The Crown's Obsession

Calhoun sat at the table, his hand spinning the smoothened rock, looking at it twirl while waiting for the news to reach his ears.

"Has he moved from there since morning?" Madame Fraunces asked Theodore, who stood next to her and away from where Calhoun sat. "How is he holding up?" she asked, starting to walk away from there and stepping outside her house.

Theodore followed her with his hands in his pockets, "He's holding up. He will be fine. Right now, he is waiting."

"For a customer?" questioned Madame Fraunces, her eyebrows raising.

Theodore shook his head, "No, waiting for some news."

The lady turned her head to look back inside, and she sighed, "He looks too lonely, seems like the death rattled him."

Theodore didn't respond to her words and instead said, "Madame Fraunces, there was something I wanted to tell you." The woman nodded her head for him to go on, and he said, "If the news is as expected, Calhoun and I will be leaving this job."

Madame Fraunces didn't look surprised by his words, and she looked at a carriage that passed in front of her house on the wide street. "Hm, it is time for the birds to leave the nest. Seems like it is something very big. Are you trying to rob someone?" she joked.

A chuckle escaped Theodore's lips, "Something like that. Thank you for everything you have done so far for me, I will ever be grateful for it, and I hope one day I can repay what you have done for me," he bowed his head deeply, and the woman's wise eyes looked at him.

"I am sure I will live long for it," Madame Fraunces smiled at those words, and she folded her hands against her chest, "You grew up well, Theodore. But then it's because of your skill when it comes to learning things quickly."

When Madame Fraunces had taken Theodore in, she had trained him to be part of the high families lifestyle, teaching him everything that she knew. She had infused it in a way that Theodore now appeared as if he was born in a wealthy family.

Nothing was perfect, and people had their own flaws. Some wore it on their sleeves while hid it.

It reminded the lady of a saying how even if you change the color of the crow, it would still be a crow.

"Don't get into trouble, and don't kill people," advised Madame Fraunces, and Theodore offered the woman a smile, leaving the sides of his eyes to crinkle in humour.

Back inside the house, Calhoun waited for King Laurence to notice his existence, the very same existence that the royal family had wanted to erase from people's mind and the world, that they were ashamed of. As he grew up, Calhoun was quick to learn because of the way people treated him and his mother, finding out why and what so that he could understand it better. He had seen the King and his family before, from afar, when they had come to one of the towns to witness someone's execution.

And all these years, Calhoun had not spent his time sitting idle. He had collected every single information connected to the royal family, keeping it safely so that he could use it to his benefit when time came.

Back in the Hawthrone castle, King Laurence was in the royal court room with Queen Morganna and the other ministers for discussing the previous day's disputes that had taken place.

"There has been a group of people who have been taking approvals from the other Kings and Queen to form an establishment to give justice to the people," said a one of the ministers who stood in front of King Laurence. "I heard they are mostly vampires, but it is still under process."

"Things like that don't exist, Barett," commented King Laurence, "If another system comes into existence what are the Kings and Queens supposed to do?" he laughed at the end.

The other ministers quickly nodded their heads in agreement while some chuckled. The minister who had passed the information looked distressed, "My King, I heard they have already received approval from most of the Kings and Queen, especially from the King of East land."

Just hearing the minister mention about East land had Laurence and Morganna tense. The King who had signed for the treaty to maintain peace had now turned to an enemy.

Queen Morganna said, "There have been many people in the past who have tried to overrun the King's powers, but all of them have failed in their effort because things like those are pointless. You have witnessed it too, Barett. Haven't you?" she asked, her voice calm and collected as if nothing could ruffle her feathers. "Some of the men can be truly foolish."

The minister named Barett nodded, "I heard it was led by a woman, a vampiress who goes by the name of Helena."

Queen Morganna chuckled, "Whatever is forming, it won't stay long. Things like this break, or she will get killed. Anyways, there's something I would like to inform," said the woman and Laurence' eyes moved in the direction of his mother. "As all of you know, King Laurence, my son doesn't have a male heir, and it has put us in quite a-"

Laurence already knew what his mother was going to say. He was quick to interrupt his mother's words, "Indeed, it is unfortunate, and we are very fortunate to have men like you who have stood next to us and faith in my rule. We are hoping we can soon provide you with good news."

The Queen's eyes hardened, but she didn't comment on her son's words.

"Of course, King Laurence," everybody bowed their heads.

King Laurence passed a look at his mother before he stepped down from the throne and made his way out of there. One of Queen Morganna's trusted man came to stand next to her, bowing his head, and she said,

"Ask my daughter to meet me, tell her I have something important to discuss with her."