The Crown's Obsession

Before Calhoun could explain, Rosamund was quick to jump, and she explained, "Milady, we were all on the other side of the castle when we heard Lucy, my niece scream. When we followed her voice and entered the undercroft, we caught sight of King Calhoun and Lady Samara's dead bodies on the ground."

Helena had a grim expression on her face. She had been working on the files in her room when Calhoun's men came in and informed her that Devon's King had fallen along with the Queen. The wounds looked quite deep as if they were done in spite.

The head of the High House turned to look at Lucy, who had been recently married. The young vampiress looked pale, her eyes staring as if she wasn't present in the room.

Walking to where Lucy was, Helena questioned, "Could you tell us what you saw, Lady Lucy?"

Lucy hugged herself closer, and she slowly nodded her head. "I...I was looking for mother when I heard a scream. When I came to the place, I saw the minister sitting next to my parents body."

Helena then turned to look at the man whose hands were bound by ropes, "I had nothing to do with it! I heard the scream too and I went running to find the bodies. Before I even reached the place, they were already dead. Why would I kill them?!"

Rosamund then cut in to say, "Minister Merten must have not done it, Lady Helena. He has been serving the Hawthrone family for many years now. He would never try something like this."

"I want to know where everyone have been and who saw each other and in whose company you were in. If you know anything more, I would like you to come forward and be frank so that we know who it is," came the calm voice of Helena. "Get everyone's replies," she ordered the High House members who had come with her to the castle.

The High House members got on to work in questioning the people and trying to find out who was suspicious. After speaking to the people, Dimitri returned to Helena, and he said, "The Minister named Merten had a disagreement with the King during lunch and it seems the minister left the room. One of the castle servants mentioned that Merten wanted to speak to the King, but the King asked him to go to the cellar."

"I believe the cellar isn't right next to the undercroft?" Helena raised her eyebrows.

"No, but it isn't too far away. But Merten states that the King didn't arrive there and he decided to look for him," replied Dimitri. "If you ask me, I think we are looking at more than once suspects in the room."

Helena turned her head to look at the minister first, then at the King's sister who had pointed her finger at Calhoun, telling how he was the one to kill them, though she didn't do it openly. And her eyes then fell on Calhoun, who was speaking to one of the guests in the room. Was it possible that Calhoun had killed the King and the Queen?

Calhoun was called to Helena's side, and she asked, "I heard the King was last seen with you. Is it true?"

"It is true that we spent our time in the room because father was upset about a few things that happened in the dining room. I can explain it to you if you want," he offered, and Helena nodded her head.

"Lead the way," she replied.

Calhoun went to the room where he and the King were in earlier, and he pulled out the scroll put in the desk drawer. He then handed it to the woman, "You will see here that he has mentioned wanting to change his ministers because he believes there is a conspiracy going on to dethrone him. He is wary of his sister Rosamund, my aunt who had worked along with the deceased Queen to take the throne away."

"Can you tell me what you did after you spent your time with the King?" questioned Helena. "It is because someone strongly believes that you had something to do with it."

Calhoun shook his head as if in disappointment, "While we were still in the middle of the discussion, one of the servants arrived to mention how Merten wanted to talk to him."

"But the King didn't go to the cellar, but to the undercroft," stated Helena, "Might you know why he changed his mind from going to the cellar?"

"Hm? Cellar?" questioned Calhoun, his eyes confused, "I doubt he said to meet in the cellar."

Rosamund, who stood not too far away from them, said, "Get the servant who was following the King's orders!"

When the servant was brought in, Helena said, "You don't have to be afraid about anyone. I only need you to tell the truth of what happened."

"Milady, the King asked Minister Merten to meet at the North Wing-"

"The servant lies!" Merten tried to get to where the servant was, but the guards pulled him back.

"Are you sure about it?" Helena pressed for an answer, and the servant nodded.

"Yes. I conveyed the same message to the minister before going back to my work-"

"He is involved with the killer! He must have killed the King before putting the blame on me!" shouted Merten in rage as he was being framed for something he hadn't done. "This must be Calhoun's work! He first killed the Queen and now he killed the King! He wants the throne!"

While the minister was shouting, Helena turned to Calhoun to see him not utter a word but stare at the man.

"That's rubbish," came one of the guests. "Calhoun could have never done it. He was outside with me near the kennel's to show me the wolves. It is also why we didn't know what happened until the guards came to call us."