The Crown's Obsession

The flames that were moving and burning the woods reflected itself in Calhoun's eyes with the same intensity. He opened the note again which he had crumpled after reading what was in there. Going to the fireplace, he sat down on both his heels. He ran his finger over the writing, which was not the same as the letter that the tailorman had brought to the castle with him.

The paper wrote,

'Don't think about us. Do what is good for you if you need to leave, run.'

Calhoun continued to stare at the words, his lips finally pulling up into a smile. He laughed, "Humans can be such coy creatures to think they can hide something that will not catch the eye of the night creature," he murmured. He then threw the paper into the fireplace that in less than a second caught fire. Burning itself into nothing but black ash before it fell with the rest of the ashes that was on the surface of the fireplace, "It looks like I cannot let you spend time with your family, Maddie. Not when they don't mind you running away from here. Away from me, which I won't allow it to happen."

On the other side of the castle, in the King's quarters, Madeline was in her room lying on the bed and she stared at the ceiling of the bed. Her heart felt like it was more in ease after many days because she had met her family. Though that wasn't the main reason why Calhoun and she, with the rest had stepped into the village, she was still glad to see her family that they were doing well.

Madeline wondered what happened between Mr. Danvers and Beth. She hadn't seen Beth write the letter to him and if Beth had sent it out, it must have been before they had set out to the castle. Somewhere she felt awful about it. The whole confusion and misunderstanding had turned her heart heavy but after seeing Beth where she appeared to understand Madeline's condition, she finally felt relived.

To Madeline, her family was the most important part of her life. She loved and cared for them. She didn't want anything bad to happen. It was good to see that there was at least something positive that came out from this.

Madeline then sat up on the bed. Remembering how it felt to fall where her heart had come up to her throat until she felt she was being lifted in the air.

Big black wings made of feathers. There were many rumours that she had heard from her fellow villagers about the night creatures. How cruel most of them were, drinking blood until they killed the human because of their thirst and lust for blood. But she doubted she heard about wings and Calhoun might be an exception, thought Madeline.

The King of Devon, Calhoun Hawthrone was an insane person and maybe the only person who would ask someone to jump off from the cliff to gain trust.

During the time in the morning, Madeline had thought that after meeting her family it would suffice the thoughts for the next few days. Hoping everything would come to return to normal, but she was wrong. After meeting her family, the need to return only increased.

Sliding down from the bed, her bare feet padded across the room so that she could look outside the window. With no family, no friends, and maids who only appeared to gossip about her which were mostly ill, Madeline prefered to stay in the room right now. Her eyes caught sight of three servants walking from one side to another who were carrying garden shears in their hands.

The castle was too big, and the only person who was talking to her was Calhoun, and no one else. Because Calhoun had ordered the people in the castle to not speak to her. With her head going to lean against the edge of the window, she heard a knock on the door, and she sighed before she could know who stood on the other side of the room.

"Lady Madeline?" came the voice of the maid who was assigned to her personally by the King.

The castle had a mix of servants where most of them were humans while some were vampires. Madeline found it to be strange that there were vampires who worked as servants because all this time, she had thought that all vampires belonged to the higher hierarchy.

She wondered if she should act like she wasn't here in the room because God only knew what it was all about, and she didn't want to see Calhoun right now. She had spent half of the day staying next to him, and she felt if she stayed for any more time, her hair would soon start to turn grey. That was the effect Calhoun had on people with the amount of stress he gave to people.

"Lady Madeline?" called the maid Agnes.

Madeline's head dropped slightly, sighing. She didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble to the maid because of her, and she walked up to the door and opened it, "Yes?" upon seeing the lady in the room, Agnes bowed her head.

"Milady, you have been summoned to the castle's kitchen," informed the maid. For a moment Madeline frowned, wondering who was calling her to the kitchen until she finally realised for what she was being called. It seemed like Calhoun didn't waste a single hour or minute to seize the opportunity to tease her.

This was about the deal she had made before meeting her parents. She had promised to cook for Calhoun, saying how she had never cooked for another man which was enough to get to see her parents but not the way she had wanted to. She was still stunned at how he had noticed the paper she was holding in her hand. When her mother had slipped it into her hand, she cautiously held it without dropping it down.

Calhoun had slipped his hand to hold hers, without causing an issue in front of the family, while not so subtly hinting on how he knew about it. It was a warning that had got even Madeline's attention, and for a second she had feared for what he would do. After all, only moments before meeting her family, he had ordered to behead the maid's head.

"Give me a minute," answered Madeline to have the young maid who was a human bow her head in acknowledgement. When Madeline was done taking off all the jewellery that she was wearing since the time of the morning, she finally left the room with the maid who followed her at first before moving from to lead the way which Madeline already knew of.

"How was your day, milady?" asked the maid Agnes who was slightly chirpier compared to the rest of the maids.

"It was good," answered Madeline, who was looking around the corridors. Out of curiosity, she asked, "Where is the King?" It was because the last time she had seen him, he had a guest.

The maid looked at the lady who was walking with her and made sure to keep one step distance so that she wouldn't accidentally touch the fair lady who the King had appointed Agnes to look after, "He is in the East Wing, in the liquor room, milady," answered the maid, slowing down her steps to ask, "Would you want me to take you to him?"

"No!" came the rushed response from Madeline, which even the maid noticed it. Madeline cleared her throat, "No, I don't need to see him right now. I have no questions to ask him," she added so that the maid would stop looking at her with a questionable look. The maid finally nodded her head.

"Let me lead you to the kitchen where the head cook is waiting for you," informed the maid and Madeline wondered what Calhoun would have told the cook.

As they walked down the quiet corridor, Madeline wondered if the East Wing of the castle was the same place where she had last seen him. The same place where she had seen the red-haired woman who had walked past her. It seemed like Calhoun was busy with the woman. Madeline didn't want to ponder more on what they were doing in there because she had a fair idea of what they might be doing.

The King's debauchery didn't surprise Madeline, but her cheeks turned red when her thoughts went to pass on to the time when he had sunk his fangs into her wrist. Probably if it were another man, holding her hand would have been simple, but Calhoun turned every action of his sensual as if wanting to seduce her.

She didn't know why she was even thinking about what he was doing right now, and she pushed those thoughts away before entering the kitchen of the castle.

"Mr. Jarman, Lady Madeline is here," announced the maid to the bald man who Madeline had met before with the reason of wanting to know a recipe from him.

The bald man bowed his head and Madeline who was about to bow noticed how the other servants in the kitchen had stopped working for a moment before the head cook turned his head towards them to continue what they were doing.

"The King said you wanted to make your food for him for tonight's supper. Please use the kitchen and if you need something you can ask one of the maids or me for help."