Doors Chapter 17: The Power of Three, an encanto fanfic

Doors (Chapter 17) The Power of Three

Blue Sky

Julieta finished filling several more bottles of the draft flavors Bruno liked, modifying them slightly to help with his headaches. Her hands were shaking and she spilled a bit of the liquid on her hand. Bruno believed his Gift' had been reset. That seemed impossible to her, but she remembered the first months of him having his Gift were extraordinarily hard on her brother. The first time he'd had an involuntary vision it left him terrified for days afterward. Afraid it would happen again and when it did, their mother actively worked with Bruno to help him come to grips with what was happening. It was the same with Pepa, her gift left her unable to express her feelings to any degree without facing unpleasantness from those around her. That was when Julieta started to put real effort in to learning what Casita was saying. Being the oldest meant she needed to look out for her younger siblings. She'd always intervened where she could, pulling her siblings closer to her when they would drift away, mired in their private unhappiness.

Her gift was not obvious to her at first. The image on the door made her mother think she would be able to heal people. When she went into the room, she saw the cute little cosina. Julieta had only just learned to make arepas and thought that healing with food would be fun. As she got older, she discovered that part of her Gift included the giving of her strength to the people around her. At times she would do the bare minimum for those she did not like. Those who had been unkind to her siblings. It was her mother that noticed it first. She asked Julieta why she would be withholding her care from anyone. Julieta remembered she'd tried to come up with a good reason, aside from spite, but none came to her. Only telling her mother there were a few people in town now she'd rather not minister to. To her mother's credit she did not scold her, but instead gave her a bit of advice that stuck with her through even the most obnoxious of people. Don't judge others because they sin differently than you because true compassion is not only feeling another's pain but also being moved to help heal it. Mirabel told Julieta about her talk with her Abuela at the river. Julieta smiled as she thought, that was Mirabel in a nutshell, no one could heal the way her youngest could.

She looked over to her husband and saw Agustín was reading a book near the window, but she realized he was not looking at the page, but rather over it at the photos of their daughters. She went over and took the book from his non-resistant hand and asked the question she'd been dreading, "Is it as bad as Mamá said?"

Agustín held out his hand and she settled on his lap and he said in a defeated tone, "Worse. There's no way I can justify taking Luisa to Bogota right now. It would simply be too dangerous. I don't want to disappoint Luisa but given what we heard tonight; we might even want to set up some sort of lookout."

"Qué barbaridad," and Julieta thought again of the children she'd seen in Bruno's sketches. "It will work out, somehow mi vida."

"How I wish that could be true," he said as his grip on her tightened.

Golden Moon

Pepa sat with her husband on the sofa in their room. Félix was unusually gloomy since returning to Casita so Pepa recounted the story of Antonio's judging of game the kids had been playing earlier. This at least elicited a smile and grunt from him. It was clear he had other things on his mind.

"Tell what you're thinking, mi amor," Pepa said as she stretched out on the sofa laying her head in his lap.

"I'm not really thinking, I'm remembering," he said and gently stroked her hair.

"Oh?"

He nodded and then said, "I was almost three when we fled the village and I truthfully don't remember much about that place. But the flight through the forest and across the river. The running. The feelings of impending doom, the sounds and smell of it…that's what I got from the people we talked to tonight. Bits and pieces of that fear. Something terrible is happening outside.

Pepa looked up at the cloud forming above them. She did not want Félix to have to deal with that right now. Irritated, she blew at it as if it were a candle and the cloud immediately dissipated. Pepa just stared at the spot the cloud had recently vacated and caught Félix's startled expression.

"You've learned something new, Corazón?" He asked still stroking her hair, "I like the tiny rainbows at the end, mi vida, nice touch."

Pepa's brow furrowed as she remembered the first time she'd done that. She was stuck at home with Mirabel just before Antonio was born. She'd fainted while working and Julieta told their mother, in no uncertain terms, there would be no work for her until the baby came. Her mother conceded but, only just, and had pulled Mira from school to wait on her. Now that Pepa thought about it, that happened far more than it should have. In fact, that week before Antonio came, the kids were getting ready for the spring festival. Mira was supposed to be playing her guitar in the school's annual talent show. Camilo wasn't participating that year as he was finishing schoolwork, he'd put off to play fútbol. Mira was sitting near a window looking out at the Encanto and could see the trees starting to bend in the winds she was inadvertently causing because of a contraction she was having.

"Are you alright Tía Pepa? Should I get Mamá?"

"No Mira, just a reminder of what's to come." Pepa closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the baby rolled.

"Oh, can I get you anything?"

"No, no," she said as she twisted into a more comfortable position, "but why don't you play the song you've been practicing? You have such a beautiful singing voice. Maybe it will settle this one," she said pointing at her stomach. "I've only heard bits of it and I think I would love to hear it all, if you don't mind."

Mira's brow furrowed but she quickly stowed that away, smiled as she nodded and picked up her guitar.

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea, mi niña tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea.

Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora, ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora:

calla mientras la cuna se balancea, a la nanita nana, nanita ea.

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea, mi niña tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea.

"Ah that's better," Pepa said when she finished. "Mira, that was delightful. Put this little one right to sleep."

"Thanks, Tía," Mirabel said as she set the guitar down.

"Did your Mamá teach you that song?"

"No, I learned it from Abuela, she used to sing it to me when I was little and it just kinda stuck with me."

More likely, Pepa thought, it was one of the last good memories she had of her Abuela. Pepa waved for Mirabel to come closer. She dutifully came over and knelt next to her. Pepa stroked Mira's hair, she looked so much like her brother with Juli's nose and said quite seriously, "Mira, are you really gonna be okay with there being a baby being in the nursery with you?"

Mirabel bit her lip but again she shrugged as she smiled and said, "Sure, I mean, I kinda always wanted a younger brother or sister…"

Pepa saw the hesitation when she answered that gave proof to the lie, but said, "I'm sure this little one will adore you completely. You're sure to be their prima mayor perfecta." Mira blushed and Pepa wondered then if Casita could create another room without the door already being there. Truth was nobody ever asked, or more rightly, Mamá never asked. "Well, I'm going make you a promise Corazón. I'll keep this one," she said as she waived a hand over her stomach, "in my room until I'm well and sure they will be able to sleep through the night. All you have to do is teach me that song, deal?"

Mirabel smiled and nodded. She picked up her guitar and sat on a cushion near where Pepa was sprawled on the sofa and played the first few chords. Pepa knew the song, but now, at least, her sobrina was no longer moping near the window, wishing she were anywhere else but here. Her irritation with her mother was causing a cloud to form above them and not wanting to get Mira all wet, Pepa blew at it, trying to shoo it away and was amazed when it immediately dissipated. She'd have to remember that trick. She smiled at Mira's expression of wonder at that small feat of control and said, "Wow, that was amazing Tía. Didja see? Right at the end, there were tiny rainbows chasing away the cloud."

Pepa came out of her memory when she heard her husband ask, "Pepi, you still in there?"

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry Félix, just remembered something." Pepa got off the sofa and Félix did as well. "Hopefully tomorrow will give some better answers than we found tonight."

Emerald Sun

Bruno closed the door behind his sisters and went over to the desk. He pulled out the rosary and cross and set them down on the sketches he'd left there. He remembered the trouble he'd had putting the crucifix on the first time. Of course, he was four at the time, but tying knots was a hobby he never set aside. He secured the cross with little effort and winding the string up to include a double knot for the Our Father, three Hail Mary's and one for the Glory Be. Securing it all into the Hail Holy Queen.

Bruno sighed as he felt the muscles in his neck tense. He should just go to bed, he was genuinely tired, but now that he had put the rosary together, he was oddly interested as to how it would go. He took Fura out of his pocket and set her gently on the desk. She squeaked in protest and Bruno smiled, stroked her head, and admonished the rodent to stay put. "You don't want to see this, mi pequeño. Or the rest of you," he said to the rats watching from the walls. "I'll be fine, so please don't go waking anyone, okay?"

He took the rosary out of his pocket and stared at it before deciding to put it around his neck. He pulled his old ruana out of the wardrobe and pulled it on. Pulling up the hood he walked carefully and a bit unsteadily over to the sand that was falling from nowhere. He watched the sand, letting it lull him as he closed his eyes and walked right into it. It did not surprise him that there was an opening behind it.

He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room. Unlike the first time he found this room when he was small the walls were lit with bits of visions. Broken faces, places and things mirrored back at him. The familiar green glow was weirdly relaxing for him. He'd heard that the people who'd kept the slabs he'd made found the images they held had faded, the tablets cracked like Casita and disappeared after the breaking. Well, it looked like he'd found them, he grunted at the irony and sat down in the middle of the sand well.

His ears were starting to itch, he knew he'd best get on with it then. Bruno wandered back in his memories, trying to recall again the first time he did this successfully. He'd buried that one deep, he thought. Then it came to him why. It hurt, a lot. It took him a long time to puzzle out the source of that pain but during the years he'd spent in the walls he formed a clearer understanding of what triggered it all those years ago. It was his unwillingness to surrender himself to his Gift and the older he got the more resistant he became. So, when he finally decided to stop, it wasn't all that hard for him to do. He'd seen too much of the worst side of people.

Bruno flopped back and wriggled a little make the sand conform to his body. Looking up at the glittering green above him, he grinned knowing he'd made all of that. Made them through a force of his own will or more rightly against his will. Perhaps he could, as his mother said, start again. A new miracle and a new beginning. Pepa had it right, he needed to change his point of view; He was not a frightened five years old. He knew already what was going to happen even if no one was expecting him to do this, he felt the compulsion. That's why he was here, lying in the sand he'd proclaimed to hate.

Best start with something simple, he thought. The people in the forest would be difficult without his mother there, but the itch increased as he thought on it, so target decided, Bruno closed his eyes. He placed his hands, palms down into the sand as he willed it to show him what he wanted to know. This was all that was ever required, the rest was just for show to and to ease his fear of the pain. A breeze flowed in from somewhere, and Bruno felt the power leaching out of him into the sand all around him. The wind increased and Bruno opened his eyes he knew were shining a striking emerald green as he watched the drama of the forest folk unfolded before him.

The fullness of what was happening revealed it was worse than the spontys had made it seem. These people were in mortal danger, but not imminent danger? He was not sure how he knew that but decided to worry about that later. The thing that had eluded him all these years was how to use the information he gathered to help mitigate what he saw. In the past he would have broken off the vision at this point, but his experience with Mirabel had shown him why that could be a mistake so he let the vision run on for a while longer and saw what he hoped was an answer. Something those spontys had been trying to tell him all day.

Bruno sat up and this ended the vision as it coalesced into the familiar emerald tablet. Sand rained down on him, but he didn't care, he was pleased with his work. No more for today he thought, need to get some sleep. He made his way out and set the tablet on the desk. He'd convinced casita to switch out the bed for an extra-large hammock. Stripping down to his underclothes, he laid down, pulling a blanket over himself. He felt the weight of the rats as they arranged themselves around him. Tucking him in, as it were. Casita dimmed the lights and Bruno's last thought before he drifted off was that the hammock was gently swaying when it should not be.

'Mirabel! Wake up Mira…Alma needs you!'

Mirabel sleepily sat up and blinked into the darkness. Was someone calling her? The unfocused glow of her door alerted her that she was not wearing her glasses. She patted the table next to her until she found them and put them on. She glanced over to the bed where her sisters were sleeping. Nothing out of place there. Abuela's door was open so Mira got up and went closer. She was not there and Mira jumped when she heard a thud out in the hallway.

Alarmed she ran over to the door and when she opened it, she saw her Abuela on the floor. She ran over to her, "Abuela are you okay?" There was no response and touched her face. It was hot, too hot…oh no. Mirabel ran back into her room and woke her sisters.

"You guys, Abuela collapsed in the hall and I think she has a bad fever. Her face is so hot."

"I'll get Mamá," Isa said and scrambled out of the bed. Luisa was up as well and followed Mirabel back to where their Abuela lay. They gently turned her over and Luisa lifted her from the floor. Mira ran ahead to Abuela's room and pulled back the blankets. Luisa came in and together they managed to take off their Abuela's robe and settle her into bed.

Their mother came in with Isa right behind carrying several items. She felt Abuela's forehead, and felt the back of her neck. Their mother's frown deepened and turned to Luisa, "Go get the copper tub and bring it up here please. Mira, Isa, I need you to get enough water to fill it. Your father is already downstairs. Make sure it's not hot. Tepid water, understand?"

"Yes, Mamá," all three said together and ran out of the room to do as they were told. When they reached the kitchen, Dolores was there with Camilo and her father and Tío Félix filling buckets, Mira, and Isa each took one and started back upstairs behind their cousins. Luisa was just setting the tub down and she immediately left for the kitchen to get more water. Everyone emptied theirs into the tub as Luisa returned carrying a very large pot. She poured it in and her mother said after testing the temperature, "That's enough. Now help me put her in, Luisa."

Tía Pepa arrived, and knelt next to the tub, "Tell me what to do Juli."

"Keep her head above water, and a cool gentle rain would help" Julieta said as she eased Abuela down with Luisa's help, "Mira can you hand me that blue bottle?" Mira did and backed away not wanting to get in the way. "Dolores, please fetch some towels, Isa please grow some elderflowers. Then go to my room and make some tea with them? Mira we're going to need some extra blankets. Luisa, please stay in the next room in case I need to shift her from the tub."

Again, everyone scattered to complete their tasks, meeting once again in Mira's room. Dolores and Mirabel delivered the requested items and retreated to Mira's room. Isa came in with the teapot and set it with a cup on the dresser in Abuela's room. Everyone except Antonio was out of bed now, the men folk in the hall talking softly with everyone else sitting in her room. Minutes stretched until Luisa started and got up when her mother called for her.

Mira was pacing from the door to the window and back again. Casita clattered the tiled window sill and Mira stopped. There was another clatter and Mira sat heavily on the sofa. Isa and Dolores were sitting on the bed talking in low tones, when her Tío Bruno poked his head in. He looked at the image on the door as he came in and sat next to her. "She's going to be okay, Mira." Taking her hands he put something into them and added, "I know," he stressed the I know and Mirabel thought she understood.

An hour later, her mother, Tía Pepa and Luisa came out of Abuela's room, looking much less worried and said, "I think we're past the worst of it, but I'm going to go make some soup. The rest of you need to get some sleep. I don't need you all coming down with this from fatigue."

The family began to disperse and Luisa came and sat by Isabela. "Think we she end the sleepover?" Luisa asked.

Isa looked toward the door. The smaller butterfly was wilting just like the one at the top. The curled leaves on the larger tree were more prominent too. The smaller tree had shed all its flower buds. She watched Mirabel as she got up and again knotted her hands up in front of her as she stared at Abuela's door and said, "Nope."

******** If you would like to hear the song Mirabel sang to Pepa you can find it here. Is a very pretty tune.

https: watch?v=y2-j6U04RnM (ditch the spaces)