The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-258

Madeline heard her sister Beth snore softly who was occupying her side of the bed. She had been lying down and staring at the ceiling in deep thought. She wished there was a way to find out who she was. The more she thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts turned out to be.

Giving it some more thought, Madeline questioned why the coffin of Jennine had been moved to another cemetery. Was there something about the last graveyard that wasn't right? Her eyes had started to turn heavy, and with the last spark of fire that extinguished in the fireplace, it left the room dark, taking Madeline deep into her dreams.

When Madeline opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the middle of nowhere. She turned her head around, wondering where she was while her eyes took in the darkness that surrounded her right now. She knew she was in a dream, but it felt far too real. She could feel the cold bite of air on her skin.

The next moment she turned behind, she caught sight of a lantern that was on the ground, emitting light from it. She tried to see if someone was there, but it looked like she was the only one.

Hearing a loud hoot in one of the trees, Madeline's eyes were quick to find the owl sitting on the branch and looking at her unblinkingly.

Noticing a post that was too far away from where she stood, Madeline walked towards the lantern. Picking it, she walked to the post to realize she was near the village where her grandparents lived. What was she doing here?

It felt uncanny that out of all places, her dream would bring her here. The heat that was coming from the lantern felt warm, making her think about how real the dream felt. When Madeline started to walk, the lantern that was carried in the forest looked nothing less to a ball of light that was travelling towards the village.

Reaching the village, Madeline noticed how the lanterns outside the houses had been long blown away, leaving the house's dark. But there was something eerie about the atmosphere which made her want to wake up from the dream which she was dreaming.

"Stay quiet and don't utter a word."

Hearing the voice of a person, Madeline's eyes were quick to search the source of the voice, but she saw no one.

"Quick, so that no one sees!" Madeline recognized the voice to be of her grandfather's. Where was he?! Then she saw shadows moving from the corner of her eyes, and she quickly turned to walk and follow the shadows. When she caught up, she noticed her grandfather walking along with her grandmother and her parents. Apart from them, there was a man whom Madeline didn't recognize.

Madeline knew it was a dream because her parents like her were sleeping in the castle. There was no way they could be in this village, at this hour of the night. Though they could not see her, she kept a safe distance as she continued to follow them. Madeline's footsteps stopped when she noticed the cemented board that was built in an arch shape from one pillar of the gate to another.

'Carnival's local cemetery' read the board.

Was her dream trying to conjure more things because of the answers she sought right now?

"What are we going to say to the others? There have been questions," she heard her mother's worried voice that came out as a whisper.

"Father, some of them are having doubts. Today was too close," added her father.

The little group continued to walk until they reached a particular grave. "People will not know. Open the coffin," ordered her grandfather.

Her grandmother stood next to her mother, who kept wringing her hands together as if the weather was too cold, "I told you we should do it quickly. That something was going on. Bu-"

"That's enough," her grandfather hushed her grandmother, "Nobody knows anything. What they know is what we will make them believe. And there's nothing wrong. We are only protecting them and us. If you are worried about the High House, I will take care of it. So that there will be no doubt."

Madeline who was standing far away from them, leaned in closer to hear every word that was being exchanged by her family members. They kept speaking in circles that she didn't understand. And whose coffin was being opened?

By the time Madeline raised her hand, that was holding the lantern, the light in it disappeared and so did the lantern making it look like all this while, she had imagined its presence. With no light, she wasn't able to see who the gravestone belonged to. Walking to the side, she saw her father open the lid of the person's coffin.

"People might know," commented her father.

"What are we going to do?" asked her mother, anxiousness filled in her voice.

"What happened a week ago is not good. I have already made arrangements so that no fingers come to point at our family. The magistrate has been snooping around the house back and forth. Once we use the other coffin, there won't be anything to worry."

At first, it was nothing but dark around her. But then Madeline's father raised the lantern in his hand for light to fall on the person who was residing inside the coffin. Madeline's hand instantly moved to cover her mouth.

It was her friend, Jennine's body that was rotting inside. Why was her family opening the coffin to take a look at the small girl's body? Madeline asked herself. Beth had told her that a vampire had killed her friend, but here it looked like her family was trying to cover up things. As this was a dream, she wondered if her mind was feeding lies as they were fabricating situations from her worried mind.

Madeline, was shocked to see the girl's face that was in the process of decomposing. She took a step back to trip and fall on the ground, which was next to another grave. Though her body was not hurt because of the little fall, Madeline had a deep frown on her face until light fell on the name on the grave that was next to her, that read,

'Madeline Harris'