Counter Attack

"What do you even think of me?" Hector asked as they took a step forward. Her hand was interlocked with his arm, her head held high.

"My husband." She answered simply.

"Don't I have any rights because I am a servant?" They got to the head of the banquet table where their seats were arranged side by side.

"And I just made you king. Now you have all the rights in the world."

He turned to her just as she looked up to him. Their eyes met in that brief moment, her eyes a dazzling green, his an enchanting deep blue. They stayed there standing, even as her maids pulled out the seats fir them.

She was lost in his eyes, while he struggled to navigate his way through hers. The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but maybe her soul was a maze too.

She smiled, a small one that he couldn't even see due to the darkness and took her seat. He sat beside her, the only source of light was the large bonfire in the middle. She was enveloped by the darkness.

"Why, may I ask, has such a joyous ceremony being plunged into darkness?" The prime minister asked and the other cabinet members echoed the question, pleading for her to enlighten them.

Hector turned to her. She couldn't say she had decided to come veilless, and that was why. She was very sure someone would want to see her face.

The silence dragged on a while too long. She wasn't sure just what she needed to say.

"I...don't see well if it is too bright. The Queen was just being considerate of me. I apologize."

Queen Elvira looked at Hector who had spoken, but he did not bother addressing it. He had simply done what anyone else should do in that position. He had, afterall, put her in a difficult position.

"We will start the performances now. Please come in."

A troop of dancers walked in, the smile on their faces illuminated by the light.

"Congratulations!" They said collectively as they bowed, then turned around to start the dance.

Queen Elvira sat with her back straight, aware of Hector's presence beside hers. Occasionally, she would turn to him, just to make out his facial features in the darkness. She could make out the hair that was falling right above his left eye, the straight nose, the shape of his cupid bow lips.

He was her kind of handsome even in the darkness, and she found herself talking.

"Can I ask you something, Hector?" She asked. Something she never did.

"Yes, your highness."

She smiled at his way of addressing her, but decided to let it go.

"Have you ever wondered why I am so protective of my face regardless of how many ways it could backfire on me?"

Yes, he has. He thought with a face like hers, she would want to show of, and enchant men to her feet and women to the dark pit of jealousy.

"Yes, I have." He answered, but did not ask again.

"My mother said it would protect me when she was murdered." She said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What?" He asked, but avoided turning to her.

"She covered my face with her injured, bloody palms, and told me to never show my face or tell my name. That way, the people who murdered my parents that night would not find me. I still wear it now...even though they can just barge into my chambers like they had to my father." She chuckled. "I guess my mother's last words to me are just comforting."

This time he turned to her, his brows furrowed, but not the angry kind of furrowed. His face was a mask of pity, and his eyes were glassy.

"I apologize for..."

"You were not there that night, Hector. Why do you feel the need to apologize?" She smiled then turned to the performers, just as other dancers trooped in.

He was watching her, wondering how many times he had mocked her for being so shielded when all she was doing was trying to protect her life.

"Still." He said simply then turned.

"I want to know why she is dancing. Is she not weird?" Queen Elvira asked, a frown on her face.

"What do you mean?" He asked, but he did not need her answer as Lana came into the spotlight, her hands in the air as she spun. "Lana?"

"I did not make her dance, Hector. And I do not know who did."

He looked at her, his face a mask of hurt. But he could not even direct it at her for this particular incident. He had been with her all day, so he knew she had not given any orders like this. Why was Lana determined to remind him of how helpless he was?

"I will not stop you if you want to go stop her." Queen Elvira said, ready to clean the mess she knew he would make.

He blinked as the drums started, the music even louder. He saw Lana pick up a fire, theZn twirled with it.

"No. I think she asked to dance herself. And I do not want to create unnecesary trouble for you."

She nodded, oddly satisfied. He continued to watch the performance, especially Lana's soulful dance with tears standing in his eyes. In the end, they were all just pitiful people.

Lana took another twirl and broke out of the circle of performers, the fire still in her hands. He turned to Queen Elvira who had been looking at him, so she had not noticed anything.

He shook his head. He doubted Lana had another motive, and he focused back on the dance.

Lana twirled further, coning closer to their seats, the fire aglow as she held the end of the stick firmly.

Lana looked resolute as she stepped back a little. Hector looked terrified, and she did not want him to suspect her motive.

Today, the face which the Queen had keot hidden, she would expose it. And very unexpectedly at that. She had opted to dance after seeing just how Queen Elvira had decided to darken the place to conceal her face. She was sure she wouldn't be expecting it.

She watched Queen Elvira as she focused on Hector, everything else fading away for her.

She twirled backwards, and watched Hevtor's face as his expressions softened.

Now was the time.

Without warning, she broke into a small run masked as dance, twirling as she did, then suddenly took her light right in front of Queen Elvira's face.

Queen Elvira was all too unaware and the only thing she heard was the rapid footsteps, then bright light, and a clothe covering her face.

She looked up, and it was Hector's sleeve.