The Crown's Obsession (WN)

While they headed back to their rooms, Theodore asked, "Do you think it is alright to let the guard go and inform Rosamund?"

Calhoun gave him a nod, "Yes, it is perfect. Let Rosamund know whom she's up against and not to pull any strings that might damage her own family," he smiled, saying this.

The next day arrived, and the news about Queen Morganna's treason against King Laurence spread like wildfire in Devon and in other neighbouring kingdoms. The news also reached the High House and to the ears of Helena.

"Do you think she did it?" questioned Dimitri.

Helena had placed both her elbows on the table, and her fingers had interlinked with each other.

The Hawthrone family...Helena wasn't sure what to think about it. The King had gone as far as to present a cursed jewel to his own mother that could kill any creature if the person wore it. And she would have believed that the King wanted the Queen to be dead by putting her in the dungeon, but word had it that the woman had tried to kill King Laurence by poisoning him.

She couldn't disregard the fact where Queen Morganna had collected Hanima's cursed jewels, and with the way it looked, Morganna knew what those jewels could do.

"What other things have you heard from the castle?" questioned Helena.

"It seems a few days ago, Calhoun was poisoned and the King was the recent person to be poisoned in the castle," replied Dimitri. "The Queen even tried to frame the guard. She seems to be the culprit in many things."

"It seems like it," responded Helena, but there was a doubt in her mind that didn't wholly point at the Queen. Something seemed amiss to her.

One of the men who worked for the Queen and was working in the High House arrived at Helena's room door.

"Lady Helena," the man bowed his head, and he said, "I believe the Queen is being framed for something she hasn't done. Lady Rosamund, Queen Morganna's daughter, wants you to take action to look at this injustice."

Upon hearing this Helena frowned , and she said, "Dimitri has already sent the men to find the physician to know about the origin of the poison so that we can trace who sold the poison to whom. But one right doesn't correct the wrong that has been made. We cannot overlook the fact that the Queen murdered an innocent person through someone. I will speak to the King."

And even though Helena planned to speak to King Laurence, she couldn't find anything more as it seemed like his mother had indeed poisoned him, and he was utterly furious by the Queen's actions and Helena's presence in the Hawthrone castle.

Rosamund, who had arrived at the castle, tried to convince her brother and bring him back his senses so that he wouldn't take a harsh decision against their mother.

"Laurence, please," pleaded Rosamund. "The person in the dungeon isn't a minister or a commoner, but our mother. She said she didn't have anything to do with it, why can't you believe her?"

Laurence's back faced Rosamund, and a look of pure displeasure had marred his face, "If you have come here to speak about this, I would like to ask you to leave. Else it would only make me think that you are involved in this treason."

Hearing this, Rosamund's jaw fell.

Her brother then said, "Don't think I don't know how you have been eyeing the throne before I even turned King. Rosa, go back to your mansion and rest. I prefer not to speak about this treason right now."

Rosamund wanted to save their mother, and only the King's word could get her mother out of her current state, but she could tell her brother was wrapped around Calhoun's finger. When did this happen? It felt like history was repeating itself, but instead of the weak Constance she and her mother had gotten rid of, they were now up against Constance's cunning son.

"I don't mean to irk you, brother," said Rosamund in a sad tone, trying to gain pity in her brother's eyes. "I only wanted to speak to you as you are my brother. I doubt you would ever do anything wrong, but it is possible that our mother was wrongly accused. Are you sure Calhoun-"

"Calhoun has nothing to do with it. Mother had turned delusional, poisoning us, and if she had something against you, she would do the same with you. Tell me something, Rosa," said the King, turning around to face his sister. "Did you know that mother was stealing the wealth that was accumulated for the welfare of Devon and for me?"

Rosamund shook her head.

"Go back home, Rosa," said Laurence.

Rosamund stepped out of the room, making her way down the stairs when she caught Calhoun and his right-hand man in the opposite direction, walking next to each other. Upon meeting each other face to face, her so-called nephew bowed his head in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Lady Rosamund. Were you here to meet the King?" asked Calhoun.

"Yes," she replied, both of them not showing their emotions of how they felt towards each other. "I hoped to see if Laurence could change his mind. Do you think my mother poisoned him too?" she feigned ignorance and questioned Calhoun.

A sigh escaped Calhoun's lips, "I understand it is hard to accept the truth, but the King would never make a mistake in passing down the judgment. Would he?" he passed the question back to the vampiress.

She was surprised by his words, coming to understand the depth of this person's craftiness.

For a moment, Rosamund didn't know what to say, and finally responded with, "I will go and see how mother is doing," and Calhoun and Theodore bowed at her, while Rosamund only spared a nod before she walked away from there.

"Have you planned anything for her?" asked Theodore, watching the woman leave.

"Maybe later. We still have others in line," said Calhoun.