The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-302

In the dungeon of the castle, Lucy Gerville stood in front of her cousin's cell room. When she had woken up, the first thing she had done was get dressed and walk down here so that she could check if the Wilmot's were doing alright, while also wanting to get an insight about what happened last night.

"I don't know why I am even here!" Sophie had come to stand right in front of the grills. "I was minding my work in my room when the guards dragged me out! Where is Markus?!" she demanded.

Lucy shook her head, "There has been no news about him. They are still searching for him."

Sophie was fuming as if smoke was coming from her ears. She had kept all her plans to be lowkey, and it was her family who now had got her in this situation! "Where is brother Calhoun? I will speak to him and plead not guilty in front of him."

"He should be here at any moment. Once I find more information, I will let you know about it," assured Lucy. She then walked towards the other cell room which was placed away from Sophie, where her aunt was imprisoned.

"Aunt Rosamund, do you know why Markus tried to set brother Calhoun up like that?" asked Lucy, trying to understand the situation that was going on.

Rosamund had a sullen and sad look on her face. She shook her head, "I don't know, dear. I frankly don't know why I am here. And Markus must have been just scared, especially considering how things went in the past."

"In the past?" Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we all know the unspoken truth of what happened to your parents. Of how they died. It is just that no one speaks about it," said Rosamund, letting her words carefully sink in Lucy's mind.

Lucy's expression only turned more confused at her aunt's words, "I don't think I am following what you are saying."

Rosamund who was looking at the rods of the cell shifted her gaze to look at her niece. "How long are you going to turn a blind eye to what happened in the past, Lucy? Even the walls whisper about the murder that took place, of how the King killed his very own father and mother, and then even your mother."

A smile came up to muster on her face, and Lucy shook her head, "No, that's not true. It was the minister who killed mama and papa. I saw the minister there at the scene, holding a knife and his hands covered in blood. You know that already."

"Pray tell me, why is the King trying to set up Markus for a murder, then?" asked Rosamund. She slowly moved away from the shadows, coming to light where the light from the torches fell. "I was there yesterday when the proceeding was taking place. Markus mentioned that he meant no harm and was only doing his duty to the family and to the people. You know how much he cares about people. He would do nothing to harm or bring a bad name to the family."

Lucy's eyebrows furrowed as she heard her aunt's words. Rosamund continue to speak,

"There was someone who spoke against the King about the murder that took place here in the castle, but Calhoun killed the man. Why don't you ask him? On why he killed your parents."

"Why didn't you bring this up in the past? Why now?" Lucy found it hard to believe that Calhoun had killed her parents. She had seen him follow every word that was given by her parents. He had always been diligent about it. "I think you are wrong, Aunt Rosamund."

The older vampiress turned her gaze away and whispered, "Speaking against the King will only lead to execution. If something happens to me, I want you to know. It is why I letting you know about it now."

Lucy was there the day her parents had been murdered. It was the day when she had visited her parents after many days of her marriage, and she was still trying to cope with the changes that had taken place in her life. She had seen the minister, and she had seen Calhoun. It couldn't be Calhoun, why was Aunt Rosamund blaming him blatantly, thought Lucy in her mind.

She shook her head, "No," she whispered, "Brother Calhoun was with me when we arrived at the scene. The minister didn't work for brother Calhoun but he was father's man, who worked in the court. There had been a misunderstanding between father and the minsiter a week before their murder. Whoever told you about it, they are wrong."

"If I am executed with Markus, promise me you will find the truth, Lucy," Lady Rosamund looked at Lucy.

"Brother Calhoun won't allow any injustice happen to you or Sophie. I don't know what made Markus escape, but I hope it can be sorted without any need for anyone to be executed," said Lucy. Family mattered a lot to her, and she didn't want anyone dying. But with the ways things appeared right now, uncertainty hung in the air.

The sound of shoes was heard and both the vampiress turned to see Theodore who had arrived there. He bowed his head,

"Lady Lucy, the King, has summoned you."

Lucy's lips twitched every time Theodore addressed her as 'Lady Lucy'. Pursing her lips further, she glimpsed at her aunt, "I will visit soon," and the older vampiress nodded her head.

Lucy was the first one to leave, and Theodore followed her after taking a glance at the older vampiress who was standing behind the rusted iron bars. He silently followed Lucy, and she didn't utter a word. Just as they reached the corridors, Lucy suddenly turned and questioned Theodore,

"Is it true?"

Theodore paused his footsteps and stared back at Lucy, giving her a questioning look even though he knew exactly what she was asking.

"Milady?" he asked her, his face continuing to hold a passive expression.

"What Aunt Rosamund said...Is it true?" asked Lucy, looking straight in his eyes.

She knew that Theodore knew most of the things that concerned Calhoun, and she wanted to know if what she heard was true. But at the same time, she realised it was wrong to doubt. Calhoun had done nothing but shelter her and looked after her. Doubting him like this was wrong.

But before Theodore could say something or Lucy could stop him from answering her question, they heard the sound of the carriages coming in the direction of the castle and it stopped with the neighing of the horses. The High House members had arrived as Calhoun and he expected,

"Would you like to stay in the company of the High House?" asked Theodore.

"Yes," replied Lucy, wanting to be part of the trial and discussion that was going to take place today.

With the High House members who were yet to enter the castle, Theodore turned to look at the vampiress who didn't look at him and instead looked ahead at the empty corridor. Her features were mild as it was in the past. Her skin pale and her lips pink while she avoided his gaze purposely.

"Where did Mr. Gerville go?" questioned Theodore as he had not seen her husband.

"Why don't you ask him yourself," came Lucy's clipped answer.

"If there's anything I could help you with, please do let me know," came Theodore's solemn answer, and he bowed his head.

Lucy finally turned her eyes to look at Theodore, "Why?" her expression had turned cold.

Why was he offering his help to her, after all these years? Seeing Theodore not answer her questions like many other times before, she asked him,

"What happened to that maid? The one who was w-with Samuel that night?" Lucy saw Theodore push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. She had tried to look for the maid so that she could have some talk, but the maid had disappeared from the castle.

For a few seconds, Theodore didn't reply to her and Lucy was about to leave his side, when she heard him say,

"I thought her presence would bother you, so I took her to the forest."