DITOEFTV react to

Chapter 37

— XXXV

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[απροσδόκητος]

Unexpected

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    'Totally not anonymous' they all thought

INNER PALACE

LATER THAT DAY

FOR THEIR JOURNEY BACK IN — Claude remains silent, making a point to personally escort her back to her palace. Penelope usually wouldn't prod when he was angered (experience had taught her better than that,) but for some reason she felt that his anger was directed at her this time — a fact that made her feel uneasy.

    'Why would he be angry at me?' Penelope thinks to herself.

Opening the door to her bedchambers, he dismissed the maids with a mere wave of his hand before storming in worthlessly.

    'Okay not a good sign,' Penelope commented in her head, getting a little nervous on what could happen or what would happen. The rest of them wondered why he was angry at her.

And given the force of habit, Penelope felt panic on its ugly head upper spine, restricting her speech — and heavens, did she hate it.

    The Duke and Reynold stare at the screen guilt, knowing it was the way they treated her, for her to react this way.

She closely watched his actions as he closed the door behind himself, tugging harshly at his collar to unbutton the coat jacket before tossing it aside.

Penelope could only watch, frozen in her place, unable to move. His silent rage reminded her far too much of a certain mad man from her past, and it reminded her of just who he was: the Emperor who had slaughtered an entire Palace and murdered his own kin to ascend the throne. The knowledge made her fear him at that moment.

    Penelope couldn't help but agree with herself that Claude did remind her of Callisto.

He stored over her, backing her up against the table — his arm on the other side of her, trapping her. Penelope could feel all the wind leave her lungs, and out of instinct she flinched — closing her eyes.

    Seeing this the Duke and Reynold wondered if the way they treated her was really that bad, that anytime a situation like this happens she feels this dreadful fear. They wondered how they could ever earn her forgiveness, and seeing this made them feel they had no right for forgiveness. Emily was saddened by her lady reaction but understood why she reacted like that and couldn't blame her for reacting that way. Derrick being the bastard that he is felt that she was being over dramatic and just looking for attention.

But whatever she was expecting — this certainly wasn't it — not the shockingly gentle hand that came to raise her chin to meet his eyes.

"Open your eyes." he commanded, sounding perhaps even more furious than he already was.

She opened her eyes, staring at the man looming above her, her face distorted still. she noticed his jaw moved, clenching.

    The tension of the scene made everyone stiff in their place, wondering what's going to happen next.

"Just what did you think I was going to do?" He snapped, his voice composed. Shame bubbles up in the back of her mind, and keeping eye contact with him felt impossible. her eyes still did not budge, despite the embarrassment she felt.