The Crown’s Obsession

Music Recommendation: Giverny- Remo Anzovino

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"Come on, let's get you to your room," said Madeline, placing her hand on Beth's back.

Beth nodded at her sister's words, following the guards who had picked up her luggage at the carriage and had just walked past where they stood. "How have you been, Maddie?" she asked her sister.

"Absolutely wonderful," smiled her sister. "We are all happy that the baby will be coming out soon. Leave me, how was your journey?"

"It was fairly alright. The distance felt less because of the excitement of wanting to see you all. Where is mother and father?" she asked.

"The last I saw them was with one of the ministers who was keeping them company. Mother has been eagerly waiting for your arrival, she will be very happy to see you, Beth," replied Madeline, placing one hand on top of her baby bump while walking slowly with care.

"Do you need to rest your feet? You don't have to come along with me, Maddie," said Beth, slightly worried on seeing her sister, who looked tired.

Madeline waved her hand at Beth, "I am perfectly fine. You don't have to worry about me, Vlad and mother said it might feel uncomfortable, but there's nothing to worry about."

"Vlad is here?" questioned Beth, and Madeline nodded her head.

"He is. He has been hopping back and forth in and out of the castle. Even stayed around when the physician had come to check my condition," she smiled at the thought. "Cal has already been making sure, reminding me not to do this and that, to make it worse I have the Devil watching my every step."

Beth laughed, hearing this, "I am glad to hear that you are being well taken care of. I have nothing to worry about at all-"

"No!" Madeline stopped walking, "I wanted you to be here. Having people around, everyone plays a different role, Beth. Calhoun is my husband, Vladimir is the grandfather, but you, you are the sister I grew up with." She caught hold of Beth's hands, "You are important to me and don't you forget that."

"I would never do that," Beth smiled at her sister's words.

"If you aren't too tired, let's take a walk," suggested Madeline, pulling Beth to the garden.

Reaching the garden, they sat down on one of the benches while Beth saw Madeline stretch her feet forward.

"Where are the others?" inquired Beth.

"Aunt Monique wrote to Calhoun that she is travelling back to Devon as she was in the West land. Lucy and Theodore will be here soon," answered Madeline, fondly watching Beth. She was seeing her sister after many months, and it felt good to have her here.

"I can hear the heartbeat of the baby growing," stated Beth.

"You didn't tell me how you have been doing," reminded Madeline, and Beth smiled.

"The people of Warrings, are in general a little more rough compared to the people of the other lands, because of how they are treated by the outsiders and what they are. I decided to keep my werewolf abilities," said Beth and Madeline nodded her head. "I met James there."

Even though they had shared many letters between them in these months, Beth had not once mentioned James, and she doubted Calhoun knew about him being there.

Hearing this, Madeline's eyes grew wide. For a second, she was quiet before she asked, "How is he doing there?"

"Much better. When I met him, he was already in control of his werewolf side, he was very helpful," said Beth to Madeline.

"I see, that is good to hear," whispered Madeline, feeling slightly responsible for the way his life had changed.

Beth then said, "You don't have to worry about him, Maddie. It has been many months, and by what I have seen, he has put everything in the past. I was with him, getting trained."

"We should definitely send him a word for your gratitude then," smiled Madeline. "It feels like it has been so long since all those things took place. We all have changed so much, haven't we?"

Beth couldn't agree more to it, "We did. By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?" Madeline asked Beth to go on.

"Did you hear anything from the archangels? I mean apart from the priest Gabriel."

Madeline pursed her lips before shaking her head, "Gabriel doesn't share any information, and there has been no word from Paschar. Did you go to meet Raphael?" It was because Calhoun had hinted about Beth visiting the cemetery.

"Mm," Beth nodded her head. free𝚠𝚎𝚋𝒏𝚘ѵ𝐞l.𝑐oｍ

"It looks like they are still undergoing the punishment for breaking the rules of Heaven. A few months ago, Vlad had told me that if I prayed wholeheartedly, my wish would reach Heaven and they would be able to hear my thoughts. And though I have done it, I haven't heard anything about it from Gabriel because he behaves as if he doesn't know anything."

"Are you sure it will work?" asked Beth, placing both her arms on the edge of the bench and leaning back.

"Vlad said it would work and it was possible that Paschar would return at the time when the baby comes to this world. As he was a former angel, we can only rely on his information. I did mention it to Gabriel but he does nothing but smile. It is hard to know if it has worked or not. But it is worth a try, right?"

Beth gave it a thought on what Madeline said. A wish that Heaven could grant if the prayer was true, but it wasn't like she hadn't wished for things in the past. When it came to luck, hers sucked more than the others, and she had learned that if she wanted something, she would have to work hard for it. f𝐫𝑒𝗲𝙬𝒆𝚋𝐧૦𝘃𝗲l.c𝚘𝘮

"I am sure Paschar will be here to meet you and the baby. I doubt the archangels would deny such a request," smiled Beth.

After speaking with each other and catching up with the things that they hadn't written in the letters, both of them stood up and got back inside the castle.