The Crown's Obsession (WN)

At Calhoun's friendly suggestion, Madeline quickly shook her head, "No, that won't be necessary. I mean, I wouldn't want to impose on you."

Even Sophie was with Madeline on this as she wanted to get rid of the human away from Calhoun so that she could speak and spend more time with him, but with Madeline around them, the King was distracted, "If Lady Madeline is insisting on going alone, I think it should be fine. Surely, she wouldn't be able to run away if that is what you're worried about, brother Calhoun," her words came out sweet and polite as if she meant no harm to anyone.

"Rubbish," said Calhoun, who had stepped in front of Madeline, "It would be rude to let a lady go by herself without someone accompanying her. Especially when it's a pretty one."

At his subtle compliment, Madeline looked into his red eyes that were staring at her. She wasn't going to run away at this hour of the night from the castle. She was not an idiot to try it again in less than a week. If they were to going to come along with her, she couldn't tell them that what she had lost or dropped was not a mere handkerchief, but it was a lacy garter.

"I insist," Calhoun was persistent as if he knew there was a speck of lie in the words she had spoken, "Come, Sophie. Let's accompany Lady Madeline," now that Calhoun had already decided, Sophie had no other choice but to oblige, and she nodded her head.

Madeline clutched the sides of her dress before giving them a nod, "Okay," she bowed her head to appreciate his kind gesture even though she didn't want it. All she would have to do was find the garter first and exchange it with the handkerchief so that everything would look normal.

And so did the three of them leave the dining room to step out and walk towards the gallery which was where Madeline assumed to find the lost item. As the night had prevailed the sky, the corridors of the castle were lit by the help of the lanterns, leaving a golden glow on the walls and the floor.

On their way, Sophie said, "If it's a kerchief, you can make use of the other ones that are in the room, or maybe one of the servants will find it and return it to you," the vampires had a valid point there.

"Sophie is right," agreed Calhoun to his cousin's words, "I can call the tailor to sew and make new tailored kerchiefs to your liking. Would you like that?" he asked her.

Madeline's eyes turned wide when Calhoun mentioned about the tailor. She turned herself to look at Calhoun who had no smile on his face, where he was looking at the corridor in front of them. How many tailors did the King have? Maybe there was more than one person, and the person Calhoun had spoken was someone else who was not James. But then, Madeline didn't know how petty the King could be.

At the time of noon, he had mentioned how he hadn't asked his men to bring James back into the castle, but that was noon, and this was night. While she continued to stare at him, he finally turned to look at her.

"Did I say anything wrong?" asked Calhoun to her. Though Madeline wanted to say yes, but that would only bring out more conversation than being vague about the matter.

Sophie then said, "Brother Calhoun is always right. What is with looking for one handkerchief when you can have more than ten or twenty of them?" she then looked at Madeline by quickly taking two steps forward to say, "I think Lady Madeline sometimes forgets that this is not her village where people have only one handkerchief with them, but this is the castle."

"No need to be like that, Sophie. Madeline will slowly learn to accustom herself to the castle life. After all, she will be the future queen of this castle," Calhoun's words were like a slap on Sophie's face, and for seconds she was shocked by how firm the King was in his decision, "It's barely been a few days. She will turn to a fine lady."

Both the girls didn't say anything, and they continued to walk towards the gallery, and it was Madeline who had started to look for the piece of fabric. Sophie was furious at the thought that Calhoun was planning to turn this lowly human who knew nothing about their world to be queen. She was the rightful person to be next to Calhoun. Sophie had grown up with the thought that she would be the one to stand next to the King. She looked quite irritated at the moment and didn't bother to look for this human's stupid kerchief.

On the other hand, Calhoun didn't help Madeline to look for the handkerchief. Instead, he stood with his hands in his pocket, looking at the girl who bit the bottom of her lip with her eyes searching on the ground.

"Are you sure you dropped it here?" asked Calhoun to her. The man knew precisely what Madeline was searching for, and it wasn't her handkerchief, "It must have been taken away during the time of painting."

Madeline wondered if one of the servants had probably taken it and it would be returned tomorrow to her. She was the only walking lady in the castle apart from Sophie now.

Upon hearing about painting, Sophie said, "Brother Calhoun, what were you painting earlier? You said you would show it to me later."

"I don't think those were my words," corrected Calhoun and Sophie smiled.

"Of course. I have wanted to look at your paintings. Especially the one you created today," responded the vampiress who was eager to see what had caused this human to walk with the King's coat around her body.

Madeline didn't want anyone to look at it! God forbid for such painting to come out in the public where there would be nothing but ill rumours about her involving the King. She was not the kind of woman to present herself lewdly in front of others.

Calhoun turned to Madeline who had turned pale, "Lady Sophie is asking to take a look at the painting," why was he asking her when he knew she didn't want anyone seeing it! He then said, "It is still work in progress. Once it is done, I will have it placed in the courtroom for everyone to see," Madeline gave him a pleading look.

Was he serious right now?! It was hard to tell if he was testing and teasing her, or if he was being serious.

Sophie wanted to see it. Therefore she decided to take a look at it later. The vampiress was talking about something to Calhoun while Madeline searched and was almost going to give up when she heard,

"You won't get what you're looking for, sweet girl," came the whispered words of Calhoun, who had left Sophie to admire one of his recent paintings.

Madeline turned her head to meet his dark eyes and his lips that had pulled itself up into a wicked smile, "Why do you say that?" she asked him softly.

"Silly thing. It is because I have it."