The last memory I had of my mother was the day she left me. After my 5th birthday, I had to switch to being a child of the night, I slept during the day and she made the switch with me. But this night I had slept in, Mami never came to wake me up like usual. I rubbed my eyes as I got up and headed towards her room, darkness was covering the Encanto well while the waning gibbous moon added light, my magenta nightgown was s till warm as I went over to her bed as she was still sleeping.

I pulled myself up onto it and started shaking her.

"Mami?" I called out gently trying to wake her up but she didn't stir.

"Mami, it's time to get up," I said as I kissed her cheek as she always did to wake me but she still didn't move.

"Mami?" I called out looking at her face and opening her eye but her eye looked blank as it wasn't the usual blue color but a dull pale greyish blue.

"Mami? You have to get up we will be late," I said as I was holding onto her yellow nightgown and shaking her but she still didn't move. I tried shaking her again but she was stiffer than she usually is.

"Mami?" I tried as I began hitting her back, her shoulder, her head, her face trying to get any kind of reaction.

"MAMI?" I shouted as I was starting to get scared shaking her even more.

"MAMA, Please. You have to wake up." I cried out as tears were running down my face.

"MAMI?" I cried still shaking her but she didn't move, speak or even breathe. I sat down on the bed and stared as my sobs got harder and louder but I stopped shaking her as I cried in fear and pain.

"MAMA?!" I shouted at her feeling my face get hot and my voice growing hoarse I was so distraught that I barely noticed that my protection that hung from my neck was glowing brightly.


Back at Casita sitting on the sandy floor focusing on his breathing he saw the glowing green and looking down at the ring and honing onto its magic he opened his mind and the sand formed into a rolling dome of sand that showed his precious angel crying over a clearly dead body.

"MAMA?!" the sand image cried out in pain shaking the still body instantly making him quickly bolt from his sitting position and make a quick run from his tower. Going to wake his Hermanas, their husbands, and his mother on his way


I sat there crying waiting for my Mami to wake up or someone to come help because I didn't know what to do. Then I heard the front door open and looking just as the bedroom door opened he was there. I was still crying as he walked up to me with fervor tucking his hands around me quickly and lifting me into his embrace, I held onto his green ruana and I cried into his comforting embrace, he was as warm as ever his strong arm held under my bottom while the other pet my head. I turned to see Mama Juli and Papi go to Mami and after looking at her they looked at each other with sad faces before looking back at me as I cried.

"She's gone," Papi said looking at Prince Bruno before he looked at me, I sniffled before burying my face into the green fabric and he held me closer as I cried and sobbing in pain.

Bruno continued to hold me as he had moved to the living room as Alma Madrigal came to our house, she had gone to our bedroom but came back with a sigh and sat down as Papi and Mama Juli came in as well. Mama Juli had been in the kitchen and prepared breakfast, though I wasn't hungry but Bruno took an Arepa and held it to me.

"You need to eat something Mirabel." He said as my loud crying had stopped and I just sat in his lap fiddling with his ruana, but as he held out my favorite snack I obeyed him and lightly nibbled on the cheesy food.

"So what will happen to Mirabel now?" Mama Juli said as she and Papi sat down to also eat. I got worried at her words until I heard his deep comforting voice vibrate from his chest.

"Tradition states that the sacrifices are to live with their parents until they are of age," Bruno said as he petted my hair making me look up at him with my face still on his chest.

"Agustin will take her in and Julietta you will have to adopt her, she will live with us until she is old enough for the ritual," Bruno said looking at Mama Juli and Papi who looked at each other and nodded.

"But then she will be your niece Bruno, a Madrigal?" Alma said with concern.

"Not by blood though. Besides if she is raised as a Madrigal we can start teaching her about this life early and she will be the most prepared sacrifice we have ever had." Bruno said as I snuggled into him again feeling tired and uncaring about what they were saying though I still remember what they said.

"I agree with Bruno, this is our best option," Papi said holding his wife's hand as he turned towards me making me hide my face in Prince Bruno's ruana as I let out more tears and cries, his warm arms wrapped around me and held me close as I cried.


After my Mami was taken away Mama Juli and Alma helped me to change and pack my stuff as I cried constantly looking at the bed where my Mami had been not too long ago but now it was empty and the bed had been made.

Bruno walked back to his home Casita as he had me tucked into his embrace while the other Madrigals followed, Papi held the 2 cases of my stuff and I curled into the warmth that held me as I felt too exhausted to do anything else but fell asleep.