A Marriage of Convenience: A Bruno Madrigal Encanto Fanfic

Chapter 2

Bruno wasn't prepared. How was he supposed to be prepared? He was getting married to a total stranger today. He wasn't quite sure about her to be honest. He and sisters knew next to nothing about her except what the Rojas had said. When his sisters and he had brought that up, his mother brushed it off. 

"She agreed to marry you Brunito. That's what's important. That you won't be alone."

So he had tried to do some digging of his own through visions. Which led to an even stranger realization. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't have a direct vision about her. Whenever he tried he got side visions, little things attached to her but nothing about her. He could see Andres Rojas yelling at someone, but he never saw the face or the response. He assumed it might be her based on the nickname being the same as the one at the dinner. There was no way to know for sure though. Come to think of it, he had never had a vision of her before.

He sighed as he adjusted his light green shirt in the mirror. Maybe it would all make sense when he got to know her. Then again he couldn't see this marriage working out. If the town thought of him as a freak his wife surely did as well. She would marry him, and divorce him just as quickly. So much for not being alone. There was a knock at his door.

"Come in."

The door opened and his sisters peered in. Pepa began to sprinkle and she pulled him into a hug.

"Look at you hermanito! So handsome, so grown up, and about to be married."

"Pepa, you're going to get him soaked." Julieta pulled her sister back and then smiled, " You do look handsome hermano. Are you sure you're ok with this? We can still all try to convince mama to cancel this."

Bruno shook his head. "I have to do this. It'll make her so happy, and maybe Claudia won't be like the rest of the village.

"Chicas, stop distracting your brother and come down here! It's time!"

*****

It had been four days since her punishment and Claudia's back still ached. She had tried to tell them that it was an accident, but the Rojas refused to listen. Five lashes for breaking a few plates. She had tried eating some of Julieta Madrigal's cooking to heal the wounds, but as always it didn't work. So she had to put some ointment on and bandage it herself, which was rather difficult to do. Some luck she had. 

She had been with the Rojas since she was ten. The matron of the orphanage had been desperate for money so when the Rojas offered to buy her with a contract instead of adopting her the woman had agreed. The Rojas seemed fine at first, until the first time she broke a vase. For that Andres Rojas beat her with a belt and sent her to bed with no dinner. After that it only got worse, and she would be punished for the smallest things. She'd been starved, locked in her room, and beat. 

Claudia was so tired of being hurt. She was tired of being used. It was getting to the point where she felt like more of an it than a person. She just wanted something good to happen, just once.

"Perrita! Have you gotten ready yet!? The wedding is in less than an hour!"

Claudia sighed as she looked at the dress she wore. It was white lace with emerald green trim and enhancements. It had been difficult to put on over her bandages, but she had eventually got it on. She brushed her curly black hair into a simple updo. She felt like a sacrifice all dolled up for the slaughter. A small necklace hung around her neck, it was one of the only things she truly owned. It was small and tiny with a small x, on the end. The rest of the clothing she had been given and her few belongings had already been moved into the room of her future husband. 

Her future husband, god she was scared. There was the wedding, the after party and then, well she didn't want to think of what came after the celebration. She was already scared of getting married, but then she also had that to worry about. Valentina said that no matter what happened she must remain obedient. As if she hadn't been obedient her entire life. She had never expected for her special day to go this way. She jumped at the pounding at her door.