The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Madeline's face turned pale by looking at Calhoun who had stepped down from the carriage, and his eyes then swept from the carriage that was in front of him to look at her. At that moment she realized she was in far worse trouble than she had ever been. Calhoun's face barely showed any emotion, he walked towards her, each step of his making her nervous, and she wished she could run, but she was rooted to the spot, his eyes making it difficult for her to move an inch.

The man who had given her a ride had not seen the man approaching them because of the lack of light, but she had seen him, which was why she was quiet.

"What do you think you are doing by blocking our ride?" the man demanded with a rude tone, "Get your damn carriage out of the path. Come on, out with it! Do you think this road is yours to block it?" Madeline heard the man continue to ramble, not knowing who was here.

Calhoun reached her, coming to stand in front of her and he looked at her. Madeline didn't meet his eyes as she was shocked. With Calhoun who was yet to speak to her, Madeline felt goosebumps forming on her skin which wasn't because of the cold. The man behind her wanted to get his hands on her, and the person in front of her wanted to cage her back in the castle.

"Come, Madeline. Sit back inside the carriage," said Anthony. She wondered why she didn't notice before that the man had an accent.

Calhoun's lips twitched, and he continued to stare hard at her, "Who is the man?" his voice was low and deep. She gulped.

"I don't know," Madeline's voice was small. The thought of being caught by him was ringing in her mind continuously that made thinking difficult. She felt Calhoun's glaring eyes at her, and she tried to hold her ground.

Calhoun's face had been shadowed with no light on it and Anthony not liking his treat of touching a young woman had been interrupted, he came forward, placing his hand on Madeline's shoulder, "Come, dear. Let's get you back inside." Calhoun's eyes snapped at the man before he pulled the man's hand towards him to twist and push him against the surface of the carriage.

Madeline took a couple of steps away from the men as Calhoun pushed the man further into the carriage. From where she stood, she could feel the vapours of rage coming off from Calhoun.

"What are you doing?!" Anthony demanded, who was yet to figure out who he was talking to.

"How dare you touch her," Calhoun lowly threatened the man. His eyes had turned hollow in anger, and he threw the man across the ground. The King's eyes then snapped at Madeline, "Why is he talking to you familiarly?" he asked her, one of his eyebrows raising in question.

Madeline shook her head. At the same time, the light from the hanging lantern finally fell on Calhoun's face to let the man who was trying to get up, noticed who was standing in front of him. Anthony's eyes widened that the person he was talking to was none other than the King, "Milord," the man quickly bowed his head, such that his forehead touched the dirty ground while he offered his peace, "Please forgive this fool as I failed to notice you."

Calhoun looked down at the man, his eyes smouldering, and he said, "Were you the one who tried to steal her away from me?"

The man's forehead was still stuck to the ground when he opened his eyes and blinked at what the King just said. Confused slightly, he raised his head with both his knees touching the ground, "What?" he raised his hands to wave them, "No no! She said she wanted a ride, and I complied to her wishes," said Anthony quickly. His eyes moved from the King to the girl who stood behind the King and then back at the King.

"I didn't know her, she said she was going to her friend's house," blabbered the man when he didn't receive any words from Calhoun.

"Theodore," called Calhoun and the man appeared, "Take Madeline inside the carriage."

"Milady," Theodore bowed his head, and Madeline clenched her fist, not happy that she had to sit back in the carriage where she would be taken back to the place she had thought she was free from.

Calhoun wasn't looking at her but at the man who had raised his head, fear slowly crawling towards him which could now be seen in his eyes. Madeline turned her head, and with difficult steps, she stepped inside the carriage. Her hands were shivering for the oncoming storm that was going to hit her life far worse than before, and she was scared about what was going to happen.

Anthony begged, "Please forgive me for my impudence, milord!"

Calhoun gave him a nod before saying, "Stand up." Hearing this, the man let out a sigh of relief, and he stood up, dusting his knees that came to stick to his trousers.

"Thank you, my King. You're the most forgiving and generous one," praised the man, trying to flatter him.

"Are you speaking about me? Doesn't look like any of the qualities that belong to me."

Anthony blinked again, the smile on his lips faltering when he saw the serious look on Calhoun's face and his eyes that looked annoyed. The man gulped, and his eyes widened. He tried to step away, but when he did try, Calhoun had caught hold of his shoulder. Bringing him forward, he placed another hand of his on the top of the man's head.

"Forgiving is the last thing you should associate me with," he snarled. Putting force on the man's head, he tore the man's head off his shoulder before throwing it on the ground where the blood started to spread.