The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Music Recommendation: Haven (from life is strange) - Novo Amor

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When Theodore returned to where Lucy was, he was in a slight dazed state as the moment he had been hoping to see Madame Fraunces had come and gone quickly. Like Lucy, who had wanted to see her caretaker, he had hoped to see Madame Fraunces, especially after Lucy had mentioned seeing her in the cemetery.

His eyes moved to look at Gabriel, who was talking to Vladimir about something, and then his eyes shifted to look at the Devil's servant who had not returned to his usual form yet. Even though the veil had already been put back in its place, its after-effects lingered in the land of the living.

"Theo?" Lucy called his name, and he looked at his beautiful bride, who stared at him curiously. "Is everything alright?" she asked him, a little worry in her voice.

Theodore brought his hand forward to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear while offering her a smile, "Everything is perfect," and this had Lucy smile too.

By Madame Fraunces' words, it was evident that she had finally made up her mind to leave the in-between world to enter Heaven instead of turning into a low-level demon. Several minutes later, the painter who Lady Madeline had summoned to the location appeared in the carriage.

"Our apologies, my King and Queen!" The painter was a woman, and she bowed her head to convey her apologies for being late. With her, there was a man who carried the large canvas, and he bowed his head along with her. "The first canvas had broken and we had to get another one."

"That's fine," Madeline responded with a smile, "I am glad that you have been able to make it here as soon as you could. Cal, this is Fadhila. Fad. She's an excellent painter, her works are exceptionally beautiful."

"Milord," the woman named Fad bowed her head again.

Monique, who stood next to Ethan, muttered under her breath, "I am sure they did, considering the King's reputation of beheading people when he is displeased."

"It's good to see he is more patient in Lady Madeline's presence," responded Ethan, and Monique nodded her head.

"True. With both the siblings married now, I think I can finally rest in peace. In my mansion," she added as she wasn't looking forward to dying anytime soon. "When are you getting married to the girl whom you have been seeing?"

"We were thinking of getting married after four months from now," answered Ethan.

Monique hummed hearing this, "Lucy and you didn't end up marrying each other, but you both are going to share the same year when it comes to marriage." The older vampiress turned her face to look at Ethan, who looked like he had been caught doing something. Apart from the girl he had loved, the rest had a hint about it.

Ethan wasn't sure how to react to it, but Lady Monique patted his back, "It is good to see you have found someone, else I would have felt bad that a good man like yourself didn't get a suitable girl." At her words, he bowed his head. The feelings of love didn't completely go away as she was his first love, but he cared enough to understand her.

Soon everyone was called to stand in a line.

"We are going to stand right here? I thought there would be some seating arrangements made for this," stated Vladimir, while the painter was speaking to the bride and the groom.

The painter, hearing this smiled at the man, not knowing who he was. She said, "Pardon me, but I was told by the Queen that she was looking for something simple that could represent more like a family rather than people just posing. The church will give out the perfect background as its walls are old."

"Are two painters going to be sufficient to capture all of us? I doubt all of us are looking forward to standing here forever," stated Helena, who stood next to her fellow High House member. "The finishing time of the painting will be delayed with us two in it. We should probably go-"

"Please stay, Lady Helena," insisted Lucy, her words were polite, and there was a smile on her lips.

"It seems like Lady Helena is worried that her face won't be captured well. You don't have to worry about it. I am sure the painter knows how beautiful you are," said Vladimir, a crooked smile on his face. His words had Helena narrow her eyes.

Before she could retort to his words, Madeline intervened and said, "Fad is an expert and she's known to finish the painting faster than the most of them in Devon. We can probably have everyone stand first so that she can draw the outline before starting to work on the shades and colours one by one?"

"An excellent idea," agreed Calhoun.

"I would like to have the bride and the groom stand in the middle," informed the painter while the assistant continued to set up the wide canvas on the stand before getting the charcoal ready to be used. "The groom on the left and the bride on the right side. The rest of you can join at the sides so that there are equal numbers on both the sides."

"I am going to stand here," said Lady Monique, walking to stand next to Lucy.

On the other side, Calhoun joined to stand next to Theodore while having Madeline to his right.

Lucy turned back and said to Gabriel, who stood away from them, "You should come and join us, father Gabriel."

The man didn't refuse, and he came to join where Lady Monique stood, and Ethan, Helena and Dimitri joined him. On Theodore's side, Vladimir and Odin joined.

The painter looked at them with a frown on her face and said, "It looks like the frame isn't balanced. Milady," she addressed to Helena, "Milady, if you may please come and stand on this side. That way there will be equal women on both the sides."