The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-200

Music Recommendation: Fracture by Stephan Moccio

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Calhoun didn't ask her further on what her other wishes were. He then said, "Would you like to get down in the water?"

Madeline looked flustered by his question. It was a simple one, but she doubted things would be as simple as his question when she would step in the bath. Calhoun didn't break his gaze from her and put his hands on her waist, helping her get down as it was comfortable with her legs already in the water.

Madeline felt the water was less cold when Calhoun got her into the bath. With Calhoun who was a tall man, Madeline had not realised the depth of the water in here, but now that she stood on her feet on the surface of the bottom of the bath, she felt the water reach up to her neck. She tilted her head up, looking at him. She didn't have any plans of getting in the water, but Calhoun did what he wanted.

By nature and character that Madeline possessed, she tried not to resist what was happening.

Calhoun questioned her, "How's the water?"

"It's cold but bearable," she answered. The bath was built in a slope that turned deeper as one moved from the direction of the stairs.

"How are you doing?" he continued to ask.

Madeline stared into Calhoun's red eyes that looked calm and collected like most of the times. Even though it was strange to be in here with him right now, in a bath with their clothes still on them, Madeline didn't stress out like she used to do it in the past. The odd thing was that they were having a calmer conversation as the time passed between them. It made her feel that she wasn't losing her mind and was not alone in the castle.

Not knowing what to answer, she asked him instead, "Do you often get into the bath? With your clothes on?"

Calhoun looked at her with great interest and intrigue. Since the time she had stepped into the bath, he had been closely listening to the rise and fall of her heartbeat. He didn't detect the nervousness in there, "Very often," he replied to her, "I like the water in here. I don't think you would be standing here with me if I had removed my clothes," he added.

Madeline's cheeks turned red at his words. Even with his clothes on his body, she could see the ridges and curves, the planes on his chest. She tried to keep her eyes on him without lowering it down, "Do you know how to swim, Madeline?"

She gave him a nod, "I do."

Calhoun looked content with her answer. Though she came from the village, she knew things most of the girls wouldn't know, and he took pride in it, "That's good to know," he then stepped forward towards her which had Madeline tilt her head further.

Madeline didn't know why Calhoun had got her in the water, and she continued to stare at him keeping her head up to look at him while also not wanting to have the wavering water get into her ears or eyes.

She wondered how difficult it would have been for him to kill his mother to end her suffering. In this world, everyone had different pains which was unexplainable. Her heart ached for the young Calhoun who had to finish the suffering.

To have no one to support or be there, Madeline now understood that Calhoun and Theodore's bond was much stronger and more profound than a King and the right-hand man of the King. They were friends who probably had each other's back. She remembered how Theodore had once spoken in favour of Calhoun, to accept things as Calhoun was not a bad man.

Madeline couldn't believe that she was feeling bad for this big bad wolf who had kept her here. When he leaned his head towards her, Madeline felt her heart flip at the closeness that they shared again. Unconsciously, her tongue went to wet her lips. Calhoun moved more closer where their lips were separated two inches away from each other.

"I will be taking a shower now, Maddie," whispered Calhoun, "You are welcome to stay and watch if you want."

Her eyes widened by his words and her cheeks burned further. She swallowed down the nervousness. She wondered why she had thought that he was going to kiss her. When he pulled his head back, she looked at the expanse of his chest which was covered with the wet shirt that he wore, sticking on to his skin.

"I will leave," Madeline said, bowing her head a little.

He moved farther away from her, Madeline looked at him before she started moving towards the stairs of the bath. By the time she reached the start of the stairs, water slid back from her drenched clothes.

"Take the towel that is there," she heard Calhoun say and Madeline's wet feet padded across the bath room to get hold of the white towel that had been folded and placed on the stand.

She heard the splashes of water, and she turned her head to see Calhoun had got the fountain of the lion to pour water out of its mouth. Calhoun had taken his shirt off and she saw his bare skin that was inked with black markings on his back. She had not seen them before and wondered how she had missed them. Did she forget? Maybe she hadn't been paying attention earlier, and it was only now that she was looking at Calhoun.

The black ink-like markings on his back was beautiful and fascinating to look at, making her wonder what it was. She had seen a few men having it in the village, but she had never questioned it before. Markings on the skin had never been accepted because most of the humans believed it was unethical.

Even with the markings that stood out on his pale skin, Madeline noticed Calhoun's body from behind. Broad shoulders started to taper down and into the water. When her eyes moved to the place where his shirt had been thrown, Madeline saw even his slacks had been discarded. She quickly looked away from the clothes and the man in the bath.

"I will be taking my leave," she informed, bowing her head once again she left the place. This was the second time she was leaving Calhoun's room with her clothes wholly drenched in the water.

Reaching her room, Madeline was about to step in when she heard a voice from behind,

"Lady Madeline," the voice was crisp and sharp, firm and old that came from Lady Rosamund. The woman took note of Madeline's drenched self, "Are you doing alright?" she asked with concern.

Madeline had hoped no one would catch sight of her like this, but Lady Rosamund seemed like she was waiting for her to arrive at her room, "I am fine, Lady Rosamund. How is Lady Sophie doing?"

An upsetting look crossed Lady Rosamund's expression, "She's not doing well. You saw what happened," the vampiress shook her head, "Calhoun and Sophie have known each other for such long time now. After all, we are family. He should know that little Sophie would never do anything like that. I mean only an idiot would so blatantly shoot an arrow at you when the King is standing right next to you. They were standing so far away from you."

Somewhere even Madeline felt bad that Calhoun had shown his anger out on Sophie, when she was not the person who was responsible for the arrow that was shot at her.

Madeline had seen the fear and shock in Sophie's eyes that she had never seen before. She had never seen Calhoun this angry. When his hand had left Sophie's neck, it had left nail marks on the young vampiress which only told that he wasn't playing around and was serious about Madeline.

Madeline bowed her head, "I am sorry that something like that happened."

They didn't know who the real culprit was, but Calhoun told her that it was someone who was acquainted with Sophie. With just them in the forest, she wondered who had shot the arrow and if it was someone else who had not joined the hunting this morning.