A Gift
Chapter 1 - A Gift
There was a little girl who sat in the lap of her grandmother, the latter having something to show the former.
“Open your eyes,” the grandmother, Vaggie, had said.
The girl complied and saw in front of herself a mystically glowing candle with a butterfly design on it. “This is where our magic comes from?”
“Yes, it certainly does. This candle holds the miracle given to our family.”
“How did we get a miracle?”
A flashback occurred, starting with the grandmother being younger, her long, neat hair tied back with a bow. She was alongside another woman of about the same age. The other woman, one with a gap in her teeth and short but wild hair, was looking fondly at three babies the bow adorned woman held.
“Long ago, when my three children had just been born, your abuela Millie, and I were forced to flee our home.”
The family in question traveled quite a bit of ways through the land, along with other people behind them who, no doubt, are in the same situation or a similar enough one. They all eventually got to a river.
“And though many joined us, hoping to find a new home, we could not escape the dangers and your abuela Millie was lost.”
The gap-toothed lady had walked into the water, approaching some people armed with swords and riding on horses. Vaggie reached out for Millie in vain since she knew that, with three infants, all of whom she apparently could hold in one arm, she had too much to lose if she went out there.
“But, in our darkest moment, we given a miracle.”
Vaggie got down on her knees and a bare candle was next to her. Then the candle received its prettily elaborate butterfly design, as if carved in by magic.
“The candle became a magical flame that could never go out and it blessed us with a refuge in which to live.”
The candle had emitted an area-sweeping wave of magic. That magic made mountains raise up in the distance, so that dangerous outsiders couldn’t get to here so easily.
“A place of wonder.”
“An Encanto…” the young girl breathed out in awe.
“An Encanto,” the grandmother repeated firmly.
Young Vaggie had gotten up and took a look around since the magic wasn’t done yet, since tiles came into being underneath her feet. The mother saw that it was part of a building, particularly when walls were the next thing to pop up.
“And our house…”
The bow adorned woman had stepped through the materialized door to see what this building would look like on the outside.
“Our casita itself, which we call Vivienne even to this day…”
The building was finished, about three stories, including a tower at the side. It was mostly yellow but had some parts being a different color, like orange, green, and pinkish-red.
“Came alive to shelter us.”
The doors of the house opened wide for the mother and her children. Vivienne waved a window shutter like her was saying ‘hi’.
Young Vaggie was kind of confused but, given the state she’s been put into, she goes along with the first sign of things looking up for her. She carefully waves back to the house.
“When my children became of age, the miracle blessed each of them with a magic Gift to help us.”
A time skip, to when the three infants were five years old. Each one was dressed up in nice white gold-trimmed clothes. In front of them were three golden mystically-glowing doors. The mother looked on, smiling as she held the candle.
The children have touched the doorknobs to those doors, which glowed a solid color as opposed to the swirling right before. Then the glow faded away, to show a picture of themselves, along with extra details relating to each owner.
“And when their children became of age…”
“They got magic, too!” The girl exclaimed.
Sure enough, there was an image of three other children who’ve received their Gifts and the rooms to go with them.
Some chuckling before Rosie confirms, “that’s right! Although there was an exception to the rule, with one of your tios. But together, our family’s Gifts have made our new home a paradise. Tonight, this candle will give you your gift, mi vida. Strengthen our community, strengthen our home.”
The girl and her grandmother were inside a nursery-type room, with green walls, tiny furniture, and some toys laying around. There were also child drawings of the family plastered on the walls.
Vaggie, who has a significant number of wrinkles over her face and still keeps the pink bow in her hair even when it's tied up in a bun, reached over and fixed her granddaughter’s blonde locks. The girl's own locks were held back by bright blue ribbons, framing brown eyes that seemed rather red in the right light. The young girl was dressed in white and gold-trimmed clothes herself.
“Make your family proud.”
“Make my family proud…” The blonde five-years-old was letting this sink in her head.
Then there were fireworks out the window, getting the pair’s attention. Following after that, a clock was bouncing around on the floor and making little ringing sounds as it does.
“Yes, yes, Vivienne. We’re going,” Vaggie assured the house.
Vivienne moved the floorboards to present the little girl with her shoes. The little blonde slipped them on and then tugged her grandmother away by the hand, who happily let her.
“What do you think my gift will be?” The very young girl asked.
“You are a wonder, Charlie. Whatever Gift awaits will be just as special as you.”
Charlie was presented at the entrance of the house, where plenty of people were watching, not just her family. She walked up the stairs and to the door that’s blank. Vaggie was next to it, holding the candle.
The little blonde reached up and grabbed the doorknob.