The Forgotten...? ••• 𝐂.𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐥

(2) 𝐔nderstanding the forbidden

Narrator's POV:

"You know that's forbidden, right?" A timid voice hummed, butting into the conversation. The very private conversation.
"Dolores?" Mirabel whispered, lowering her head towards her, trying to keep her voice low as to avoid her other family members from overhearing their conversation.

"Dolores, shh! Someone will hear you." Her brother criticized, putting his single finger to his lips as he looked between the two.
"Camilo... You shouldn't tell her. Even we shouldn't know." She whispered, somehow even more quietly than usual.

"Well I can't leave her wondering, now, can I? She might ask one of the others. It'll draw suspicion to us, Dolores. More you than me, but still." Camilo cleverly stated, holding his hands together and pointing them together, in front of him.
Dolores let out a small squeak, as she kept her mouth closed, very nervous about the conversation that was progressing.
"So... Do you know anything about..." Camilo's head spun around, checking if the coast was clear. Leaning closer, eliminating the distance between him and Mirabel.
"Lucia?" He muttered, eyes still wandering around the room.
"...No?" The giftless Madrigal whispered, unsure of herself as she lent in further to listen to Camilo.

"Well, I guess I'm not surprised. I'm technically not even supposed to know either. But my sister's got sharp hearing. Couldn't help but listen when she started to spill her guts..." Chuckled, but his humour was short-lived as Mirabel noticed the lack of cheerfulness within it. He didn't look happy or cheeky, like usual. He looked scared... nervous, jittery.

Whatever it was Mirabel didn't like it, it made her feel uneasy, unsafe. Fearful of what he heard all those nights ago and Camilo didn't look any better, he looked extremely apprehensive to discuss this topic.

But what the two failed to notice was the inner turmoil of the other party of the conversation. Dolores was struggling to keep all of the gossip she knew about Lady Lucia to herself. But she was fighting a losing battle.
Dolores fiddled with her fingers, looking down as she felt chills roll up her spine. Her eyes darted around the room to make sure no one is around before spilling her guts about what she knows.
"Well, one night, along long long long~ time ago. I was in my room and I was in bed and I was going asleep, I heard mamá and papá talking about the mysterious person terrorising the town. They said they knew who it, allegedly, was. And they didn't like to mention her name because apparently, it is a name no one should speak of and if Abuela hears a word of her, she'll blow a fuse and take it out on everyone." The young Madrigal whisper-shouted. All of the words jumbled together as she rushed out her words and she took a large gulp of air afterwards as she relaxed, seeming more happier with the knowledge distributed to her cousin.

"Ok, thank you, Dolores. I'll translate that for you." Camilo advised, boldly. Giving a polite, exhausted grin to the two ladies before him.
"Mamá and papá were on their way to their room," He started, looking over to his cousin to make sure she was listening and paying attention. He doesn't want to discuss this story at all and he doesn't know if he should even be telling her. But he is, because if one of his estranged family members ran away and is seeking revenge on them, maybe some of the family members should know.

"They must have thought that Dolores was asleep or something because they were speaking as if she doesn't have super hearing. She heard them-obviously-and they were talking about a girl, around our age, a bit older maybe? They were having a mini argument about her being the one terrorising the village recently." Camilo moved to wipe his face in agitation as he sighed, already sick of this conversation, regretting telling Mirabel and somewhat scared.

He groaned just thinking about what Dolores told him and sighed, letting the newly found information settle in.
"Wait... Wait, wait." Mirabel interrupted the silence, waving her hands around aimlessly.
"I don't get it. Who's Lucia? Do we know her?" She asked, a million thoughts swirling around in her head as she tried to wrap her head around the news.

"Is she... Is Lucia, part of the Madrigal family?" Mirabel interrogated, staring at her cousins incredulously not comprehending what his brain may have pieced together when he first heard the news.
"Uhh... We actually, don't know." Camilo hummed, confusion spreading across his face. He soon stood up from his crouched position and stretched. His sudden movement caused the quirky Madrigal to let out a small squeak in surprise, accompanied by another hushed yelp from the non-special family member. When Camilo started to walk away from the others after letting his short stretching session end, the others followed him in pursuit, both stunned somewhat startled.

"Alright. Well, night." Camilo exhaled, stalking away to the staircase, letting out a yawn.
"Where are you going?" Mirabel queried, rushing after him and stepping up the stairs alongside him, Dolores just behind them.
"To bed." He stated in a 'duh' tone, turning and manoeuvring his way around objects and bannisters until he got to his glowing door. Mirabel was in a state of shock, she couldn't believe after telling her news that could maybe, save the town and their family, that he's just going to go... to bed? Really?

"But Camilo, we have to stop her. Then maybe we can find out why she wants to hurt the town and us. Maybe we can stop this and she can come back home." Mirabel Prompted.

"Right, Dolores?" She murmured hopefully waiting for her to agree, spinning her head around to face Dolores only to find an empty space where she once was.
"Dolores?!" She whisper-shouted, puzzled at Dolores' speedy and quiet escape, knowing full well that her cousin could hear her but was deciding to ignore her. Mirabel groaned, smacking both hands on her face and letting them slowly slide down her face as she rotated back around.
"Well Camilo, maybe we can find someth-"

"Nah, I'm good. Maybe tomorrow." Camilo lightly grinned, as he suppressed another yawn and slipped his head back in his room and closed the door.
"Wait. Wait!" Mirabel raised her voice only to earn a bunch of angry yells from random members of her family, telling her to be quiet.
"O-oh! Sorry!" She apologized, whilst lightly knocking on Camilo's door again. Hearing another, very loud groan, he quietly raised his voice trying to get the message across that he was tired and wants to sleep.

"Mirabel, I shut the door in your face, I'm in a completely different room than you and it's late! It's like 10 pm.
I think I've given you enough hints that I'm tired and want to go to bed, now. Right?" Camilo called out, sounding muffled as his head was buried in his pillow alongside the rest of his body, in the sheets.
"Oh. Yeah... Ok. Uh... Be up, bright and early tomorrow Camilo and meet me and Dolores at..." Mirabel scanned her surroundings still anxious to say her name in case someone, besides Dolores, hear her.
"You know who's room." She finished, awaiting a response only to receive a quiet hum of approval and that was all Mirabel needed to stop pestering him and go to bed.

After all,

They've all got a big day planned for tomorrow.

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Word count: 1325
Ok I've got a little bit of a problem, nothing I can't handle but the next chapter might be published a little later. But then again maybe not. I've just got myself confused cause I don't write my chapters in order, ik, ik, that bad and shit but I'm sorting it out as we speak. Or write. Yh whatever. Enjoy.
I fancy steak...