Chapter 9:

(Isabella POV)

Mirabel was assembling everyone in town to the church and I went to see Caleb. I watched as he made his way through climbing over the vines, "So that's how you did it." I said as he turned to face me. He nodded his head, "Yeah so did you talk to the people in town?" He asked eagerly looking at me. I looked him over. He wasn't wearing his cloak today, but he was still wearing dark black pants and a dark grey shirt and thick black gloves that covered his hands. He had a small pack over his shoulder. When I looked at his face his eyes were dark, but it felt like there was something behind it. Something that I hadn't forgotten about in 4 years. He had a scar under his cheek now that I didn't remember being there a few years ago. His sandy hair was shaved along the sides but longer on top as it went slightly to the side. "Isabella", he said snapping me back to reality. I gestured my head, "Well the town meeting is today, come on."

I began to walk towards town and he looked at me, "Wait you didn't ask for me?" I shook my head, "I talked to the people I needed to and they decided that if the town is ok with you being here they would honor it." He squinted at me, "Are you this cryptic with everyone?" "Only to people I don't know," I said with a half smile. He rolled his eyes, "But you live in a town in a mountain." "Yeah and you are the only person I don't really know." We made our way out of the jungle and began walking in the fields before we made our way into town, "Everyone is waiting for us in the church." "Church?" He asked and I rolled my eyes, "Come on."

The town was pretty much empty I passed by Camilo and Olivia who were outside with all the kids in town heading towards the library. "There all in there Isabella," He said gesturing his head towards the church. I nodded my head, "Thanks Camilo. You guys aren't coming?" He smirked shaking his head, "Well I'm not supposed to be there but you never really know do you." I smiled, "I guess not." I turned back to Caleb, "Come on." He came up to me, "Who was that?" I looked at him, "My cousin and his wife. They are watching the kids in town while we go into the meeting." He nodded his head and followed me whispering, "How old are they?" "24," I said. He seemed surprised by this, "Does everyone get married that young here?" I smirked, "They got married 2 years ago. A lot of people in town get married in their early 20s." He looked back at them and then at my hand, "So where is your husband?" I rolled my eyes, "A lot of people in town get married in their early 20s but, not all of them. Come on we are going to be late and you don't want to leave the Candleholder waiting." "Who is the Candleholder?" He asked following me.

We walked into the church and everyone turned to face us in silence as they starred at Caleb. He was looking over all of them almost examining them. We walked down to where my family was standing at the head of the church. I stopped him in front of them and then went to walk with them. He turned towards Abuela, "Are you the Candleholder?" Mirabel held up her hand slightly, "Actually that would be me. I'm Mirabel Madrigal, Isabella's sister" His eyes widened some more. Mirabel went over to him, "So I have heard from Isabella that you have been looking for Encanto?" He nodded his head, "Can I ask why?" He opened and closed his mouth before saying, "You have all be separated for the world for years, right?" Mirabel nodded her head, "Yes nearly 60 years." "And you have all developed your own society here while the rest of society has been developing on the outside." She nodded her head again, "I want to learn more about this and what changes happened here. I want to know more." She nodded her head. They asked him a few more questions and he seemed to know exactly how to answer. Mirabel began to look around before turning to face me, "Isabella can you take him outside while the town talks." I nodded my head, "Of course Mirabel."

We walked out of the church and he glared at me, "Why didn't you tell me that the Candleholder was... was..." "My sister?" I finished for him. He nodded his head. I shrugged, "I don't really know. The woman who you thought was the Candleholder is my Abuela and she was the Candleholder before Mirabel, so you weren't entirely wrong." He rolled his eyes and let out a breath, "How do you think it went?" He asked. I shrugged, "I don't know." He rolled his eyes, "How on Earth do you belong to that community?" I smirked, "And am apart of one of the most powerful families in town." I smiled turning on my heels before sitting down. He sat down next to me, "How long do you think that they are going to take?" I shrugged, "No. We have no precedence. Honestly I kind of wish I could hear what they are talking about." He shrugged, "Well I mean you brought me here and you are a part of one of the most influential members in town." I smiled, "It's complicated." He seemed to want to know more when Luisa opened the door, "They are ready to talk to you."

We walked back in the church and all eyes were still on us."If we allow you to do this there are rules that you are going to have to follow. You understand that, right?" He nodded his head, "I will obey any rules you tell me." She nodded her head, "If you are going to stay here there is a place for you to stay on the edge of the fields. You can come into town, interact with us do whatever you need to do, however we reserve the right to not tell you anything." He nodded his head, "Of course." She looked at me, "And Isabella will be your guide in town." "What?" I said but I saw the looks on my parents', tíos', Abuela's and sister's faces and went back into myself. I brought him into town I guess that this was what I got for that. Caleb nodded his head, "That is fine with me." Mirabel looked around across town, "Then Caleb you are welcome to stay here for a year. I hope you find what you were looking for." Tío Felix walked over to him, "Come on I can show you where the old shack is." Caleb nodded his head and they left the building.

Everyone in town was heading home. Mirabel then went over to me and pulled me aside, "What's wrong?" I asked. She sighed, "The town is barely going to tolerate him being here. You need to make sure that by the end of the year he wants to leave." I nodded my head, "Yeah of course." She sighed, "I guess we were bound to have a visitor in Encanto one day." I nodded my head again, "Don't worry I will make sure he wants to leave by the end of the month." I said. I went to turn away when she grabbed my shoulder, "Don't use your gift Isabella."

I was surprised, "Don't use my gift." She shook her head, "Not yet at least. Look we have a miracle. A Family Miracle. I don't know what his intentions are yet, but..." "You don't want to risk him hurting the family or Encanto," I finished. She nodded her head and I sighed. "If he is going to be around we aren't going to be able to hide it." She nodded her head, "I know but no one is going to talk to him about it." "Ok," I said, "I'll take him on a tour of town tomorrow. Let me know where everyone is going to be before I go out. I'll keep him away from the No-Go spots and maybe we can convince him that we are just another boring town." She nodded her head, "I just hope we can convince him to leave before Daniela's ceremony. If he is here for that we won't be able to convince him otherwise." "6 months, I can convince him to leave before then" I said. She nodded her head, "Alright then."


(Caleb POV)

I walked along the outside of town with this man that looked very familiar but, I couldn't place it. We arrived at this old shack that looked like it was falling apart and he guided me inside. "What is this place?" I asked. "My old home before I moved into Casa Madrigal." I looked at him, "What is Casa Madrigal?" He shook his head, "Don't worry about that. Look I lived here for a while. The Santiago's lived here for a while. It isn't perfect but, it should be good enough for whatever you are doing." I nodded my head, "Yes it is fine Sir." He nodded his head, "Isabella will meet with you tomorrow. She will take you in town and show you around." I nodded my head, "Thank you Sir." He sighed shaking his head, "Call me Felix." I nodded my head again, "Thank you Felix."

He left and I placed my bag down on the bed and looked around the room. There were two beds, a small kitchen area and a door that I guess led to the bathroom. Over one of the beds was a bunch of hooks that they must have used to hang their clothes. I leaned back into bed. I couldn't believe I found them. After all these years I found them and now I knew what I had to do. "8 months," I said to myself. I had 8 months before everything was going to happen. 8 months to learn everything that I could about these people and this place. They really have no idea what they invited in here, but now that I was in I had a job to do. I couldn't believe Isabella invited me here. Isabella? I don't know why she came to mind. She was irrelevant in all of this. I had a job to do and a job I needed to get done.