The Masquerade Ball (A tale of Eswor Book 1)

12 years later

"Derrick! Leave me alone for crying out loud!" I shouted.

Derrick smirked, his bright blue eyes shining in mischief. "How can I leave you alone, when you come to me?"

"I only came to you because you called for me. Which I might add, is an abuse of your title as Crown Prince."

Derrick put his hand on my waist. "Is there a problem with that Kava?"

I frowned and shoved his hand off of my waist. Derrick was taller than me by at least a few inches. He was well muscled with broad shoulders from practising with a sword and long bow. He had short cropped brown hair and bright blue eyes. He and I were friends seeing how we were two of the three only children in court. He was only a year my senior at seventeen, and he enjoyed teasing me to no end, so he would call me out of my meetings. 

"Derrick you can't keep calling me out of meetings. Those are really important, and," I said glaring at him, "those meetings keep you safe!"

Derrick's playfulness went away as fast as it came. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Kava, I don't care about that."

I looked at him. "You should care about it. It's your safety and you're parents safety." I threw my hands in the air in exasperation. "Derrick this just isn't going to work."

Derrick rolled his eyes. He looked at me. "But I want to marry you, and you only. You're the only one for me."

I chuckled and patted his arm. "Oh I'm sure you'll find someone else, more eligible." I bowed. "Now if you'll excuse me Your Highness, I must be getting back to that meeting." I turned around and left Derrick standing in the garden.

I leaned against the wall and sighed. "When will he ever stop?" I mumbled under my breath.

Derrick has been chasing for my hand in marriage ever since his parents told him he had to look for a bride. Honestly it got annoying, I mean we could never get married, even if I wanted to marry him. Yes, I'm adopted by the Captain of the Guard, but that doesn't mean I'm his daughter by blood. Too many people at court wouldn't care for me being Derricks bride. Not that I would actually say yes. He's like a brother to me.

I sighed and started walking quickly, as I needed to get back to that meeting. I made it back and saw people on other ends of the room fighting. I sighed. "Derrick I'm going to kill you." I mumbled.

A few stressful hours later, I was walking down to the house that I lived in with Opal and Kinnley. I opened the door and walked into the sweet smell of venison stew. Opal looked at the door as I closed it.

"How was you're meeting with the guards?" Opal asked as I sat down.

I moaned. "Don't mention it."

Just then, Kinnley came in kissing Opal then sitting down. "It smells lovely, but I'll bet it'll taste better then it smells."

Opal rolled her eyes. "You always say that."

"And I'm always right." Kinnley smiled.

I grinned when I saw the two of them. Opal was beautiful with red hair, that was slightly grey and bright green eyes full of intelligence and grace. Kinnley was very handsome as well, with brown hair, slightly grey form stress and working, but he had kind soft brown eyes.

Kinnley had found me and taken me in when I was four or five. At the time, Opal had just married Kinnley and they found out that she wasn't able to give him children, so they adopted me. Both of them have been very kind to me and I love them dearly.