The Purple Wisteria Trees

Queen Elvira cleared her throat as the carriage door closed after Hector, and she adjusted. It was big enough for two, but somehow she felt a little tight. It would have been more than enough space for her and someone else, but with Hector, it was different.

Hector turned to her and gave an awkward smile, for the lack of something to say. He felt everything he had rehearsed talking about with her fly out of his memory now that he was actually here. He kept his gaze lowered, his eyes boring into his fingers.

"I feel like I am going on a ride with a stranger." Queen Elvira suddenly said, causing Hector to turn to her.

He coughed. "I forgot it all."

She raised a brow. "What?"

He immediately shook his head. "Nothing."

Was he about to tell her that he had spent all the time rehearsing lines just for him to forget them all? Not a chance.

"The palace we are going to...I think you would love it. The west sea is right at the foot of the castle, and on one of my visits there, I had adorned the place with purple Wisteria trees. Those look very beautiful especially now, and we can take a walk through them."

He nodded. "A Wisteria tree?"

She nodded. "You will see it once we get there."

"Did you...always plan on this or was this just to get out of the palace till the rumors die down?"

She turned to him. "I would be a liar if I said you are not under a lot of attack right now, but I would also be lying if I say I had never imagined going on a honeymoon with you."

He swallowed. He could never get used to her being affectionate to him. But was there ever a time when she was not?

"That night we drank...why did you cry?"

She looked down at her ring, the one whose band he was wearing. She looked away and gave a sigh. "I would rather not talk about it."

"I feel very remorseful. I have not been able to look past it. You are so strong. It means I must have done something very terrible to make you cry like that."

She nodded. "Very terrible indeed."

He gulped. She had never said it herself and he found himself becoming a little jittery. "Do tell me so I know how to apologize for it. Or make it up to you."

She turned to him. "I do know a way. Will you do it?"

He swallowed. It felt like he had been in this situation before and it did not exactly turn out to be in his best interest. But would he be Hector if he did not make promises against himself?

"Yes. Whatever it is."

She sighed and turned away. "When we get to the palace, promise me you will take me to the bath every morning, and then to the bed every evening, regardless of where I am."

He raised his brows, his eyes wide. "I do not.."

"I mean, you will carry me in your arms to the bath every morning, and then repeat the action every night to my bed. You will do it till we leave in a month."

Hector blinked rapidly, clasping his hand together. He was to carry her to the bath? Does that not mean she would not be in one of these royal dresses and would be in a smaller...

He shook his head.

"But your highness...the bath..."

"Will you do it or not?" She asked sharply, and she turned so their eyes met. He swallowed and leaned away.

"Of course. Every morning and every evening."

She smirked to herself. "There is one more thing."

"What?"

She turned to him. "Yes?"

He shook his nead. "Nothing. Please continue."

"I do not want you to address me as your highness. Call me by my first name, at least while we are here."

He thought about it. Her name was heavy to pronounce to him, like it carried the weight of her status.

"Yes..." he said, trailing off where he should have addressed her. He looked at her and their eyes met. "Your highness." He completed.

She raised a brow and he gave a small smile. "We are not...at the castle yet."

It made her laugh despite herself and she turned away, remembering all the reasons she had known it was him she wanted, despite Lana, despite him being her servant, despite Adrian and everyone else.

"There is a punishment, however." She said after regaining her breath.

He nodded. He had expected it, and could almost tell what his punishment was.

"A punishment?" He asked, still. He probably liked to talk to her, or maybe it was just how different their way of speaking was. Hers was confident, assertive. His was submissive, low.

"Yes. If you ever forget to do any of those things...you have to write a letter to me."

His eyes widened. He was wrong about his punishment, and both that fact and the punishment itself surprised him.

"A letter? What do I say in the letter?"

She shrugged. "Whatever you feel like saying to me. Probably the things you forgot...or the things you just can not bring yourself to say. We all have one or two things that are a little heavy, do we not?"

He nodded. He had more than one or two, but would he even be able to put them down in a letter? More than the saying itself, he was more apprehensive about the way she would look at him after it.

"Yes. We probably do."

She smiled. "If you want to avoid saying them, you should not forget your duties."

He nodded, determined not to, if that was his only way out of having to write the letters. "I will not."

She smiled and turned away, her heart excited. The honeymoon itself was not so exciting to her. The palace was one she had practically designed herself, so it was not new to her.

But being there, alone with Hector would be new. Walking under the purple wisteria trees with him would be new. Having him write letters to her would be new. Having him carry her in his arns every morning and evening would be new. And she was looking forward to it.