The Crown's Obsession (WN)

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Music Recommendation: 1917 (From "1917") [Piano version] - Thomas Newman

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A few days passed, and Helena now sat with her back against the chair, her eyes closed and her lips in a frown as if she was displeased with people's attitude. Even though many King's and the Queen's had come forward to offer their support in the functioning of how the High House worked, there were still some who liked to cause trouble.

Her eyes opened to reveal the deep and clear red eyes while she leaned back to her position and picked up the top parchment from the stack that had piled up on her table.

Hearing a knock on the door, she said, "Enter."

The door opened, and in came her right-hand man, Dimitri, "Good evening, Lady Helena. The issue of filling up the position of Duke Grivelle's bloodline has been addressed by King Calhoun. Here is the list of the people whom you might find to be worthy to fill up that position." He walked forward to place the scroll in front of the head of the High House before taking a step back and watching the woman's gaze fall on the scroll.

"I will have the person picked by night and by tomorrow morning, you can inform the respective person. The position has been left empty for a while now," said Helena, picking up the scroll and taking a quick look at the names, and she placed it on the table. "Is there something else?"

"No, milady," Dimitri answered, and he paused before he said, "Have you thought about going to meet the King?"

"King Calhoun?" questioned Helena, and the man shook his head.

"I mean King Edison. He had sent you a letter," answered Dimitri and hearing the name was enough for Helena to stop whatever she was doing.

Helena's lips were set in a thin line, and she said, "My cousins wants me to join him in the royal court for lunch, hoping I would favour him compared to the rest of them. I wonder why people forget things easily while turning delusional. He has addressed the letter to the head of the High House, requesting to visit him."

"Are you going?" asked Dimitri. A slight concern came to fall on his face.

"I can refuse his request as a relative, but I cannot refuse it with him because of his position as the King. Sometimes we think we have power, but in truth we still don't," came the grim words from Helena's mouth.

King Edison Rufford was Helena's cousin, the son of the late King Solomon Rufford. She knew Solomon and his son Edison since she was small, and she had believed they were family until he stole the one person who was dear to her. Before Dimitri had turned as the right-hand man of hers, he had previously been her caretaker.

Though Helena put on a cold stone-like appearance in front of others, Dimitri knew the hardsh.i.p.s she had gone through to come to this position.

"I would like to go instead of you. I will finish the matter quickly and return," proposed Dimitri.

"No," responded Helena. "Edison has specifically asked me to come and join him for a meal. If you go there, it would only upset him."

She had a lot of things to settle in the past, but now as she was in a different position, she didn't want to misuse it. She had believed in fair treatment and justice to be given to people who deserved it while punishing people who deserved it.

"It is only one day. I will be fine. Instead, I would like you to handle this place," stated Helena, who had already made up her mind.

Dimitri didn't try to convince her, and he bowed his head in acknowledgement. "You should also get some sleep. You have been here for two days straight."

"Hm," Helena responded and saw Dimitri step out of the room. Getting up from her seat, she pulled the drawer to pick up a small cigar case. Snatching an old lighter with marks on it, she lit the cigar before putting the lighter back in the drawer and walked towards the long window.

Bringing the cigar up to her lips, she took a long drag and blew the smoke through her lips.

Her eyes watched the road below while she stood inside the tall building. She saw carriages passing back and forth, people making their way back home, some with their loved one's company while some all by themselves.

Her eyes seemed distant, and she wondered if there was ever an end to how she felt. The life she had picked for herself was of a righteous one. When she took a few more drag from the cigar, she heard a crackle in the air.

"A woman standing near the window and blowing a cigar. I don't know if I should find it to be intriguing or if it looks lonely."

And here came another problem, thought Helena in her mind.

"It seems like Hell has been quiet without any sinners that you are here to kill time," replied Helena to the Devil's words.

"I am waiting for you to commit a sin, but you have been a very good person," Vladimir responded to her words, and he took hold of the cigar case that was on the table. He walked towards where she stood, placing the cigar in between his mouth, he said, "May I?"

Helena could somewhere relate the Devil's attitude that was similar to a persistent fly. No matter how many times a person swatted it, it would return singing to the person.

Vladimir leaned his upper body forward and towards her, such that he touched the tip of her cigar with his end of the cigar to light it up. When his cigar burned bright, he pulled back to take some puffs from it.