"PRIDE" " Good morning, doña Teresa." " Good morning." " You almost didn't arrive on time." " But I made it." "Thanks to the train arriving late." "I anticipated it would come late, because it usually does." " I heard that Miss Laura is coming." " She's coming." " It's been so long since we've seen her." " 10 years." "Here it is." " Will she spend much time with you?" " Her whole life." "I'm here, mama!" "Mama!" "Let me look at you!" " Laura..." "You look wonderful!" " Don't be silly." "No luggage?" " I'm bringing Paris with me!" "2 boxes and 5 suitcases." "Julian!" " Yes, ma'am." "The young lady." " It's been so long." " Go quickly, but be careful." "There are 7 things." " Let's go." "I'm so happy!" "I'm glad to hear it." " I like how you look." "You have "chic"." " Speak proper Spanish." "Then why did you send me out of the country?" "So that you would learn how beautiful your homeland is." " Welcome." " Hello!" " What's the boss's name?" "I don't remember." " Just call him "boss," that's enough." "Well you still haven't told me what you think of me." "Changed." "Hey, Lucero!" "Get this flock out of the way, stupid, if you don't want me to run it over!" " But mama..." " Quiet!" "Insult the workers from your own house, there's no reason to insult me." "The flock is crossing the gorge." "My sheep can pass, the same as yours." "You didn't hear the carriage?" "Yes." "And that's why you left your sheep in the road, right?" "The livestock crossings are free for everyone to use." " Move these animals!" " Wait for them to cross." " I don't take orders from workers!" " And I don't from anyone but my master." "Your master means is less to me than you do!" "Lucero!" "For every sheep you kill, my master will kill 100 of yours!" " Let that horse go!" " You'll have to run me over!" "And over your master too!" "he's the one who should be here!" "Here's the master, Teresa." " Go on, Ramón." " It's that the lady..." " The lady and I would like you to go." " As you wish." "You see, my workers prefer to be treated with kindness." "It's customary in the Alzaga house." "Your daughter?" "Yes!" "Very pretty." "Just as you were, though you might not believe me." "Feel free to offend me if you want, I'm used to it." "I hope she doesn't grow up to be as bitter as you." "As long as you all are around, she'll have to grow bitter." " Your name is Laura, isn't it?" " Yes." "My mother was also called Lau..." " Good morning, miss." " Hello." "Everything is the same, mama." "10 years older." "And now you're in your home... and it was waiting for you to arrive." " Did you study much?" " I think so." "What have you been learning about?" " Music, science, literature..." " Do you know about the land?" "No." "Well you'll have to learn, even if it means forgetting everything you know." "Don't think that I'll just keep going on continuing to take care of this home all by myself." "I've brought you back so you'd learn about it in time." "When your father died I learned how much it was to take care of it and it took me years to learn about the needs of our fields." "I don't want you to struggle in the same way when I die." "You'll start today, and it won't be so bad." "The land is beautiful, you'll learn to love it quickly, and for your whole life." "It's the one thing you'll love at first sight and will never forget." "Do you have a boyfriend?" "No, and I'm not in a hurry to get one." "I think you should be." "In our home there's no one your equal, and not in the surrounding areas either." "It would have been best for you to have brought one in from outside." "You'll understand what I say much better when you learn how vast our lands are." "It takes a lot of work to bring in what it grows." "The animals, and the families who will one day live under your control alone." "Your fields stretch to that peak called "Monte Oscuro" [Dark Mountain]." "At its peak is the limit of your lands, to the south, and to the north they end at the river." "It's marked all around by a series of posts." "Up to those posts there is peace, and beyond them... war!" "Who lives on the other side of the river?" "The Alzaga!" "That man we met on the road is one of them." "Later you'll go out with the overseer to see the farm, but just to the river." "You should see the posts as if they marked the edge of the world!" "This is the field for the mares." "It's a shame it's so far from the river, but there's no other option for it." "The colts would roam to the other farm... and as you know, any animal who crosses the posts ends up dead." "This is terrible!" "Why don't you bring charges against them?" "It's the law of these two houses." "We do the exact same thing." "And you're willing to kill a colt?" "Not by choice, no." "But me, as a worker, all I can do is follow what my master tells me." " No matter who orders it, it's inhumane!" " Sure, ...but we've been doing it for many years." " All customs can change!" "This is the boundary that separates the two houses." "During the dry seasons, the water will be on the other side of the posts, in the Alzaga's land." "It's very little, and there's not enough for both farms." " Who divided up the river?" "The Alzagas." " Was it always like this?" " No." "When the owners were younger, they got along." " Why did that stop?" " That's their business." " Shall we continue, ma'am?" " I'm staying." "You go on." "Are you contemplating this border of hatred, illustrious traveler?" "No, no, to the other side, little one." "Here, next to the big tree!" "No, to the left!" "Don't be frightened, I'm not naked." "But I do recommend taking a dip, the water feels great." "Come on, don't be a child." "You can look without any fear, Laura." " How do you know my name?" " Just as you should know mine!" "I'm Enrique, the son of the Alzagas, We're old friends." "Have you forgotten that we used to see each other during mass?" "I remember you well." "You were an ugly, deformed little kid." "I don't know if you're any better now, but I doubt it." "Nature doesn't work miracles." "You want to come closer so I can see you better?" "It's not possible!" "Dear Lord!" "Forgive me, I never would have thought that..." "How could you have changed so much in so little time...?" " An ugly deformed little kid!" " Pardon me." "You see..." "Don't apologize!" "You seemed to me like a skinny little kid with wiry hair and an ugly face!" "And furthermore,don't forget that we're enemies!" " Did they say that we had to be?" "No." "They only said that peace ends at these posts." "For them, for their pride, but for us as if it didn't exist." " Look, Laura..." " It's forbidden to cross into my lands!" "Then, come into mine." "Not you in mine, or me in yours." "Skinny little kid!" "Wait, freckles!" "Laura!" "Laura!" " I remembered you..." " Me too." "But I didn't imagine you like this." "And I didn't think you would be so pretty." " What is this flower?" " Myrtle." "I like it." "You should go." "No one from your house can cross into my land." "But you give the impression that it's you who passed into mine." " Did I cross the river?" " Yes." "I didn't notice." "Me neither." " My mother told me that at the posts..." " There was war." " And now you see that what it actually means is..." " Don't be silly." "Let's go, Enrique." "Ok." "Let's go." "Hello, mama." "You're home late." "Yes, I was enjoying myself." "You seem very happy." "Why shouldn't I be?" "I've come back home, and found my beautiful mother and it's springtime!" " So I see." "What did you find?" "A lot of land." "And what else?" "A lot of horses, cows..." "What else?" "Well..." "Dioberito and Lucas explained to me what we and the Alzaga do with animals that cross the river." "It seems barbaric to me." "Come here, Laura!" "My parents were the enemies of the Alzaga." "Luis de Alzaga and I are enemies, and you must be as well." "Wait!" "There are only two Alzaga." "You met one of them today on the road..." "The other gave you that myrtle." "His name is Enrique." " You finally came." " But I shouldn't have." " My mother knows I crossed the river." " Did they tell her?" "You should have told me myrtles only grow on your lands." "We shouldn't see each other again." " You don't want to?" " They don't want us to." "What about you, Laura?" " I came here, Enrique." " Then who gives a damn about them!" "Follow me down by the bank of the river!" "Every day I'll wait for you here, next to the river." "Next to these trees which are like the two of us." "They were born together, grew together and no one could separate them, and they'll die together, like you and me." "Every day I'll wait for you here." "Every day I'll come here." "Don't take the saddle off." " It is going somewhere?" " To the station." "The train arrives at 10:30." " Who's coming?" " It's you who's going!" " Tonight?" "Where?" " To Madrid." " Did something happen?" " Yes." " Who am I supposed to see there?" " No one." "You're going specifically so you stop seeing someone!" " So they told you, then?" " Yes." "That's good!" "It saves me the trouble of having to tell you myself!" " What are you doing?" " What you see, unsaddling the horse." "I'm not going to Madrid!" "Don't make things difficult, Enrique." "You leave tonight!" " You don't know the pride of Teresa Mendoza." "I know yours, father." "It's best to keep in mind that she will never all for this friendship." "And if that friendship changed to affection?" "Do you mean that you're in love with Laura?" "I think I am!" "And you think she could fall in love with you." "I'm sure of it." "She feels the same thing that I feel." "It's said that all humans have a destiny, and it can't be changed." "And if someone refuses to see it through, then their children, or their grandchildren will... especially if it's the will of God." "I'm sure He looked well upon the union of our two houses, and that He's seeing it once again." "I understand, Enrique." "If you love her, don't go... but I warn you that the fight between Teresa and me will go on." "We'll continue loving each other despite everything." "When Teresa learns of your love, she'll keep Laura from seeing you." " I'll cross the boundary and beg her with all my soul." "She'll refuse you!" "At that point I would leave here forever." "If you'd leave, then leave now!" "It's that I'm sure I couldn't live on these lands without her." "Then the day you cross the boundary don't go to request her... go to get her!" "And if they say no, get our men and go take her!" "Up to now we've been fighting over a river..." "Then we'd be fighting for a river and a woman!" "You still haven't said if you're going or staying." "I'm staying." "There is no yours or mine, everything is ours, and there will be a bridge over the river, because God wishes it so." "Oh, oh, oh, the clear river." "Oh, oh, there is no yours or mine." "Did you hear?" "It sounds like he's singing just for us." "Soon everything will be ours, and there will be a bridge across the river." "With the same posts that divide us now." "I don't get it." "I've only been here for a month, and it feels like we've been together our whole lives." "We'll say the same thing many years from now." " What mountain is that?" "Cumbre Santa." "It's wonderful on top." "From the peak you can't tell the difference between our lands." " To me they look like little white marks." " Can we go up tomorrow?" "We can." "And if the clouds aren't below us, you can see the river, which looks like a glass thread." " You're leaving early, my daughter." " I'm going to see the mares, and it's far." " 72." " I'll eat out there with the shepherds." " Bye." " Take care of yourself." "71." "Young people don't like to change." " She says shes going to see the mares." "Then that's what she's doing." "I thought she'd be going to the poplar grove, or to Cumbre Santa, ...that they went up the other day." " They went up?" "I saw them twice at the peak." "For the Alzaga boy there are no boundaries, but the day he runs into our boys, he won't be going home alive." " How long have you been with this house?" " Close to half a century." "You don't know your duty!" "If it's forbidden for anyone from that house to cross my lands, then it's especially forbidden for the Alzaga boy." "You can go!" "Damián!" "Continue weighing but tell them to saddle the colt." "Don't dawdle, I'm in a rush!" "Excuse me for a moment." "I'll be right back." "If you don't want to say hello, I will." "Good morning, Teresa." " Do you know why I'm here?" " I can imagine." " Laura and my son are..." " Laura and your son are what?" "From the looks of things, they're in love." "Are you going to request her hand in marriage on your son's behalf?" " You're not going to offer it?" " Don't be silly, Luis!" "I've come here to tell you that your son crosses into my lands." "You know the law we have and you know what can happen if he's found by people from my farm." "I want to avoid any trouble." " Not for him or you, but for Laura." " You're doing it because she loves him." " It's not Enrique who loves her?" " Sure... they love each other." " We're equals." " We can talk as equals." "You still have your pride, Teresa." "And you don't?" "Ok,... we both do." "If Laura and Enrique love each other, let them marry and we'll have peace." "Then tomorrow at dawn tear up the posts, and in the afternoon come and ask for Laura's hand." "Good bye!" "They'll take the posts up themselves after the wedding!" "Laura will not see your boy for as long as the river is divided!" "Don't set conditions, Teresa!" "Your daughter won't find a better husband than my Enrique, ...or better lands for that matter!" " Mine are worth as much, as you know." "Only when the river fills up." "But when it's dry, not a cow lives nor a weed grows." "Years ago I swore to myself, and to the men who work for me, that no one from your house would cross into my lands while the river was divided." "If tomorrow you don't tear up the posts, ...there will be no wedding!" " Recall that I swore that to myself as well!" "There will be no wedding!" " Teresa!" " In exchange for my daughter, a river is nothing!" "At that price I would only give you the girl who takes care of my pigs!" " What's happening?" "This cow crossed into our lands." " And what will you do with it?" " Cut off it's head." "This no longer happens on these lands." "Take it to the other side!" "Look, the Alzagas will laugh at us." "The shepherds over there are watching and if they see us do what you're asking, ...instead of thanking us, they'll say we're cowards." "I said to take it!" "The master told us to kill everything that crosses!" "And now I'm telling you to do the opposite, and I'm also the master!" "Now!" "This is what happens when you're under a woman's thumb!" "Put some flowers on the horns!" "Don't pass that post, this is a man's land!" "And hurry home, they'll teach you how to knit!" ""The angel of God met with Mary... "" "And she conceived with the will and grace of the Holy Spirit." " "Behold the servant of God. "" " Your will be done." " "The word was made flesh... " - and lived in us." "Amen." "Don't leave!" "Some of our men were going to kill a cow from the other house who had crossed into our lands." "Naturally I ordered them to return it to its lands." "It is time to stop with this savag...!" "Come here, Laura!" "Go up!" "Look." "This is how the Alzaga repaid your humanity from today." "Oh, oh, oh, oh, the clear river." "Oh, oh, there is no more yours or mine." "There is no more yours or mine, filled with love, that the river carries like water and the fields are in flower." "There is no more yours or mine, filled with love, that the river carries like water and the fields are in flower." "Oh, oh, oh, oh, the clear river." "Oh, oh, there is no more yours or mine." "And the fields are in flower, and the waters flow cold, and the dear one brings warmth like the warmth of your skirts." "The fields are in flower, and the waters flow cold..." " Do you like the song?" " I do." "A few days ago I heard some boys singing it." "I don't know if they were from this house or the Alzaga's." "From whichever, because we all sing it." "We would like there to be a bridge over the river." " There never was?" " I didn't know it , but your grandfather did." "And others who are still alive also knew of it." "And we were like brothers, all of us, but then came the drought, and the two houses started to fight." "Martin, who was in the fight, lost a son." "The fighting began because when we went to give the livestock water, the men from that house refused it to us." "For us the death of the livestock meant hunger." "We lost our heads... and I lost my son." "Others lost a father or brother..." "And they lost men too." "And this hatred still continues?" "Now we don't hate, but when the river runs dry, the hatred will return." "The few heads of stock that we have, will all die when the river goes dry." "Then, you don't think we'll ever live in peace?" "The river means a lot to the masters, but for us it's life and death." "You'll see." "I've thought about it, and Enrique and I don't have anything to do with this fight over the river." "You don't answer?" "Fine, mother!" "Don't speak, but listen to me!" "Maybe you and Alzaga loved each other, but you cared more for the river." "This doesn't matter to us at all!" " And if Enrique can't cross into my lands then I'll cross into his. -¡Be quiet!" "Leave now and don't return!" "Take this with you, it does me no good because I won't humiliate myself." "You're a woman now and you know what that means." "It looks like...!" " It looks like a wedding dress." " It is, Laura." "It's the type of wedding dress we wear in this region, and it would have been mine, for marrying Luis de Alzaga." "He was here for a long time, until the day of the wedding." "That day, locked in this room, I put it on." "I didn't want anyone to see me, but I hoped he would come and find me." "I waited for him from before dawn until after sunset, in this room, on this balcony, watching just like now, but he didn't come." "The river dried up, and those who sing about a bridge, broke the one that was there into pieces." "They fought and several died." "I defended our men, and he defended his." "He won." "He pounded the posts into the river, and swore he wouldn't remove them until I went to beg him to." "He was proud, and so was I!" "Because of that pride our love fell apart!" "Take that dress." "I did the same, carrying in my hands all of the hopes for my life." "A thousand times these hands have been close to ripping it to pieces." "I was strong enough not to... and I'm not ashamed to say that I only learned to cry because of him." "Take it... and go!" " You're not going?" " You..." "Tonight?" "No." "Then, when?" "When Alzaga tears out the posts, and comes to ask for my hand." "The next one." "Laura!" " You're not leaving today?" " No." "You've been holed up at home now for four days." " I don't think that'll hurt anyone." " But the farm, yes." " You have to oversee the work, and watch the fields, and..." "Ma'am." "I'm coming!" "In the corral there's the large sorrel mare that will give birth to a colt." "You know it's the best animal on this farm." "I think you should go see it." "I'm not in the mood now." " You should know..." " I know everything, but you need to learn that this is why I brought you:" "so you could help me." "Ok..." "I'll go this afternoon." "You don't have to say anything." "You don't even have to look at me, but you need to listen to me." "It's been over three days since we've seen each other, Laura." "I know it's not your fault, because I've seen you looking toward my house every day." "I could tell you, because I know by heart, the number of trees that are on your land, because I've counted them many times waiting for you to come out." "Just like I could tell you about the stars that shine above your house, because I've counted them too." "You don't say anything, Laura?" "Just that I also know how many trees are on your lands, but until your father tears out the posts from the river and asks for my hand, ...we won't see each other again." " He'll go today!" "Leave the tractors in the lower field, and don't remove them until you're done with the job." " We removed them because we thought..." " Thinking is my job, Diego, ...yours is to obey!" " Do you have any other orders?" "No!" "Good afternoon." "Come in." " Did you forget something?" " Good evening, father." "So then, ...something happened at the fair?" " No, nothing." "Then why are you here?" "So that you would go right now to ask for Laura's hand." "Have you gone crazy?" " No." "Well if you're not crazy, how dare you ask me something like that!" "You know the promise that Teresa and I made." "You well know the temper of that woman, and you tell me to ask for her daughter!" "It's outrageous!" "You want me to tear up those posts so they'll die of laughing at us?" "Or do you want me to leave them, so she slaps me out of her house?" "Which is what she..." "Get out!" "No..." "I'm sorry, my child." "I would have expected anything but this." "You're very pretty, Laura... as pretty as a woman that I could never forget." "You know who it was." "You know that..." "What are you still doing here?" "Why haven't you told Eladio to get my things?" "Do you not want me to go see Teresa any more?" " But you're finally going?" " Of course I am." "Right away!" "She'll listen to me, I know she will!" "Eladio!" " Is there no one home?" " Do you need someone, don Luis?" "I need you, Gregorio." "Put the English saddle on the big colt, and bring my new books and silver spurs." "Quick, I'm in a hurry!" "Teresa..." "When do you want to wedding to be?" "Pull!" " Some nice young ladies in these lands!" "You hadn't noticed till now?" "Sure, but since we were fighting, I couldn't say anything." "From now on you'll know what it means to be loved." "There are no more posts dividing the river." "This should have happened years ago, but God didn't desire it." "Now I know it was so that you an Enrique could be happy together." "Let's toast!" "To the Alzaga and the Mendoza houses!" "Come on!" "A toast!" "to the old masters, and to the new ones!" "To the bridge that will connect our lands!" "And to tomorrow's wedding, thanks to which we'll live together in peace!" "As of tomorrow, our union will make us all one family." "Our houses will be one house forever, and the river won't separate our lands." "Oh, oh, my love." "Oh, oh, there is no more yours or mine." " It's wonderful to see so much happiness." " It is." "Good night, Teresa." "Good night, Luis." "Years ago, you and I said goodbye at this very spot, after a night like this one." "Yes, Luis..." "I haven't forgotten." "Good night." " Who are you?" " Who are you?" "I'm the master!" " Who goes there?" " It's Gabriel, the shepherd." "Very well, man," " I'm happy you could come to the party." " What party do you mean, sir?" " You're not coming to the wedding?" " What wedding?" "Why are you here, then?" "The pool in the hollow dried up a few days ago." "That water comes from here, from the peaks, from Monte Oscuro, and it won't take long to dry up, because when the people come back it won't carry more than two quarts." "Right now you're going to return to the hollow, you, and those who came with you, and the sheep." " If we do, we'll all die." " I don't care." "Go!" " It's more than 100 head, master." " Even for 100,000." "Go, Gabriel!" "They're dying of thirst on me." "They'll die on the path." "Even if they die of thirst." "Go right away." " Tomorrow night you can come." " I will." "Thank you, Gabriel." "Do you know what's happening?" " Everything, Luis." " Your shepherds should also be coming down." "Send some men you trust up to go catch up with them." "I'll do the same with mine." "This is like a curse." "But this time, nothing will happen." "When our people realize that the river is drying up," "Laura and Enrique will already be married." "Go back home." "Let your men keep drinking until they fall down." "Don't let them know anything." "I'll go down now with the car." "We'll hold the wedding early, at dawn, before the sun rises." " Good night, Teresa." " Good night, Luis." "And may God help us." " Much longer?" " Around half an hour." "Don't keep going on, that will be enough." "Hook up the horses right away, and take the car to the other house." "Fidel!" "Fidel!" " Did you need me, master?" " Come here." "The shephereds from the lower fields are coming here with their herds..." "Send two men you trust to cut them off." "Why are they coming?" " The river is drying up." " Don Luis?" "Only you and I know." "Don't let them come here before nightfall." "Whatever happens, happens, Fidel." "So it is, master." " Where are we going?" " To the lower fields, quickly." "Keep going this way to the wash." "I'll go to the cabin." "You to the lower fields, quickly!" "What's up, Lucas?" " The drought is back, just like years ago." "Yes, it is." " Hold up your flock." " What?" "Master's orders, Ramón." "You can't go to the farm until tonight." "The master doesn't know it's been six days since they've had water, and they've been on the road for 25 miles." "If the sun comes up before we reach the river, the flock will die." " The master doesn't care if they die." " But I do." "There are 20 mares here that are mine, from my own savings." "And even if they weren't, I don't have the heart to cross my arms and watch as the animals all die of thirst!" " Wait." "I have to go on, sir!" " It's the master's orders." " Even if it were from the king!" " Ramón!" " I said I'm going." "Let me go, sir!" " Go back to the pastures, don't be crazy." " Let go!" "Stop Ramón, stop!" "You look so pretty that even the organ's voice will tremble ...when you enter the church." " Don't be silly." "It's glorious to see you!" "And the groom will look like a carnation." "The jasmines, Clara." " Hurry, my dear." " I don't see why you've moved things earlier." "Luis and I though it more convenient." "You won't say anything?" "That you look wonderful." " You can stop now!" " Right away, ma'am." "No dawdling." "Within half an hour you need to be at the church." "Clara?" " Let's go, Enrique." "It looks like you're more nervous than I am." "It's possible." "I'd give you something if you were already married." "Well you can give it to me now, because in half an hour..." "Rockets?" "No." " What's happening, father?" " Wait." "Quiet!" "¡Nobody move!" "Where are you going?" "I already told you the other night, right here;" "the river, it will always keep you apart!" "Teresa!" "Don't fight!" "Stop!" " Go, get away from here!" " Let me go!" "Teresa!" "Go back home, later on we'll meet up." "Not any longer." "You know neither of you will ever come here again." " It's no longer possible." " Master!" "Elías!" "Again, the other house..." "master..." "Elías!" "I'm sorry." "It will be worse for those from the other house." " The Alzaga are not responsible." " If they are, tell them that Gonzalo's four children are still alive." "And also tell them that they're not afraid." " You don't want there to be peace between our houses?" "No!" " Is it you who are telling me this?" " All of us!" "And anyone who doesn't agree, let him speak now." "As you see." " Where are you going?" " With you." " Everyone inside, I don't want company." " No, Enrique, you're playing with your life." "It's your fault!" "Get rid of that shotgun." "Enough people are dead already.." " Don't get rid of it, Fidel!" " I don't want more blood, father!" "Me neither." "Especially not yours." "If you cross the bridge, you won't be going alone." " Then there will never be peace." " Peace ended early this morning." "I'll bring it back!" "I'm going to find Laura." "You're acting like a man." "Be careful, try to avoid spilling more blood." "But if he doesn't come back, then none of you come back either." "Go on." " Don't follow me!" "Go back home." " When they go back as well." "Don Enrique isn't responsible for what happened." "Neither did our father, and now he's dead." " What are you going to do?" " Those crossed sticks mark the middle just as the posts did before." "If they dare to cross, we'll shoot them." "Lower your gun!" "You're not capable of killing him." "He's come to find me so we can be married." "Today is for funerals." "Not for weddings." " Not another step behind me!" " We go where you go." "Go on forward, master!" "Don't cross, Enrique, don't follow!" "I've come to find you, to make you my wife." "Even if there were twenty men more I would do the same!" " One more step and we fire." " Don't take another step, Enrique!" "Laura!" "Go back to your lands, Enrique, and tell them to put the posts back up." " Laura..." " Between us there isn't anything more." "Are you really saying this, Laura?" "Are you the one..." "Stop!" "If you take another step I'll be the one to tell them to shoot." " Your bags are packed." " What for?" " You're going to Madrid tonight." "No." "You're going!" "And if Enrique loves you he'll go look for you there." " It's enough that I die in these lands alone." "No." "You don't know what that means." "First drought, then hunger and thirst." "Nothing will change!" "Is there no water on Monte Oscuro?" "There is." "That's the source of the river." "But no one could reach the water from here." "I could!" "It's miles and miles, through rocky terrain." " With high cliffs..." " It doesn't matter!" "I'll go!" "Don't try, Laura!" "It's insane." "This war between the Alzaga and Mendoza seems even more insane to me." "And even more insane to love as we love, and hate as we hate." "And it's also insane not to turn back against the shame of hunger and thirst!" " When are you leaving?" " At dawn." "Juan, Marcelino, Diego!" "You, the Gonzalos!" "Everyone!" "And those outside, too." " Is anyone missing?" " No." "Close the door." "Listen well." "You all brought the war to me... and with the war, hunger." "It's come just like other times, and for many years." "Until now you've suffered with resignation because you were filled with more bravery than with shame and anger." "I lost everything for you." "Everything, except for those two things." "We're in a war, and we have to continue with it!" "Not humiliated, but fighting!" "Tomorrow I leave for the high peaks." "Did you hear?" "I'm going to the top of the mountain!" "On Monte Oscuro there's water, and I'm going to find it." "I know the road is long and difficult, that no one has ever climbed it... and that some... won't make it." "But this is war that you've brought to me!" "At dawn, I'm bringing the flocks up the mountains, so that the Alzaga can never offer us the charity of water and bread." "Open the door!" "Those who don't want to follow me can go beg from them." "And if you do, know that you'll never be allowed back in." "Because there's no room here for cowards." "I'll see you at dawn." "Thank you." "Let's go!" "Come on, keep it up, there's a lot of trail left!" "Go up there with the master leading the cows, and keep up the pace." "At this pace, the animals won't reach the top alive." "Neither beast nor man, we'd be crazy to continue." "Fear is nothing to us, brother." "Obeying is what we're paid to do." "Go on!" "Let's go!" "We have to put up with the pace of the cows." "My brother says at this rate, none of us will get there alive." "Even if we all die, we have to keep going." "The important thing is getting to Monte Oscuro soon." "Let's go!" "This is insane, master." "Careful with that wagon!" "You see what happens." "Are you going to go on?" "We still haven't arrived at Monte Oscuro." "After this, the people will be scared." "Me too." "But I'm going on." "Come on." "Forward!" "What's wrong with you all?" "They don't want to go any higher." "When the dawn breaks, they'll go back to the farm." "No one will make it." "There's no water." "The animals are giving up, they'll just stop along the trail!" "It's better than continuing." "They're scared, they've lost all hope." "Tell them they can go back." "Now I see that my father's blood has blinded me." "I dragged my brothers into this." "I should have let you marry Alzaga." "If you want I'll go now to find him." " Not now." " Are you thinking of going back down?" " I'll never go back." " Then we'll continue up." "You know that behind those peaks is what we're looking for." "And I know it too." "And we know it because we still have hope." "Tell me that the water is up there." "But without tears." "With certainty." "Like that morning in your house." "Tell me." "The water is up there!" "Tomorrow at dawn, we'll all make it to the top." " What are you going to do?" " I'll go up tonight, and come back tomorrow before the sun is up." "Listen to me, everyone:" "The master says the water is behind those peaks." "If we've made it this far, it seems like cowardice to turn back without knowing." "I'll go up alone." "If I'm not back by tomorrow morning, you can all go back down without me." "Wait!" "Don't go back down." "I've seen water!" "Don't go on!" "The water is up there!" "One last push and we'll have made it!" "There's a lake!" "A lake big enough for all the animals in the world!" "God led us to it!" "Wait." " Very tired?" " If it was far, I wouldn't make it." "There's the top." "And just below is the lake you saw." "I don't know." " You didn't find water?" " Last night I didn't go anywhere." "I stayed near the camp." "I had to have hope, and I did." "I had to give it to everyone else, and I did." " And if there isn't water?" " Don't doubt now." "Go on!" "Go on!" "Further up!" "To the top!" "Go!" "What are you waiting for?" "Why do you doubt?" "Don't get discouraged You always thought there was water, and there has to be." "Look how it's getting closer." "It's there!" "There!" "Just a few steps..." "Just a few steps and we'll have made it." "Water!" "Blessed be those who never lose hope... because God made the end of every trail for them." "Water!" "Water!" "¡It's a lake!" "Water!" "Water!" "It's a lake!" "Hurry up, it's water!" "I think you're working too hard." "No reason to kill yourself with it." "Any of us could take care of this job." "Everyone is busy with something, I won't skip out." "Come on, Perla." "It doesn't seem like the master." "Hurry up, Tomás." "We have to finish before the cold sets in." "Don't worry, ma'am." "I promise that within four days you'll see the flag on the roof." "Are you thinking of spending your whole life there?" " I'm not hurting anyone with it." " Just yourself." "In case you didn't know, Laura will come soon." "Who told you that?" "I just came from the other house." "Teresa has been very sick, and wants to see her daughter in case of the worst." "Things of the heart." "You don't joke about them." "The doctor will look for someone in town brave enough to climb Monte Oscuro." "It's a shame there's no other horse like mine." "It's the only animal who can handle that trail in two days." "Well, as long as he can find a man to go." "Don't unsaddle it." "Find me two canteens for water and some food." "This horse might be going somewhere right away." "Wait!" "Stop!" "¡Don't go on!" "These aren't the same lands as down below." " I have to see your master." " What for?" "It's nothing to you what I have to say to her!" " We told you not to go on!" " Let him through, Ramón!" "Come closer, Enrique." "These lands are free." "Here there's no river to divide us." " It's no time to remember enemies, Laura." " Nor to forget them." "If you've come for that, you can go back." " I've come to take you with me." " Then you can turn right back around." "Wait!" "Your mother wants to see you." "You should go right away." " She's dead, right?" " I don't know." "Don't trick me." "Tell me!" "I have strength for anything." "She's not dead." "But when I left she was in bad shape." " When was that?" " Yesterday, at noon." "You've done a three day ride in just one." "You must be tired." "Yes, but it doesn't matter." "Let's go." "We're going now?" "You can't now." "Rest first." "As you wish." "Come in." " You live here?" " Yes." "Go to bed and sleep." "You need it." "Right." "José!" "Elías!" "Mama!" "Mama!" " What are you doing?" " As you see, the same as always." "Are you going to spend your life like that?" " Why not?" " Because you're young and have to live." "Today is March 21st, Spring has begun." "Look at the sun." " Close it." " But..." "We don't need more sun, the land is already baked dry." "Will you listen to me?" "Leave me, Clara." "Enrique!"