The Crown's Obsession (WN)

The next days passed by slowly, and since the time the King had announced about their wedding that would be taking place in a month, Madeline had started to count the days backwards. The more time passed, the more isolated she was from the world and people, which she once belonged to.

Life in the castle was easy, and Madeline was trying to get used to it. Trying to let reality sink in her mind while still trying to tiptoe around Calhoun as his gaze was always on her when they were in the same room. She didn't understand the way Calhoun loved her, because it felt like he was obsessed with her. Even if she went to hide in some corner of the castle, a maid or the King's right-hand man would be there to retrieve her, telling how the King was summoning her.

Sophie had not returned to the castle since the day Calhoun had dismissed her food that was given to the servants. Madeline didn't need to know how Sophie must have felt. It was strange that a close relative of Calhoun was trying to get married to him, which could be for love towards the King or his position. Shaking her head, Madeline continued to walk in the grounds of the castle. Away from the eyes of the maids and the ministers, and possibly the King.

That is what Madeline thought, not knowing the dark red eyes of the King was watching her from the castle.

"There have been letters from the Warring's. We found them from one of the men who has been working in the castle," informed a minister.

Calhoun who was standing at the tall window that started from the ground to reach the ceiling, "Oh, he got caught," came the dull reply from the King.

The minister raised his eyebrows, turning to look at Theodore who only pushed his glasses without looking at the minister but at the King, "You knew about it, milord?" asked the man baffled.

"I did," replied Calhoun whose ears were in the room but eyes focussed on Madeline who bent down to pick a stick, "I wanted to see how smart my men were. I am sure the spy sent the letters back just the way I wanted it to be," saying this, he stretched his hand to the side as if he was waiting and the minister quickly walked towards the King, placing the bunch of letters that were retrieved from the spy and stepped back.

Calhoun moved his eyes from Madeline to look at the letters which were written in old parchments, "Looks like he loves the Warrings," he murmured before opening the latest one, "This one looks new."

"That is the one he was about to send," answered the minister, folding both his hands in front of him with his head slightly bowed. Calhoun started to read the contents inside it, one after another while glancing to look at the girl who was outside the castle.

A smile graced his lips when he read the latest letter that was received by the spy, "Why don't you send a letter back to the Warrings. I am sure it will be something fun," Calhoun's eyes brightened as he turned to meet the minister's eyes.

"What would you like it to be written, milord?" asked the minister, awaiting for the King. Calhoun walked forward and placed his hand on the minister who flinched at the thought of, if the King was going to crush his shoulder because he had seen him do it once before in the past.

"Tell them that the spy has been caught while they couldn't find the spy we sent to their kingdom," said Calhoun, smiling and starting to walk further.

The minister furrowed his eyebrows in question, to say, "B-but, milord, we haven't sent any spy for the last four months." Calhoun turned his head over his shoulder,

"We know that. They don't. The easiest way to break the system and people, is to instil doubt when it comes to the trust that they have with each other. The humans are pathetic little creatures," Calhoun paused walking and then said, "Except a few handful ones. Send the letter. The sooner, the better for us."

Outside the castle, Madeline looked at the stick that she had picked for no actual reason. She was bored sitting inside the castle and decided to take a look outside, which was safe because the wolves were back in their kennels as it was the time of noon, thought Madeline to herself.

"Oh, no, they are not," said Madeline to herself. She jinxed it!

She noticed wolves running in the ground, and she looked around to see the guards were nowhere to be seen. Why were they left out in the open when they were supposed to be tied? Madeline turned around, ready to run because that was the best option. Maybe having Calhoun near her would be the best option. But he wasn't here.

Before Madeline had the opportunity to start running, the wolves caught up with her, and they growled, showing their teeth at her.

At the same time, the black wolf, Maddox appeared. Strangely, it came to stand in front of her while facing the rest of the pack, growling back for the others to leave. Madeline stood there like a statue, staring at the wolf that turned around to look at her. Madeline wondered if it was safe to pat its head and tell it was a good boy like how Calhoun had done before but when her hand moved, Maddox growled at her like the rest of the wolves and then left.

"That was strange," murmured Madeline and made her way back inside the castle so that she would not have to face the wolves again.

She was walking when she noticed Calhoun in the middle of one of the many corridors of the castle and he was not alone. There was a young girl who had her arms around him, hugging him and he let her. Madeline frowned at the sight in front of her. The girl was a brunette with a lean figure, like many other women she had met.

Madeline noticed how the girl pulled away but still had her hands around Calhoun, a smile on her lips as if she was happy to see him. Even Calhoun enjoyed the girl's company, and Madeline wondered if she should slip away as if she had not seen anything. But it was too late, as the girl's eyes fell on Madeline and those eyes were red. Another vampiress, thought Madeline to herself.

"Are you done playing with the sticks?" asked Calhoun and Madeline walked towards them—not even bothering to question how he knew what she was doing.

Her eyes fell back to look at Calhoun and the girl, catching sight of his hand that was around her waist now.

Madeline didn't want to notice what Calhoun did, but she didn't know why her eyes were going to look at the way Calhoun was with this girl. She wondered if this girl was here to pleasure the King in his bed or was here to offer her blood. She did look pretty, thought Madeline to herself.

When both the girls eyes met with each other, they both bowed at each other. The vampiress introduced herself, "I am Lucy Greville," Madeline remembered her name had come up during her time in the court. She was the person Calhoun was protective about. Maybe she was someone special to Calhoun.

Was she Calhoun's first love? Asked Madeline to herself and her eyes shifted back to look at Calhoun.