Luna coughed a lot as she clean her small room. This room is almost half the size of her room in her Grandfather's house. Whenever she cleans her room or their house, she wishes that they also have Casita's powers. All she wanted is to make the cleaning easier.
"Are you okay there Mija?" Corazon asked as she held a broom while cleaning their short hallway.
"Ja Oma (Yes Grandma), I'm fine." Luna said as she organized her things.
"Señora Corazon! We're done cleaning the kitchen." Camilo said with a proud smile on his face.
"I'm done. Camilo just stood there pointing things." Mirabel said as she rolled her eyes at Camilo.
"Missy, we need a quality control officer." Camilo said with a pout.
"Now now kids, don't fight. I'll prepare lunch for the 4 of us. What do you want?" Corazon asked with a warm smile.
"I NEED BRATWURST IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW." Camilo said with excitement.
Corazon chuckled. "Then I'll grill some for you Mijo."
"Yes! I'll be glad to help more around here just to have sausages." Camilo said.
Luna smiled as she watched Camilo and Mirabel tease each other. She loves being around this two, it refreshes her from all the stress that she's experiencing.
"Grandma? How's Abuelo?" Luna asked.
Corazon sighed before looking at Luna. "He'll be fine Mija. Don't worry about him. Your grandfather is strong. He can handle himself." Corazon said as she sliced some sausages.
"I'm fine now... Maybe we should go back? I don't want to leave him alone." Luna said.
"No!" Corazon shrieked, surprising the 3. She composed herself before continuing. "Alejandro needs to learn self-control and stop blaming you for everything."
"Thank you... I... I really appreciate this." Luna said as her lips curled into a smile.
The three continued finishing their chores while waiting for the food. Camilo looked at the painting hanging on the wall, it was an old painting of Alejandro, Corazon, and their daughter Marisol.
"Luna, you looked a lot like your mom. Except for your eyes." Camilo said as he pointed at the painting.
Marisol, currently 21 in the painting looked a lot like Luna, except for her icy blue eyes. Luna inherited her father's amber eyes.
"Señor Alejandro smiles? I never saw that smile for the past 15years of my life." Camilo added.
"He stopped smiling when I was born." Luna casually said.
"Imagine if Tía Marisol married Tío Bruno." Mirabel said as she helped Luna hang clothes in her closet.
"Then Luna won't exist you troglodyte. Listen to our biology teacher." Camilo said before lightly pinching Mirabel's cheeks.
"I cannot express how much I despise your existence Mr. Camilo Alexander Madrigal." Mirabel said as she glared at her cousin.
"Well, hypothetically, if Tío Bruno is my dad then we'll have a jolly Abuelo Alejandro. My Mom is alive and... Maybe Tío Bruno is here." Luna said with a shrug.
"I wonder how's Tío." Camilo muttered.
"Lunch is ready!" Corazon called out on the kitchen.
"I call dibs on sausages!" Camilo said as he outruns Mirabel.
Luna smiled as she watched the two rush just for sausages. Her eyes landed on the painting, her grandparents smiling alongside her mother. Maybe it is really her fault? After all, that smiles are gone as soon she started existing.
-------
Bruno woke up after his rat started nibbling him. He smiled at his pet rats.
"Hungry again Poncho?" He asked the rat.
But the rats just handed him a ruby necklace. He examined it, engraved on it's back is the Bourbon Clan's emblem. It's Luna's necklace.
"Where did you get this?" He asked the rats. They just scurried away from him, pointing on a river that Bruno sketched. He sighed. He needs to bring this back to Luna. This is the only thing that reminds her of her mom.
"Ugh, cmon Poncho. Let's bring this back to Prinsesita Bourbon." Bruno grunted.
He slipped towards some secret entrances he made. He sneakily went to the town's hidden part of the river where Luna often hangsout. He sat behind a tree, the bucket just beside him while he play with his 3 rats.
He stopped as he heard some rustling. He watched as Luna pulled out an old Machete. It's kilt engraved with their clan's emblem.
"Grandpa moves like this." She muttered.
He watched as the woman tied her short hair just to avoid it from obstructing her view. She started copying her Abuelo's moves from her memory.
"Poncho, she's scary." Bruno whispered to his rat friend as they watched Luna sliced an imaginary enemy. "Let's go, i'm not risking talking to----" Bruno held his breath as he hit his bucket with his leg, making a loud clanking noise.
"Is there anyone there? Show yourself!" Luna said as she aimed the machete on the treeline.
Bruno wore the bucket. No use of hiding now. He threw some salt before walking out.
"I came in peace." He said as he walked out of the tree.
"Oh! It's you Jorge. Hi!" Luna greeted as she put back the machete on her kilt. "You scared me."
"YOU scared me. What's with this machete and slicing practice?" Bruno asked.
Luna looked at him, her brown eyes scanning him. Bruno's heart kept pounding. He started feeling at ease when she looked down at her feet.
"I want to learn how to protect my family, the people I love." She said as she held the kilt tightly. "I want to be like my mother!" Luna added as she smiled sweetly at him despite not seeing his face or expression.
Bruno froze. For a split second he's reminded of how Marisol used to beat kids who bully him when they are young. How she learned how to fight and defend the Triplets even at a young age.
"It's customary for the Bourbons to protect the Madrigal's Heir. Great-grandpa protected Señor Francisco, Grandpa protected Abuelo Pedro, Mom protected Tía Julieta, and now, I shall do it to Isabela." Luna said as she aimed the machete on the tree line, her eyes looking fierce.
Bruno smiled as he approached Luna. Patting her head as the young woman looked at him with surprise.
"Find your own destiny. You do not need to continue that tradition." Bruno said in a soft voice, he squealed before backing up a few steps after he realized what he did. "I-I'm sorry!"
"It's okay." Luna said with a smile. "I thought you'll never be back here."
"I actually went here to give your necklace, this is your family emblem right? My rat Poncho gave that to me." Bruno said as he handed Luna her necklace, and as if on cue Bruno's rat popped out of his sleeve.
"Thank you so much! I actually gave up searching for this, I really appreciate it Jorge. Thank you so much! And is this your Rat poncho? They look cute!" Luna said as she scratched the rat's head.
"Yeah, they are my friends." Bruno said as he handed Luna his rat, the rat steadily just stood on Luna's palm.
"Can you help me put this on?" Luna asked as she handed back her necklace, she turned around, exposing her soft flawless nape to Bruno.
Bruno nervously put the necklace around her neck, his fingers brushing off some of her stray hairs. He locked in the necklace. Being alone for so many years does things to a person, and Bruno hated how an exposed nape and neck already makes him feel things.
"Thank you!" Luna said as she kept on playing with Poncho the Rat.
"I also have 2 other rats with me." Bruno said as Luna turned around, the 2 rats popping out of his sleeves.
"Mein Gott! (My God!) They are so cute!" Luna said as she giggled when the two rats landed on her shoulders and then rested on top of her head.
The two sat on the edge of the river talking about random things, mostly stories that Luna heard around the town.
"I heard Gabriel Sanchez had another child. It's his fifth child, jeez." Bruno said, totally forgetting that Gabriel is Luna's biological father. He tried to act normal as if he doesn't know.
"He's my Dad. I never got to talk to him. I tried once when I was 14. All he did is look at me dead in the eyes and said 'I don't have a child named Luna'. Fucking asshole." Luna muttered as she threw a rock into the river. "Men are assholes. Well, some of them. Tío Agustín and Tío Felix are best husbands. I want to get married to men like them. Having those two men as my father figure gave me high standards."
"They are good men." Bruno said smiling beneath the bucket, totally missing his brother in laws.
"I wouldn't settle for any less than them." Luna said with a smile.
They continued chatting until Bruno started talking about his new novela. Luna listened to him as he got so deep into talking about the lore of his novel. She envied him, she wanted to have that same passion.
"And then, Lucia fell in love with Jaroslav. Remember the Polish diplomat? But because him being from a different race, Lucia's parents hate him. They want a Spanish noble, not a Slavic commoner. Or so they thought. Jaroslav is actually a Serbian prince!" Bruno explained as he use his rats as actors.
"Woah, what a twist! But isn't Jaroslav, Lucia's Rival's fiancé?" Luna asked.
"Yes! And that's how I created love hexagon." Bruno excitedly said.
"It confuses me, but I like it." Luna said as she giggled.
The sun is almost setting, Bruno cooked some grilled fish that they are now eating as a snack. They are just relaxing when they heard a child crying.
"Do you hear that?" Bruno asked.
Luna washed and dried her hands before going into the woods. She saw a small kid, about the age of 4 crying, he was covered in mud and bruises.
"Are you okay?! Why are you here?" Luna asked as she picked up the kid.
Bruno marveled at how Luna looks so great while holding a child. She picked off some leaves on the child's hair. He dress got stained with mud when she sat the kid on her lap.
"Dad... Hunting... I go too." The kid said trying to make a cohesive sentence despite crying.
"Oh no, let's get you home. Do you want to help me Jorge?" Luna asked.
"I... Don't go to the town." Bruno said.
"It's okay, I got it. What's your name and your parent's name kid." Luna asked as she wipe off the mud and dirt off the kid.
"I'm Miguel Sa-Sanchez. My dad is Ga-Gabriel, my mom is Veronika." The young Miguel said.
Bruno and Luna just stood there dumbfounded. Luna's eyes tore up, she swallowed the forming lump on her throat as she wiped her tears.
"Let's get you home." Luna said as she wiped the kid's tears with a bright smile on her face.
After Luna cleaned him up, the 4yo is as jolly as ever. Talking about his dad, his 3 older brothers, and their daily life in general. Luna discovered she have a brother just a few months younger than her named Phoebus. She smiled to herself, it contrasts with her name, which is connected to the sun. It's a punch to her gut.
Phoebus, Gabriel Jr., Francisco II, Miguel, and Paulo. That's her half-siblings.
"I wish I have a big sister. All my brothers just tease me." Miguel said as the two stood up to walk back to town.
Bruno looked at Luna, waiting for her reaction. She held Miguel's hand tightly as she crouched down and squished the kid's cheeks.
"I can be your hermana." Luna said with a bright smile.
Miguel giggled, he hugged Luna on her neck and then kissed her cheeks.
"Hermana Luna!" Miguel excitedly said.
Bruno handed Luna his green handkerchief.
"You need this." He said as he walked away.
"Gracias Jorge." She said as she stood up. "Let's go?" She asked Miguel.
"Yes? Bye Jorge!" The kid waved Bruno goodbye.
Luna held the child's hand on her right, the lantern on her left. As they approached the town the kid kept talking about how great of a hunter his Dad is. How her brothers are all learning how to be the town's soldiers.
"How about you? What does Miguelito want to be?" Luna asked.
"I want to be a painter!" Miguel said excitedly.
Luna's knees got weak as they turned towards where the Sanchez compound is. She watched as the people there panicked, her father holds a lantern.
"I'm going to the woods, maybe he followed me there," Gabriel said.
Luna's heart pounded, her tears starting to well up.
"Daddy!" Miguel said as he ran towards his family.
"Miguel! Thank God." Gabriel said as he knelt down. "I'm so worried!"
Luna watched while her father, the man who denied her, hugged and kiss his son. Her tears fell down. She slowly hid behind the shadows.
"I followed you to the woods then I got lost. But Luna helped me get home!" Miguel said.
Luna hid behind a tree. Muffling her cries as she covered her mouth.
"Luna?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes! She's very pretty, have brown eyes, red hair and wears criss cross dress! She said I can call her sister. She's there! Wait... She's gone?" Miguel confusedly said as he saw that the spot where Luna stands is now empty.
"Her." Veronika, Gabriel's wife muttered after she followed the kid. "Do not call her sister. Or I'll get angry at you." She said to her young son.
Miguel got out of his Dad's grasp and run toward their compound's gate.
"Luna! Thank you!" Miguel shouted in the dark, not knowing that Luna is just hiding in a nearby tree.
"That rat bastard." Veronika muttered.
"Veronika, I already chose you. The kid never did anything. She even helped Miguel to come home." Gabriel said, defending his only daughter.
"If you kept defending that Rat you might as well leave me and our children." Veronika said seriously.
Gabriel just sighed, he walked towards Miguel who was now crying.
"Daddy, she left me." Miguel said as he hugged his father's leg.
"She didn't. She left her heart to you. Let's go?" He said to his Son with a warm smile.
Miguel's eyes slowly lit up. "Yes!"
Luna's eyes are bloodshot, she run away as fast as she can. She's thanking her athleticism, she never felt tired after running for so long. She stood in their doorway, her grandmother sitting in the living room with their visitors Pepa, Felix, and their Children.
"What happened Mija?" Pepa nervously asked, a cloud forming on top of her head.
"Tía. I... I saw my Dad and my half-siblings." She said as she collapsed on her Grandma's lap, crying. "His wife called me a Rat bastard."
"Bitch." Pepa muttered.
"But rats are cute?" Antonio asked confusedly not knowing what the word means. He rested his head on Luna's back as he hugged her. "We're here Luna."
Luna wiped off her tears as her Grandma comforted her, Antonio hugs her, Felix pats her head while she heard that Dolores and Camilo are preparing her a warm dinner.
"We're here as your family Luna. We may not be blood-related, but we love you as our own." Pepa said with a warm smile.
This is what family is. Luna smiled warmly at Pepa and Felix.
"Thank you." She mouthed them.
Bruno watched from the distance. He approached Luna's open bedroom window as he put down the novela he wrote. A note is stuck on its cover.
"I hope this makes you feel better. -Jorge."