Calhoun didn’t answer her right away. He enjoyed watching Morganna in pain. To Laurence and everyone else in Devon and people in the other kingdoms, they had come to believe that Queen Morganna had been killed, executed by giving her quick death. But he had decided to torture her. It gave him immense joy by seeing this woman suffer, and right now, he could do nothing but smile at her plight.
“I am sorry I didn’t quite catch that,” said Calhoun with an oblivious look on his face. “Could you repeat it?”
If the time was different, Morganna would have killed Calhoun with her bare hands, but she was not in a position to do that right now. This bastard had kept her in isolation without offering her even water.
“W-why are yo…do t-this?” it took everything in Morganna to speak those words, especially with the rod stuck in her mouth. It was hard to move her lips to speak.
“Because I am savouring your pain. I thought it was evident?” asked Calhoun, and he grinned. “I cannot tell you how happy I am today. Considering how important you are to me, I decided to come and share the news with you.”
He gave a pause so that his words could sink into her rusted mind.
Calhoun then said, “Your son and his wife are dead, therefore the High House has decided that I will be the next King of Devon,” hearing this, Morganna’s eyes widened. “I would have got your daughter added to the kill list but unfortunately that will need to wait. Maybe she has something better awaiting for her in the future.”
Bringing his hand forward, he touched the iron rod that stuck out of Morganna’s mouth. He rotated it for her to cry out in pain.
“Tsk,” Calhoun clicked his tongue, “Only if you had let the things go the way they were. To let my mother stay in the castle and accept her as your daughter-in-law, but you were too prideful. Look at what your pride has done to you today, stuck yourself with a rusted rod. You know…when I was small, I used to wonder why my father didn’t want me and my mother. I was angry at you, but I never thought of harming you because at that time, I had no idea what you had put her through. But then we all grow up and finally come to know the truth. Maybe if mother was alive, you wouldn’t be here. Does it make you repent that you didn’t keep her alive?”
Calhoun’s eyes narrowed at the memory of how he had visited every physician who lived around where they were, but none of them ever willingly offered to come and take a good look at his mother.
“I might be my mother’s son, but that doesn’t mean I have the heart to let things go in peace, Morganna,” confessed Calhoun. He threw his head back and said, “I can finally sleep in peace tonight. I can promise you that I will have good dreams tonight.”
Seeing the shock, terror in the woman’s eyes where her pride had broken and knowing she was ready to fall on her knees. Calhoun had finally achieved what he had come here to do in the castle.
“P…pl…”
“Please?” asked Calhoun. “Don’t worry, I won’t keep you here around for anymore. I only came here to share the news,” and he smiled.
When Calhoun made his way towards the door, the woman made gurgling noises, and when his hand reached for the door of the closed-cell room, he said,
“The sunrays will turn your body crispy by tomorrow morning or noon. I look forward to seeing your skeleton,” said Calhoun turning to her, watching her for one last time in shrivelled flesh before she would turn to nothing but dust. “Some scars cannot be forgotten and I cannot let you rest in the coffin. Don’t worry, grandmother, this room will be just for you,” and he finally left the room after locking it.
And as Calhoun had mentioned, he did have a good sleep after killing the people who had hurt his mother the most. It was like most of the burden he carried on his shoulders had been released while his heart continued to stay cold and empty. Though he was satisfied with the people’s death, revenge didn’t heal every wound.
By the following day, in the cell room where Morganna had been secretly held, her body’s flesh had disappeared, and only her skeleton remained in the room with dust that covered the ground.
The coronation of the new King was set after fifteen days of the deceased King’s death, and the old ministers had been replaced accordingly by making use of the letter that Laurence had written before his death. This way, Calhoun made sure to keep the ones he believed were loyal while discarding those who continued to work in favour of Queen Morganna and her daughter Rosamund.
Ministers, relatives, the High House members and some of the other prominent figures from the other Kingdoms had been invited to witness the coronation.
“Everyone stand!” announced a minister on hearing the footsteps coming from the corridor, and people stood up.
The boy who once was humiliated and beaten by people, the boy who wore torn clothes, now walked in clothes made of fur and silk. Polished black shoes had replaced the dirty shoes. With every step Calhoun took towards the room, the place turned quieter.
When Calhoun entered the room where everyone was gathered, he walked to the platform before the coronation took place, and the crown was finally placed on his head.
“I present to you, the new King of Devon. King Calhoun Hawthrone!” announced the head of the ministers and everyone bowed their heads.
Calhoun watched the way power had shifted and one side of his lips pulled up while he barely raised his hand and said,
“Rise,” Calhoun’s voice was loud that demanded respect and on his command, everyone lifted their heads.
