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Chapter Text

Many, many years ago, when a new mother had just given birth to her three children, chaos broke out on their peaceful and joyous night. The sound of chirping grasshoppers is now replaced with deafening bombs and agonizing screams from terrified neighbors. The cool glow of the moon is now replaced with the golden glow of blazing buildings. And the sound of galloping hooves roamed the streets.

Fearful for the fate of their new family, the mother and her husband flee into the night with nothing but their necessities for survival and their three newborn offspring. Like the star of Bethlehem, the neighbors followed the couple who led them with a single bright lantern onto the bowels of a ship. There, they laid low and stayed as quiet as possible as they rested on barrels and piles of goods. The sound of the waves crashing outside synced with the soft wails and sobs of their terrified fellowmen. Soon enough, the sound of heavy footsteps running about upstairs resounded in the now deathly silent bilge. Everyone was too afraid to walk around and peek into the little round windows, but they could feel for sure that the ship had begun sailing.

The soft rocking of the ship made many stomachs turn. And while everyone kept their silence, the look of agony on their faces was as loud as a baby's cry. Silence was never enough to keep the monsters at bay, for they could sense fear from miles away. Their hearts raced as the door pounded. It rumbled like thunderclouds for what seemed like an eternity until it opened with a thunderclap, and everyone downstairs screamed in terror.

An overwhelming sensation of guilt washed over the Madrigals, for they had just realized that they had led their neighbors to a dreadful fate. The husband, without a thought, threw himself between his people and their enemies. "Pedro!" His wife screamed, but he just kept a straight face with his hands up in surrender. He replied, "It's alright, Alma." whilst facing their terrorists bravely, drenched in cold sweat. He tried to plead with his heart, but they mercilessly sent him to his knees. His wife helplessly watched him get beaten up right before her eyes and dragged upstairs as she screamed at every blow. The world that welcomed her newborn babies was cruel and heartless. All the men in their group tried going after Pedro as the women followed closely behind them, trying to keep them from the armed foes. While Alma herself just wanted to see the state of her husband. She mustered up all her strength to climb upstairs, and the very moment she stepped foot right on the surface, she saw her husband get slain with a rusty old cutlass. The blade went through his chest and onto his back. "Amor?" Alma mumbled in a trembling voice. Blood started dripping from his mouth as he turned to look at his wife for the last time. His glassy brown eyes turned golden in the light of a lantern before his face. No words came out of his bloody red lips, but his eyes spoke plenty for him. "I love you."

His wife dropped to her knees and wailed. She felt her world crumble before her and her heart shatter into a million pieces. The sound of her screech was as powerful as sirens, and so was the light that later shone as bright as day from the single lit candle in her lantern. An enormous butterfly as big as the ship emerged from it. It was made up of glimmering lights with elegant patterns of curves and a few spirals. It flapped its wings once, and all their enemies were flung overboard all the way to the ocean, where they were dragged to deep trenches where hell awaits. Everyone witnessed the majestic yet horrific scene. They were too stunned to even blink. And just moments later, a thick mist wrapped itself around the ship. What's strange is that instead of being touched by the shivering cold of this fog, it was surprisingly warm and welcoming. The skies had never lit up so fast when the dark skies turned into gradients of light blue until they turned into the morning sky only seconds later. The men slowly peered into the waters below and saw a kaleidoscope of what seemed like butterflies made up of water, leading them to a vast land of mountains up ahead.

The humongous butterfly flew to the center of the land and slowly ascended into a golden floating palace with hovering stairs that led to the ground. It shone like a star in the distance. And while the widow stared in disbelief, entranced by the fascination of a magical event, she hadn't noticed the smaller butterflies that covered her clothes. They latched on to her. And with each butterfly, her old and worn-out fabrics turned into luxurious magenta silk and the finest gold and black laces of royalty. Her shoes turned into garnet, and jewelry dangled over her neck and wrist. As for the final touch, a crown of butterflies rested on her twin braids of black hair.

It was as if the wind itself whispered in everyone's ear when they all kneeled before her and hailed, "Our Empress, Alma Madrigal!"

Years after that devastating yet blissful moment, the mother raised an empire of magical kingdoms, protecting the growing land of Encanto and its people.

Julieta, the eldest, grew to be The Queen of Healing. She is as motherly as ever. She heals with home-cooked dishes and comforting smiles. Her very aura soothes the many souls of people she passes by. Like a goddess herself, followed by her flowing cadet blue dress, her very presence lessens the throbbing pain of all imperial subjects. She was married to a sweet nobleman who became a caring father to their three beautiful daughters. The flower of the empire; Princess Isabela, the Warrior Princess; Luisa, and the youngest; Princess Mirabel. Julieta's kingdom was ravished in bliss and comfort. Her ability to heal alongside her promising daughters, who represented beauty, strength, and wit, was the envy of many.

Pepa, the middle child, rose to become The Queen of the Skies. The one who commands and reflects the clouds up above, whether it be rain, thunderstorms, sunshine, or rainbows. The one who bestows bountiful harvests and cheery days. Her flaring auburn hair and emerald eyes glimmer in the light of day, and her very tiara shines as bright as the sun. Elegant clouds trail her every step, and raindrop crystals cling to her flowing cape. Just like her sister, she was blessed with three beautiful children alongside her ever-loving and devoted husband, who only turns to her like the most radiant sunflower; the only one known to calm her every storm. Pepa is the mother of The Mistress of Music - Princess Dolores, Camilo Prince of Many Faces, and Prince Antonio, Speaker of Beasts.

Bruno, the youngest, grew to be The King of Time. The master of all the hours, a visionary of the future. He foresees all fortune ahead and grew more tufts of grey hair in figuring ways to prevent all disasters from wreaking havoc. His impression on the imperial subjects may not be as perfect as that of his sisters, but he is still well-loved by his most loyal servants and nieces and nephews. After all, he is the one in charge of keeping all misfortune at bay. And with this power, the empress, his mother, entrusted the fate of the entire empire in his hands, keeping him occupied from meeting the love of his life.

Even after all the years of keeping the land as perfect as ever, things can never go as expected, for no matter how high your rank is in society nor how much good you do every single day, a story without obstacles is never a story. And even after years of figuring ways to put their magical blessings to use, they could never quite figure out the origin of the miracle. Nor did they expect rivals in the field of magic. Everyone gets their fair share of challenges, even the most powerful. But what if someone holds much more on their plate in a single setting, all because of a cursed face she wears everyday.

Up in the highest room of the imperial palace, lies the book of records from every important event and every important discovery in the land of Encanto. The family had served their people well, yes, but perfection always comes with a price. And with this so-called "perfection", hides many lies.

Chapter Text

It was a very bright and sunny day, yet the winds sure appeared colder than the soft blows of the evening breeze. The streets were crowded like always. Only this time, it's twice as many. People from all kingdoms came to gather near the empress' palace for the empire's annual grand celebration. Dozens of carriages and coachmen paraded the streets of Mariposa city. Even created traffic on such narrow bricked roads, causing early morning commotions and adding to the boisterous environment. In fact, the whole city just transformed into a full-blown market. An empire of shops, portable stores, and vendors An opportunity that no businessmen and women could ever miss, for every street is filled with guests and all sorts of customers from different kingdoms. Walking bags of money, if you will. A rain of fortune and abundance, all in one day, as they all celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Encanto.

The sweet smell of baked goods and mouth-watering dishes filled the air. Almost every home had something cooking in their kitchen, as all their chimneys let out smokes of alluring aroma. It appears Queen Julieta held a cooking competition for additional activities as they await the moon's ascent. The cute sound of children laughing synced with Princess Dolores' majestic music. There she led an orchestra to drown out the obstreperous surroundings. And Princess Isabela's flowers bloomed beautifully on every wall of the empire. Prince Camilo had started another one of his infamous "one-man shows" in front of a flooding crowd, and Prince Antonio had tamed ferocious beasts to bond and stay guard in place of their soldiers. Everyone must have the time of their lives at this yearly event. While King Bruno remained tailing off to his mother, ensuring that nothing out of the ordinary occurred on this fateful day. The same goes for the powerless Princess Mirabel, who is in training for dark magic. And the royal spouses stood guard at their palaces to ensure that no one was left out.

Whilst all cities, towns, and villages rejoiced, most especially the empress' Mariposa city, all bodies of water were strictly prohibited. They all come off as gloomy or somewhat eerie. Although some might even say...ghostly. Despite the obvious bright and sunny day, the waters weren't sparkling when daylight touched its bodies. But all that is nothing compared to the strange secret that lies ahead beyond the docks.

By the looks of everyone's faces, they all appear to have the same expression of blissful ignorance. All were nothing but smiles and grins, maybe a few disturbed looks from some arguing coachmen or wasted drunkards by the pavement, but nonetheless, normal. Yet things don't seem as pretty when you break off from sugary lenses. And it is something that you can only do with rationality and unbiasedness. And who else could have such qualities as the banished—cut off from the worldly joys and privileges of an imperial subject, doomed to remain in the shadows and see the world unsweetened? One who lurks with a dark cloak, roaming the very streets she's not allowed to step foot in. There she stands amongst the crowds, gathering to a wooden stage by the statue of Empress Alma's late husband.

A dozen men step forward and line up in golden armor. Then a beautiful princess with a strong build and masculine physique, wearing a navy blue dress with puffy sleeves along with a golden breastplate, golden boots, and golden sword, waltzed into the center. She stood with such poise, grace, and a striking image of power. She looked down and gave a faint smile that melted the many hearts of her admirers. Children cheered for her in adoration.

"PRINCESS LUISA!"

She raised her right hand, and immediately the cheers came to a halt. Then she spoke, "Announcing the presence of her imperial majesty, our beloved abuela, Alma Madrigal!" The crowd broke out in praise and applause. It sounded like roaring waves, but it was agonizing in the ears up close, like very loud shrieks. Lost in a sea full of people, the banished sank herself deeper into her midnight black cloak and slithered away further from the stage. Meanwhile, just further beside Luisa stood the rest of the imperial family, paving the way for their dearest matriarch.

With such pearly and angelic smiles, the family beamed at their subjects, welcoming the pouring adoration into their feet. The empress took center stage and waved her hand. Golden butterflies began fluttering about in just a snap. A simultaneous awe escaped from everyone's mouths. It was a sight they would never tire of seeing until the end of time.

"Dearest subjects... I am delighted to see you rejoice and celebrate this annual event with the entire empire. As we all know, this very day, fifty-three years ago, was one of the most devastating yet life-changing days that has ever happened throughout history."

As she spoke, everyone's lips were sealed shut and their hearts open. Seeing the wholesome truth in their eyes, the empire harmonized in both grief and celebration.

She added, "This is the day my three beautiful babies were born... This was the very day I lost my beloved Pedro... He had given his life for what had once been a small community...And now look at us... ravishing in the miracle that was given to us. And we shall continue to serve you all the best we can. For both blessing and curse, we are grateful."

"Curse"

That very word rang in the ears of the banished maiden. She turned around and lowered her guard, not noticing that her cloak was slowly slipping through her black, wavy hair. An immense feeling of hope glimmered in her amber eyes, and the sun slowly crept into her caramel skin.

"Well... What are we waiting for? We still have a long day ahead of us. "Let all of the activities and competitions commence!" said the empress before watching everyone slowly scatter away.

The maiden stepped forth, attempting to face her banisher, when a hand tugged her away, snapping off the few seconds' worth of hope. "ARE YOU MAD!" The man whispered loudly. He peaked behind her and saw Princess Dolores passing by. He pulled her into a corner near a band by the church and began to whisper in her ear. "How many times will it take for this to sink into that big brain of yours that they will never believe you!"

She looked at him in the eye with eyes sharp like daggers and replied, "You're right... They're just a bunch of liars...." She pushed him away with a smack of her palm and walked further. But before she turned the corner, she smiled at him and said, "Thanks, Leo," pulling her hood back past her nose.

"Be safe, Alora..." Leo replied in a whisper.

At about past afternoon, the busy buzz around the city paced steadily as the full stomachs weighed down people into longing for a brief rest under a shade. They retreated into their homes, porches, balconies, and tents whilst the royals gathered around in the empress' garden. Served with the finest pastries, sweets, and tea, all the kings and queens, noblemen, and their ladies sat with the empress on round tables beneath the shade of a flowery tree. Pure white and golden fine china added to the overall decor and aesthetic of the tables.

Meanwhile, all of their children were sent to the open area to mingle, royals and noblemen alike. Most of the offspring are past age six or seven, and many are already past fourteen. The noblemen and ladies flocked around the Madrigals, each with a wine glass or slices of cake in hand. Just as they had done earlier in front of their subjects, the Madrigals did not cease to entertain their noble guests.

Princess Mirabel sat among the children of dukes and duchesses on lush grass. They gathered around in a circle, with objects lying in front of each of them. "What are we going to do now?" asked Mirabel.

"I don't know... Isn't your magic supposed to be all natural like the rest of your family?" remarked a marquess.

Mirabel frowned with sadness in her eyes and glanced at her siblings and cousins nearby. "Wouldn't that be nice..." She sighed. She looked back at the marquess and stared intently into his eyes. "...I've already tried everything in the grimoires you guys lent me. But it doesn't seem to be enough."

The marquess grabbed the notebook in front of him, opened it, and held his trusty black pen in his other hand. He ran his pen through a list that follows and said, "Well, you already practiced stringless puppetry, making a few objects like your pins, needles, and yarn do your bidding, creating lights, some fireworks, and, oh, flying with a broom." He smirked. "I say you've been learning quite enough considering that you've just mastered your wand." He added as he slammed his notebook shut.

Mirabel smiled at him briefly before returning to her glum expression as she spoke, "Yeah, but...I just don't feel enough..." She rubbed her hand on her arm and looked away from the group. They all looked at each other for a second, and then a lady held her shoulder and said, "Don't be so harsh on yourself, princesa Mira... We are all struggling. If it wasn't for-"

"Shush, lady Fernandez!" said the marquess, his eyes darting to the lady in shock. Mirabel turned to face him and exclaimed, "How rude! You do not get to shush a lady like that!" The marquess held both of his hands up and gave her a look of ease. "I am truly sorry. Please, let me explain, princesa... I wasn't trying to be rude."

She looked at Lady Fernandez for a moment and returned her gaze to the marquess. Then he spoke in a soft whisper, "Neither our parents nor any other magic wielder wanted any of us to speak of this." And I had the feeling that Lady Fernandez was about to start a conversation that would lead to... you know what."

"What?" Mirabel asked as she crawled closer and closer to him. He replied, barely letting out any sound as he locked his sight onto Princess Dolores before whispering into Mirabel's ear, "The Grimoire Thief."

"That old legend?" She exclaimed. The marquess smacked his hand onto Mirabel's mouth, shushing her as he scanned around to see if Dolores heard a thing. Mirabel followed his gaze and saw Dolores distracted in a conversation with Viscount Mariano de Guzman. He slowly turned to look Mirabel in the eyes and whispered yet again, "It's not a legend."

Suddenly, the marquess felt a strong force behind him pushing him hard onto Mirabel, that he bumped his head onto her lip and toppled over her as he fell to her chest shortly after. "Ughh... What was that?" Mirabel groaned. All the other members gathering around the two moved away as they heard a loud cackle. "HAHAHAHAHAHA "Wait till I tell Abuela about this!"

"Camilo!" Mirabel screamed. "What in the world were you thinking!?"

He started wheezing as he bent down slowly, reaching down for the marquess' gaze. "Take care of my prima lover boy. "Send me the invitations!" He got up and started walking back to the group of older kids. He smirked as he looked back for a second and said, "I better be the best man, Rafael!"

The marquess, Rafael, slowly got up from his knees and stretched his hand to Mirabel's. She took his hand and saw him snickering as he glanced back and forth between her and Camilo. "People should really rename him The Prince of Mischief." She smiled and stood beside him. "Indeed," she said. "You can never really call it a day without any one of his troubles." She shifted her eyes onto her sisters and watched them as they shined like stars adored by both subjects and nobility. "Must be nice to be like them." she said.

He turned to look at her and asked, "I wonder why you were born powerless... You're not adopted are you?"

"Oh, believe me... I've asked my parents the same question over and over. But they have indeed proven that I am their own flesh and blood."

He nodded and watched his father in the distance. He leaned closer into her ear and whispered, "You know... My father said that there's a book of records about The Grimoire Thief....He mentioned that the book was located in the highest room of your abuela's palace."

She looked up and slowly walked to the other garden by the palace entrance and saw the highest window with the miracle candle shining at the center. She pointed to it and said, "That must be it."

Rafael nodded and replied, "They say that the grimoire thief stole the most powerful and dangerous grimoire... If you wish to be powerful, you have to know more about her to find and retrieve the stolen grimoire."

Her faint smile turned to a gleeful grin. She looked at him with such excitement, not realizing that she had been squeezing his hand the whole time. He slightly squirmed his hand from her tight grasp, and she immediately released her grip with an awkward chuckle. "Heh, sorry."

"It's alright." He smiled and looked back up at the window, still staring at the miracle candle. For the past few minutes, the two have done nothing but stand still in front of the palace. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Oh! About Camilo earlier, why was he teasing us about a wedding? "Did our parents have an agreement about a betrothal?"

Her eyes widened in shock as she repeated his words, "Agreement? About a...betrothal?" She stammered. "It can't be us!"

He raised a brow and replied in a low voice, "So you object to the idea of us ending up together?"

Mirabel's face turned red as she started to feel anxious and flustered all together. "Wait... Does he want us to be together?" She thought to herself, shaking as she tried to smile and hold his gaze.

Their awkward moment was soon cut short by the call of a servant in the distance, rushing in their direction. "Your majesty! Your grace!" The two turned to face him and waited for him to finish huffing a few breaths as he wiped off the sweat on his forehead and slicked back his hair.

"The empress asked for everyone's presence in the garden." The servant said.

Mirabel and Rafael looked at each other for a moment and then began to rush toward the garden in a panic.

"You don't think this is about what Camilo said, is it?" He asked.

She picked up the pace as she held up her thick dress. "I'm not sure," she says, "but we're about to find out."

"If so, are you gonna object?"

"Yes, of course! "I just turned seventeen this year!" She ran past him, not bothering to look back as she began to see the flowery tree, and sprinted to her sister Luisa's side. She began to pant and sweat as she rested her hand on her sister's arm, still trying to catch her breath. "Where have you been?" Luisa asked.

"Oh, I was with Rafael." "We were just admiring the miracle candle." she replied.

Luisa raised a brow and nodded slowly as she began to brush off the incident and pay attention to what the empress had to say. The empress raised a glass and gave off an elegant smile. "I have an announcement..." she said.

"...Our good friends and I have decided to wed three of my grandchildren to their children."

Mirabel gasped while the others broke into applause. "Oh no." Mirabel groaned. Rafael saw Mirabel's nervous state and walked in her direction from across the garden floor. She shunned him in reflex as he approached, but he gently held her hand and peeked at her gaze. "You don't have to worry." "If it's us and you're not ready, I will do my best to convince them to stop." he said in a soft voice. She looked at him and sighed in great relief whilst smiling from ear to ear. "Thank goodness he understands." she thought to herself. The empress continued. "Princesa Isabela, flower of the empire." she called.

Isabela stepped forward in front of her grandmother and bowed for a moment before showing off a smile. The empress shared the same expression as she stretched her other hand to the right. Emerging from the crowd was Señorito de Guzman. She took his hand and pulled him closer to Isabela. The empress grinned and announced, "These two are a perfect match!"

They all cheered. Everyone was congratulating both of the parents, all except for Dolores who kept smiling in the flowery white bandstand. Her eye twitched as her smile turned into a disturbing, awkward grin. She was squeezing her baton, hearing every bit of its wooden fiber slowly break apart.

"Let us have some music!" Camilo yelled, but was stopped by King Felix, who nudged him and said, "We must wait till after the empress announces the third pair." Camilo sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright," he said in despair.

The empress raised her hand, this time without a glass, and said, "Princesa Dolores, mistress of music." Dolores stepped forward with a forceful smile, and every step felt like walking through burning coal as her eyes started to water. She approached her grandmother and closed her eyes as she bowed down, keeping it that way even while she was already standing still, waiting for a man to stand by her side. Just as before, the empress stretched her right hand, and a man emerged, walking closer to the princess' side. Dolores peeked and saw a good-looking man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a dashing set of clothes and shining medals pinned to his left lapel. A shiny golden sword peeked from his engraved sheath, and there was a little mole just below his pink lips on the left side.

"You two may have never met up close before." said the empress. "This is the Earl of Mariposa City and the Lieutenant General of Princesa Luisa, señorito Alfonso Gomez."

"A knight in shining armor for our sweetest songbird," said the empress as she smiled and gently held Dolores' face.

"These two are a match!" She exclaimed. Dolores was speechless and quietly followed Alfonso after he took her hand and slowly walked her towards the cheering crowd, still stunned in shock and disbelief. Meanwhile, Mirabel's heart raced, and she held on tight to Luisa's arm. "Who do you think is next?" she asked.

"It can't be me..." Luisa replied with such ease. "I told Abuela that I still had a lot on my plate before she asked if I was ready to settle down."

"Uh oh," Mirabel thought. "Maybe she's having this crazy idea to pair me up with Rafael's powerful family."

"I'm only seventeen!"

She was lost for a few more moments, even forgetting to congratulate the new pair as the crowd began to shush right when the empress held her hand up once again. "For the final pairing for this year..." she said.

Mirabel could no longer hear anything else than her own heartbeat. The world began to spin around her as she just leaned her whole body onto Luisa's side, almost trying to hide herself behind her sister's arm. The empress continued. "Principe Camilo... Our own prince of mischief underneath the brightest spotlight." she smirked, looking at Camilo who gasped in shock and choked on his wine, coughing and banging his chest with his fist. "What in the world?" he thought to himself. "Step forth," she asked.

Camilo cleared his throat and put down his wine. Everyone stared at him, giggling under their fans and holding their hands over their mouths as he walked towards his grandmother. He snarled and cringed at the sight of his friends giving him a smug look and mocking grins. He approached her at the center and stopped to look at her with the thought, "Is this a joke?"

"Oh, my first grandson..." the empress chuckled as she shook her head."You're as handsome as your abuelo Pedro."

"What?" Camilo replied with sheer confusion at the tone of his voice. Then he whispered, "Abuela, what is the meaning of this?" "I thought the main purpose of these pairings was to strengthen the family's magic?"

"It is." She replied in a whisper.

"Well, Mirabel needs this more than I do." "She relies on her little wand, remember?"

The empress sighed and faced the crowd. "Will you give us a moment, please?"

People began to whisper and chatter. They were confused by the abrupt halt of the announcement. Every parent had their daughters in line, waiting for whoever would take the prince as their groom. Felix noticed the commotion and began to speak up with a bright smile on his face. "Yes, your imperial highness, we shall await your return."

She nodded and began to gently pull Camilo along with her on a little walk away from the garden. As they strolled, the empress spoke. "You know very well that your people have your favor."

"... You do not have to worry about your sister Dolores, because once she is wed, she will have another kingdom and expand the empire as a new queen."

"What are you trying to say, abuela?" Camilo asked.

She stopped and turned to him. "You are going to take after your mother's throne." "You will be king right after the wedding alongside your new queen."

"It is quite obvious that you have piqued the interest of the noblemen's daughters. "All we have to do is pick one of the most powerful dark magic wielders and turn her into your bride." She added.

"But I'm only seventeen!" He exclaimed.

"Now, don't raise your voice on me, young man! You are going to be eighteen in two more months... Your kingdom needs more magic. And your father, the current king, does not have any of his own. And eight years have passed since... your mother."

Camilo was silenced. The empress sighed as she added, "They need a ruler."

He looked away from her and walked straight back to the garden, mumbling under his breath. He stomped his way onto the center area, and his grandmother followed shortly by his side. He crossed his arms and slouched, making his little curls fall into his face. He pouted as he impatiently tapped his boots on the ground. "Well, then! "Let's get this out of the way," he yelled.The empress sighed and slowly scanned around the lined-up maidens. She did so with such emotionless eyes as she carefully picked the fittest bride. She glanced at her grandson and felt both pity and guilt from his hateful stare. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Camilo, why don't you pick for yourself."

He rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. He groaned, then hung his arms and slouched harder as he turned around. He raised one hand and covered his eyes with the other. Then he proceeded to swing his pointing finger around. "Eenie- Meenie - Miney - Mo."

Everyone gasped as he took his hand off his eyes. His gaze fell on a lady with brown hair and brown eyes. He turned to his grandmother and sarcastically said, "Welp! There you go! Hallelujah!" He turned away and marched inside the palace. Everyone started exchanging looks with one another.

"Phew!" Mirabel sighed as she wiped away sweat from her brow."Thank goodness it wasn't me." Luisa looked at her and replied, "I think none of the three were pleased with what happened."

"You think so?" Mirabel asked.

"No one likes arranged marriages."

"Then why don't you tell Abuela about that?" She listens to you."

"We had a discussion about this yesterday." said Luisa. "It's for the best." She gave a faint smile and began to walk towards Alfonso and Dolores, leaving Mirabel alone."Poor primo." she thought to herself. "He was the most upset of them all."

Meanwhile, inside the palace, climbing his way up to the highest tower, was Camilo, with the most heinous look in his eyes. His body slowly morphed to look exactly like the empress as he marched toward a pair of guards up ahead. They both stood between a golden door with butterfly patterns, holding glowing spears as they alerted in front of him. "Your imperial highness." They greeted as they bent on one knee.

"Yes, yes." "Open the door." He demanded.

The guards exchanged looks with one another and raised a brow. The other looked at him in confusion and said, "What do you mean, your majesty?" "You always open the door by yourself."

Camilo paused for a moment before chuckling, "Oh, yes! Silly me. My age must be catching up! "I'm so old and forgetful." he explained. The guards nervously laughed and got up on their feet. "Your majesty, you said that only a Madrigal could pry the door open. "If we try to unlock it ourselves, our own hands will break."

"Sheesh!" He cringed. Camilo proceeded to step forward in front of the door, press his hand on the engraved letter "M" at the center, then push the door open. Lo and behold, was a room full of gory and enchanting figures. Uncanny specimens filled a whole shelf-full of jars, and empty pedestals stood by all the walls, each looking like pure works of art from the intricate details and craftsmanship. Each one appears to have symbols at the ccenter,where a book should be placed. But in the middle of it all, just below the window where the miracle candle sat, was an open book with a floating quill writing something in it. Each page appears to be made out of gold. He approached it and read along the lines of "Principe Camilo approached the golden book of records."

He gasped. Every second of every day, the book records all the details of all their lives. The size of the words was the same as all the normal books, yet the book itself was too big to even be placed on that mere pedestal. But each phrase was direct and precise, only highlighting the most impactful events worth recording as part of history. Camilo watched as the quill reached the edge of the page. It looked as if it was the last, but before he could ever even put that into thought, the page turned and a new page was formed out of thin air as a dash of glitter came out of nowhere.

He reached for the page, and the quill immediately dropped. The hairs at the back of Camilo's neck raised, and his hands started trembling. Suddenly, it was as if a gust of wind blew onto the pages when it turned further back into one with painted pictures in it. He saw the image of his mother. She was painted with such detail. From the long lashes of her emerald eyes to every auburn curl of her flaring hair. She wore a sunny smile and a flowing dress, something that looked too awfully familiar to bare.

"Abuela?"

Camilo turned and saw Mirabel standing by the door. Of course... He had forgotten to reverse his transformation.

"What brings you here?" "I thought you were downstairs, and—" She stopped, realizing that Camilo was nowhere to be found just minutes before she went up the tower. "Camilo?" she asked.

He sighed and morphed back to his own image. "Get lost, Mira." he snarled as he turned back to the book.

"Is this about the betrothal?" She sighed, closing the door behind her. "It was very irresponsible of you to pull off that silly game to choose your bride."

Camilo snapped and glared at her with rage in his eyes, "I NEVER WANTED TO GET MARRIED!" He turned away and curled his hands into a fist. "Just like you, I'm only seventeen. I cannot rule a kingdom even after I'm eighteen in two months." he said.

Mirabel was silenced. She slowly spun around and carefully looked at every engraved detail on every pedestal. She cringed in disgust as soon as her eyes fell on a shelf full of jars. "What in the world are those?" She asked, pointing at the unknown specimens.

"Exactly." He intervened. "Abuela seems to be hiding too many secrets... Even the whole three betrothals in a day thing. I thought I might find something about that here."

It was as if Camilo's words passed through Mirabel's other ear when she just blankly stared into the floor till her eyes fell onto the book. "Is that tía Pepa?" She asked.

"Yes." he replied. "The night mami disappeared... It was all a blur. "Though I could have sworn to witness everything, as I remember being drenched in the rain that night." He ran his fingers across the page, and a black, watery paint started spreading like smoke at the touch of his hand. "That witch!" he hissed.

Mirabel raised a brow and peered over his shoulder from behind him."Your old friend."

"That old fiend." He replied, spreading his touch to the other page. "She was a hag... We don't even know how old she really is. "Disguised as a child our age." He glared as he mumbled under his breath.

"We don't know that." She replied, moving Camilo aside as she towered over the book. "You guys-"

"NO!" He screamed in her ears. "It was just a peck."

"Sure it was." She rolled her eyes, snickering as she looked away. "I still don't believe she is the grimoire thief... even when they were carting her away."

Camilo looked down as he felt a slight sting in his eyes. Meanwhile, the black paint only spread throughout the entire page and onto the next. "Camilo, look!" Mirabel screamed.

A face started appearing as the smoky paint cleared out. A woman with hair black as ink, caramel skin, and amber eyes stared back into Camilo's soul. Blood rained down her eyes, sending shivers under Camilo's skin. A set of thunderclaps roared into the skies, and butterflies stiffened in a beat of their wings.

Suddenly, the door burst wide open. "What are you doing!?" The empress screamed. "You were not supposed to be here." She leaped in front of the book and threw her arm in front of her grandchildren, throwing them to the floor. "No no no no no!" She started scanning through the pages, almost tearing off chapters and chapters of history. The inky paint only started spreading through the rest of the pages. She snapped her head back and exclaimed, "What page did you open!?"

Camilo's nose flared. He bit his lip in frustration and looked the other way, glaring as he inaudibly mumbled under his breath. The empress' eyes darted at him and she screamed, "Well?"

The room fell silent for a short while until the sound of a cheering crowd emanated into the room. Alma looked through the window, and the citizens had already taken over the entire ground—not a single stone could be seen from where she looked. The sun was beginning to set. "Almost time for the fireworks." she said. Alma looked at her grandchildren and firmly added, "There will be further discussions about this matter by tomorrow after the festivities." She fixed her wrinkled sleeves and briefly glared at the two before opening the door and holding it wide open for the prince and princess to walk through. Disappointed, the two slowly walked outside with both of their heads hanging down. Yet unlike Mirabel, Camilo raced downstairs, never daring to look back at his grandmother.

Enraged by the sudden engagement and engulfed by the suspense from what he witnessed in that room, Camilo tried drowning out his worries through barrels and barrels of beer alongside a few of his kingdom's villagers. Everything can be bluntly described as a riot. Even princess Dolores had retreated early into the princesses' chambers inside the empress' palace, and prince Antonio was safe in the arms of his father Felix in the comfort of their cozy library, being read with bedtime stories and surrounded by his furry friends. Queen Julieta's daughters, however, remained busy as always. Mirabel was performing her light trick to illuminate the shady streets. Luisa was high on alert for any threat in the shadows, and Isabela was entertaining the crowd with her flowery bursts of entertainment.

Oh, how all their hips swayed and moved to the beat. Lovers holding each other by the arms and giggling as they shared romantic gazes in each other's eyes beneath the glimmering lights that Princess Mirabel mustered to pull up. And starring in the centre of town, was the drunken Prince Camilo offering ladies a brief twirl on the dance floor, hogging all the spotlight for the night, till it was snatched away by Princess Isabela and her new fiancé, Mariano de Guzman.

Up on the highest tower, the empress watched still as she sighed away the fifty-third year of mourning over the loss of her beloved Pedro. No amount of magic could take the scorching pain away. For a woman who wields the most powerful position in the land, she sure seemed powerless in the face of this past misfortune. Suddenly, a high-pitched sound of skyrocketing fireworks drew her attention. She shook off the pain in her shoulders for a short while and admired the fiery sky flowers that lit up the night skies. Out of the blue, she felt the urge to search for her daughters' husbands. She scanned the ground like a hawk to spot her sons-in-law when she stopped at the sight of a familiar figure. It sat on top of the church bells, crouching down and looking up at the skies.

There was something so ominous about the familiar figure. Something that didn't quite sit right with her flawless plans for the celebration. The figure turned to the empress, and immediately, she ducked down.

"She had spotted me." said the figure as more fireworks shot up into the sky, almost hitting the bell tower she stood on. Disappointed with having her hiding spot exposed, she climbed back down with a sturdy rope. And with her pitch-black cloak, she appeared invisible in the shadows of the night.

Things are extremely difficult when you are banished from the very land you grew up in. Alone, afraid, and homeless. Even worse if you appear to be the spitting image of the most renowned criminal in the empire's records. A burden passed down like some kind of cursed family heirloom. A plague passed through the bloodline.

"My night is foiled again." she said as she rolled her eyes, marching through the pillars of the church. She was about to open one of the doors when someone called out to her.

"Going so soon, Alora?"

"Oh God, not that damn name again." she thought to herself. She pulled her hands away from the door handles and turned to face a priest known as Father Andres.

"There are still tons of fireworks out there." "They say there's even a grand finale." "I know you would never miss that for the world." He added.

She sighed and crossed her arms as she casually leaned her back against the door. "Well, it appears that my cover's been blown because I just saw her imperial highness freak out when she spotted me from her floating cocoon."

"Well, then, you better run!" "As you know, even if I tried, I wouldn't be able to shield you from her." said the priest, attempting to hide the sadness in his voice with a grin.

"Yeah, that's why I'm making this grand exit!" she lashed out sarcastically in a loud whisper and flung the doors open before she slid out into the crowded streets.

Unlike everyone else, what sounded like harmonious music sounded mockingly grotesque to her ears. It resounded with the mockery of her isolation. She knows that she is excluded from everything around her. Even the sweet aroma of barbecues and fresh pastries that tormented her growling stomach as she fought back the urge to at least buy or maybe steal a piece of food or two.

She continued to walk straight ahead in a sea of people that were practically squishing each other in the tight squeeze. Every day was a challenge for her, but tonight was just ridiculous. As she tried to walk away from the center of town, she seemed to have been pushed closer to it instead when everyone else was walking in the opposite direction to hers. As she saw the familiar buildings that surrounded the center of town, she could hear her own heart beat louder than the drums and throb on her throat. She realized that that was the spot where she had last seen the Madrigal cousins.

She gripped her hood, bracing herself for the worst while trying to stay in place and avoid being dragged by the wave of citizens, but they all came to a halt when she heard a loud boom from behind her. She turned and looked up. Some lights spelled out, "Happy 53rd Anniversary!"

And with that, the crowd went wild. Her ears rang and felt numb as she cringed in discomfort from all the commotion. She saw people hugging each other and cringed even harder at the sight of their mushy gestures. She stuck out her tongue in disgust when she was startled by someone squeezing her from behind.

"YEAAAAAAHHHH!!!! FIFTY-THREE YEARS!!!" The guy screamed in her ear. She tried pushing his arms off her as she turned to face him. But as soon as she laid eyes on him, her stomach dropped. It was a face she hadn't seen up close in over eight years.

She just stared blankly at him. "This is no ordinary man," she thought to herself. The golden chameleon crown sitting on his dark auburn hair gave it all away. It was unmistakably Prince Camilo himself. The changes on his face shook her, as she had never noticed bits of his facial hair growing on top of his lips and on his chin. His voice even sounded deeper than before, and he looked taller than her as she raised her head only to get a better look at him.

He casually looked down on her, grinning as he took her hands. The strong smell of beer rained down on her face when he exhaled a heavy breath. He was about to lean closer for a better look when she punched him in the nose. Startled, Camilo fell back to the ground, and everyone near them started rushing and bending down to his aid, giving her the opportunity to escape.

"WHY!?" Camilo hissed as he held his nose, slowly looking up, expecting to see his attacker when she vanished from the crowd. He looked around, ignoring the many people asking how he was as he tried spotting the cloaked girl. But no matter how hard he looked, she was gone.

On top of a hill, far from the empress' palace, Alora stood as she continued to watch the fireworks from a distance. She whispered, "Encanto".

Chapter Text

It had been three days since the celebration of their fifty-third anniversary. And yet, the streets have still not been fully cleared by their crowd of imperial subjects. Camilo stepped out of the balcony and rested his forearms on the handrailing, while he simultaneously took sips of his coffee. The morning breeze blew onto his face as he stared down at the busy streets. He wondered, "How long will these bastards finish moving on already?" "I can't be stuck in Abuela's palace forever."

Suddenly, he heard the door creak behind him. He turned and saw Mirabel walking up to him with a nervous look on her face. "What?" He asked. Mirabel clicked her tongue and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "Abuela wants to see you." she replied in a low voice.

Camilo rolled his eyes and leaned his hip against the railings, facing Mirabel. He took a long, strong sip of his coffee to the last drop and wiped the mess off his lips with his white sleeve, leaving a dark coffee stain on it. He marched up to her and shoved his coffee mug onto her hands by her stomach. Mirabel smiled awkwardly as Camilo left a brief glare at her before slamming the door shut behind him. "Someone's in a bad mood." Mirabel said as she stood wide-eyed in the empty room.

In the very same garden, the empress, their Abuela Alma awaits his presence on a round table underneath the same flowery tree where the betrothal was announced. There she sat back, taking gentle sips of her tea whilst staring up at her palace, watching Camilo walk down the floating stairs. The expression of anger and hatred had not been washed away from his face since that fateful day. He hesitantly walked up to her and rolled his eyes. "What now?" he asked. Alma gently put her teacup down on the porcelain coaster as she said, "Take a seat."

"Must I?" he asked.

"Take - a - seat." she replied firmly. Camilo glared at her and pulled out a chair before sitting down and crossing his legs and arms. Alma sighed and grabbed a teapot. She hoisted herself up a bit from her chair as she reached for Camilo's cup. As she poured him a cup of tea, she kept glancing at him and saw his lips move as if he were inaudibly mumbling something under his breath. "What is it that is on your mind?" she asked sweetly.

"You summoned me here," he said, raising his voice.

"I am aware of that." she said. "I am simply asking you what is on your mind right at this moment."

Camilo groaned and hesitantly replied in a low voice, "Oh, I don't know... perhaps the fact that in a matter of months, I'd be sitting on my missing mother's throne."

Alma sat back down and took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she composed herself and gathered all the courage to reply. "Your mother is gone, Camilo." she said sadly. "You know this, and have seen us put justice in her name."

"Tsk!" he reacted. "You never found a corpse." "I believe that she is still very much alive."

Alma shook her head and replied, "I see that you have never gone past the phase of denial."

Camilo slammed his hand on the table and shook all the teaware violently. "It is not denial!" he yelled. Alma tried to look away from his hateful gaze but could not fathom staying away for too long. She kept her glances at him as she tried to breathe in and out, doing her best to understand his disarrayed emotions. Without any second thoughts, Camilo turned away and stormed out of her sight through the trellis walls around the garden. She sighed in disappointment as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Meanwhile, Camilo makes his way up to Luisa's chambers in their grandmother's palace. His rage made all the servants and butlers turn their heads in concern as he walked through the halls of golden pillars. It is rare for anyone to see the young prince without a smile on his face, let alone in a fit of fury. He stopped to face her chamber doors and banged his arm and fist violently on them. "Open up!" he yelled. Camilo noticed the whispering maidens in the distance and hissed, "What are you looking at?" The maidens gasped and scurried away, hiding behind one of the pillars. Camilo heard the doors click and slowly creak open. He peeked through the tiny gap as the door paved the way for his entrance, but was confused to see that Luisa was nowhere near it. Curious, he took small and slow steps inside the room. "Luisa?" he called out, but no one responded. "Luisa?" he called again, scanning the room.

"Sire!"

Camilo jolted in surprise as all the hairs at the back of his neck perched up in an instant at that moment. He spun around and saw Luisa's chambermaid right outside the doors. He heaved a sigh of relief and replied, "Oh, it's just you." "Where is my cousin Luisa?"

"She is not here at the moment, your majesty," she replied. "She is at King Bruno's palace."

"Tío Bruno's palace?" he asked, tilting his head and resting his hands on his hips. "Are you certain?" he added.

The maiden nodded as she said, "Yes, sire." "She left early this morning."

Camilo looked out of the huge windows and caught sight of his uncle's emerald palace. "Very well... I shall go there." He fixed his cuffs and marched outside of the room past the maiden.

"Shall I fetch a coachman and carriage for you?" she called out.

"My stallion will do." he replied firmly.

Camilo went to his chambers and fetched a leathery cloak before heading downstairs and mounting himself on his horse. He charged to the gates, which slowly opened up as soon as the knights saw him in the distance. "Tell my father I'll be back shortly!" he yelled before losing sight of them behind him. Through the streets, he rode away with his cloak up to his brows. He rode past civilian carriages and to the bridge, where he left Mariposa city and entered the dense woods. Despite the bright and clear weather, as soon as he was engulfed by the trees, everything seemed eerily dark. He kept whipping the reins of his horse, trying to get it to move faster, but as they passed the enormous trees, the horse took a slower pace and cautiously walked whilst looking left and right. "What is it, boy?" Camilo asked, touching the horse's neck. It did not address his concern. It was as if his steed was looking out for something or maybe simply keeping a low profile. It was after all, carrying a precious being at its back. Precious enough to take at will at all costs.

Everything around them fell silent. The chirps of the insects and the songs of the early birds were absent. Not even the babbling brook that should only be a few feet away from where they journey. Not a rustle by the trees, shrubs, nor bushes. And not a snap of twigs or shuffling about by any creature. He could not even hear the soft clicks of his horse's hooves. Nothing... Nothing but deafening silence. The presence of something sinister is amongst them.

Camilo sharpens his eyes and pans around his surroundings. The longer he looked around, his heart raced through his chest and up to his throat. He can hear it beat as his ears throb with it. Passing the big trees only took a couple of steps for his horse, yet it felt like an eternity. Through every step, Camilo watched as he awaits to pass those eerie trees. In the distance, he can already see the end of the woods. He felt half safe at that moment.

Some time later, he felt a warm touch on his face. He looked up and saw daylight seeping through the trees. He did not know why, but that touch made him feel at ease. He closed his eyes and spread his arms as he inhaled deeply, as if he were trying to suck off all the leaves in his way. It felt like..."Home" he said quietly.

Time seemed to have slowed down as he remained in the same pose, looking up. It was as if he were dreaming and would not dare to wake up. And little by little, as he did so, the sound of all creatures in the woods, even the soft brush of the wind on leaves, returned. He can hear rivers flowing. The babbling of nearby brooks. The chirps of insects and singing birds on an early morn. And the soft clicking noises from his horse's hooves on the ground. He opened his eyes, and his face beamed with excitement. He realized that he was now only a few feet away from the clearing. He grabbed his horse's reins and whipped it harshly. "Come now, Barbaro!" "We must make haste!" he exclaimed, and his steed began to gallop away at its fastest.

He finally made it through the woods and entered the kingdom they called "Tempo". Though his trusted Barbaro ran past the streets like the wind, the citizens could not mistake him for anyone else. His yellow clothes were too bright to miss, and his enchanting aura was far from mundane. People began rushing out of their homes and stores to catch a glimpse of this young prince in their kingdom. And all the maidens rush to where he's headed, almost running them over as he yells back in a charming tone, "Excuse me, ladies!" The young women he passed by sighed in awe, not knowing that this bachelor had already been betrothed.

He approached Bruno's emerald gates, and with a single glance, the guards immediately recognized him and welcomed him with the gates wide open. He nodded in greeting to the knights and made his way to the very doors of the palace. And just as before, he was immediately welcomed with warm smiles that reflected his charming grin. A kind, familiar face appeared at the center of the bottom stairs and greeted, "Buenos dias, principe Camilo!" he said. This man was one of King Bruno's most trusted servants. A right-hand man, or royal advisor, as it is also known. "What brings you here in King Bruno's kingdom?" he asked.

Camilo chuckled and said, "Why, I am actually here for my dear cousin, Luisa."

"Ah, princesa Luisa?" he chuckled back, "Yes, she is at the King's vision chamber on the west wing."

"Gracias, señor!" Camilo exclaimed, as he immediately leaped onto the stairs and raced to the second floor. He ran past other greeting servants and chamber maids as he tried to reach the golden door up ahead with its enormous hourglass engravings and shiny emerald stones that represent the sands of the hourglass. At last, he grabbed on to the door handles, and it appeared to be unlocked. He pried it open, and lo and behold, a sandstorm was spiraling around two figures in the distance. It was his cousin and uncle, sitting in the middle of the enormous chamber, having a vision session at this very moment. He had forgotten how eerie these sessions may get with his uncle's neon green eyes and sand that almost looked like miniscule emeralds. He stood back as he slowly raised his head and witnessed a vision that had just come to light. A harsher glow appeared, and it morphed into a portrait of their family. He smiled for a moment, but then something changed. There was then only a vision of his mother, who appeared to be suffering. Her skin darkened like coal, and there were dark clouds hovering by her head that covered her once auburn hair. Her eyes were glowing eerily, and each time she opened her mouth, flashes of lightning escaped from her very lips. Then he saw what seemed to look like dark goo oozing from her eyes like tears, and she began to squeeze her stomach as he spat out what appeared to be a cluster of pearls. Tears streamed down Camilo's face as he whispered, "Mami..."

He reached his hand out as if to touch the distant vision, but then it shifted once again. This time, showing the image of his tía Julieta. She was sitting on a chair, coughing the very same dark goo, and there appeared to be visible nerves through her hand, looking like cracks on concrete or branches of a thick tree, but on her skin. Little by little, this image of her zoomed out, and showed that Julieta had been in her kitchen all along, trying to create another batch of healing goods. The leafy greens on her table were rotting slowly before their eyes, and so were her baked goods. It was as if life was sucked out of them completely, leaving nothing but dark, coal-like shells before they popped into dust and flowed with the wind. But this particular vision was quite odd. For in the far corner of the vision, all of Camilo's cousins appeared younger. Even a bit younger than when his mother went missing. Then his tío Agustin appeared and brought gloves before her. She put it on, and slowly, all her plants came back to life.

Camilo was baffled. He was unaware of his beloved tía's condition. But what truly stuck up in his mind, was the vision of his mother's grave suffering. He tried processing everything in his mind when, suddenly, another vision appeared as if it were a series or chain of unfortunate events. He looked up, and saw his tío Bruno in the vision. Bruno was surrounded by all sorts of clocks and all sorts of hourglasses in the same vision chamber. All the hands of the clocks were deformed and going nuts in all directions. All the hourglasses were shaking rapidly and shifting upright and downward. And the very same goo poured down his mouth. His neon eyes turned dark, and cracks started appearing through his face. It was by far...monstrous.

Camilo continued to stare as the vision shifted yet again. This time, showing all of the Madrigal children, but they appeared to be distant from one another. Each one was in different places as dark goo flowed down their eye sockets and mouths. Not only that, but... There appeared to be changes in their physical forms. All their expressions showed nothing but pure agony as what seemed like a transformation took place. And amidst it all, a gigantic figure appeared. It was the figure of a woman, bigger than the mountains of Encanto. And her face... Her face looked oh so familiar. It was the same woman in that book that Camilo saw in the empress' tower.

Suddenly, all the sand spiraling in the air dropped in an instant as a loud shriek echoed in the room. "Tío Bruno!" Luisa screamed. Camilo snapped his head to her direction, and immediately spinted to his uncle's side. "Tío!" he screamed as he laid Bruno's head on his lap. Bruno began gasping for air like a fish out of water. He kept throwing his hands around and grabbing onto Luisa's sleeves and Camilo's collar. "What is it, tío?" "What is it?" Camilo asked as he desperately slapped a few senses on his uncle's cheek. "Speak to us!"

"Camilo!" Luisa yelled, "Stop slapping our tío!"

"Then go and yell for help!" He replied as he gestured for the door.

"No, we cannot." She replied in a firm whisper.

Camilo became distraught as his face became a mix of sheer confusion and irritation at his own ignorance. "What?" he replied in a loud whisper.

"Our people do not know anything about this curse, and they simply cannot!"

"Why not?"

"Those are the empress' orders, and as your sole protector, I must abide by her rules and commands."

Bruno began to convulse and the two's panic grew worse. "Then what shall we do?" Camilo asked. "There is a secret passage here that we can use to transport him to his room, but only with the assistance of Casita." she replied.

Luisa scooped up her uncle from Camilo's arms and said, "After this, I must report to abuela."

Meanwhile, back at the city of Mariposa, Alma was already up on her tower in front of the book of records. She gasped as she read along the lines of Bruno's convulsion and the disturbing image that slowly morphed onto the page. It was the image of her son, Bruno, suffering in the same way Pepa had suffered. Tears trickled down her face as she squeezed the golden rosary in her hand.

"Abuela?"

Alma turned, and saw Mirabel, peeking through the door. "Ah, Mirabel." she said as she wiped the tears off her face with her sleeves. "I thought I told you that only the empress should be allowed in this room."

Mirabel slowly stepped forth from the door and came face to face with her grandmother. "I sensed that there was something wrong, and I just came to ask what I can do to help."

"Wrong?" Alma raised her voice in a questionable way. "There is nothing wrong, dear." she said as she smiled.

"But you were just crying." Mirabel replied in a concerned tone as she held Alma's hands in comfort.

"No, no..." she insisted. "And if there is, Luisa and I will take good care of it." Alma stroked Mirabel's dark curls and held her face. "You must be so lucky..."

Mirabel raised a brow as she replied, "Lucky how, abuela?"

Alma heaved a sigh and looked away from her gaze. "Never mind." she said. "Off you go now, I must finish my duties here and would very much appreciate some privacy." She began to gently and slowly push Mirabel outside the door. And just as when Mirabel made it out, she poked her head and said to the guards, "Escort your princess away from here, if you please."

The guard bowed and replied, "Yes, your imperial highness." Then he began tailing off to Mirabel as she walked downstairs with a frown on her face. "There must be something wrong with the magic." she thought to herself. "And whatever it is, I must find out."

Mirabel made it to the bottom of the stairs, and was about to head out to the main door when suddenly, Luisa and Camilo came bursting through the doors.

"Where is abuela?" Camilo demanded.

Mirabel was shaken by the loud bang of the door. Luisa nearly shattered it to pieces. "She's in her tower." she said as she nervously pointed to the direction of the stairs she came from. She was not afraid of the pair's reaction itself, but rather, of why they were acting that way. "Could it have anything to do with what abuela saw earlier in the book?" she whispered to herself.

Curious, Mirabel followed the pair close by and was stopped when they both slammed the golden door shut behind them, leaving Mirabel outside with the guards. "Ehehe" she nervously chuckled as we waved at the guards. She groaned in disappointment as she slammed her palm on her face. "What could they be talking about in there that was so important?" she thought to herself. Her curiosity was eating her up and driving her mad.

"There is no way I could hear anything from that enchanted door." she mumbled.

Then suddenly, she thought of something. Something that she thought was brilliant. She jolted up and screamed, "Yes!" as she threw her hands up and began racing downstairs. Just before she made it through the last step, she locked eyes on a broom that one of the maidens was holding. She leaped from the small set of stairs and ran to the maiden. "Can I borrow this, please?" Before the servant could even answer, Mirabel snatched the broom from her hands and ran outside of the door. "Thanks!" she yelled back as she left the maid dumbfounded.

She hopped on the broom and began to close her eyes. "Okay, Mirabel..." "This is it."

"A proper test drive of my new, sweet flying skills." she said proudly as she began to levitate off the ground. She peeked, and saw that she had been hovering for a few feet now. "It's working!" she exclaimed. "Now off to abuela's window!"

Mirable held a firmer grip on the stick as it began to hoist her up even higher. She began to steer it in the direction of the window, and it flew fast in a blink of an eye. Mirabel yelled and was heard by their gardeners from the ground. She smacked her hand on her mouth whilst keeping the other on the broom. Despite the horrific sight of how deadly high she was from the ground with only a mere stick to hold on to, she felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she locked her legs onto the broom and steered clear to her goal. She turned her head and saw that she had flown past the window. With all her strength, she turned the broom in its direction and slowly made her way to it through the walls. She made it to the window sill and flew right below the miracle candle. There, she lent her ears. She can hear their abuela ranting and pacing through the room.

"We are left with no other choice." the empress said.

"Must we see her?" Luisa replied. "If she's cast such a dangerous spell, what else can she do to us when we're in her presence?"

"I do not know." the empress replied. "But it is our only option."

Mirabel heard another set of pacing footsteps and heard her cousin's voice shortly after. "We must take action." "This curse is getting worse and worse."

"No, Camilo." their abuela said. "WE must take action on this, not you."

"But if we don't work together, we'll lose everything all together in a matter of seconds!" he shouted.

Alma did not seem to be pleased by his reaction. She held his shoulder firmly and said, "What have I told you about raising your voice?"

Camilo snarled and looked away. "Sorry," he said in a rather bold tone.

Alma sighed, and softened her grip. She held his face and smiled at him. "I am not pleased by your attitude just now, young man, but I do understand where you are coming from."

"You are helping, but not in the ways you'd like." she added.

Camilo's hateful glare turned soft into a pitiful stare. He looked into the eyes of their grandmother and asked, "It's the wedding, isn't it?"

"Yes." she replied.

Camilo sighed and gently brushed Alma's hand off his face. "Of course... I understand now."

He turned around, and opened the door. He left the room, and closed it shut behind him. "It appears that I have no other way around this marriage." he thought to himself as he momentarily leaned his back against the door and stared at the ceiling. He walked downstairs with his head and arms hanging down, ever-so-lifeless. His eyes looked soulless as the greeting servants immediately stopped in their tracks at his presence. "What's wrong, your highness?" asked one of them. Camilo responded without looking back and said, "Nothing in particular."

"Fetch me a carriage." he ordered as he stood by the entrance doors.

The servants scattered and did as he commanded.

He has come to understand the reason behind their abuela's hasty decisions. And as next in line, as heir to his mother's throne, he must abide by his responsibilities and choose their empire over his own self.

The carriage arrived, and Camilo hopped inside with his mind still clouded with thoughts of hopelessness. He leaned his head over by the window, and gazed out at the horizon. "Take me to Sol." he said, commanding the coachman. Then a voice from outside the carriage replied, "Right away, sire." And the carriage began to move, bumping through a few pebbles and rough surfaces.

Mirabel watched from above as Camilo left the palace. "Poor primo." she said, as she felt a sense of dreadful guilt and pity over him, but immediately shook it off the moment she remembered how he mocked her about getting paired with the marquess. Mirabel scoffed and said, "Well, that serves him right, I guess." "If I were the one given the responsibility, I never would have heard the end of his teasing."

"Did you hear something?" Alma said.

Mirable briefly gasped before slamming her palm to her mouth as she realized that she had been talking out loud. Alma looked out the window and panned through left and right. She looked down, and there was no one. She shrugged as she clicked her tongue and said, "Well, we must waste no time." "Let us head to the grimoire thief's dungeon."

Mirabel heard footsteps going out the door and heard the sound of it clicking shut. She poked her head out to the window from above, and saw that the cost was clear. Cautiously, she began to reach her foot onto the window sill and slowly slither her body in, whilst holding on to the window frame. She carefully narrowed down a spot where she could land, and saw an empty space between the pedestal and the window. She hopped down and carefully walked around the book. She caressed the page, and immediately, a gust of wind blew the pages. Only, there was no draft coming in from the window. The pages just turned rapidly, as if it wanted to show her something. And there, she stood before the same image she had seen with Camilo inside the room. The image of whom they call "The Grimoire Thief". Mirabel stared dumbfounded, trying to figure out why the book turned to that page. But then, to another page right next to it, she could make out an outline of ink, forming into another image. It looked like the same woman, only with a different outfit... Or so she thought. She began to see slash marks by the face of the woman and on her wrist. And she could make out a faint outline of a necklace around her neck. And before she could take a closer look at her clothings, the woman was soon covered in a flowing black cloak.

"What?" she mumbled. "Two grimoire thieves?"

"Or are these the same person?"

Suddenly, as if the book heard her question, it immediately turned again. There, she saw the woods right outside Mariposa city. The very woods that were rumored to be haunted—haunted by mysterious elements that leave that specific part, deafeningly silent.

"Do I really have to?" she asked, and the book once again turned its pages. Laying right before her eyes, were the most recent records. The records that showed her mother's secret condition, her aunt's consuming illness, and her uncle's recent incident. She gasped at the ghastly sight of their images, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She quivered as her hand shook uncontrollably.

"What will become of my family?"

Chapter Text

In the late hours of the night, while the whole empire is in their slumber, Mirabel lurks into the palace of her grandmother. The palace was pitch black. Its empty halls were eerie, and everything around was silent. The evening breeze whistled, and gave off a horrific aura in the shadows of the night. Silent, to the point of being able to hear the walls breathe. Mirabel kept a brave face, but could not control the hairs standing at the back of her neck as she tiptoed on the stairs to the highest tower. She looked over her shoulders as she quivered in anxiety. Cold sweat trickled down her face as she feared anyone would witness her creeping into the empress' working chamber. She pressed her back against the walls, and began walking sideways instead.

She began to reach the last step upstairs and carefully pressed her hand on the engraved letter M at the golden door. Slowly, the door creaked open, and its noise echoed through that whole portion of the palace. Mirabel froze and looked around. Her eyes were uncontrollably shifting from left to right, and top to bottom. Seeing that the cost was clear, she proceeded to squeeze through the small crack, and let herself in before gently closing the door. As soon as she heard the satisfying click as the door closed, she pressed her back against it and heaved a sigh of relief as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Oh dios mio... That felt like hell." she said as she fanned herself with her hand.

She took a couple of calm breaths, before looking around and saw the open book of records once again. The room was only illuminated by the moonlight pouring down from the window, and the golden glow of the miracle candle. Step by step, she inched closer to the book whilst looking back and forth between it and the door, not letting her guard down for a second, in case her grandmother bursts into the room. Finally, she found herself towering over the book, and staring at the floating quill, writing another entry. Its cursive writing looked nothing like anyone could ever make and unique from any books she had ever read. The same as before, she caressed the page, and the book immediately turned to another page, far from where it last wrote from. She began to squint her eyes as she witnessed paragraphs and paragraphs of words spiral for mere seconds, before all the ink slowly morphed into another set of images. "What is it this time?" she asked herself, and it was as if the spirit of their palace heard her when one of the floorboards bumped her heel, and made her draw closer into the page for a better look. Her face was only inches away from paper, when her eyes grew wide after seeing the first of many images in the page. "That girl..." she said.

"...Camilo's mini butler."

She turned to look at the second image, and saw the same little girl with wavy, neck-length hair, crying as she looked at a mirror. Mirabel appeared puzzled. "What does she have to do with anything?" she asked, not tearing her glimpse away from the girl. She only shifted her eyes once when she stopped to see another one forming into the next page. Through each stroke of lines, she stared. She sees the girl yet again who now appears older, and her hands were intertwined with a little boy in yellow. "Camilo," she whispered. She looked again and waited for the rest of the images to fully form, and what she saw were now a set of familiar sceneries, one that she had seen before. The girl was bruised. Slash marks were all over her body, and her cream white shirt was covered in blood. Binding her wrists, were golden handcuffs. She was staring into Mirabel's soul as she watched in horror when the girl's eyes glow gold, and icy blue. She jolted as she gasped, backing away from the book. "I grew up with the grimoire thief." she whispered with a voice trembling in fear.

Suddenly, one of the floorboards stood from the floor and bumped her bottom, making her jump forward as she yelped and turned around. "Casita!" she screamed in a whisper. The book flapped like a bird behind her, and drew her attention. She saw another image of the same girl, with a bump on her stomach. Her heart dropped as she unintentionally screamed with a louder voice. "SHE'S PREGNANT!?"

The floorboard hit her again, a little harsher this time. She smacked her palm to her mouth, as she paused and kept a keen hearing of any footsteps echoing from the stairway. For a hot minute, she observed... But there was no one. She crept closer to the book once more, and squinted her eyes as she stared at the pregnant woman in the book. She noticed that the woman had curlier hair, and the mole on her face was right below her eye, unlike the girl with her cousin who had wavy hair and a mole on her right center cheek. The pieces of the puzzle seem to be forming a new revelation. One that's far too long overdue. And guilt immediately took over as she remembered the sight of that girl, screaming in front of her and begging her to save her. She can still remember how her rough hands gripped onto hers with those same golden eyes pleading mercy. She remembered how the girl almost tore her teal blue gown as she was pulled away by knights and royal soldiers. Her heart beat slower as tears began to water down her cheeks. "What have I done?" she whispered to herself.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of faint footsteps coming her way. She quickly began to panic and locked sight at the window. "Not again." she sighed. She looked around a bit more, and spotted a dark corner between two shelves. "Aha!" she thought to herself. She squirmed her way through the shelves, and bent down, hugging her knees together, then waited. The door creaked open. And as expected, her abuela came inside the room.

Alma wiped a few sweat from her forehead as she rested her arm on the door frame. She heaved a few deep breaths before proceeding to approach the book of records. Mirabel's heart raced, as she feared her abuela could find the records of her sneaking into that room. She can hear her own heart pound as Alma begins to caress the pages of the book. She wanted to close her eyes out of fear, yet her curiosity kept prying her eyes wide open. Though curious, half of her mind thinks she already knew what Alma wanted. She waited for the very words to come out of her mouth... But nothing came. She leaned forward for a better look, and heard sobbing. Mirabel slowly crept out of the shadows when suddenly, Alma lashed out and wiped off all the potions, jars, and books stacked on the shelves. She screamed as she swung her arms around, wreaking havoc across the room. Mirabel retreated back to between the shelves, and covered her ears. Alma spent minutes getting every single frustration out of her body. Minutes that felt like an eternity for the terrified and confused Mirabel. She began to weep silently as glass broke before her feet. She wanted to scream, but no sound could escape from her mouth as she cowered in the dark.

Alma dropped to her knees and dug her fingers onto her grey hair. She cried as she bent lower to the floor. The sound of her crying sounded heart breaking and yet ear shattering at the same time. She quivered like she had just bathed from ice cold water, and under her breath, she whispered, "How could she have possibly escaped?"

At that moment, Mirabel realized the height of the stakes at their situation. She wanted to approach her abuela and calm her down, but she couldn't. Alma is so near to her and yet... So far. She could not even muster up the courage to even look at her in the eyes anymore. Their night was just as bitter cold as the evening breeze going through the window. And whilst the pair suffer the long, depressing night at that tower in the palace, all the other members of the royal family suffer in silence inside their own rooms.

The next day, Prince Camilo in the neighboring Palace, rose early with the sun, but not with a smile that was usually plastered upon his face. Today is the day he meets his future bride to get to know her in preparation for their wedding day. He reluctantly put on his best fitting and tied his hair tightly to the back of his head with the help of his dozen servants, rushing about, picking accessories, boots, and even his personal decorative sword.

As soon as they were finished dressing him up, they all formed a neat curve behind him with their heads down, and him looking up at himself at a wall made of mirrors. He turned his head from side to side, admiring his own looks with a faint smile. Then he whispered under his breath and said, "What a shame... All the ladies in the empire would be heartbroken the moment I announce the proposal in public." He turned away and headed straight outside the room.

By the main entrance, he stared at the closed twenty foot doors in front of him for a moment and took deep slow breaths with his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, he pulled out a big grin from ear to ear and the doors immediately opened wide in an instant. Through the door, he could see a carriage pulling up in front of the stairs. He stepped outside and looked at the small window of the carriage with dead eyes and was shocked to see his abuela Alma, the empress, sitting beside his bride. His smile became crooked and looked obviously forced as his eye twitched at the sight of both ladies stepping out of the carriage. "What in the world is she doing here?" he thought to himself.

Alma walked slowly to reach Camilo at the top of the stairs with his future bride following closely behind. And with each step, Camilo's urge to run the other way grew and grew. Not a few more moments later, he noticed more and more sets of carriages come through the gates in the distance. He was puzzled to see such amount of guests when he was just set to speak with his fiancé that day. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked as the empress made two last steps in front of him.

Alma put her hands together and sighed. "Change of plans. Your wedding is set tomorrow." she said firmly. Camilo gasped and backed away. "But I'm only seventeen!" he exclaimed. "And she is sixteen." she replied.

"As long as both of you are fertile and in the age where she is able to bring a child, you will be wed." Alma added.

Camilo felt disgusted and felt the sting of tears formed from anger drip to his cheeks. "Animals." he whispered. He turned away and ran all the way back to his room, slamming the doors behind him. Enraged, he screamed and yelled for all of his servants to clear his room before he locked the doors and proceeded to trash everything in sight. He smashed some of his mirrors with his fists and threw chairs and tables to it as well. He ransacked his own bed and pulled the curtains to the ground. Finally, after nearly twenty minutes of screaming and crying, he slumped his body on his glass walls, and caught a few breaths. While panting, he started slowly calming down, and took a good look at the damage he had done. He was gonna try to get up when he accidentally kicked a few shards of broken glass from a picture frame.

He picked up the photo, and saw a picture of himself with his arm wrapped around someone who appears to have their head folded away. He unfolded the picture and saw what appeared to be a boy or a girl with short hair in a little butler outfit. He stared at it for a moment before realizing who it was. Tears streamed down on his cheeks as he crumpled the photo in his hands and threw it back to the floor. He buried himself beneath his sheets, pillows, and comforters, trying to drown out his sorrows as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

A memory had been unlocked.

Whilst the Prince roamed the streets with a smile upon his face on a daily basis, rarely had anyone ever seen him with a frown, let alone tears. The image of that child next to his younger self reminded him of his darkest hours in the past. All those sleepless nights and flooding tears from the moment his mother disappeared. All those heart wrenching whispers he heard about their family, all those painful theories he had to take in, and all those ghostly wishes he made through every single star of the night that never seemed to have been granted nor heard.

He laid there as his tears continued to stream down from his eyes. It felt like dying for mere minutes as time passed by. Yet at the same time, it was as if time itself stopped when everything around was still as the untouched waters. It stayed like that for what felt like hours.

Suddenly, loud whispers can be heard from outside of his room. He raised his head and locked eyes at the cracks between his doors. He squinted his eyes and wondered what was going on. Till he heard someone say through the lines of, "We have to try and get as much new generations of Madrigals as soon as possible. The curse follows an age pattern. This may buy us some time."

The gongs in Camilo's ears rang and his heart stopped the moment he heard the sentence end. "First they barge into my palace and make me marry someone on the spot, now they want me to father children at eighteen!?" he whispered to himself before jumping from his bed and yelled, "NOPE! NOT GONNA HAPPEN!"

"I mean, cool, I get my first kill before eighteen, but there is no way I'm gonna be a father at eighteen no matter how amazing I would be at it!" he added and complained as he paced around the room.

Whoever seemed to be at the other side of the door, now started banging on his doors and yelling for him to get out. "Your majesty! Your presence is requested by the empress!" they said in a low yet rather frantic voice.

Camilo scanned the room, desperately looking for ways to get out when he remembered that he had a secret passage behind one of his mirrors. Yet he seemed to have forgotten which one. The banging grew louder and louder as more people seemed to have joined the others in trying to open his doors. And with each bang, his heart raced as he kept on scanning from left to right, trying to remember the right mirror. He paced the room once again, and accidentally stepped foot onto the crumpled photo he threw earlier. He tried kicking it off his boots, yet when he tried, it didn't come off. He picked it up with his hand, and was about to throw it away again, when he suddenly remembered a familiar background. He uncrumpled the photo and squinted at the background in it. There he saw his rectangular, door-like mirror, with sunflowers engraved on its sides. He leaped towards the same mirror in front of him and pressed his hand firmly at the center. The mirror sank, and suddenly popped off from the wall. He grabbed the edge of it and pulled back. It was surprisingly heavy and sturdy for a flimsy looking mirror. He pressed his body against the other side of it and pushed as hard as he could. Finally, he managed to pry it open, big enough for him to fit through. Up ahead, he saw a tunnel leading towards who knows where. He looked back at his room door then onto the tunnel. The moment he heard the door bang again, he realized that there appeared to be an object that was used to try and break his door open. He went inside and pulled back the mirror in place with all his strength, breaking a flowing sweat through his forehead and pits. From all the commotion, he accidentally brought the photo he once hated along with him and inserted it onto his boot. He kept on pulling and pulling, slowly wiping off the light from the tunnel, till it finally closed, leaving him in complete darkness. From the other side, he heard a boom and the sound of a pouring crowd into his room.

The muffled screams and the sound of his furniture being moved around, echoed through the tunnel. He stared at the secret door in horror as he stood motionless. He seemed to have forgotten to blink, yet his breathing was rapid as a baby's. He seemed to be waiting off the storm, yet it doesn't seem like it would die down any moment sooner. Suddenly, the sound of a loud crash on the other side of the door he's facing, jolted him awake from this trance. He took a deep breath, and started walking backwards till he started facing the other way and sprint.

The tunnel appeared endless. It was as if Camilo was running around in circles. He couldn't seem to get away from the echoes from the other side of the secret door. He already appeared breathless after thirty minutes of sprinting about, and is now trying to support himself on the walls, and then slowly crawling his way further. Not a shed of light could be seen in the dark. He could feel the sandy cemented floors of the tunnel, touched with his moist, sweaty hands. The further he goes, the oxygen around him appears to tighten. He was about to suffocate and was desperately gasping for air, when he accidentally hit a wall, and it crumbled like a part of a sand castle. Piles of debris started falling near his face, and he started coughing hard as dust filled the air. He started fanning the clouds of dust with his hand, as he slowly lifted his head to see a ray of sunlight from outside. Ecstatic, he punched through the flimsy wall and light began pouring in. He started cackling and simultaneously laughing as he dug off the piles of debris, and fit his body through the opening.

A big grin appeared on his face as he picked himself up from his knees, ready to face the warm sunshine. But his grin dropped again to a frown when he realized that he had not gone out of the palace yet, but had entered another room.

In contrast to the single, warm looking orb of light, floating in the center of the ceiling, the scene around him made his stomach turn and sent chills down his spine. Corpses of dissected frogs, animals, and enormous insects hung from the ceiling. Vials and jars of guts, intestines, and eye balls filled the old looking shelves that slumped by the walls. Clumps of wax were everywhere around the floors, desks, and on top of the selves from melted candles. Strange symbols, writings, and incantations in what looked to be dry blood decorated the walls in the most grotesque way. And charms including wilted flowers adorned the empty spaces of each corner.

Camilo felt his breakfast rise from his stomach and onto his mouth. He turned to his side and crouched down as he began pouring out his meal into slimy, smelly vomit. "What have I walked into?"

He turned to scan the room again and whispered. "Was this that witch's hideout all this time?" He moved a bit to get back up, and heard a slimy sound underneath his boots. He lifted his leg, and looked at what appeared to be black goo. A rather familiar looking substance.

"Dark magic..." he growled. "When I see her face again, I am going to kill her."

"I don't care how strong this grimoire thief could be... I am the future king of this kingdom. And her life will end through my bare hands."

His eyes were slowly painting red all around. He heaved deep sighs of anger and rage. His hands formed fists as he glared around the room. "If I were to have children in the near future, I don't want them to be in the same universe as her."

Suddenly, a buzzing noise interrupted his monologue and tickled his side. He jolted, and yelped in surprise. He frantically checked his hidden pockets, and felt a thin, metallic, round object. He pulled it out, and it appeared to be a hand mirror. He looked at it, but instead of his own face staring back at him, a faint image of what looked like his cousin Mirabel appeared.

"Camilo!" She called in a static voice.

Camilo's brows crossed in frustration and yelled, "What are you doing!? You know how much I hate it when someone uses this type of magic on me!"

"I know, I know," she tried to explain "but hear me out..."

"This is about the grimoire thief."