The Crown's Obsession

Music Recommendation: Elisa's Theme - Alexandre Desplat

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A couple of days passed, and during breakfast with Samuel, Lucy looked at Samuel, who was quietly having his meal.

She said, "I was thinking to visit the Hawthrone's castle tomorrow. Would you be able to accompany me? It has been a while since we went together to the castle," her words were careful so that they weren't impolite.

Samuel, who was eating, agreed to her words, "You are right, it has been a while since we last went together. Unfortunately, I have some urgent work that needs my presence, would you be alright to travel there by yourself?"

"Yes, I will be fine," Lucy nodded her head. It wasn't like it was the first time she was travelling alone as she had done it many times before. "I am sorry for planning it tomorrow when you are busy."

Her husband offered her a warm smile, "You don't have to feel sorry about it. Who knows when I will be able to turn free from work unless Calhoun arranges for another meeting in the castle. You shouldn't wait on my accord and instead go visit him. I am sure you are missing him."

"Thank you, Samuel," she thanked him with a bright smile on her lips.

Samuel took another bite from his plate before wiping his lips with the napkin that he had placed on his lap before. Getting up from the chair, he leaned forward and kissed one side of Lucy's temple. "Go carefully and let me know if you need anything."

When the next day arrived, Lucy carried baskets of fruits and delicacies made by her maids on her instructions to take it to the castle.

She wanted to carry the best delicacies to give it to her brother as it had been months since she had last seen him. Once they were placed on the carriage, Lucy travelled with her maid Jamie where they were driven towards the Hawthrone castle by carriage.

"Are these flowers for the previous King and Queen, milady?" asked Jamie, looking down at the sets of flowers that sat next to them on the seat. "You have four of them."

The maid didn't understand why Lady Lucy was carrying two extra sets of flowers for her parents.

Whenever Lady Lucy visited the castle, she always carried flowers as the royal cemetery where her parents were buried was near the castle. She looked at the lady with a confused expression.

Lucy smiled at her maid's quizzical face, "They are for two other important people who are buried in the cemetery."

"Oh," the maid quickly nodded her head. "I see. My apologies, milady. I thought you always visited the cemetery to meet your parents. They must be important people."

Lucy didn't mind the maid's words. Anyone would be surprised by seeing her carry four sets of flowers now. She had always gone to the cemeteries with the flowers when she didn't have any company with her. "That's fine," she murmured, looking outside the carriage through the window where air breezed inside, and a smile came to form on her lips. Every time she headed to the castle in the carriage in between these woods, she remembered the times when she had hurried herself to get inside the castle grounds without her parents or her grandmother noticing her absence.

When the carriage finally reached the Hawthrone castle, the coachman got down and opened the door for Lucy to step down from it.

Lucy took a couple of steps forward before noticing her maid was not following her. When she turned around, her maid was still inside the carriage.

"I will be right here, waiting for you, milady."

"Are you sure? You can come in with me," offered Lucy and the maid quickly got down from the carriage, walking to where she was and stood one step behind her.

They entered inside the castle, making their way in the corridors, and Lucy finally caught sight of Calhoun, who came to meet her as he had received the news that she was here. The maid's feet slowed down on seeing the King as he seemed intimidating while letting Lady Lucy move forward.

"Brother Calhoun, it is good to see you again!" greeted Lucy as she walked forward and bowed her head.

"And it is good to see that you finally decided to come here and meet me. You don't have to bow your head, Lucy," said Calhoun with a smile on his lips. "You can be yourself."

Lucy took the opportunity to take two steps forward before she put her arms around him, and she heard him say, "That seems more like you." It was good to be back home, thought Lucy in her mind while her heart felt slightly heavy with memories.

It felt warm hugging Calhoun, knowing nothing ill would ever happen to her until he was around. To think that there was a time when her brother didn't like her standing in the space as him, the same person now allowed her to hug him, thought Lucy. Since the last two decades, so much had changed.

"Where is Samuel?" inquired Calhoun.

"He said he is busy with work today and I didn't want to bother him," responded Lucy with a smile. "I had something to ask from you, you wouldn't mind letting one of the servants to tour my maid around the castle, would you? She was very excited when she heard she was going to visit the castle."

Calhoun's eyes fell on the girl who stood a couple of steps behind Lucy, and he gave Lucy a nod. "Sure thing." He snapped his finger to call a maid who was nearby and said, "Show Lady Lucy's maid the castle except for the main rooms and the royal wing."

Lucy was about to thank him for being kind when she felt someone staring at her. When she turned her head, her red eyes fell on a young woman who stood not too far away from where she and Calhoun stood. The person wore a rich silk dress, and her blonde hair was loosely braided with a few strands pulled at the sides of her face.

This must be her, thought Lucy to herself.

"Are you done playing with the sticks?" Lucy heard Calhoun ask the young woman. By the tone he used, she believed this was the girl Calhoun had mentioned in his letter as brother Calhoun wasn't kind to anyone.

Lucy took the opportunity to bow her head, and she introduced herself, "I am Lucy Grivelle."

And the young woman introduced herself, "I am Madeline Harris."

"I have heard about you. It is good to meet you," unable to contain her joy, Lucy stepped forward and put her hands around to hug Madeline. When she pulled away, she could tell that she caught the young woman by surprise.

Madeline smiled back, "It is good to meet you too."

With their introduction done, Calhoun asked, "How are things at the mansion?"

"It has been good. You sent Samuel on work, it was a little lonely, but he's back now," joked Lucy.

"Is he treating you well?" asked Calhoun.

Lucy wondered why Calhoun was asking this and if Samuel had said something to Calhoun. "Yes, he's been treating me well. If there's anything I will let you know."

The three of them took a walk outside the castle, and it gave Lucy time to interact with Madeline, who seemed like a nice person. When they went to meet the wolves, Lucy noticed how Calhoun spoke to Madeline, and it warmed Lucy's heart. She noticed Calhoun teasing Madeline about something that had turned the young woman red, and Lucy smiled internally that Calhoun had finally found someone to love and cherish.

She knew a marriage between a human and a vampire had its own difficulties, but she couldn't help but hope Calhoun and Madeline to work. Calhoun needed someone apart from that stone man next to him.

Where was he? She hadn't seen him since she had arrived.

After finishing their meal, the three of them had moved to another room, when suddenly as if Lucy had summoned the devil by just thinking and it had knocked on the door to greet her. The door opened and in came Theodore.

Lucy tried to keep her composure calm but it only turned her whole demeanour icy just by the sight of him. He hadn't changed one bit since her last visit, thought Lucy to herself. The round frame of glasses was settled on the bridge of his nose, and in these years, his expression hadn't changed much.

When their eyes met, Lucy's eyes narrowed in a way where if it was possible, it could disappear Theodore from the room.