… Ofelia esperó en casa, la llegada de sus padres, sabía que tendría que enfrentarse a ellos, como vinieran a ella, enfadados o frustrados, no tenía más opción, pero algo si tenía por seguro y era que debía mantener su posición, no se casaría con aquel horrible conde. Sus padres llegaron bastante desencajados, se podía ver en su cara su frustración y de una vez la llamaron a la salita de estar, de la pequeña estancia, comunicándole su decisión. A partir de la mañana siguiente partiría rumbo al convento que ya el padre le había ubicado, que quedaba bien lejos de su pequeño pueblo; sus padres no pudieron negarse a dar a una de sus hijas a la iglesia, sabían que eso sería una afrenta total y no podían darse el lujo de enfrentar el escarnio social.

Aunque, con Ofelia se iban sus esperanzas de vivir decentemente. Ella acató la decisión de sus padres, quienes la despidieron fríamente, bien temprano en la mañana; todo había pasado tan rápidamente que apenas lo podía asimilar, pero respiraba libremente, por vez primera en mucho tiempo. Iba tan sumida en sus pensamientos, que no se dio cuenta de que ya había llegado a lo que sería su nuevo hogar... era una edificación bastante antigua, rodeada de mucha naturaleza, tenía un gran jardín, donde pudo ver varias monjas y novicias trabajando laboriosamente. Se bajó del carruaje y se dijo: "esta será mi nueva vida", resignada, pero tranquila de estar libre de todos, de su familia y de aquel hombre.

Nada más entrar, la presentaron a la Madre Superiora, quien ya le tenía dispuesta una celda en el área de las novicias, el lugar se veía bastante lúgubre, nada más entrar Ofelia pudo sentir, el frío que reinaba, todas allí transitaban en absoluto silencio. Pronto se enteró, de que esa era una de las reglas en aquel sitio; hablar nada, más cuando le hablasen las monjas de resto, tenía que andar en silencio. Al salir del recinto de la Madre Superiora, fue enviada a sus aposentos. Nada más entrar, se dio cuenta en lo que se vería reducida su existencia, en el interior de la habitación, solo había una pequeña cama, una rústica mesita de noche y un pequeño baño con nada más lo indispensable, un ropero, una pequeña ventanilla, una cruz de madera en el cabezal de la cama y nada más...

Allí la dejaron para que se instalara y aseara, para la cena, pues había llegado casi al atardecer, al salir la monja que le había acompañado le había entregado unas túnicas, para que se vistiera de ahora en adelante con ellas y se retiró. Ofelia se sentó, en aquella pequeña cama y arranco a llorar, esto tampoco la hacía feliz, siempre se imaginó conocer a un hombre guapo que la conquistara y pidiera su mano, conocer el amor, saber que se siente ser amada, convertirse en mujer en los brazos de aquel hombre soñado... y ahora le tocaba estar entre estas mujeres, que parecían zombis por todo el lugar. Así pasaron los días y pronto Ofelia, se fue acostumbrando a aquella rutina, asistir a misa en las mañanas, hacer sus tareas asignadas, hacer sus oraciones de la tarde y de la noche, comer, asearse, dormir...

Un día, salió al jardín a buscar unas verduras que estaban sembradas en aquel sitio, estando en eso vio una pequeña puerta rodeada de bastantes ramas, que no había visto, y decidió abrirla, para ver qué había; al hacerlo pudo ver un jardín interno, lleno de flores de todos colores y junto a ellas un hombre, que agachado limpiaba la tierra de la maleza. Estaba tan absorto en su tarea, que no se percató de que ella estaba observándolo como hipnotizada, no podía creer que existiera ese paraíso precisamente allí y que un hombre, a excepción del que les llevaba las provisiones, estuviera en ese sagrado recinto.

El hombre, al sentir la mirada de Ofelia, se levantó sorprendido y la observo en todo su esplendor, a pesar de la pesada túnica que le tapaba casi todo el cuerpo, él pudo divisar unos mechones de cabello, qué rebeldes se le escapaban del austero tocado y que le enmarcaban su hermoso rostro, dándole una imagen única, con unos labios rojos como una rosa en capullo, prestos a abrirse..., unos ojos grandes, que emanaban un brillo que invitaban a mirarla. De una vez, amablemente, se acercó a Ofelia, para presentarse, pero ella temerosa salió corriendo del sitio, no sin antes brindarle una tímida sonrisa. Ofelia guardó su secreto y pensándolo bien a quien podría contárselo, si casi nadie le hablaba. Sería su lugar favorito, su secreto...
Continuará...

Fuente/ Source

𝕰𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖍

… Ofelia waited at home, the arrival of her parents, she knew that she would have to face them, however they came to her, angry or frustrated, she had no choice, but one thing was certain, and it was that she had to maintain her position, she did not know. I would marry that horrible count. Her parents arrived quite upset, she could see her frustration on her face and at once they called her to the living room, from her small room, informing her of her decision. Starting the next morning, she would leave for the convent that her father had already located for her, which was well away from her small town; Her parents could not refuse to give one of her daughters to the church, they knew that it would be a total affront and they could not afford to face social scorn.

Although, with Ofelia his hopes of living decently were gone. She accepted the decision of her parents, who dismissed her coldly, very early in the morning; it had all happened so quickly that she could barely take it in, but she was breathing freely, for the first time in a long time. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that she had already arrived at what would be her new home... it was a fairly old building, surrounded by a lot of nature, it had a large garden, where she could see several nuns and novices laboriously working. She got out of the carriage and said to herself: "this will be my new life", she resigned, but calm to be free of everyone, her family and that man.

As soon as they entered, they presented her to the Mother Superior, who had already arranged a cell for her in the novices' area, the place looked quite gloomy, as soon as Ofelia entered she could feel the cold that reigned, all of them walked there in absolute silence. . She soon found out that this was one of the rules in that place; She didn't speak anything, but when the rest of the nuns spoke to her, she had to walk in silence. Leaving the Mother Superior's compound, she was sent to her chambers. As soon as he entered, he realized what his existence would be reduced to, inside the room, there was only a small bed, a rustic bedside table and a small bathroom with nothing more than the essentials, a wardrobe, a small window , a wooden cross at the head of the bed and nothing else...

There they left her to get settled and clean up for dinner, since she had arrived almost at sunset, when leaving the nun who had accompanied her had given her some robes, so that she would dress in them from now on and left. Ofelia sat down on that small bed and started to cry, this didn't make her happy either, she always imagined meeting a handsome man who would win her over and ask for her hand, knowing love, knowing what it feels like to be loved, becoming a woman in the arms of that dreamed man... and now it was his turn to be among these women, who looked like zombies all over the place. So the days passed and soon Ofelia got used to that routine, attending mass in the mornings, doing her assigned tasks, doing her afternoon and evening prayers, eating, washing, sleeping...

One day, she went out to the garden to look for some vegetables that were planted in that place, while she was there she saw a small door surrounded by many branches, which she had not seen, and she decided to open it, to see what was there; When she did, she could see an internal garden, full of flowers of all colors and next to them a man, who crouched down, cleared the land of weeds. He was so absorbed in his task that he didn't realize that she was watching him as if hypnotized, he couldn't believe that paradise existed precisely there and that a man, except for the one who brought them the provisions, was in that sacred enclosure.

The man, feeling Ofelia's gaze, got up surprised and observed her in all her splendor, despite the heavy tunic that covered almost her entire body, he could see a few strands of hair, which rebels escaped from the austere headdress and that framed her beautiful face, giving her a unique image, with red lips like a budded rose, ready to open..., large eyes, which emanated a shine that invited you to look at her. At once, kindly, he approached Ofelia, to introduce himself, but she fearfully ran out of the place, but not before giving him a shy smile. She ofelia kept her secret and thinking about it to whom she could tell, if hardly anyone spoke to her. It would be her favorite place, her secret...
To be continue...