the cold duke : derrick eckhart

eight

Shyly you give him a smile, he seemed pretty embarrassed to open up to you like that. It made so happy to finally reach a new stage in the relationship.

You exit the room content with what happened, Reynold angrily walks by bumping you aside. You shrugged it off and continued making your way to your bedroom. Doing as Derrick said you didn't go to Penelope just in case she was still upset.

Over the next couple days almost everyone in the dukedom was replace while the head chef was fired with all her letters of recommendation being torn to shreds. It was a nice site to see.   This was something you dreaded, which was walking into the knights training areas but it had to be done if you wanted to see Derrick.

All the knights who were training stole glances at you, this attention you were getting was unpleasant to say the least. "Lady Elianna should I escort you to the master?" A knight walks up to you giving you a polite bow. You had no choice but to go along with him since you didn't know where Derrick's office is. The knight lead you to a long staircase, "the master is on the very top floor" he says leaving. Lifting up your dress you begin to climb up the stairs.

Huffing and puffing you finally made it, "I really need to work out" you say trying to catch your breath. Your legs wanted to give out but you endured it, and knocked on the door. You slowly entered the office to see a hard working Derrick. Unlike his normally clean appearance this time his hair and clothes were slightly messy. He glanced up and watched you desperately take a seat on the spare seat. "Your father asked me to deliver a message to you" you managed to say after catching your breath. It was hard to pretend to breathe fine after that long journey up the stairs. He slid some water towards you, he watched as you took the water. "I've started to plan our wedding, so I need you to accompany me to the seamstress as so we can decide on a dress and suit," you relay the Duke's message to the young master.

He gets up from his seat adjusting his clothes and hair. You also get up and head towards the door. When you had opened it, a lot of knights were outside the door listening in. They stood up straight as Derrick joined you. "Do you need something? Since you are lurking here" Derrick says proceeding to walk down the stairs.

These dreaded stairs are going to be the end of you. He had slowed down his pace for you, it was his way of showing that he cares. His hand finds its way to yours, unlike yours his was warm. Once you were out of the building you stepped inside the carriage waiting for him. There was another carriage in front that's why Derrick went to check it out. He swiftly returns taking his seat in front of you. "It appears the lady is going out today" he says as the carriage begins to move. You couldn't help but smile to yourself, his gaze lingered on you. Both of your eyes met, "may I ask why you are smiling?" He says in a tone that tries to hide his curiosity. You moved your purple locks back, "because you act like you don't care, when in reality you care the most," he remained his composure when he heard.

Her new body guard was accompanying her, "Eckles was it?" He raises his eyebrows waiting for you. "He seems like an okay man, I can tell he genuinely wants to protect her," you come to terms accepting him. "Tell me my duchess do you want a knight like him?" He says in a low voice his gaze pierces through you. "I don't need protection since I have the young duke" you shyly respond earning a slight smile from him.

The seamstress bowed to the both of you when you arrived, "Lord and Lady Eckhart! It's an honor to be able to create your outfits for the wedding," she explains her gratitude. As news traveled about the wedding planning common folk were addressing you as an Eckhart. You and Derrick were separated and brought into different rooms to begin the fitting.

The seamstress was taking your measurements, you couldn't help but notice that Derrick looked visibly uncomfortable. He finished first and made his way over to you. You however were in the middle of trying on a wedding dress that you didn't notice him standing there leaning against the wall. His strong gaze was on you as his eyes softened at the sight. With a smile on your face you turned around to look at him, "do you like this one?" You said twirling around in the white dress. "That's not for me to decide Lady Elianna" he says his eyes still locked onto yours. You hid your small blush from him, "Ms, Ivy could you make it a ball gown please?" The seamstress nods and begins drawing the sketches.

"I'll go and find us a place to eat lunch" Derrick says leaving the place.

*****

When you had finished you stepped outside to see him talking with some knights. You stood next to him as he immediately took hold of your hand. It took you by surprise but he kept holding it, "there was a runaway carriage earlier, luckily I managed to put a stop to it," he explains to you. Looking over at the horizon you saw the crashed carriage, luckily Derrrick was there to stop it.

Now it was time for the hunting festival to begin.

Thank you for reading