Under The Dominating Crown Prince

Funeral.

Derek flew from Eutopia to Arizona with his parents and he did not talk to them at all.

Allura turned towards Acer, ''Are you sure this is the right choice?'' She wanted the best for her son.

Acer glanced at Derek, ''I am not forcing him, Allura. At the end of the day, it would be Derek's decision.'' He assured her and she was relieved to know that he was giving priority to Derek's choice.

She smiled at him while he creased her cheek softly. Even after the 26 years of their marriage, they still looked like newly weds, deeply in love.

''So, stop worrying about him, my love, and think about this husband of yours.'' He complained. Allura chuckled as she heard him, "there is not a single moment when I was able to get you off my head, dear husband.'' She replied to him in exactly the same manner as him.

A beautiful smile made its way to the lips of Acer. He was handsome as hell, dark hair, grey eyes and perfect height with a right mass of muscles.... everything about him was flawless. That's why, even at the age of 54, he managed to make Allura's heart flatter.

Allura smiled and put her head on his shoulder. Marrying him was the best choice she had ever made.

Soon, they landed in Arizona. Brian, Acer's secretary, drove Allura and Acer to the cemetery where the final rituals of the late King Levi Cooper were going to be performed, while Derek went with his secretary, William.

The weather in Arizona was getting terrible. The sky was covered by dark clouds and it hadn't been long before the sky would start pouring out.

They came to Arizona to attend the funeral of the Late King. Derek came to Arizona for the first time. He looked outside from the car's window. Everything was so silent that it was filling his heart with ferocity. It was suffocating.

"Drive faster." He said to William and he sped up.

After the drive of 30 minutes, Derek arrived at the cemetery.

A barrier was made with the help of stanchions, to keep the crowd away. Since the situation in the kingdom wasn't so great, Zephyr decided to have a private funeral with only a few people and the place was kept guarded by the commandos, who were the most reliable.

Derek stood besides his parents. Although there were more than 200 people present there, there was absolute silence to show respect towards the late King.

It started raining with thunder. William instantly put an umbrella over him but he stood silent without a single word.

His eyes wandered from here to there to find her. He had never seen her before. Last night, he wanted to do some research for her but the pole dancer made him forget that.

"She is not here yet." Acer whispered to her.

Derek glanced at his father quite baffled, "who said I was looking for her?"

"You don't need to say, son." Acer said without looking at him.

While Derek could only purse his lips in a thin line. Acer once again got through him.

Soon, he saw a girl. Dressed in black from head to toe, she still managed to look breathtakingly beautiful. For the first time in forever, Derek's cold heart skipped a beat and he forgot to take his eyes off.

He has seen plenty of beautiful girls in his life had but today, his heart admitted that she is still the prettiest of them all.

Her emerald green eyes were shining under the black hat which she was wearing and upon her arrival, there were suddenly whispers from here and there.

"At least stop drooling over her right now. This is her father's funeral. Show some respect." Acer scolded him, when he was having fun getting such a reaction out of Derek.

"Dad please-'' he rarely calls him Dad and when he does it means that he is standing at the edge of his patience.

Acer smirked. One's misery is another's happiness.

Zephyr came to stand right in front of them. Since they were standing in the center and her spot was right there.

Derek stared at her but she did not lift her head up to see him. For a moment, he had a desire to see his reflection in those beautiful eyes.

'F**k, you horny bastard.' He scolded himself.

But she was so close to him that he could smell a faint scent of her perfume. Derek licked his lips. They were getting dry as his erection in the pants was getting painful.

The final rituals started. They kept the coffin in the middle of the ground while the army paid respect to the guns and fire.

Derek could not get his eyes off her. How she clenched her fists, how her shoulders were getting tense and relaxed and how her breaths were getting heavy.... not a single detail about her went unnoticed by him.

Later, they buried the Late King Levi Cooper right in front of the eyes of many.

Zephyr could feel the intensity of eyes on her back, but right now her mental health was so messed up that she did not care. The trauma of losing both parents was getting in her head. On the top of that, she had to save her drowning Kingdom.

The tears threatened to fall from her eyes as her whole life flashed across her mind.

"Your Majesty, you are being so lenient with the Princess. She will never learn this way." Zephyr remembered when Queen Thea was angry at her for not making a speech at some university. So she complained to the king.

Levi Cooper smiled and hugged her, "I trust my daughter and I think she does not need to learn. She is born to be a leader." He took her side.

"That's so bad." The Queen did not like the way he supported her.

"Mom, please don't be jealous of us." Zephyr taunted her mother, which made her parents chuckle.

The moisture built up in her eyes and a few tears betrayed her as they rolled down from her cheeks.

"Your Majesty, here." It was Flynn. He immediately gave her the handkerchief.

Derek narrowed his eyes at him and clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw and cheek bone became really prominent.

"Are you fine?" He asked again.

"Yeah, I am. Don't worry." She said to him.

Derek heard her voice for the first time and his eyes darkened. It was like someone had poured down the honey on his ears. She sounded sweet, angelic and comforting, but he could also feel the hidden pain behind her words. His heart clenched inside his chest.

It took him every ounce of courage not to pull her into his embrace.

Zephyr walked towards the grave of her father and put a flower on it with her trembling hands. 'You left me alone, Dad, and I am not going to forgive you for that.' She complained and stood there for a couple of minutes.

Zephyr wanted to scream louder than the thunder in the sky. But she had to keep her vulnerabilities hidden.

Although her staff was protecting her from the rain, she was getting drenched in it and she wanted to. That was the only way to hide the tears.

Zephyr let out a shaky breath, 'I will punish every single person who was the cause of your death, Dad. This daughter of yours will not let you down.' Zephyr promised him on his grave before leaving the cemetery.

Derek's eyes trailed her back until she faded away.

"So, have you changed your mind?' Acer finally turned towards him.

''Not yet." He scoffed.

''You are going to talk to her regarding the deal. It is your responsibility.'' Acer warned him before taking Allura's hand and leaving.

Derek sighed.

He saw Flynn from far and he had seen him also, so he walked towards him and bowed, "Your Majesty.'' He lifted his head then, ''I am Flynn Lee. Personal secretary of the Queen Zephyr."

Derek gave him a little nod and they started walking side by side, "I need to talk to her. You must be aware of the deal between the two states."

"Yes. I am and, on the orders of Royal Majesty, I haven't told the Queen about the deal. He instructed me that you are willing to talk to her personally.'' Flynn told him in detail.

While Derek did not like this man at all. He was too close to Zephyr and he was getting uncomfortable by that fact.

"I need to see her as soon as possible." Derek said to him coldly.

"Sure, Your Majesty. I will." Flynn nodded and left.

Derek stared at him darkly.