꧁•꧂

She was weak and so immensely far from home. But somehow far never seemed to be far enough. They always seemed to find her one way or another. She found herself finally in a quiet little village nestled in the mountains of a country somewhere in South America. Her voyage on a ship not long before her arrival here had left her exhausted and poor. She had spent all the money she had left to finally escape that dreaded continent where everyone not only knew her but seemed to be searching for her. They all wanted to "save" her or send her to the same fate as the rest of her family. And for what? Her family had done nothing wrong, but the uprising of their citizens seemed to disagree and now because of their difference in opinion she was now on the streets of a distant land, barely scraping by. She sighed as she limped. The people of this village seemed to avoid her like the plague. Perhaps it was her cloak, it seemed to remind them of someone not so well liked by the community who had come before her. But she couldn't dwell on that now. She could hardly take another step without the dreading thought that it could be her last. And with that she felt her weakness come over her completely. Lost in her own exhaustion she finally collapsed on the streets. She could hear the distant shout of someone crying out as she did.

꧁•꧂

"Nononono."

Bruno said as he quickly rushed over to the girl falling to the ground. They had finally found her thanks to Bruno's vision giving him the location of her collapse. But she had already fallen to the ground.

"Do you think we're too late?"

Mirabel asked. Bruno instantly fell down to his knees and pulled the woman close to him.

"Señora."

He tried desperately to rouse her.

"Señora please wake up."

He added her eyes parted enough for him to see grey eyes staring back at him for only a second before the fluttered shut again and the girl sighed in his arms.

"Mirabel,"

Bruno looked up at his niece.

"The arepa. Now."

He demanded as he held his hand out to her. Quickly Mirabel pulled out one of her mother's arepas and gave it to him. Bruno broke off a piece and gave it to the stranger.

"Señora please eat this."

He begged and her lips parted just enough for him to slip the piece into her mouth. Slowly her mouth moved around it and she began to chew. She sat up and coughed and sputtered as she tried to get the food down. She pulled her hood down and brought a fist to cover her mouth as she hacked.

"Señora,"

Bruno said, relived she was awake.

"Are you alright?"

He asked.

"What is that?"

The woman asked in reference to the food she had been given.

"It's an arepa."

"A what?"

The woman asked as she coughed again.

"It's dry... it's really dry."

She said.

"Or maybe my mouth is just dry. I haven't had clean water to drink in days."

She added as she stood. She dusted herself off and looked at her rescuers.

"Well,"

she said,

"thank you."

Upon hearing her voice, Mirabel and Bruno looked at the girl in both confusion and wonder.

"You aren't from here."

Mirabel noted.

"Your voice sounds funny."

She added.

"No."

The stranger said flatly.

"Where are you from?"

Mirabel asked curiously.

"Why are you here?"

Bruno added.

"Ever heard of Russia?"

The stranger asked with a hint of caution in her voice. The two of them shook their heads. The stranger sighed.

"Good."

She muttered mostly to herself.

"Well I'm off then."

She said as she turned to leave.

꧁•꧂

"Wait!"

Mirabel said as she reached out and grabbed the stranger's hand.

"You can't just go."

She added.

"What if something happens to you again?"

"Mirabel."

Bruno said as he narrowed his eyes down at his niece.

"What?"

Mirabel said as she looked back at her uncle.

"Don't you agree?"

She asked as she gestured to the stranger. As much as he didn't want to agree, Mirabel was right. They couldn't let this stranger wonder off to get hurt again. Especially when they didn't know anything about the land around them.

"Fine."

Bruno mumbled.

"What's your name?"

Mirabel asked as she turned back to the stranger. She hesitated, as if she forgot her own name for a moment.

"Stasia."

She finally replied.

"My name is Stasia."

"Well Stasia welcome to the Encanto!"

Mirabel greeted her properly.

"Come with us."

She added as she led the way back to the casita.

"You've just got to meet everyone! La familia will love you! And they can help you as well!"