Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 102: Her Promise To Hound.

Chapter 102: Her Promise To Hound.

Dear Critic.

I do not bring stories from other cities much but orphans are flooding the streets of dearest Critic Arley from a city I shall not mention, I implore the people of power to see to this matter that is rising.

I would like to skip this topic but Viscount Victore shall not glare me down. ’Your wife is the prettiest of them all my lord, you are one lucky scoundrel’

We all know the emperor has turned the Statham house into his playhouse now. He has managed to make a round with all of the girls of the Statham. Perhaps the last one is soon to be taken. Do not be too curious though, A certain Hound hers eyes for her.

Yours wholesomely,

Muckraker.

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Evening.

Statham Estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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As Shi’Enz reached home by afternoon she met a house with no parents, she sighed in relief and started to tiptoe towards her room, she was close when she remembered her sister was unwell, she turned towards Mira’s room and after a knock, she swung it open.

She stepped in gingerly as she asked. "Mira, how are you?"

The said sister quickly took a sitting position, her brown eyes holding Shi’Enz’s honey-brown ones.

Mira narrowed her eyes at her junior sister as she asked suspiciously. "Have you been sneaking out all this time?"

Shi’Enz rolled her eyes, as she took her seat on Mira’s bed. "What spell those that wench have on you?" the sister continues to ask, referring to Lydia as a wench.

"Mira please" Shi’Enz sighed already thinking it was a mistake coming up here.

"Can you not see what she is doing?" Mira screeched, her attempt to look helpless failed miserably. "She is breaking us apart" she pointed out, her voice a wail.

Shi’Enz looked at her nails as she replied. "No, she is being a sister to me"

"Whatever do you mean? Doorsqueak" Mira scowled, letting the emotional act rest.

Shi’Enz turned to her sharply. "You think I do not hear what you say about me to Isha, about how I am silly and young and can easily go astray and be forgotten? how you glare at Lydia when she’s not watching because you know she shall forever be prettier than you are" She poured out her mind as it came and only paused to draw in a breath.

"I never hated Lydia, I was a coward who simply followed the tide and let someone as bird-brained as you think you can control me" Her voice sounded so regretful here that Mira finally felt insulted.

"Shi’Enz!" she yelled.

Shi’Enz stood up abruptly as she pointed her index to Mira. "The only thing you have that is big is not your brain, foresight or nobility but these stupid things on your chest that have become your lead for thinking" she sassed.

Mira reddened and also managed to blanch at the same time. "Leave my room, you harlot" she screeched. "I know what you are doing" she added.

As Shi’Enz started to look confused Mira continued. "I read the papers I hope Father does too" she replied.

"What papers, whatever are you talking about?" she asked.

Mira was gloating now, her chest high. "The Muckraker Shi’Enz, the one who knows what you think has been forgotten or well hidden, you have been exposed!" she retorted sharply.

"Where are the pap-"

Mira cut her off. "Leave my room!" She stood up angrily pointing at the door "Get out, I will be happy if this your character makes father change his mind about who needs to be married off first" she said.

Shi’Enz watched Mira in horror before turning and rushing out of the room, she didn’t bother shutting the door as two maids were already on their way there, they shall handle Mira.

Shi’Enz rushed to their parlour table her mind one way as she picked up the Muckraker’s papers.

She started for her room, she wouldn’t want to be outside when Father returned. She sat on her bed when Mathilda stepped inside. She had knocked but Shi’Enz hadn’t heard it, too lost in the papers and blinded by hurt.

"Why would she say this?" she asked in a whisper. She had known who stepped inside.

Because Mathilda could read and had read the papers, she replied. "Do not mind that, she always gossips, for someone who could name a lady green-lipped worst should have been expected" She waved her hand in the air, attempting to help Shi’Enz brush it off by pointing out the Muckraker’s brutality.

Shi’Enz sniffed. "I know but how did she know?"

"It is not true so do not let it get to you, I never thought the Muckraker would suddenly begin to add fallacies to her papers," Mathilda said with a frown. She and Lydia would always haul up in the room giggling and enjoying themselves with the Muckraker’s papers she knew the writer always had a certain confidence about her news but now she has said something unbelievable in Mathilda’s eyes.

Shi’Enz dropped the papers. "They are not fallacy Mathilda, I go to the Theodore Mansion because of Za- Hound" she confessed.

Mathilda sucked in a gasp "Lower your voice" she warned Shi’Enz in a whisper, her eyes wide as she looked around. She moved to the door and shut it properly.

Mathilda moved and without thinking she sat next to the lady. "What are you saying Shi’Enz?"

Shi’Enz looked at the space that the maid had occupied before meeting the maid’s eyes. "He makes me confident," she said.

"This is blasphemy in your world, you are of noble blood while is bathed in blood" Mathilda pointed out. Hound is Theodore’s personal statement maker, he instils the right amount of fear needed to put everyone straight and his hands are soaked in the blood of all the wrongdoers who had fallen by his sword. But Shi’Enz has seen his hand clothed in mud and sweat, the man was a man of life and nature.

So she said calmly. "And he would let that blood coat him to protect me"

Mathilda blinked, surprise yet uncertainty gripping her "Whatever are you doing?"

Shi’Enz sighed, dejectedly. "Just hug me, I need to relax before you leave," she said.

Mathilda drew the lady into a hug and they both sighed after a few moments. "Thank you, now please leave," Shi’Enz said trying to sound stern.

Mathilda stepped backwards with a bow

"How is Lady Theodore?"

Shi’Enz chuckled lightly before she asked, "How do you feel calling her that?"

Mathilda shrugged and with a smile she said. "It feels easy, like the right title she deserves" She then held Shi’Enz’s eyes as she asked. "You are sure she is happy?"

"Yes, she misses him even" Shi’Enz said, she had seen Lydia differently and glancing at the road every moment in hopes of finding her husband coming.

"I am happy for her" Mathilda admitted with a smile.

"Me too" Shi’Enz sniffed.

Evening came and Shi’Enz was summoned downstairs as Father had arrived.

"What were you doing at the monster’s mansion?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She shivered. "Father Lydia is there I-"

"Shut up!" he barked cutting her off. "Are you trying to destroy your life and the image of this house?" his question made her frown.

"No Father it was only a-" he interrupted her again

She looked at her feet.

"You shall never leave this estate until a husband is found for you, pray to God someone courts or else I shall be forced to send you off to just anybody" he declared.

"Father" she whispered shocked her father could be as heartless to her. She was his favourite child sometimes.

He met her eyes with a glare making her scurry upstairs tears glistening in her eyes.

She is doomed.

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Earlier In The Morning.

Theodore Mansion.

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Hound was in the courtyard helping the maids by cleaning this area because Red stays here and he didn’t want them to find him out he was a beast anytime soon. He cleared the area of the animal’s fur and was wiping the pillars when Shi’Enz walked in, she started to watch him and absentmindedly she had touched some walls and cobwebs, causing dust to coat her arms down to her palm. She kept tiptoeing towards him until she was close and decided to fright him.

She wondered why he never noticed when she was around despite how attentive he appeared.

’Boom’ she screeched with a jump but her intention to scare him failed and soon she was rushing forward as she tripped on the bucket of water by his side. She grabbed his arm in panic while he supported her but immediately she regretted it because as both their eyes went to his arm, it was stained with brown. He was wearing white, he hadn’t rolled the sleeves making it worse.

Her eyes widened in panic as she took her hand away, standing straight and stepping backwards. "I’m so sorry, what should I do?"

In a soft rumble, he asked. "Whatever do you mean?" there was a smile in his eyes.

She cleaned her palm on her dress as she asked. "How should I apologise?"

"Grab my arms," he said easily.