The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Music Recommendation: Fields by Jakob Balogh

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In the dining room with everyone eating, while speaking about the matters brought up in the royal court, Lucy brought the fork with the food to her mouth before taking a bite from it. She tried hard to not look around at the table because there seemed to be more than one person who was watching her actions.

Lucy didn't know why her mother thought Amice had run away from the castle, while even she was confused as to why her maid had left without sharing a single word with her.

Her mother, grandmother, and aunt occasionally looked her way, making it difficult for Lucy to look at Theodore, who stood behind Calhoun. Last night was something sweet and memorable, and she had slept like a baby.

"We should always be careful about whom we keep near us. You never know what poison they bring with them," commented Rosamund while cutting the steak on her plate. "What do you think, Lucy?" she asked the young vampiress.

Lucy clutched the fork in her hand, looking up to meet her aunt's eyes, "What ever grandmother did must have been done for the well being of all of us."

Her tone was enough to make one know that she didn't agree with it, yet she forced the words out of her mouth.

Lady Samara, who sat next to Lucy, offered her sister-in-law a smile, "Lucy is well versed with what is right and what is wrong in the castle. She has turned more responsible, thanks to Ms. Lewis' help."

The governess bowed her head, a polite smile on her lips, "The princess is a quick learner. She has already finished most of the lessons."

"How wonderful," murmured Rosamund, putting the thin slice of steak in her mouth and chewing it.

"Would you like to hear me play the cello sometime, Aunt Rosamund?" offered Lucy, trying to keep a calm demeanour without allowing the pain of losing someone to appear on her face. Ruby might not have been related to her by blood, but she was everything Lucy had wanted as a mother figure.

"Maybe I will. We should perhaps fix it in the evening. Perhaps before dusk so that all of us can enjoy your talents," replied Rosamund, and she then looked at her brother. "My King, I hear the organization is in formation. They seem to have gone with the majority of votes. I heard they plan to call it the High House, what an absurd name."

"Absurd people give absurd names," came Morganna's sarcastic words. "King Laurence, I believe we should be extremely wary of that woman. I heard that the woman who is forming the High House is planning to take the reins and is going to put the royal families under interrogations."

King Laurence, who was eating, nodded his head, "That is what reached my ears. She must be a fool to think she would be able to control all the lands and hold power in this so-called High House in existence. It is bound to fail, no King would support it."

"My apologies, my lord," interrupted Calhoun. "I heard she is taking the support of the King's from the North and some from the East lands. They are backing her up. Word has reached me that they feel it would be more just by having common rules and laws being set by the formation."

Hearing this, King Laurence started to laugh, "A woman is going to run it? It is nothing less than leaving our positions and giving it to her. We might as well end up as mere puppets."

Calhoun's eyes subtly narrowed at Laurence's words. Morganna had instilled fear in Laurence's mind of his throne being stolen away from him, that he doubted his father would be able to see through his reasoning. He had hoped to sway Laurence, but it didn't seem like it was possible.

"For a person who has been in the royal court for only a few weeks, you shouldn't believe that the others would do things in your favour," scoffed Morganna. Her eyes met Calhoun's eye in a challenge. "The King's grandfather was the one to bring Devon the way it is now, we aren't going to give it to someone else."

Laurence waved his hand, "Calhoun. I need you to keep an eye on this woman. Make sure to find out what she does and where she goes. I need all the information."

Calhoun bowed his head, "I will make sure to get every information about her," he complied to the King's words.

The time continued in the dining room, and suddenly a servant appeared at the door of the room, bowing his head, he announced,

"My King, Mr. Greville's son, Samuel has arrived to meet Lady Lucy."

Hearing this was enough for Lucy's face to turn pale in complexion. She had been wrapped in her world that now it felt she was being pulled back to the reality where she didn't want to step into.

"Mr. Greville? Seems like he's quite taken by Lucy to make such an effort of making time from his busy schedule," commented Lady Samara, pleased to hear that one of the suitors had decided to come to talk to Lucy.

Lucy wanted to go out hunting with others. Now with Samuel here, she bit her bottom lip. She wanted to spend more time with Theodore, to stay in his company and not in someone else's company with whom she was not interested.

Queen Morganna looked at Lucy, and she then said to the servant, "Bring him in here. Tell him to join us for breakfast."

The servant bowed his head and left the front of the room. "Is this the same Greville who is the Duke's son?" questioned Rosamund with faint interest.

"Indeed he is," Lady Samara was the one to answer. She was more than excited to have the man join them so that he could ally with her daughter.

When Samuel arrived in the room, he deeply bowed at everyone, a polite smile on his lips, "Long live the King! A good morning to everyone."