22 Chapter 21

As they left the Crown Prince's palace, Hansel felt like he was walking on clouds. His legs felt numb and his body felt lighter, as if he would float away with the wind that was blowing. He spotted the carriage that was already waiting for them outside, and was thankful once he found its cushioned seat beneath him to keep him steady.

Because Hansel had experienced a passion overwhelming in every way, the other day, and had somehow come to mention his inability of 'riding a horse' after having exerted his body to that extent; right now, he was enjoying a carriage ride.

"I can't believe I just met the Crown Prince!" he was feeling giddy yet sluggish at the same time after meeting the golden-haired, future sun of the empire, as they called him. Even if it rained pigs today, it wouldn't surprise him after how much his mind felt exerted!

"Yeah?" Derek chuckled. His elbow leaned against the window frame and he rested his head on his palm. The wind from the moving carriage ruffled his soft hairs and warm midday sunlight was poured on his face but he was too focused on Hansel to notice it.

"You should have told me beforehand. I would have prepared myself for the meeting." whether Hansel was aware of it or not, but right now he was sulking. He would have denied it if Derek prompted him with a hint, so he kept his cute, slightly pouting expression a secret. "Look, my hands are trembling even now!"

It was true. Once the adrenaline in his veins dropped, his hands started shaking and sweating as well.

"Really? Show them to me." Derek asked leisurely.

As if trying to prove that he was telling the truth, Hansel unfolded his hands and kept them in the air. They were indeed trembling. But after seeing them, there was something which irked Derek.

He grabbed the hands which were extended towards him and pulled Hansel to himself.

"Wha-?"

Hansel was surprised. Since both of his hands were in grasp of Derek, there was no way he could save himself and then- Thud! He fell on top of Derek.

Somehow Derek had prevented his head from colliding with the board behind him. Hansel looked him in the eyes, trying to figure what he wanted to do. But he received nothing more than a smirk which crept up on Derek's face.

Though Derek's face was just inches apart from his, he looked unfazed. This made Derek wonder if Hansel had gotten used to his touch that his antics didn't surprise him anymore. It was big blow to him because he had anticipated a flustered, blushing Hansel to face him, like he did in front of Calisto. So, his expressions turned a little dark.

Anyway, unfazed or not, Derek was going to torment Hansel and that was for sure.

There was not enough room for Hansel to stand upright in the carriage. Even if he was shorter than Derek, he still boasted a height to be called tall. So, when he realized that Derek had no intention of letting him go, he plopped down on the seat beside him.

Derek turned a bit towards him and leaned in. His nose hovered near Hansel's ear, sniffing in his sweet scent. Hansel instinctively pulled away from the ticklish sensation but he couldn't escape because he was held firm by Derek.

"Wha- what are you doing?! Ahh…" Hansel cried. Derek, after playing around for a few seconds, had bit his pinna. Tears filled Hansel's eyes as the bite was painful enough to leave teeth marks. But Derek wasn't apologetic at all. He soothed the wound by caressing it with his tongue and then blowing cold air on it but he liked seeing the mark that was left.

Satisfied with his work, he went on to kiss Hansel's forehead, his tear-filled eyes, his nose and his cheeks. By the time he reached his lips, Hansel was already red and nervous.

'This is more like it' Derek thought.

"Please stop." he pleaded, "People will see from the outside…"

Although there weren't many people on the street, there were still enough eyes that would notice a handsome carriage decorated with the crest of Wintern duchy. Also, It had wide windows that made it suitable for travel in summers. So, whatever was happening inside may accidently be seen from the outside.

"Then let's make it so that they can't see us." Derek whispered, his eyes still fixed at Hansel's trembling lips. Then raising his hand, he knocked thrice on the board behind him.

The coachman seemed to take the hint because the very next second, the carriage had taken a turn and was running down a desolate road. The road was bumpy and definitely unsuitable for something with wheels to run on it but not even a slight jerk could be felt inside. It made Hansel think, 'As expected of the Winterns.'

Hansel fell back on the seat due to the abrupt turn that was made and Derek happily followed, falling on top of him.

"Now there is no one watching us." he slowly leaned in. Suddenly Hansel became completely aware of Derek's weight upon him and knew what was going to happen to him. It wasn't their first time kissing but knowing that there was another person sitting just inches away from them, on the other side of a thin wooden wall that didn't look like it would block even a whisper, made him flustered.

But before he could voice his worries, Derek had already claimed his lips. The moment he had a taste of Hansel's plump flesh, Derek couldn't stop. He used his tongue to nudge Hansel, slowly burrowing his way between his parted lips.

His hands, which couldn't stop touching Hansel, caged him within their embrace. As if all his worries had been nothing but insignificant gibberish, Hansel's mind forgot every last word of them when his lips were fiddled with. Derek was sucking and biting him continuously but this harassment was not at all painful. If anything, it was making him want more of it.

"Nnm…" an impatient Hansel latched on to Derek's neck, pulling him closer. Derek happily obliged with his wishes, sucking the breath out of him. Prodded by his tongue, Hansel's palate tickled. If Derek's eyes weren't closed, he would have seen the crimson which painted his ears and cheeks.

It wasn't like Derek was completely untouched by this bliss which had engulfed Hansel. The warmth which was spread in his body had started flowing to his nether region.

He tried his best to control his desire because it would be difficult if he got aroused in this small wooden box when they were just half a mile away from their destination. First of all, Derek wasn't a one-minute person. It took him some time to get off. And with Hansel, he couldn't help but go for seconds, devouring him like a tasty dish, again and again, till he couldn't eat anymore. And third, there were people already awaiting his arrival at the place they were going. So, it would be nasty if they noticed him all hard and stimulated.

While he was occupied with keeping his sanity, his hands had wandered all the way to Hansel's chest. The young knight started trembling again but because of a reason different than meeting the Crown Prince.

"Aah!" a moan escaped Hansel's mouth. Even the coachman was startled by the cry which didn't sound like it was from pain at all.

Derek's eyes went wide and met Hansel's half-lidded, teary eyes. Something told him that he absolutely had to see what made Hansel squeal so loudly when he was aware the coachman could hear them. It was like the last straw keeping Derek reasonable had snapped in two.

But before he could act to his wishes, the coachman had pulled the reigns outside a small and dark building and the carriage had come to a stop.

"We've arrived at the black-gold guild." He announced.