The Crown's Obsession

She didn't know why, but Madeline found it hard to tear her eyes away from the man. Though there were no chains or ropes that bound her, strangely she felt captive under his eyes. Like an iron being attracted to magnets, she finally felt herself relax when the woman who was with him spoke, taking his attention but not all of it.

Madeline tried to not look at the man and instead at the person who she was dancing with. She couldn't help but wonder who he was, someone like a phantom who had taken her name but had not returned it with his.

"Who is it?" she heard Mr. Hane ask her.

Her light eyebrows drew together, "What?"

"You are here, yet you are not at the same time. I believe you must be thinking of someone," said Mr. Hane, his expression lax, looking at the crowd around them before his eyes fell on hers, "Pardon me for my directness," he apologized quickly.

"No, that's alright," she pursed her lips, "I am not used to attending balls or anything close to this," she made the reason to see him smile as if he bought it.

"I can tell that. If you don't mind my asking, where do you live, Miss Madeline?" he asked her. Her hand was in his hand, up in the air as they took two steps front and one step back now.

"In East Carswell. How about yourself, Mr. Hane?" she inquired.

"I am from Holt. It isn't far from the castle. I work here for the King," he added as it was a feather in one's cap to be under the favour and work of the King.

"It must be nice serving the King," she commented on seeing the man smile who took pride in his work.

When Madeline reached close to where her sister was, dancing with the obvious handsome man as the mask that he wore barely hid his face, she heard her sister speak to her,

"Where did you go earlier? I tried finding you in the room," said Beth and Madeline wondered if her sister even stepped out of the dance room.

There were plenty of men who were eyeing Beth and wanted to have her dance. Beth attracted a lot of attention with the ease she moved and talked; it was elegant and ladylike. Her sister was ambitious, wanting a better life for herself while Madeline didn't mind having the same life she had now. A small house, a small family who loved her and she could love back. It was the most she could ask for herself, and her ambition didn't even reach half of what Beth had. From a young age, Beth had grown up by aiming for a better life which was away from the village and her family supported her in it.

"I went for some air," Madeline answered, "Mother and father said the castle is beautiful, but they didn't get to look all."

"Would you like to take a tour around the castle?" Mr. Hane asked Madeline that had even Beth's eyebrows raise as her partner had not requested to any such offer. For a spare moment, Madeline's eyes shifted to look at the man who wore a silver mask who was still listening and humouring the woman with him.

"I wouldn't want to impose on you," Madeline quickly answered before her sister would agree to Mr. Hane's request. And as expected Madeline's words were ignored as Beth said,

"I am sure one walk wouldn't matter, Maddie," Beth turned to look at Mr. Hane with a laugh and said, "Madeline is a village girl who is used to cows and sheep. She hasn't seen the castle well to know how fascinating it is. She doesn't know what she is saying so don't mind her. Do you know the way around the castle?" she asked Mr. Hane.

"I do, milady," answered Mr. Hane in a polite tone.

"Oh, that's great. Maybe one of the days's in a possible future I will ask you to accompany me," Beth gave the man a look and a smile. The couples had to switch positions and move away from each other.

Madeline felt slightly awkward with the way her sister had spoken about her interests. Mr. Hane seeing the girl quiet, didn't speak question about what Beth said right away. Not because he thought Madeline was a village girl but because he could sense she wanted to step away from the dance floor.

"Elder siblings can be helpful at times, isn't it?" Mr. Hane tried to break the ice of quietness Madeline had placed around her. She met Mr. Hane's gaze, where he was smiling, "I have a distant cousin who is older to me."

"Beth is good but sometimes she can get..."

"Pushy and taking attention?" asked Mr. Hane to see Madeline smile, "If you're still willing to look at the castle, I will have the permission taken so that you can have sightsee. It is a beautiful castle."

"Indeed, it is," she answered, thankful that the man had been understanding but she didn't reply to his offer to look at the castle.

When the dance was over, she was glad, and she returned to her parents while Beth continued the night, showing how well she could dance. Some, looked at her with envy in their eyes while some didn't like how a new woman had come to take place on the dance floor.

Though there were some men who eyed Madeline, no one took the courage of going to walk towards her and request her for a dance.

When Beth arrived finally, leaving another couple to take the empty spot she had left, Mrs. Harris said,

"Mr. Gavell came looking for you with other two men, Beth. He had nothing but praises for you," Madeline could tell that her mother was pleased with the number of suitors who were planning to come to visit their home to ask Beth's hand.

"He is charming, isn't he, mama," Beth agreed, turning her head and looking at the crowd. She took the handkerchief in her hand and dabbed her forehead, "He said he has two houses. He's working under the court, and he told me he travels to other lands."

"Well, that's good," her mother couldn't be any happier, but Beth still didn't look satisfied.

Beth's eyes searched for one person, hoping it would be a King or one of the men she had danced with would be the King in disguise, "Did you see the King, mama?" asked Beth.

"I don't think anyone announced about his arrival," Madeline was the one to answer. The King had created enough intrigue to have people hoping they would catch a glimpse of him.

"A shame that we didn't get to see him," murmured Mrs. Harris.

Beth, who was high with excitement in the ball and having spent time with men flattering every few minutes, said, "Maybe he is scared to be here," she laughed.

"Beth!" her mother immediately shushed her. If word was to reach about what Beth said to the King, she would be punished for speaking ill of their King.

While some of them continued dancing in the ballroom, most had gone to eat and the people from the village ate everything and anything as a lot of things were new which they would not be seeing unless there would be another ball which was not going to be held anytime soon.

When the time came to leave the castle, Madeline's eyes looked at the building that stood tall and proud before she stepped inside the carriage after her sister had gone to sit. Her eyes looked out of the small window, and she continued to watch.

"What are you searching for outside?" It was Beth who questioned looking at her younger sister who appeared to be nervous every now and then until they had got inside the carriage.

Madeline turned back, "Nothing."

The carriage finally started and left the castle far behind when Beth, who had been curious about something, asked, "Who was that man who danced with you?"

"Mr. Hane?" asked Madeline, "Mama was the one to ask him," she shook her head, remembering the time it had happened.

"He was a good man! He was tall, polite, kind and I could tell you had a good time dancing," her mother gave her knowing look which was not true, but she didn't have the heart to break the bubble, and she went along with it.

"No, not Mr. Hane. The first one was it? The one with the full mask," Beth inquired, her curious green eyes looking at her sister.

Beth was interested in knowing who it was because the man had not once come to ask her for dance even though there were many openings for him to ask. He was one of the few men who had not danced with her. It made her hand grip the bottom of her dress that Madeline had been asked, while the same man didn't ask her. Not to forget, her sister had gone missing for some good time from the ballroom.

Madeline, on the other hand, didn't know how to go about it. She could still feel the way his eyes had looked at her, studying her face when she removed the mask from her face.

"I didn't catch his name because of the music. He spoke very low. I didn't get somethings he spoke to me," Madeline gave out a small laugh. She could feel Beth's stare when she looked outside the window with a look of suspicion in her eye.

Beth knew that was not true. When Madeline had stepped on to the dance floor, her eyes had followed her sister to see who the man was who was dancing with her. And by the looks of it, she doubted her sister was lying.