The Crown's Obsession

Music Recommendation: Rhythm of the Breeze- Chapvich Temnitikul

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Two days passed and Lucy felt much better compared to the time when Samuel had pierced his hand in her stomach. And though the pain had lessened, her nightmares didn't leave her. Every night she woke up in the middle of the night, her body covered in sweat as she relived the moment with Samuel in her dreams.

Lucy tried to feel better by assuring herself that Samuel would never come back and hurt her again, but her subconscious told her otherwise. Pushing the cover on her body, she stepped down from her bed and slowly made her way towards the patio of the room she was staying in. She placed her hand on the side of her abdomen as she dragged herself out to get some fresh air.

When she stepped into the patio, she was greeted with snow that surrounded the castle's grounds. It was the peak of Winter, and once it would come to an end, the flowers would bloom again, thought Lucy to herself.

Looking outside at the castle grounds felt good. The guards had been stationed in front of her room and the maids so that they could attend to her if she were to call them for anything. She had been advised to rest, but she doubted she would be able to sit still any longer.

All these years, she had tried to behave with maturity, behave like an a.d.u.l.t her parents and grandmother wanted, not step out of line, and follow the rules. But she couldn't do it anymore. No, she didn't want to do it. Following her mother and grandmother's words had felt nothing but suffocating.

Holding the railings of the patio, Lucy took a deep breath before looking down at the ground where the height was too much. Within a few seconds, she had jumped over the railing to land on the ground with a wince.

When a sigh escaped her lips, breath-vapour escaped her lips, and her red eyes looked vibrant compared to the off-white nightgown that she wore and the white background that was due to the snow. Her bare feet felt the snow, and she closed her eyes.

"Bored of sitting in the room?"

Lucy quickly turned her head and found Theodore standing with his back leaning against the wall with one of his legs placed flat on the wall.

"What are you doing here?" the words flew out of Lucy's mouth.

"Me?" asked Theodore. He didn't have a polite smile on his lips that he often wore, but his eyes held a hint of mischievousness in them. "I was following you. What else would I be doing?"

Hearing this, for a moment, Lucy's eyes widened because of his direct words, "What?" she whispered, her heart singing faster.

Theodore didn't make an effort to move away from where he stood.

He stared at her, "You haven't completely healed yet. You should get as much rest as you can," he said to her.

"I have been only sleeping since the last few days," replied Lucy. "I needed some air," she added before turning her body to face the other side so that he wouldn't catch the heat that had risen to her cheeks.

Since the time she had returned from the dead, thanks to Lady Madeline and her father's help, Lucy's feelings had mellowed down towards Theodore. She didn't know if it was because she had accepted that she had been too harsh on him when he had done things only to keep her safe.

But she doubted that was the reason. It was as if something had happened without her knowledge or memory.

"What are you doing here instead of sleeping yourself?" questioned Lucy. The fog continued to escape from her lips, and her complexion had slightly turned pale because of the cold weather.

Theodore finally pushed his body against the wall to stand straight, and he started to walk to where she stood. "I was watching over you. I don't trust the guards, which I was rightful in thinking so. You jumping from your patio was the last thing anyone would have expected from you to do. Was it a nightmare that woke you up?" he asked her.

He wanted to win her heart, but he didn't want to suffocate her. He had chosen to stand below the room, listening to her breathing which had spiked and a gasp escaping her lips.

Lucy didn't answer him right away and instead turned back to stare at him.

"Tell me about it. I have been told I am a very good listener," offered Theodore.

"I know that," murmured Lucy to herself. "It is just a silly little dream. You shouldn't worry about me, I will be fine."

"How can I not? You ask me something I cannot do, Lucy," said Theodore and hearing him drop the honorifics in her name and made her heart beat faster. He had pulled out his glasses from his face, and his hair was ruffled because of the night wind, his gaze sharp and unwavering as they looked at her. "You don't mind me calling you just Lucy, do you?"

"Aren't you brave," responded Lucy, her eyes staring into Theodore's red eyes.

"When a person falls in love, every person turns brave, don't they?" asked Theodore. Lucy had stepped down from her room to get some air, and she hadn't expected to have Theodore's company, which was why she was unprepared for the words he said. "I once knew this girl, beautiful girl. Someone who believed in love and was ready to elope for the sake of love. She was brave in it."

"I was brave in other things too," Lucy corrected Theodore, giving him a look, and he chuckled.

"What makes you think I was speaking about you?" he asked her.

Lucy opened her mouth and then huffed, "Seems like there were many women and girls who were ready to elope with you."

Before Lucy's mood would turn sour, Theodore said, "Have I told you how it warms my heart when you get jealous thinking I favour women, people who are pretty much non-existent to me?"

Lucy didn't like this feeling that she felt, the feelings of turmoil. She had felt it when her governess had tried to gain Theodore's attention. "I am not jealous," she looked away from him. "You did those things because the situation demanded it. People go through different hardsh.i.p.s."

"Then why does it feel like you are still punishing me for it?" questioned Theodore. He didn't hog her space by getting too near her and gave her time.

"You are imagining it," came the quick words, and she started to walk away from where she stood. Theodore followed her while keeping a good distance. They left a trail of footsteps on the fresh snow that had fallen on the ground. "You don't have to follow me. If brother Calhoun asks, you can tell I wanted some air."

"What makes you think I am here because of Calhoun? Have you forgotten I am here for my own selfish reasons?" asked Theodore from behind, and Lucy stopped walking, her feet buried in the snow. "I am here because I love you."

Lucy turned to meet Theodore's gaze, and unlike before where he had kept a distance from her, right now he stood right in front of her. The close presence startled her, and she was about to fall back on her bottom, but Theodore caught hold of her by putting his arm around her waist.

"Stop running away from me, Lucy," said Theodore to her. "Tell me that you hate me, and I will never come to bother you again."

She softly gulped, her breathing turned heavy, and she stared at the grey shirt he wore. She closed her eyes, "You know I don't…"

"Don't what?" he tried to coax the words from her.

When Lucy opened her mouth to speak, she sneezed twice, "Achoo!" before the pain in her abdomen shot up, and she winced.

Hearing Lucy wince in pain, Theodore let go of her waist, and he looked down at her dress, where he noticed spots of blood on her nightgown.

"You're bleeding," whispered Theodore a frown appearing on his face, and before Lucy could say anything, he lifted her in his arms.

"W-wait! I can walk," protested Lucy, her eyes wide.