The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-285

Music Reccomendation: Amour perdu by Francine Leblanc

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Madeline gingerly stepped out of the cell room, and Calhoun locked. The door was not completely closed, and it had a little space of gap that allowed a person to peek into the room. And right now she could see her grandmother who was glaring at her as if cursing in her mind and Madeline stepped away from the door.

"She will hate me forever," whispered Madeline as the walls of the dungeons had the ability to echo, making the voice loud enough for the prisoners to listen.

Calhoun, who was walking next to her as they made their way towards James' room, said, "Is it worth worrying about a person who is trying to kill you and baselessly assumes that you are the apple to turn to a damned?"

Madeline couldn't help herself but slightly be hurt that her grandmother despised her. And maybe in her grandmother's place, she was right, but looking in Calhoun's perspective, her grandparents were wrong.

"She is my grandmother, and he was my grandfather. It is hard to feel indifferent towards them suddenly," that was not who she was, thought Madeline to herself.

"You better turn to one then, sweet," came the quick reply from Calhoun, "This world is filled with different kinds of manipulation and lies. You will find it to be surprising that it usually comes from the ones whom you believe to be close or are." His eyes met her brown one's, gazing into the depth of her soul and Madeline couldn't help but ask,

"Will you do that too? To me?" the tone in her voice was innocent, and Calhoun couldn't help but feel how endearing it sounded to his ears.

The way Madeline questioned it was nothing less to a small girl who was trying to cling on to the closest person she knew, looking for shelter to hide and to be protected in. To believe that, that one person would have her back.

"I have been doing that for a while, have you not noticed it?" Calhoun's words were profound as he continued to look at her.

Madeline somewhere knew this was going to be his answer. If he had instead told her that he wasn't going to do it, that would have been a lie. But instead, he didn't lie about his actions.

"I won't betray you like the ones who have been calling you as their own, Madeline."

"I know that," Madeline replied to his words. Right now, the only person she could lean on was Calhoun. Despite his harsh behaviour towards her in the beginning of them spending time together, his actions had turned much gentler, or at least it had in her eyes.

After staring for a few more seconds, Calhoun headed towards the door behind which the tailorman was shackled. The lock opened with one click, and he pushed the door open.

Madeline had met James last night, but she had bolted from here when he had turned to a werewolf. Walking into the room, she found James hurled on the ground, who appeared to be in pain. He groaned again, and Madeline questioned what was happening to him. Calhoun had told her that it was only the moonlight that was going to affect him, if that was so why was James still in pain then?

James' shirt' condition had turned worse than she had seen it in last night. It looked fragile on his body as if waiting to fall. Even his slacks had turned tattered at the ends, coming to fall short and below his knees.

Though things didn't go as expected for James or Madeline, she still shared a soft spot towards the man who was restrained in chains. James had not done anything to her, and the only thing he had done was to have feelings for her.

"What are you doing here?" James growled, looking at Calhoun who stood in front of him in a better condition.

"Madeline wanted to meet you. I thought it would be best if she met in my presence so that you don't use your claws to hurt her," replied Calhoun, his red eyes burning bright. "If you aren't aware, it is better not to stay around a werewolf. Werewolves claws and teeth are quite infectious. The last thing I need is my love turning to a werewolf."

Hearing Calhoun address Madeline as his love, James' anger doubled. The tailorman not only glared but also bared his human-like teeth.

"How dare you stand next to her?! She doesn't know who you are," growled James.

"She knows every bit of me by now, Mr. Heathcliff. You should be careful with what you speak to the King," tsked Calhoun, "Not only are you speaking ill about the King, but you are a creature now whom many of us don't accept."

"And who do you think is to be blamed for my misery?!" questioned James.

Madeline noticed how James, who once used to be a calm and patient man, had now turned to be a person who lost his temper quickly. Was it because of the werewolf venom or blood which was running in his body right now? She doubted things would be the same as it was before. She and James were both two different people now. Correctly saying, two different creatures, thought Madeline to herself.

"Again with the blaming game," Calhoun shook his head in disapproval.

"Weren't you the one who sent Mr. Barnes to get me married to Lady Catherine?!" questioned James, his eyes flaring up and then he turned to look at Madeline, "Ask him about it. He was the one who sent the man and to threaten me."

Madeline this time frowned and looked at Calhoun. But before she could ask or tell something, Calhoun said,

"I did talk to him about your wedding to Catherine, but I never forced him. I don't know what he did, but it was not on my command. You should be grateful that you are not being executed right this moment for blaming me for your father's death and your current condition. Where was the explanation, when young Catherine spoke about her feelings with you in front of everyone? Weren't you the one who didn't deny or refuse her words?"

"I couldn't refuse her on her face, not knowing how she would feel if I did in front of everyone. That doesn't mean I love her. I love Madeline," James confessed.

Madeline felt her hands turn cold. To think and to hear, were two different things. Since one month and maybe a few days more to it from the time of Hallow, the three of them had been running around in circles. She, Calhoun and James. And then entered Lady Catherine.

When James confessed those words to her, Madeline could sense Calhoun's eyes on her, gauging her expression, and she slowly turned to look at him. The playfulness in them had disappeared, and he was waiting for her to react.

"I have always loved you, Madeline," James continued as if wanting to be killed by the King. The man didn't think. Without using his brains, he followed his heart, "It might have looked like I was in love with Lady Catherine, but I never had an intention to marry her. The only reason I came to the ball that night was to meet you. To see you."

He had turned to a hideous creature. He might as well express his feelings for her now, thought James to himself.

Madeline felt an invisible force weighing on her shoulders. She then parted her lips, giving it a second before saying,

"Thank you for your feelings, Mr. Heathcliff, but I cannot return your feelings."

James stared at Madeline, his face slightly cracking, and so did his heart. Madeline somewhere felt guilty about it, and she didn't know how long she would carry the pain for breaking someone's heart. But this was the wisest thing to do.

When she had heard about his marriage to Lady Catherine, she had started to move on and let go of her feelings for him. A part of her would continue to care for him, having the soft corner, but that didn't mean she loved him. Madeline had moved on, starting to open up to Calhoun and accepting him.

It was a long process, but she was here now.

"I think it is too late right now and both of us are way different than what we are and what we want, Mr. Heathcliff. I am very thankful for your words but…" Madeline bowed her head at James, who only stared at her.

While James was heartbroken by Madeline's words and Madeline was trying to be strong, on the other side, Madeline's words were nothing less than music to Calhoun's ears.

Somewhere in the back of James mind, he knew this was going to happen. Though he didn't understand what Madeline actually meant, because she had not mentioned just him, but she had also included herself to be different, he could only glare at the King who stood in the room.

"It is not Calhoun's fault," Madeline defended Calhoun, when James' eyes fell on the vampire before his eyes shifted back to hers. "I have my own reasons right now."

James doubted how far it was true, because the way the King was smiling standing two steps behind Madeline, James couldn't help but want to hurt and harm the vampire.

"May I know what the reasons are?" asked James, his voice coming out to be agitated because of the wolf's blood coursing through his veins.

"I cannot answer them right now as I am looking for them myself, and Calhoun is helping me with it," answered Madeline.