brows twisted in confusion.

Where she couldn't find a response, he continued. "I... apologize for being insensitive. I do that a lot, I realize. You're right. I judge people too quickly when I believe I'm above them. Which is the same mistake I made with you."

Something had changed in the way he looked at her now. Yunara turned away, looking to the mirror to put some order to her hair. It was the same look she avoided when he talked with her on Youssef's ship.

His reflection joined hers in the mirror, but she wouldn't turn around, even as his eyes bore into hers.

"Yunara, I have to tell you something. It's something I've avoided telling you... frankly because I was afraid."

"Afraid?" she asked, concentrating on combing through the tangles in her hair rather than look at him.

He paused before he spoke again. "It didn't even occur to me at first. But then when Fernando sent me that letter, it woke up a lot of feelings I tried to forget. I've always resented the color of my skin. It made me always feel like an outcast in my society, and I blamed it all on my father for letting his feelings get in the way of looking out for his family's bloodline. She died when I was very young, so I never got to truly understand how he felt, or how she changed everything for him. He died when I was 16, and before that, he was always busy with his business endeavors and of course, writing his book. Or, books, I should say. It wasn't until I started to read his diary did I finally get to see my mother through his eyes. He saw a woman that was beautiful, yes, but not only because of how she looked, but because of her character as a person. She was smart, she was passionate about those she cared for, much like yourself. I see now that she made him realize how little his world really mattered. The race for social standings, the fact that one's bank account mattered more in a marriage than the actual person themselves."

He took her gently by the arm and made her look at him. "I was afraid because you were doing the same thing to me, and I didn't want you to. I wanted to believe that everything I fought to do in life was important. And I didn't want to admit that from the minute I met you, you've made me feel like nothing else mattered. You've made me want more than just approval from a society that could never accept me anyway. Look at you. You're looking to save your country, your people, and you're willing to lay everything on the line to do it. You're made of substance, things that matter. And I've discovered it's one of the most attractive qualities in a woman. Not her money. Not her position in society. You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met."

His eyes were intense, like a dak whirlpool that tried to pull her in. As much as she wanted to break the stare, something about it kept her locked in it, and his hand on her arm didn't make it any easier to escape.

She's never heard anyone talk like this, and especially not to her. She didn't know how to react. He couldn't have been serious could he? No. This was brought on by their circumstances. He was far from people like Lucia and Fernando, who reminded him of the world he belonged to. When all of this was over, he would take it all back, surely. Men like him married women of wealth. Perhaps now he wanted more than just wealth, but he could certainly find it in someone else.

"Manuel..." she started.

"I can see you without the seeing powder."

Again, she was left speechless. She jerked away from his grip as though he claimed he could see through her clothes, and feeling just as exposed. "You what?"

"I don't need it. I haven't since we left Fernando's manor. I-it's something that only happens when a Human falls in love with a Caorfian. At least, that's what my father wrote in his diary. I've put it on in the morning whenever you were around so you wouldn't know. I-I'm sorry for being dishonest with you. But I love you, Yunara, and I've never felt like this before."

His words left her stunned, but she managed to find a voice to answer him. "No, I'm sorry, Manuel. Because I don't love you. You hide so much. Instead of expressing how you feel, you always shield yourself. Never let anyone in. If you have ever shown me that you loved me, I have never felt it. But rather the cold wall you put between us. And besides that, our worlds could never mix. We couldn't be more different. I'm from another world, and a servant at that. Thought you may not like the society you live in, you still belong in it more than you do with me. I hope you find what you're looking for someday, but I very much so doubt it will be me. I'm sorry, I have to go."

She moved away from him and didn't turn around to see the broken look on his face. She just wanted to put as much distance between her and him as possible, and that's all she was thinking about.

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The feels between Manuel and Yunara are sometimes enough to make me forget I'm supposed to be writing a fantasy :D

How do you feel about this chapter? Am I the only one sitting here a messy puddle of emotions?

Just me? Okay.

...

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Until next chapter ;)