It would be fine.
That was the thought that started it all.
It's only fair.
A justification that sealed the fate of so many.
I deserve this.
And a child was stolen, kidnapper justifying her actions as just. As right.
Leaving a broken family behind her.
She stared down at the child.
I'll love him like my own. He's mine.
Grief-filled cries echoed throughout the palace, an empty room silent and a door going dark.
A sentient home feeling like she had failed to protect her sweet little family.
And the cause of all this pain?
They'll recover. They'll move on.
She insisted on it, high in her tower as she watched the boy sleep, magic working to hide away any troublesome memories. She clung to that belief desperately.
She was wrong.
Oh, she was so, so very wrong.
The wound dealt that night never truly healed.
Once a year, the kingdom of Encanto came together to release hundreds of lanterns into the night sky, a desperate, hopeful bid for their missing prince to come home.
It was the only night that they saw the entire royal family out together, but truly, no one could blame them.
Only years after losing the King to a traitor, Pedro having stood between the man and his young triplets and buying just enough time for the guards to get there but losing his life in the process, tragedy struck again.
The sole Prince, the youngest of the magical triplets was kidnapped at age six, stolen away in the dead of night, leaving the family devastated and the kingdom reeling yet again.
No one blamed the Queen for her reaction. No one blamed her for sealing the gates of Casita and hiding her remaining hijas away in the palace. No one spoke the Prince's name, as hurricanes descended due to one Princess' grief at her brother's name. Portraits were taken down and hidden away to try and ease the pain even though the Princesses never left the castle anymore.
The kingdom didn't see them until they were almost of marrying age, when the Queen had no choice but to let them meet suitors.
Thankfully, they both found someone.
Agustin stole Julieta's heart with his gentle manners and sweet words.
Felix swept Pepa off her feet, drawing the only bright and sunny day in years from the Princess.
The weddings were beautiful and brought some joy back to the kingdom.
The news of the pregnancies sent the people into an ecstatic frenzy, celebrations breaking out all over Encanto.
There was fear too though. Fear that only grew when first Princess Isabela, and then Princess Dolores were born.
Fear of it happening again. Of losing someone else.
The kingdom was disheartened to barely see them too. And the next Princess as well, Luisa.
They didn't see much of any of the children, catching a glimpse here and there, always at a distance, always surrounded by guards.
News of the first boy was celebrated as always and people wondered what he was like, curiosity only heightened by his Gift to shapeshift. Security doubled after he was born, the sole Prince at the time after the last was taken...
