(Y/N) and the 12 Dancing Princesses (Derek x Reader)

Chapter 7: Burdens

Rowena arrived at the princesses' room along with Brutus. "Well?" 

Desmond stood up from the chair as he reported to the duchess. "Nobody came in or out. I was here all night, Your Grace."

"Wonderful." Rowena replied with a glad smile as she opened the door to find all the princesses sleeping. "Good morning, girls. A beautiful day, isn't it?" Ashlyn yawned and blinked rapidly. "Rise and shine. We have a busy day ahead of us."

Brutus hopped on one of the boxes as he woke the girls up by banging the plate with a hairbrush, making all the girls jolt up. He then went under the bed, picked up Edeline's shoes, and gave them to Rowena. 

"Weren't these new yesterday? Line up this instant!" You put your headband on before joining the others. "Where were you dancing last night? Answer me, Delia." She said to Edeline who quickly corrected her name. 

"I'm Edeline."

"I don't care. Answer me." Edeline frowned as she avoided her gaze from the duchess. 

"We, uh... we danced at a pavilion." She turned away as she asked the others. 

"How did you get there? Blair?" She pointed at Kathleen who did the same as Edeline. 

"I'm Kathleen."

"So what?" Rowena snapped at her. 

"The magic boat took us." She answered. 

"Please. How did you get out of here without Desmond seeing you?" She questioned again as Janessa answered her, pointing at the floor. 

"The magic gateway."

"Magic this, magic that. You're all lying to me." She scolded as she decided to ask Lacey rudely. "You're the runt of this family. Tell me the truth or you'll all pay." 

You frowned as she insulted your sister, stepping a front and saying to her. "How can you talk to her that way?!" 

Rowena turned to you sharply as Lacey answered with a low voice. "But... but it is the truth."

"How dare you talk back to me?" She glared at you with anger, you felt goosebumps slightly because of that glare. "You're no better than common maids! Maybe if I treat you like maids, you'll change your minds about lying to me. This morning you shall clean the front garden. I want it spotless."

"But aren't we supposed to--" You got cut off as she pointed her finger at you. 

"Talking back. Now only you'll scrub the steps as well." 

You decided to keep silent and obeyed her orders to not get yourself and your sisters into more trouble.

.

.

.

"We can't even sing to pass the time." Blair murmured as you and the others were cleaning the leaves off the front garden. 

"I don't understand why Papa... won't listen to us." Hadley and Isla said together. 

"How did everything get so awful?" Fallon murmured as you were listening to them murmur. 

"At least the garden's done. All that's left is the steps." Delia sighed in relief. The triplets were carrying the baskets full of leaves but Lacey accidentally dropped it down. 

"Oh."

"I... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." Lacey whined before she ran away from all of you. 

"Lacey!" You dropped the bloom as you were after her. You found her sitting on the bench with low self-esteem, you slowly went towards her and asked her gently. "Want some company?"