"Thank you for getting rid of that table Felix." Alma's voice sounded from the other side of the wall only for there to be stunned silence.
"I… didn't." Felix's voice replied. "I intended to do that today but if it's already gone… Oh hey, maybe it was Casita! Hah. Thanks Casita!"
Bruno exhaled a breath of relief. That was an explanation he could live with and so Bruno smiled as he was now sitting at his new table!
The table had broken one of its legs the other day and so Alma was ready to replace it. But what was a broken leg that couldn't be fixed with a box just the right size?
Bruno knew he wanted the table so he could sit probably to eat like his family, but he had been nervous about how to get it into his room. Casita though had answered and gracefully simply opened the wall in the dining room.
It made a lot of noise, so Bruno didn't want to do it often in case someone might hear him, but it was nice to know he could transport bigger things in here when the opportunities presented themselves.
And so Bruno was sitting on his little wooden stool, at the old worn down wooden table with his avocado and water almost feeling like a civilized human being again. To think someone could feel so satisfied just being allowed to sit on a stool at an actual table!
"There was this story." Camilo seemed to be pouting if you judged by the tone of his voice. "But I don't remember how it went! Someone help me!" he asked. "It was a great story!"
"If it was such a great story. Then how can't you remember it?" Mirabel asked honestly curious and Bruno chuckled.
Camilo replied. "It was something about a Princess who's really really ugly!"
At that Bruno's eyes widened. That was his story! He told that to Camilo! And he remembered… Then Bruno got nervous. The family wasn't supposed to talk about him or any of the things he had done. Was Pepa going to snap?… Didn't sound like it. And Bruno stood up to have a look. No, she looked pretty relaxed... Maybe she hadn't really listened. Or she didn't even know what story Camilo was talking about. Either way, the boy seemed to be in the clear. So that was good.
"Princess's are not ugly." Mirabel pouted.
"Well this one was," Camilo said. "And she erhm… I think there were three princes ready to marry her."
Bruno halted… no… No that's not how the story went! There was only one Prince! Who lied to get himself out of it. Claiming the Princess was too beautiful when in fact she was too ugly.
And then Camilo continued talking and it was wrong… It was all wrong. Bruno had to fight his own urge to jump out the wall to correct the boy.
NO! No no no! The blind fiddler marries her! Because to him, there's no such thing as ugly or beautiful. So he gets the palace, the riches, and everything nice! Get the story right! Camilo!
He didn't though… The boy didn't and Bruno muttered annoyance to himself as he stuffed a piece of avocado into his mouth.
"Erhm…" Luisa hesitated. "Camilo… Do you remember the story about the strong heroine who fought a big lion?" she asked. "I erh… I'm forgetting it a little bit and that… Feels a bit like a shame. It was a nice story. I would like to remember."
Bruno silenced…. Slowly he lowered his fork and he swallowed. He hoped Luisa wouldn't get in trouble now.
"You know we should visit the library one of these days." Julieta suddenly said. "It has been a while since we've been there. You can pick up any storybook you want Luisa! Maybe the story is there!"
It… Wouldn't be… It was another story Bruno had made up. Yeah, it was similar to another story he had read. But he had swapped the male hero out for a female one much more similar to Luisa to make her happy. And changed the personality as well to make her into a lady protector that the entire village loved.
Bruno sighed deeply as he stood up. Well, this had to be enough for today. And he went to rinse his glass and fork before he lifted the hood of his Ruana to go on his round.
Bruno hummed to himself as he stepped through the hallways. "One, two, three." he jumped at all the safe spots to avoid the loose boards. "No cracks that I can see! Four, five, six!" and he grabbed a panel over himself to swing himself to the other side and landed on the ground. "Thank the lord I didn't miss!"
At different places Bruno had different rhymes and rituals helping him remember where to step and what to grab so he didn't crash through.
Then Bruno grabbed a panel and with amazing ease just crawled up the wall to the crack at the top he had covered up. "Knock on wood!" Bruno knocked and took a look. Looked good! And Bruno exhaled as he let go and let himself fall.
Then Bruno inhaled a deep breath. "I'm Hernando and I fear nothing," he mumbled to himself as he took off and ran to get speed. Then finally jumped, a jump that only went halfway over the drop but enough that he could hit the midway board and give him another boost to make it to the other side and then landed in a squad. "Indeed," he smirked to himself. "Hernando the fearless. You saw that my little amigos?" he asked his rat that had just run alongside the walls. "I am the great hero!" he held up a finger. "And I am talking to rats." he groaned. Then continued his route. "It is a shame though. The stories about Luisa the great are pretty good." he nodded as he walked. "The strength of seven giants and a heart of gold. twelve tasks must she fulfill to save her village from the angry titan! Can she do it? Can she climb the mountain that reaches the clouds! Capture the great golden bull and defeat the lion the size of our house? Of course, she can! She's Luisa the great!"
Just then Bruno reached one of the narrower passages that would creek and he inhaled a deep gasp of breath, then held it as he rushed through. Only then to let go of it again so he could actually breathe.
"Can you believe that Camilo is forgetting my story? He got it completely wrong!" Bruno muttered. "No! It was the prince! When he saw how ugly the princess was he shouted. Oh, she's too beautiful. I can't possibly marry her! I am not worthy of her beauty! I shall just go marry someone less beautiful then." then he halted. "No this is good." he stopped so he could lean up against the wall. "If they are forgetting my stories…. They must also be forgetting me…" he glanced down. "Heh… There's a story here somewhere! The hermit in the walls." he smirked. "Now that's a title." he knocked on the wall behind him.
Then finally he dragged himself off the wall and started to run to reach his next destination and his next climb.
The more Bruno explored the longer his round became, with more places where he needed to jump and climb to get through.
Well… At least it was a healthy workout each day. And Bruno could think up new stories as he moved around.
…. Too bad he couldn't really tell those stories to anyone. Well aside from his rats. No! Bruno wouldn't think about it.
It was for the better…. It was for the better.
As Bruno made it back though and started to clean his items he couldn't help himself. Maybe the rats didn't understand him but he believed the sound of his voice soothed them and… Making stories were nice.
It made Bruno forget everything else. He could just concentrate on the story and nothing else mattered right now. The great Luisa could still have another adventure, saving the foolish Hernando! Because Hernando was indeed brave… But he wasn't very strong. And not always that smart. So Luisa could save him. She loved when she got to do that. Hernando was such a silly character.
Outside in the garden, Dolores was sitting still… absolutely still.
"Dolores." Isabela addressed her.
"Ssssh!" Dolores just hushed her and then sat back as she seemed to be listening intensely.
Finally, Isabela just rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever," she mumbled and walked away.
