The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Music Recommendation: A Good Day by Alex Somers

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Madeline stood up, walking towards Calhoun when he stepped out of the dungeon. She heard him speak to the guards, sending them inside the dungeon to clean the cell room.

"Breath, Madeline," said Calhoun to her, "Even if you have lost one relative of yours, that is still one less trouble. It makes me wonder if I should send my men to fetch all your relatives and put them in the dungeon," he hummed, his tone having a playfulness which would be hard for another person to digest.

"I never thought I would be the reason for their deaths," Madeline had a frown on her forehead, "I do understand why we do, what we do. But I think there will always be that pinch of pain even if it means that by the end of the day they wanted me dead."

They left the front of the dungeon and started to walk, making their way back to the castle, "It wouldn't be you if you didn't feel remorse over their death." Calhoun knew that Madeline might have been called as the dark angel, but she had the traits and abilities of an actual angel. Someone kind, gentle, who wanted everyone's well being not wanting to harm anyone, "To keep your conscious clean, I would be more than pleased and willing to kill the people who will come for you in the future."

"Because you have enough blood on you?" she asked to see Calhoun shrug his shoulder.

"Isn't that right? No matter how much darkness one adds to the colour of black, it will still continue to remain black," stated Calhoun.

Madeline took a second before saying, "But do you know that when white touches black, it turns to grey?" Calhoun could have the worst qualities, and maybe they weren't what she had imagined her future husband to have, but he had some very exceptional qualities that no one else had.

"Your heart is not made of gold," said Calhoun, his footsteps halting in the middle of the garden as they were still making their way back. Madeline took the time to stop her feet too, "You like to see things and people in the brightest way possible. Your heart is not made of gold because it is made of diamond. Crystal clear with not a speck of dirt on it."

"Don't you see me in a better light too?" Madeline put both her hands behind her back, locking them. The sky was dark, and as usual, both she and Calhoun were out of their rooms in the middle of the night in each others company, "I remembered what I did."

Calhoun raised his eyebrows, his head tilting slightly, and Madeline said, "I know why the head maid is missing."

After moving to his room, it took less than two days for her to recollect what she did to the maid. She wondered if Calhoun didn't judge her because he killed people too. They both did, and it was easier to accept. What if she was with someone else? Would they understand why she killed those people?

"You did it for certain reasons. If I am not wrong, I would tell that she tried to harm you," guessed Calhoun and Madeline pursed her lips.

The words Nicola said, that had gone unheard that day, Madeline could hear them clearly in her dream, "How do you sleep in peace?" her question was serious. She knew she had asked this in the past, but she wondered if the death's ever haunted Calhoun's mind.

"I have a good soft pillow," he said with a straight face before cracking a grin, "I get rid of the people whom might spoil my beauty sleep. It is as simple as that. You killed people because they had ill intentions."

"And you never think I might turn to that angel who might kill you?" They shared the same bed, in the same room, and Madeline couldn't help but question if she would go angelic on him.

Calhoun's eyes softened, at how far Madeline's feelings towards him had come to change and it softened his heart, "If you did...I know you will bring me back by that breath of your life." Madeline smiled. A leaf clover was a small thing, and Calhoun was different where she would need strength. But at the same time, he had forbidden her from using her magic on him, "I don't think you will ever harm me," he patted her head.

"You are not who you seemed to be, Calhoun," stated Madeline, "And maybe you have a heart of diamond too."

"Well, if you think it is, maybe it is true."

The clouds continued to stay in the sky. It was cold, where Madeline wore a coat around her to keep herself warm. The castle that was once cold and empty wasn't cold anymore. It was turning to a new home, welcoming her as she welcomed it into her heart and mind.

She had thanked Calhoun before, and she knew right now, she didn't have to thank him because he understood her feelings without the need to be told through words. Her fingers tightened, which she had been holding back and she let it loose before bringing it to her sides. Before they could leave the garden, she raised her toes, leaning towards him. Her eyes closed slowly as her lips almost touched Calhoun's lips and she pressed them.

Madeline didn't know how things were going to move from here, with her grandparents and her aunt dead, she didn't know which other relatives of hers would be the next person who would be coming after her. There were other people who knew about her existence, and she would need to be cautious.

The air around them turned colder, and Calhoun put his hand around her waist to bring her closer to him, and he kissed her. Madeline's hands went around Calhoun's neck, opening to him and kissing him in the same fervour as he did.

When they pulled away, Madeline felt Calhoun not let go, and he pressed his forehead to hers. His eyes were still close, and she took a moment to look at him before he finally pulled away.

"We should go back to the room," he whispered to her, caressing the side of her cheek and Madeline nodded her head, returning a smile when she saw Calhoun grin. She also noticed how small flakes of snow had started to fall from the sky, one after another. The time of snow was finally here.