The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Music Recommendation: Silent Turmoil by Myuu

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"It isn't going to be easy to pull it off," said Theodore, looking at Calhoun, who sat on the opposite side of the carriage. After meeting the ministers of the town, they were on their way back to the castle. "You think King Laurence won't find out about it?"

Calhoun had placed his elbow on the hand rest that was next to the window while supporting the side of his head.

"It's a long shot but if everything goes right, then it will be done quickly," replied Calhoun, watching the things that moved past the carriage. "If it is done without any mistakes, we'll be resolving the matter sooner than the expected time."

Theodore nodded his head, "She won't rest until you are out. I heard her speaking to her loyal minister who had gone to speak to the woman who is forming the establishment of vampires and humans for higher justice. Morganna plans to infiltrate and control the establishment if it is to form."

"She must be scared with the number of people who are poking and trying to take her power away," said Calhoun, his gaze leaving the outside world and shifted to look at Theodore. "Queen Morganna has tried to attack the woman who is forming the organization, but Helena is strong. Not just physically but also mentally. A demoness."

"Demoness?" Theodore raised his eyebrows in question. It wasn't often a demon or demoness came forward in the limelight as they preferred to stay out of focus from being found who they truly were. "Isn't it possible to bring her to our side?"

A small smile tugged on one side of Calhoun's lips, "If I approach her now, she will suspect something is up. Let's give it some time, eventually she will side with us."

When they reached the castle, both of them got down from the carriage and started to make their way towards the castle's entrance. Before Theodore could step inside, his eyes fell on the vampiress who was standing in the garden with a familiar-looking man who had attended the ball that Mr. Barnes hosted. His eyes slightly narrowed, and when his eyes met Lucy's, he looked ahead of him.

Last evening, it wasn't just Lucy looking at Theodore, but even Theodore had looked at her, noticing her stealing glances at him. She looked beautiful like a porcelain doll, dressed in a dark blue gown, and her hairs were curled and let down.

Theodore had received plenty of attention from girls and women before, but the way Lucy looked at him was different. She was a beautiful girl, and now as she had come to an age to marry, her mother and grandmother didn't leave any stone unturned by making her meet one suitor after another.

"They treat her like a high bidding lamb," Calhoun muttered under his breath without looking at Lucy and continuing to walk in the corridor. "Minister Fitzwilliam," he greeted when one of the ministers stepped into the corridor from the other side.

"Advisor Calhoun!" the man deeply bowed his head, "It is good that I was able to catch up with you before I left the castle. I was hoping you could take a look through the documents that I have prepared for the town of Boardex. The plague has destroyed the crops around and the water has been stopped."

While Calhoun spoke to the minister, Theodore heard the quick footsteps from behind him. When he turned around, he noticed it was Lucy. She looked slightly irritated and anxious, not sparing a word. She disappeared from the corridor.

Theodore would have let it be, but he didn't forget the moments that had transpired last night between him and her. He didn't know why, but he felt the urge to follow her. And he did just that when Calhoun got busy with another work.

Reaching the music room, he could hear the cello's sound escaping through the closed windows and doors. Lucy's fingers moved in quick movements as if the vampiress was trying to get away from something, and when she put more pressure, the strings of the bow snapped, making her stop playing the instrument.

Unable to resist himself from talking to her, Theodore stepped inside and said, "You should be careful with the amount of pressure you put." He saw her snap around to look at him, her eyes looking even more lost than usual.

She looked troubled. Looking back at her instrument, she said, "You shouldn't be here."

He knew that. Theodore knew he wasn't supposed to be here because he didn't hold a status that allowed him to be near the princess. But here he was, standing in the same room as Lucy. At first, it was just a fleeting curiosity where he wanted to read and observe the princess, but then it turned to intrigue where he could not turn his head away in the other direction.

"You seemed upset about something. Are you alright, Lady Lucy?" he asked, looking at her hand that was tracing the broken strings. She looked somewhere sad, as if she had lost everything around her, and she was sinking in the depth of the dark sea.

When she looked back at him, her eyes held a glint that came and went quickly, "What if I said, I am not?"

What a troublesome girl, thought Theodore to himself. Until now, he had not ventured through what was going on, and he had let it be. He had shown kindness to Lucy as she seemed lonely and stuck with her family. He walked to where she was sitting, took hold of the bow, and ran his finger on the still attached strings.

"When there's something troubling you, you should either speak out and try to resolve it or ignore it and start fresh," said Theodore, noting how speaking to her family would do no good. He could tell she felt trapped in here. "You put too much force, did the governess teach you to play in this way?"

Lucy didn't reply to it and stayed quiet. She looked down, feeling slightly hurt. Looking at her, his eyes softened, and he fetched another spare bow. He was used to seeing her smile and talk, running in the corridor with her bare feet when she thought no one was looking at her.

Coming to stand behind her, he handed the bow to her.

"Why don't you play from the beginning again. Go on."

He saw her tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, her fingers hovering above her skin, and his eyes fell on her slender pale neck.

When she was about to play, he leaned forward and placed his hand on hers, hearing her heart skip a beat. Lucy was too pure and innocent, and Theodore was aware of it. Unlike the other women, her thoughts were innocent, and there was just something about it that drew him to her.

"Here," he said, and her breath hitched.

In the imperfect universe that they lived in, he wasn't someone who deserved Lucy, thought Theodore to himself. It wasn't just their status, but their nature and thoughts were poles apart. Yet here he was, giving in to the sweet temptation of the forbidden fruit.

"You should stop looking at things that are going to cause trouble. Trouble attracts only more trouble."