The Crown's Obsession (WN)

Samuel gave her a sweet smile. "True."

After a while, Lucy had stood up from the couch she had been sitting on along with Samuel, "Brother Calhoun has invited us to come stay in the castle until the wedding is over. Even Aunt Rosamund, and Sophie will be joining us."

"If the invitation is from the King, how can I refuse it," commented Samuel, standing up along with her.

"Yes, I also thought it would be nice to go and see the preparation of the wedding," smiled Lucy, and Samuel raised one of his eyebrows before smiling at her.

"Sure," and ready to send her out of the study room, he went to hug her when he felt a spark of pain arise in his chest. He started to cough.

Concerned, Lucy pulled away from him and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, it was just a scratch in the throat. I will see you later in the bedroom," Samuel gave her an assuring smile and saw Lucy leave the room.

Once the door of the study room closed, Samuel walked towards the sink to spit. He saw blood spill on the white sink, and his eyes narrowed, wondering what just happened now. This was the very first time he had vomited his own blood, and he turned around to look in the direction of the door. Was it something to do with Lucy? asked Samuel.

The pain he felt was severe, and he wondered if Lucy had come across someone or something peculiar that had passed the dust on to her.

Back in her room, Lucy changed her clothes to her nightgown, and she got into bed.

She knew when Samuel said he would meet her in here later, it meant he would be coming late, and she would be asleep. Not giving more thoughts on it, she decided to be happy for her brother.

The next few days, Lucy went through the same mundane life in the mansion with the servants and Samuel, who returned home late at night. They finally travelled to the Hawthrone's castle.

Samuel and Lucy arrived at the Hawthrone castle to meet some of Lucy's relatives who had already arrived before them. They had lunch with Calhoun, Madeline, Aunt Rosamund and Sophie. It seemed like her cousin Markus was unable to make it for lunch today, thought Lucy to herself.

While the conversation went on at the table, Lucy noticed her cousin sister Sophie sending glares at Madeline. Sophie had always tried to cling on to Calhoun since she was small. At first, they thought it was just because Sophie was fond of him as a brother, but then they saw it wasn't so. The strangest thing was that Aunt Rosamund didn't object to it.

Then on the other side, her own eyes fell on Theodore before looking away from him.

Post noon, Samuel was busy with Calhoun, and it allowed Lucy to wander around the castle without anyone following her as even Aunt Rosamund had decided to join the King. Because Calhoun was in the royal court room, Sophie followed them.

Lucy entered the study room where she once used to spend her time. The room had been locked since she had left the castle, and she had taken the key for the room so that she could revisit the room. Her eyes fell on the cello that sat in the corner covered in cloth. When she pulled the cloth away, she coughed a little because of the dust that was on the cloth.

Carrying the cello to the chair, she sat down, placing the instrument between her legs and positioning the bow against the cello's strings.

It had been long since she had last played it, and she closed her eyes, trying to remember the chords as she played the instrument. She was too immersed in it when she heard,

"Thought I heard the sound of the cello."

Startled at the voice, Lucy pushed the bow's strings that produced a shrill sound in the room.

Lucy's eyes snapped at Theodore, who stood at the door, "Have you not heard of something called knocking?"

"My apologies for startling you," said Theodore, offering a bow to her, and Lucy wondered what he was doing here. Was he following her? "You have lost your touch in playing the cello."

Was he looking for a fight with her by commenting something like that?!

"I am not playing in the theater to worry about such things," said Lucy in a hardened tone. "What did you want?" she asked while staring straight into his eyes.

"Lady Madeline was looking for you," informed Theodore.

Keeping the instrument aside, Lucy stood up, and Theodore was ready to step back when she asked,

"Who has been cleaning the graves at the cemetery?"

"Probably the cemetery caretaker. Was something wrong with it?" asked Theodore, looking at Lucy, who shook her head.

"No, I was only curious," replied Lucy, raising her chin with an air of authority to make it known to him who was in the higher position here, and she started to walk towards the door.

She didn't look at the ground below her, nor Theodore, but before she could step out of the room, her ankle twisted funnily, and she lost her balance to be only caught by Theodore's arms. How embarrassing! Thought Lucy in her mind.

"Let go of me!" exclaimed Lucy, her face red along with her neck as blood had rushed up from her neck. "Don't you know you aren't supposed to touch a lady."

Theodore's eyebrows subtly raised while looking at Lucy, who looked like a tomato right now.

"Was I supposed to let you fall down?" he asked with a straight face.

For some reason, his words only turned her even redder, and Theodore wasn't sure if it was because she was embarrassed for epicly missing her step or for what he said.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Theodore, "You should have let me fall. I did not ask you for your help."

Theodore bowed his head, "I will keep that in mind, milady," and when the faint smile appeared on his lips, Lucy stomped away from there.