Book 1- The Outsider to Encanto

Prologue:

Excitement was bubbling inside Pepa, as nerves settled in Bruno's stomach for their sister. Julieta had begun talking to this boy in the village. He had come to her for the fourth time in a week. Pepa was sure Agustín was only hurting himself so he could spend time with Julieta, but Bruno believed he was just a clumsy idiot.

Casita didn't like their staring, so closed the shutters on their little noses. Bruno had to quickly shuffle away from his other sister as the annoyance made her give a small shock of lightning that she quickly swatted away like it was nothing.

"Pepa!" Mamá called from the kitchen.

"Coming Mamá!" Pepa yelled back. "Tell me everything," she whispered to Bruno.

She ran to their mother in the kitchen to help with dinner, leaving Bruno to wait for Julieta's return. When she did, she seemed deep in thought about something. But when she saw Bruno her face lit up, and immediately he knew he was in trouble.

"Bruno, can you do me a huge favour?" Julieta asked, her voice picking up an octave.

"You want me to look into the future?" Bruno asked. "Why? What for?"

"It's Agustín. He's incredibly clumsy and sweet and I know Mamá doesn't approve but... I just want to know. There's something about him, he's so sweet and clumsy..."

"I'm not going to look and see if he'll be a good husband for you and this family, Julieta," Bruno said and sighed. "You can figure that out on your own."

"Please!"

"Bruno! Julieta! Time for dinner!"

Bruno huffed away from his sister. But throughout dinner, even though Mamá's conversation about Andres and Julieta, Julieta kept her large, watchful, pleading eyes on her brother.

"Mamá, do you think Bruno should have a vision to ensure our future husbands will be good for this family?" Julieta asked.

Bruno couldn't believe his ears! She was bringing their mother into it!

"I just don't want to look into my sister private, romantic affairs. Gross!" Bruno argued.

"Andres is going to be the perfect husband for you, Julieta, we have discussed this," Mamá said. "There is no reason to be concerned."

Julieta didn't budge her eyes. Bruno felt another set of eyes watching him, turned and saw Pepa watching him with the same eyes. Except hers came with the weather! They all knew Julieta didn't want to marry Andres. But for the family...

After dinner, Bruno wanted to escape as quickly as he could to his room. But his sisters, and Casita, were faster. They cornered him.

"Come on, Bruno! Please?" Pepa asked. "For us?"

"For the safety of this family, we have to," Julieta stated. "I do not trust Andres with Casita! Agustín on the other hand..."

"Fine!" Bruno yelled. "For the sake of the family."

Bruno let his hermanitas into his room. Both of them had forgotten about the curtain of falling sand.

On the right side of the room, was a small, empty, bookshelf, sitting atop was a lamp. Bruno pulled the lamp as if it were a leaver and the curtain of sand began to open, leaving a wide enough gap so they could walk through, and revealing a small set of stairs leading down into the tower.

"Took me a while to find that," Bruno said. "Come one."

Bruno hated going to his vision cave. Too many stairs.

Pepa and Julieta joined him. Both sisters took his hands and the triplets began their ascent. Bruno was as used to the long climb as one could get.

After a while, Bruno was ahead of his sisters. At one point, he heard the familiar clap of thunder, looked and saw a small cloud hovering above his sister Pepa.