Finishing the meal, Madeline dabbed the napkin on her lips gently before putting on the table. Now that dinner was complete, Madeline couldn't wait to rush back to the room she was given to sleep. Far away with enough walls between them where they wouldn't share the same space. The servant entered the room to clear the table and take the trolley back.
"I shall return to my room now if there's nothing else to do-"
"Stay," Calhoun poured water on her plan of going back to her room quickly, "It would be unfortunate if we didn't share some time," weren't they doing that just now? Asked Madeline to herself.
"Okay," she agreed.
"Don't look so sullen, Madeline. Life in the castle isn't as bad as you think it to be," Madeline had to bite her tongue thinking about the death that took place in the courtroom but that didn't mean Calhoun didn't pick her body language, "Did the death intimidate you?" he asked her, his eyes looking at her challengingly.
"Isn't death always intimidating?" she questioned him.
"If you have seen enough death and taken many lives, death is barely something to be considered. Once your hand is dipped deep and down in blood, there's nothing to be intimidated about," Calhoun answered her, his eyes lazily watching her and his lips parted, "When you're dealing with court and your subjects, things like these are the most common."
Didn't she come under his subjects too? Asked Madeline to herself.
"Don't be frightened. You are safe," seeing the sharp canine that appeared from one side didn't feel convincing at her, "You will get used to it."
"What if I say I don't want to get used to it?" asked Madeline, "You need to understand that this is not how I grew up…"
Calhoun tilted his head to the side and asked her, "You haven't seen anyone be beheaded in the scaffold?" Madeline shook her head, "How did you miss it? If I am not wrong, every village and town has a hearing on what crimes have been committed. Depending on these actions are taken."
"I had no interest in looking at people hang or to see them beheaded. With what I have heard, the punishments are always barbaric," Madeline replied to his question, "There was a woman who had nothing to do with the brawl, but she was dragged into it, and she was set on fire."
Before someone got killed, Madeline and Beth had always been ushered out of there by their parents though Beth used to sneak out to see how the proceedings went. She had heard people scream and cry in pain when it was their blood who stood on the scaffold, ready to be killed.
"People are caught doing some things they are not supposed to do, and there are some who get caught even without doing anything."
"You agree that innocents are killed," it was more of a question as she looked into his eyes that were staring back at her before a smile broke on his lips.
"One might think that person is innocent while the next person might not, we all see things in our point of view and the order of execution is run after trails of questions and votes on what is to be done. If it is labour, imprisonment or to be sent to death row," he answered her questions, "But then there are some, that can be manipulated according to our own will."
Madeline couldn't help but wonder to herself on how many people this man would have sent on death row or how many deaths lied in his hands. The King who had offered her a room, clothes to wear and shared dinner, the same man had killed a person this noon.
"Thinking about Benedict? The man who was planning to invite you to his quarters," Calhoun reminded who Benedict was, "Benedict was an efficient man when it came to working in the ministry of relations, but he wasn't as smart as I thought him to be."
"You killed him without a trial," stated Madeline.
Calhoun chuckled, "People like that don't need to be trialled, especially not when it concerns the King and his interests. You weren't expecting me to slide it now, were you?" the smile on his face had fallen, and his red eyes looked at her, "I won't tolerate any man talking to you in such tone or intention, or even looking at you. With today's action, word will spread for everyone to steer clear away from you."
He was giving her protection, but the irony was that there was no one to protect her from the Calhoun himself.
"As of what I heard, there has been no man trying to pursue you, but if he is, you should forget about the man you were planning to get engaged," there was an underline threat in his words, "I guarantee to keep you safe with me but not another man."
When she finally got to leave his room, bowing her head, she released a sigh of breath after reaching the room and closing the door behind her. She heard the footsteps go from the front of the door, which was of the maid who had led her back to the room.
Madeline changed her clothes and sat next to the window. Her head was leaning against the window as she wondered how the events in one day had turned everything upside down.
Away from the castle, in the vicinity of the village and at the rise of the sun, a person walked on the side of the road to reach the shop that made dresses.
An envelope was handed to the assistant that was addressed to the owner of the shop Mr. James Heathcliff.
When the Harris' family got back to their home, Beth, who was more than angry, was the first one to step out of the carriage. Without waiting for anyone, she headed straight into the house and went to her room. Her door closing with a loud bang that had both Mr. and Mrs. Harris look at each other worried.
Their daughter had not spoken a word in the carriage, and neither did they as they were worried about their younger daughter, Madeline who had been ordered by the King to stay in the castle from now onwards.
"What are we going to do?" asked Mrs. Harris in a shaky voice, the carriage rode away from the front of their humble house.
Mr. Harris had no answer right now as the person they were dealing with wasn't anyone but the King of their lands, "I will try to talk to Frances and see if she can try to persuade him." But, there was doubt in his voice as he was unsure and uncertain that the King would let his dear daughter return back home.
Mrs. Harris nodded her head, her eyebrows drawn together with wrinkles on her forehead, "Yes, that is one way to do it. You don't think he will hurt her, will he?" she asked in the end. Madeline was different compared to their elder daughter Beth, who would have agreed to do anything the King would ask upon, but the same couldn't be told when it came to Madeline.
They stepped inside their house, locking the doors from inside before walking forward into the small hall of their home, "Let us hope she is safe."
Beth had changed her clothes, but she was yet to remove the pins she had placed in her hair.
She came out to get a glass of water for herself. Going to the table and pouring herself a glass of water before she drank from it while overhearing what her parents were talking about.
"Madeline is a smart girl," said her father, "I am sure no ill will fall upon her."
"She was so unhappy when the King announced that she would have to stay there," said her mother and Beth's hand tightened around the glass, clutching it she heard her mother continue to speak, "Maybe we should find someone else to speak to the King, if Frances is unable to get him to listen to our request. Poor Madeline, she is there all alone now."
Beth didn't want to hear more of it, and she went back to her room. The door, this time almost thundering the house with the way it banged close. She was more than upset that Madeline had taken her place, she had stolen the opportunity right under her nose by telling she was not interested in the life of the castle. She should have known better.
She started to pull the pins around her hair, going to stand in front of the mirror.
She looked at her reflection where the girl in the mirror stared back at her. Eyes that were green and hair that dark in colour. There was no man in this village or nearby town who had never paid attention to her. And when the King had spoken to her the most today, she had believed the King had taken in by her appearance. She took the comb and started to comb her hair angrily before throwing the comb across the room in a rage.
"How could you…" asked Beth, her hands quivering in her anger for what Madeline did.
She had asked Madeline where she was that night during the time of her absence in the ballroom, but instead of telling the truth, she had told nothing had happened. She was her older sister; therefore, she knew something had happened between her and someone, and it so happened that someone was none other than the King.
"I will never forgive you, Madeline. The humiliation you have put me through," everything until the point of the meal at the table, everyone had been led to believe that it was her, but no...it was her sister who had stolen her place in the King's mind.
When the time of morning arrived, Beth woke up to go to the kitchen and help her mother, who was quietly working. She took the vessel of water and placed it on the fire, "How are you doing, mama?" asked Beth to her mother, going to her mother and placing both her hands on her shoulders for comfort.
Her mother shook her head and sighed, "I am worried about, Madeline. I don't even know why the King kept her against her will when we mentioned that she was engaged to Mr. Heathcliff."
Beth, who had her lips pursed together, said, "Why did you pick Mr. Heathcliff's name? He and Maddie barely spoke to each other. They only have exchanged greetings without having an actual conversation with each other. Bringing Mr. Heathcliff in the scene would put him in danger."
"There's nothing wrong in it!" her mother responded to her daughter, "They both like each other and I don't mind them getting married. They were going to meet this Saturday but…" she shook her head.
"Madeline told you that they were meeting?" Beth tried to confirm to receive a nod from her mother.
"Her heart must be broken," murmured her mother before going back to do the kitchen work.
Beth turned around and looked at the window of their kitchen. Her teeth gritted in anger which had still not evaporated. This little information only turned the ire in her more. Until now, Beth and Madeline shared everything with one other. With them being only a year apart in age, they did everything together, and if not done, they were sure to let one another know about what happened.
Madeline was hiding things from her when she was giving out every single information without holding back. She was here in this small house, working in the morning while Madeline would be showered with the luxury of not having to move anything. The King would surely treat her with clothes, jewels, and maids that she had always dreamt about.
Beth went back to her room. Pulling out a parchment, she placed it on the table and pulled out the quill and ink bottle to write a letter.
'Dear James,
I am sending you this letter because I am unable to come to meet you right now. I have been confined to the castle against my wishes. The King wants to marry me, but the only person I want to marry is you. You are the one who holds my heart and mind, I would not like anyone to take it away. Please do not ask my family about this, as they are unable to help me either, as it would mean going against the King's orders. I don't know what to do, therefore, I am sending this letter to you in the hope that you understand in what circumstances I have been placed in.
Yours,
Madeline Harris'
Folding the parchment she neatly placed it inside the envelope and stood up to look at the envelope in her hand. It was time to deliver it, thought Beth to herself.
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