Claudia woke up wrapped in Bruno's arms. She laid there for a bit, just content to be close to him. She swore last night felt like a dream, and she couldn't believe someone like him loved someone like her. She looked at him while he slept. He looked beautiful and she felt so happy to have him in her life. Nothing made her happier than being around him.

Eventually she slowly removed herself from his arms. Then she quietly walked downstairs. As she headed to the kitchen she saw Alma waiting for her. She immediately felt like something was wrong.

"Good morning suegra." Alma's face was emotionless.

"You need to leave."

With those words Claudia's stomach dropped. She had expected Alma to be upset, but she hadn't expected this. She had thought the family loved her. She definitely loved the family. 

"Why should I leave? I...I-" Alma held up a hand.

"You're a danger to the family, to Casita, to the magic. I felt something wrong with the candle last night. What if you destroy everything we've worked so hard for. You're too dangerous to stay."

She was, wasn't she? She had known she was dangerous from the moment the Rojas brought her into their house. They never failed to remind her of that fact. Maybe she was bad for the family. She couldn't hurt this family, she just couldn't. She knew this would hurt Bruno though. She had promised never to leave him the night before.

"What about Bruno? He'll be heartbroken," her eyes were watery but she refused to cry.

"If you really care about him then you'll leave."

Claudia looked up at Alma only to see a definite expression on her face. She hadn't expected it to go this way. After last night she had hoped everything would be okay,  but now she knew better. She nodded to Alma. 

"If it will keep them safe, I'll leave."

She quickly fled to the room upstairs. A tear ran down her face as she grabbed the bag she had packed the night before. Claudia knew how this would look. Bruno had begged her the night before not to leave, and now she was doing exactly that. He was going to be heartbroken. She slowly walked into the bedroom. She couldn't leave without seeing his face again. Claudia wished she could say goodbye to him and the girls, but she knew they would stop her. Alma was right. This was better for the family.

As she looked at him, it took all her strength not to sob. She slowly leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Claudia knew this was the last time she'd have a chance to do so, the only chance she'd ever have. She was going to miss him dearly, but this was for his own good. She quickly jotted down a note. She couldn't leave him like this. She had to make him hate her so he could move on. As she grabbed her bag she took one last look at the room that had become home to her.

"Goodbye," she whispered before heading out the door.

*****

She walked through the woods. The sun was starting to come up, but she couldn't find it in herself to enjoy it. Claudia didn't know where she was headed, but the route seemed familiar. As she walked she wondered if she had done the right thing. When Bruno saw what she wrote he would be devastated. She had felt like it was the right thing, but now she wasn't so sure. She couldn't turn back now, the matriarch had made that quite clear.

Claudia continued walking, until she recognized where she was. It was the field of flowers next to the mountain. The last place she had been truly happy. The realization made her fall to her knees and she started to sob. It wasn't fair. She couldn't help what she was, even if she was antimagic.

When Claudia finally calmed down she realized she had no clue where she was going to go. She had no food so she couldn't go through the mountains. If she stayed at a place in the village Bruno would surely find her. As her mind raced she realized there was one place she could go. No one would look for her there. Claudia could stay there for a few years at least. So she began to slowly walk to her own personal hell.

*****

When she knocked on the door to the Rojas residence Andres sneered at her as he opened the door.

"What do you want perrita? Haven't you ruined enough for us?"

Claudia took a deep breath before speaking.

"I have nowhere else to go. They kicked me out. If you...if you let me stay I'll do whatever you want."

Andres began to smile.

"They kicked you out huh? Guess they finally realized what a pest you are," he gave an over exaggerated sigh,"You're lucky we're so kind."

He gestured her into the house. As soon as the door was closed he beckoned her closer. When she was standing in front of him, he drew his hand back and she flinched.

"This is for ruining our lives. For making us villains in the eyes of the most influential people in town."

He brought his hand down and hit her once, twice, thrice. She cowered as he hit her. Then he grabbed her face and made her look at him.

"Dont you ever pull that meirda again. Now get to work, perrita."

Tears ran down her face, but she immediately nodded.

"Yes sir. Right away sir."

*****

Two weeks passed slowly as Claudia became more and more depressed. She had been flogged for her disobedience more then once. Staying with the Madrigals had made her more disobedient then she had been before. She missed them. She missed him. The only thing that kept her going was the thought that in a few years she could leave and get out of the village. For now though the safest place to be was here. She was scrubbing the floor one day when Andres walked into the room.

"Don't you get tired of the same old thing day after day, perrita?" Claudia refused to look at him.

"No sir."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." He frowned.

"No thank you sir." She still had a bit of spirit left in her.

"That wasn't a request perrita. Now stand up and look at me. Unless you want to be flogged again."

Claudia thought about it for a moment. She didn't want to do it. Andres had been extra creepy to her lately. He had been making comments about her looks and her figure. She was uncomfortable being in the same room as him. She didn't want to be hurt again. Her back still hurt from the last time. So she slowly stood up and looked him in the eyes, a defiant look on her face. He frowned deeper at that.

"Wipe the look off your face. We need to talk," he reached out and pulled a strand of her hair making her move closer to him.

"About what sir," It took all her willpower not to shake. She didn't like where this was going.

"I was just thinking," he smiled and she shivered at the look he was giving her. It was like a predator looking at its prey, "Wouldn't it be nice if you got a break from work once in a while?"

"Yes sir."

His smirk got larger, and he twirled the strand of her hair that he held.

"Wonderful. I can give that to you you know," he took a step closer to her and when she tried to move back he grabbed her face. "All you have to do is give yourself to me."

Claudia felt sick. He couldn't mean...She wouldn't let him. She would take the punishment but she would never do what he was suggesting. She quickly pulled herself out of his grasp.

"Never. I would never. How dare you even suggest that."

Andres frowned. "You have no choice we own you perrita so-"

"No you don't!," Claudia snapped back."Nowhere in the contract does it say that. I'm an indentured servant not a slave. In a few years I'll leave here and never come back, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Andres stormed out of the room, and Claudia got back to cleaning. She thought she would get away with what she said until Valentina walked in.

"My husband told me what you said to him you whore. How dare you try to seduce him in my house!"

Claudia paled. "But I didn't-"

Valentina pulled the girl up by her hair and slapped her across the face. "Shut up. I knew we were being too kind to you perrita. Well not anymore. From now on I will make your life a living hell. I think fifteen flogs will be enough."

"Wait ma'am. No. Please don't…" Claudia begged as Valentina pulled her from the room.

*****

Later on in the day, Claudia was in her "room". She was hurt and she was exhausted, so when Andres called her into his office she almost refused. She knew she couldn't though. So she headed there. Andres smiled as she walked in.

"You know I heard the most interesting thing today. Apparently the Madrigals have been looking everywhere for you. I thought they kicked you out, but that's not true isn't it? "

Claudia paled. She knew a threat when she heard one and she just knew something bad was about to happen. 

"It would be a shame if they found you perrita. A real shame."

They couldn't find her. Claudia had left for their safety and if they found her then she couldn't insure that. She had done what was best for the family and now it could all come toppling down if the Rojas told them where she was.

"What do you want?" She spit out.

"Well I thought about what you said earlier," Andres picked up a paper and a pen,"You're right we don't own you...yet. So I wrote up a contract." He held it in front of her and she took it.

As Claudia read it she paled. It was much stricter than the one they had before. It basically said they owned every part of her and that she had to do anything and everything they demanded. She wouldn't be allowed to leave the house or talk to anyone besides the Rojas. She would lose her bed and sleep on the ground. Most of what she had would be taken away, including the necklace her mother had given her. It would make her a slave to them.

"I can't-"

"Ah, so I guess we have to tell the Madrigals then" he handed her the pen ,"Unless you sign."

Claudia stared at the paper. She wasn't sure what to do, either way she lost. She was quiet for a bit until she finally decided.