Alright! Last chapter for this one. Let's finish this tale guys.
Perhaps stealing a horse was not the best way to reintroduce himself to the village but it was the only thing he could think of. He had to find Mirabel and after what had a happened he knew exactly what she was going to do. He knew exactly where she was going and if he didn't get there fast enough then he would lose her forever. He knew where she was going because it was where he was going to go all those years ago. He knew what she would because, bless her heart, she was him.If she wanted then he could take them both away from the Encanto and never look back. He'd done so much to protect her and he wasn't about to stop now. He'd ridden a horse once when he was a kid. How hard could it be?
As it turns out….very.
It had all been so much for him. His first time really out of Casita's walls. His first time well and truly coming back to the Encanto. Of course he'd never really left the Encanto or Casita but he was exposed now. He'd had just enough time to lift the bucket off his head to watch Mirabel fumble for the candle as the house crumbled around her. He scrambled back toward the hole he had burst through only for it to collapse.
"Casita!" He called. "Casita let me in! Let me in! Mirabel!"
Casita collapsed and he stumbled back, falling onto his back and staring at the rubble that used to be his home. Mirabel….she'd been….he-after all this time he-he'd failed. This was all his fault. Maybe, maybe if he'd helped her. Maybe if he hadn't been such a coward and just stood by her side when she needed someone. He'd heard everything that had been said. He'd seen one of his prophecy tablets glowing from its' shelf. It was Isabela's. It was happening right now! Isabela was finally free and creating new things and discovering not just what she could do but, herself as well. Mirabel had done it! He'd smiled so wide it hurt and scrambled for a place to peek through. The pair fell onto a bed of flowers, laughing and just being sisters.
Then his mamá walked in and….the things she had said. Was-was that really his mamá? Would his mamá really say those things?
He knew it. He ground his teeth together in anger. He knew they'd treat her the same way they had him. He'd ruined everything again! Mamá was blaming everything on Mirabel and all because she had seen his vision. He'd never been well and truly angry at his mamá before but now he was. He watched Mirabel argue back and was astounded at the courage this girl had. She had grown so strong. So much stronger than him.
He'd always been a coward. He had left Casita before. He crept out at night when everyone was asleep and no one would see him. He'd sit by his lake, listen to the stars, and skip stones to watch the fates' designs. He had made his way out the Encanto once and only once. He'd thought about it long and hard as he made the walk. He didn't like to think about that though. Whenever he snuck around the outskirts of the village, in the woods or by his lake, he always had his hood up. When he had his hood up he felt strong, like he wasn't afraid of anything. Out of sheer boredom, and probably a little mental wear and tear, he'd started referring to himself as Hernando when he had his hood pulled up like that. After all the name Hernando meant to be courageous so of course he wouldn't be afraid of anything. Hernando had the courage that Bruno did not. Hernando could leave the walls of Casita but Hernando was smart enough to stay out of sight. Not because he was afraid, of course not that would be silly, but simply that being seen would defeat the purpose Bruno had set. It was Hernando who stepped beyond the boundaries of the Encanto but it was Bruno who'd been too afraid to go through with it.
He'd slip between the trees in the twilight hours getting some fresh air and enjoying the space. He'd sit by his lake. He'd do whatever he wanted because in those cold, dark hours he was alone. At least, most of the time he was. There had been a few occasions where people had seen him, mostly mischievous kids playing after dark or teens sneaking off together. It had turned into a sort of thing. Of course people had absolutely decided that Bruno had cursed his lake so the first time someone had seen him had been….interesting.
Bruno (Hernando) decided that a nighttime swim would be perfect for a hot summer night. He didn't see why he couldn't enjoy a simple swim. He'd laid in the water on his back and floated amidst the stars. It felt like his hands could reach out and touch the twinkling lights about him. It was like he'd flown away, drifting weightless through the cobalt vaults of the heavens. The earth and all of her punishments and rot fell away beneath him finally out of reach and finally at peace.
Of course, he hadn't taken off his ruana and neither had he heard the two teens walk over and sit on the bank of the lake. They couldn't see him through the dark and carried on in ignorance of the fact that they were not alone. Bruno lay so still in the water that not a ripple passed through. He was a like a phantom come from the skies to walk the earth in the darkness. He'd slowly drifted his way back onto the shoreline opposite the two teens and let himself slide onto the borders of the heaven's mirror until he felt the earth beneath his body again having tumbled his way back down and into his life of secrecy.
He tugged the wet hood of his ruana up over his face and stood from the water. He turned to a noise behind him and saw the pair of teens. He ran into the forest as fast as he could and back into Casita's walls. After that rumors spread about the lake that Bruno had cursed and that it had called forth specter from the abyss that drifted along the outskirts of town, watching, waiting. Waiting for its' moment to come so it could devour the unfortunate soul it preyed upon.
It probably hadn't helped that the green of his ruana darkened when wet and, in the night, appeared black as coal. It definitely hadn't helped that his skin was pale as a sheet. He hadn't seen the sun in years. All those kids saw was something in what looked like a black hooded figure rise up from the still waters and look at them with a pale face that stood out so greatly in the darkness. It had become somewhat of a game for both the children and him. Sometimes he'd lurk by, or in, the lake and wait for some kid to come along, deciding to be brave enough to face the creature in the cursed lake. He'd make a show of it. Rising up in the same way as he had that first time, or slinking his way in from the trees when they weren't looking and turning to stare at the kids, allowing the weight of his gaze to fill their pounding hearts, before running into the forest.
He was bored, who could blame him?
But none of that mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was Mirabel. He'd taken the opportunity of a farmer, distracted by the collapse of Casita, to yank him off his horse and leap onto its' back, digging his heels into his its' ribs to make it run. There were more than a few problems with his idea but the main one was what was causing him the most trouble. Who on god's green earth just casually rides a horse bareback? Was that man insane?! Bruno already knew that he was definitely insane so it made sense for him but that had been a perfectly ordinary human being.
The world passed by in a blur and, for the sake of time, he urged the horse through the trees and held on for dear life. He was terrified. He was never going to go near another horse for as long as he lived.
"Come on. Come on!" He yelled, head ducked down next to the animal's neck, as the horse galloped and turned this way and that through the trees.
It was only the blessing of his own agility that he managed to stay on the horse, especially when he made the final leap out of the bushes, screaming the whole time. He hadn't expected to see Alma standing there with Mirabel but today was a day of change and this time, this time Bruno wasn't afraid. He knew exactly what to do. All he needed to say was that he had given her a vision and then everything would become his fault and no one would blame Mirabel. Only now did he realize that he actually had no idea what to say. He'd planned for Mirabel, not Alma, but he wasn't backing out now. He just started yelling.
"She didn't do this!" He'd never yelled at Alma before. It hadn't been his most graceful moment in the world but it was certainly memorable and he found his voice filling with more venom than he thought could ever come out of him.
"I don't care what you think of me!" He had growled and then everything turned in an unexpected direction after that.
"I feel like I missed something important." He muttered after his mamá ran and pulled him into her arms.
"Come on." Mirabel walked passed them, smug as ever.
His mamá just grabbed his face and kissed his cheek before grabbing his hand and tugging him along to follow Mirabel.
"After I save the Miracle, I'm bringing you home."
He found himself getting yanked back up onto the horse, he was not okay with this.
"Wh-what's happening?" He said, dumbfounded. This was the last thing he had been expecting. "Where are we going?"
"Home." Mirabel had said and Bruno had very nearly fallen off the horse.
Either way he was screaming again.
"I hate horses. I hate horses. I hate horses." Had been his only thought as he gripped his mamá so tightly he was a little worried he might hurt her as they galloped back to Casita.
They used the road this time. Once they had reached the town people started yelling and, at first, Bruno was certain they were yelling at him. Once their words reached his ears he realized they were calling out to each other that Mirabel had been found. It wasn't just their family who were out looking for Mirabel but the entire village. If he hadn't been so focused on just being able to get off of this beast he might have shed a tear. She was so loved, despite her glaring divergence from the rest of her family. He could see people running back in from the forest and fields at hearing that she had been found, safe and sound.
They dismounted and both Mirabel and his mamá ran around the corner but he stood and took a moment to himself to think. Mirabel really was an amazing person and the display of love from the village showed that it wasn't just the Madrigals who had become her family. She'd drawn such a huge circle around herself pulling in person after person and loving them, looking out for them. She was a person who liked to fix things, make people happy, and keep everything in some sense of order by just knowing what was needed. He smiled again before realizing something.
All of those villagers were on their way here right now. He had two choices. He could march his way around that corner and try to be a part of his family again or he could run. Running would be safer and Bruno liked safe. Everything around that corner was different and Bruno didn't like different. Different scared him.
He decided that he loved his family more than he was scared of the village, and them too.
"We don't talk about Bruno."
He bit his lip, took a deep breath, and reached for his hood before stopping. No, it wasn't Hernando's family waiting around that corner. It was Bruno's family and it was time for Bruno to stop being such a coward and let Hernado go, or at least try and do that. He looked up and found his mamá waiting for him, gesturing with her head for him to follow as she turned and walked away. He felt like Hernando could have actually turned that corner but instead Bruno found himself peering nervously around the edge of the stone and slowly stepping out at the encouragement of his mamá. He tried not to look passed her at his hermanas, too afraid that they might be angry. She gently took his hand and he couldn't help but keep his head ducked down timidly.
But, today was a day for change.
He hadn't expected the embrace but he had, miraculously, managed not to cry as he was suddenly, after a decade of solitude, surrounded by his loved ones. His familia. Could it be real? Was he dreaming? He hoped he wasn't. He didn't think he could take another dream like that. It broke him every time. They felt solid and warm and real as they slammed into him, one at a time, lifting him off his feet in a crushing embrace. His hermanas were stronger than they looked. He found himself squished between the two of them and he couldn't help but smile. Especially when Agustin draped himself over top of them, covered in bee stings….again.
He watched Mirabel take charge when no one else knew what to do, even mamá. She gave such a gentle, guiding hand giving reassurances and simply telling everyone that they didn't have to give up. Their family may be broken but it didn't have to stay that way, not if they worked and Bruno felt shame at his earlier hesitation at reuniting with his family. Well, he thought to himself, it probably would've happened one way or another it was Mirabel after all and she was very good at getting people to do what needed to be done. She'd done it him easily enough though he could be a bit of a pushover sometimes…..okay all the time. He was a pushover, but mamá wasn't and even she chose to follow Mirabel's leadership. Somehow, despite everything that happened, no one blamed her at all. In fact, she'd earned the respect of their whole family. He gave a gentle, almost fatherly, smile as he watched her.
That smile immediately fell the moment he heard voices behind him, lots of voices. He turned his head and saw the villagers, all of them, walking up toward them, carrying shovels and hammers and tools to help rebuild Casita. There were a few moments where he was just overwhelmed by emotion when he realized that they had gathered this all together without hesitation. The moment Mirabel had been found everyone ran to their homes to gather everything they needed. All these years the Madrigals had to be strong and a perfect display of security for the Encanto and now everyone was here, ready to follow Mirabel, and selflessly, lovingly decided to help the family that had always helped them.
Then he realized something. All of the villagers were walking toward them and his last interaction with them….well really all of his interactions with them had been bad. It felt like his heart stopped. Had they seen him? Faintly he could hear Mirabel talking in the background.
"No one should ever have to stand alone here. Not us, not them," She gestured toward the villagers ascending the hill. "and definitely not-" She stopped. "Where'd he go?"
Bruno had taken advantage of the lack of attention to flip over a crumbled wall. He just needed a moment to breathe. He dropped to the ground and leaned back against the wall, gritting his teeth and trying to slow the pounding in his chest. His family didn't seem to care but they were family, they were different. He sucked in a deep and desperate breath.
Okay that was not helping.
"One, two, three, four, five." He counted as he inhaled. "One, two, three." He exhaled. He kept up a rhythm remembering to breathe deep, his belly rising and falling more so than his chest. "You can do this, you can do this, you can-"
His thoughts were interrupted at the feeling of something warm and a little wet pulling at his hair, making Frida squeak in alarm and dart beneath his ruana. He managed a glance up and found the horse pulling and licking at his hair. Sure his rat's did that all the time but he hadn't just had a very traumatizing moment with a rat. He tilted his head away from the horse and it nickered and snorted before stretching its' neck out farther to nip at his hair again. Its' surprisingly soft lips began to tickle his cheek as its' mouth moved down to explore the hair on his shoulders and, consequently, his ear. He couldn't help the quiet huff of laughter as he tried to push the animal away from him.
"He's not normally so welcoming." Bruno nearly jumped out of skin at the sound of a foreign voice and, when he looked up to see the person he died, he died, or he was about to die at the very least.
Standing a little off the side was the farmer who he'd stolen the horse from by violently ripping him off of the animal and slamming him into the ground. He hadn't really cared in the moment but, looking up at the man he cared. He cared very much. He tugged the hood of his ruana over his head and over his face so he, at least, didn't have to see the farmer's angry expression.
"I thought for sure you were going to die." The man said casually. "He's a stallion, not a gelding. He has a mind of his own but he seemed to understand the situation."
Okay when was this guy going to start yelling? The tension was killing him.
"I can't even get a saddle on him." Bruno heard the man sit down. "Tried once. Kicked the dickens out of me. I'd have died if not for your sister."
When. Was. He going. To. Yell? Bruno was shaking.
"Of course," The man grew quiet. "It was also due to the fact that my wife got to me so fast. Running all the way out there with your sister in tow. She'd been in town, visiting her brother. I'd sent our son out to let her know that we needed a few things picked up. He mentioned that I was going to saddle train that beast." He gestured to the horse who was now nipping at the hood of Bruno's ruana. "Her brother had been so confused when she ran out to grab your sister and run all the way out to the farm."
There was a long pause and Bruno's continued to tremble. His legs were tense. For when he needed to jump up and run.
"It was like she knew beforehand." The horse stamped his hooves in frustration at its' inability to chew on Bruno's hair. "Well, turns out she did. It was only when I asked about it, after you left, that she showed me one of your prophecy tablets and, sure enough, that animal was kicking me right in the head with me trying to get the saddle on him."
What was happening? There was another long pause and Bruno heard the man shift.
"Bruno," He took a breath. "you saved my life." He said quietly and Bruno froze.
What?
"Thank you." There was absolute gratitude and honesty that sounded harsh somehow as if trying to force the listener to believe the words.
It was a voice that very clearly said that the man was really absolutely, telling the truth. Bruno's mouth seemed so move of its' own accord and suddenly he was speaking, more close to a shaky whisper.
"B-but i-it w-as a bad prophecy." He shifted a little bit away from the farmer.
"And bad things happen." The man shrugged, Bruno could hear it in his voice. "If you know a rock is there, or a stair is rotted, you aren't going to fall. Right?"
There was no way this was really happening. Maybe he'd fallen off the horse and hit his head? Maybe he'd hit his head on a tree branch? He didn't know, but this couldn't be real.
"You kept me from falling and I hadn't even thought about it until after you were gone. I realized I hadn't taken a second glance. I didn't look back on it and by the time I had, it was too late to thank you. I always figured I'd never see you again and that I'd lost that chance. So, thank you for coming back."
Bruno dared to pull up his hood to take a tentative glance and all he saw was honesty. It was confusing because he remembered every prophecy he'd ever given, and this man's wife had been angry. She had snarled that Bruno had cursed her husband to death, slapping him across the face and stomping off. Prophesying deaths always took such a huge toll on him. It was nothing but horror that he was forced to watch and the images would stay in his nightmares forever. All he could do was try not to scream in horror at what he was seeing.
Bruno had seen a lot. He'd been there, staring into the green, and watched a child drown as he was swept away by a merciless river carrying him faster than his parents could run. He knew what a man's insides looked like. Empty eyes haunted him in the dark hours. He knew that you could see the pulse of a man's brain. He knew that intestine were long and moved around by themselves, like a snake without a head. He knew what it looked like to burn. He'd seen the work of a sword. He'd seen decay and rot and ghosts whispering on the winds and he never said anything about it. Many of those prophecies he kept because there are some moments, moments so traumatic that it left a scar on time itself. Fate. Destiny. The ones that couldn't be changed he kept on the shelves in one of his hidden rooms. They wouldn't serve any good purpose. By this point he knew what a scarred prophecy felt like.
But this man's destiny had yet to be decided so Bruno had handed over the prophecy.
"Yes." Came a woman's voice. "You did. You saved my husband's life and….I'm sorry." He looked up and saw the tears gathering in her eyes. "And thank you."
"And getting angry about going bald seems pretty stupid in hindsight." Came a new voice and good god how many people were there?
He definitely hadn't been as stealthy as he had hoped when he'd flipped himself over that wall.
"The flip was impressive." The priest nodded along with the other two.
Yup.
"He seems to like you more than me." The farmer groaned as he stood. "Maybe it'd be easier if you led him out. He might not kick at you. Or bite you. Or headbutt you." The man straightened his back. "Dios mío why do I even have this creature?"
Bruno took a deep breath, swallowed, and pulled off the hood of his ruana to look up at the trio who tipped their heads to gesture around the corner. He hesitantly got to his feet and the three villagers just turned and walked around the corner. The farmer hadn't even glanced back for his horse, who was chewing on Bruno's hair again. He didn't actually mind all that much. The rats constantly ran around in his hair. It didn't really feel all that different. He did hear Frida hiss from beneath his ruana at the smell of the horse.
So, not knowing what else to do he grabbed the reins and walked back out, still terrified. A lot of people stared but at the same time really paid him no mind. No one really seemed to look at him in anger. He just walked around to the front of the rubble that had once been Casita. Mirabel caught sight of him and smiled, giving a huff of laughter at the horse nibbling at his hair. She was calling out, assigning jobs and figuring out exactly what needed to be done. Every now and again someone would yell out an idea and Mirabel would grin. Bruno wasn't exactly sure what to do especially because the horse wouldn't leave him alone.
"Now I'm not sure if we can build it back exactly the way it was. Some places are completely destroyed."
"W-we." Bruno squeaked, looking at all the people around him before clearing his throat and speaking out loud enough that Mirabel could hear him. "We can."
She looked at him and he pretended that it was only her.
"I know Casita inside and out. I remember the exact shape of it all."
"Well, there we go." She smiled and shrugged.
So, that became Bruno's job. As everyone busied themselves with clearing out rubble he carried bucketfuls of sand over to the empty spaces. He ignored the weird looks. People were certainly expecting him to dig into the ground to outline the room. He just pretended he was alone in his vision cave as he carefully outlined the whole room with a long and unbroken string of sand. He stood, once he was done, and squinted to make sure everything was perfect. He could work with sand a lot better than if he was digging. He turned to look to the side and got a thumbs up from the priest who no longer seemed shy about his lack of hair.
He rubbed and fiddled with the frayed ends of his ruana, admiring the embroidered hourglasses.
"And you shouldn't be scared either. Be strong pequeño ratón. Thank you. Thank you for showing me that my time has come. You have a beautiful gift and I have one for you Brunito."
Maybe, maybe things could get better.
Here we are at the end. Hope you enjoyed this story! Catch you guys in the next adventure.
