Story in a nutshell: Elena learns the story of her friends families, if a bit briefly, while trying to get caught up with queen duties.

Authors Note: This set after the episode Spirit of a Wizard. To the guests that suggested stories, thank you so much! I'll add the remaining to my list and we'll see how it goes! I'm not a big fan of the jaquins so I'm not sure how that will go but I'm willing to try once I get that far. This moves way faster then expected so I might expand on one of these parts later, it's on my list.

Enjoy!

This was overwhelming as Elena finally looked at the mail that had been delivered to her. The easy part was done and took more of her morning. Now was the difficult part. What was some of this stuff? She thought as she picked up a document from a city on the far east side of Avalor. This was about law stuff and something about a tax? Shaking her head, she read over the paper and how they weren't going to accept it if it was denied. Basically, they were threatening her to approve or else what?

Confused she put that aside for another document. This one had something to do with traveling arrangements for the Cambrian royal family. What did they want?! Her mind just kept drifting to Mateo and Alacazar from last week. That just so tough on Mateo and Rafa.

"Elena are you okay?" asked Gabe from the door as he peered into the grand council room. "Your abuela is looking for you."

Frustrated she looked at him while the door opened again. This time it was Higgins with the things from Esteban's desk.

"Gabe, tell me you know law stuff what does this mean?"

She pulled out yet another document about something else she didn't really know. When Esteban fled off with Ash, she didn't expect to get his job! Then again, she wasn't given half this stuff he had done before. Dona had passed off her with everything she didn't know or could only approve or deny herself.

Her guard looked down at the paper and slowly nodded reading things over. A grimace on his face reading it over.

"In a nutshell nothing too critical," said Gabe before passing it back to her. "It's just a fancy worded note about how to do background checks on the guards."

"Background checks? What about background checks?"

"Just to make sure that they're not secretly working for the enemy. Looking into their families making sure that another incident like "Rita" didn't happen again," he said casually putting the paper back on the desk. He skimmed the letter from Cambria and nodded. "They're asking for a visit in about a month or two to discuss immigration acts."

Elena shook her head trying to piece this together. She didn't know that Esteban had done half this stuff for her. She was tempted to just blow it all out the window and do it later. Too bad that really wasn't an option here. Her mind still wandering off some.

"Thanks Gabe," she said. "I thought that I learned all about this stuff but apparently it's been way to long since I've done the formal side. I guess this is why papi had mami helping him. Now tell me about these background checks. Oh are there stories and such worth talking about?"

He just laughed and shook his head.

"Just boring. I was just telling Rico that it would be hard with my family to sneak in. My mom is the youngest girl of seven and there's a Montoya at every corner and we all know each other. My abuelos have the stories of nightmares."

She laughed easing the stress off from her. "What about the guards? Anything on Rico?" Elena knew just how braggy he could be.

"Not much in his department, he'll tell you all his accomplishments." She snorted as Gabe just grinned before straightening up.

Elena flashed to something in her mind as Gabe mentioned his grandparents. Not too long ago did Alacazar just die in Mateo's arms like that. It would be hard to lose someone that was that close to you. It was hard for her to process since she knew him better then Mateo did in a weird odd twisted kind of way. Then she got stuck with Esteban's paperwork while thinking about it.

"Hey Gabe," she said. "Are your abuelos all still alive?" Gabe paused as she remembered seeing him at the graveyard one year. She winces forgetting that until after she asked the question. "I'm sorry if it's too forward."

He just smiled sadly at her and shook his head. "It's okay, I heard what happened to Alacazar. My mom's dad is gone. We were really close, and we visit the graveyard every year. I think its one of the most decorated ofrenda's especially growing up. My others are still alive though."

It was quiet as Gabe hummed reading over some of her papers.

"Gabe, this might seem a little out there but I'm still processing what happened. Would you mind helping me read over these while I help my abuela?"

"Uh, sure," he said as she pushed a chair for him to sit in before leaving the grand council room.

Elena headed down the halls humming to herself finally getting away from the printed word. She could hear voices coming from the kitchen as it was Naomi and Luisa. They were laughing about something before leaning in.

They were telling a story about something with chocolate and her brothers missing the day that they had to paint the family portrait.

Heading in, she looked at Naomi and Luisa with a bright smile.

"Am I missing anything?" she asked smiling and taking a cookie.

"Nothing much mijta, are you holding up okay?" asked Luisa patting her hand. "I've been meaning to talk to you all day about what happened. I'm glad Gabe was able to get you for me."

Naomi tossed her hair and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"Yea, I threw myself into that paperwork and I guess I let myself get too wrapped up in it," she said. "You do you remember Alacazar very well abuela?"

Luisa thought about it before nodding her head slowly. "I remember the day your parents married, and he made rose petals shower among the audience when they kissed. It was very beautiful. I even remember holding Rafa when she was born."

Wow thought Elena that was something alright.

"Do you remember much about your grandparents much Naomi?" asked Elena to her blond friend.

Naomi just shook her head before turning that to a nod. "Sort of, I mean my grandfather I don't remember but that's on my moms side. He's the one that died in that boating accident. My grandma is buried in Norberg I never saw her there last time I was there for some reason. She died when I was six from something. My dad's parents are alive and we saw them. They're great my grandma was knitting scarves for our next visit."

A serene smile on her face and Elena turned to Luisa.

"You know my grandparents Elena," said Luisa. "I told you all about them growing up."

Luisa launched into her story where she famously saved the chocolate shop from local thieves. Elena grinned remembering that story and other stories very well. Francisco often did the same so nobody's story was untold. She supposed by now they would be on the ancestor branch of the spirit tree now. She grabbed another cookie and went to find Mateo after kissing Luisa's cheek and hugged Naomi.

She found her wizard friend in the new part of the library that they had discovered. Mateo was busy packing up his bag ready to leave when she saw him. Why was he leaving, she thought panicked, going to stop him. He was too busy to notice her entering.

Finally, he turned and saw her. His eyes red and a book with his abuelos name on it. It wasn't a normal book as she could clearly see it labeled family tree. Her heart broke for him as he was learning all of this just now.

"Mateo," she said softly going over and touched his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He nodded and pulled away from her for a moment. "I do but Elena I think I should talk about this with my mama. We really haven't had a chance to sit down and talk about us and our family before. I think now is a good chance to do it."

"Do you want me to come with you? I mean I'd love to help."

"Gracias Elena but I think this needs to be the two of us."

She nodded understanding that, it would be hard to discuss this with her when it was their family. She hugged him tightly while he hugged back. Then he headed toward the doors leaving Elena in the library to herself. She heard lots of stories of her abuelos on her mama's side of the family growing up. Now would probably be the time to read up her papa's side, it had been awhile.

Elena then found Queen Gabriella's journals that she had left for her family to read and headed back to read later that night in her room. Now she had to finish those queen duties she left with Gabe. He was probably bored stiff she thought with a small laugh. Where had this day gone?