Land of Graces | Encanto

🕯ꕥ ║ Chapter IX : Fate

⚜⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⚜

Secélia and Bruno leave the room, closing the shining golden door. The wooden sculpture of Alma's likeness fascinated the (h/c)-haired woman. It was magical, just like their flowers.

Speaking of flowers—

She wonders what happened to their enchanted tree. Their tree had been abandoned since they fled their home in opposition to the soldiers' invasion for power.

When they were searching for a place to live in the forest, she grew alarmed when Victor began teleporting out of nowhere. She thought the reason for it was because the tree was in danger.

Secélia wouldn't have known about the tree's capabilities though, since only her father was informed about it. Her father did explain once that if the magical tree is damaged, they could feel their powers dwindle as they were connected to it.

However, she doesn't feel her own power weakening, nor any issues from her oldest children. So she can rest assured that everything is fine. Hopefully.

Her eyes narrow as she recalls the agreement she made with the village's matriarch, biting her thumb in deep thought. She had just promised her children and herself that she would assist the people of Encanto.

What would her children think about this?

Secélia jerks awake from her reverie when she feels a hand creep up around her wrist, turning her head to see the curly raven-haired man holding her. Startled, she snatches her hand away from his grasp.

"Oh, sorry!" Bruno spoke in a hushed tone, raising his arms in front of him as if comforting a frightened animal.

"I need to stop doing that." he scolded himself, raising his index finger in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

Bruno stiffens and instantly lowers his arms to his sides. In the awkward pause, he adjusts his ruana while composing his thoughts.

"I know this is—uh... really awkward, but I have to show you something." he replied. He nodded to the side and began walking around the hallway balcony, beckoning her to come with him. But Secélia stayed standing in front of Alma's door, hands nervously brushing against each other.

When he turns back, he notices the large distance between the two of them. "Um... you're... you're supposed to follow me."

"Oh... right!"

. . .

Secélia follows him warily as they make their way up the steps to a dark, small tunnel leading to the third floor. At the end of the tunnel, there was a similar bright golden door, this time with his name etched above it. Bruno unlocks his door and stands in front, motioning for her to enter.

Upon entering, she sees an hourglass-shaped doorway and an unending deluge of sand falling over. Bruno carefully closes the door and walks in front of her, extending his hand to guide her through the falling sand.

"How are we going through there?" Secélia asks, looking at Bruno. Said man stares at the sand pouring in front of them.

"Don't worry, that's just a component of my room. It'll go away." He begins to walk through the hourglass doorway. "Look."

The sand stops flowing as soon as he goes through, and a path of desert sands can be seen behind him.

Bruno's room, in contrast to Alma's, was both promisingly intimidating and extremely spacious. In some aspects, the stone mountains seem to be comparable to Encanto's lofty ones.