Faustine woke up hitting her head on the table after dozing off, right before her clock showed her 6 o' clock alarm. Jolting up, she fixed her hair and organized her stuff for the day.
Still embarrassed from the night before, the woman skipped breakfast and ventured herself in the city once again. At first she just walked around understanding more of their culture and politics, noticing that the city didn't have currency, just favors exchange. Now walking more attentively, there was only one small school, one church, no phones, no banks, no roads, no cars…. Even for a small village, there was bound to be some sort of indication of civilization…
Faustine did some labor work to gather some items she needed. She was growing fond of the city, despite being only her second day there, but there was something that she still couldn't put her finger on it yet.
The archeologists returned to the Casita by sunset once again. Inside her room, once more she made notes and organized what she gathered, sitting at her table pretty much exhausted.
- A bath… would be so nice… My kingdom for a shower… - She said to herself.
- we are going to wash ourselves, if you want to join us… - Dolores gently walked in.
- I would love to.
The women walked to a hot spring, just at the edge of town. They readied themselves, walking into one of the small pools on The ground. Faustine relaxed at the edge of the pool, eyes closed before taking a deep breath.
- Dio santo, the best creation of nature. - she relaxed. - Cadere a fagiolo, grazie mille.
The girls giggled, not understanding a word. They swarmed the archeologists, trapping her with a thousand questions.
- who are you? How did you truly find encanto? - Mirabel asked.
- I am Faustine… and I got lost… - Faustine answered, finding it odd.
- why did you say you look into the past? - dolores asked.
- because it is my job…. The past is so fascinating! So many questions to answer! So much to learn!
- where are you from? Exactly?
- Porto Rosso, Italy. But I lived mostly in Rome, for my studies….
- a woman studying?! - it was the first negative remark that Alma had made.
- yeah… women started attending college in 1868… it is highly expected of oneself to attend college.
- nonsense… No man likes a woman who is too smart. - Alma shook her head.
- on the contrary! Problem solving skills can be extremely charming. - Faustine tried to keep high spirits.
That was a strange remark for a woman. She was an elder, so it made sense for her to have outdated remanks, but that one was a little too outdated.
Back at the house Bruno walked around the house, brooding in a slow pace, wondering why he was feeling that way. Pepa and Julieta took their brother to the kitchen to have a little sibling chat.
- ¿ay, que passa? - Bruno tried to resist.
- that is what we ask you. - Pepa said.
- you have been sulking around since noon, hermanito. - Julieta pointed.
- we are the same age. - Bruno complained - but nothing happened… It was just a slow day.
- hum… - Pepa sounded just like her daughter. - what are you not telling us, Bruno?
- what?! Nothing! There is nothing to talk about! Knock knock knock, knock on wood! - Bruno did his little ritual. - I am going to my room!
Bruno bolted to his room leaving her sisters to gossip between them. Pepa and Julieta started organizing dinner, waiting for the kids to return from their activities.
Inside his room the clairvoyant paced back and forth riding down the adrenaline from what just happened. What was he thinking? What were they thinking? He was a grown man!
He pulled his hood up, because Hernando was scared of nothing! Hernando opened the door and saw the group of women walking inside, chatting and laughing. Faustine with a deep green skirt and a white blouse and small purple details, made Bruno close the door, back into his room.
The archeologists was telling stories of when she was new to Archeology, still a rookie, making mistake after mistake, of how she used to break, drop, spill and slip all around.
- there was this time, where we had gone to a cave in Peru, and it had rained torrentially. I kid you not, the first step I took into it, I slipped so badly on the mud that some of the local helpers went to see what was wrong. Since it was almost dark, they had mistaken me for a mud monster, they ran away so fast, screaming to the top of their lungs that my boss had to come to the rescue.
- what happened later? - Dolores asked.
- I was scolded so badly. - Faustine laughed. - the only thing that saved me was the fact that when I was on the floor, I found some ropes and baskets on the ceiling.
- and why is that a good thing?
- it was interesting, but not necessarily good. No other place we investigated had any sign of something similar… so we concluded that it mostly belonged to thieves or pirates… a small group that had something to hide.
Pepa, Julieta and Alma watched the reaction of the man and smiled. It was about time! The three called the young women to the kitchen.
- Faustine, dear, could you call Brunitto for me?
- yes! Absolutely! Where is his room? - She beamed at being given a task.
Receiving the directions, Faustine walked up to the first floor. Watching each door closely, the beautiful intricacies, the detailed work to show what each power was. She knocked on Bruno's door and called his name a few times before opening the door.
On the other side of the threshold, a few steps ahead, there was a sand waterfall. Impressed, she slowly approached it, placing her hand under the falling sand before crossing it.
Years of working on sand and old ruins could not go to waste. Her feet instinctively surfed down the small slope, proud of herself for not falling again. It was when the woman looked around, she noticed the two-floor room.
The mix of sand and stone on the floor, the sandstone walls were impossible. Yet, they were right in front of her. A small table and a red chair sat close to the stairs that led to the upper floor. The contents of the table were equally curious, small squares, with two holes in it. She flipped the cards, noticing the scenarios and the small stage.
- what are these…? - she said to herself, smiling through curiosity.
- Telenovelas. - Bruno said, startling the woman.
- I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry! - Faustine quickly put back the objects on the table. - Archeologists habits… - she bit her tongue. - I called you from outside, and you didn't answer… thinking about it… I mean… dinner is ready, if you want to. And I'm sorry for letting myself in. - Faustine said walking back to the door.
- We can watch telenovelas together sometime. - Bruno said, using his green ruana to block the falling sand.
- yes. Absolutely. But how do you act them?
- my mouse friends do it.
The two of them walked downstairs, him telling what has happened on the telenovela so far, being joined by Dolores a little after.
The next few days, Faustine did her best to divide her time between helping the village and her research. At a spare moment, the Archeologists tried to find a way to contact her brother. There was no signal, even with her special phone to use on excavation sites. To keep her mind at peace, she kept trying to make the call until the phone battery died.
Getting a hold of her clothes once more, one morning she was fully equipped to go exploring. While wondering if she should leave a note behind, Mirabel opened the door to the room, only to question her choice of clothes.
- why are you wearing pants again?
- ah! Mirabel! - Faustine smiled. - I am going exploring! Can't do that in a dress or skirt. Anyway, I'll be back in a few days.
Faustine left the house, walking down the road to explore the outskirts of the city, close to the thermal pools. She gathered some goos from the city with the little credit she had from working the days before. Exploring alone was never a good idea, however, she couldn't ask for help from anyone. She just couldn't venture somewhere too dangerous. A little common sense would do good.
Bruno, on the other hand, was back to sulking and brooding while Faustine was busy with her research. He was, once again, walking around the house when Dolores and Mirabel approached him. Trying to escape, quickly made his way to his room, where Casita blocked the door with a plant.
- Tío Bruno - Mirabel called. - you have to talk to her when she's back
- What? Talk to her? - he fidget around. - No… That's…! Knock Knock Knock, Knock on wood. - He performed his little ritual.
- I can hear her. She keeps herself silent most of the days… But lately I have been hearing her sigh a lot. Maybe she needs some company. And she hums whenever she sees you. - Dolores told him.
- Yes! At least try, Tío Bruno. You have been alone for so long that some company might make you some good.
- I don't even like her. - He lied.
Both Mirabel and Dolores crossed their arms, not believing for a single second in what he said. Bruno's eyes bolted from his nieces to the road to town. Even casita slapped Bruno for him to take action.
Faustine was coming back from her exploring, when she saw a commotion in front of one of the houses. People were talking in low rushed tones, afraid of entering the said house. Approaching carefully, the archeologist tried to make sense out of the situation.
- what is happening? - she asked.
- today marks a year since Señora Garcia died… we are trying to decide who is going to empty the house.
- oh… her family doesn't want to do that?
- that is the thing… she didn't have one. Never got married, never had children, she died alone. Some say she was cursed before Encanto ever existed. - she said, making the sign of the cross and mumbling prayers.
- some people say that it was Bruno's vision. - another one told
- if the town agrees, I can go in. - Faustine said, making the group silent. - or not… - she cringed.
- no, the priest should do it! - said a man.
- what do we do with the house after it?
- we burn!
- we ask Luisa to destroy it.
- ¡no! We can't let a young woman touch the curse!
- But she is a Madrigal!
- I have an interest in it. - Faustine said, once more making people silent. - I will work for it, of course. I will completely take care of it!
The townspeople asked the woman to give them some space to debate. Letting a forastera to work in a townsperson's house seemed disrespectful, almost offensive. They tried to debate once more if the priest or someone else should do it. Fearful of the curse, they reached the conclusion that it was best if the forastera had it, so it wouldn't afflict anyone else in town.
- you can go. - one man said. - but Father Flores will go with you.
- what? - the priest cried.
- hum… ok. - she agreed, not expecting anything different.
- ladies first… - the priest pointed to the closed door.
She opened the door to the gasps of the people behind her. She left her backpack beside the door inside the home and started to look around. At first glance, it was a normal house, with nothing spectacular to it. She superficially looked at the objects, assessing what could be kept and what should go.
- Alright! Where do we star? - she asked to a frightened priest.
- I think we should start from personal belongings…
- good point. Let's do clothes! - Faustine stormed to the bedroom. - Father, can you ask someone to set a table, so people can choose what they want?
The priest happily accepted the invitation to be out of the house. The table was quickly set and Faustine stared to bring out the items, sorting them out. The priest made a scene. Blessings the items and the house, making the townspeople breathe a little more at ease.
Of course the news reached the Madrigals and Alma quickly went to the site, not stepping a foot inside the house. Faustine was bringing another basket of old torn shoes to be burned when she saw the village leader.
- what is happening here?
- Signora Madrigal! - Faustine waved, after dropping the old shoes on its set pile. - the townspeople were having some trouble cleaning the house. So I offered help.
- but the curse!
- me being single has nothing to do with a curse… - she laughed. - even so, I live out of entering supposedly haunted and cursed places. So that's something that doesn't bother me.
- you agreed to this? - Alma asked the locals.
The townspeople timidly confessed the decision. The leader wasn't very pleased, but not exactly bothered with it. It was something she knew she would have to deal with eventually, but was glad it finally was solved.
Working on the house, Faustine talked to the townspeople, learning more from them and knowing their stories, in hopes that someone could bring up some old tale of the past that could help her start to unravel the misery of her Inca artifact. Like the other day, she exchanged labor for information and a few items.
At sundown, Faustine was back at the Madrigals. She was quietly reviewing her notes before going to the guest room to retrieve the last of her items in the guest room. Not noticing when walked inside, Casita tried to make her fall down.
- that was weird…. - she said, after managing to keep her balance. - but I've got the most stable knees you will find. Better luck next time.
Sure. She couldn't be easily shaken, but Casita knew someone who could. Bruno had just walked out of his room when Casita turned him as it's victim. It made him out of balance, to make him fall on Faustine, with one good push.
Bruno protected Faustine's head to hit the floor. Slowly they tried to understand what had just happened getting off of each other as soon as it was clear.
- things have been very weird. Casita acted up the last few days. - Bruno said.
- I noticed… are you hurt? - Faustine asked.
- no. No! I'M FINE… and you?
- I think I just twisted my wrist… other than that, I'm fine.
- let's get you an arepa con queso, then - Bruno smiled.
Both got up and walked to the kitchen where Julieta was just finishing a fresh batch of arepas. They were already chatting, setting the table when the rest of the family joined in for dinner.
The environment was light and fun, conversation came and went easily if Faustine treated everyone's powers as if it was the most normal thing on earth. One by one the Madrigals left Faustine and Bruno talking, especially when she offered to do the dishes.
- so… let me get this straight… you can see the future and you have never got it wrong?
- never. - Bruno said a little proud of himself.
- how? Wasn't the future supposed to be mysterious?
- to a point, yes…. There are things that don't change… like death… - Bruno said and Faustine agreed. - as in… if you step on a rock you might break your leg.
- so you just need to avoid the rock.
- precisely. - Bruno agreed, making them both proud of themselves. - however, there are key points in the future that depending on your decision, it can go two different ways. I can focus on a preferred path, but it is always a little vague. - He finished, a little under the weather.
- That is still very impressive!
- You think so?
- Yeah… But I get you why you are not so excited about it. Being the bearer of bad news… is not something easy. As a person who studies the past, we try to warn people that they are making the same mistakes…. And we are rarely heard. When things go south... - She shrugged. - they get angry and they always ask "why didn't you do something about it then?"
- "why didn't you do something about it then?" - Bruno said at the same time as Faustine, making her giggle.
- So yeah… I get it.
Bruno smiled. He got so distracted that Casita had to put the rest of the rest of the dishes away. With the corner of her eyes, Faustine could see Bruno's puppy eyes. It was cute, so cute that she had to clear her throat to try to contain her blush.
It wasn't in her plans to fall in love with a local. She had an entire life outside this village. But there he was, softly smiling to the last dry dishes.
- how about I see your future? - Bruno offered.
- are you sure? Aren't you uncomfortable?
- you seem strong enough to handle it…
- what to do? What to do? - Faustine asked herself a little too excited. - let's go! Where to?
- to my room. - Bruno said, without thinking, making Faustine cross her arms. - I- I mean… my vision cave… that is in my… room.
- just kidding. - she laughed. - Andiamo.
Bruno walked Faustine to his vision cave, telling her what to expect. The Madrigals kids were watching the entire scene, hiding when the two walked past them. Dolores repeated what they were saying, losing track when they crossed the waterfall of sand near to his door.
The couple entered his room and walked up the stairs to the Visions Cave. The kids followed behind trying to remain incognito. Inside the cave, Bruno pointed where she had to sit before preparing for the ritual. When he was ready, they held hands and the sand domed around them.
If she wasn't the one in the middle of the sand dome, with Bruno holding her hands, his eyes shining like two emerald-green lights, Faustine would have never believed. Not even for a second. But there it was, the image slowly forming, showing her distressed, pacing back and forth, holding something. Bruno tried to focus more. He saw her talking to him and moving away, concerned with something. The image faltered. He didn't want to lose her for a vision.
Why would she be embarrassed? And there she was, sitting on her bed, legs tied with the knots she knew so well…
Faustine released Bruno's hand, therefore ending the vision. She snatched the green plaque that formed before the clairvoyant could. Bruno watched her pace back and forth, holding his vision tightly.
- Faustine?
- I'm sorry you had to see that… - she said, embarrassed.
- It happens every time. - He mumbled a little hurt.
- no! I'm not angry or scared… - She gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
Bruno looked at her. It seemed true, there wasn't any negative feeling, just her… blushing? Faustine paced back and forth a little more before leaving the cave with the vision in hand, running to the house she just got and shattering the vision in small pieces that no one could put back together. She tried to sleep at night, both did. Neither, however, could thake what had happened from their minds. In the dark of night, faustine got her bundle of ropes. Could she avoid that vision? She wanted to avoid it?
Faustine could see them both adornished with ropes and ribbons, that cute little puppy, with his hands behind his back… Faustine threw the bundle of ropes inside her bag again.
- tanto da essere nella mia mente e l'unica cosa che è rimasta bloccata è come voglio legarlo? - She angrily said to the rope, tossing it to the floor and going to sit on the stairs of the house to cool her mind.
Bruno, who was passing by her new residence after gathering a late night snack, knocked on the door before slowly and slightly opening it. He had heard her complaint and decided to see if she was well. Offering and arepa through the open space, Faustine giggled, accepting it and opening the door. The clairvoyant was taken aback by his guest's night garments. A thin shirt and the tiniest pair of bloomers he had seen, making him anxious enough to knock on wood.
- are you ok? - he asked.
- Bruno… Sorry for earlier today. I thought I was speaking low enough….
- y-you were! I just can't sleep too… old habits…
- why don't you come in and tell me that story? - Faustine smiled and opened the door for him.
- I can't enter a lady's house.
- As far as I am concerned, I am cursed to be single forever. - Faustine said, sitting on the couch, placing the blanket over her legs and inviting Bruno in.
Bruno entered the room shyly, sitting on the chair across from her. He started telling stories from when he lived between the walls of the casita and why. He introduced Hernando and Jorje, forcing Faustine to use her pillow to muffle her laugh or she would wake her new neighbors.
Right before sunrise, Bruno stepped out of the house, so Faustine could change into day clothes. Since they were already together, he invited her for breakfast with them once more. At the kitchen, both decided to give a hand and started setting the table for the day.
- Never seen Casita so quiet. - Bruno noted.
- we've beaten casita. That is a new record. - Faustine giggled. - let's see what can I add to the table… ah! A cake and some rusticos!
Mirabel woke up to the amazing sweet smell. Jolting out of bed, in fear of being late, she quickly dressed to start her chores, just to find out that she was a little too early.
With the help of the casita, Mirabel woke the other family members and went to spy the kitchen. Bruno was cooking with Faustine, after being hit by some flour when he opened the sack. Faustine was trying to hold her laughter.
- Please, I need the flour. Or I won't finish the cake in time.
- I lived in a room that was kitchen adjacent, but never did any cooking. This is a novelty for me. - he said a little annoyed, but still playful.
- and it will be my first time using a wood burning stove. A first for everything. - Faustine gave Bruno a little nudge.
One by one the Madrigals grandchildren came silently to watch, baffled, the scene in front of them. They were washing the dishes again, until Bruno turned around and saw everyone watching them.
- What are you doing? - Bruno asked, making Faustine turn around.
- Bambini! Entra! Siediti e mangia! Ce n'è per tutti! - Faustine said with a smile.
- what? - asked Camilo.
- come! Take a seat! - She repeated. - I made some snacks from back home for you to try!
The adults started arriving, also guided by the smell of the cake. Faustine behaved differently from when she was interacting with the kids. With the young ones she was more playful, almost as mischievous as they were. With the adults, she was more formal, almost like a little of her life was taken away.
- Bruno… aren't you going to sit? - Alma asked, bringing him back to reality.
- huh? Knock Knock Knock, Knock on wood. - he soothed himself before sitting.
- I made breakfast. To thank you all, for everything. It's not healing food, but I hope you enjoy it. - Faustine sat at the remaining seat beside Bruno. - and don't worry… I'll do the dishes again. I still have the cake to take from the oven.
From this day onwards both Bruno and Faustine had to be separated for some time. She was out on her exploring again, being out of town. The townspeople started to ask him for visions and she jumped head first into her research.
This went for almost a month and a half. The more that Faustine searched, more the noticed that what was happening in Encanto was that the city and the people were out of time. As if has flowed differently. It explained a lot! Why Bruno was so shy about her pajamas, why there was no sign of technology around. She observed the Madrigal's roles more closely, their family dynamics, to finally set the matter in her mind.
Something else that started bothering her was the raid that she suffered. Those kinds of things didn't normally happen. Sure, there were always some thieves nearby to try to snatch the gold. But she always made preparations for her expeditions to be well secured, especially when she was in charge. However, this time, there was little to no one she knew and those whom she trusted left early for some reason. Not even to mention how interested her brother was and he hated her work to the core. Slowly she started to lay out the puzzle pieces, maybe there was something more than a simple raid there.