#hectelia

Ghost Hunters AU: Bhood and Edmund used to do ghost hunting, Hector married to Vedis and they used to travel out to do some hunts, Vedis gets killed in a horrific way and turns into a malevolent ghost/spirit, haunts Hector to kill off those that hurt him/them, Hector ends up killing a bunch of innocent people as Vedis is now evil/corrupted, Hector exorcizes Vedis to hell with Bhood’s help, Vedis still seeps through sometimes into Hector’s dreams but he can no longer actually talk to him/hear him, all that happened like 10 years ago???, fast forward to present day, still ghost hunting but it’s getting harder?, Edmund recruits Amelia, she’s a family friend, she and Hector butt heads at first, they discover why Ed recruited her, she has connection to spirit world, can see spirits/ghosts and communicate with them easily, they find out it’s caused her a lot of heartache and trauma from the past, a ghost she befriended possessed her father and he killed their family and almost her, she ended up exorcizing the ghost friend but her father is arrested for murder, Amelia tried to testify about the possession but no one believed her, her father got the insanity plea, father in an asylum since the possession and he isn’t the same, blames her for it all, Amelia haunted by other ghosts that have tried to force her to do things, became a loner since spirits/ghosts would get jealous of her friends and try to hurt them/get her to hurt them.

Hector and Amelia slowly fall in love and find comfort in one another.

Over all plot/conflict: Vedis and Amelia’s ex-ghost friend trying to come back to earth, Vedis jealous of Amelia being with Hector and wants her destroyed, ex-ghost friend wants her destroyed too, Vedis wants to control Hector again as well and kill the rest of the Bhood and Ed for helping exorcize him.

Something There

Rated: All Audiences

Word Count: 849

Adira sat alone at the large table in the dining hall. With Hector gone hunting and Quirin’s aid to the farmers starting at dawn, she was left alone for most of the breakfast meals. Amelia didn’t wake up early unless it was absolutely necessary.

She snickered remembering how one courier had woken her much earlier than needed. Amelia hadn’t physically lashed out at the mistake, but her grumpy demeanor and side-eyed glares could be just as bad as a slap across the face.

A familiar grumbling voice entered the dining hall and Adira looked up to see Amelia striding to the table. She plopped herself next to Adira with quite the sour expression.

“What? Did someone wake you up early again?” Adira teased.

“Bah no. I would be completely bitter if that was the case,” Amelia chuckled. “Just the kitchen staff now thinks I’m delusional.”

“Why is that?”

Amelia popped a strawberry into her mouth and savored it for a moment before replying with a gesture to the bowl in front of her. “It’s the fruit!”

Adira cocked a brow at the bowl, vaguely remembering something from a few weeks ago, “What about it?”

“Gods you think I’m crazy too,” she whined.

“You’re only a few cracks short of it, yeah.”

The memory surfaced a little more. It had something to do with Hector.

“Ha ha very funny Adira,” Amelia pouted.

“Okay tell me what it is that’s wrong. I promise I’ll keep my comments quiet until after.”

Despite wanting to completely remember the inkling she had, she hoped that Amelia’s story would fill in the pieces. 

Amelia huffed and straightened her posture. “When I first got here, I talked to the kitchen staff about the fruit shipments. They weren’t the best and I offered to help find some better options for getting better produce here. I’ll admit I was a bit whiny about it sometimes, but I just love fruit! It’s the one thing that really makes my day, besides the goods from the bakery. I even offered to help pitch in some funds if it was more expensive. Also I wanted fruit offered with breakfast.”

“So that’s why that got started up?” Adira nodded her head, but internally wondered what this was really about. Amelia was a long-winded person.

“Yes. I love to start my day with a nice assortment of fruit. The first week or two it was just a measly portion of fruit. The bowl was only half way full!” Adira fondly rolled her eyes. That was one of the first things they learned about her when she came to the Dark Kingdom. She loved fruit and if you got in the way of it, you saw her true wrath.

“I made a true diplomatic discussion with them about more fruit and it seemed like I was out of luck,” Amelia explained. Then her eyes brightened, “But I must have curried the favor of someone there as my bowl of fruit that next day was completely full! And it’s been that way for the last three weeks.”

Adira recalled this whole series of events, remembering Amelia’s persistent nature, but one memory poked through. Hector had complained of so much fruit being given. His time at the Great Tree had been quite the detriment to his taste buds. Anything with a strong taste or flavor was difficult for him to eat, even after almost a year of slowly easing him back into a normal and healthy diet. By this point, he could eat fruit but only in very small quantities.

Adira turned to face Amelia now, her body leaning into the table. “So what’s the problem then? Sounds like that’s a good thing.”

“Well, the last three days my bowl has only been half way full again. I went to ask them about this and why it changed, but they told me they have never given me a full bowl of fruit!” Amelia exclaimed, wildly gesturing her hands. “I had tried to ask them if someone had possibly been sneaking it to me in secret, but they said whenever anyone’s food has left the kitchen it’s always been the same portions. I insisted that I’ve had a full bowl of fruit for weeks now and they just looked at me like I had vines growing out of my ears. I just don’t know what to think!” She forced her bottom lip to stick out in a great show of her unhappiness. “At least I have some fruit for comfort.”

As Amelia devoured her comfort food, Adira remained silent, but a knowing smirk was growing on her face.

Hector had left for his hunting trip three days ago.

Turning back to face her almost finished breakfast, she was reminded of how Hector had complained of the amount of fruit. How he didn’t want it to go to waste and that he knew it wouldn’t be good for the animals. Then, he had heard Amelia complaining about not getting extra fruit. Hector had been extremely quiet after that.

Adira’s smirk had turned into a full on grin.

Hands

1500ish words

Fluff & suggestive material

"I thought you had a meeting with that one diplomat tonight?" Hector asked, pressing his lips to Amelia's bare shoulder.

She laughed softly, "Well, I may have asked Tegan to take him on a tour of the castle this evening. He agreed and rescheduled the meeting for tomorrow."

Hector chuckled and spoke between the soft kisses he lined down her back. "You always have somethin' planned, dontcha?"

She blushed at the attention he placed on her bare skin. Hiding her face from his view, she answered with a soft voice, "I missed you. You've been gone for two weeks. When I heard you were coming back early…well I wanted to see you once you got back. Meetings with diplomats can wait if they are staying here for a time…" Amelia rolled over onto her back and away from him, keeping her eyes averted from his. "Am I being too forward with my affections?"

Hector moved in close to her and pressed the back of her left hand to his mouth, "Nah, course not. I don't mind it."

Her heart skipped a beat at the press of his mouth to her hand. The conversation with Valeria from the other day wormed into her mind.

"That's how you know someone is spoiled. Just take a good look at their hands. Smooth hands, easy life. Rough, calloused, even scarred hands means someone worthwhile to have in your life. They know of hard work and sacrifice…"

Amelia's hands drew into her chest and clasped each other. She rolled over and off the bed, scooping up Hector's tunic off the floor. As she pulled it over her head, Hector sat up in her bed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just being ridiculous," Amelia mumbled, pulling her hair out of the tunic. She crawled back into bed and turned her back to Hector. Her fingers played with a stray strand of her hair.

"I can tell it's somethin' Amelia," Hector ran a hand down her side to her hip. "Whas wrong?" He kissed her neck, then nipped the skin. He smirked at the shiver it elicited from her.

She was quiet for a time, longer than he liked, before taking a deep breath and exhaling out a loud sigh. "It's just something Valeria said the other day…"

Hector grumbled something under his breath. "Why were you talkin' to her in the first place?"

"I wasn't talking to her," Amelia defended sharply over her shoulder. She turned away from him again and curled her legs up against her body. "I was just at the sparring ring-"

"Why were you down there in the first place?"

"Can I finish please?" Hector pursed his lips and nuzzled his face into her neck, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Thank you. And if you must know, I was going to see Declan and Finn." She hesitated before continuing, "She saw me enter the arena. She was training with some guards and showing them different disarming techniques. One of them got their hand cut. I stepped over just to see if they needed help. Valeria didn't say anything, so I wrapped up his hand. I was holding his hand in between mine and said it should only be a small scar.

"Then Valeria rested the end of her blade on our hands. I kept holding his hand as she proceeded to say…" Amelia stopped, remembering the disdainful look Valeria had given her. The scorn in her voice.

"What'd she say?" She could hear the edge in Hector's voice. A part of her wanted to rile him up, make him angry at Valeria. See what he would do. Gods, I have to stop this. That's not fair to anyone.

"Nothing. I don't want to make you upset with her. That's not fair to her or you." She turned onto her back, trying to give the impression she was fine.

"If she upset ya I wanna know. Just-"

"I worry that you feel the same way as her."

Amelia could feel his stare on her. He was quiet for what seemed like an eternity, the only sound filling her ears was her racing heartbeat. "Well what did she say? I can't tell ya if I feel the same way or not if I don't know what she said."

Her heart rate stayed at a running pace. The thought of telling him what she said....her mind conjured up the hardened expression he would have when she told him. Him telling her that Valeria was right… He had thought that about her once. That she was just a spoiled noble. He doesn't think that still…does he?

"Hey," Hector whispered, snuggling close to her. "It's okay. I'd never think somethin' bad about you."

"You did once." She regretted the words once they left her mouth.

His brow furrowed and his jaw clenched, but that couldn't hide the hurt in his eyes. "I didn't know you then."

"I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Seriously Amelia, what'd she say?"

She turned so her back was to him again. "I'm going to face this way."

"Kay?" She picked up on the air of confusion in his voice.

 She started to pick at her nails, still nervous despite turning away from him. "She…she basically said that you know someone is spoiled by looking at their hands. Smooth, pretty hands, spoiled noble. Scarred, calloused, worn hands means a hard worker." She hesitated, "That they are people worthwhile to have in your life. That they know of hard work and sacrifice."

There was another long silence. Amelia was sure he could hear her heart pounding away in her chest. Dread filled her as Hector's hands gently turned her body to face him. Her eyes looked at the scars on his chest and collar bone. She wouldn't look into his eyes. She didn't want to see the indifference there, or even worse the pity.

"Hey," he whispered, tilting her chin up and her gaze unwillingly met his. There was no contempt. No pity. Just tenderness. "Ya know, I might have thought that at one point in my life. But I don't now." Hector pressed one of her hands to his lips, then rested it on the side of his face. "I've learned that rough hands ain't the only way to show a hard worker or someone who knows of sacrifice."

"Then what does?" She held his gaze, genuinely curious to know his answer.

"Well, in your case, you're right your hands ain't scarred or even rough," Hector stated, looking at her hand. "But I can see the small callouses you have from writin' so much." His fingers traced the areas he spoke of. Amelia's somber expression lightened. "Sometimes ya got ink spots on your hands too. And they smell like the ink and parchment most times."

Amelia felt a warmth radiating from her chest and cheeks. Again, she was struck by how tender and sweet he could be. "Even my well manicured nails? That doesn't say I'm spoiled?"

"Ooh yeah," he drawled, his eyes hooded. "I love your nails. They tell me just how good of a job I do."

Her face went bright red. "Hector!" She playfully scolded.

"What? 'S true," He mumbled casually, wrapping her up in his arms. Her smile was wide and nuzzled into his neck. Hector rolled onto his back, letting her use his chest to rest on. His hands pulled the tunic she wore up, exposing her back to him. His fingers traced over her skin in random patterns.

There was a comfortable silence between them as they lay together. Hector was the one to break the silence, his voice taking a serious tone. "You've done a lot for the kingdom and the people in it. Anyone who tries to tell ya otherwise ain't worth arguin' with."

"Are you sure you aren't saying that because we're in a relationship?" Amelia asked quietly.

He snorted, "I knew that about ya even before we were together. You sacrificed a lot gettin' all that help from other kingdoms an' stuff. You hardly slept or ate when a few of those deals started goin' south. Then ya got them back on board with us. An' then there was that piece a shit diplomat that forced ya to take his deal."

"I wasn't forced Hector," Amelia cut in. "I made a decision. Albeit not the greatest one. But it was my decision."

He lifted up her chin, sighing deeply. It was an argument they had tried to hash out multiple times with no agreement in sight. “Still, you’ve done so much for gettin’ the kingdom back on its feet. Ain’t no one that can tell you otherwise.” He pressed his forehead to hers and rubbed their noses together. “You made me realize that fightin’ for one’s country can take on many different forms.”

Amelia smiled at him, “That was very poetic of you Hector.”

“What can I say? Ya rub off on me.” She giggled as he peppered her face with kisses. Their lips finally met in a soft, but ardent kiss. When they parted he laid his head back and began tracing her back again. His eyes were gentle, but intense at the same time, “I love you Amelia. I know I don’t express it in ways you understand as much, but I do. I love you.”

Summary:

Hector is a captain of a ship and crew (he used to be Edmund's first mate) and travels around doing piratey things. Edmund is retired after he lost his wife and son in a shipwreck. Quirin used to be a pirate but settled down with his family and became a farmer. Adira (also used to be a pirate) travels around and I see her joining Hector sometimes on adventures or hitching a ride to different places. Edmund asks Hector to find him a siren/mermaid, specifically a magic one that can track others, and bring it to him. In this world, mermaids are a rare delicacy believed to restore youth/ make you live longer. Hector does it without question but gets Quirin and Adira to help him as they are dangerous. They capture one and it's Amelia. On the trip getting her back to Edmund, she does end up befriending them as she is very curious about the human world despite her many trips she has taken to villages and stuff. She is also very sassy and saves them a few times. Hector almost lets her go before getting her to Edmund since he thinks Edmund is wanting to kill her to eat her or use her to find other mermaids to eat. Turns out Edmund wants her to find his wife as he believes she is a siren/mermaid and he wants to see her before he dies since his health is getting bad. Amelia can sense her on the other side of the world and they go to get her. On this adventure, Hector and Amelia fall in love and they get Edmund's wife back.

Said little snippet:

Her eyes matched the deep sea, dark blue and shimmering. He would know, having sailed it for most of his life. And the hellish hatred seething from her was something he was familiar with as well.

“Gotcha,” Hector smugly chuckled at the tangled mermaid. “Ole Edmund will be real happy ta see ya.”

The creature hissed, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Lashing out, it attempted to slash Adira, who easily sidestepped the attack. “Are you sure this is the one he wants?”

“Pretty sure,” Hector answered. “Edmund said he wanted one a the mystic ones, they got them extra fins an’ markin’s on ‘em. Supposedly, they go for the most and they’re the best to eat for restorin’ yer youth or somethin’. Just what’ve heard.”

“Is that what Edmund plans to do with her?” Adira asked, her brow furrowed. “I didn’t think Edmund was the kind of man to do that.”

Hector shrugged, “Dunno. Just doin’ what I’m told Adira.” She frowned, but said nothing else. Hector looked at the group of his men holding the mermaid, "Right, get her in that tank. Can't let her dry out now. Gotta make sure she's all pretty for Edmund." He turned to the rest of his men. "Remember! Avoid any and all direct eye contact with the mermaid, unless ya wanna be sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Now, back to the Dark Isle!"

The men dragged the mermaid across the ship's deck, her claws scratching into the wood. Hector watched carefully, when he felt his eyes locked with hers. Physically he turned himself, tearing his gaze from hers. He looked out over the decks railing as his mind reeled. There had been no malice in her eyes. Nor hatred. Only fear.