A/N: For this last story, I decided to write it about Mateo's mom, Rafa de Alva, since there's really no backstory for her and I wanted to explore that a little bit more. Anyway, as always, read and enjoy :)

Growing up she never imagined that her life would turn out like the way it did. She always pictured herself having a successful future with a great job, a supportive husband, a wonderful home, and a family of her own. She never pictured any other possibility, because at the time she was absolutely certain that her life would turn out just as she planned.

She soon learned to always prepare for the unexpected.

It all started when she was a young teenager, and Shuriki had just taken over the kingdom. Many of the townspeople had no clue how Shuriki had come into power or why the Castillo Flores family just seemingly vanished, but Rafa knew. She heard her parents discussing it late at night, talking about how vile and murderous Shuriki was, and how they needed to find help in order to rescue the princess. Rafa wasn't sure where the princess was, but she knew it must be in a very secure place, for her father sounded distraught as he explained the situation to her mother.

"I must go—immediately," she heard him say, the sound of a chair squeaking as it moved across the floor. Rafa knew he must've been getting up from the table, and creeped back into her own room, pretending as though she was asleep and hadn't heard anything they were saying.

"Are you sure?" she heard her mother reply. Her voice was muffled through the wall but the anxious tone in her voice was as clear as ever.

"If there is to be any hope left in Avalor, then I must seek help," her father responded gravely. "I will be back as soon as I can."

There was a moment of silence, and then she heard footsteps walking toward her room. Rafa quickly closed her eyes and pulled her blankets up to her ears, pretending as though she was fast asleep.

Her door creaked open, and she heard her father whisper, "Stay strong, my dear. I will see you again soon," and then he left.

Once he closed the door, Rafa's eyes flew open, her heart beating in a frenzy. Her father was leaving?

He's just going to find help, she reasoned with herself. He's the royal wizard—it's his job to protect the kingdom.

At the time her argument had sufficiently quelled her worries, but looking back now she wished she would've gotten up and raced to her father, giving him one last hug, for that was the last time she'd ever see him again.

She came to the realization that her father was gone when her mother moved all of his magic equipment into the basement a few years later, declaring they wouldn't be of use to anyone anymore. Rafa wished she could comfort her mother, to say that Alacazar would return and they could be a family again, but she knew deep in her bones that her words would be a lie, and she could never bring false hope to her mother like that.

A few years passed and her and her mother managed life on their own, but when Rafa turned eighteen her mother became sick, and it was only a matter of time before she realized that both of her parents would soon be lost to her forever. Thankfully it was around that time that she met a young man, a man with a caring smile and an imagination as vast and creative as hers, so when her mother did eventually pass she had a shoulder to cry on, and he helped lessen the pain.

A few years down the road they got married, and began the live she had imagined for herself as a child. They both found decent jobs that paid a respectable salary, and eventually they were able to move in to her mother's old house on the outskirts of Avalor, which was a blessing to the two of them when they quickly discovered that a child was soon on the way.

The child turned out to be a boy—a strong, healthy little boy—who they lovingly named Mateo de Alva. Mateo was the light in both of their lives; as young as he was they could tell he'd inherited their genuine sense of curiosity, and even though his looks came from his father, his sweet smile and generous heart clearly came from Rafa.

For a while, everything was perfect; Rafa couldn't have wanted anything else in life, except for the opportunity for Mateo to have met his grandparents, but since she knew that was clearly impossible, she told him stories about them instead. Mateo always enjoyed hearing stories about his abuelo Alacazar, and Rafa could see that the interest in magic was still strong in her family line.

Then when Mateo was five, the unthinkable happened. Rafa's husband got involved in a secret organization that planned to overthrow Shuriki, but when their plan had been found out he was taken away, forced to leave both his family and Avalor behind, never to return again.

Rafa was heartbroken, but knew that nothing could've saved her husband from that fate. So, she put on a brave smile and tried to continue through life as normal as possible, and balance both her job and raising Mateo since she was now a single parent. For the most part she got through it fine, but it was the times when Mateo asked when his papi was coming back that really upset her. In his eyes she could see her teenage self being reflected back at her, and suddenly she knew exactly how her mother felt every time Rafa had asked the exact same question.

"Soon," was all she could say, and over time Mateo quit asking, which brought both relief and grief to Rafa.

Every day she watched as Mateo grew, only wishing that the people she loved could share the experience with her. She knew deep in her heart that he was destined for great things, which was why she never stopped him when she discovered he was illegally practicing magic in the basement of their house, and could only cry with pride when later on informed her that he was to be made the new royal wizard.

She knew that her life didn't turn out the way she had expected, but she still loved her life all the same. Even with all the unforeseen circumstances and losses she'd endured, over time she soon realized that she didn't need a life perfectly planned out and filled with luxury, because she still had family and friends, and that was all she needed to be happy.