The Crown's Obsession

Music Recommendation: Friedrich Dances with Jo by Alexandre Desplat

(Happy Thanksgiving!)

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Madeline had not expected Rosamund to try to get to her. She stood behind Calhoun, who held the woman's neck in his hand.

Calhoun hadn't stopped glaring at Rosamund. "I have given you enough warnings to stay away from me and from the people I care for. And as much as I want to see you die, I can't think of a better punishment for you, than you living a life of poverty like the people you so much looked down upon."

"Kill me then," Rosamund spoke through gritted teeth, "Kill me the way you have killed your mother, your father, the Queen mother and also Lucy's mother. It doesn't matter how many times you kill someone, because the thirst that you feel from what you are, it will never end."

Calhoun pushed Lady Rosamund's neck to have her stagger back, and her husband caught her.

"We are your family, my Lord," said Mr. Wilmot, and even though he addressed Calhoun using his title, one could tell that Mr. Wilmot struggled to address Calhoun as the Lord.

"Families don't hurt or wish ill towards each other, uncle. Markus was sentenced to his death only because of his treason. At the same time, I am sparing your lives not because it means something to me," Calhoun stopped speaking, turning to look at Lucy who stood not too behind.

With everything that was going on, Lucy was left behind to see the family she thought that was together which was breaking right in front of her now. She stood there shocked, unable to move or react as she had never imagined she would be seeing something like this one day. The young vampiress had never expected her parents to be murdered, nor did she expect Markus to be beheaded one day.

"You should practice what you preach," said Lady Rosamund, her eyes filled with nothing but hate towards Calhoun and the girl who stood next to him. Turning to Lucy, she said, "One day he will also kill you in the name of treason. Mark my words."

Rosamund and her family left to walk towards the front of the scaffold where Markus's body laid cold and unmoving.

Madeline could see the torn expression that Lucy held on her face. She heard Samuel ask,

"Do you want to stay back, Lucy?" He came near her as if he was the most concerned person around her—the perfect husband in public. At the same time, Madeline's eyes fell on Theodore, who held a passive expression on his face, no emotion passing through his features.

"Madeline and I will be going back home," Calhoun announced, giving Lucy a choice to stay if she wanted so that she could mourn her cousin's death.

Sitting in the carriage, on their way back to the castle, after some time, Madeline asked Calhoun, "What if they try, to tell the truth to Lucy? About her parent's death."

"Truth can be hidden only until a certain point of time. So far, we have been carefully watching what reaches her ears, and most of them were always brushed away by her because of the love she has for me. But one day she will find out," replied Calhoun, "It is an inevitable truth. Hopefully, when time comes, she will have the heart to forgive me. What would you do?"

"About what?" Madeline frowned in question.

Calhoun moved to a much more comfortable seating position, and he said, "If you were to one day find out that I slaughtered your family, whom you believe to be loving and innocent. How would you feel about it?"

Her eyes wandered at the front of the carriage before it went back to Calhoun, "I would be shattered. That someone whom I trusted all these years was the one to betray me. To steal my family and once peaceful life."

Hearing her reply, Calhoun hummed, "That is what will happen then. Who knows, Lucy might cut ties and prefer to have my dear aunt next to her."

"But they are not the right people to stay around her." She was no one to decide it, but Madeline somewhere felt close to Lucy for who she was, and the way she lived. It was like they were almost sisters, sharing most of the common things while enjoying each other's company. Lucy was already hurt by her husband's action.

"Lucy is old enough, she should know and understand what is right or what is wrong for her," stated Calhoun, he turned his head to look at the passing scenery of trees. "And if someone feels like she needs to be sheltered, they can go ahead to do it."

The frown on Madeline's forehead deepened by these words.

"The only person I need to protect is you, Madeline," said Calhoun, his hand reaching out to hers that was on the seat. "In the past, I couldn't save or help my mother, but I can do that to you."

Calhoun had wished many times of how he could fix certain things, things that could have reduce the burden on his mother, and he felt—wondering if his mother would still be alive if she was well taken care of. The men who often showed up to use her, those men were nowhere near her when she was sick and lying in her bed.

When the time had arrived, his mother had turned dull. Her eyes had lost the spark, and she could barely get out the bed. It was like she caught a disease that had started to spread throughout her body. At that time, they were still living a life of poverty and barely surviving to keep a roof over their head. The men who used her had suddenly stopped coming after hearing about her condition, not even one person came forth to provide any comfort. Instead, people prayed for the woman to die.

Calhoun could still hear the painful groans coming from his mother's lips as the pain was wrecking her body. It was the longest time where he hadn't stepped out of the house because he was making sure his mother was well-tended. So that she wouldn't feel alone, like the time when his father had abandoned her like a broken doll.

His thoughts went to the last few days when his mother was still alive, writhing in pain and not eating anything that was given to her. It was more like she couldn't digest what she was eating as she threw up blood. In the end, he had decided to let his mother pass away in peace without going through more pain as it didn't seem like she would get any better.

"I won't let any harm befall on you," he promised Madeline, his eyes met her brown ones.

"I know you won't," she whispered. At least, she had understood so much about Calhoun. The chill that had run down her body hadn't left, and she remembered the last expression that Markus held on his face.

"And this holds even to your sister, Madeline. I might look over certain things, but if she tries to do anything to you, I will be merciless to her and this includes your parents," Calhoun's words were firm, and they left no room for any argument.

"Beth is still sleeping," replied Madeline. Her sister had been asleep since yesterday, and she was glad that Beth missed Markus' execution.

"I know," responded Calhoun, "Raphael told me what happened. For some reason, he's taken a liking towards her."

Madeline did sense that, but her sister didn't take too kindly of Raphael's presence around her. She knew it was because of the way Raphael looked and compared to Markus, he looked homeless.

"Your sister was following Markus' instruction on wanting to poison me," came the nonchalant words from Calhoun and this had Madeline instantly worried. Beth was lucky that she was sleeping right now, and if Madeline had not spoken about wanting to see her sister's memories, she didn't know what Calhoun would do to her, "I would have considered her to be smart, but your sister is as stupid as my cousin. One sheep following another sheep to jump into the well."

Thinking back on what happened last evening, Madeline remembered Beth asking her to make the juice and then telling her to give it to Calhoun. Her lips pursed at the thought of Beth having mixed poison in the glass of juice, which was later drunk by Raphael.

"Markus didn't know that I am different from him and not a regular vampire. Poison meant for vampires, they have little to no effect on us demons," explained Calhoun.

"I will talk to her," Madeline decided it was high time for Beth to fix her ways, instead of staying in bad company and perception of life.

"Don't." Madeline didn't understand why she shouldn't. "I will talk to her. You are too soft on her. I will tell it to her nicely," Calhoun offered Madeline an assuring smile, but Madeline hoped Beth wouldn't cause any more damage than what she had done so far. When they reached the castle, she met her parents, who had a look of worry on their face.

"Did it get over?" asked her mother in worry.

Madeline gave her a nod, "Lucy will be returning later, I think."

"What about the Wilmot's?" her mother asked as Calhoun had taken his leave to attend the court.

"They won't be visiting the castle anymore," replied Madeline to see her mother release a shuddered breath.

Her father had a constant look of worry since Markus had escaped and had been caught. "Beth is still asleep," he said to have Madeline nod her head.

With Beth sleeping, Madeline was sure that her parents would ask her about her sister. Therefore, she had made up a lie about Beth being sick and wanting to rest where she would be tended by the maids. But she could see the look of doubt in her parent's eyes, that they knew something was up.

"I will go check on her now," said Madeline before leaving for her sister's room.

Reaching the room, Madeline stepped inside and then locked the door behind her. Beth was sleeping on the bed peacefully, and it made Madeline wonder how much Beth would have despised her for not stopping Calhoun to lift the death sentence that was given to Markus. She walked towards her sister, taking a seat next to her on the bed.

Madeline placed her hand on Beth's hand to feel the coldness of her skin. If she didn't see her sister's chest moving gently, she would have been worried.

While pulling the blanket to cover her sister so that she wouldn't catch a cold, she felt static form on the tips of her fingers.

What was that? Madeline asked herself.