Madeline walked next to her sister with a relaxed constant smile on her face as they spent their time outside, in the garden of the castle. She was happy to have her sister Beth accompany her here, to be in the castle.
“How have things been going in here? With the King,” added Beth, her voice came out to be nonchalant while her eyes glanced at Madeline before taking in the beauty of the castle.
“It’s been going fine,” replied Madeline.
Beth nodded her head, “Good to hear that. Who knows what might have happened if you refused the King more than what you have done right now.”
Madeline who had heard from her parents on what happened, she asked, “Are you speaking about the shop? The King didn’t send any order out to pull it down.” Beth chuckled hearing Madeline defend the King, “I would have known if something like that happened.”
She believed it was best to ask Calhoun herself about it, to clear it up and if he did it, why would he do it, “Has the King bedded you?” asked Beth, being nosey. Hearing this, Madeline’s face turned red.
“W-what, no. The King hasn’t,” Madeline shook her head.
Beth looked at her sister, who had turned red with embarrassment. It didn’t seem like the King had not touched Madeline. She didn’t believe Madeline. Maybe Madeline didn’t know about it, but Beth, who had always been looking forward to living a luxurious life, had heard about the King. The tales of the King’s debauchery had no end. With the way women were willing to offer themselves to him, it had made her curious and eager to see him during the Hallow.
Madeline, on the other hand, was embarrassed that her sister had asked her about the King and her directly. There were things she shared with Beth, but there were some things that needed some boundaries, Madeline thought to herself.
“It’s okay if you have done it. I wouldn’t judge you,” Beth assured her sister, wanting to get more information. Though there was a smile on Beth’s face, she envied her sister’s position. Madeline had everything she had ever wished for. Richness, status, a handsome man by her side who was none other than the King. It made her hand clutch on her sides.
Madeline laughed. Waving her hand, she said, “No, nothing has happened. The King has been respectful and had agreed to wait until the day of marriage.”
“The King must be a true gentleman,” remarked Beth.
It wasn’t precisely correct, thought Madeline to herself. She didn’t want to mention Calhoun’s seduction and tease that was nothing less than hot iron. Just an hour ago, he had pulled up her skirt to help her wear the garters. She felt her toes curl and her mind that started to muddle when she thought about his touch and words.
“He is,” Madeline smiled, continuing to walk in the garden where they were surrounded by flowers, “How about yourself? Did anyone catch your fancy?” she asked Beth.
A wide smile appeared on Beth’s face, “There is someone I met recently.”
“What is his name? What does he do?” questioned Madeline.
“He works for the King,” came the prideful answer from Beth. She wouldn’t marry some lowly man from the village. Not when her sister was marrying the King, “You will be meeting him soon. He is a very good man. He has been helping our father with the shop.”
“Oh,” Madeline responded, “He must be a kind man to go out of his way to help us.”
Beth nodded her head, “He said he was finding an opportunity to talk to me, and he was more than willing to help our family. Tall, good looking man. Polite. Rich,” she listed the characteristics, “You know my tastes in men.”
In response, Madeline offered her sister a smile. She knew what Beth liked in men. First came the money, then came the looks. It was what she looked for. She didn’t want to question Beth’s choice or judge her. She was glad that her older sister had found someone she liked. Beth did mention the person had helped their father, so he must be a good man.
“Come let’s go to your room,” Beth tugged Madeline’s arm in eagerness. Though Beth said that a man had caught her eye, it didn’t mean she had stopped dreaming about living in the castle. But before Madeline could respond, both the sisters heard barks, “What is that? Dogs?” asked Beth, unaware of what it was.
Madeline turned slightly worried, “Let’s head back inside now,” she urged Beth.
But Beth stood her ground, her head turning in the direction where she heard the barks coming from, “Don’t tell me you are scared of dogs,” laughed Beth.
“They are not dogs,” Madeline corrected quickly, hoping that the wolves wouldn’t come sniffing to the place where they stood, “They are the King’s pets. Wolves.”
“That should be fine then. If they are King’s pets, they will not harm us,” Beth acted brave and not scared when the wolves appeared at the corner of the garden, “Look, they are just nothing but furry animals.”
This time it was Madeline who placed her hand on Beth’s arm, “Beth, please.” But Beth didn’t want to do what her younger sister was asking her to do. It wasn’t Madeline but her who was older here. Though it was not completely visible, Beth could see the way Madeline moved and spoke on how she had moved forward while leaving Beth behind when it came to their status.
“Stop being so afraid about everything,” Beth said rolling her eyes at Madeline.
Madeline looked at the four wolves who stood in front of them. Her eyes darted between Beth and the wolves, contemplating if she should head back inside the castle as Beth was stubbornly refusing to get back with her. The King’s wolves were tamed only by his hands and not by others.
Madeline would have left Beth here, but she was her sister.
While Madeline stood with Beth in the garden, inside the first floor of the castle, Calhoun stood with Theodore watching them. He was in a bad mood. His handsome face appeared to be serious, and he had no smile on his lips. His eyes had narrowed down by the information which he had heard from Theodore.
“My King, the wolves have not been fed. We should ask the young ladies to get back inside,” informed Theodore after they had finished talking about other matters.
Calhoun’s eyes didn’t move away from the scene that was in front of them. Standing in one of the many balconies of the castle, his eyes focused on Madeline who was with her sister out in the garden.
Though they stood far away from the girls, where the girls would not be able to see them, Calhoun picked up bits and pieces of the conversation they had between them.
“It has been quite a long time since the wolves have been fed with the actual living flesh,” he said. Theodore moved his eyes slowly towards the King and then at the humans who were in the garden.
For a second, Theodore thought Calhoun was speaking about Lady Madeline turning to be the wolves food, but he realised it wasn’t her, but her sister. “Lady Madeline values her family, milord. It would be upset her if something happened to one of them.”
Calhoun’s hands gripped on the black railings, “Yes, Madeline loves her family. But a little fear should set people straight. Isn’t that, what we do here,” he hummed and continued to look at the girls who were facing the wolves.
He had not only grown up in the castle, but he had spent his initial years in the villages and towns which were filled with dirt and mud. Times were hard in the past, but it didn’t matter to Calhoun because he knew what he wanted and who he would kill with his own hands.
Maybe Madeline didn’t notice it, but Calhoun did. Until he was with her, which would be forever, he wouldn’t let any harm befall on her. Be it physical harm or verbal words, like how her sister Elizabeth had spoken to her.
“Beth,” Madeline called her sister who still had no idea what the wolves were capable of. Beth had not seen the jaws of the wolves. She pulled her sister’s arm, but Beth got irritated on how Madeline was being a coward.
“When are you going to grow up and stop being so meek?” snapped Beth for Madeline to frown.
“These wolves are feral. One bite is going to be fatal. If you want to pet the wolves, I can ask the King or someone to arrange it so that-“
Beth scoffed, pulling her hand away from Madeline. “You don’t have to rub it on my face that you are going to be the Queen,” stated Beth who didn’t like the way Madeline spoke to her right now. Being the elder sister, it was Beth who commanded and Madeline who followed her.
Madeline felt hurt thinking that Beth thought she was trying to show off her position. The little remarks had got the attention of the wolves, and they moved towards them. Beth turned around and had a smug look on her face.
“Why do we need to bother others when the wolves are being so nice?” Beth asked to only hear growls coming from the wolves.
Frowning, Beth was ready to pat when she heard Madeline warn her, “Don’t go near them!” But Beth only rolled her eyes over how Madeline was behaving as if she was helpless and needed to be saved. Her hand moved closer to the black wolf that looked gorgeous.
The wolf continued to stare at Beth’s hand that reached out for its head, in time to open its mouth and take a bite at her hand.
