The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-275

Calhoun said, "Miss Elizabeth might be your sister, but I don't see her making a turn in her character. Most of us are driven by something in our lives. And most of the time it involves power and money, the status that comes with it," explained Calhoun to her, "But do not worry about your sister. Before they can marry, Markus and Miss Elizabeth won't be together."

Madeline hoped her sister would change her attitude. The last thing she needed was Beth listening to what Markus would say.

"Come with me, darling," Calhoun gave his hand, and Madeline placed her hand in his, following him outside. His black feathered wings didn't waste time in spreading themselves out.

This was maybe the fourth or fifth time Madeline was seeing Calhoun's black wings, and she continued to stay entranced by its appearance. The night was much calmer and quieter as they travelled from the castle to where her grandparents lived. It was the fastest transport, and maybe one of her favourites thought Madeline to herself.

Reaching the village, Calhoun let Madeline down on the ground for her to stand while retreating his wings back like they were never there. From where they stood in the forest, the village looked deserted, and no lanterns were burning outside the houses.

"How many graveyards are there here?" Calhoun questioned, his red eyes moving to look in the dark, making sure no one was around, and it was just them.

"I think three of them, but there's one more which has been closed for years. I don't remember when it was last opened," replied Madeline, listening to the crickets chirp in the bushes and trees.

"Lead the way to the cemetery that is closed," said Calhoun, placing his hand on Madeline's back before they started to walk out of the forest. The night right now felt nothing less to the dream she had dreamt about. It felt like it was only yesterday that she was here, following to find her family.

Her memory over the old cemetery was very faint, but there were figments in her mind that she still remembered. After Beth mentioned their time where they had stepped in the cemetery, it felt like some parts of her memory had come alive, which had been forgotten.

Reaching the front of the old graveyard, Madeline looked up to see the arch that connected the two pillars of the gates to hold the name of the graveyard. Carnival's local cemetery.

"This is the one," Madeline let Calhoun know. She felt her feet turn cold, her body not ready to step inside at the possibility of what she might see.

Noticing Madeline's hesitation, Calhoun walked forward and touched the lock that was tied around the gates with chains. Normal graveyards were often left unattended and open, but this one seemed unique, thought Calhoun in his mind. Seeing how the lock didn't open upon his touch or sight, he turned back to Madeline.

"The gates are locked so that no one enters. We'll need to use the old style," he said. At the same time, Madeline heard a faint echo like a voice that came from the inside of the graveyard. A fog-like smoke had started to appear and spread all over the place, including where they stood.

"Do you believe in ghosts, Calhoun?" asked Madeline in a whisper.

"If there's death, then there's a ghost," he answered unfazed by the sound that was coming from the graveyard.

Madeline had hoped that Calhoun would say no, but he said he believed in them. "A ghost doesn't have to be about a dead person coming to haunt. A ghost is a memory that haunts a person, that lives within people and objects. Come," he said.

In her dream, this place was less eerie, unlike how it felt right now. With the gates locked, Calhoun pushed Madeline to climb up the gates, and she got down on the other side before Calhoun joined her too, his jump smoother than hers. Madeline didn't remember where the little girl or her grave was present. Therefore, both she and Calhoun went in search of it. The fog on the ground continued to stay while they parted ways to find the grave.

The sound that came from the cemetery continued to stay eerie. Some of the tombstones looked broken, and some continued to stay strong. The odd thing was that even though this place was closed and no one came here, there were some graves that looked new and unbroken. She wondered why it was so.

Madeline wondered where it was. Stopping her feet, she made a turn from where she stood, trying to recollect what she saw in her dream. After some time, she started to head in a certain direction before stopping in front of a grave that had plants and dried creepers covering the grave from top to bottom.

Calhoun followed Madeline and noticed how she stood right in front of a grave, staring at it. Coming to stand next to her, he found the grave to be hidden because of the dried plants. He placed one hand in front of her, pushing her behind so that she would take a step away from it. Bringing his other hand up to his side, he snapped his fingers. In an instant, the dried leaves and creepers caught fire. All the plants that were around the grave burned to add smoke to the already present fog.

Within a minute, the grave was cleared, and Madeline took a deep breath as her eyes went to read the name on it.

"Looks like your family likes to plan beforehand," Calhoun commented, his words sarcastic and he went to the upper side of the coffin. Pushing the lid aside, he noticed it was empty. Madeline continued to stare at the name, as reality slowly started to sink in her mind.

She came to realize that what she dreamt was indeed true.

Calhoun then bent down, sticking his head inside the coffin for a few seconds before pulling away, "Looks like you have slept here."

"What do you mean?" questioned Madeline.

"The inside of the coffin has a faint scent of you," responded Calhoun, who next put his hand inside the coffin to touch the surface of the cemented coffin, "When dead bodies are buried, they leave a foul smell. And these coffins that are built in here, they have the ability to enclose and keep the smell of the dead inside them even if many years come to pass by. You said your parents left the village?"

Madeline nodded her head, "It is what I heard grandpa say to father. To leave and start afresh."

Calhoun gave some thought over what Madeline said before his eyes fell on her. Her eyebrows had drawn together, and she had a look of worry maring her face. Madeline was not a vampire to be residing in the coffin. He heard her speak,

"I killed the girl who rests in this one," she said walking to the next coffin. "I was small, but I had blood on my hands. I saw the blood, and it belonged to someone. I am not sure if it is her or someone else. I don't know how many times I have killed people."

Calhoun left the coffin to stand near her, "You might have lost control. If your family thought you were bad, they would have killed you."

Madeline shook her head, "I heard them propose to kill me. The only reason they didn't kill me was to not to attract any attention," her voice broke in the end, "Also...I think they were scared that I would do something."

Calhoun's eyes narrowed, hearing this. The grandparent's he had met were willing to kill her? By Madeline's words, it appeared that she was destructive, but he needed to know why she would have killed someone for no reason. Every action had a motive, a reason.

By the scent that came from inside the coffin, it was apparent that Madeline had rested in the coffin for at least a minimum of one year in the past.

"And," she continued, "I think they know because of the glass breaking in front of them."

"I believe something like this has happened in the past?" Madeline nodded to Calhoun's question. "That doesn't look like good news. I would like to have some water. Come, let's go and quench our thirst in your grandparent's house."