A bit dark at the beginning, then sister fluff later. This chapter took forever to write and I think I'm going to only have two more chapters after this.
The new rules had gotten published to the village and had received mixed results. While most of the villagers were very understanding and apologetic, some were grumbling about how it had always been done the way it was and shouldn't need to change. The dissenters had received retribution in animal form, a man putting pressure on Luisa for example, had needed multiple arepas from Julieta after the hippos had stampeded him. The angry mother only gave him enough to mend the life-threatening injuries, no more. He'd be recovering for well over two months on his own, Julieta had found that she could now adjust the potency of the healing food she produced.
The clause about the animals acting as they saw fit to each circumstance was now being fully heeded.
Luisa had been in shock throughout the incident. She had told him no multiple times because she frankly didn't want to move the bridge for the ninth time that week, and he had kept pursuing her before calling her several slurs and threatening to harm her. Twenty angry hippos suddenly left her side, charging the man whose facial expression became one of sheer terror as the two-ton mammals began to run at him, he had no hope of escape.
Shaken and scared, she had made her way back to Casita, the hippos protectively surrounding her. They had almost killed someone to set an example and to protect her. The rules had been published last week by Mirabel and the hippos incident happened just two days after. Shockingly, Abuela hadn't said a word about the incident, but that might have been because Mirabel had done so first, thanking the hippos for looking after Luisa and then pointing out the clause to all the onlookers and mutterers, her tone and poise causing them all to shut up.
Mirabel had then turned her ire to the bleeding, semi-conscious man and had said that he was lucky to be alive and that since Luisa was a Lady of Mira's court the hippos would have faced no punishment if they had killed him. Luisa had spent most of the rest of that day in her room, trying to process everything.
It was now Wednesday evening, close to dinner time and Luisa had been finished in town for an hour, she loved the new nine to five schedule. She looked at her sister and Antonio's door, Mira had been in there all day working on something, whether it was more sewing or something to do with ruling the animals, no one ever knew.
Suddenly, Isa poked her head out of the room.
"Oh perfect, just who I was looking for, Mira needs to do a final fitting for your dress, she got everyone else earlier, except for Dolores and I think Mariano," said Isa
Luisa looked at Franchesca who nodded at the silent request to take her up.
The sound of her little sister's sewing machine greeted Luisa's ears as she walked down the hall.
"Ah Luisa, sit, please," said Mirabel
"I thought my dress was finished, I wore it when you named me a Lady of your court," said Luisa
"True, it fits you perfectly, but because of your status I had to change a few things, and I thought this would be a perfect excuse to talk to you," said Mirabel
"Oh," said Luisa
"Try on the dress, see if you like it then we can go to the garden courtyard and talk, Isa wouldn't like it there, too many roses," said Mirabel
Luisa stepped behind the changing screen.
"Mira what are these gemstones?" asked Luisa looking at the new beading along the neckline.
"Gray labradorite, I found a chest of countless crystal beads in here, and that was before I found what I'm assuming is my treasury, Casita really really went overboard," said Mirabel
Luisa stepped out from behind the screen.
"Oh perfect, once we add some jewelry it will work wonderfully for the wedding," said Mirabel
"Mira, this dress might outshine Dolores, I don't want that," said Luisa
"Trust me, nothing is going to outshine her, I sewed tiny rubies and citrine, and yellow diamonds into various spots on the dress and I increased the skirt size and added lace to the train to make it long. She is going to literally sparkle in the light of the setting sun through the church windows, her reception dress is still white but simpler, I still couldn't resist threading yellow diamond beading onto the lace overskirt," said Mirabel
"Can I see it?" asked Luisa, she loved dresses and her own wedding gown was something she had fantasized about most of her life.
Mirabel smiled and walked to the massive closet and pulled out the stand containing the mass of silk, satin, lace, and precious gems.
"I had Isa's assurance that the bronze headband could be filled with the flowers Dolores wants," said Mirabel pointing to the exquisite lace veil that must have taken her a full day of work to create. It looked out of place on the bronze headband that would soon be turned into a tiara of flowers.
"Mira if that's what you're making for our Prima, what are you going to do for Isa and me?" asked Luisa.
Mirabel smiled, grabbing a sketch pad.
"Page two is what I plan for you when you finally find someone to marry," said Mirabel
Luisa gasped as she looked at the drawing. Ballgown style similar to Dolores's but it was sleeveless with an open back, pink and black diamond beading on lace each gem centering a gladiolus flower woven in lace.
"Do you like it?" asked Mirabel
"Mira, it's better than anything I could have ever dreamed of," said Luisa
"I'm glad you like it," said Mirabel
"What are you wearing to Dolores's wedding? Have you even started on your own dress?" asked Luisa
Mirabel put the gown away and brought out another dress. Rich teal silk with emerald and garnet butterfly beading, trimmed with gold satin ribbons and an overlay of deep blue lace.
"Woah," said Luisa
Come on, we've lingered in here long enough,' said Mirabel
"Oh right," said Luisa
"Here, I finished your new everyday clothes," said Mirabel, shoving a pile of gray, lilac, and peony pink fabric into her sister's arms.
Luisa changed into the new dress, it was mostly gray but with pink gladiolus flowers woven around it and lilac butterflies between each flower. It was sturdy and she would be able to move in it quite easy to complete her tasks but it was also formal and made her feel like a princess.
"I love it Mira, but what do the flowers mean? I'm not exactly versed in flower language since that's Isa's thing," said Luisa
"They mean strength and hope, I think they fit you better than having a skirt with embroidered dumbbells," said Mirabel
"What about Isa's new clothes? If you put flowers on mine then what is she getting?" asked Luisa
Mirabel walked to the closet once more and pulled out a dress that was a pale green at the skirt and a burnt orange bodice, it was covered in cacti and marigolds with golden sundews at the hem. There weren't any butterflies this time because Isa wasn't part of the court. She put the dress back before putting her current project away and the two girls left the room.
"Marigolds symbolize creativity, she'll know that, but she adores her dangerous plants so I had to put those on too," said Mirabel as they walked down the hall after leaving the sewing room.
"They fit her," said Luisa
The two arrived at the double stained glass doors and they opened to the courtyard garden.
"I've never been here at sunset, it looks like the flowers change based on time of day, it was the middle of the night last time I was here," said Mirabel looking at the orange and yellow hibiscus blooms, the "sunlight" was a massive sunstone gem that was backlit by an enormous candle. The multicolored sky was a result of the dimming light refracting off wisps of steam from the heated fountains.
There were benches around the lawn and surrounded by berry bushes, massive obsidian stones mixed with dalmatian jasper formed the walkway to each fountain and bench. The butterfly topiaries were no longer hedges but massive floral arrangements of purples, reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks. Luisa stared at it all, the main fountain and setting sun framed by two massive topiaries of flowers, and in the center of it all stood her little sister, looking for all the world like a goddess of nature.
Mirabel patted the spot on the fountain next to her for Luisa to come to sit down.
"Are you doing alright after the incident a few days ago?" asked Mirabel
"Wha-oh yeah, I guess I'm doing ok," said Luisa
"Lu, I did warn you that the hippos would do whatever was necessary to keep you safe, Animals see and hear everything, that man, well his intentions were far more than he said, and he would have gotten his friends in on it," said Mirabel with a shiver
Luisa blanched.
"The spiders in his house ran to the hippos to warn them, if you noticed that day there were more around than normal, the spiders also told me but the hippos had dealt with him before I could get there. The things he was planning, well honestly leaving him alive was more merciful than what I would have ordered," said Mirabel
"So I shouldn't feel awful that someone was hurt because of me?" asked Luisa
"No Lu, it's not your fault at all, the hippos protected you and that man will never bother you again, nor will any of his friends, the spiders are keeping eyes and ears out for trouble, one word against you from their mouths is the nail in their coffins, I'm not telling mama about the full story because then she'll feel bad for healing him but her magic will conveniently not work on spider venom should anything happen," said Mirabel
"What should I do?" asked Luisa
"Go about your days like normal, just make sure a hippo or two are with you at all times in town, but that won't be an issue since you are part of their pod," said Mirabel
"Do you control the candle?" asked Luisa
"Oh no, the candle is its own entity but I am its link because I can talk to both the family and the butterflies so if I ask it something it usually listens," said Mirabel
"How long are you keeping Abuela in the Nursery?" asked Luisa
"A while, she's trying, I know that, but..there's just too much hurt, I can't bring myself to forgive her yet, I need to know this isn't just an act to get her room back," said Mirabel softly, running her hand through the water
"I think most of us are waiting until you forgive her before we start considering it ourselves, she hurt you the most so none of us want to forgive her too early," said Luisa
"I don't know how long that will be," sighed Mirabel
"I doubt any of us are expecting you to forgive her before the year is out," said Luisa
The two girls just sat in silence for a little while, Luisa laying down and staring up at the artificial sky.
"You want to know my favorite part about having a gift now?" asked Mirabel after a bit
"What is it?" asked Luisa
"I finally get to spend time with my sisters, Isa doesn't hate me anymore, I'm a real Madrigal now. I mean the gift itself is wonderful and my castle room is more than I could have ever dreamed but it's nothing compared to actually feeling like part of the family. I know I would always be a Madrigal gift or no gift but for so long it didn't feel like I was," said Mirabel
"I'm sorry, I should have tried harder to be a better sister to you," said Luisa
"It's not your fault, you were so overworked you couldn't even do things you liked let alone spend time with me, It's Abuela's fault, something I don't know how long it will take me to forgive her for," said Mirabel
Luisa pulled her little sister into a gentle hug.
"We see how bright you burn and how brave you've been, it's time to see yourself in turn," whispered Luisa.