The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Raphael didn't want to bring up the matter in front of Madeline on what Beth had done in the past. All he wanted was for Beth to confront her past issues so that there wouldn't be any guilt left in her heart. Though Calhoun had earlier threatened Beth to tell the truth of what she had done in the past to Madeline, Raphael knew the King would not tell it to his wife because he didn't want her heartbreaking by knowing it.

"It was two summers ago. There had been a misunderstanding in the village, where Beth could have cleared your name but she didn't. It was about the-"

"About Mr. Parsons," interrupted Madeline and Raphael's eyebrows raised. Without wasting a second and diving into the matter, she turned to look at Beth, who now threw the desk out of her way, that hit the wall to break into many pieces. "You don't have to feel angry at yourself anymore, Beth," said Madeline to her sister. She didn't want her Beth to be disappointed with her.

Beth growled even more. Her eyes were no more green but had turned to yellowish gold in color while her face had turned to the beast that she was scared of. As the werewolf started cornering her, Raphael tried to distract Beth by throwing a pillow on the back of the werewolf's head. The werewolf looked annoyed by this action, and for a moment, it was distracted. Turning around, it went to attack Raphael, and the man said to Madeline, "You should step out of the room, milady. Now!"

But Madeline didn't leave her sister here. She raised her hand trying to control Beth's actions, but that wasn't enough. In no time, Beth's human hands turned to the point where Beth transformed into a full werewolf.

"She's going to kill you!" shouted Madeline when Beth's hand went straight to hold the demon's neck. What was Raphael thinking?!? It was because he made no attempt to attack her back and was waiting for her to turn back to herself, but this was Beth's first time, and she didn't know what she was doing.

Looking around, Madeline's eyes fell on the wooden piece that was on the ground. Picking it up, she threw it straight at Beth's head. The werewolf didn't drop Raphael and instead threw him across the room, and he fell on the ground.

"She's strong," murmured Raphael under his breath.

"I know what happened before and what you did, Beth," Madeline spoke in a loud voice to catch the werewolf's attention. The werewolf snarled in anger. "I know everything. It wasn't just you but also me. The spells that grandmother used on us, it stopped affecting me too, and I know what happened." The growls lowered down, and the werewolf stared at Madeline.

Madeline knew it was a risky thing to do, nevertheless, she took a step towards Beth. "I know what happened. When you are living in a village were so many gossips and rumours circulate, sometimes the truth slips out." Her feet were firm on the ground, and she tried not to flinch away from the sight of what her sister. "I know a lot of things, Beth, but I never once took your actions in the wrong way because I know somewhere deep down you were hurt."

That night it wasn't just Beth who had turned immune to their grandmother's magic, but partly even Madeline. When Madeline had pulled Beth to the bed, on hearing her grandmother's footsteps, she had not let go of her sister's hand.

The sisters had slept in the same bed, sharing the blanket where Madeline had continued to hold Beth's hand. Her grandmother that night had been able to hide only the things what her grandmother and grandfather had spoken about Madeline and not what happened in the hut. Though Beth had tried to bring up the conversation when they were in the carriage, Madeline knew how heavy those incidents weighed on each of their minds, and she wanted to forget the awful evening.

"No matter what, you will always be my sister, Bethie," and Madeline took another step closer to Beth. "I know you are a good person. You don't have to doubt it in your heart."

"I know you don't want to harm me," Madeline continued to speak, "You don't want to hurt anyone, and I know it because you are my sister. I have known you for so long. I couldn't go wrong with it. You have always been there when I needed you. When people themselves have spoken badly about it, you have protected me. Come back, Bethie. I know you can do it."

The werewolf that was staring at Madeline, its hands dropped down to its sides, and she wasn't sure, but she saw its eyes glisten before the eyes started to return to green colour. In less than two seconds, the werewolf transformed back to its human self, and Madeline quickly went to support her sister to be followed by Raphael.

Beth fell unconscious and she was put back in the bed, and her feet with the rest of her body turned normal.

"This is only the beginning, milady," said Raphael, and Madeline pursed her lips. She wanted the antidote, but it was equal to exchanging one life with another.

"Is there no way to stop it?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"You could try to disappear the moon," but it was an impossible thing to do, thought Raphael to himself.

"Will it keep her safe then? If I disappear the moon?" questioned Madeline, ready to find an alternate solution to keep Beth safe.

Raphael was still surprised by Madeline's words and actions. Speechless, he nodded his head.

Before Madeline could step out of the room, she heard Raphael say, "People are fortunate to have you, my Queen." She turned around to see him offer his deepest bow. "I don't know if you notice it, but you both are growing. I mean you and the King. I will stay here with her in the room."

Far away from the castle, behind the forests where the Belmont mountains stood wide and tall, the men entered the empty and hollow caves in the search of the antidote, holding crossbows and spears in their hands as they continued to walk.

"Look! There's another path in there!" whispered one of the men by tapping on another one's shoulder.

"It looks like someone lives here," came another hushed tone of another man. Nearly ten men had been sent in search of the antidote, but out of the lot, one of them had died in the forest by the quicksand that swallowed him to never surface back again. "Everybody keep yourselves ready."

The men carefully started to tread the lonely path in the cave, which had torches burning on the walls. While they moved to the next passage, the men caught sight of a young man carrying logs of woods in his arms. Seeing how normal the person looked with servant clothes, one of the men jerked their head to catch hold of him.

They had no knowledge of people living in these caves.

Odin was making his way with the pile of logs which his Master would need, when he felt something cold touching the back of his neck.

"Stop right there!" came one of the men's voices who had pointed the sharp edge of the spear at Odin.