Madeline saw her family get inside the same carriage they had come in, the door of the carriage closed and her hands that were on the railings tightened its grip. Standing in front of the closed multicoloured window to see the carriage take off from the castle and she watched until her eyes could trail it and it disappeared.
She was hurt over her sister's words. Madeline knew Beth was aiming for the King, and she never had the intention to pursue him. She was more than happy to settle down as Mr. Heathcliff's wife if he would take her. She had handled her sister delicately all these years, letting her decide what she wanted because Madeline didn't want it. She was more than content with her life, but with this...her sister would forever look at her to be the person who ruined her chance of living the life she dreamed about.
"Lady Madeline," a maid arrived at the dining room, "You have been summoned to meet the King."
Madeline turned her head sideways, "Tell him I need to go home."
The maid looked at the girl who stood with her back, facing her. She had a distressed look as she stood at the door.
The King was in the court had asked the lady to make her presence in front of him, but it seemed like this lady wanted to go home. The maid left the dining room and made her way towards the court where the King was sitting leisurely, talking to the ministers. Her legs shook when his eyes fell behind her.
"M-milord, the lady said she wanted to go home," her eyes didn't dare to look at the man and instead she stared at the ground.
Calhoun's lips twitched hearing this. His eyes looked at the maid, who had her head bowed. He had told that she was going nowhere, but it seemed like she had trouble understanding it.
"Tell her the King commands her to make her presence in front of him. If she disagrees she will have to sleep in my bed," said Calhoun before waving his hand off at the maid and as expected, in a matter of a few minutes, Madeline arrived with the maid.
Her eyes glared at him quietly, and if it were someone else, he would have gouged their eyes out of their face for their impudent behaviour. But this was Madeline, and he didn't mind it. Rather he enjoyed that there was a trait of anger in her, an emotion he was finding to be amusing as he sat there looking at her walk towards where he was.
He could sense the confused expression of the people who surrounded them in the full spacious room.
Madeline was a simple looking girl. If someone were to walk past her, they would have ignored her right away, but he had seen her in that sweet glorious night that he had spent a few minutes with her. He knew there was more than what the surface appeared to the eye when it came to her. He had heard her speak, and saw the way her mask had glided down and shown her face that looked like dewdrops in the morning.
A small smile crept up his lips, looking at her stare back at him.
"Milord," the maid bowed her head, thankful that she was done with the task and she could go back to her work than roam in front of a room full of the night creatures like the King. When the maid peeked up, she saw the King wave his hand for her to leave, his eyes staring at the girl who she had brought here.
Calhoun didn't speak to her, and neither did she. One pair of red eyes looking in amusement and one pair of brown eyes looking back with controlled anger. The room that had been filled with talk of words, discussing the nearest villages economy had turned quiet since the maid arrived with a girl they had never seen before.
"Welcome to Devon, Madeline Harris," he welcomed her, his voice loud and clear in the room.
Madeline stared straight into his eyes from where she was to say, "When am I going back home?"
Calhoun smiled further that unnerved her, but she tried to stand her ground.
He gave her a thoughtful look before saying, "I haven't thought about it yet but not any time soon. You have only arrived at Devon. I am sure you will like it," he smiled at her.
Madeline replied to him with, "I think I have seen plenty."
"I insist that you stay unless you want to hurt your parents. Think about your father. He's growing old and has no helping hand. Having to cut every wood by himself and bring them alone, how difficult," said Calhoun looking at the way her eyes softened at the mention of her father, "Your stay here will guarantee he has a helping hand. A shop of his own, how unfortunate that the daughter wants to rob those things from him," he shook his head as if he were not talking about her.
Madeline knew that he was trying to bargain her with her father's current working condition, but help could be found if asked, "If he needs help Beth and I could help him."
Calhoun's smile slowly fell back, and he tilted his head to the side.
"Do you mean to say that you will help in carrying the wood or chopping them in the forest?" the people who were in the room laughed lightly at the King's words, "I am intrigued to see it. Have someone pick up the wood and axe be brought up here. Let us see the skills that you possess."
Hearing this, her face turned pale. She had told it on a whim but who knew this person was going to make her chop wood in front of everyone?!
She couldn't believe that the King wanted to test her if she was able to chop the log of wood in front of everyone. There were more than ten people in the courtroom, and she could feel the gaze of the men who were looking down upon her as she was a woman. The men couldn't help but chuckle that the King was humouring a village girl who had no stature either looks. It seemed that the girl didn't understand her place, but Madeline stood looking at the King in his eye.
"She looks like a pitiful girl who doesn't even know not to look at the King in his eyes and speak," a man to her right spoke, and it was then she realized what she was doing, and she quickly looked away from him. Coming from a humble household, a person like her didn't have the right to challenge him, but it seemed like he had taken upon the challenge, to only challenge her back.
"I believe it is her first time in the castle and meeting the King, which is why she shows such courage, not knowing how to respect," said another.
"People from the villages don't know things and are bumpkins who only know how to look after the house and warm the bed," other men hearing this started to laugh along with him.
"You are right, Benedict. Her speech is to be direct to the King, where is the respect?" asked the first man who had started the conversation, "My King," he turned to look at Calhoun, bowing his head low to say, "We must have more interaction with the villagers."
Calhoun smiled, his eyes still on Madeline who noticed how she clutched her skirt in worry and anxiety as she was in a new place. When the wood was brought into the room, Madeline could feel the palms of her hand, turning sweaty out of nervousness.
She had been brave, and she had bluffed, which now resulted in two logs of wood being brought into the courtroom and an axe that was carried by another servant. It was alright, said Madeline to herself. It wasn't anything complicated. She had done it two to three times for enjoyment; all she would need to do was exert enough pressure and strength to break the log of wood.
One servant placed a full trunk of a tree on the floor, and on that placed the log of wood. The servant who was carrying the axe didn't place it down but waited along with it for Madeline to pick it up in her hand.
Calhoun, who was listening and enjoying the words spoken in the room, said, "I would like to see how skilled a daughter of a person who deals with wood is. Please," he said to Madeline with a smile.
Exhaling the air, she turned and went to the servant who was carrying the axe. Taking it, her feet gingerly moved towards the wood that was placed upright, ready to be cut into a half. A few whispers of murmurs went around the room which fell on her ears as she readied herself,
"This will teach her not to speak back to the King again."
"It is why they say, girls are good only to pull up their skirts." This came from the same man who spoke about warming the bed. "I should probably take her to my room to teach her a thing or two."
Everyone in the room looked at her mockingly, ready to feast on their amusement.
Madeline could tell that most of the men in the court where nothing but lowly scum who didn't know how to behave and were instead pointing their fingers on her that she didn't know how to respect. But she was in no position to speak, already stuck here, she didn't want to catch more attention than what she already had.
Clutching her hands tightly around the handle of the axe, she raised her hand, feeling his eyes on her before she moved it down for the axe to get stuck in the side of the wood. A small sigh of relief escaped her mouth, glad that she didn't hit the air and that the blade had gone through the wood.
When her eyes met Calhoun's, he didn't comment and only continued to look at the log of wood before saying,
"Benedict, why don't you try chopping the next one."
The man named Benedict bowed his head to Calhoun before going to take the axe from Madeline with a smirk. When the wood was replaced, Benedict raised his hands to strike at the wood with the axe into perfect two halves. The people around them clapped for the man who was able to cut the wood without breaking a sweat.
"Excellent! Nothing less to expect from Benedict," praised one of the men in the room.
"He has the best aim, no wonder he handles the affairs in catching the bandits," said another.
Benedict enjoyed the praise and then took two steps towards Madeline, "A woman should know where her place is. Talking about cutting logs when you barely cut a full piece," he smirked, "My quarters is not so far, you can always find me," he looked at her lips, smiling at her.
Calhoun who saw Benedict step close to Madeline and speak to her, he stood up, clapping his hands that had Benedict step back with pride of him being able to cut the log of wood, "Bravo to the ones who took part in it," he then walked down, stepping down from the raised platform, "It had been a while since I used the axe myself."
The men stepped away, giving him the way to walk when he stood to look at the pieces of broken woods that laid on the ground. Calhoun raised his hand and Benedict, who was holding the axe, gave it to him not knowing what ill omen had knocked at his door after speaking to the girl.
"Milord, we are out of logs," said a man bowing his head. Only two logs had been brought into the court.
"That won't be necessary," remarked Calhoun, bringing the axe to look at it carefully he rolled the handle in his hand with a smile on his face, "Benedict," called the King and the man was quick to attention.
"Yes, my King!" he answered ready to be rewarded until he heard Calhoun say,
"Place one side of your face on the surface of the trunk."
"Milord?" Benedict was surprised with the King's request, "But..."
Calhoun sighed, his eyes moving from the axe to look at the man, "I don't like to be kept waiting," the smile on his face fell, and when the people in the room noticed this, their smiling faces fell in a blink of an eye. No words coming out from anyone and silence filling up the court room.
Benedict genuinely didn't know what had happened in a split minute. Was the King not happy with the way he cut the wood? He wouldn't mind doing it all over again. Seeing the man wait, Benedict unwillingly gulped and got down on his knees.
The man was a night creature who now slowly placed his head on the cut surface of the tree trunk. His eyes were wide, his blood rushing as the King held the axe and took his position. Everyone, including Madeline, looked at them holding their breath of what was going on.
Calhoun then moved his hand to hit the edge of the trunk of the tree, cutting the backside hair of Benedict who laid there frozen. The playful atmosphere in the court, which was there earlier was gone.
Benedict let an internal sigh, but it was short-lived as the glint in Calhoun's eyes changed to something malevolent, and he raised his hand along with the axe before running it down right on the man's neck. The head rolled down on the ground, blood spurting everywhere, leaving everyone stunned and shocked.
Blood was sprayed on Calhoun's clothes and face. He threw the axe which clattered on the ground, before walking back up to the platform and turned to look at the people.
"Speak to her using such a tone once more, and you will receive the same fate. Madeline shall not be touched nor spoken to," Calhoun warned to have everyone bow at him right away, "Now if that's clear get the head and body out of this court. He looks hideous even after death."
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