The Crown's Obsession

Music Reccomendation: Filotimo by Borghild Wenn

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Calhoun didn't stay long in Madeline's room, instead, he left to go to his room. In the King's quarters, there was no one but just him and her. They weren't married yet and meeting like this in the middle of the night, where Calhoun came to her room to visit and see her, Madeline felt it to be nothing less to lovers, who were making time to see each other.

Madeline closed and locked the room, turning around to go back to her bed. Going back to the glass which was used by Calhoun, she poured water into it before taking a couple of gulps to soothe her dry throat. With him not in the same room as her, it was easier to keep her head straight without thinking about embarrassing things.

She wondered why Calhoun decided to meet her grandparents. It was very abrupt. Earlier that night, he had mentioned about him speaking to her father about her childhood. He was wanted to learn more about how she was when she was a small girl. Somewhere it was sweet of him to be going to the length of going to meet her grandparents, but the question arose if her grandparents would be pleased hearing her marriage to a vampire.

Her mother told her that she sent out the invitations to her aunts and uncles. Also cousins, but didn't mention about her paternal grandparents. It was possible that her parents hadn't sent the invitation to them, because of their displeasure at the thought of vampires' existence. They had kept her and her sister Beth away from the circle of vampires, and they preferred their grandchildren to grow up to stay away from the night creatures, but that had now failed.

When morning arrived, Calhoun brought it up at the dining table, "Is there something you would like to ask or bring from your parent's house, Mr. Harris?" asked Calhoun in a calm tone.

Mr. and Mrs. Harris had a look of puzzlement on their face.

"My King?" asked Mr. Harris, wanting to know why the King was asking him if he needed something from his parents.

Madeline placed her hand on her mother's hand, getting her attention before she said, "The King has decided to give a visit to grandma and grandpa today."

"Now?" her mother's eyebrows raised and Madeline nodded her head.

Calhoun then spoke, "There are other relatives of mine, who will be joining us soon for the wedding. I thought it would be better to have your parents attend the wedding. Of course, I know you have invited them," he smiled looking at the couple who returned the smile with lesser confidence, "As Madeline is going to be my wife soon, I would like to get to know more about your family members."

Mr. Harris' mouth went dry, and he said, "They will be attending the wedding, my King. You don't have to take the trouble to go to see them."

"I know," agreed Calhoun, "But it would be rude to not to be acquainted with them sooner than wait until the marriage day."

Madeline who was sitting in between her parents today noticed how her parents wanted to ask the King not to visit the family. They knew Madeline's paternal grandparents wouldn't be excited about their granddaughter getting married to a night creature. Shifting her eyes to look at Calhoun, she could tell that Calhoun sensed her parent's distress, but he was going to visit them anyway.

Mrs. Harris looked at her husband; her eyebrows drew together in tension.

"Any souvenirs you would like to get from there?" Calhoun chimed with a smile, and Madeline's parents shook their head.

On the other side of the table, Markus asked Beth, "How did you sleep at night, Lady Elizabeth?"

Beth gave a charming smile of hers before she answered, "I had a very sound sleep. The best one. I hope you slept well, Sir Markus."

"Knowing you were nearby in one of the rooms, I must say it was a little hard," Markus teased her in a small whisper.

Mr. and Mrs. Harris were lucky not to hear it because of their human ears along with Madeline, but that didn't mean the other didn't listen to it at the table. Beth blushed, her cheeks turning red.

But Sophie Wilmot was disgusted by the small talk between her brother and the human girl. She scoffed, "You speak as if both of you can't wait to get in the bed," she muttered under her breath. Another sentence that went unheard by Beth's family but Beth, who was sitting in the front, quietly glared with a smile.

Beth didn't bother herself too much with what Sophie said. It was true that she had the best sleep that she ever had until now. And the reason wasn't because of the soft bed and good room but the diamond earrings that were gifted to her by Markus' mother, Lady Rosamund.

"Why don't you take the butter, Lady Sophie," Beth offered her future sister-in-law with a broad smile on her face, "Some have unsteady hands. This is easier to handle where it won't slip out of your hand."

Beth didn't see why she should not retort back playfully. It was apparent that Lady Rosamund was choosing her over Sophie as she didn't comment and continued to have her breakfast.

Sophie smiled back at Beth. The vampiress was fumingly mad because her family was not supporting her. This little leach was leaching on to her brother, but that didn't mean she was going to sit back and watch it play in front of her.

"Well, thank you," came Sophie's polite words as she went to grab the butter that was offered by Beth. While taking it, Sophie's fingernails scratched the sides of Beth's fingers to leave a burn. Beth gritted her teeth when she felt the scrape of nails on her skin, "It was rude of me for not apologizing. I mean not everyone has their destiny to be smacked by a crab on their face," she let a small innocent giggle.

Beth ran her thumb over the back of her fingers. If there was no one in the room, she would have thrown the entire porridge of meat on Sophie's head by now.

After speaking to her mother and sister, Beth had pondered over Madeline's words and felt her sister was right. Sophie should have apologized to her, but that didn't mean Beth was not happy to receive the gift from Lady Rosamund.

Beth only smiled at Sophie and then asked Markus, "How is the work coming along at the shop?"

"Shop?" asked Markus before it dawned on what the elder daughter of the Harris was speaking of. He turned his head to look at Calhoun whose eyes were on his food, but Markus knew better than that the King was having his ears around the table while behaving as if he was not interested. To prove the point, the King's eyes raised to look at Markus.

Calhoun said, "The shop is not Markus' nor was he the one to give it to your father. He won't be working on fixing it."

Beth observed how the King commanded from where he sat. She would have been happy if she was going to be his Queen, but she was far from it. It was why Beth decided to sail beside Markus. She didn't like the way Madeline's future husband was taking away the help that Markus was providing to her family.

"My King, if I may speak," said Beth, asking for permission because two days ago when she went to speak, the King had glared at her with evident distaste in his mouth before calling it a joke.

"Go ahead," Calhoun answered in a dull tone as if he wanted her to finish her words quickly and not waste his time.

Getting the cue, Beth began, "My lord, it was Mr. Wilmot who was fixing the shop. Isn't it right to let him finish it so that we can thank him fully?"

"The shop doesn't involve anything to do with Markus unless Markus feels so bad for sabotaging the shop with his means?" Calhoun raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Isn't it a bit hasty to be blaming Markus?" asked Lady Rosamund.

Madeline, who was seated near them, watched how there was a look of displeasure on the older vampiress face. But then she heard Calhoun speak, "I was merely weighing Miss Harris' words. Who spoke about blame?" His blood-red eyes shifted to look at Markus, "It looks like the family is quick to defend always."

His aunt's eyes didn't leave him, and Calhoun only smiled, "Well, any way, Markus has other work to do than help with the shop. I believe my cousin has not left the job in the court and decided to take up the work of carpentry now, has he?"

For a second, Lady Rosamund was gobsmacked by Calhoun's words, "It is good to see that my nephew, who is our King, now thinks so much about his cousin brother." She didn't want to create any drift in the relationship that had been maintained between the King and the Wilmot family. "Markus has other work to do than fixing a shop which can be handled by someone else."

Sophie couldn't stop but hop on board with it, "We can always count on brother Calhoun. At least not like some others, the King knows that Markus' position is and not to fix things in the village. She brought the glass near her lips and took a sip, her eyes making contact with Beth, who stared at her.

Mrs. Harris, listening to the conversation taking place at the table, turned to speak to the Wilmot's family, "Thank you for helping us, Mr. Wilmot. Beth was not spea-"

Markus bowed his head in response to her words, "I know, Mrs. Harris."

"As the matter doesn't concern Markus but me, I have already asked Theodore to send people to rebuild it in a better condition. Also, a word has been sent to the magistrate who works in the village. If he cannot help you to protect the shop the next time, which is less probable to happen, I have told him he wouldn't have his head sitting on top of his body but somewhere on the ground," Calhoun said casually.

Continuing to have her breakfast, Madeline looked at the doors of the room, waiting to see if Lady Lucy would arrive with her husband. But neither of them appeared. She hoped everything was alright.

When they were away from the others, Madeline said to Calhoun, "It's going to take hours if we are going to my grandparent's house."

"They don't live near East Carswell?" questioned Calhoun.

Madeline shook her head.

"That's okay. We won't be taking the carriage."