Calhoun stood in one of the tallest towers of the castle, looking at the landscape of the castle that stretched to the far ends before joining the forest. The cold breeze moved against his face, pushing the black locks of his hair behind while at times moving in a different direction to hover over his forehead which he didn't bother to tame and let it free and wild.
The top of the tower was built to taper at the end, and the floor held nothing but space in the walls to allow wind to pass through it. Calhoun had both of his arms placed on the narrow platform while he stood looking at the land that belonged to him.
Hearing the footsteps coming from the stairs, he didn't care to turn to see who it was because it was only Theodore who came here at this hour.
"I got the guards to shift the man to the solitary room," Theodore informed Calhoun to receive no reply from the King. He took a couple of steps more, going to stand next to the King to see what Calhoun was looking at. After a few seconds, Theodore asked, "Why did you ask to shift the man to the solitary room?"
The solitary rooms were often used to place corrupt ministers, or family of the King who was related to him for the next punishment. The cell rooms in the dungeons were the ones that were given to the lowly mortals, the humans who were of no worth and had to be killed.
Calhoun, who was still looking at the night scenery in front of him, smiled. His lips pulled up into a grin, "What do you think a man's last dying wish is?"
"To live a life of luxury?" asked Theodore as the servant was given a better room to lay down and rest than continue his time hanging in the cage with screws or iron piercing into his body.
The King shook his head, "To be granted a pardon," said Calhoun, "But that holds good only for the ones who are innocent."
Theodore frowned, "You think he is innocent?" Then why was he not letting him go?
"I never said he was. There is just a sliver of possibility that he is innocent and is being framed by the main culprit who is sleeping soundly in the servants quarters," Calhoun picked up a leaf that was at the corner, dried and left alone. He twirled it in his hand.
Wondering if the King had only spoken about the execution to scare the servant. Theodore asked, "Would you want me to withhold the process with the ministers?"
"No. Get it ready because at the moment everything is a suspicion, and it was the servant who was caught with the bottle. It will take a week or two. In the meantime, find out which servant is responsible for this," ordered Calhoun to have Theodore give him a bow.
"I will do as you have asked."
Theodore wondered how Lady Madeline was since she had returned to the castle. He didn't let his curiosity get too far as the King would not like it. With all the years he had known Calhoun, it was always the women who wanted Calhoun's attention. Creating conversations or opportunities to stay close to him which he indulged only until he was entertained and once his entertainment died, he had them leave the castle, turning the King to a distant memory.
"Did you find out how the lady escaped?" inquired Theodore as no other person had ever been able to leave the castle the way she did. Not to forget, when they had stopped the carriage she was in, she had travelled quite some distance.
Calhoun's lips twisted, his eyes narrowing at nothing in particular, "Rosamund gave her a ride out of the castle. Have the guards check every passing carriage on who is there. No matter if it is the minister or any relatives of mine. I don't care."
If it were a minister, the man would have readily agreed to drop her to the town or village. Madeline had been lucky and unlucky at the same time when his Aunt Rosamund had decided to give her a drop.
He closed his eyes, the wicked smile returned to his face, thinking about the time he spent with her.
"Have you ever been attracted to something, so much that you don't want it out of your sight? You want to touch it. Hold it in and maybe even squeeze it," asked Calhoun, the wind continuing to breeze against his face that moved his hair to the side.
Theodore gave it a second before he answered, "I feel like that when I look at rabbits and cats," a smile appeared on the man's face, and Calhoun nodded his head, "It looks like my King is smitten by her."
Calhoun moved his hand towards his head, pushing his hair from the front to move it back, "The word doesn't even cover it."
He understood what Theo said when it came to the animals that one considered to be adorable. It made a person want to pet it, but there were instincts when the need to squeeze and harm them passed across the mind. Not because they wanted to harm it, but it was the emotions that evoke in one when seeing something like that.
There were ways through which he could make her agree and turn her obedient, but Calhoun was being patient as it wasn't the approach he wanted to take, not when it was her. At the same time, it didn't mean he wouldn't try them if she continued to defy him.
Calhoun wasn't used to being defied, and once he set his eyes on something, he took it for himself. Madeline had a long way to understand where she was, and no matter how much she would try to get away from him, he would never allow it. With an invisible chain tied around her, he would pull her back to him.
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