The Crown's Obsession

Magistrate Maki didn't know how long it had been since he had run at this speed in such a short amount of time. He waved his hand while he tried to catch his breath. 

In the meantime, Calhoun shot for the second time to break the rope through which Theodore was hanging on, to have him fall on the ground. He walked to the gallows. 

"Let...let...him…" magistrate Maki breathed the words in great difficulty. 

The head guard looked slightly confused, and he looked back to find the man who shot, help the prisoner to stand up. "Keep him right there. He's a prisoner and you dare interrupt the execution. Keep him right there!" ordered the man by pointing the gun at Calhoun, not knowing who he was. 

But at the same time, another gun came to point at the back of the guard's head. 

It was Helena who had pointed her gun at the guard, "Drop it now or I will blow your head," she said in a calm voice. The man's eyes widened in fear of what exactly was going on in here. 

"Magistrate Maki, what's the meaning of this?" questioned the person, who was the head guard of this place. 

The magistrate had finally stood straight, and he turned alarmed at the scenario in front of him. He said, "Lady Helena, please put your gun down. Mario, you too! The man cannot be executed." Looking at the other guards, he ordered, "Get the keys to open the shackled around the man's hands and legs."

"The order that was given to us is clear that we should to execute the man today. The Queen's words are finally and what is valued," informed the head guard. 

Magistrate Maki pursed his lips and then said, "The High House members want to conduct the investigation one more time before putting the man under the noose."

Helena dropped her gun when the guard dropped his own gun and placed the gun back in his belt. 

"I would like to discuss something with you, magistrate Maki. If you don't mind," said Helena, waving her hand to the side, and the man nodded his head. 

While Helena spoke to the man in the presence of another fellow High House member, Dimitri, Calhoun waited for Theodore to be released from the shackles of chains. Theodore looked beat, but his eyes were bright as the first time he had met him for the first time. There was blood and obvious wounds on him. 

"Are you alright?" asked Calhoun, and for a moment, Theodore didn't answer. 

In a serious tone, Theodore said, "I think they broke my glasses," and a faint smile appeared on his face. 

One corner of Calhoun's lips pulled upward. He was glad that no serious damage had been done to Theodore. "I will get you a new one."

After Helena finished speaking and questioning the magistrate, she saw Calhoun and Theodore make their way to where she stood. 

"Thank you for coming to my aid," thanked Calhoun, offering the woman a bow. 

Helena looked at Calhoun before her eyes shifted to look at Theodore. "You might be free now, but that doesn't mean you won't be under the eyes of the High House. At least until we find out who killed Madame Fraunces."

Theodore bowed at Helena, "I would be grateful if you were to catch hold of the person who was the one to kill her," came his polite words. 

"Magistrate Maki," said Helena, turning her head to look at the human. "I hope you won't forget what we just discussed. Every case of death from now on shall be reported to the High House. And any irregularity in it...you will be held accountable for it."

The magistrate felt like he was stuck between a rock and a wall, especially with the two women, the Queen and this High House lady. 

The magistrate made use of the same carriage that he had come in, giving a ride to the High House members before he dropped Calhoun and Theodore at the castle. 

"It seems like our plan worked as we thought," commented Theodore, his lips quirked up. 

"Hm," responded Calhoun while he looked at the walls and pillars of the castle. "With the High House's involvement, there's very little Queen Morganna will be able to do."

If Morganna thought she was smart, Calhoun was her grandson, and he was ten steps ahead of her. And in those ten steps, he had already planned how Queen Morganna would trip over her own steps and fall into the death trap that was waiting for her. 

He knew Morganna wouldn't stop attacking Theodore or him until she sent them away from the castle. But Calhoun didn't come here to sightsee or to be a guest in the castle for a few days. He was going to claim the throne for himself. With the High House in the picture, the Queen would have to watch her steps, not that she had time to do it. 

As they entered the castle and started to walk in the corridor, they came to see Queen Morganna, who stood with the ministers crowded around her. On hearing the footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor, her gaze moved to follow it and her eyes narrowed. 

"What do you think you are doing with the murderer here?" demanded Morganna while trying to keep her calm. 

"Me?" asked Calhoun in an oblivious tone. He then looked at Theodore before raising his eyebrows, "Oh you mean Theodore? The magistrate said he would investigate the case properly as he wasn't satisfied with his last visit."

Morganna looked at the ministers with a dismissive look, and the people left the corridor so that she could talk to him. "How dare you try to stop a Queen's order? Do you think Laurence won't come to hear about what you did?"

"Please do, grandmother. I am too tired and would like to rest in my room. I am sure you will be kind enough to deliver this news to him," Calhoun offered her a broad smile, showing his fangs with his eyes twinkling at her. 

Morganna glared at Calhoun for his audacity. 

She didn't wait there, instead, she went to speak to the King. 

"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Theodore, watching the woman disappear behind one of the walls. 

"The time of her death has started to tick," replied Calhoun.