The Crown's Obsession

Author's note: If you have read my previous books, you should know I am a fan of writing slow-burn romance, so please don't expect quick love and roll in the hay (bed). We haven't completed a week since Madeline's parents last saw her.

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Madeline stared with a mixture of awe and shock at what just happened. Blinking her eyes, she stared at the red rose that had turned from white to red in less than two seconds as if the flower had been dipped into ink of red. Her eyes then snapped at Calhoun's eyes that were as red as the rose.

"W-what happened?" she asked him, her voice holding fascination and Calhoun smiled at her.

She had never seen anything like this before. None of the fair that claimed to show tricks had ever pulled something like this, which was why she now looked at Calhoun, "How did you do that?"

"What do you think?" he asked her. His intelligent eyes looked into her brown eyes, "I am a vampire. I have some tricks up my sleeve," Calhoun said. So it was because he was a vampire and he was able to change the colour, but that wasn't the only thing that Calhoun was able to do.

"I didn't know the night creatures possess magic with them." The place from where Madeline came, people didn't speak much about the night creatures. Because of what they were capable of and the terror they had plagued into the lives of the humans who were wary and scared of them.

The smile on Calhoun's lips didn't leave, and he looked down at the rose that he was holding in his hand, "Not everyone does. Just some of us." He said, twirling the stem of the rose, "That is why I told you I know what I want. I have never been doubtful about what I choose for myself. If you think you are not the white rose in the lot and I have not noticed it, then maybe I knew you were the red rose. I am not indecisive on what I want, and I can hold my ground pretty well, unlike the man you claim to be interested."

"What about my choice?" asked Madeline, "Shouldn't I have the choice of what I want?"

"It is better if your choice coincides with my interests, sweet girl," he said, and Madeline who was looking at the rose heard him say, "I wouldn't take it any other away if you decide on something else," as he said this, the rose in his hand suddenly turned to black ashes to fall on the ground.

Madeline didn't know what more Calhoun was capable of. She knew he wasn't the King for no reason. He was a person not to play with. While they continued to stare at each other, that they were doing quite often in silence, they heard the voice of Lady Sophie that came from the other side.

"It seems Lady Sophie wants your attention," Madeline said to Calhoun, and when she tried to move away from him, Calhoun only pulled her close to him, "What are you doing?!"

"The only person I would like to give my attention to is you."

"You are insane," she whispered to him, her head turning around to see if Lady Sophie had arrived. If there was one thing she had tried to understand, it was the relationship Calhoun and Sophie shared. Lady Sophie was trying to pursue the King, but even if Calhoun was not interested, he humoured the girl which was questionable, especially with the way his character was.

"Now that is one adjective you forgot to mention. Did you notice," Calhoun whispered to her, "The adjectives you used for the tailorman were generic. Something that could be applied to any other man. But for me they were unique." They were unique because till now he was the only overbearing person she had met in her life, Madeline thought to herself. She then heard him say, "Do you think I am going to hide you like some dirty secret in front of my relatives and other people?" he asked her.

At times, with the way he had been vague in front of Sophie, Madeline agreed that, that is what she had perceived, "I am a poor girl. Let me live a life that I deserve."

"And I will give you the life you deserve," answered Calhoun, "You mistake me that I am like other people. I make exceptions to things that are important to me."

Madeline pulled herself away from him and took two steps further before the vampiress had finally made her way to where they were, "There you are, Lady Madeline," chirped the girl. Both Madeline and Sophie didn't like each other. For one because the person had kicked her out of the carriage and for the other person because she felt threatened that the crown of the queen was slipping out of her fingers.

"Where were you?" asked Calhoun, his eyes shifting from Madeline to look at his cousin sister who walked down the path of the garden to stand next to Madeline finally. After the time of breakfast, Sophie had excused herself and slipped out of the dining room.

Sophie's smile was bright on her face, and Madeline wondered if all the night creatures smiled like this. A smile that was so wide that her cheeks would have hurt if she had smiled so much. And her expression looked bland in front of the two night creatures.

"I went to take a stroll through the corridors of the castle," Sophie lied. She wanted to look at the painting Calhoun had made, but Theodore had chased her right away like she was some pesky annoying fly that was hovering over the gallery. Her hands clenched together, but she didn't bring the expression out on her face. Like many others who were brought up in the environment of the castle, she had learned the art of deception and lies, "I returned to the dining room but heard that the King and Lady Madeline were out taking a walk. If I knew you had plans to take a walk, I would have waited. Are you enjoying the gardens, Lady Madeline?"

Madeline didn't know why Sophie wanted to talk to her when she knew the vampiress didn't like her, "It is wonderful."

"Of course, it is wonderful. There are so many rare flowers and plants that have been brought from different lands to be planted in here. Sadly I heard that they don't survive," commented Lady Sophie who took two steps forward in front of the many flowers that surrounded them.

Madeline couldn't deny that there were many beautiful flowers of different colours, "They die because they cannot handle the change in the weather and the new environment is sometimes not suitable to them," she spoke back to Sophie's words, "Some plants grow up to live in their existing conditions. Taking them away, forcibly to place them in a new environment is often not advisable as they wither away."

"Who cares about it," Sophie shrugged her shoulders, "You need to keep people to look after them. In time they get accustomed. Don't they, brother Calhoun?" asked Sophie, unaware of what Madeline's words actually meant and the underlying meaning of it which the King picked up on immediately.

"Lady Madeline doesn't know that we have a glasshouse to keep the newly arrived plants," Calhoun said. He picked up another white rose from the lot, and he then gave it to Madeline to hold, "We get the plants accustomed little by little to the outside atmosphere until they finally can grow independently."

Madeline took the flower which he had given to her, and she looked down at it. Calhoun had plucked not just the rose, but he had kept part of the stem that had thorns along with the flower. With this little gesture, she felt a pair of glare that was coming from the side. It seemed like Calhoun was only putting her in the spot where Sophie could burn her with just her eyes.

"Brother Calhoun," Sophie called his name to bring his attention to her, which he did, "Did you find out who wrote the letter in the name of Lady Madeline?" Hearing this, Madeline's body froze as she had hoped the matter had been brushed away. This little vampiress was bringing her more problems. Madeline shifted her gaze from the rose to look at Calhoun who said,

"It was written by the man himself."

"Not by Lady Madeline?" asked Sophie tilting her head in question, "My apologies, Lady Madeline as I couldn't keep the curiosity regarding what happened today." The vampiress gave an apologetic look that made Madeline frown from where she stood.

Calhoun chuckled, "I have seen her handwriting that is why I know it isn't hers."

"Okay…" drawled Sophie, "The man must be very desperate. And how rude was he to imply that you were keeping Lady Madeline here by force, isn't it? You should have punished him for being impolite to you."

"I should," agreed the King and Madeline looked alarmed by his words.