The Crown's Obsession (WN)

When morning arrived, and Lucy opened her eyes, she was glad that curtains had not been drawn open as her eyes felt weak against the rays of the sun.

"Milady, you are awake," a maid appeared in the room.

"Is the sun unusually bright today or is it just me feeling this way," Lucy questioned the maid while she sat up and felt her head sway. It felt as if someone had tied a rock on the top of her head.

The maid had brought tea inside the room for Lucy to drink, and she placed it at the side table, "Ah, it is the same as usual, milady. Would you like to keep the curtains closed?" asked the maid.

"No, it's fine," said Lucy before flinching at the sunlight. She felt as if the path of heaven had opened itself for her and was welcoming her.

"Are you alright, milady? If you would like to take some more rest in the bed, I will let the King and the others know about it," said the maid, concern in her voice.

"No, that won't be required," the last thing she needed was to bring attention to herself, thought Lucy to herself. She realized the headache was possibly because of the alcohol she had drunk last night in the cellar. She remembered opening the bottles and taking a couple of sips, but God only knew what happened after that. "Was there anyone waiting on me last night?" asked Lucy.

The maid stood at her place and tried to remember, "Not that I can remember,, milady. You dismissed us telling you would be fine."

"Get me the jug of water from there," Lucy pointed to the jug that sat on the table.

The maid quickly brought it to the vampiress to see the lady pour the blood into it, which she had brought for her tea. Her eyes widened, wondering what Lady Lucy was doing. Lady Lucy stirred the blood in the water, dissolving it until it was fully red and then she lifted the jug to drink it until the very last drop.

"Would you like me to bring you more blood, milady?" asked the maid.

"Yes, that would be lovely," and Lucy saw the maid dart out of the room.

"Ah, my head," Lucy brought her hand forward as she felt her head throb. How much did she drink that her head felt like it was going to split into two halves now? This was not the excitement she had been looking forward to last night.

Lucy hoped the blood and water would help her in recovering and healing her vampire body faster.

After getting ready and going to the dining room, she met the guests who had stayed back in the castle to greet the King and the new Queen. And she noticed Theodore, who had taken a seat at the table.

His demeanour was calmer than usual, and it only drew her eyes more to him. Like many other times, they didn't speak to each other in front of people, and the words were exchanged between them when no one was around to see them. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't help but realize that it was almost the same in the past.

Lucy didn't forget Theodore because he had been embedded into her memories that were hard to remove.

When everyone finished their meal and stepped out of the room, Lucy's eyes didn't stop following where Theodore was, and her aunt, who was with her, noticed her distraction and asked,

"Is everything alright, Lucy?"

Lucy's eyes quickly snapped back to look at her aunt, "Yes, everything is fine," she smiled. "Why do you ask, Aunt Monique?"

Monique placed a hand on Lucy's back, and they started to walk away from the dining room, "You have been distracted since yesterday, you didn't stay back with the guests to enjoy the celebration and left quite early. Something you would like to share with your lovely aunt?"

"I must have been very tired," Lucy scratched the back of her neck.

Monique hadn't noticed it before, but since she had caught Theodore carrying Lucy to her room, she could now see that her niece's eyes looked back and forth at the King's advisor.

"Here you are, Lady Monique!" exclaimed a woman from behind, "Oh, we have Lady Lucy too. You wouldn't mind if we joined you two in the walk, would you?" With the woman was her daughter named Rebekah, the person whom Theodore had danced closed yesterday, noted Lucy to herself.

Though Monique looked at the two women with a look of displeasure on her face, Lucy offered them a polite smile.

"Where is Mr. Dunkril?" asked Monique.

"You know the men, they either go hunting or drinking and playing a game of cards," answered the woman. "It is just like us women, who like to gossip and sleep."

"I would beg to differ, milady," Monique's tone was serious, unlike the warm tone she had used on Lucy.

"Oh, I know, Lady Monique," said the woman, pulling her daughter to walk along with the rest of the party. "I heard you were positioned at the borders. The King must have sent the letter weeks ago so that it reached you. And Lady Lucy, I am so sorry for the things I have heard. It must be really hard on a young girl as yourself."

"Not much," replied Lucy with a soft smile on her lips. "But thank you for your concern."

"How did you find out that he was cheating on you with another woman?" asked Mrs. Dunkril, her eyes curiously looking at Lucy. "I mean, you are brave to kick him out of the castle."

Mrs. Dunkril's daughter whispered to her mother, "Mama, that's rude to ask."

"I am glad to see that you brought up your daughter well," commented Monique. "I don't think Lucy is comfortable speaking about it."

"Of course," the woman laughed, "I was just worried about Lady Lucy after what I came to hear. I mean she will be spending the rest of her life alone and it is something very difficult to do. You know how difficult it is for a woman without a family of her own and the loneliness."

The smile on Lucy's face faltered.

Monique stopped walking, and she turned to look at the woman, staring at her before she said, "Lucy will marry again if she wants to, and if she chooses to live alone, then Calhoun and I will be more than happy to support her decision, Mrs. Dunkril. You should worry more about your daughter, than my niece," she raised her eyebrows at the woman who looked offended by her words.

"I was only concerned, Lady Monique. It seems like Mr. Dunkril will need my assistance. Come Rebekah," said the woman, dragging her daughter away from there.

Seeing her aunt still staring at the women, Lucy placed her hand on her aunt's arm, "You didn't have to scare them away, Aunt Monique. I am fine," smiled Lucy.

Monique had a small frown on her face, "The gossip mongers," she muttered. "You don't have to pay attention to what people say, Lucy. You are the King's sister, so whatever you choose, it shall be supported."

Lucy nodded her head, "I know that. I am the one with a headache, and you are more annoyed than me here," her aunt had always favoured her.

Hearing the words from Lucy, Monique slowly turned to look at her niece and asked, "You must have had quite a lot to drink last night."

Lucy's cheeks turned red, and an awkward laugh escaped her lips, "I-uh yes, I had a trip to the cellar last night."

"Is that so," hummed Monique, "You should have called me, I would have given you company."

"Actually, I didn't have plans to drink too much. I guess I got too happy by seeing brother Calhoun's wedding," replied Lucy. She had tried to remember what happened after her first bottle, but everything was just a blur after that.

"I am sure Calhoun is lucky to have you as his sister as are you lucky to have him as your brother," stated Monique before they started to walk again.

"The advisor, you both seem to have a good relationship. I would have never guessed."

Lucy's eyes slightly widened, wondering why her aunt brought up Theodore's name in the conversation.

"It must be because we have known each other since brother Calhoun arrived at the castle," she tried to play it cool. It was just Theodore and her who knew that things were not alright between them. There was no need to advertise it to everyone, thought Lucy to herself.

"True. It is only a surprise because I doubt I have ever seen you both near each other," hummed Monique before adding. "I would have joined you both at the cellar. He's a tolerable man, isn't he?"

Lucy's face turned pale by hearing what her aunt just said to her.

Last night Theodore was with her, drinking liquor in the cellar? She didn't remember when he even came, and internally she cursed herself. And what did her aunt mean by they were 'close'?!

"I guess you could tell that," Lucy muttered to her aunt's question, and she changed the subject by asking, "By the way, Aunt Monique, when grandmother and my parents were killed, were you here in the castle?"