Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

—---------------------------------

"Thud!" the sound of a man falling on his knees filled the room.

With her eyes filled with horror, she turned to look at the man with dark raven hair and obsidian eyes. A lot of marks and fresh injuries could be seen from his torn clothes. The blood was still dripping from his mouth when he was forced to kneel in front of them.

Two knights were holding his shoulders to keep him down there. His head was lowered so she could not see what kind of expressions he was holding but she could imagine the pain he was suffering through.

"That.. that. Who is he, my lord?" Although she claimed that she did not know her, her face was filled with worry and her eyes were scanning her body with so much hurt as if she was barely holding herself to not run to him and hold him in her arms and tell her everything would be alright.

"He is the man who works in the barn Adele. I did not know why but I was informed that you are meeting her secretly.

The funniest thing was, they told me you were telling him how you would kill me and then be the empress dowager of the empire and then you will appoint him in the palace where you both can have a leisure life.

Then you would not need to worry about being slaves after the war. I must say that men have vivid imaginations. Isn't it, my love?" he 0ulled her back into his embrace when he saw how color continues to drain from her face and horror started to fill her face.

She knew that she had been caught and he was only playing with her emotions now.

"I must say that my knights have a very vivid imagination and they are seeing dreams with open eyes now.

So, as an apology I am going to present his head to you and so as of the knights who brought that news to me. Would it be okay?" he asked with a soft chuckle as his hands went to hold a tendril and twirled it on his fingers.

His actions were gentle like a lover but his eyes were cold. She felt like she would freeze to death by looking at them.

Her heart beat rose faster yet she did not do anything except looking deep into his eyes contemplating what to do.

If she would continue to act then he would kill her but if she would try to protect him then he would know the truth. What if he would kill both of them then on the name of treason for deceiving the royal family.

Or what if he was only testing her. If she would not act, he would spare the life of Max, taking him as innocent.

She swallowed her own saliva as cold sweat started to form on her nape. She was torn between saving the love of her life or saving herself.

Andrew could see the struggle she was going through but he could also see hesitation in her eyes that made his blood cold.

He did not have much time, it had been almost three hours since the trial had started.

If he would be late then the result would be dire and he would not be able to save the family. He could not help but feel anxious that he could not give the girl anymore time to think.

"Now!" just a word and both knights had already taken out their swords. One of them raised his sword high into the sky while the other held the man with full force so that he would not struggle, but it was meaningless since the man had not even raised his head since start to struggle.

As if he wanted to end the ordeal as soon as it could and waiting for his death would open arms. Closing his eyes he waited for the sword to behead him but the pain he was waiting for did not come.

After waiting for a few more minutes, he opened his eyes in confusion and looked above only to see that the girl was holding the sword in her hands while the blood was dripping down from her palms.

His eyes stared at her face with bewilderment. He could not believe that she had sacrificed herself for him. Didn't she always say that she does not love him?

She was only using him because he was the only one she could trust! Hadnt she told him that when the time would arise she would not hesitate to sacrifice him for saving herself.

Yet he always told her that he loved her nonetheless. He did not care what she felt for him as long as she was with him.

His love was enough to continue their relationship. He had told her that he loved her enough to give his life for her.

That was why when he was dragged here, he did not look at her for once in case she felt weak. He did not want to be a burden on her life.

"Why?" he asked through a choked voice when he saw her wincing yet not taking her hands away.

Wasn't she a selfish woman who did not care about anyone but herself. Then why was she doing for a slave.

The girl who had forgotten Andrew was still there, the girl who had forgotten that a blade was cutting her hands, turned to look at her with a strained smile on her face,

"I knew you would be the death of me. I knew you would sway my heart and make me weak. That was why I tried my best to stay away from you.

But you.. You never listened to me and followed me to the hellhole now look what you've done!" guilt filled his face when he heard her voice that didn not have an ounce of rage but strange softness that he had never felt before yet the words she said..

"So, now the drama has ended, let's talk about business!"