The Crown's Obsession

Lucy had been worried about people questioning her about what had happened between Samuel and her, but even after a few days passed from the humiliating day, no one had asked her anything about it. She wondered if Calhoun had ordered people in the castle not to bring it up, and the thought put her to ease.

Even though her direct family had never been supportive, Calhoun had taken the role to support her, and she had found a sister in Madeline, who was going to marry Calhoun in the next three days. Having gotten used to sleeping alone at night and spending her time with the maids in the Grivelle's mansion, the days right now was nothing new.

Lucy was in her room when a maid appeared at the front of her room, knocking on the door, and she responded to it, "Come in."

"Milady, the tailor has finished preparing your gown for the wedding and I brought it here," informed the maid, and Lucy nodded her head.

"Leave it on the bed," said Lucy. Noticing two other boxes the maid carried, she asked, "What is there in the other two?"

"Ah, these are the clothes that were prepared for Lady Rosamund and Lady Sophie. I wasn't sure what to do with them and thought to bring them to you," replied the maid.

Her aunt and her cousin sister were stripped down from their status and were prohibited from coming in contact with any of the royal family members...she doubted Calhoun would be pleased if he found out that she had sent the dresses to them.

"Give it to the castle's eldest maids. It would be a waste to keep them aside and not wear them to the King's wedding day when they were made for the occasion," said Lucy, sending the maid with the two boxes. Going to the box that had her dress, she opened and took a look at it.

As much as Lucy missed her parents, she was somewhere glad that they were not here. Calhoun was marrying someone he loved, and it made her happy. And now that the secret about the deaths and the conspiracy was known to her, she finally had figured out who was in the grave where once her grandfather's body was buried.

She was folding the dress to place it back in the cupboard when she heard another knock on the door, and she turned around wondering if it was the maid, "Come in," she said, but when the maid didn't enter inside, she opened it herself.

"Ethan?"

The man in front of her offered her a warm smile and Lucy was startled by seeing him. It had been years since she had last seen him, and she couldn't believe he was here.

"Good afternoon, Lady Lucy," Ethan bowed his head, greeting her.

"I cannot believe it is you," replied Lucy before stepping out of her room and hugging him while she smiled. "Where have you been? I never heard from you."

Ethan had always been kind to her with his words and actions, talking to her every time he visited the castle, but after she was married, she had lost contact with him. She pulled away to take a look at him.

Finding Ethan standing in front of her door was the last thing she had expected when she had woken up this morning.

"My apologies for that, milady. I have been doing better. How about yourself?" asked Ethan.

Lucy nodded her head with a smile, "Better too."

"I received the invitation from King Calhoun two weeks ago and decided to come here earlier than the wedding day. It is good to see you too, Lady Lucy," replied Ethan. "Are you busy with something? I can come by later-"

"No, it's fine," said Lucy, waving her hand and she asked, "Did you meet brother Calhoun?"

"Yes, I did. I met him before coming here."

As it had been quite a long time, there was a tinge of awkwardness in the air, but both Ethan and Lucy were no more young. They had grown up in their own way. They smiled at each other, and Ethan finally asked,

"Would you like to take a walk? The weather seems pleasant today."

"Yes," Lucy didn't mind Ethan's company as he was a good person. But at that thought, she realized how she thought some of them were good, but they had ended up betraying her. Then again, this was Ethan.

As they walked in the corridors, Lucy asked, "How come you never came to visit the castle? Did Calhoun appoint you at the borders to work?"

Ethan smiled, "I think I got too busy with work. Though I did visit the castle every month."

"Oh, you did? I don't think I ever got to hear about it," she murmured to herself.

That was because Ethan never appeared at the castle when Lucy was present. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, watching her features that hadn't changed much. Her demeanour was still gentle as before.

Things in the castle often didn't stay as a secret as it always slipped through someone's lips before it was known to the people outside the castle. Ethan Moryett had heard about Lucy and Samuel, of how the man had been cheating on her with several other women.

Ethan wasn't here to reignite things of the past, and had only come to check if Lucy was doing fine.Though many years had passed, he still held a soft corner towards Lucy whom he once loved.

To drive the awkwardness away, Ethan said, "Everyone has been looking forward to the royal wedding. There has been a lot of chatter about it. I was surprised hearing they were going to hold the wedding in the castle."

"I think it took most of us by surprise, especially with Calhoun falling in love," Lucy smiled at that. Remembering something, she asked Ethan, "What happened to that girl? Wait, are you married?" she looked down at his hands but there was no ring on his finger.

She remembered Ethan telling her that he was going to confess his love to a girl, but the memory had faded.

Ethan smiled at Lucy's curious expression, "I didn't get the chance to tell her how I felt about her."