Chapter Text
“Abre los ojos… open your eyes…” Abuelo finally said.
Dolores had been waiting for her abuelo to let her open her eyes for what felt like years but— being five years old— it was probably only a few minutes.
She slowly lifted her hands and uncovered her eyes, opening them and being met with a sudden influx of light.
But, the brightest thing in the room by far was the glowing, sparkling candle in her abuelo’s hands.
“Is this… the candle…”
Abuelo gave her a nod, a warm smile on his face.
“Yes, this candle is where el milagro that was given to our family comes from,” Abuelo waited for Dolores to say something again, but she was too mesmerised by the magic, and so he went on.
“Many years ago, on the birthday of your mamá and your tíos, your Abuela Alma and I were forced to flee our village…”
The memories of leading the way flooded in, feet sinking down as they walked through the river, leaning forward with difficulty considering all the weight on their backs.
“Many joined us— some not even from our village— in our attempt to find a new home, but… your Abuela was always too kind…”
The memory of Abuela heard a woman cry out from behind her, falling while carrying her son in her arms, and she rushed to help, handing over the triplets and the candle to Pedro.
“And Abuela… didn’t make it out…”
Suddenly, the raiders rushed in, Abuela pushed the woman with her child out of the way, and she was gone… Pedro fell to the ground, but something odd began to happen to the candle…
“But in our family’s darkest hour… we were blessed… with a miracle…”
The candle began to glow and be covered in engravings, and the sparks burst out and cleared away the darkness and the raiders.
Mountains grew to surround Abuelo and the other refugees, and the candle began to glow brighter, a house growing to surround him.
“The candle birthed a magical flame and it blessed us with magic that could never go out… Along with that, it blessed us a place of refuge—”
“An Encanto,”
“Our Casita!”
They both said in unison. Dolores giggled and Abuelo rolled his eyes.
“The miracle grew along with our home, and when the children came of age— they were blessed with power—”
“—a gift!” Dolores shouted out.
“A gift,” Abuelo smiled. “And when their children grew?”
Another girl stepped up to the door, and her door glowed along with her parents.
“Prima Isabel got a gift too!”
“That’s right— and today— you’ll get your gift just like her, and you’ll help to use your gift to continue to keep the miracle burning… and to keep our home un paraíso…”
The wilderness transformed into an oasis, and the Madrigal family shone in the middle as a beacon.
“Tonight, you will receive your gift. Strengthen our home, strengthen our community, and make our family proud.”
“Make my family proud…” Dolores mumbled under her breath.
A firework went off somewhere past the window with a loud “BOOM!” and Dolores covered her ears.
Abuelo pulled her hands down and said, “It must be time.”
Dolores jumped off the bed, sliding into her slippers and latching onto Abuelo’s hand as he guided her to the door.
“Do you… do you think I’ll get a good gift like Isa?” Dolores mumbled.
“You are a marvel, Dolores Madrigal. Any gift you get won’t be much further from perfection than you,” Abuelo responded while bending down to her eye level.
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Dolores’s curtains opened up on her gift ceremony, she stared up at her glowing door, shimmering and shining. She took a step forward with her hand outstretched…