Chapter Text
It was a windy day when Bruno decided it was time for a walk. His sister Pepa was a bit through the wind, which is why his poncho swirled around his arms and ankles as he stepped out of the family casita. As far as Bruno had noticed, Pepa was so excited because a young lad named Félix Marin had smiled at her.
Julieta, Bruno's other sister, tried to calm her down because she feared that the wind might degenerate into a small storm. Honestly, Julieta wasn't the only one who feared that, because Alma, Bruno's Mamá, had always looked anxiously at the sky, while Pepa couldn't get a grip on herself in the background.
Bruno didn't know what to do. Julieta didn't need his help, she was fully focused on Pepa and wouldn't appreciate it if someone got in her way. In addition, it just shot through Bruno's head that it could also happen that Pepa came up with the idea that Bruno could predict the future for her to find out what role this Félix would play in her life. But with Bruno's luck, it would hardly be an exhilarating prospect and then Pepa's mood would be in the basement and a hurricane would rage over Encanto for the next few days.
No, it would be better if Bruno was not in the house for the next few hours.
Despite the wind, the sun shone brightly over the village. Bruno could see the many people who went about their lives. He liked the view that the town gave; it looked so peaceful, so beautiful. He couldn't find words to describe the beauty of Encanto.
When he arrived, he was greeted by the residents, albeit sort of stiff. He didn't let himself be noticed, but internally it still left its mark. Mamá had already instilled in Bruno and his sisters with the milk that they should use their gifts for the good of all, which they had been doing since the age of five – well, maybe not so early, because they had to fathom their gifts themselves and get used to them. The triplets of the madrigals had not received simple gifts; Pepa, who was able to control the weather according to her whims, had great difficulty controlling her feelings. She always had to keep her composure and was never allowed to collapse otherwise, there could be an immense flood or thunderstorm.
Julieta, who was able to heal injuries through her prepared food, had been convinced for quite a while that she had not been given a gift at all. It wasn't until she helped Mamá in the kitchen and Bruno came into the kitchen with a bleeding finger that she became aware of it. Bruno wanted to make friends with some rats, but he was still a stranger to them, so they did not react as openly and friendly as he had hoped. Instead, one of them had bitten. When Julieta saw Bruno's wound, she wanted to comfort him with a piece of her homemade bread, but to everyone's amazement, Bruno's bleeding finger healed completely.
Bruno, who could look to the future, had not even come up with the nature of his gift. It had been Julieta who gave the clue, for she had noticed the decorations of Bruno's door; she had seen the sand glass. Mamá knew immediately that it had to be an hourglass and from that day on she tried everything to bring Bruno's ability to light until she finally succeeded and Bruno saw his little confrontation with the already mentioned rats.
"Bruno!" someone suddenly called him and Bruno was startled. "Yes?" he asked uncertainly.
"Do you know when Pepa will come down? The fields need to be watered and I think we now know how to perfectly adjust her mood," said Andres, a farmer of Encantos.
"I'm - uhm - not so sure," Bruno said. "She doesn't feel so good at the moment."
Andres looked up at the cloudless sky. "But it doesn't look like that," he murmured.
"Yes, but don't you feel the wind? She tries to keep him under control," Bruno defended his sister. He didn't like it when you questioned his sister's emotional state just because the weather hadn't adapted accordingly. After all, she had done everything for all these years to ensure that such dropouts were not noticed.
"Well, I have nothing against some wind," Laughed Andres. "It's a little refreshing, which is quite good, as hot as it has been the last few days, don't you think?"
"You can argue about it," Bruno merely said. He didn't want to talk to Andres anymore. He preferred to sit in the shade and watch the hustle and bustle on the market square, but the farmer made no effort to leave.
"You're right," Andres admitted. "By the way, did you know that Adella's niece is visiting? A new face in Encanto! Even at your age," Andres added with a wink.
Bruno couldn't help but turn red. At the age of twenty, people expected him to start his own family. But Bruno wasn't ready yet, because starting a family alone was difficult, if not impossible.
"Her name is Lucia. Maybe you'll be on the lookout for her, my friend.", Andres slapped him amicably on the shoulder, a good sign that the conversation came to an end. "Oh yes," Andres added. "Would you like to predict the future for me soon? I would like to know how the harvest will turn out this year."
"But of course," Bruno agreed, even though he already knew what he would see; a miserable harvest and Andres would blame him. Obviously.
He sighed and looked after Andres as he hurried back to his field. Bruno, on the other hand, went tohis usual place under the large tree, which offered plenty of shade. There was no bench, but a curb that offered a great seat. As he sat and killed time, he watched the inhabitants of Encanto; a mother was trying to explain to her child why he was not allowed to have sweets before lunch. Two men were carrying a tree trunk, they probably started to build a new house. Bruno thought for a moment whether he should perhaps offer his help, but then his attention was already drawn to something else:
"But Tía Adella," shouted a young woman, not sounding very happy. "Why not?", the lady next to her was Adella Pérez, an old woman who had spent her entire life in Encanto. She came here with Mamá at that time – which of course did not mean that Mamá was old!
"I've explained it to you several times," Adella replied. Bruno had known her all his life and had no difficulty recognizing that she no longer had nerves for this conversation. "You didn't give good reasons," replied the woman at her side.
"Listen, I don't have time for that now," Adella concluded. "We'll keep talking afterwards. I still have to go to Bianca. Get acquainted with Encanto.", with these words Adella went on and left the woman standing.
"She can't be serious!" she stomped her foot angrily on the ground and gesticulated wildly with her hands. She looked around, discovered the tree and sat down on the curb next to Bruno, even though Bruno wasn't sure if she even noticed him. Bruno, on the other hand, already saw her; She had long brown hair that fell tangled on her shoulders. She wore a purple dress, which went up to just below her knees, she fumbled on the fabric.
Bruno had to admit to himself that this unknown woman next to him was extremely pretty.
"I just don't get it!" she exclaimed suddenly. "She knows my dream and knows how hard I worked for it, but she still destroys my only chance!" she turned to Bruno. "Can you believe that?"
Obviously, she had noticed that someone was already sitting there.
"Well," Bruno said because the woman looked at him expectantly. "Adella is a very strict lady, but I don't think she wants to take away your dream..."
"Oh yes!" she disagreed. "That's what she wants! She is an evil woman who feeds on the dreams of hopeful young people so that she becomes immortal!", as she spoke, she had gesticulated wildly with her hands that Bruno was afraid she would accidentally slap him.
She looked at him. Then she started laughing. It was a quiet laugh – no, it was a silent laugh. If he turned away, he wouldn't even notice that she was laughing. You could only see it in the corners of her mouth raised and the way she rocked back and forth.
"Excuse me," she said with a smile. "I just come here and talk your ears full, without even introducing myself," she stretched out her hand to him. "I'm Lucia, Adella's niece."
For a second, an expression of surprise hovered over Bruno's face. He didn't expect the person and Andres were talking about to be Lucia. Of course, he could have imagined it for himself, how many young women end up arguing with Adella on the street? And Andres had not given any further information, but in his imagination, Lucia had still looked different.
But Bruno had to admit to himself that he already found the real Lucia much more sympathetic than the one who had lived in his imagination for a short time.
"Bruno Madrigal," he introduced himself and shook her hand.
"Bruno Madrigal," Lucia repeated slowly as if savouring the sound of his name. "The bear poem," she murmured.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, your name," she explained. "Bruno means as much as bear and Madrigal is a kind of shepherd's poetry. Ergo: The Bear Poem"
Bruno had to smile. "Nobody has answered me to my name like that before."
"No?" asked Lucia in amazement. "I love the meanings behind names! There is something mystical, something mysterious about it. As if the name were a treasure map and the meaning of the treasure."
Bruno was amazed. Lucia was different from the people he had met before. Most were only interested in the family behind the last name, but not in the meaning.
"What does your name mean?" he asked with interest. "Radiant castle or light-bringing castle," Lucia said.
Bruno thought for a moment. "Lucia ... Castillo?"
One hundred points!" she shouted with a laugh. "My name doesn't match my last name. From the sound maybe, but the meaning doesn't make sense."
"Maybe you just have to change it a bit," Bruno suggested. "How about ... Castle of lights? Sounds much better."
"Hey, you're right!" Lucia bumped his shoulder. "You are a genius, Bruno"
He could feel redness rise to his face. He tried to hide his face behind his hair.
"I complimented you, no need to hide," Lucia said, putting his hair off his face. "That was meant nicely."
"I know. It was just a bit unfamiliar," Bruno murmured. "After all, we've only known each other for fifteen minutes."
"Ha, that's right," Lucia yawned and let herself fall backwards on the lawn. "How long do you think Adella will take? I'm starving here."
"Bianca is one of her closest friends," Bruno looked down at her. "Certainly not much longer."
"I hope so! If it takes longer, I can't guarantee anything!" she winked at him. Bruno smiled.
He was about to offer her to come up to the casita for lunch when Adella made her way to them. "Lucia!" she shouted from afar. "I told you to look around Encanto. Did you lie around lazily here all the time?" she remarked Bruno. "Oh, hello, Bruno."
"Hola, Adella"
"No," Lucia replied and sat up again. "I've only been lying down for a few minutes," she got up and smoothed her dress. Bruno did the same.
"Well then," she said, reaching out her hand again. "I hope to see you again soon, bear poem."
"I hope so too, Castle of Lights."