Madeline pursed her lips, not knowing what else to say to comfort the woman whose daughter had been called as the suspect. Lady Rosamund offered Madeline a kind smile.

"You must have been very shaken yourself," said Lady Rosamund with an apologetic look on her face, "Once anyone enters the castle, they are never safe. Everyone's life hangs by the strength of a thread. There have been many times when Sophie had ended up in trouble, but we have been lucky to save her."

Madeline had figured it out today. She hadn't expected before the hunting that someone would try to hunt her. Unexpected things kept happening, and she knew it was only the beginning.

"Is she resting now?" asked Madeline as it was rude to not ask about Lady Sophie's health. If Sophie had the same or half the abilities like Calhoun when it came to healing, the marks would disappear by this time tomorrow. But considering Calhoun's different lineage, Madeline doubted that Sophie would heal as quickly as Calhoun did.

"Yes, I just put her to bed before coming here. Lucy is with her right now," replied Lady Rosamund to turn behind when a maid walked towards them. The vampiress waved her hand at the maid for her to leave. Turning back to look at Madeline again, the woman offered her a smile before placing her hand on Madeline's arm as if to comfort her, "Did you see what I meant, dear. The King did not spare his mother, and he won't spare his cousin sister, who had nothing to do with it. I am sure you understand now why I am offering you help. I know girls like you. Simple, with an ambition to get married to a rich family maybe, but this is not for you. You deserve something better, dear."

Lady Rosamund had a look of concern on her face as if she cared for Madeline's life. The woman continued to say, "We don't know who shot the arrow. You were lucky that the King was there, but you cannot say that he is going to be there the next time when something like this happens. I wish nothing but a good lif-"

Madeline placed her hand on Lady Rosamund's hand that had the woman stop speaking.

The older vampiress saw Madeline smile back, she was glad to see that the human agreed to her words. At least that is what it seemed like until Madeline parted her lips to speak,

"Thank you for your kind concern, Lady Rosamund. I am happy that you are looking out for me," said Madeline. Lady Rosamund nodded her head in agreement. But then Madeline pushed the older vampiress' hand away from her arm, that had the smile on the lady's face falter, "I know what the castle life is. That being part of the royal family is not going to be easy, but I have decided to go with it."

What? Lady Rosamund asked in her mind. Her eyes narrowed while she tried not to bring any vile expression on her face, "Do you know what you are saying, Lady Madeline?" she questioned.

Madeline nodded her head.

"I do, milady. I do," Madeline repeated the words, "I know I am new to this world in here, but I have decided to stay here. Even if a family member feels threatened, they don't leave their position. Your family has been brave. Lady Sophie has been brave, and I wouldn't want any harm to befall on her," she offered the older lady a kind smile, "Allow me to take a fall instead of her," this time she was the one who placed her hand on Lady Rosamund's arm, "Excuse me, I need to change my clothes."

Bowing her head, she left the woman who looked taken aback while Madeline walked inside the room. She closed and locked the room. Her heart thumped in her chest once she heard the lady left the front of her room.

Letting a sigh escape from her lips, she walked further inside the room. She took a bath before changing her clothes to a dry one.

On the other side of the castle which was not near the King's quarters, where the guest's rooms were located in one of the rooms, Sophie laid on the bed with eyes that was swollen because of the tears. The young vampiress had broken down after Calhoun and Madeline left the forest.

"H-how could h-he do th-that," Sophie asked Lucy who sat next to her, holding her hand for comfort.

"Brother Calhoun didn't mean it. He just got angry on the spur of the moment. You shouldn't take it to heart, Sophie," Lucy patted Sophie's hand, who now looked distressed. She would have gone to her own room, but it didn't feel right to leave her cousin sister like this alone. Where was aunt Rosamund? Lucy asked herself.

They were hunting the stags with their arrows when Calhoun had come there and caught Sophie's neck, pushing her against the tree.

Sophie shook her head, "N-no. H-he never gets angry at me no matter what I d-do," the girl cried and sniffed, "It's all because of that human!"

"Lady Madeline didn't do anything, Sophie. You shouldn't blame her," said Lucy, but Sophie refused to listen to her.

Sophie who had been lying on the bed sat up with her back leaned against the headboard,

"You saw me. I didn't shoot the arrow in that direction. If I wasn't there today and if it was only you, he would have done the same to you," she tried to spark a fire in Lucy's mind, "She is a stranger. Why is he protecting her without thinking about us? The next time you know, he will have me beheaded," and again broke into tears.

Lucy awkwardly smiled, "Don't say that, Sophie. He would never do that. I will make sure that nothing ever happens to you-"

"Am I not good enough?" Sophie suddenly asked to catch Lucy off guard.

"Who told that to you? You are beautiful the way you are," Lucy tried to console her cousin sister. It was another thing that in Lucy's eyes everyone were good, everyone was beautiful and she didn't doubt the people she loved and cared for, "Don't think otherwise. Why would you think something like that?"

Sophie's eyes fell on the sheets of covers that had been put over her lower body which now came to fall on her lap, "If I was, brother Calhoun would have paid more attention to me. He would have never caught my neck like he was about to kill me. He looked at me with hatred in his eyes."

Lucy moved closer, opening her arms for Sophie to cry on her shoulder. To the close family members, most of them knew who was trying to gain the King's attention and favour, to be the queen. And Sophie wanted to take that position.

"I am sure he cares for you, but just that the care he feels towards you and Lady Madeline is different. You are his sister," said Lucy carefully patting Sophie's back, "Don't cry now. Brother Calhoun doesn't hate you."

Sophie, who sounded like she was crying, stopped, her eyes red in anger as she stared at the white wall of the room. The King had never treated her so harshly. No matter what she had done, he had tolerated her. This time she had done nothing, but it had warranted in her getting a death threat. It was all because of that human. If she didn't exist, Sophie would never have to see this day.

Not only had she been threatened, but she had been shamed. All because of that bitch, thought Sophie to herself.

Lucy consoled Sophie, putting her in bed and then left the room to go to her own room. Stepping inside, she noticed her husband, Samuel, who was drinking blood from a maid's hand who stood in front of him.

She felt a sliver of pain on the sight but didn't comment on the scene that was in front of her. It wasn't unusual for vampires to feed on humans who mostly came in the forms of maids and servants who were freely available.

"How is Sophie doing right now?" asked Samuel once he was done drinking blood and licking his lips and the maid left the room.

"She's resting now. She should be alright with some rest," replied Lucy. She walked to where Samuel had been sitting. When she got close, Samuel stood up and said,

"I will be going to court now. Make sure you rest too," and he left, leaving her alone in the room like many other times since the time they had been married.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.