The Crown's Obsession

In the morning, when she had woken up from her bed, the snow had stopped, but there was enough snow on the ground from the night before. Beth then said, "I have always tried my best, Maddie."

"I am aware of it," agreed Madeline.

"But the way people took care and loved you, I don't think I ever was able to get it," there was a certain sadness in her voice as she said this, "You didn't see it, but I noticed the look in everyone's eyes, you were the child who was looked after with extra care. I am not jealous of it. I mean, it just made me push myself harder to make others notice me and stand out. Grandma and grandpa, Aunt Mary, Uncle Joaquin...I saw the difference. Sometimes even our parents."

At this, Madeline pressed her lips. The reason why they kept a closer watch on her was because she was someone who could kill people out of the blue. How was she supposed to tell Beth that it wasn't out of love and care but because she was different?

"There is a reason for it, Beth. And maybe I cannot tell it to you right now what it is, but please believe me and consider yourself to be fortunate," said Madeline with a small smile on her lips, "People have loved you more than they have loved me. You are Elizabeth Harris, the daughter of the Harris' family, while I have been Madeline, sister of beautiful Elizabeth."

Beth slowly turned to face Madeline, "And you never felt jealous…" It wasn't a question but a statement that Beth acknowledged to herself.

Beth knew it. After all, she was the person who had spent most time with Madeline as they grew up next to each other. Madeline had never asked for anything, nor did she ever question at her actions. Madeline had always been kind to her, and somewhere it angered her in the past. Even when the King had chosen Madeline, which she now was glad that he hadn't chosen her because she doubted she would be able to survive more than a day with him, Beth had been furious at Madeline for many reasons. The emotion of envy had shadowed all the other feelings she had felt.

"Why didn't you ever feel like that?" questioned Beth.

Madeline shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I think I didn't mind any of your actions."

Beth didn't comment on it and looked back straight again at the snow, "People have always looked at us differently. People have loved you for who you are, but when it came to me, it was always the outward appearance," there was a hint of sorrow in Beth's voice. "There have been times when I wanted people to look past my appearance. It doesn't make just them, but it also makes you feel hollow when they look at you like that. But part of me was also happy that I could make use of it to get things."

Madeline sat quietly listening to what and how her sister Beth felt, something that they had failed to address, "There are many people who care for you, Beth."

"No, it's not that. The thing is, in time, even I have turned shallow like the others," Beth let out a dry laugh through her lips. "It is me being a hypocrite."

"Maybe in time, you will come to learn, to love things like others who will come to love you for who you are and not by how you look. Little by little," added Madeline.

"Hm," responded Beth. Her eyes had a distant look in them. Madeline didn't notice it, but Beth had seen the way Markus gave looks at Madeline.

The insecurity that she felt in the corner of her heart often tried to creep out, reminding her how insignificant she was in others eyes. And it was something laughable, but it was true, that Beth sought validation from others. Since the last few days, she had kept herself away from people while going through her past actions.

The hardest thing to do was to accept one's own fault, and to a person like Beth, it was the most difficult thing to do. The fear in her heart continued to linger on what the King was capable of, and at the same time, she knew how true the words that Madeline had told her when it came to her neck being saved. And the hardest was to look back at the mistakes she had made. One fault appeared out after another, and Beth had to stop looking at herself else she knew she would break down.

Even though she was one of the most beautiful girls in the village of East Carswell and in the nearby towns and the villages, it was still not enough. She had hoped for Markus to fall in love with her, but his eyes had shifted to Madeline.

Madeline didn't question Beth further, and she concluded that her sister was looking to have some time for herself. Getting up from there, Madeline said, "People are right here with you, Beth. I am still here with you."

Beth turned her head in the direction where Madeline was. Before her sister left, Beth called, "Maddie?"

"Yes?" Madeline wondered what Beth wanted to say.

"I need to buy shoes for the wedding. Will you come accompany me?" asked Beth. Madeline knew how prideful Beth was, and it took a lot of effort on Beth's side where she was trying to save her face. "It's okay if you're busy," added Beth.

Madeline gave her a nod, "I need to go get something from the house." She had meant to go visit, but she hadn't found the time before, "Let's grab the coats, and we'll leave."

But before they left, Beth said, "I am sorry for what happened, and what I said." Madeline noticed how clear her sister's eyes were.

She offered Beth a bright smile, "What's happened is in the past."

When Madeline and Beth made their way out of the castle, they first went to get Madeline's belongings from their house, placing it in the carriage before they made their way to another village where Beth had seen the shoes before.

A few days ago, Markus had promised Beth with the shoes, which was why she had not made an effort to get a pair for the wedding. If Madeline had not come to speak to Beth, there was a high possibility that Beth would have worn the dull worn-out shoes that she wore now.

Madeline waited for Beth to buy her shoes, and once they were done, they stepped out of the shop. "Is there something else that you need?"

Beth, who was ready to open her mouth to speak, closed it immediately. The guilt in her heart hadn't reduced, and it continued to weigh on her mind. She shook her head, "No, that is all. Is there something you need to buy?"

"It's been a while since I last visited the church."

Both the girls left the store and the carriage where it was, to make their way to the church of the village. On their way, Beth, who was walking next to Madeline, caught sight of a woman who was walking on the other side of the street, and she internally frowned.

It felt like she had seen the woman before, but Beth was unable to point her finger on where. To make it more suspicious, when her eyes met the woman's, the woman quickly took another street and disappeared from her sight.

"Do we know a woman who has brown wavy hair and hazel eyes?" questioned Beth.

"There are so many of them. Whom are you speaking about?" asked Madeline before she followed Beth's line of sight. "It felt like I saw someone whom I know," whispered Beth before shaking her head and they finally reached the old church, that was as old as the village itself.

As they entered the church, Madeline heard the bells of the church ring loudly before it stopped. Because of the time of Winter were the sky was cloudy, light couldn't get in through the multicoloured windows. But the church continued to hold light without letting the atmosphere turn dark as there were also several candles that were lit in the front.

Beth had moved forward while Madeline's footsteps slowed down on seeing the High House member who wore a black cassock, speaking to one of the couples of the village. Madeline remembered, apart from being part of the High House, he was also a High standing priest.