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In all twenty years of her life, Evelyn was grateful to have Derrik in it. He was her best friend as far as she can remember. They spent nearly every moment together. In part because they were good friends and in part because she was a princess, and he was her knight.
Somehow, they never got tired of each other. Derrik was a naturally competitive man whether that came to combat or intelligence. He could find men to spare with but in terms of wit, they were lacking. Evelyn would debate with him till the end of his life. In games of chess, they were equally matched. She even got him to be her dance partner even though he hated waltzing (Evelyn just had to appeal to his competitive nature). On the other side, Derrik would go out of his way to tease her (he liked her reaction).
But perhaps the core of their relationship was Evelyn ranting and Derrik listening. Whether it was a poor political decision or a new book she was reading Evelyn ranted. She was used to her family tunning her out, but Derrik never did. He was content with her talking as much as she wanted.
“Rumors exaggerate,” said Evelyn, “Who’s to say they aren’t being exaggerated now. In fact, he was probably slightly rude, and it was taken to the utmost extreme.”
“That is true, however not in this case,” said Derrik.
“But how do we know it isn’t exaggerated?”
“Because you’re in denial.”
“I am not in denial!”
They were currently walking around the castle’s garden. It was spring, and all the beautiful flowers were sprouted up. But Evelyn could not appreciate the beauty.
Their current conversation was on Fredrick the king of Ganica. Widely known for his cruelty. And Evelyn’s fiancé.
“He wouldn’t hurt you.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Every moment you’re in Ganica I will be by your side.”
“Derrik, what did I do to deserve you.”
“Existed.”
***
Despite promising her that he would be by her side Derrik was gone the next day. In turn, Evelyn was a mess. She screamed, cried, broke a vase out of anger. She lay on the floor, nothing made sense.
The thought of him being kidnapped came to her but she dismissed that. Derrik was the strongest man she had known. If he were kidnapped there would been evidence of it. So, why did he leave? Evelyn knew he wasn’t a man who cared about wealth, his family wasn’t endangered, did he not like her company? She was positive he enjoyed being around her, unless all those smiles were lies. She even thought he had romantic feelings for her. Now, Evelyn wanted to scream at her past self for having those thoughts. The princess liked to think had the knight left a note she would be fine.
But as of now, she was in pieces.
Months passed and news of Ganica being in the midst of a revolt stopped the wedding. A saving grace but Evelyn was still in misery. She lost her only true friend in the world and as far as she was aware it was her fault. But, what did she do wrong?
“I’m telling you all of Ganican peasants are up in arms, call off the wedding no one would blame you,” said her brother James.
“I can’t abandon an ally in a moment of weakness,” said her father.
“You’re not abandoning them, you’re just not endangering your daughter.”
“It’s a small revolt, it would be put out at any moment.”
“Ganican noblemen joined the revolt,” said Evelyn who was most keenly aware of Ganican’s political system.
“I signed a contract and I am not a king who breaks their promises.”
“And if I die?”
“You wouldn’t die.”
“Fake your death,” said her brother receiving a slap from the king. “What nobody can blame us for not giving them a corpse for a bride.”
“Evelyn will marry the king Fredrick and that’s final.”
Evelyn and James walked out of the office seeing that reasoning with the king was a losing battle.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
“As long as you have a son nobody would investigate too hard if he were to suddenly die.”
“I already picked out a poison,” she joked before her tone turned, “I could do if I had him by my side.”
“I know, I don’t think I saw you smile since he left.”
“I don’t have the heart to do it.”
“The way you talk about him, one would think your soulmate died,” said James.
She glared at him, “He’s not my soul mate.”
***
Months passed and Fredrick was publicly executed. Surprisingly things stabilized in Gancia, there was a new king, with a new parliament. Two-thirds of the parliaments were peasants, completely unheard of but a revolution did happen.
The problem lies with a contract between the two kingdoms. The contract in question was of Evelyn and Fredrick’s marriage. The wording of the document was that Evelyn would marry the king of Ganica making the usurper her new fiancé.
“We can’t have her marry him, it would look bad for the kingdom,” said her father.
“But you’re not a king who breaks his promises,” said Evelyn.
“You want to marry this usurper!”
“Maybe.” She didn’t but being a bitch to her father outweighed everything else.
“Fine, we’ll meet with the new king and see if he even wants to keep the new deal.”
“Good, he sent a letter requesting to meet with you, sir,” said James handing him a letter.
The king grabbed the letter, “He said he wants to meet in two weeks. Such short notice.”
“I say we say yes, if we are going to keep the agreement the sooner, we meet the better.”
“I suppose that is true,” The king put the letter down as Evelyn picked it up. After a quick glance, she dropped it.
She knew that handwriting.
***
In the next two weeks, Evelyn was beyond pissed. All happiness would disappear the moment she entered a room. To anyone unfortunate enough to get into a conversation with her had to hear an unhinge rent about cutting off Derrik’s cock. A topic nobody was particularly interested in.
By the end of the two weeks, Evelyne was nearly isolated with how much people were avoiding her. She couldn’t blame anyone for it but it kept her in deeper misery.
She sat on her bed curled up. Today was the day that Derrik would arrive or the king of Ganica. He really left her to be king.
There was a knock at the door before James entered.
“I could have been naked,” said Evelyn.
“You would have said something,” said James, “The king of Ganica requests a meeting with you.”
“No.”
“Yes, because we don’t want to offend a potential ally.”
“I don’t care.”
“You get to yell at him.”
That was enough for Evelyn to go to the meeting room where it was just Derrik. He stood tall dressed in a simple tunic and pants. The only sign of him being king was the crown resting in his red hair. Every part of him was the same except for the scar on his left cheek.
In that moment all she could do was stare at him. Her rage faded away.
“You’re so beautiful,” said Derrik.
And in that moment her rage came back, “Then why did you leave! You bastard, promising to be my side by one moment and gone the next. I was destroyed when that happened and you decided to risk your life over a stupid kingdom! And now you’re back as if you didn’t leave. Walk to hell.”
Derrik smiled.
“How are you happy!” Evelyn stomped towards him.
“You’re only mad that I left and not that I killed your fiancé.”
Her cheek turned red, “I’m mad about that too.”
“Didn’t make it into your rant.”
“You said you would stay by my side.”
“In Ganica, I never broke my promise. Besides I will be more by your side as your husband than as your knight.”
“Did you kill Fredrick to marry me?”
Derrik shrugged.
“Answer.”
“You’re smart.”
“You overthrow an entire kingdom to marry me.”
“It was easy,” Derrik said with another shrug.
“Easy!”
“The old king taxed too much and had too many executions.”
“Seriously, do you know anything about politics?”
“Yes, I listen to your rants, besides, I have a very smart wife.”
“We’re not married yet,” said Evelyn, arms crossed with a smile.
“I will have an intelligent, beautiful, kind, ranting wife,” he said that last part with a smile.
Evelyn took a step back and started pacing, “You did kill my fiancé, so it looks pretty bad if I marry you too soon. Of course, marrying you because of the contract is enough justification, however we really should wait a year, and you should court me. It will look like you know killing my fiancé is a bad thing.”
“I don’t mind courting you, but must we wait a year?”
“Depends on how well you court me.”
“Bring you flowers every day, sing poetry about you, dance with you every chance I get.”
“Yes.”
“And when we are married?” Derrik cupped her face.
“Yes.”
He leaned down and kissed her. It was soft, gentle, and it made her feel every part of his devotion. So many emotions swirled around her that wanted to cry from happiness just to let it all out.
Derrik pulled away, “Three months.”
“What?”
“I’ll court you so well, you’ll marry me in three months.”
“Do it.”
“I will.”
Evelyn pulled him into another kiss.