The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Calhoun had finished wearing his socks, and he was now wearing his shoes.

Annabelle laughed, hearing his words, "What more important work do you have other than attending to me? Do you have other customers to please?" she asked with narrowed eyes. "I can pay you more than them."

A small chuckle escaped Calhoun's lips, "And when is that, milady?"

Though she was young, she was smart. Annabelle had arranged it in a way where Calhoun had to spend a month's time with her, and she would pay him fifty gold coins at the end of the period.

"In just a few days," she smiled, and before she could put her arms around his neck, he got up from the bed, making her stumble forward.

Before Calhoun could reach the door, the girl quickly moved to the front of the door, blocking his way. "I am serious. Drop everything and stay here with me today. We are having such a good time. Why do you want to leave? I am not going to let you leave."

Calhoun now understood what Theodore meant when he said how young girls were crazy. But then...he was crazier than them.

Calhoun offered the young lady a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I will see you tomorrow. There's something important that needs my attention."

"Is it another woman?" asked Annabel, stretching her hands on either side of the door while smiling at Calhoun, believing she could seduce him.

"It is," replied Calhoun.

"Stop seeing her. If you don't, I will make you regret it. All I will have to do is inform my servants about it. They will make sure you never see her ever again. I have a better idea, let's get married-" Calhoun started to laugh hearing this and Annabelle, who had been smiling until now, frowned. "I am serious. If I don't have you-"

"Or what?" the smile dropped from Calhoun's lips. "The little girl who secretly comes to have pleasure."

"Is that woman worth it? I will get her kille-"

Annabelle couldn't speak another word as Calhoun caught hold of her lower face, "Don't test me. It would take less than a second to snap your pretty little neck." The girl gulped, feeling fear creep up in her eyes as Calhoun had never before spoken to her this harshly.

Annabelle pushed Calhoun's hand away from her face. She quickly made her clothes proper, dashing out of the room. When Calhoun was making his way down the stairs, he met Theodore who stood with a cigar in his hand, blowing the smoke up in the air.

"You made the little girl cry," stated Theodore.

"She is lucky I didn't snap her neck," muttered Calhoun under his breath.

Theodore smiled, finding it to be funny. "This Friday, there is a soiree that's taking place in Wilmot's mansion. Do you want to go?"

"I am busy," responded Calhoun, dismissing the idea of going to meet people he didn't care about. He walked past Theodore when he heard the man say,

"Lady Wilmot is King Laurence's sister."

Calhoun turned around, his eyes meeting Theodore's eyes, "How did you get an invitation to attend there?"

"Lady Christine was kind enough to invite me there," Theodore smiled, and Calhoun stared at him. "I don't think she would mind your company. Unlike the little girl who ran away just now, she's quite generous."

"Why are you doing this?" questioned Calhoun. There was nothing he could offer this man, yet Theodore was helping him. He tilted his head to the side, "I don't think you got the news, but I am not the prince." The few people who had come near Calhoun had always disappeared after realizing how the royal family wanted nothing to do with him.

Theodore noticed the look of distrust in Calhoun's eyes. Before the day of the fight that had taken place in the alley, he hadn't seen Calhoun or heard about him, which was quite strange considering how they lived around the same vicinity. After meeting Calhoun, Theodore did find more about who he was and about his mother who was currently sick.

Coming from a poor background himself, he could somewhere relate to the place where Calhoun came from.

"I know that. I think the people around the village and some other places are aware about it," answered Theodore, leaning against the wall. "I thought you might be interested. If you don't want it's perfectly alright. I enjoy good food and wine."

"I will take it," said Calhoun. The gears in his mind quickly started to move.

When Calhoun left Madame Fraunces' house, Theodore finished smoking the cigar that was in his hand and he went inside the kitchen to see Madame Fraunces in there. "For a moment I was worried that he would snap her neck," she commented while cutting the cucumber and placing them on the plate.

"I will be going. I need to collect the clothes from the tailor," informed Theodore.

Picking up the coat from the stand, he wore it before heading out and into the market area of the town where shops were built and arranged in a more proper manner unlike the ones in the village. He was only walking when a whirlwind came and hit straight behind his back.

"I am so sorry!" It was a young girl's voice that was sweet and calm compared to the busy street.

Theodore turned around to catch sight of a girl who turned her head to look behind her. And when she turned back to look at him, he took note that it was a vampiress. She was dressed in clothes that were made of silk.

When she was ready to step away from him like a rabbit that was going to make a run from being caught, he stepped right in front of her.

"What?" she asked in a hurry, her eyes turned slightly wide. To his surprise, she asked, "Which side of the market do you think is good to hide?"

Theodore noticed two guards who were coming from the opposite direction, and he could tell they were from the castle because of their clothes.

"Do you know?" asked the girl impatiently, and he pointed his hand to the right. She quickly bowed her head. "Thank you!" and she darted from there.

The two guards looked around for the princess who had disappeared from their sight, when they had entered the town.