The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-104

When Madeline had left the room, she walked as far away as she could from where Calhoun so that she wouldn't end up running into him again. But then it was a hard thing to do when it wasn't her but him who came looking for her.

Bringing her hand forward, she took a look at her wrist where the vampire had bit into her. She blushed by thinking how his tongue had run on her skin. She had to get some water to wash her skin! How shameful and embarrassing! If someone in the village heard about a man sucking on a girl's wrist, it would have turned into a full-blown scandal, and she doubted if it was any less with the people who belonged to the high status. Pulling out her handkerchief, she started to rub the area where his mouth had been that now turned red.

"He's nothing but a crude man acting like a cave person," Madeline muttered under her breath while fuming quietly by herself as she walked alone in the lonely corridor.

God only knew what other things she would have to experience during her stay in the castle. It had been only a week since Calhoun had found out about her existence and Madeline had come close to the King, dancing with him and here he was already claiming her wrists!

"What is with the atrocious behaviour! Is that how a King behaves?" she took the liberty to talk to herself as it was safe with no one near her to listen to what she was saying but more importantly, Calhoun wasn't here to listen to her complaint. Therefore it was much easier to speak where her words would not be twisted against her.

Taking a right turn, Madeline continued to walk, mumbling words to stop when she noticed two maids who were cleaning the window pane speaking in a low voice to themselves.

"...is it true?" asked one of the maids, her hand moving against the surface of the outer window.

"Isn't that why Lady Sophie is here?" whispered the other maid, "Lady Rosamund told it in one of the soirees, but then we have the new human in the castle. What do you think is going on?"

"The King said not to talk to her. She must be one of his mistresses," the maids had their back facing Madeline due to which they had not noticed the presence of Madeline as they whispered like squirrels.

"But he has never let anyone stay in his quarters. Do you think he has done her yet? Yesterday, I saw her walking with just a coat that belonged to the King."

"How was she walking? I heard the King is quite a person in the bed." And as much as the maid had lowered her voice, thinking there was no one listening Madeline had entered right on time to hear them speak.

Madeline's jaws clenched together after she found out that the maids were talking about her. She was the human mistress!

"She walked fine," answered the other maid who was questioned if the King had bedded Madeline yet, "It must be because she is used to being taken? Why else would a King bring an average human to stay in the castle?"

"Shh, someone will hear you," said the maid next to her before chuckling, "There's no one here so it should be okay."

"I heard her parents sold her off. It isn't the first time it has happened. Only a whore gets treatment like that," the maid who was wiping the glass paused to say, "It is Lady Sophie who is going to be crowned as queen and not some human who was picked on a whim."

Madeline ground her teeth, her eyes narrowing further and she took a step forward where her shoe clicked loud on the floor. The two maids whipped their heads around to see who was here and their eyes widened. As rude as they were speaking earlier behind her back, they now looked pale for being caught by the lady. Not once had Madeline been called with demeaning words and to hear it now, it hurt her as what the maids spoke about her was untrue.

"Milady!"

The maids bowed their head, showing the respect which they obviously didn't mean to give. A vampiress would have received better treatment as well as reverence because of the status they held. But when it came to Madeline, it was apparent by her looks when she had entered the castle with her parents for lunch that she came from a poor background.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" asked Madeline with a smile upon her face that left the maids questioning themselves if the lady had heard what they were speaking or if she had only arrived now as they didn't hear her footsteps earlier.

The maids couldn't do anything but oblige with the lady's opinion to nod their head, "Very beautiful day indeed, milady," said the maid who had labelled Madeline as a 'whore'.

"If you want it to continue as a peaceful day, I would ask you not to speak nonsensical things that you aren't aware of, and that has nothing to do with you. Unless you aren't fond of yourself." The smile on Madeline's lips was sweet and polite, but her words had delivered the point of what she meant.

"Yes, milady!" came the chorus reply, and they bowed their head at her.

Madeline had no interest in staying with the company of the maids who were bad-mouthing her, and she walked away from there. She knew this was going to happen, after all, it was bizarre that the King had decided to keep a human near him, giving her the attention when he could have any other woman who belonged to his status. People were going to speak, and she would have to digest it.

The rest of the day passed by, in her trying to find out who had tried to poison the King. After taking some rest, Madeline continued walking in the castle when a maid appeared in front of her.

"Milady," bowed the maid, "Lady Sophie had requested for you to come and join her for evening tea in her room."

Madeline was not looking for company, "Tell Lady Sophie that I am unwell and will be going to my room to rest," the maid bowed her head again to oblige. When the news was returned to Lady Sophie, the vampiress narrowed her eyes at the maid.

"She said what?" asked Sophie.

"Lady Madeline said she wanted to rest as she was tired," answered the maid under the glare of the vampiress.

Sophie knew Madeline was doing perfectly alright. She had been roaming in the castle since the time of the morning. She wanted to strike a deal with the human. If the girl was not willing to come to where she was, Sophie would go to her, and with that thought, the vampiress left her room and entered the King's quarters. When she was about to enter, she was stopped by the guards who stood there.

"The King is not here, Lady Sophie," said one of the guards who had placed the staff to block her way.

"I am here to speak to Lady Madeline," said Sophie looking down at the two guards who had dared to stop her.

She didn't like being treated like this. She deserved to be treated with the utmost respect and never to be stopped. Once she would be the queen this would never happen. The truth was if Calhoun didn't exist, the crown would have gone to her brother Markus. She would have been closer to the crown as the King's sister, but the current situation was not bad either.

If her brother Markus has turned out to be the King, she wouldn't have a full rule in the castle or on the lands as she would be betrothed to another family. If she got married to Calhoun for political reasons, it would mean direct reign, everything would be hers to keep and throw.

The guards on hearing whom she had come to meet, pulled their staffs back and Sophie made her way into the King's beautiful and extravagant quarters, to head to the human's room.