The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-189

Madeline stared at Lady Rosamund hearing the words that she just said, "I know you want to leave the castle, that there is a man out there whom you like." She knew it shouldn't have come as a surprise, but she wasn't aware that even Lady Rosamund would know about it. Did everyone know that there was a man she used to like? That it was James Heathcliff? "You don't have to be shy, Madeline. I didn't know your situation back then when we first met. If I knew it fully well, I would have made sure you reached your home safe and sound. I apologise for that."

And Lady Rosamund wasn't lying right now. If the vampiress knew that her nephew was not playing around for his entertainment and was serious about this human, Lady Rosamund would have made sure to have the girl sent far away from not only the King but also from Devon.

She stared at the girl who looked startled, waiting for the girl's response.

Madeline pursed her lips, "What has happened, it is in the past. You do not have to apologise for it," she said to the older lady.

The offer was very tempting, and Madeline wanted to take up the offer. But she also knew the consequences if she did. Madeline didn't love Calhoun and the way Calhoun loved her, she felt it to be foreceful at times, demanding and somewhere toxic like a poison that was slowly spreading in her mind and body.

She didn't understand why Lady Rosamund was offering something like this to her, "Thank you for your help, but I will have to refuse it."

Lady Rosamund's eyebrows raised in question, "Are you scared, dear? On what the King might do if he finds out about it? But you need to remember, a man who killed his own mother, you never know what will happen to the next woman. Possibily his wife when she's only a human."

Madeline frowned hearing this. Did his aunt know he had killed his father and stepmother? Being family, maybe they did, and no one could point out the murder that took place.

"The Queen, he didn't-"

She was interrupted when Lady Rosamund laughed, "Who is speaking about the Queen? I was speaking about his birth mother," she whispered, "Can you imagine killing your own mother?" she shook her head.

"He didn't kill his mother," stated Madeline, because Calhoun had told her that his mother had killed herself.

"Is that what he told you?" there was a smug smirk yet a look of pity on her face that Lady Rosamund passed on to Madeline, "Maybe that is what he wants you to believe. I just thought you should know before knowing fully well what you are getting into. Like many other dark secrets of the castle, this one is part of it."

Madeline stared at Lady Rosamund, wondering if she was lying or had already been lied to.

To know the truth, she would have to ask Calhoun because what she heard was different. Calhoun wouldn't lie about something like that, thought Madeline to herself.

"Aren't you scared about what he will do when he finds out that you have offered something like this to me?" Madeline questioned the woman, her brown eyes intently staring at the red eyes of the woman who sat next to her.

"I am part of the King's family," smiled Lady Rosamund, "This is going to be just between us. Especially considering how desperate you were in escaping on the day I last came here to visit you," the woman then squeezed Madeline's hand again, "I know how it feels to be confined after being brought to a new place. Men, they don't understand the pain which we women go through. I am offering you a choice for your happiness which I never give to anyone, not even to my very own daughter."

Madeline didn't understand what Lady Rosamund meant by the words she just uttered. She was a simple girl from a simple family. Having simple dreams.

"You don't have to give me your decision right away. There are plenty of days left for that," smiled Lady Rosamund, "You can come to receive my help even the last day before the wedding, and I will help you. Make sure to think about it."

Wasn't the lady scared or worried that she would go and tell it to Calhoun? On seeing Madeline's curious eyes, Lady Rosamund said,

"I hope our conversation will be kept private. You never know when you might need my help. Also, if something happens to me, your parents might not be safe." The woman smiled, patting Madeline's hand before letting it go.

Madeline stared at Lady Rosamund, who leaned back against the chair, smiling softly.

She finally broke her gaze away from the lady. Rosamund Wilmot was a close relative of the King, yet the lady was offering to help her. Nobody helped others out of kindness, because it was very rare. Given that Sophie was always hovering over the King, Madeline wondered if Lady Rosamund planned to marry her daughter to the King once she would be out of the picture.

Frankly, she didn't know what to think about the offer, and she would need time to ponder. She was also sure if Calhoun came to know about it, Lady Rosamund would be punished. She had seen the grandmother who had lost her life by getting punished. All Calhoun had told her was that the older vampiress had stood against him.

She had given up on the word called freedom after witnessing and seeing how things went around in here. Not to forget, she felt lost because of what was going on within herself. Since the fall that had taken place, she felt somehow that she was abnormal, and it made her scared, turning herself away to a quieter place in the castle. Away from people.

The four ladies spent their time in the Seating room, talking to each other while Madeline only listened to them. Her mind continued to weigh on the words that Lady Rosamund had said to her.

Having been touched and kissed by the King, Madeline wasn't sure if she could give herself to anyone else except to Calhoun.

"Lady Madeline?" called Lucy, a look of wonderment on her face as Madeline had not answered when she had first called her name.

"My apologies," Madeline bowed her head.

Lucy smiled heartily, "I was asking if you ever tried hunting before?"

Madeline shook her head, "No. I have never hunted before." Coming from the village, the maximum she had done was finding wild vegetables in the forest so that her family and some of her neighbours could eat.

"Humans rarely hunt, Lucy," stated Lady Rosamund, "They don't hunt for blood like us. There are only a handful of them, but they don't hunt regularly." The woman then turned her gaze towards Madeline, "We were planning to go on hunting tomorrow. Of course, not just us women but also with the men. It will be a good extracurricular activity to get some fresh air outside the castle."

"You don't have to if you are uncomfortable with it," added Lady Lucy out of concern as Madeline was a human and someone who was going to be her family. Lucy was one of the compassionate vampiress who was thoughtful about what other people would think. Having grown up inside the walls of the castle, she was a princess who was loved and respected by everyone. Since she was the previous King's daughter, no one ever spoke to her rudely, nor did she know people who could harm her.

Madeline nodded her head, "I would like to take part in it," she offered Lady Lucy a warm smile, and this brightened the smile on Lucy's face even more. As Madeline was soon going to be the queen, everyone was treating her well, and there was not a pinch of taunt in any words that were spoken to her.

"That's good. I will have Theodore prepare the horses so that we all have one to ride for tomorrow," answered Lady Rosamund, "I heard the weather tomorrow is going to be excellent. Bright and sunny."

When Calhoun and Samuel arrived at the room, the women who were sitting stood up to bow their heads in greeting towards the King, "I was wondering when you would be visiting, Aunt Rosamund," he walked forward saying this. Lady Rosamund raised and opened her arms to hug the bastard, who was her nephew—patting his back once before pulling away.

"I didn't know I was being missed," laughed Lady Rosamund, "If you had sent out a letter to me, I would have come here quicker."

Calhoun smiled at the lady, "You know how work can get busy," he chimed, his eyes sparkling before he said, "The invitations for our wedding have been made. You can take a look at it if you are interested."

"I would love to take a look at it! It has been a while since we have had a wedding in this castle. I believe we have it in the castle?" asked Lady Rosamund, her voice turning out to be excited.

Madeline stared at the lady. Just a while ago, she had offered to help her to run away from the caslte and here she was being excited by the King's words. When Madeline felt Calhoun's gaze on hers, she shifted her eyes to look at him. He raised his hand, outstretching it for her to take it in front of everyone.

Calhoun enjoyed showing his affections to her in public, and he never shied away from doing it.

Walking towards him, Madeline placed her hand in his for him to grasp around, "Madeline has thought about having a simple wedding. Therefore, the marriage will not be taking place here but in church."

Lady Rosamund and the others looked surprised, "That's absurd. It is like breaking away from our tradition," said his aunt.

Madeline stared at Calhoun because she had never said anything like that to him before. The way he had put it, he had made it look like she had asked him not to hold the marriage here but in church.

"There can be some exception to the tradition, Aunt Rosamund," replied Calhoun.

"We vampires have been following our tradition until now. But let this year and my rule mark the change. That the vampire King has taken a human to be his bride. I will be changing the customs on time."

Even Lady Lucy and Lady Sophie were taken aback by hearing the venue of the wedding as a vampire never got married in church. The vampires had their own altar that was used for centuries, and no one had ever dared to change the tradition.

"It doesn't sound so bad," said Lucy's husband Samuel who had come into the room with Calhoun, "King Calhoun will be setting a new example for the coming generation. It would also reduce the friction between humans and vampires, making it more appealing to the other Kingdoms."

Lady Rosamund wanted to oppose and argue about it, but this was no time to raise a discussion that could lead to a possible argument. She was hoping that Madeline would accept her offer, which would only make things easier. To send the girl far away from here to the place where the King would not be able to find her.

"If that is your intention, then we shall accept it wholeheartedly," said Lady Rosamund, bowing her head and the others bowed their head in acceptance.

As the ladies had planned for a hunt next morning, the relatives who had visited decided to stay back in the castle. Before supper arrived, Madeline was with Lady Lucy being introduced to her husband Samuel, whom she had already met a few days ago. She didn't like the man from the moment she had heard about him cheating on his wife. But to think that he was cheating on a sweet girl like Lucy, Madeline felt even worse about it.

"Samuel has been wonderful since the time of marriage," Lucy said, holding her husband's arm, "He has been very patient with me. I don't think I would ever ask for anything more."

"My wife always praises me, isn't she lovely," laughed Samuel.

Madeline put up a smile on her face without commenting on their relationship. She wondered if others knew what Samuel Gerville did outside his mansion while Lucy was unaware of it. Sometimes being innocent and sheltered had its own drawbacks, thought Madeline to herself.

"Who else will I praise if not my husband?" asked Lucy, and Samuel leaned towards her, kissing the side of her head.

"You are right," he answered her. For an outsider and in Lucy's view, Samuel was the perfect husband, one would wish and dream for. Though it wasn't Lucy's first choice, considering Theodore, who was in the picture before her marriage to Mr. Gerville, she was still trying to be happy with it.

And watching this, Madeline wondered how her married life would be. Definitely not like the Gerville's because of how Calhoun's nature was. There were times when she caught Calhoun looking at her, when she thought he wasn't looking and the man didn't turn his gaze away from her. He made sure to let her know that he was looking at her, and it sent down a shiver down her body. He looked at her with the very same look when he had kissed her.

Less than three weeks remaining for the wedding, thought Madeline to herself. It felt like days were slipping through her fingers, and she couldn't do anything about it.

"What is brother Calhoun doing?" asked Lady Lucy to her husband.

"I don't know. The King and Lady Rosamund were discussing something," answered Samuel, his words coming out to be patient. If one didn't know about him, they would think that Samuel was a doting husband.

"I wonder if they have any more plans for tomorrow. Please excuse me. I will be back soon," Lucy said to leave Samuel and Madeline standing in the corridor.

Madeline didn't see the need to stay here. Therefore, she was about to leave with a bow when Samuel said,

"Lady Madeline, I didn't get to speak to you fully earlier," he stopped her, a kind smile on his lips. They had been standing in the corridor for the past twenty minutes with Lucy. What did he mean, he didn't get to speak fully?

"Is there something you wanted to ask me?" asked Madeline to the man who stood in front of her. She looked around the corridor to see that they were on the other side of the castle, and there were not many servants in there.

"I have been hearing different versions of stories from everyone on how you and the King met each other. I was hoping to get to hear the story directly from you to know which one is true," Samuel asked her with a smile.

Madeline looked at him cautiously, "We met at the ball of Hallow," she answered him.

"How did it happen?" asked Samuel, his tone still curious, "Though we know the King personally, not everyone got to know who the King was on that night."

She didn't know it either. It wasn't her who had spotted the King but the King who had spotted her. Maybe the right word here was 'being caught'. Many were curious about it. Some got the answer, some didn't. Some answers that were given out by Calhoun was always twisted and turned, that had led to different versions of how they had met.

Madeline, this time offered the man a smile, "Let's call it fate." Being vague with her answers was the best way to deal with such curious questions. Though in the past Madeline wanted to tell how the King had cornered her that night. Even though she was a village girl, Madeline was still a prideful person to not make scenes.

"What an interesting fate," hummed the man, not letting the conversation drop. He said, "There are so many girls and women who have been trying to catch the attention of the King, but you did it in a day. I hope you can be a great queen, milady," saying this, he bowed down and took Madeline's hand to kiss on the back of her hand.

Taking her hand back quickly, she stared at Samuel Gerville, who turned around to walk away from her. Madeline didn't know how the conversations in the castle moved and the motives behind it. She reminded herself to be careful.

Madeline looked down at her hand before she wiped it against her dress.

When she turned around, to head in another direction, where the King's quarters was, she came to see Agnes, the maid who was cleaning the floor. Madeline walked towards her, wanting to greet her.

She stopped when she noticed the startled look on the maid's face. Agnes bowed her head from afar before looking up.

There was no smile on the girl's face, but only fear lurked in the maid's eyes.

This reminded Madeline of the change in her status. This was how people would look at her, fear in their eyes while talking to her.