Ariel stared at the corridor in a confused state of mind. She took a hard grip on her gown. So this was the path she would have to walk on from this time on, now that she was married to Lord Derek.
She saw so many maids bowing their heads to her. She felt a little uncomfortable staring at them and living at this strange palace. At her father's place, there wasn't any servant to help her with her chores. She enjoyed doing things by herself.
Now, she is no more the daughter of a vicar of Denbighshire, she is now the wife of Lord Derek. Lady Ariel Bourne, duchess of snow hill. Oh... How much she despised this title.
Ariel turned her gaze to the purse with her. Is it right to poison him? He had stolen her away from the love of her life, which is no difference from snatching her life away from her. She was supposed to marry Lord Edward but instead she was forced to marry the man she neither knew nor love. She needed to get back to Lord Edward as soon as possible, because she believed that Lord Derek only had the intention to destroy her life and dreams.
A masked duke of Snow Hill. What an absurd privilege....
"Duke Derek and I are not meant to be. And if getting away from him, meant for me to kill him, then I will gladly do that," she muttered to herself, holding her purse tightly to herself, with the intention of making sure her plan would work.
She had just forgotten how fragile and affectionate she could be. She plans to kill someone which of course, she had never believed she would cross path with, in her entire life of existence. Her father had told her a great terrible speech earlier before getting here, but still his words wasn't going to change anything.
"My lady," Luciana called. Ariel noticed that the maiden had stopped because she had stopped walking too, so she nodded her head in agreement for her to continue leading the way.
Luciana obeyed and led her to the lord's room as they both made an entry.
Ariel looked around and unconsciously rolled her eyes. So this was the room, meant for her to dwell in. So blunt, made especially of black, gray and white. It had no colour of her excitement.
She could tell he hardly made use of this room as it looked extremely neat, and the curtains were covered, bringing just a little dim light in the room. It was dark and empty in here.
She could imagine how Lord Edward's room looks like. Beautiful colours, dangling chandeliers and better more, brightness in his room. Unlike this dark room she is in right now. Some duke he is.
"Thank you," she said to Luciana, while forcing out a smile.
*
*
*
Derek was lost staring at space for a while, thinking about his new lady. Of course he wanted an heir. An heir to succeed him, not his brother who enjoyed slandering money like it was some invaluable trash. Never did he need love, as he wasn't interested in the term 'love' which was the reason he never married for a long time.
He saw love as a romantic nonsense. And in fact, looking for love, wasn't something that he believed would work for him?
Then, he never saw it as something, and now that he needed it, he had to marry a pretty girl from Bedford, for her to bore him an heir and after that, he is done with her. He had nothing to do with her. She would be a duchess with a title, nothing else.
But he had to avoid taking off his mask. As he feared that she would get terrified of him and then desires to flee from him or she would learn to despise him like every other who saw his face. That would be a great disaster and such a disaster needed to be avoided, till she finally got pregnant.
He grabbed the goblet which contained a good wine content, and took a sip from it.
"Liam!!!" He called out, as one of the guards quickly rushed out for his Lord asked for him.
"My Lord," he replied with a bow.
"Is my lady, the duchess here yet?" He questioned, taking sips from the goblet.
"Yes she is my Lord," Liam answered, and Derek sighed. She is finally here which means, it's time to work hard for her to get pregnant. But...
"What about my brother?" He asked again.
"Lord Skylar is out, my Lord,"
He is out? Then, that's really good. Which meant he is out to purchase women in the brothel. Well, who cares?
"Um...good," he replied, with a nod.
It's a good thing his brother was out unless he wasn't going to let him be just for even a second. Now that he had brought in a wife, he hoped Skylar would behave himself and try not to get nasty with the new Lady. Unless he was going to cut him out in this life.
Ever since their parents died, Skylar never cared anymore. He did anything he desired. He chased anything under skirt as he was a popular womanizer. All women knew him, they all threw their selves at him, because they believed that if Lord Derek didn't find a woman to bear him an heir, Lord Skyler would be the next in command. Unlike his brother, Derek was an ugly man who every lady got terrified of.
Skylar is a young handsome fitted man who detests bonding but loves to wine, waste money and useless women, as far as those reach the tips of his lips, his hands and his bed, he simply did whatever he wanted. He loves money as he thinks he can purchase anyone, including women with money. And he is definitely the complete opposite of his brother.
This brother of his has so many sluts lined on his bed and his private place. And he brags that, the with money that doesn't even belongs to him. What an unfortunate life of his.
Derek immediately rose up on his feet, with that unpresentable domineering aura. It's time to work.
He had never laid with any woman, so he saw his new wife as a work. To get her laid was going to be a lot of hard work which he must get done with quickly, in order to gain the profit, which is probably, an heir for the kingdom.
He walked to her bossom, only to see her seated on the bed, with her fists clutching the bedsheets tightly. She was scared of him and also scared if her bad intentions to get rid of him.
She knew he wanted to get back together with Lord Edward, but...that thought of poisoning Lord Derek make her mind swirl in confusion. And suddenly, she felt like she couldn't kill him anymore.
And pondering hard about it, she decided to do it another day. Maybe not today, so she dropped her purse in the wardrobe and locked it.
She heard loud and resounding footsteps coming towards the door and immediately, she sat back on the bed, clutching on the bedsheets nervously.
The door creaked open, as the masked duke walked into the room lazily.
She avoided his gaze, turning her eyes downwards.
She could hear his loud footsteps coming towards her in a slow pace.
ARIEL'S POV:
Why does it seems like he is counting his steps?
Oh great! Father had sold me to this man, and now he thinks he can do whatever he feels like. Now he is counting his steps, isn't he? What a crazy and a crappy man.
"Look at me," I could hear his resounding voice. He is taking to me, but I feel nervous. This is our first night as a couple. And also my first time to get laid. What am I really thinking now? I don't want to get laid, especially with him. I have the love it my life that I want to go back to. I had waited for the love of my life for so long. I had kept my virginity only for him.
I rejected and chased away any man that comes to me cause I was certain he was going to come for me. But how can I be wrong? The masked lord is the one to take away my innocence. And I really don't want that. I still love him and never want to get apart from him, never! He is supposed to become my husband, not Lord Derek.
Now to this masked dreaded man. I felt creeps all over my body, as heard his thick sexy voice. What am I still thinking? Sexy voice??
"Look at me," he said again and this time, I took a turn, lifting up my face to meet his unreadable expression. Why does his mask cover his face like that? He looks scary and I am really scared of him.
"I am sure you know it's our first night and also your duty as the duchess of snow hill," he said to me softly.
I nods my head softly.
Why does it have to be a my duty as a duchess to get laid with him. I don't want him, I don't like him at all. And I Don't want him to take away my innocence. He shouldn't do it today, maybe tomorrow.