His Majesty's Devious Sins

Adeline waited for a few more seconds. Once she was certain he had left, she instantly sat upright.

Adeline pulled the dress up to reveal the two guns strapped to her thighs. Earlier today, she didn't receive the opportunity to properly examine it. But it was pitch-dark in her room and she couldn't examine it either. Though, the moonlight had trekked into her room, giving it a hauntingly beautiful glow.

Adeline slipped out of the bed and held the guns closer to the window. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the Sahara Eagle, a sleek silver gun with a black grip. It could hold nine bullets, but that was all she needed to take down people. She ran her fingers over the metal ridges, her lips curling in satisfaction.

There was a faint drawing of a blooming rose with thorny stems wrapped around the gun. Golden initials were carved near the handle.

"A.M.R." Adeline knew this decoration must've been Lydia's doing. It seemed she had commissioned someone in her company to have this manufactured.

Adeline's grip tightened on the weapons. Aunt Eleanor never allowed her near anything dangerous. But the Matriarch didn't know the truth. In secret, Asher had always trained her, whether it was in knife techniques or how to properly shoot. The latter was always done in secret, where he guided her deep into the forest behind their estate.

"I wonder why…" Adeline muttered to herself.

No one had ever attempted to kill Adeline. There wasn't a single person sending her death threats. It was as if she was completely forgotten from this world. There was no need for her to train any longer, but he made sure she was still being taught.

"It has been a while since I pointed this at someone," Adeline wondered out loud. Holding back a small sigh of relief, she turned upon her heels. She hoped the day would never come.

Adeline wondered where she could hide the gun. She couldn't keep it in between her thighs forever, especially when tomorrow came. Jean and Jenny would instantly notice something was wrong if she refused to let them bathe her.

"Perhaps under my bed…"

Adeline figured the pillows were frequently changed, as well as the bedsheets. The only place that was safe from prying eyes was the bed.

She went on her hands and knees, then lifted the mattress that touched the ground. Sure enough, there was a hollow spot underneath her bed. She tucked both guns under there, including the holster.

"Ah, but then the janitors would know…"

Adeline let out a small huff and rose to her feet, both guns in hand. Where was she supposed to hide it?

"Perhaps the closet," Adeline noted.

She quickly ventured into the large walk-in-closet. Many clothes were being hung up. In the far back, there was an arrangement of coats and dresses. Instantly, her eyes lit up at the sight of the floor-length gowns. They were beautiful, but she only cared about their length.

"This would be a perfect spot."

No one would dare to go that deep into her closet, and then fumble around with the dresses.

Adeline browsed through the longer gowns, especially the ones with slight trains and multiple layers. Finally, she found a corner to hide the weapons away.

"There, all set," Adeline said whilst dusting off her hands.

Adeline reached behind her and struggled to unzip the dress. Finally, when her arms were sore, and she was growing tired, the dress became undone. Her shoulders dropped in relief, as she stepped out of the gown, and into a sleeping gown. She gathered the dress and gingerly placed it upon one of the couches in her room.

"I need to return this to Elias tomorrow," Adeline noted.

It was a breathtaking dress that she could hardly take her eyes away from. Even without dazzling lights shining down on it, the dress seemed to glimmer and glisten.

Without a doubt, it was expensive. Aunt Eleanor would've probably fainted at the price.

"I hope she's alright," Adeline mumbled. She fingered her necklace and glanced away.

People always said Aunt Eleanor was a difficult woman. She was strict and upright. If people did not oblige her demands, there would be a deep scowl on her face. But Aunt Eleanor had never lifted a hand to Adeline. Instead, she used to embrace the young child, and soothe her back to sleep.

"She became stricter when I grew older," Adeline realized.

It began on her thirteenth birthday when her menstrual cycle started. Since then, Aunt Eleanor had begun her stern etiquette lessons.

With those lessons came many rules.

"Mother loved her dearly… So I should too."

It was a decision Adeline had made the second she set foot in the Marden Estate. Although Aunt Eleanor was older than Addison by a decade, Adeline still saw snippets of her mother from within Aunt Eleanor. Especially in the way that Aunt Eleanor would smile, or when she used to pat Adeline's cheeks.

"But Asher is right,�� she softly sighed. "I should be more aware."

Adeline didn't know what to do. There was no point in crying over spilled milk. Wallowing in the past won't change her future. The next time she saw Aunt Eleanor, she would vocalize her thoughts and the people around her. Perhaps then, Aunt Eleanor would change.

With that plan in mind, Adeline climbed into her bed. She snuggled into the blankets that reminded her of the silk being used in Kastrem.

- - - - -

Elias leaned upon the walls directly beside the doors. He could hear the soft sound of her footsteps against the cold, polished floors. It reminded him of rain on rooftops, before it settled into a quiet drizzle. Soon, the footsteps disappeared. She was most likely in bed by now.

Good.

Elias didn't need her wandering the castles like she used to do in the past. Now that her presence was announced, there would be too many people targeting her life.

"She never said anything about watching her from the outside of her room," he muttered to himself with a bemused smile.

Elias crossed his arms and continued listening to her breathing. He was waiting for it to grow steady and slow, before entering her room. There was something that must be done.

"Hmmm, to the dungeons or torture chamber… what to do…" Elias crossed his arms, and pondered the punishment for touching his woman, quite intimately too. His lips curled into a satisfied smile when a great idea came to mind.

A finger for every second Asher touched her.

Elias's eyes flickered. It was a fantastic plan. And it wasn't like anyone would miss him. The Marden family couldn't wait to get rid of that bodyguard. Elias would just wipe the memories of Asher from Adeline's mind. It was a brilliant idea.

"Hmm, he only has ten fingers. Pity." Elias let out a disappointed sigh. Just then, he thought of a more sadistic punishment. "A whip for every second is much better. By the time I am done, he'll be a tamed dog with his tails tucked in between his legs."

Elias's mouth spread into a large grin, revealing the sharp tips of his fangs. It was a marvelous idea. And now, he'd just have to wait for Weston and Easton to bring the rat from the mousetrap.