Derrick

Eight.

This chapter has 981 words in it. I'm sorry it took so long to update! There will be another chapter tomorrow that won't be uploaded at 1 in the morning. I promise :') Thank you for reading!

Fun fact: I'm currently working on Nine at 1:00am while listening to bass boosted Christmas music remixes ;)

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I was laying on my bed, staring at my ceiling, when there was a light knock on my door.

"Come in," I called, not moving. The door opened and closed, and I heard footsteps making their way toward me. The bed dipped as Roy sat down on the edge of it.

"My men have him. They're on their way back."

I nodded, not saying anything. A day had passed, and I'd only gotten more confused about my feelings.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice soft. I didn't look at him.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked, keeping my gaze on the smooth lines on my ceiling. I tried to fight the nervousness building inside me, knowing that it would make me blush.

"Of course," He answered. He leaned back and laid down beside me. We both stared at the ceiling as I spoke.

"If...I chose the second option," I said slowly. "What would happen? Between you and me, and me and your people?" I mentally cursed myself for not asking what I really wanted to ask. I wanted to know if Roy felt anything for me, if he'd be able to deal with me as a wife. The word did weird things to my heart and my stomach. Nervousness, guilt, dread, and excitement all fought for centerstage.

Roy was quiet for a moment, and I resisted the urge to look at him.

"Could you explain?" He asked in a polite tone.

I knew that shying away from the topic wouldn't help anything. I gathered my courage and kept my gaze safely away from him.

"Did you offer the second option because you would be happy with me?" I spoke quickly, half-heartedly hoping that my words would slur enough to be impossible to understand.

Roy was silent again, and my whole body froze as I waited for him to reply.

"I didn't offer marriage just for the sake of you having a second option." He said, so softly I almost missed it.

My heart was doing all kinds of acrobatics in my chest.

"So you meant it when-"

"I want to marry you. Yes."

"But why?" I whispered. Roy and I had a rocky past. We hadn't even kissed! How could he possibly be sure he wanted to marry me?

Neither of us had moved from our spots on my bed. I waited as Roy deliberated.

"You're strong. You survived living with Derrick. And even though you've had nothing but shit thrown at you for the past few months, you're still fighting. You're always ready to take drastic measures to protect the things you love. Like running through a wall of fire with minimal protection, in order to have more than enough protection for your kitten."

The memory, though horrible at the time, made me smile. Sebastian had given me his blood so I wouldn't scar from the massive burns I'd received. He never understood the love I had for my furry companion, but he never tried to change it.

The thought of Sebastian and Elmer made my heart hurt.

"I know that, if you were queen, you'd protect your people until your last breath. But I understand completely if you choose the first option," Roy said. "With Sebastian coming, I expect nothing less. But being a queen is very advantageous. Please think about it."

He stretched across my bed and stood.

"I have to attend a meeting soon. Will you be okay for a few hours?"

I felt his gaze on my face, but I ignored it and nodded. The room was silent for a long moment, and I thought he'd left. I turned my head and found him staring at me.

"Sebastian may arrive while I'm gone. If he does, do not see him. When he gets here, he'll be moved to a heavily monitored room. We don't know how he'll react after coming off of whatever drug Derrick has been forcing into him."

His amber eyes were serious, and I nodded.

"Elizabeth, I'm serious. He's been off of it for a day. I've gotten reports that he's very volatile. Promise me you won't go to see him."

I was trapped in his golden gaze, and I nodded again.

"Elizabeth." He said, his voice hard.

"I promise," I said automatically, in reaction to his tone. He didn't look satisfied with my response, and I wasn't being entirely truthful. If Sebastian came back before Roy's meeting was over, the urge to at least look at him would be too much.

He knew I was lying. He held a hand out, and I took it hesitantly. He pulled me up and tucked my head under his chin. Shocked, I loosely wrapped my arms around him. It was something I'd wanted to do for a while, and I tightened my hold. He was as warm as I thought he would be, and it was more comforting than I imagined.

"If he arrives before my meeting is over, I'll take you to see him." He said. He sounded defeated, even though there was no verbal argument. "But that's just it. I'm taking you to see him. Not talk to him or touch him or anything like that, do you understand?" His arms tightened around me, and I had a feeling that it wasn't just my safety he was worried about. I didn't know Roy could be jealous.

"Okay," I mumbled against his chest. He hugged me for a while longer, and then left.

I flopped back down onto my bed and resumed my staring at the ceiling.

I must've fallen asleep, because when I opened my eyes after what I thought was a blink, I was staring into Roy's tired face. I looked at the window and saw that it was dark outside. I looked back at Roy, disoriented and confused.

"Sebastian is here. Would you like to see him?"