Another Elite (Book 2 of Selection fanfics)

Chapter 23

"Darling, you don't have to keep thanking me. I gave those to you weeks ago." Derek laughed lightly, his arm looped through mine as we walked through the gardens.

"Of course I do! They're the best thing anyone's ever gotten me," I admired the luxurious brown riding boots yet again. It was a little chilly outside, but I'd jumped at the chance to go for a ride with Derek. The shoes he'd given me were so different from the cowboy boots I wore at home, but they were so comfortable I barely missed my old pair.

"Well, I'm glad you like them," he planted a swift kiss on my cheek as we neared the stables. "And again, are you positive your wrist is fine?"

I rolled my eyes at his concern; it was sweet, but it had been days since the skirmish with Avalee. "I promise, I'm fine." I spoke as I waved my wrist in the air to prove it.

"Alright." Derek sighed in defeat and led us up the walkway to the stables. I never tired of seeing the deep red of the barn or hearing the snorts and whinnies of the horses. It reminded me of home, even though our barn was a shack compared to this.

Straw crunched under our feet as we walked past the stable boys carrying bags of hay and oats for the horses. I could see my breath in the cold and zipped my jacket tighter. It was oddly cold in Angeles, which was usually still fairly warm and sunny in the winter; I hoped we'd be lucky and get snow, but it was still unlikely.

A familiar whinny caught my attention. I pulled my arm away from Derek's and rushed to Vaca. Her white and black coat was sleek and shiny; she looked like she'd just been brushed.

"Hey girl," I cooed as I stroked her nose. She was so different from Duke, my horse back home, but she was the closest I had to him.

She snorted, flaring her nostrils as Derek walked up behind me. "Clearly she hasn't forgotten about you."

"I'm impossible to forget." I tossed my hair back in mock arrogance, earning a snort from both Derek and Vaca.

"Oh dear. You're turning into Genevieve," Derek shook his head, a look of fake fear on his face. I punched him gently on the shoulder before reaching to open Vaca's stall.

Someone cleared their throat behind us; both Derek and I turned to see a stable boy looking at us. "I'm sorry your highness, but you can't ride that horse."

Derek furrowed his brow. "I know it's my sister's. She's perfectly fine with Lady Erika taking her out today."

"Of course your highness, but that's not why," the boy shifted on his feet. "The princesses' horse is pregnant."

I gasped, clasping my hands together. "Aw!"

Derek still looked surprised. "Really? And which horse sired the calf?"

The stable boy looked uncomfortable. "Your horse, your highness. Fuerte."

At that, Derek looked positively horrified. He was frozen for a moment before he spoke. "You mean to tell me, my own horse impregnated my sister's horse?"

I tried to stifle my laugh but failed. "Derek, the horses aren't brother and sister as well."

Derek only sputtered, the stable boy looking as uncomfortable as he did. Boys.

I patted Vaca again on the nose. My parents horses had sired all of our own horses except for Duke and Amber's horse Felicity. I'd been young when Annika's horse, Star, had been born, but I still remembered her as a young calf. They were the sweetest thing.

After Derek had come to terms with Vaca's pregnancy, he led Fuerte out of his stall and we both climbed on his back. I sat behind Derek, my arms wrapped around him, as he led the horse into a trot and eventually a gallop. I loved the feeling of riding a horse; it was magical and every time the horse leaped it felt like we were flying.

Derek eventually stopped us at a grove of tall trees. He tied a long, loose rope that would allow Fuerte room to graze before helping me down to the ground. He sat down, leaning back against a tree before pulling me into the space between his legs. My back rested against his chest and my head found the crook in his shoulder. He pressed a soft kiss on the top of my head before twining his arms around me.

I would have fallen asleep if Derek hadn't spoken. "Do you like the palace?"

I thought for a moment. "I miss my family and the farm in Kent. But the palace has become more of a home to me than I ever thought it would."

"I'm glad," I felt him smile against my hair. "I was thinking of showing you the princess' suite soon." A tinge of shyness had crept into his voice.

"What's that?" I asked without turning around.

"It's where your room would be if-if we get married," he stumbled a little on 'if' like there'd been another word he wanted to use. "It's connected to my room. Nobody has used it since my grandmother."

"Oh." I smiled softly; somehow the thought of us getting married didn't seem so foreign now. I'd find myself daydreaming from time to time, thinking of Derek and I after the Selection. I knew I loved him and I knew that if he were to pop the question, I'd say yes.

"I can't wait for Christmas," Derek grinned suddenly, interrupting me from my fantasies. "And I can't wait to give you your gift."

"I can't wait to give you yours," I smiled too. I'd been preparing to give him his present for a while now and I was beyond excited.

"You don't have to get me anything, darling." Derek looked down at me, his eyes an even lighter shade of blue in the cold.

"Of course I do. You've already given me these," I motioned to my shoes. "And it's the least I can do for you. You've put up with me for the past few months."

"These past few months have been the best of my life," Derek quirked his mouth into a grin before lowering it to mine. My hand, cold to the touch, reached up to his cheek but he didn't flinch. Instead, he pulled me closer until I was practically sitting on his lap, one arm twined against his neck. These kisses were so different from our last ones in his room, hurried and frantic and heated. These were slow and lazy, as if we had all the time in the world.

We pulled away at the same time but Derek's eyes never left mine. "I love you, Erika."

"I love you too, Derek." I spoke, resting my forehead against his. His hands held mine, rubbing comforting warm circles. We stayed like that a few minutes longer, quiet, but never moving. Only when Fuerte snorted did we decide to get up. Derek helped me to my feet, pausing to look at me. His eyes twinkled with something new that hadn't been there earlier. Nothing bad, but his blue eyes seemed clearer, as if a weight had been lifted.

I said nothing as we rode back to the stables, content with resting my head against his back. He held my hand as he walked me back to my room, kissing me goodbye before walking away, a lighter spring in his step.
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I love them. Seriously, my heart is so full whenever I get to write a Derika filled chapter.

So there will probably be one more chapter before the Christmas one, and then after that Erika's family will be back! I literally can't wait, I've missed writing the Carpenter family.

QOTC: Eye color?

AOTC: In general terms, they're green. But my eyes have this funky dark blue ring around them, and the rest is a mixture of mostly green, with a little blue and brown.

Please comment and vote, I hope you enjoyed!

xoxo, _lovemultifandoms_