The Crown's Obsession

More than anything, right now Lucy was angry at Theodore.

Theodore knew it, yet he had not mentioned a word about it. Lucy felt like an utter fool who was humiliated by her own words. She covered her face with her hands, remembering the times where she had boasted about Samuel, and all that time, Theodore knew Samuel was cheating on her.

"I should find and talk to the maid," decided Lucy before getting ready and stepping out of the room to look for the maid in the castle whom she had seen with Samuel.

But even after she had walked around the entire castle, she wasn't able to find the person. Where did the maid go?

And as much as everyone had been looking forward to Calhoun and Madeline getting married, life in the castle never went as expected.

In a few days, Lucy found out Markus had his issues with the King and had tried to frame Calhoun for a murder that he didn't commit. Her cousin had called the High House members to the castle, but instead of going in Markus' favour who had informed them, he had fled from the castle, and her aunt and her cousin sister Sophie had been put behind the iron bars in the dungeon.

She had wanted to bring up her issues with Calhoun, but with everything that was going on in the castle and their family, she decided to wait until some of the matters were settled.

Right now, Lucy had come to the dungeon to visit her aunt and her cousin. Never would she have imagined something so bizarre. Sophie tried to pull the bars of the cell she was in anger,

"I don't know why I am even here! I was minding my work in my room when the guards came and dragged me from my room! Where is Markus?!"

"They are still looking for him," whispered Lucy.

"How can brother Calhoun put us or me in the dungeon?! I didn't do anything!" yelled Sophie.

Lucy sighed, not knowing how to react to it. It was as if one problem was not enough, and another arose right on time. While she was spending time with them, Theodore appeared there.

"Lady Lucy, the King, has summoned you," he informed her.

Lucy nodded her head and then turned to look at her aunt, "I will be back soon."

"Be careful, Lucy," whispered her aunt. "You never know if you will be the next person to be thrown in the dungeon or to be killed."

Theodore and Calhoun knew that Rosamund would try to brainwash Lucy by feeding her things to go against Calhoun, which was why Theodore had tried to stay close to the dungeon, listening to them speak.

As Lucy and Theodore walked out of there, heading inside the castle, Lucy halted and asked, "Is it true?"

Lucy had been kept in the dark for a long time, and he doubted he was the right person from whom she should hear the truth. He was also worried that the anger that she had for him, it would blow out of proportion.

"Milady?"

Theodore caught sight of the doubt that was in Lucy's eyes as she asked, "What Aunt Rosamund said...Is it true?"

But before he could answer her question, the members of the High House had arrived in their carriages, and he asked,

"Would you like to stay witness the trial by the High House in the court room?"

"Yes," she nodded her head. This wasn't about a land dispute or the matters that concerned the commoners but about her family. Lucy wanted to be there.

While Lucy waited for the High House members to make their appearance in the corridor, Theodore watched Lucy and asked, "Where did Mr. Greville go?" Samuel had been disappearing from the castle more often than he expected him to. Something didn't seem right about it.

Hearing Theodore's question, Lucy turned annoyed, "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

There was the anger, thought Theodore to himself. She refused to meet his eyes. Though Lucy covered her emotions in anger, he could see the pain behind it in her eyes. She felt betrayed by him, and he wondered if it was because she still believed in him.

When Theodore bowed, Lucy turned perplexed, "If there's anything I could help you with, please do let me know." He wasn't in the position to directly be there for her, but he would do his best in the shadows.

"Why?" asked Lucy as she stared at him. Her heart clenched in pain. All she wanted from Theodore in the past was to return her feelings.

She wondered if he understood how hard it was for her to be in the same room as him. It was as if someone was pushing millions of needles into her chest. After all this time, now he wanted to help?

"You should have told me the truth. It was up to me to believe or not to believe you," said Lucy when Theodore didn't respond to her. "Did you enjoy seeing me make a fool of myself?"

"It was never my intention. My apologies for my past mistakes," said Theodore.

Lucy shook her head as if not believing they were discussing this right now. She then remembered something and asked him,

"What happened to that maid? The one who was with Samuel that night?"

Theodore stared back at her, "I thought her presence would bother you, so I took her to the forest."

Even though Lucy understood what Theodore actually meant, it took her a few seconds to sink the information and her mouth parted before it closed.

"You didn't have to do it," whispered Lucy.

"I wanted to," replied Theodore and Lucy turned to look at him.

Soon the High House members appeared in the corridor and Lucy lost her opportunity to question Theodore further. After the High House held a trial that day for Markus as well as Calhoun, the head of the High House Helena announced Calhoun to be not guilty while Markus was held accountable for committing treason against the King.