The Crown's Obsession

Theodore sat on the roof top of one of the castle's buildings. Because of the height he had chosen, the wind blew around him, and his hair moved in the direction of the wind. His expression was one of seriousness, his eyes steady as they stared at the girl he was in love with.

A small smile adorned her lips while she spoke to her distant cousin, who had been hanging around her for quite a few days since he had arrived for the King's wedding.

Her gaze was soft, and even though there was a considerable distance between them, where they couldn't see him, he could perfectly hear what they were speaking right now.

"The carriage will be leaving tomorrow at nine in the morning. If you need some more time, we can stay in the castle before going to the mansion," said Ethan to Lucy.

"No tomorrow is fine," replied Lucy.

"Okay," and silence came to fall between them before he said, "Lady Lucy, there was something that I have been wanting to tell you."

Lucy, who was looking at somewhere else, turned her head to meet Ethan's gaze. Theodore wondered if this was the time when Ethan was going to confess his love for the girl, and Lucy seemed to have a troubled look on her face. But before either of them could speak, a maid appeared calling upon Lucy as Lady Monique wanted to see her.

"Must be unfortunate to not be able to confess to the woman whom you love," murmured Theodore from where he sat with one leg that was stretched out to rest entirely while the other had been folded at the knee. He had spoken to Calhoun about the shadows lurking in the castle two days ago, and he was yet to speak to Lucy.

It was hard to send her away without any reason. Theodore had done it once, and though he had agreed that he would be the one to send her off, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. Maybe the amount of hearts he had broken until now was coming back to break his own heart. But he couldn't delay it any longer. First was her safety, then came his heart, thought Theodore to himself.

He watched Ethan Moryett spend some time at the place where Lucy had left him. A sigh escaped the man's lips before he finally walked back inside the castle.

The sun had started to set, the colours in the sky changing, and Theodore finally got up from his place. It was only for some time, he thought to himself. Once the matter on the dark angel was closed, he would go to retrieve Lucy himself. He pulled out the glasses from his pocket and wore it on his face before jumping from the roof to land on the ground.

Away from the Hawthrone castle, in the town where no one would suspect, a group of demons and half-angels had gathered around in a building. Everyone wore black cloaks to camouflage into the background once they would reach the castle.

"It has been two hours and the moon hasn't shown up," stated a man who was lean and had hollow eyes. He turned around to meet Greyson's eyes, "What are we going to do boss?"

"We have waited enough for the moon. It will appear when it has to. It is time to attack the castle," ordered Greyson. Everyone picked up their weapons, and just as Samuel was picking his own, Greyson came to place his hand on the weapon. "You will be guarding the place where we are expected to bring the dark angel."

Samuel's eyes narrowed at this, "I thought I was coming with everyone."

"Not after you screwed up. You had the dark angel right under your nose and we had to wait for a whole month before realizing it," stated Greyson. "Go and wait for us at the deserted town," and people in the room started to leave one after another. Samuel gritted his teeth, his face covered in little scars that Theodore had left.

He didn't forget the way Theodore had hit him back, but more than that, he had been humiliated by his wife Lucy.

"No one is going to stop me from meeting you, my dear wife," murmured Samuel.

With everyone gone, Samuel walked out of the building to go to the castle with his own agenda.

Back in the castle, after seeing the condition in which Lady Elizabeth was in, Theodore went straight to meet Lucy, who was in her room. Calhoun wasn't in the castle as he had gone to get the antidote for the werewolf's bite. Theodore raised his hand before knocking the door firmly.

Lucy had changed her clothes and though she gave him a cold look, Theodore noticed her heart beat skip at the sight of him. There was a certain amount of anxiousness in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked him.

Theodore said to her, "I wanted to check if you needed any help for tomorrow."

"No, I got everything packed. Ethan was here earlier, he helped me with it," replied Lucy folding her hands across her chest. "What are you doing here, Theodore?" her words were softer compared to her earlier words.

Theodore said, "I think you shouldn't leave tomorrow."

Lucy's eyes widened, "Why not?"

Theodore wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but she was stubborn to accept unlike the time she was intoxicated. His eyes fell behind her at the trunks that were closed as if she had prepared herself to leave. He didn't want her to leave, he wanted her to stay right next to him forever and telling her otherwise was nothing less than pushing a stake through his own heart.

But before he could say something, he heard something at a distance which was away from Lucy's room. He realized this was no time to change his mind and he bowed his head.

Raising his head up, he said, "I think it would be more suitable if you leave right now, instead of waiting until tomorrow," and he saw her face fall and turn pale.

Before Theodore could speak more, a loud screech was heard and theory turned to look in the direction of it.

Lucy questioned, "What was that?"

It had begun, said Theodore in his mind. It had begun sooner than he and Calhoun had expected. Hearing someone scream, he looked back at Lucy and said, "Do me a favour and stay here in the room. Please don't open it until I return. Can you do it?"

He could tell she was confused with the sounds coming from the other corridors.

"Okay," said Lucy.

Theodore left the front of her room only when he heard the click sound from the door, making sure she was safer inside than out in the corridor.

When Theodore reached the hallways, he caught sight of two of the guards whose throats had been slit, blood oozing out of their necks. He could sense the energy of the demons in the castle, and a servant quickly ran when he was Theodore near the bodies.

"Advisor Theodore! The castle is under attack!"