Ernesto and his entourage rode to the location his lookouts gave him. They said they spotted Héctor being dragged along by another man. They were confronted by a masked woman, presumably a pirate. After a wager involving poison, the man collapsed to the ground and the woman intercepted Héctor, dragging him away herself.

They came to the place where Héctor was last spotted. There, they found one canteen and the man still lying on the ground. Ernesto dismounted his horse and approached the kidnapper. He recognized the man as a diplomat from Santa Anthony. So, they were behind this. His blood rushed with cold fury and he kicked the man in the side. Death came too easily to him.

To his shock, the man on the ground started coughing. "He's alive," he shouted. His associate also climbed down from her horse and joined him in looming over the criminal.

The man slowly sat up and opened his eyes. When he saw whose presence he was in, he scrambled to his knees. "Prince Ernesto. I'm sorry to have met you like this. I didn't expect-"

"Calm yourself, señor," Ernesto said, putting on his most princely voice. "No need to be frightened. I am out looking for my companion. I received a horrible note saying he'd been abducted and a lookout spotted him here. Have you seen anything strange?"

"Yes, yes, I saw him. He was with the pirate Valentina Rodriguez. I'm sure of it. I tried to interfere but she was too quick for me."

"Really?" Ernesto's appreciative smile had a hard edge which was hard to ignore. "Did you see which way they went?"

"No, she knocked me out before they took off," The old man answered.

Ernesto smirked and rubbed his chin in faux contemplation. "It's interesting. My lookout reported that she intercepted him from you."

"No, that's not true," the old man panicked. "Héctor's been my friend for years. I would never truly hurt him."

"Truly?" Ernesto pressed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, I…"

"Did you threaten him?"

"No, I-I…"

"And what exactly is a Santa Anthony diplomat doing on my hunting grounds?"

The man looked like he was about to collapse. "Please, Prince Ernesto," he begged. "My duty is to maintain peace between our two kingdoms. I would never jeopardize that peace. I…"

Ernesto chuckled and guided the old man to his feet. "It's alright. If you want to prove your dedication, you can run a message for me. If memory serves, you are very familiar with that sort of task."

The man was still shaking, but the fear was starting to leave his eyes. "Yes, Prince Ernesto."

"I have a lookout stationed east of here," Ernesto said, pointing into the distance. "Run to them and tell them to be on the watch for the pirate Valentine Rodriguez with the kidnapped Lord Héctor."

"I will. Right away."

The man took off without hesitation, the fool. Ernesto whistled for his squire who brought him his bow and a quiver of arrows.

"My prince," his associate called from where she knelt in the grass. "There are tracks here. They lead this way."

"Gracias Doña," He said, lining up his shot. "We will follow them as soon as I am finished here."

He watched as the old man ran into the distance. Once the man was far enough away that he might be starting to hope, Ernesto released his bow string. The arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in the old man's back. He fell to the ground. Satisfied, Ernesto handed his quiver and bow back to his squire and mounted his horse.

The man was a fool to think he'd get away with it, to think his crime would go unpunished. He signed his death warrant the moment he touched the royal companion. Lord Héctor was a steward of the Prince. He belonged to Ernesto. And Ernesto did not let anyone take what was his.

[-]

The hours ceased to exist for Héctor and Imelda and they lost themselves in each other's arms. They spent many long years apart and had to make up for lost time. Their moment was interrupted, however, when they heard hoof beats thundering above…

[-]

"Ew, Papa…"

"What?" Héctor asked, lowering the book.

"Were they kissing for that long?" Coco stuck her tongue out to properly express her disgust.

"Well, I'm sure it wasn't that long."

"Do you kiss Mama for that long?"

Héctor felt the heat rising in his cheeks and dove his nose back into the book. "Let's just get back to the story."

[- Story Time-]

"No, Ernesto," Lord Héctor breathed as he looked up at the hunting party at the top on the ravine. "He'll have you killed if he finds you."

Imelda sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Can't you just tell him I'm not the one who kidnapped you?"

Héctor crawled up against the side of the ravine for a closer look. "No, Ernesto has his arrows with him. If he suspects you, he'll shoot you before I have the chance to explain." He slid back down to the bottom and helped Imelda up. "We can't let him catch up to us."

"Then let's go. This way." Imelda took him by the hand and pulled him toward a thicket of trees west of the ravine.

"Through the geyser swamp?" Héctor gasped, scrambling to keep pace. "It's impossible to survive in there."

"Nonsense. Just because no one's survived yet doesn't mean no one can."

[-]

"So, I realize this might be an odd time to ask this," Héctor said, jumping out of the way of an erupting geyser, "but what exactly happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Imelda asked, cutting down some vines with her sword.

"Last anyone heard, your ship was attacked by Valentina Rodriguez, but now you are Valentina Rodriguez. Does your family know you're alive?"

"They do," she answered. "I sent them a letter as soon as I could telling them I was fine and I'd found a lucrative job. I wrote them as often as I could," she threw a sharp glare over her shoulder, "which is more than I can say for you. That's how I knew you left them."

Héctor's insides went cold. She still thought he abandoned them? "I had no choice."

"You could have at least wrote to them," Imelda countered, a hard edge on her voice. "Just a letter or two wouldn't have hurt."

You have no idea… "I kept in touch at the beginning. I sent them at least one letter a week. But then Ernesto made me royal companion. He noticed that I still wrote to them and he knew they helped me hide from him. He started making comments about how old they were getting and how I shouldn't be surprised if they died soon." He shivered as he remembered the smirk that accompanied these suggestions. "I had to cut off all contact. I wanted to write one last time to explain, but I knew Ernesto had spies reading my letters. I'm sorry. I never wanted to do it."

Imelda glanced back at him again, her face softening. "Well, at least you had noble intentions," she sighed, before silently continuing to hack away at the brush.

Héctor couldn't help but notice she never offered an explanation to him. "Imelda…" He grabbed her hand and took her in his arms. "Everyone thought you were dead. I was heartbroken. I thought I'd never love again. But here you are. Just talking to you right now is a miracle. Please tell me how this is possible."

She smiled at him the way she did the last time he held her like this. For a moment, they were kids again, discovering love in the grassy hills of the town they grew up in. A geyser erupted behind them, causing them both to jump closer together.

Imelda laughed and turned to continue their trek through the swamp, this time keeping one hand in his. "I didn't lie before," she explained. "My ship was attacked and I did tell Valentina Rodriguez that I had no intention of dying before I earned my fortune. She told me I had enough spirit to be a pirate and she invited me to join her crew. Over the next few years, we sort of became friends. She'd often take me aside and teach me about the finer points of leadership."

Another geyser interrupted them, temporarily splitting their hands apart. When it settled, they reconnected and she continued her story.

"One day, she invited me to have dinner with her in her galley. There she told me she wasn't the original Valentina Rodriguez. Her name was Juanita. She'd inherited the title from the last Rodriguez who was now retired on an island, rich enough to never have to work another day in her life. Apparently there's a while line of Rodriguezes and she'd chosen me to be her successor. With a legendary name like Rodriguez, she said, you hardly have to do much. Crews will see you coming and abandon ship out of fear of the reputation. After that, all you have to do is board and take the cargo. It's the legend that holds all the power.

"She and the whole crew would retire and I would take over as captain. We ported at a known pirate den. The crew took their shares and went on their way and she helped me hire a new crew. She pretended to be my first mate and called me Rodriguez. She coached me for a few weeks through captaining the ship, then took her share and retired as well. I've been Valentina Rodriguez ever since."

"So you've been murdering and pillaging all this time?" Héctor asked, breaking his hand away.

"No, no murdering or pillaging, though there was thievery," she admitted. "You see, if Valentina Rodriguez really left no survivors, there'd be no legends. No one would know the name. Maybe the original really did earn her reputation, but not the crew I was on and definitely not on my crew. Most just abandon ship when they see my sails, but the ones that don't surrender on the spot. Everyone thinks they're the one lucky ship that was spared. That how much power the name holds. Just put out enough stories about ships you've burned and the legend will survive."

"What do you plan to do now?"

"Recently, I've acquired enough wealth for my crew to retire as well. I'll appoint a new Valentina Rodriguez, then I'll return to my family. We'll retire to a beautiful island," She turned back to Héctor with a mischievous smile and pulled him close, "and you will come with us."

"Me?" He said, stepping away. "Imelda I can't."

Her face hardened into stone. "If Ernesto's really as bad as you say he is, then you're not safe here,"

"It's not that simple. I can't just leave the Southlands without a leader."

"So, you plan to go back alone?" Her shoulders drooped and she scowled as she turned away and began half-heartedly cutting through the vines. "Just they said…"

"What do you mean?"

"The Lord of the Southlands would never take a shoemaker's daughter for his bride." Her voice sounded automatic, rehearsed, like she was parroting someone else's words.

"What?" Héctor rushed to her and gathered her in his arms again. "Imelda, I always knew I'd have to go back someday and take my parent's place ruling the Southlands, but I always intended to ask you to come with me."

"I'm not nobility," she stated, matter-of-fact.

Héctor laughed and shook his head. "So what? I don't care about titles. I care about you. I can't imagine loving anyone else."

Imelda's eyes glistened as she searched his face, looking for any hint of insincerity, but there was none to be found. She leapt up and kissed him. Another geyser went off somewhere in the swamp. They barely registered it.

Imelda pulled away, a smile still on her lips, but Héctor could see the wheels turning in her mind. Her face suddenly fell and she broke away from him. "Does that even matter now?" She asked. "How can we be together if you belong to Ernesto?"

Héctor rubbed his eyes and wracked his brain for an answer. Ernesto… Somehow, he'd forgotten. Even if they managed to slip past Ernesto's hunting party, he'd still need to explain why he was suddenly with this strange pirate woman. They couldn't elope. Ernesto would take that as an insult. He couldn't tell Ernesto the truth either. Imelda was a legendary pirate now. Ernesto would have not trouble finding cause to arrest her. But, if she were still just a shoemaker…

"We'll take your boat back to the Southlands," he said finally. "I'll go back to my estate and send a letter to Ernesto explaining that a mysterious woman rescued me and returned me home. You take your ship and finish getting your pirate affairs in order, then come back to me. Ernesto knows I have to marry eventually, and I've told him about my lost love. When you return, we'll say you weren't dead after all, just shipwrecked and you were finally able to make it home. You and I will marry and we can move your whole family to the estate."

"What about Ernesto's jealousy?" she countered. "He's famous for it, even across the sea."

"There's nothing that says the royal companion can't get married. Ernesto will have no choice but to accept it." It was perfect, really. As Lord of the Southlands, getting married was expected of him and it was expected of Ernesto to congratulate him.

Imelda still looked skeptical, but accepted his answer with a nod. "Alright, I'll trust you on this one, but I've heard things about Ernesto and if he ever tries to hurt you…"

"You'll just have to rescue me again, won't you?" Héctor flashed her a cheeky grin.

Imelda smirked and playfully nudged him with her elbow. "Let's try not to make a habit of it. We're not even finished with this rescue yet. Though it does look like we're almost out of the Geyser Swamp." She gestured with her sword toward a break in the trees up ahead.

"Wait!" Héctor grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"What's wrong?"

"What about the COUSes? They're said to guard the exit."

"Chihuahuas of unusual size? I don't think they exist."

A yapping ball of fur leapt out of the bushes and pounced on Imelda, knocking her to the ground. It snapped at her as she tried to push it away. Héctor grabbed it by the tail and dragged it away. It turned on him and tried to bite at his ankles. He picked up a branch and swung at it, but even a knock to the head didn't seem to deter it.

Jaws wide open, it made a lunge for his knee. Suddenly, it was jerked back as Imelda grabbed its hind legs and swung it into a tree. It hit the trunk and fell to the ground. It lay stunned as they backed away, Imelda's sword raised. After a few seconds, it regained consciousness and shook off its shock. It leapt for them, but got caught up in the scalding hot water of an erupting geyser.

When the water receded, the creature lay crying and twitching on the ground. When she was sure it was no longer a threat, Imelda slowly approached it and plunged her sword into the poor thing's heart, putting it out of its misery.

[-]

"Papa?"

"Yes, Coco?"

"You know the Chihuahuas that live next door?" she asked, squeezing her Chewbacca plushie tight. "How big are they going to get?"

Héctor lifted the book to hide his laughter. "Don't worry, Coco. I think they're full grown." She had a point, though. Those little ankle biters were filled with more rage than their bodies could handle. If they were any bigger, they'd be more terrifying that an angry Rottweiler.

"Okay, can we get back to the story now?"

[-]

With the beast vanquished, Imelda and Héctor were able to exit the geyser swamp. They thought they'd cleared their last obstacle, but as soon as they stepped through the trees, they found themselves surrounded by Ernesto's soldiers, with the Prince himself at the head. "Surrender," he demanded.

"You mean you wish to surrender to me?" Imelda sniped. "Very well, I accept."

"You're in no position to play games," Ernesto said with a sneer. "You've kidnapped my royal companion. If you don't surrender him, you will die here and now."

"You'll have to catch us first," Imelda countered. "We survived the geyser swamp. We can hide comfortably in there, so if you think you're brave enough to follow us in…"

"I'll give you one more chance to surrender peacefully."

"Not happening."

Héctor heard some rustling behind them. He turned to see two crossbowmen hiding behind the trees with their weapons aimed at Imelda's back.

"I won't ask again! Surrender!"

"Never!"

"Stop!"

Héctor leapt onto Imelda's back, sending them both to the ground. He made sure to shield every inch of her body with his. A few feet away, a crossbow bolt embedded itself in the dirt.

"Héctor, what-" Imelda grumbled, trying to buck him off of her.

Héctor shushed her and lifted his head to face Ernesto. "Don't hurt her."

"What? She kidnapped you."

"No, she rescued me," Héctor answered. "Do you remember when I told you about my lover who I thought was dead? This is her. After her ship was attacked, she became a sailor to survive. Promise not to hurt her and let her return to her ship, and I will go back with you."

"Very well," Ernesto said in his most stately voice. "You have my word."

Héctor got off of Imelda and helped her to her feet.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Can we still be together now that he knows who I am?"

"I don't know." He reached out and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "But I love you more than anything in this world. I thought you were dead once and it almost destroyed me. I can't let anything happen to you. I don't think I could survive that a second time."

"Héctor…" Her eyes glistened again.

He gently placed his thumb on her chin and kissed her one last time. They were interrupted by Ernesto loudly clearing his throat.

"Are you coming?" he demanded.

"This isn't the end," Imelda said, turning Héctor's face back to her. "I'll come back for you again. I promise."

Their fingers lingered on each other as they separated. A soldier handed a horses' reigns to Héctor. He mounted it and joined Ernesto's hunting party.

"Doña," Ernesto called to his associate. "Make sure our friend is taken care of." He lead the party away, Héctor taking one last glance at Imelda before riding off.

Imelda was left behind with Doña and three other soldiers. "I'm perfectly capable of making it back to my ship without an escort, thank you."

Doña laughed and her lips curled into a sinister smile. "Don't worry. We're not escorts."

The soldiers closed in on her, cutting of her escape route. She looked up at Doña and scrutinized her face. "Has anyone ever told you, you look like a Chihuahua?" she asked with a smirk. "I may know someone who's looking for you."

Before she could get a reply, a soldier clubbed her on the back of the head and everything went black.