Portal to Encanto

Prologue

A/N: This story was inspired by ._.cozgrove's video on TikTok, which can be found at this link: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdPoNgPk/?k=1 I forgot to add this when I was porting this over from AO3. My bad!

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It's been a month since the Madrigal Family had rebuilt Casita, and everyone had fallen into a comfortable routine. Luisa was relaxing more, Isabella made whatever plants she felt like, Abuela had started teaching Mirabel everything she needed to know as the next matriarch of the family. Even the villagers had started being kinder to and more understanding of Bruno. Life was moving on. However, Bruno felt something was missing, out of place. Like the Encanto itself was missing a very important piece. Not seeing another way to figure it out, Bruno went to the river, intent on using his Gift there. Maybe looking to the future will help him find out what's missing. Bruno set up his circle of sand, lit his fires, and prepared his mind. Whatever he saw, he would confide with his family, and they'd face it together. The winds picked up unnaturally, and Bruno could feel the sand swirl around him, leaves and sticks mixed in. Opening his eyes, he was met with a very unexpected sight. Before him was no vision, no sand formations of people or places. Before him was a window of sorts. On the other side was a young woman, no older than twenty five. She seemed just as startled as he was.

"Hello?" He called out to her. She gazed at him with a guarded expression, not speaking. "My name is Bruno Madrigal. Who are you?" He smiled. The woman didn't answer him, eyebrows furrowed. Could she not hear him? Suddenly, the woman jumps, startled by a sound Bruno couldn't hear. She looks back to him in fear, making Bruno worried. Is she ok? Does she need help? He instinctively holds out his hand to her, not sure if she can even take it. She looks down at his hand, back to him, then behind her. She grabs two bags near her, and runs towards the window. The woman crashes through it, making the window flicker and fade. Bruno manages to catch her princess style as she falls, and the swirling sand dies down. Before the portal completely closes, Bruno sees a man burst through a door from the woman's side, and he does not look happy. The woman grips him tightly, staring at the man as the portal closes completely. His sand falls to the ground, and the sunny day can be seen again.

"Thank you." The woman whispers, her body shaking like a leaf. Bruno puts her down gently, noting how small she is. She barely reaches his nose in height, and is so skinny he's concerned for her health.

"No problem Senorita. My name is Bruno." He smiles at her, "What's yours?" She looks down, seemingly scared. "Hey, hey, it's ok! You don't have to be afraid!" He tells her, reaching to move her hair behind her ear. It hurts his heart when she flinches as if he's going to hurt her. Bruno backs up to give the woman space. "Let me take you to my family. Maybe we can help you. At the very least get a hot meal in you. You look famished." He awkwardly chuckles. She looks up at him, then nods. Bruno manages to keep himself from gasping. With proper lighting and her hair moving, he noticed large bruises all along the sides of her face. He holds out his hand again, and this time, the woman takes it. He smiles at her, and leads her through the woods to Casita. He prays Julieta isn't busy when he hears the woman mumble something. He looks back to her and she's looking down. He tells her he didn't hear her, so she takes a calming breath and looks up.

"Rose. My name is Rose. It's nice to meet you, Bruno." She tells him softly. He smiles widely a her, and tells her he's happy to make her acquaintance. He sees the corner of her mouth twitch in a little bit of a smile. He already knows that not even five minutes have passed, and he would protect Rose with his life.