Hector turned on the BB-8 night light, checked the closet for vampires, and kissed Coco 3 times on the forehead just like he did every night before bed. However, this night was special. In his hands, he clutched as storybook with shiny gold lettering and a watercolor picture of a kissing couple on the cover. He could hardly wait. Tonight, he planned to share one of his favorite stories in the world with one of his favorite people in the world.

"Ready for your bed time story, mi vida?" He asked

"Si, Papa," Coco beamed from beneath her pink, flowery comforter. She kicked her feet and hugged her Chewbacca plushie close to her chest. It was Saturday night. Papa always told the best stories on Saturday nights. She didn't need to get up for school the next day, so the stories were longer and more exciting. Her favorites were adventures. Sometimes he'd make up stories about Rey and Finn traveling the galaxy and fighting the First Order. Other times he'd read a couple chapters from a real book, mostly recently the first Harry Potter. Tonight, he carried a book she'd never seen. He'd read her old stories from books he had when he was kid before. Sometimes they were okay (not enough lightsaber battles, though). But she peaked at the cover and saw that it had (ugh) kissing.

"I hope you like it. It's one of my favorites," he said, opening the book. "It's called the Pirate Bride."

"Pirate Bride?" Coco asked, intrigued. "So the pirate is a girl?"

Hector chuckled. "Just wait and see."

[-Story Time-]

Young Lord Hector grew up in a small village on the outskirts Kingdom. His parents were Lord and Lady of the Southlands of the small kingdom where they lived. However, when he was eight, they sent him to be raised by a simple peasant family. Though they loved their son, they had to send him away for his safety.

You see, he was around the same age as Prince Ernesto, and he loved music just like the prince. This made him a prime candidate for the position of Royal Companion, someone who would be obligated, by law, to act as the prince's best friend. This could be a very good job if the prince or princess was a good, kind person. However, the de la Cruz family ruled and they were notoriously jealous people. Royal Companion was a very dangerous position under them, as if the Royal Companion made even one more friend, they were locked in the dungeon for the rest of their days. It was rumored that Prince Ernesto set his sights on the young lord, and this scared his family. Hector was a very friendly and outgoing young man and his parents knew if he was appointed royal companion, he would be doomed. So, they asked a kind, trusted shoemaker family to take him in, hoping Prince Ernesto would forget all about him.

Hector spent his days at the workshop playing music, studying politics, and forever bothering the shoemaker's daughter, Imelda. He was very bad at making shoes and he always had to ask her to help him fix his mistakes. Every time, she'd grab the shoe from him and sigh, "you idiot." This became her constant refrain. He'd do something unbelievably clumsy, show off his musical skills, or tell her a terrible joke, and she'd always reply with "You idiot."

One day, he stopped her in the middle of her chores to play her the new song he wrote. It was upbeat, colorful, and full of life. When he finished, she smiled, shook her head, and laughed, "you idiot." That was the happiest day of his life, because that was the day he realized when she said "you idiot," she really meant "I love you." And that was enough to make his heart sing, because he truly loved her back.

[-]

"Papa..." Coco groaned, flopping back on her pillows. "Is this gonna be a kissing book?"

"There is kissing in it, yes," Hector answered. "Don't you like love stories? What about Frozen?"

Coco looked positively scandalized. "That is NOT a love story. Hans is a jerk!"

"Didn't true love save the day?"

"Anna and Elsa saved the day, not kissing."

"Fair point, m'ija," he conceded. "But love isn't all about kissing. You can have romantic love and familial love. Either way, it's still a powerful thing."

Coco looked skeptical. "More powerful than lightsabers?"

Hector leaned in and whispered like he was telling a secret. "More powerful than the Force." Coco's jaw dropped and he couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Let's keep reading, eh?"

[-Story Time-]

They began their romance in full that day. They spent every moment they could together. One of their favorite things to do was to go into town to listen to the musicians play. They walked hand in hand and kissed under the stars, too caught up in their love for each other to think about what it meant for the future.

One day, Imelda went into town to run some errands. While browsing in the market, she overheard two gossipy old ladies mention her and Hector's names. She tucked herself behind a food stall and listened.

"I mean, he is a Lord after all," one of the women said. "He'll have to go back to his family's castle eventually, and when he does, I doubt he'll take her."

"Exactly. He's probably already got a marriage arranged for him," the other one added. "It's not like a nobleman is going to marry some little cobbler girl."

"You'd think she'd know better than to fall in love with him," the first one said. "I guess she'll learn once he leaves her behind."

The two women walked away and Imelda was left with a sting in her heart. They were right. She and Hector were born into two completely different worlds. While she learned to make shoes, he learned how to run a region of a kingdom. He was born to be Lord of the Southlands. One day, he'd have to return to his nobleman's life and she'd still be stuck in her village. She felt so stupid for thinking their love would last. A lord would never take a peasant girl as his bride.

She felt a fire in her heart and decided, fine. Fine. If he thought he could make her love him then cast her aside, then fine. He could think that all he wanted. But she wasn't going to be the one left behind. She gathered all the money and possessions she had and took off on a ship in the night. She didn't need her young lord. She was going to go out into the world and make something of herself on her own.

Though Hector was deeply saddened by her sudden departure, he never gave up hope that she would return someday. He watched the coast every morning and every night, waiting to see her ship sailing on the horizon. However, one terrible day, the family received word that the ship Imelda boarded was taken by the Fierce Pirate Valentina Rodriguez. This pirate was known for taking whole ships in swift but ferocious battle and leaving no survivors.

One devastation followed another for Hector. A short time later, he received word that his parents were killed by a mysterious assassin and he had to return home immediately to take on his duties as Lord of the Southlands. Heartbreak after heartbreak left him feeling empty inside. Though he knew well the joy and ecstasy of love, his heart was crushed beneath the pain of loss. He vowed that if he had to live in a world without his family, without Imelda, he would never love again.

His new embargo on love served him well in the court….

[-]

"Embargo?"

"Embargo, it's like a ban. It means he doesn't want it. He keeps away from it."

"Oh, okay."

"Anyway…"

[-Story Time-]

His new embargo on love served him well as a nobleman. Prince Ernesto hadn't forgotten him in all those years away. He remembered Hector very well and still wanted him for Royal Companion. However, Hector's parents' worries about his easy way of making friends no longer applied. Hector closed himself off from people, preferring to spend his free time playing guitar alone. He didn't want friends or family for fear he would lose them again.

So, when Prince Ernesto sent for him to join the court as Royal Companion, Hector's only thoughts were about how it would benefit his people. Royal Companion had its perks. If he won favor with the prince, he could gain influence among the royals and help the average citizens of the kingdom who were so often forgotten or dismissed while the nobles clawed for power. With this in mind, Hector accepted the position and traveled to the kingdom's capital.

He met the prince before as a child, but wasn't sure what he was expecting now that they'd grown up. The prince was charming in a way that felt like he was putting on an act and was trying too hard to impress others. Hector felt sad for Prince Ernesto. He imagined it couldn't have been easy for the prince to make friends when everyone had their own agenda and wanted something out of him. He figured the act was the prince's attempt to be friendly while still keeping his guard up. Hector made an effort to be kind to Ernesto in hopes that the prince would learn what a real friend was like. Still, when he wasn't tending to the prince or running the Southlands, he preferred to spend his time alone, playing music and mourning the loss of his family and his love.

[-]

"Liking the story so far, m'ija?" Hector asked, looking up from the book.

Coco had her arms crossed and her lips set in a tight line just like her Mama did when she was upset. "Papa, Hector better not marry the pirate."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's called the Pirate Bride," she retorted. "And Hector didn't marry Imelda, so he might marry the pirate."

"What'd be wrong with that?"

"Uh, she killed Imelda!" Coco slammed her little fist down on the mattress. "How can he marry her after that?"

"We've only just begun the story," Hector said, unable to hold back his knowing smile. "We don't know what's going to happen yet."

"Well if Hector marries the pirate, I'll be mad," Coco huffed, crossing her arms again.

Hector laughed and ruffled her hair. "We'll see, but you know, things aren't always how they appear."