The Crown's Obsession

Everyone moved to a room so that Raphael could give a reading to Madeline's aunt. The most eager one was her Aunt Mary, and Madeline saw her aunt take a seat opposite to the card reader at the table while the rest sat not too far away looking at them.

Mary stared at the man, who shuffled the cards in his hands seamlessly before spreading it on the surface of the table. She pulled out three cards from the lot after which Raphael cleared the rest of the cards. This wasn't her first time getting her cards read, and she had done it before by another person, someone who her parents were familiar with.

Most of the card readers were nothing but faux who didn't know what they were doing, but some of them who knew how to read the cards, they were mostly demons. The reason she had asked this man for a reading was not because she was enthusiastic to learn about her present or future, but because she wanted to know who this man was.

Raphael turned one card after another for the lady to see. His eyebrows raised itself as he stared at the sequence of the cards, and he looked fascinated.

"What does it say?" demanded Aunt Mary, and Madeline who was sitting near to the table, noticed Raphael's expression.

"I think you are one of the very few who has ever had this sequence. The first card here shows what you are destined to do. There is abundant wealth that is coming on your way," he said, placing his finger on the card, "The second card, it tells how important this phase of your life is, which is ongoing. Hmm, there are creepers on the stick," Raphael rubbed his jaw, "It usually is connected to card one. The third one here, the upright sword. You shall reap the benefits for what you have worked. It looks neat," he smiled looking up at the woman.

Mary, who was staring at the cards, told herself that this man didn't know how to read them. He only saw the pictures and made all that up because this was not how the cards were supposed to be read. Nonetheless, she smiled,

"Thank you for the wonderful reading. It was fun," and Mary got up from the chair, "Frances, would you like to take a reading too?"

"I am fine without it. I will take a walk-"

"Let me join you," said Aunt Mary, and the two women left.

"How about you, Lady Lucy? Care for a card reading?" asked Raphael, seeing the vampiress get up.

Lucy smiled, "Maybe some other time. Thank you for your time, Mr. Sparrow," and she too left the room with a bow.

Madeline wondered if Calhoun or Theodore had warned Lucy in the past to not pick the card. Seeing her disappear behind the door, Madeline saw next was her sister who started to make her way towards the door, when Raphael said,

"What about you, Lady Elizabeth? I am sure you haven't got a reading done before," he said, looking at the girl who wanted to glare at him but was trying not to.

"I am not interested to know," came her quick answer, "You can take Madeline's reading if she's interested," her eyes darted to look at Madeline and then at the man.

"How about we both take our readings," said Madeline, "It doesn't take too long."

Beth had been quiet since they had last spoken, and Madeline hoped that her sister was reflecting on her actions. Even if it meant the change was small, she wished to help Beth, change the way she looked at things. That there were other important things apart from position and wealth.

This was her trying to give Beth a window to change.

Beth pursed her lips, before making her way towards the table, and Madeline couldn't help but smile. She pulled the chair, and Beth murmured a thank you. Both the girls sat in front of Raphael and the man shuffled the cards. Spreading the cards again, he said, "Take two cards. One for the present, and one for the future."

"Not three?" asked Beth as Aunt Mary had picked up three of them.

"If you want," Raphael drawled looking at Beth's green eyes. He had spoken enough in the morning. Therefore, he doubted she would like to hear about her past actions. And even though Beth had questioned about picking three cards, she ended up choosing two of them.

Madeline was glad to have Beth sitting next to her, willing to take a reading. Though she didn't know what was going on in her sister's mind, Madeline had learned to read Beth's behaviour, and she knew somewhere, her sister was feeling remorseful with shame even though she wouldn't openly express it even to herself.

After Beth's cards were read to her, Raphael read Madeline's. Once they were done, Beth who still felt awkward with everything going around and with Raphael staring at her, she excused herself out of the room. Madeline had stayed back and she asked,

"Was it the truth? The reading you gave today?"

Raphael was putting the cards back in his trouser pocket, and he faintly smiled, "As your aunt said, I said those things for entertainment. But the cards pulled, they had their meaning."

Madeline softly gulped, "What readings did you find?"

"Your sister, she needs to make a choice. To her, it's like walking on the edge of the sword where she can fall either on the good or on the bad side. You are doing a good job handling her. Must be years of experience?" Raphael's tone was friendly.

Madeline smiled without commenting on it, "What about my aunt?" The way Raphael read Aunt Mary's cards, it was as if she was going to turn to a wealthy woman.

Raphael's face turned serious, and his voice lowered, "Stay wary of her. She seems to have come here with ill intentions," and he said, "The treasure is you, Lady Madeline."