The Masked prince
Chapter 256: Derrick’s Request

Chapter 256: Derrick’s Request

Inside her chambers, Evelyn heard Derrick’s voice and came to the gates. Opening them slightly when she saw Derrick, she was surprised and greeted him

"Greetings, Your Majesty"

Evelyn said softly and Derrick nodded his head and asked

"Can I talk to you, Evelyn?"

Elias couldn’t believe that a King was behaving like this. Derrick should have walked away when he refused for the first time. His persistence only made Elias more careful about him.

Evelyn on the other hand was confused but nodded her head.

Elias looked at her with a frown as Derrick entered the chambers.

As if she could sense his worry, Evelyn smiled at him and assured

"Elias, I have spent more than a week with His Majesty. I am sure that he wouldn’t harm me."

Saying this, Evelyn closed the door.

She was actually curious to know why Derrick wanted to see her.

At this moment, they were seated around the dining table. Derrick had not said anything while Evelyn didn’t know what she should say.

Finally when she was about to ask him if he needed some water, Derrick opened his mouth and said

"You reminds of Regina to some extent."

Evelyn thought that she heard wrong.

From whatever she had heard about Regina, the latter was the most courageous, brave yet kindhearted princess of Mazic, Queen of Alfaros and mother of two children.

She had raised Regan and Rex so well that Evelyn could have never dared to think before that a prince could also be like this.

In her eyes, people with authority were arrogant and only knew how to press down on those who were less powerful than them.

That’s why she respected Regina who raised such princes. Regan and Rex empathised with their people and knew where to be ruthless or where to be kind.

On the other hand, she ...she was a weak slave. Even if she was no longer a slave, Evelyn didn’t know what courageous thing she had done for Derrick to say something like this.

She looked at Derrick who had a forlorn look in his eyes as he spoke about Regina

"Regina used to say the same things. She never looked down on slaves. She had said to me so many times how they were no different from people like us. In the end, it was just the birth which separated people from each other...otherwise everyone was same...she used to say this. I never really thought about what she said. I did what I had seen my ancestors doing. Slaves were always a property as far as I can remember."

Derrick paused for a moment before he continued emotionlessly.

"I had a slave girl serving me when I was fourteen. She was a very good friend of mine. I considered her as my friend...as my equal but when my father noticed this...he destroyed the girl in front of me."

Evelyn inhaled sharply understanding the silently implied words.

"She distanced herself from me after that and ... I never got close to any slave. As I grew up, I saw my father treating slaves brutally...like a dirt. My father used to say that you can’t let the slaves think that they can climb high. They are supposed to stay below always because that was how a big trade worked and made an empire like Alfaros prosperous. I learned the same. I loved Regina but I ignored what her empathy for the slaves. I thought I was a King and I was supposed to follow what my ancestors ....what my father did because he was a very good king at least that what others claimed."

Derrick paused again as he looked at Evelyn and smiled kindly before continuing.

"You proved many of my father’s and my thoughts wrong, Evelyn. He said that slave couldn’t be trusted but you proved that I could trust you with my safety. You were ready to get beaten by Raphael just to ensure my safety. I used to think that slaves were greedy but you proved me wrong again by feeding me two time of meals while having one time meal for yourself. Regina was the only woman who had proved me wrong in my entire life but you are now included with her in that short list."

Derrick went silent after that. Then he suddenly sighed as he whispered

"I am glad that Regan choose you and Rex this time. I wish that I was as brave as him...that I had chosen Regina then perhaps I had her with me today. But I chose my empire. I thought that as a King, I was responsible to it and it needed my sacrifice. So I let Diana go even after knowing very well that she didn’t like Regina and tried to kill her many times. Dianna was a princess of a huge empire... she had a whole empire backing herself and doing something to her could have led to a war. So I let her go. In the end...she killed my Regina."

"I again had to conceded which made her feel more courageous and so she tried to kill Rex and Regan. In the end, I lost everything which was dearest to me."

Derrick’s voice quivered slightly as he continued

"My son got a scar on his face at such a young age while protecting his brother. I pushed my son away with my own hands. Today he hates me and doesn’t even wish to have a glance at me....and I can’t really blame him."

Derrick smiled again as he looked at Evelyn who looked shocked.

Perhaps it was too much for her.

After all, Evelyn didn’t know that Regina was killed in such a way.

Only now Evelyn realized why her prince always looked so guilty and ashamed whenever he talked about Regina. He blamed himself for not getting justice for his mother.

She was angry at Derrick but at the same time, she could understand him. He was forced to make a choice between his empire and his beloved ones...when he was a King.

"I am happy that my Regan got his happiness."

Derrick said with a relieved expression on his face.

Looking at Evelyn, his smile wavered slightly as he continued

"I had wanted a girl of his status with him because he had huge responsibility with him to carry in the future. So I was furious to know that he married a slave which would only give him troubles. I know it is not your fault that you were a slave...but it would become an obstacle in Regan’s future. The ministers in the court would never accept Regan as the King because a slave could not become a queen and as much as I know, Regan would never marry another girl...unless you convince him otherwise."

Evelyn’s lips parted in shock. Her heart sank to a bottomless pit and she seems to know suddenly what was the purpose of Derrick’s visit.

She wanted to cover her ears so that she would be able to pretend that she didn’t hear him. But her whole body seemed to have gone stiff and her hands didn’t hear her mind.

So she could only hear Derrick say

"You might hate me for your entire life, Evelyn because I am here with such a request. I can gain ministers support for Regan but I would need to assure them that Regan would marry a noble girl who would become his queen. You can become his other queen. You can have his love...I would make sure that the one who would marry Regan would not dare to compete with you in such matters. So can you make this sacrifice for Regan’s future?"