The tombs of the Lovers of Teruel.Look carefully... This picture speaks volumes.
In the city there were two important and wealthy families, Marcilla and Segura. Juan Martinez (also known as Diego) was a Marcilla and Isabel a Segura. The two were in love as childhood playmates but when they were both at an eligible age to wed, Diego's family had fallen on hard times. Isabel's father, being the most wealthy in all of Teruel, forbade the marriage. Diego, however, was able to make an agreement with the father in which he would leave Teruel for five years to try to build his fortune. If Diego was able to gain wealth within those five years he would be able to marry his love, Isabel.
During those five years her father pestered her to marry someone. She replied to him by saying that God wished her to remain a virgin until she turned twenty, saying that women should learn how to manage the household before getting married. Because her father loved her dearly and wished for her happiness, he agreed and for five years, they waited for Diego's return.
Diego was not heard from in those five years and so on the day of the five years' close Isabel's father married her to Don Pedro de Azagra from Albarracin. Right after the wedding ceremony there was a commotion at the Zaragoza gate. The watchmen informed the village that Diego Marcilla had returned with great riches and with the intent of marrying Isabel. Diego had not counted the day in which he petitioned Isabel's father whereas the Seguras had.
That night, Diego sneaked into the bedroom of Isabel and her husband and gently awoke her. He pleaded to her, "Besame, que me muero," (Kiss me for I am dying) and she refused, saying "No quiera Dios que yo falte a mi marido," (God does not wish me to deceive my husband) "Por la pasion de Jesucristo os suplico que busques a otra, que de mi no hagais cuenta. Pues si a Dios no ha complacido, tampoco me complace a mi." (For the love of Jesus Christ I beg you to find another, and to stop caring about me. If you can't please God, then it won't please me either.)
He begged one last time, saying that he was dying and wished for a final kiss. But still she refused. Upon hearing this Diego could not bear the separation between himself and his love, and with a sigh he died on the feet of his beloved Isabel. When she realized that he died, she shivered. She woke her husband, telling him that his snoring scared her and she wished to hear a story. And he did, and in return she told him her own story. She told him of Diego and how he lay dead beside the bed.
"Oh, you wretched! Why did you not kiss him?"
"To not deceive my husband." She replied.
"Of course," he groaned. "You are a woman to praise."
They agreed on secretly burying him in the local church because the husband feared that he would be blamed for his death. The next day, during the funeral for Diego Marcilla, Isabel showed up dressed in her wedding dress. She proceeded to walk to the front of the church and place a kiss on the man whom she had refused but in doing so Isabel died, falling prostrate on the body of the man whom she loved.
In death, not even able to touch the one he loves. So close, and yet ... still so far.
I love you too much to ever stop liking you, so don't expect me to just be your friend.
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