the cold duke : derrick eckhart

twelve

Due to the danger in front of you your body began to shake. Penelope froze in shock as she stared at the beast.

People were running, bodies were falling. The beast flung an attack directly towards you as you felt Derrick grab you as the two of you fall to the floor. "Penelope!" You cried trying to get up to save her.

However you couldn't get up, from the corner of your eyes there were a group of people in cloaks casting spells. Kallisto was seen trying to fight off the monster but his attacks weren't working no matter how hard he tried.

On the other side you could see a woman enter the banquet, "how did you get in!" They screamed at the woman who didn't seemed fazed by it. Her green eyes pierced through as white light began to surround Lady Penelope. She was an enemy.

Derrick's eyes locked onto yours snapping you out of your thoughts. "Stay here! I'll bring Penelope soon" he says patting your head as you hid under the table your eyes lingering on the strange woman.

The monster suddenly came behind Penelope, from under the table you got up and darted towards her. As Reynold's and Derrick's yell echoed through your mind. The strange woman pulled you back, her touch was cold. "PENELOPE!" You cried out as the woman refused to let you go. Getting angry you turned to look at her, "get off of me!" She continued to ignore you as her eyes were locked onto an aristocrat who also looked concerned for the Princess.

Nothing happened as Penelope began to use her crossbow shooting those things. You turned around to see the woman who was now long gone. You ran to Derrick who hid you behind the dangers. "Help her!" You asked him. He grimaced, "my sword has no affect," your face fell when you realized she was on her own.

Everything came to a stop when everyone began to cheer.

You pulled Penelope in for a hug, "I'm sorry I tried to grab you!" You cried to her as she held you. Her body was shaking, as she looked directly at the aristocrat and the prince. Both of them including her brothers had ran to her aid.

When the culprits were captured it turned out to be a bunch of children, it saddened you to see all these children being used for such evil. "Please let me take care of the children!" The man from earlier said. Vinter Vernandi was his name. Everyone was hesitant until the same woman from earlier arrived.

"Lady Amaya," Kallisto said diverting his attention towards her. She gave him a slight bow and proceeded to kneel down in front of the children. After a while she looked up, "Let the marquis take them" she said looking directly at Kallisto. Who gave her a scowl, "this is an attack on the prince they should be given death" he says. The woman scoffs, "these are kids, the sooner they remember the faster you can kill the bastards that did this" she says trying to reason with him. This woman surely knew how to control him.

"I agree with Sir Vernandi and Lady Amaya" Penelope adds in. Kallisto's expression changed when she began to speak. Her words meant something to him, after all she was the one who saved everyone. "Fine load them in his carriage and Amaya go back to your precious church your presence makes me wanna vomit" he harshly tells the other girl. She rolls her eyes and follows Winter with the children.

Derrick comes up to your side, "stay with" he couldn't finish his sentence when the purple haired woman approached you. "ELIANNA!" Your name echoes through you as memories flood your mind. "I I mean Lady Elianna are you alright?" Mother says remaining her composure you could tell she was worried about you. "My wife doesn't need strangers looking after her" Derrick coldly tells her walking you away from her and towards Penelope, Iris and Emily. "I need to help the prince so stay here" he says leaving you alone.

When you had arrived Penelope was no longer there, Iris hugged you once more as Emily paced back and forth. Her hands were trembling, her pupils were wide "Emily?" She snaps up, you smiled at the girl "join us" she shakes her head. "I'm a mere maid" she gets cut off by your best friend who was nuzzled into you due to being much shorter "I'm a bakers daughter and here I am touching the duchess" she says pulling her in.

From what Iris told you Penelope had gone to talk to Winter.

Reynold stomped towards the group, he was angry about something. "Does the duchy prince need a hug too?" Iris sassily says as Reynold gives her a scoff. Iris was the type of girl who didn't treat people differently from their status. "For your information I only take hugs from pretty girls" he tells her. Iris extends her arms, "come on I don't bite" she giggles. "Elianna are you really friends with this" he says giving Iris a weird look. "Don't answer that of course you are, anyways where's Penelope" you shrug.

"She's talking to some rich pretty boy" she gives him a wink sending him off angrily.

You could now hear some yelling mostly coming out of Reynold's mouth. If only he had protected her from the real threat being the crowned prince instead of the handsome marquis that treats her with respect.

Soon Penelope comes back dragging Reynold with her, he had enraged her. "I have to go" the brown haired girl told you as she ran back to her father. The Duke was now standing by your side as he yelled out his daughters name. "You sure you are okay? You fell to the floor pretty hard" Penelope says diverting her attention to you. You smiled at her, "of course now lets talk about how badass our princess was" you says earning a shy smile from her.

"I'm proud of you my daughter" giving from the light expression on her face she was happy to hear that from him.

****

You sat in your cabana now freshly changed and ready for sleep. The duke had said Derrick was in the cabana next to yours but he still hadn't arrived. A pair of men's shoes stopped in front of your cabana sending alerts throughout your body. From the corner you grabbed Derrick's spare sword that you didn't even realize it had been left here instead of next door.

When the cabana opened you tried swinging but it was too heavy. When you opened your eyes Derrick was standing there giving you a blank look. You dropped the sword which he caught and gave him a fake smile. "Shouldn't you be next door?" You asked laying down trying to avoid what happened.

He sits down instead of answering, you turned around to see him taking off his shirt. You turned back around "I think you are lost" you stumbled through your words trying not to visualized what you witnessed. "Darling we are a married couple, we share our cabana" fireworks erupted through your system when he called you darling. You turned back around to see him changed into his night clothes.

He hopped into bed next to you, you continued to stare at him when he finally opened his eyes. "Say whatever you have to say" he asks annoyingly. Your heart was racing given how close he was to you. Your intrusive thoughts won as you placed your hand on his face. "I-I I'm sorry" you worriedly say putting your hand away just as he moved your hand to his chest.

Again his heart was racing, he shut his eyes pulling you close to him. His body was warm his other armed wrapped around your waist. "Did Evie?" you whispered unsure where you were going with this. His eyes fluttered opened locking with yours, perhaps it was the jealousy over your little sister being around him. "Do you hate it?" He whispers. You nuzzled into his chest, "I tend to be possessive because I'm used to getting what I want" you tell him.

He gives you a light chuckle.

"Be possessive all you want, after all I belong to you"

It's been a while....

I had major writing block and wasn't sure if I wanted to continue or just unpublish the whole thing

Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter :) thank you for reading