Manuel repeated the same phrase in Spanish that she couldn't pronounce the first time she tried, nor the second time, or the third. She sighed in exasperation after the phrase fell apart in her mouth once again. Her head wasn't in it. All she could think about was that it had already been a week since she'd been approached by the Ancient Ones, and as far as she knew, Manuel hadn't received any letter yet.
At first learning Spanish sounded like a grand idea. But as the lessons went on Yunara began to remember how hard it was for her to learn English, even when she was learning it in Crilan schools as a child. And she remembered why she didn't even try to learn the Fairy language when the opportunity presented itself.
She was horrible with languages.
As Manuel proceeded to rattle off yet another "common" Spanish phrase, and she nodded as if she understood, she was inwardly wishing that she never agreed to this. She secretly mourned Manuel's wasted time in trying to teach her in what he didn't know was a lost cause.
"Try to repeat what I just said back to me."
Yunara bit her lip, her mind drawing a blank and her tongue freezing where it was. She couldn't even remember what he just said, much less repeat it back to him.
Seeing the lost expression on her face, he said it again, a little shorter of patience this time, and a great deal slower.
All she could do was shake her head in despair and apology. She didn't know why she even agreed to this. She was so excited about getting the job, she didn't think about the language learning that had to come with it.
"Have you even been listening?"
She was. She was just doing just doing a terrible job of it. "I'm sorry," was all she could say.
He sighed, as Yunara imagined he was starting to get an idea of what he was working with, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Perhaps we're attempting too much in one day. Let's just review old words instead of introducing new ones so quickly. Let's practice the introductions again.
He proceeded to ask for her name in Spanish, and even though she thought she knew how to give it, the way he shook his head old her otherwise.
"Let's try again tomorrow," he resigned.
Yunara couldn't get up and leave the room soon enough.
###
Wandering the masia was a sure way to unwind. She may have had trouble learning the language, but she loved the Spanish architecture. The home was beautiful inside and out, with stone walls and arched doorways in every room. The terracotta floors gave the whole house a warm feeling that permeated the walls. Artfully made paintings hung in the halls and greeted her as she passed them by.
She found herself again at the painting of Manuel's father. As her eyes gazed into his hazel ones, she wondered what he could see in his life. Would he be able to see her if he was alive today? Why didn't his son share his abilities, then?
She thought about that notion. She was living on Earth now, meaning she would have to pretend to be from here. She dreaded it, in all honesty. She loved her identity as a Naiad and despised the notion of having to hide it. She knew of Caorfians that did it, especially when their profession was in trading Earth goods with Caorfian countries. But she never envied them. This would definitely be difficult for her.
"Como va el Español?" she heard come from behind her. It was Maria with her usual warm smile, though the only thing Yunara could understand in the entire statement was something about Spanish. She shrugged pathetically to show she didn't understand. Or feel like hearing anymore Spanish any time soon.
"La clase! La clase!" she expressed with emotion, giving a thumbs up and a questioning face.
How was the classes going, she realized Maria was trying to ask.
A thumbs down and a polite smile was Yunara's response, secretly hoping she would take the hint that she was really not looking to have to guess through any more conversations in Spanish.
Maria didn't seem to get it.
"Porque?" she gave a questioning shrug.
"I just don't get it," Yunara tried to express, tapping her head to show that nothing was about to enter, and hoping to discourage the sparkle growing in Maria's eye that she had a feeling was going to be a bad sign. She was about to try to teach her too.
"No pasa nada! Ya vera usted. Es muy facil, el español."
Undiscouraged by the blank look Yunara gave her in response, Maria grabbed her arm, pulling her away as she said, "Ven. Ya vera usted. No es tan dificil. Ven."
Yunara didn't know what she was saying, but she had a feeling it wasn't good news.
###
She didn't know how it happened, but after one thing and another and a whole lot of Spanish, Yunara ended up in a carriage to the city with Maria. At least, she was pretty sure that's where they were headed. She knew she heard the word, "Valencia" a lot.
The whole time, Maria was going on and on, and Yunara nodded politely, despite the fact she couldn't comprehend a word. But as what seemed to be characteristic of the old maid, she wasn't giving up any time soon.
Yunara prayed that wasn't the case. She was a person that knew her strengths. Language wasn't one of them.
Eventually, the carriage pulled up to what smelled like a bakery, aromas of butter and rising loaves filling her nostrils as they approached.
"Ya estamos aqui," Maria stated as she exited the carriage.
Yunaara stepped out and was ushered into the building, where a plethora of golden baked goods that were trying to goad her into trying one with their sweet smells sat temptingly on display. An elder man kneaded heaps of dough behind in a back room with the door open, his hands and apron powdered in white.
Maria greeted him like an old friend, the two exchanging an animated conversation as the man came around the counter and wiped his hands clean on his apron before pecking her on both cheeks. Then, to Yunara's surprise, he grasped her by her shoulders and pulled her into the same form of greeting, brushing a kiss on both of her cheeks. All she could do was stand there like a statue as she had no idea what was going on.
As he pulled away, Maria started saying something to the man, gesturing to Yunara as she did. The man nodded in understanding, and looked to Yunara with a wide grin on his face. He gestured to himself. "Juan," he said, enunciating the word carefully.
Smiling politely, Yunara did the same, inwardly shriving into a mental ball. "Yunara," she said.
He gestured to the bread on the counter. "Pan."
Taking a deep breath, she repeated what he was trying to teach her.
He went around giving her words for the things laying around in the room. Harina, azucar, escoba. The words floated around her, and slowly, they actually did start sticking. She was eventually able to recite them and their translations, flour, sugar, broom.
After introducing Yunara to Juan and his pastry shop, she was also taken to a local seamstress, a butchery shop, even to the docks and a short trip around the beach. Out of all the words she was being taught, she didn't remember a lot of them, but there were enough words that actually did sink in, and she was ultimately grateful to Maria for trying so hard. It seemed that Maria knew half the city, because they ran into someone she knew at every corner, and they were always more than willing to help Yunara with this little learning expedition at widening her vocabulary.
By the time they had finished, Yunara had gotten to know a lot more of Valencia and many of Maria's acquaintances.
As they rode back to the masia once it got late, Maria gave a thumbs up with a questioning look on her face. "Bien?"
Yunara laughed, grateful to the maid for being such a patient teacher and tour guide. "Si. Muy bien," she said the best she could. "Thank you so much." her hands came together to show gratitude.
Maria nodded in satisfaction with a wide grin on her face, as if to say, "I knew I could get you to learn."
After saying goodnight, Yunara changed into a nightgown her eyes feeling droopy after having spent all day out. As she started putting her hair into a long, single braid, she heard a knock at the door. Muttering her complaints to herself, she walked over and opened it with one hand while her other held her unfinished braid in place.
"Good evening, Yunara."
"Manuel!" She was expecting it might be Maria to say goodnight. Conscious of her hands in her hair, she dropped them down to her sides immediately.
"Sorry to disturb you at this hour. I just wanted to ask you a question, if you don't mind."
"Not at all." she said quickly. She didn't want to displease her new master and be unwilling, despite the fact all she really wanted to do was crawl under the covers and sleep.
"I just wanted to know how you felt about doing a job for me tomorrow. I know that your wound is still healing, but this should be an easy task. I can speak English fairly well, but I find it hard to spell correctly, and I need to write a letter to an English shipping company for a business deal. I was wondering if you could help me with it. Of course, I will pay you however you feel is fair for this service."
"Of course, sir," was her immediate reply.
He stood there a little longer, as if he was expecting something else, but then finally said, "Well that was it. Thank you. Maria told me you went to the city. Did you enjoy it?"
"Very much."
Again he stopped, an awkward silence filling the space as Yunara wasn't quite sure how to fill it. But Manuel relieved her as he said, "Well then, good night."
"Good night, sir."