The Crown's Obsession (WN)

"Good to see that you agree," stated Calhoun. Madeline was sure now that if she went to check in front of the mirror, she would find more than one grey hair that would have been caused because of Calhoun, "The rabbits are much safer here. Fed with the right food, and taken care of by my men," he said, and Madeline saw there were two guards who were standing at the back.

"What about the wild creatures eating them?" asked Madeline, her eyes glancing at the two guards who were in charge here.

"They can defend themselves. Even if they can't, one or two wouldn't matter," Calhoun's eyes twinkled. It seemed that the King was ready to sacrifice the men's life for the rabbits. Was it noble that he thought about the rabbits? She didn't know.

She wished he hadn't killed the maids today. Mistakes could be rectified by words, by a lesser punishment and not by death sentence that was put in place right away. She went back to looking at the rabbit, seeing how it started to struggle in her hand, and she placed it back inside the fence. The rabbit went back to the other rabbits. While Madeline stood looking at the rabbits, Calhoun had walked towards one of the guards to speak to them.

"Good evening, milord," the man guard bowed his head before raising it, "We caught twenty more and have added them in today."

Calhoun turned around to see Madeline who was watching him, before looking somewhere else, "That is good to hear. The tender ones have a unique taste to it. Blood much sweeter than the older ones."

"Yes, milord," the man bowed his head again, "We have been sending the smaller ones to the castle, hoping it would suit your taste."

"It did. Not all humans taste good and the one I want, I cannot have all of it," muttered Calhoun under his breath. There would be a sea of bodies if he was being choosy. This was one of the best ways to avoid increasing the count of bodies in Devon.

"Would you like to taste the new breeds, milord?" the man asked, and Calhoun smiled, his lips stretching.

"It would be better not to scare the lady today. You can send it to the castle," and when Calhoun started to walk back, the servant bowed his head. The King reached where Madeline was, his eyes trained on her, and he asked, "Ready to leave?"

Madeline gave him a nod. The forest felt much better than staying in the castle because there were no walls.

She couldn't stop but ponder over his words. A small worry marring her forehead at the thought that if there would be any ambush, then her family would be unsafe. The more she thought about it, the more she realised how nowhere was safe but the castle, the castle was guarded and Calhoun was someone who looked as if, he would protect everything that mattered to him.

"I am sorry about earlier," she apologised, receiving a questionable look from Calhoun as it was sudden.

"What are you apologising for? Have you decided to give your heart to me?" he teased her, his eyes shining when he knew it was not so.

"Not yet," the words slipped out of Madeline's lips, and she noticed how Calhoun's wicked smile graced on his face.

"I can wait for that yet of yours," Madeline wanted to tell him that he looked terrifying when he smiled like that. The smile that could frighten someone to their wits end. But then she had seen him serious, which was worse. Actually, she couldn't decide which one was worse.

Madeline didn't want to apologise, but she felt the need to, "For judging you."

"What did you think about me?" asked the devil King.

She was walking next to him, and she didn't look at him, her eyes roaming in front of her, "In the morning, I...I thought I would be seeing people getting tortured. I didn't know you were protecting the rabbits," and Calhoun gave her a saint-like smile, "May, I ask, about how you found out about what I said to the bird?"

Madeline would need to be careful next time to keep her thoughts to herself. It seemed like even the whisper leaving from her lips would be heard by the King.

"The bird told me," came the teasing answer but Madeline didn't believe it. It was because of the way he was smiling right now, she knew he was lying and it wasn't the bird. She turned even more worried.

They walked in the forest, heading towards the castle by walk without Calhoun bringing out his wings again to fly. Madeline didn't mind the walk, as there was peace in here and she was doing something, instead of sitting in the room and staring at the walls.

Her thoughts started to drift in a different direction, and she wondered where this forest stopped. If there was a way from here to escape… It wasn't about James, she cared about the man, and there was no time for their relationship to blossom but...but she didn't want to live in the castle. It wasn't what she wanted. She didn't know if she would be able to see the deaths again.

While Madeline's eyes were looking at the forest, it moved to the ends of where she could reach. Calhoun who was walking next to her, his eyes were on her, that was subtly noticing how her mind was trying to conjure to an escape route. It was because of her expression that looked anxious, and her eyes were moving to the horizon.

His expression was relaxed though. If Madeline was planning to escape again, he would bring her back to the castle again. It was as simple as that.

She had turned quiet since the time she had woken up, her words and actions even more cautious than before. She would get used to it, thought Calhoun to himself. Death was something common that occurred in the castle, when someone found it hard to obey the order that was given by the King.

"Has there been any other suitors for your elder sister?" Calhoun asked, indulging her in the family conversation, and her eyes snapped to look at him quickly.

"Mr. Danvers was the last person who had come home to speak to Beth. After that, I don't know as I have been here," she answered him, "There have been men who have courted Beth, but she hasn't been too keen on meeting any of them."

Madeline wished the best for her sister Beth. She wanted her happiness, and previously she had hoped for the King to take note of Beth as she was interested in stepping into the castle life and not Madeline. But the King had dismissed it.

"I could speak to Mr. Danvers if she wants to marry the man," proposed Calhoun.

Madeline looked at him, surprised, "You will?"

"Sure. It would be rude, not to help my sister-in-law," came the response from Calhoun and Madeline pursed her lips. When Madeline had still not given a yes to him, Calhoun was far ahead of her by calling her his wife. But Madeline didn't know what her sister might have written in the letter, that was sent out to Mr. Danvers.

"Maybe I will ask Beth. If she is still interested," Madeline didn't want to hurry right away without knowing what Beth wanted. After all, she was popular in the village as well as in the nearby towns. There might be someone in her mind, thought Madeline to herself, not knowing that the person Beth had her eyes on was none other than Calhoun, the King of Devon.

"Thank you," said Madeline, appreciating Calhoun's who was willing to support her family and sister without forcing upon her except for keeping her in the castle.

That was progress, Calhoun thought to himself. Slow baby steps. He had been observing Madeline, and he knew the change in the wind was subtle, but it was moving in his favour.

Calhoun didn't respond, and he walked next to her, closing the distance so that there wasn't too much of a gap between them. He wanted Madeline to get used to him. His patience was thin, and he didn't know when his instincts would claw out, to take her and his tongue ran over his fang, wanting another bite as he felt insatiable.