Curse Me

"Is my husband not back yet?" Queen Elvira asked as she watched the back of the very last person on the waiting line.

She turned to Hwctor's empty seat and swallowed, then turned away again.

"No, your highness. It is possible that something came up. I will look for him immediately."

Queen Elvira shook her head. "He is not a child. He will come back. I am sure he will."

She blinked rapidly, then stood up. "I will rest in my chambers before the banquet later."

"Yes, your highness."

With unsteady steps and a clenched fist, she walked away to her chambers.

The door opened for her and she stepped in, and watched at the light dimmed with the door. She walked to the bed, barely able to contain her fear any more.

What if he does not come nack? What if he held Lana's hand and walked out on her?

She took a deep breath, her eyes growing most.

"No. He can not. He can not do that." It was more to assure herself than aything else. More to put herself at ease than anyone else.

"Who?"

She turned to the drapes, and Hector emerged. He was wearing a bathing robe, and his hair was wet.

"I am sorry, your highness for...missing the ceremony. I tripped and fell, so I decided to sneak in so as not to embarass you."

She watched him for a while, and stood. "Where did you go to?"

He shook his head. "There was a suspicious man..."

He watched as her eyes widened. "A suspicious man? Did he do something to you?" She started to move closer to him, but he took a step back.

"No. He left quietly."

"That is the truth, right? You are not..lying, are you?"

He shrugged. "How did your highness end up marrying someone she does not trust?"

She watched him, her feelings intertwining with each other to form a mess. "It is not so much about trust as it is about safety. And nothing else would matter if you are not safe."

"What a twist, right? Because as we speak, your highness...my mother is rotting away in that special dingeon. That hell of a place."

His words confused her, but even more so, his nonchalant expression.

"A special dungeon?" She asked, watching him keenly. "Is that where that suspicious man took you? To some special dungeon so you could see things they want you to see?"

Hector pushed his hand through his hair once. "Exactly. Everything there...was exactly what I should have seen. Filthy place...almost dead people...angry mother."

"I do not know anything of it, Hector. And I need to see this place you talk of."

He shrugged. "There is no need for that."

"And your mother? You just said your mother was..."

"You want to make things right? How many years has it been? How long do you know she has been in there? How much anher do you know she has pent up inside her?" His voice was slightly raised, his brows furrowed but Queen Elvira did not miss how his eyes darted around, like he was waiting for someone.

"No, Hector. I swear, I do not know a thing. I do not know about your mother. I do not kmow about a special dungeon. I do not know anything."

He gave a small sigh, then let himself sit on the floor. She followed immediately, her hands going to his shoulder.

"Hector. Please." It was a word she did not know she was ever going to use. But she was using it now, very willingly too.

A pouch of coins jiggled on the floor, and the woman ran to pick it.

"When did he say he would come to see you tomorrow?"

The woman looked up to Adrian. "After...the bell...the first ring. That was what he said."

Adrian smiled. "Naive hector. Look at him bawling on the floor for his mother."

The woman smiled and nodded. "Do I keep these with me?"

Adrian nodded. "You will need it to look like his mother tomorrow." He smirked at the protrait of the woman he held in his hand. "Otherwise, you look nothing like her."

"But...if I understand...you want the Queen for yourself. You want her to leave him. Then why are you makimg him kill her? What if he succeeds?"

Adrian snickered. "Peasants and nobles really do think differently." He adjusted his tunic. "He will not succeed. He will not be able to kill her. But for his mother, he will attempt. And that....that attempt is enough. A servant who got lucky with the Queen and immediately tries to kill her to take the throne for himself... Brilliant."

She nodded as he smiled, and he turned away and left the palace.

"Hector?" Queen Elvira said again, shaking him gently.

He looked up at her. "Can I at least dress first?"

She pulled away. "Of course, I am sorry."

She watched him walk away, her mind reeling. What special dungeon was there? How can there be such a structure in a palace she knew inside out and she did not even know? It was not possible.

She hit here fingers on the floor as she waited for him to emerge. He looked like he was taking his time, and when he finally did, she could not wait any longer.

"Tell me where it is, Hector. I want to know. I will find out about everything that is happening there. If your mother too is there..."

"I saw her. your highness. And to be honest, it helped."

"What?"

"If someone else had told me my mother would be there, right on the day we are getting married, with the keys and all the gore...I would call the person a liar."

She watched inexplicable emotions flicker in his eyes, and it scared her. He was talking about his mother, but he did not seem too affected. In fact, if anything, he just seemed...distracted.

"Something is wrong somewhere, Hector. You are not the same."

"And it has only been some time. I am still new into this whole thing."

She leaned to him. "Tell me what it is. Tell me what is happening."

"Do you remember what you told me? The first night has to be uneventful first...were you expecting something?"

She nodded. "Our marriage is not exactly the council's favorite thing."

"And mine too." He added, a little too honestly, but she ignored it.

"Are you saying something is going to happen?"

His eyes turned cold. "For some reason, your highness...someone is after your life. And I...am the bait."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean? How do you know that?"

He sighed. "The woman in that dungeon.." He let his voice trail off, letting her image fill his mind again. "Curse me if she is my real mother."