I Did Not Do It

"What? What do you mean? She is not your mother?"

He pursed his lips and brought her closer. Queen Elvira felt her heart skip two beats, as she turned, his face right next to hers, his breath sending dangerous cold down her spine. She found it hard to concentrate on what he was going to tell her as she tried to steady her breath.

"She is not. My mother...her hair was dark brown. Which this woman had...but I am not sure...she had black hair underneath. Something like that. And...my mother...she does not call me Hector. Because the name belonged to her father."

Queen Elvira nodded and slightly tilted her face towards his. She swallowed, her heart picking up rapid pace again. He turned to her, wondering why she was saying nothing, and their eyes met. Hers a little dark and distracted, his surprised.

He immediately loosened his arms around her shoulders and moved away, putting distance between them. She instantly felt cold, even though her chambers was considerably warm.

"What now?" She asked after regaining her breath.

"I told her I would come tomorrow. After the first ring of the city bells. She expects me to come with proof of your death."

"Why would she want to kill me?" Queen Elvira asked.

"I do not..want to elaborate on just how many people may want to do that."

"Is that including you?" She asked, her brows raised.

"No." He answered, quite simply.

There was silence. Questions on her mind. He would be free from her if he did it.

"Anyway...if she is using you as bait....then there is no way she would be in a dungeon. There are only two possibilities. She has an outside informant....or...there was no prison to begin with. You saw a market play before your very eyes and tomorrow...you will take me to see it."

Hector nodded. "I hope you find out who it is."

"Why?" She asked, chuckling. "Are you actually scared I might die? It would allow you to be with the woman you love."

He said mothing as he watched her, and said nothing even as she started to walk away. She had gotten to the door when he realized they were actually in her chambers.

"Your highness...this is your chamber. I will excuse you." He stood up and took his bathing robe.

"I do hope there will be a time when we will not have to excuse each other. I will wait." With that, she let him leave.

Hector got to his room and sat, his mind reeling. He wondered how hard it would have been coping with tons of people after things you had no choice but to accept. How Queen Elvira had to lose her parents and her youth to a kingdom that do not appreciate her...and how she had fallen in love with a man who would rather be with someone else.

He let his pity of her lure him to sleep, putting behind him the problems that came with the throne, his wife, the woman he wanted and everything else.

"Find any secret or abandoned structures on the palace. Find out what is on it and report to me. Do not let Hector know. Also, hand out an announcement to move the banquet till tomorrow night. Both Hector and I are tired from the ceremonies and we would like to take rest."

Donald bowed. "Yes, your highness " He said and promply left the room.

Hector straightened and pushed his hand into his hair, the rays of the sun filtering into his room. He had slept faster and longer than he had wanted to, and even though he felt relaxed, he felt like he was missing something.

He slowly opened his eyes, trying to remember what it was.

"Why do you look so disturbed so early in the morning?"

Hearing Queen Elvira's voice in his chambers did not even surprise him anymore, and he let his eyes roam around till he found her. She was standing next to the massive table on the other side of the bed, folding a white garment in her hand. She put it aside and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Good morning, your highness." He said. "I just feel like I forgot something...maybe from last night."

She shrugged. "Probably the banquet, but I had it moved. You can rest."

"Thank you."

She nodded. "Today, I..ujm..." She went silent as he sat up, watching her.

"Yes?"

"I made breakfast for you." She took in a deep breath as his eyes widened. "I realized...I would prefer...to have my husband be catered for by me. Not anyone else."

His lips parted in surprise as he took in her appearance. She did look a little haggard. Her hair was a bit out of place and she had a dough stain on her cheek.

It took him a while to get out of his shock and he shook his head. "Your highness...by yourself?"

He shrugged, trying to hide how nervous she actually felt. It had been her first time, and the highest she had let the servants do is tell her what to do and bring her things.

"I believe it is a wife's duty."

"Not a royal wife. You are a Queen." Hector said, vaguely realizing he had called her his wife.

"I am still a wife." She said simply, then stood. "Enjoy. I will get ready for later."

He stayed speechless as she walked out, holding what he now realized was an apron.

"Her highness had ordered for an investigation. Apparently, she wants to find abandoned places within the palace and the palace gardens that could be used as a dungeon."

Adrian smirked. "That lowlife. He caught on. But then, he would probably be stupid not to know his own mother." He flung the portrait away and shook his head.

Donald bowed. "What now? Do I report to her?"

"Yes, please do. Tonight will go on. Just a little differently."

Donald nodded and walked away, leaving Adrian sharpening his knife.

Queen Elvira stood in front of the doors to Hector's chambers, clenching and unclenching her fists. She was nervous after the breakfast, and that he had not come by at all, all day. Did he not like it?

She sighed and put her hand on the knob just as the door opened. Hector was standing on the other side, and his brows firrowed whenbhe saw her.

"Your highness..."

She blinked and swallowed. "I was just going to come in."

"Yes. The bell will ring soon."

She nodded. "You will go first and I will come with the troops."

"The troops?"

"Of course. What is the use of going there if we are not going to arrest her and the mastermind behind it? After all, they are trying to kill me." She said, studying his expression.

"Of course. That is right."

The first bell suddenly rang and Hector felt his heart jump into his throat.

"Are you nervous?"

He shook his head. "I will be fine."

She watched him leave, and her troops joined her where she stood.

The path was lonely as Hector made his way, His hand clasped around him. He turned to the palace. He could see a fairly large troop of soldiers and their fires, but he couldn't see Queen Elvira.

He took in a deep breath and continued on his way. He opened the door slowly, then walked in. He counted to six, and then stopped where his mother was.

"Hector," She said, her voice shaky. She looked like she had seen a ghost, and her face was pale, despite the dirt he now reakized was a little too fake.

"Oh, mother. How are you?"

The tension was high between them.

"I am..."

"I am keeping her well. You see." Adrian suddenly said, and emerged from behind the cells.

"What are you..."

Hector could not finish when they heard the loud sound of the approachinh troops.

"Unfortunately, Hector..I do not have much time."

Before Hector could vomprehend what he was saying, Adrian plunged his knife into the woman's stomach.

Hector gasped as the blood splashed onto his face and white robe.

"What..."

"My mistake," Adrian said, and laughed, then disappeared behind the bars.

Hector did not know where to go, and he found himself reaching out for the woman who had now gone limp.

"Are you...answer me." His hands were stained with her blood that had flowed out under the cell, and his robes had absorbed the color into them.

"Answer me," he said again, just as the door he had left unlocked clicked open.

He turned, just in time to meet Queen Elvira's eyes.

"Hector?"

"I...I did not do it."

Her brows furrowed in confusion, before she let her eyes wander to his bloodied hands, then the cell. The woman was half lying on the bars, the knife still stuck in her, her eyes wide open in a last expression of shock.

Queen Elvira gave a gasp and immediately turned and closed the door behind her.