The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-634

Music Recommendation: Love lost by Mattia Cupellia

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With Calhoun, who had gone to put the man's body somewhere else out of sight, Lucy stood in front of the cemented grave that now Ruby laid in. Calhoun had not closed the lid, and it allowed her to look at the older woman's face whose eyes were closed. One would peg that the woman was asleep, but by the discolouration of the maid's skin, it was evident, and it was only a matter of days before her body would reduce itself to bones and dust.

Not in her wildest dreams, Lucy had imagined that Ruby would die this way.

She remembered the time in her past that she shared with the woman. It was when she was around ten years old and had been hurt.

'Again?' questioned her mother, vexed with Lucy's actions. 'Can't you ever learn to take care of yourself? At this rate it is better you don't step out of your room. Every time I see you roaming in the garden and wasting your time.'

'Forgive me mother,' Lucy bowed her head. Her elbow burned because she had fallen on the ground and had scraped her skin. 'I didn't know I would fall.'

'Look at your clothes,' her mother let out a frustrated sigh. 'I brought this for you a week ago and you have already ruined it. Go ask the maids to change it now.'

Lucy had hoped that after being scolded by her mother, she would be comforted by her mother. But instead, her mother left the room as she had to speak to some of the guests.

The maid who had been appointed to look after her entered her room and asked, 'Are you alright, Lady Lucy? Oh my! Your hand,' the maid, Ruby, exclaimed upon seeing the bruises on her hand. 'Why haven't you cleaned it? Come dear, let's get it cleaned,' ushered the lady.

After her elbow was cleaned, she asked the maid, 'Does mother not love me enough as father?'

The words had caught the maid by surprise, and she shook her head, 'I don't think it's true, milady. Your mother loves you very dearly. It is hard to not love you.'

Now that she remembered the time, a small smile came to form on her lips. Ruby had told her what she wanted to hear at that age. Her Nana had done everything Lucy had expected from her mother, showering her with love, kindness and warmth.

Praying for Ruby's soul, Lucy turned to look at Calhoun, who returned empty-handed without the body.

"Did you place him in another grave?" questioned Lucy, not knowing why Calhoun had picked this particular grave to be used for a maid. Her eyes tried to read into what Calhoun was thinking, but it was hard to do with his passive looking expression.

"I did," answered Calhoun, making his way to where Lucy stood before he asked, "Did you pray for her?" When Lucy nodded, Calhoun placed his hands on the cemented lid, and he pushed it back to close it. "We should get back to the castle."

Lucy was apprehensive about going back. She feared facing her family, and when her eyes met Calhoun, she said, "If they find out why I was outside they will be angry."

Calhoun offered her a smile, one side of his lips pulling up more, "Leave it to me. I will make sure you won't be reprimanded for it."

She could only hope and believe in Calhoun's words, her brother.

They got back in the carriage to return to the castle. As expected, Queen Morganna and Lady Samara were more than displeased to find Lucy not anywhere in the castle. When the carriage stopped in front of the castle, Calhoun and Lucy got down with their clothes drenched in rainwater.

Just when both of them stepped into the corridors, the servants informed Queen Morganna about seeing the princess with the whore's son.

Lucy's footsteps were slow, and her heart was thudding in her chest out of nervousness. When she caught sight of her parents, grandmother standing on the other side of the corridor, she couldn't help but take a step behind Calhoun to take shelter.

"Where do you think you have been, young lady?" demanded Lady Samara, her eyes raging.

Lucy was overwhelmed with emotions of pain and loss that she couldn't form a proper sentence in her mind.

"Lucy? Didn't you hear your mother asking you something or have you turned deaf?" Queen Morganna questioned her granddaughter. "Answer her."

"She was with me," said Calhoun, bringing all the attention to him.

"Who do you think you are to take my daughter, the princess of Devon outside the castle?" asked Lady Samara while glaring at Calhoun for his audacity.

Calhoun offered Lady Samara a polite smile, "I am King Laurence's son, so that rightfully makes me Lucy's brother. And as a brother, I believe I have the right to spend time with my sister, unless you are trying to imply something else?"

"How dare you!" Lady Samara wasn't fond of Calhoun because he was another woman's son, who was once King Laurence's lover.

"Samara," King Laurence stopped her by raising his hand from saying something more and turned to Calhoun, "Lucy's mother is upset because you didn't inform her about taking Lucy out of the castle. You should know things like these are not permitted. Lucy is a young girl and we wouldn't want people seeing things in the wrong way."

Calhoun bowed his head and then said, "Isn't that equal to telling a brother and a sister are not supposed to spend time with each other, how foul can one's thoughts be."

"You aren't my son. You share only half blood with Lucy. It would be better if you stay away from her. What are you doing standing there next to him, Lucy?" questioned Lucy's mother.

Lucy turned her head to look at Calhoun, who gave her a nod, and she finally moved forward to go and stand next to her mother with her eyes not able to meet the others eyes. Not because she was ashamed of herself, but about them. They behaved normally as if Ruby didn't matter, and it hurt her.

"My apologies if my actions hurt anyone, but we were merely bonding with each other as sister and brother would. I didn't know Lucy was under restrictions of leaving the castle with family members," said Calhoun to King Laurence, who stared back at him.

With implying the word of restriction with family members, Calhoun had thrown the question at the King, who held a grim expression on his face.

Lady Samara began, "You are not allowed to take Lucy anywhere, not you-"

"It should be alright if it is Calhoun," said King Laurence, slowly changing his words, having everyone turn to look at him in shock. "Calhoun is not some stranger but one of the Hawthrone's family member. If he wants to spend some time with Lucy to bond as siblings, there should be nothing wrong with it."

"King Laurence, you forget that-" the King, cut off Queen Morganna's words

"As much as Lucy is important and part of the family, Calhoun holds the same value. But Calhoun," King Laurence turned to look at him, "It would be much appreciated if you let the family member know about it so that we don't have to worry if Lucy has been kidnapped."