The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Music Recommendation: Arthur's Theme by Marco Beltrami

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Looking at her portrait, Madeline smiled, her heart turned warm by seeing the way Calhoun captured her so delicately through his eyes and hands. "Why didn't you show this to me that time?" asked Madeline because it would have saved so much time and she wouldn't have misunderstood him.

"I like seeing your various expressions, it is fascinating, and I was only feeding my curiosity," murmured Calhoun as he held her in both his arms whilst they stared at the painted canvas.

"More like feeding your sadistic self in teasing and torturing me," said Madeline and Calhoun chuckled.

"That might be true too, but now if you look back, you have a memory that is way different compared to the reality," remarked Calhoun. He looked at the colours that he had used which were all soft texture-wise and it brought out Madeline's personality. He remembered how Madeline's eyes flared in anger that was completely vexed with him, and the sweetness that only he could see.

On the other hand, Madeline couldn't believe that Calhoun had tried to scare her using this portrait. She smiled now. Knowing how Calhoun was now, she doubted he would ever bring this out in the open for people to see. He was a possessive man, and Calhoun didn't like showing things that belonged to him to others, even though he initially made it look like he enjoyed it.

"We should get a painting done with us together in it," she heard Calhoun say, while swaying her gently in his arms.

"What do you have on your mind?" asked Madeline.

"There's a family painter, we can get one with just us and then have another with Lucy and others like your family in it," replied Calhoun. "It is time to throw all the old ones and replace them with the ones I like. The old ones, they are not worth hanging in the castle, and they are quite an eyesore. We can have Vladimir in it too, it would be more of a peace offering."

"Hopefully he will take it that way," replied Madeline with a soft sigh escaping her lips. It had been only a few hours since they left Hell and God only knew what was happening in there. "I think he will like the idea about it."

"Hm," hummed Calhoun.

They then put the parchments back in the lower cupboard while the ones that Calhoun thought were useful, he lit them up by holding each page above the candle. It was only so that no one would ever come to use the inscription in it. Few things were better not to exist but only know. They then left the gallery room while walking in the corridors.

"I heard from the maids that you were helping Elizabeth in packing her things. Are you sure that is what you want?" asked Calhoun to her.

A small smile appeared on Madeline's lips, but it didn't reach upto her eyes. "I don't think it matters what I think, but what Beth wants. I think she's in that phase where everything is thrown at her one after another and I don't want her to break."

"Maybe it is for the best," responded Calhoun.

Though he knew that Madeline would feel lonely by the absence of her sister, it was good to have Beth continue searching for the peace she was looking for. With the Devil's blood that was in her body, the little faith he had gained when it came to her had diminished because the Devil could whisper into her ears. And if ever that time came, Calhoun hoped Beth would use her conscience, instead of giving in to the darkness the demon blood brought along with it.

"Do you think we can accompany her? She's going to meet mama and papa," asked Madeline, her eyes looking at Calhoun. It had been a long time since she had seen her parents, and she missed them.

"I don't see why not," replied Calhoun in a casual tone and Madeline beamed with a smile. Calhoun knew that Madeline was close to her parents of the living world, and she cared dearly about them as she was attached to them. "We can stay there for a day or two before returning."

The next morning, Beth had packed her trunks and so did Madeline with just one trunk as she and Calhoun planned to stay there only for a day at her parents' place. A few more trunks were added with the luggage in the back of the carriage as gifts to the Harris' family.

At the side of the carriages, Lucy hugged Elizabeth, "Please do come and revisit the castle," said the vampiress to Beth.

Beth smiled at Lady Lucy's words, "Thank you for your company, Lady Lucy. I hope you feel better soon," she said, and Lady Lucy nodded her head.

The short duration of time Beth had spent here in this castle, she didn't have many fond memories, and the good one's were scarce. And she might have been solely responsible for it because of her poor decisions she had taken until a few days ago. Jennine had shown the kindness that once belonged to her and had then forgotten. She was trying to fix her ways, and that little walk in the memory lane showed her the person she once was and the person she had turned into. Even though she was trying to mend her way back to her previous good self, she could barely recognize the little girl to be her. That amount of goodness only Madeline could possess and not her.

Before Calhoun could head inside the carriage, he looked at Theodore who bowed his head along with the others.

"We'll be back in two days," informed Calhoun.

"Please have a wonderful time. We'll look after things here," said Theodore. Of course, thought Calhoun to himself before eyeing Lucy.

The coachman took his seat, his hands holding the horses' reins, and when it was time to leave, he pulled the reins. The carriage was pulled by four brown horses.

Madeline, who sat next to Calhoun, looked outside the window when they passed through the castle gates and entered the forest area where the trees passed one after another without a pause. Before leaving, Calhoun had told her that he had sent her parents to the town Bassorian, it was a town that had a mixture of vampires and humans living in peace. It was considered to be the second capital of Devon, whilst the first being where the Hawthrone castle was situated.

"I wonder how mama and papa are doing," whispered Madeline, who gained Calhoun's attention. Beth, who had turned tired, she had fallen fast asleep with her head leaning against the side of the carriage.

"I have told the magistrate to look after them, and aid them if they ever need any help," responded Calhoun, his thumb brushing the tips of her fingers as he had not let go of her hand since they had left the castle behind.

Madeline smiled, "Thank you for looking after them."

She knew Calhoun did everything in his power so that her parents wouldn't face any problem. She knew he did it because he loved her and didn't want her to be worried about her parents, and things like these warmed her heart immensely. The love that had grown between them was different from the rest of the couples in the world.

The way Madeline's feelings had grown for Calhoun it was nothing less to the cold charcoal, but when the spark had been ignited in it, the coal had slowly and steadily started to burn brighter with every spark, and it would stop only when it would turn to ash.

"The previous shop was demolished by Markus. Therefore this time I got a proper place for your father. A shop that won't be destroyed and no one will ever come to harm him or your mother. If they do, the magistrate knows he will be the first one to lose his head," Calhoun offered Madeline a smile, and he tucked the piece of hair behind her ear that was flying because of the wind that entered through the open window.

Madeline was aware that if people knew who her parents were and how they were related to the King, people would swarm around her parents. But that would also end up drawing unnecessary attention from the demons as well as from the fallen angels. After many days, they finally got to experience some peace, and it felt nice to stay undisturbed and without having anything to worry about.

Her eyes then fell on Beth, who was fast asleep, noticing her sister snore softly out of exhaustion.

"How is she doing?" asked Calhoun when he noticed Madeline's gaze shift towards her sister.

"She's okay. There are many things going on in her head, and she wants some space for herself where she can think," replied Madeline, her voice carrying a hint of worry in there. "Do you think Vladimir will come for her?"

Since the Devil had mentioned his blood running in Beth's veins, Madeline couldn't help but worry where Vladimir would drag Beth to Hell and turn her to one of his minions. Her sister was trying to get back on the right path, but the Devil could put her back to the dark place she had just got out from.

"His eyes are on you and not on her now, but it is good that she decided to stay away from you because we never know who will make use of her," Calhoun's words were blunt, and he didn't hide the uncertainty when it came to Beth's character. He had given the girl a chance because it meant a lot to Madeline, but that didn't mean he let his guard down. When it came to Madeline, every person was a suspect, and his eyes were always on the people who came close to her.

"Do you think Vladimir will try to provoke me through her?" questioned Madeline.

"There is a high possibility," answered Calhoun. His lips set themselves in a thin line of displeasure, and he hoped his grandfather would not make use of underhanded methods in trying to persuade him or Madeline. "It is good that so far, you haven't committed any sin. If you did, Vladimir wouldn't blink his eyes in sending the Salvette Mortem at you to take your soul to Hell."

Madeline turned her head behind to look at the small window that let a person see the snow-covered path that they had left a few seconds ago. But along with the luggage tied to the back of the carriage, Madeline caught sight of the black figure that was sitting on the luggage with its head that swayed left and right because of the movements of the carriage. The Salvette Mortem assigned by Vladimir had decided to ride along with them in the carriage.

"What about the angels? Can't they do the same and take me to Heaven?" Madeline's eyebrows furrowed in question.

"An angel cannot kill a soul in the living world unless the person tries to commit harm to the others. There are codes and rules to be followed in every realm, and the living world might be the only place where rules are broken," said Calhoun, "But seriously, your sister doesn't know when to stop following trouble, does she?"

It annoyed Calhoun that Beth was reckless and she didn't think before doing something. Vladimir could have played dirty by trapping Beth and keeping her in Hell until Madeline would drink the potion to convert herself to a full demon. His eyes narrowed, and he felt Madeline squeeze his hand.

"She feels guilty for what happened to Raphael. She was only looking for him," whispered Madeline so that she wouldn't wake Beth up from her sleep.

Calhoun exhaled and shook his head, "I would like to go and find him in Hell, but we don't know if we'll find him there."

"Why do you say that?" Madeline turned her body so that she could face Calhoun.

Calhoun had a grim expression on his face, and he said, "There are some demons who end up in the tower of torture so that they can repent for their actions, while there are some demons who stay in the river of the dead like your mother. But there are also some demons who end up nowhere. They just disappear in thin air. Of course, this is just an assumption, and we cannot be certain until Vladimir speaks the truth."

"Is it possible to find an innocent soul to sacrifice it to the Devil without causing any sin?" Madeline wanted to bring Raphael back, but making a contract with the Devil was risky.

"It isn't that hard," and on Calhoun's words, Madeline's eyes looked at him with intrigue, "There are many lost innocent souls who want to kill themselves, but the question is if they are willing to spend the rest of their eternity in more pain and torture. There are demons whom you will find lurking in the shadows, demons who make contracts with the living creatures so that the fools can live their life in ease in the living world. But that is only trickery, and we know no matter how good a deal is, one will have to pay the price by giving up their soul."

Madeline dropped her gaze and looked at their interlinked fingers.

When they finally reached the town where Madeline's parents lived, the carriage finally pulled over in front of the Harris' residence. The coachman pulled open the carriage door, and as Beth stepped down from the carriage, she looked up at the mansion that stood tall. Just when she turned around to speak to Madeline, she caught sight of something that was sitting at the back of the carriage.

Beth placed her hand on her chest as if to settle her heart, "What is that thing doing here?" she asked Madeline.

Madeline looked at the Salvette Mortem, who now jumped down to stand on the ground, "It decided to tag along with us. Courtesy of Vladimir. Don't worry about it," she placed her hand on Beth's back. They started to make their way towards the entrance of the mansion.

Calhoun walked in front of them, and before they could reach the door, Madeline's parents who had heard the sound of the carriage and neiging of the horses, stepped out to receive them.

"My King," both Mr. and Mrs. Harris bowed their heads to greet him, "We received your letter a few hours ago about you visiting us today. Please come in," said Mr. Harris, stepping to the side to give way for Calhoun.

"I am glad to hear that you received the letter on time. I thought it would be better to keep you informed about our visit so that we aren't intruding your time," as Calhoun said this, he stepped inside the mansion.

Beth was the next person to be greeted, and her parents hugged her, "How have you been doing, Beth?" asked Mrs. Harris, "Hopefully, not giving your sister any trouble." Beth didn't know what to tell because she still felt guilty for soiling the family name by helping Markus.

"She's been wonderful, mama," Madeline came to the rescue, "It was good to have Beth in the castle."

"And how are you doing, Maddie?" asked her mother. Madeline hugged her mother, her eyes closing for a second before they opened and she pulled back.

"Just the same, mama. I hope you are doing well, papa too," said Madeline, her eyes moved from her mother to look at her father.

"The King has been extremely generous in bestowing us with a mansion and a shop for your father's work which is way more than we could have ever dreamed about," replied Mrs. Harris. Madeline was happy hearing this, knowing her parents were comfortable in their lives without a shadow of a demon or angel or fallen angel's around them.

When everyone settled in the living room, the two servants who worked in the mansion took the luggage and placed it in the respective rooms.

"We were worried that we didn't receive any letter from you Maddie, and we thought to come and visit you in the castle," said Mrs. Harris. "Has everything been well?"

Madeline nodded her head, "Yes, mama, everything has been well and good," and Beth nodded her head in agreement. Both the Harris' sisters had decided that they wouldn't let their parents know about Beth turning to a werewolf or about the Devil being Madeline's relative. At least not now.

"How is your work going on, Mr. Harris? I hope the magistrate is treating you well," remarked Calhoun and Mr. Harris nodded his head.

"He has been generous just like you, my lord. It was only yesterday our carriage wheel had broken, and he got it replaced as quickly as he could," answered Mr. Harris before silence filled the room. "Why don't you have something to drink and then rest? The journey must have been long and tiresome."

Calhoun looked at Madeline, and then at her parents, "I have somewhere to go. The High House has decided to keep a meeting, and I would like to check if everything is on schedule." When he stood up, everyone stood up too, and without blinking his eyes, Calhoun made his way to where Madeline stood. He kissed her forehead that turned her red as he kissed her in front of her family. "I will be back soon."

"I will wait," murmured Madeline, her cheeks turning warm and he left the room.

Hearing the front door click from where they were, Madeline felt her mother's gaze on her, "Is he treating you well, Maddie?"

"What kind of question is that? He must be treating her well," retorted Mr. Harris at his wife's words.

"He is now, but don't you remember how things were in the beginning?" asked Mrs. Harris with a slight worry in her voice. The King's behaviour had surely softened towards her daughter, but that didn't mean he wasn't intimidating anymore.

"Don't worry, mama. He is treating me right," Madeline offered her mother a smile to ease her mother's tension. "I don't think any other person would have stood next to me compared to the way he supports me."

Her mother had a small frown on her face, but she nodded her head, "If you say so," she whispered before offering her daughters a warm smile.

Madeline and Beth went to the rooms to rest, but something bothered Madeline, and she stepped out of the room to find her mother in the kitchen. Seeing her mother busy in cutting the vegetables, Madeline asked,

"What are you preparing, mama?"

Mrs. Harris turned to look at her daughter, "It is for dinner," she said, cutting the vegetables. Since her mother had mentioned Calhoun's initial behaviour, Madeline didn't know why, but it felt as if her mother wanted to say something.

"Let me help," offered Madeline and she took some of the potatoes and started dicing them. "Is everything alright, mama?"

Her mother looked startled and nodded her head, "Yes, why do you ask?"

Madeline didn't know how to put her thoughts in words, "You don't like Calhoun?"

Mrs. Harris gave out a nervous laugh, "He's your husband, he has been looking after you well, what more can a mother ask for?"

Madeline went to stand near her mother, and she placed her hand on her mother's hand, "You don't have to fear him, mama. Calhoun will never hurt you."

Mrs. Harris sighed, "I am sorry, Maddie. Sometimes, I just worry about you and him. It would have been easier if he was just the vampire King, but knowing he's the Devil's grandson, it is intimidating..."

Madeline furrowed her eyebrows, "How do you know that? That Calhoun is the Devil's grandson?" It was because neither she or Calhoun had ever found the opportunity to mention it to her parents. Her mother pursed her lips.

"It doesn't matter how I know about it, Maddie. Have you thought about what it might bring to the world? An angel and a demon's union has only been condemned and shunned," said her mother in a soft tone as if she didn't want Mr. Harris to hear about it.

"Where is this talk coming from?" Madeline laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but her mother looked tense. "Mama, it doesn't matter who Calhoun is or his origin, he is who he is, and I am who I am. And what is wrong if an angel and a demon fall in love? Doesn't that mean there's hope for peace between the two kinds?"

Mrs. Harris nodded her head before letting a sigh, "I just want you to be safe."

"I know, mama," Madeline put her hands around her mother, hugging her, "Even though Calhoun is the Devil's grandson, he has done nothing but protect me from harm. He would never do anything to hurt me," she said in a soft tone.

If there was something to be worried about, it was about her giving her judgement on Calhoun, thought Madeline in her mind. It was a thought that lurked in the shadow.

After speaking some more with her mother, Madeline had successfully calmed her mind, but she wondered who her mother found out about Calhoun being the Devil's grandson. How did she find out? Or did someone tell her?