The Crown's Obsession

"Thank you for helping me today. I didn't expect something like this to happen," Lucy pursed her lips. "Is there anything you want that I can help you with? It is only right that I return your kindness."

Theodore's red eyes looked into the young girl's eyes who stared back at him, her eyes were calmer than most of the people he had met. It made him wonder if it was how people from the royal family were. Away from troubles and pain, not knowing the darkness that was outside the beautiful castle.

She looked innocent, her features soft. Girls like her wouldn't be able to survive in his world because people with wolf-like nature would tear her, thought Theodore whilst she continued to wait for him to speak.

"Hello?" Lucy called him as it seemed like he had zoned out. Realizing she hadn't asked the person's name, she was about to-

"Princess Lucy!" came the gruff voice of the royal guards who quickly made their way to where she was.

Theodore didn't turn as it would only put him on the map by showing his face and getting himself to trouble. He said in a low voice, "If it is possible, don't mention anything about me." Offering her a bow, he left the alley.

Lucy stood there, surrounded by men who laid dead on the ground while she stared at the stranger's back, who disappeared like a mist in the air.

"Princess! Are you alright?" asked one of the guards, looking at Lucy, who had a dazed look on her face.

"You are hurt!" said another, looking at Lucy's neck that had a thin red line.

Lucy finally snapped from her thoughts, and she touched her neck. Bringing her hand forward, she noticed the spots of blood on her fingers. "I am fine," she whispered.

"Was it that man who hurt you? I will go and capture him!" said the guard immediately, who had seen a person standing in front of the princess. He took two steps, and Lucy raised her hand.

"Leave him be. He had nothing to do with the fight," stated Lucy. She then looked down at the men on the ground, "These are the ones who tried to hurt me," pursing her lips, she said, "Do not mention what happened today to anyone," she looked at the two bulky guards from the royal castle.

The guards looked surprised. They had been worried about the princess when she had gone missing as they were entrusted to protect and watch over her. But with this mishap and her neck that had the clear red line, they were sure that they wouldn't have their heads on their body anymore for losing sight of the princess.

Seeing the guards blink at her in puzzlement, Lucy ordered, "You shall not speak a word about what happened in here." While Lucy said it only because she didn't want her family to come to know, but the guards mistook her words, believing Lucy was saving their lives. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, milady!" the guards immediately obliged to her words.

One of the guards then said, "We should head back to the castle, milady," and Lucy nodded her head. One of the guards stayed back to hide the dead men's bodies, while the other escorted Lucy back to the carriage that was waiting for her.

Sitting in the carriage, Lucy couldn't help but wonder about who the man was, who had helped her. He hadn't asked her for any favour and instead asked her not to mention him. She couldn't help but think how selfless he was. Though Lucy was not scared, she was still thankful for his help.

Lucy leaned her head against the side of the carriage, while she looked outside the carriage. She had been happy when she had stepped out of the castle, but when the gates of the castle came into view, she couldn't help but worry. Quickly pulling the white handkerchief from her other pocket, Lucy brought it to her mouth, wetting it and she dabbed it against the red line on her neck. She could only hope that her family wouldn't notice the red mark, and that she would get the opportunity to change herself into a high collared dress.

When the carriage came to a halt in front of the castle, the door was opened by the guard, who had accompanied her, and she stepped down. Climbing the flight of stairs of the castle, she made her way through the long hall. The guard left her side, and her personal maid, Amice, came to stand next to her.

"Milady," Amice bowed her head, who was of the same age as the princess. The maid whispered, "Queen Morganna was asking for you, and she didn't seem happy that you stepped out of the castle."

"Where is she?" asked Lucy as they walked through the corridor.

"Right now in the court room. She's been there for nearly half an hour. I thought you were going to return sooner," Amice had a worried look on her face, and she coughed when another servant came to walk past from the opposite side.

Lucy knew if there was someone she could rely on in this castle, she could count on Amice and Nana when it came to getting some air outside the castle.

When her maid looked at the front, she coughed. Lucy looked ahead of her and saw it was her aunt Rosamund coming from the opposite direction. Lucy smiled at her aunt, but at the same time she whispered to her maid,

"Get my clothes ready in the room. The one with the high collar."

Her aunt watched her maid leave before offering Lucy a full-blown smile.

"Good afternoon, Lucy, dear. Did you go out?" came Aunt Rosamund's question.

Lucy smiled, "Yes, for a small ride in the carriage."

"Hm," responded her aunt, and the woman's eyes fell on Lucy's pale neck that held the red mark. Lucy turned tense, worried that her aunt would question about her day.

To shift the subject, Lucy asked, "Did Sophie come with you?"

Rosamund's sharp eyes moved from Lucy's neck to look into the young girl's eyes, "She's still learning etiquettes from the governess. I wished she would learn something from you than waste her time."

"I think she's doing great so far, Aunt Rosamund," Lucy spoke well about her cousin.

Her aunt smiled, "Sophie is very grateful to have a supportive sister like you. Hopefully, she will get better. Sometimes she truly worries me." And before they knew it, Lucy heard people coming out from the court room as it looked like her father and grandmother had finished the meeting with the people. "Come, let us meet your grandmother. Since I arrived, she's been too occupied with the court work."

"I feel like I have turned sweaty because of the heat outside. Let me go and change into another dress," said Lucy, ready to bolt from there, but Rosamund had other plans. Her niece had been acting stranger than usual, and it made her question what her niece was up to.

Rosamund placed her hand on her niece's arm, "I don't plan to stay long, I would be sad to not be able to spend enough time with my beautiful niece. Come."