Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 166: The Royal Garden.

Chapter 166: The Royal Garden.

Late afternoon.

Garden. Citadel.

Critic Citadel, Critic-Ishire.

*****************

"Where is she?" Sandra.

"Outside your chambers, she returned with her husband earlier." the maid responded timidly, her eyes never meeting the lady’s.

Sandra scoffed, she looked at the door before retorting. "Let her stand there" she took her newspaper to resume reading. If she ignored the girl she would realise she wasn’t welcome and leave. She had her plans and she didn’t need to see Lydia now.

"Yes, Queen Mother" the maid agreed politely. No one would ever say no to the lady and she didn’t have to be royal for that to happen.

The maid turned around and as she turned neared the glass two door Sabdra’s voice stopped her. "Wait, go and bring Princess Lilith, tell her that her presence is required" she ordered.

The maid blinked. "Of course Queen Mother" she bowed and exited the garden.

It was unnecessarily cold there the maid noticed.

The maid left Sandra’s garden to get Lilith, she walked hastily past Lydia ignoring her as she tried to ask her about the request. Lydia frowned but waited still.

"Lady Theodore please wait for her in the royal garden" a voice spoke to her.

Lydia turned sharply to the person who had addressed her. Martha.

Lydia was surprised because this stoic lady had been in the front when they were bullying her this morning and now she was giving the right respect.

Was she perhaps regretful?

But Lydia didn’t want to dwell on that so she merely nodded and tried to turn but the box she was holding made her unable to hold her dress, making her trip but the headmaid was quick to catch her.

"This way" the headmaiden pointed to a path with her whole body, Lydia nodded again."Thank you" she whispered relieved she didn’t get reprimanded for that. She followed the maid until they reached the garden where she sat and was soon offered tea and biscuits.

Meanwhile.

"Queen mother" Lilith came inside Sandra’s garden with a forced smile, she had been intending to redo her make up and start her search for Theodore but this old lady was about to ruin the plan.

Sandra dropped her fan and stood up, she approached Lilith with purpose. "Are you ready?"

With confusion mixed with curiosity Lilith held her smile. "For what my lady?"

Sandra narrowed her eyes at her. "I think you are ready" she concluded out loud making Lilith press her lips into a thin line.

"Theodore’s thing is at the royal garden, you should get acquainted with her" Sandra instructed.

Lilith grimaced, she hated Lydia. "Do I really have to do that?"

"Yes, if you want to secure a space with Theodore, then you shall have to show him how evil she is" Sandra advised as she plucked a leaf from its stem, it was the healthiest but perhaps she was never one to garden.

Lilith hid a smirk as she asked. "What if she not evil?" as innocently as she could. She had to look naive.

Sandra glanced at her indifferently. "She became evil when she took what was rightfully yours" she instigated in a soft voice.

When Lilith still held a confused expression, as though she was unable to comprehend the intensity of Sandra’s Visciosness, Sandra shook her head before clarifying. "If she is not evil then make her evil"

Lilith blinked, her heart pounding with excitement, she was really glad that Sandra was the one to say this, now whatever she did she could blame that comment. It would never look as though she had the thoughts too, if there was a fallback, Sandra was her scapegoat. "Of course, thank you" she mumbled Sandra whilst she held her gaze in contemplation.

"Your mother was a good friend" Sandra said warmly, her fake smile surfacing.

"I know" Lilith whispered. She knew Sandra had other thoughts than just helping her get her man but she didn’t care, as long as it separated Theodore from that low class she would work with Sandra.

Lilith emerged from the secluded tranquility of Sandra’s private garden with a smirk, her steps were deliberate, her gaze steely with determination.

Her gown was adorned with intricate lace and however Sandra liked it, billowed around her with each graceful stride, it was a testament to her status and elegance.

She is accompanied by a retinue of maids, their expressions neutral but their eyes glinting with anticipation, ready to execute this princess’s bidding without question as Sandra had told them.

In the depths of her mind, Lilith churned with thoughts of attack which she saw as vengeance, her heart consumed by the desire to see her rival humiliated.

Every step she took towards the royal garden was fueled by a burning determination, her mind calculating every move, every word, every gesture to achieve her sinister goal.

She knew Lydia was prim and proper and that was what she would use against her today.

The royal garden awaited Lilith while Lydia sat there waiting for Sandra unaware that it was a stage for Lilith’s grand performance of manipulation and deceit towards her.

In the sprawling expanse of the royal garden, amidst lots of vibrant blooms and lush greenery, sat Lydia as advised, her demeanor exuded elegance and grace.

She had come with the presents she wanted to offer the lady.

Her magical jewelleries.

Lydia snuck out the book she had in her dress before looking around, when she believed she was alone, she held the book delicately in her hands, she became engrossed in its pages quickly and oblivious to the enchanting beauty that surrounded her.

The novel she held and was reading was a tale of heartbreak, its words weaved a streak of sorrow and longing in her heart like it had since the beginning.

As she read, her brow furrowed with empathy, her eyes tracing the lines with a mixture of sadness and fascination.

The world around her easily faded into the background as she delved deeper into the narrative, the characters become her companions like it always happens whenever she reads, their struggles her own as she struggled with them.

The maids watched her in wonder as the sun casted its golden rays upon the garden, painting the scene with a warm, ethereal glow.

But to Lydia the brilliance of the sunlight went unnoticed, the poignant narrative unfolding before her eyes overshadowed it.

The gentle breeze that blew carried the sweet fragrance of flowers, yet she remained oblivious to their allure.

Time seemed to stand still as she turned page after page, her emotions rising and falling with each twist and turn of the plot.

She sniffed, Tears welled in her eyes as she reached the climax, her heart breaking for the characters she had come to know and love, she had started the book back at home and had picked another only to return to it now.

In that moment, the royal garden might as well have been a distant dream, for her world had been transported into the depths of the novel.

"Miss Lydia" a voice pierced the air around Lydia.

Lydia paused in her reading and crying session to look up at the intruder.

It was only when she finally closed the book, her fingers lingering on the cover, that she returned to reality, the beauty of the garden once again enveloping her senses along with a certain princess.

"Princess Lilith" she acknowledged with a small smile.

Lilith noticed her red eyes making her scrunch her face in disgust.

What a mess, she thought.

"He finally told you did he not?" Lilith asked with a smirk, she believed Lydia was heartbroken because and pathetically crying alone in the garden because Theodore had told her something heartbreaking about her relationship with him.

Still distraught from the book Lydia had read she looked at Lilith confused. "I beg your pardon but can you elaborate?"

"You are a prude" Lilith said directly.

Lydia mustered a smile before muttering. "Do you wish to have tea? The air is nice here" she looked around the garden, it was suddenly with more people than earlier.

Lilith appeared enraged for reasons unknown to Lydia, she was trying to be civil but Lilith seemed to have other plans she noticed.

"I was bethroted to him before he ever knew you, he is going to marry me when all this is over with" Lilith announced, hee chest puffed, shoulders back.

"All of what?" Lydia asked confused.

Lilith gloated more by saying. "You would not know because you are a nobody" she sassed.

"Princess Lilith" Lydia breathed holding the eyes of the girl who was as tall as Theodore from her sitting position.

"I have been his only female friend since we were kids" Lilith interrupted Lydia.

Lydia scoffed before she answered. "I am his wife, he loves me and he could only be yours over my dead body"

Huh, Lydia gasped as a slap landed on her face suddenly.

Lilith had just slapped Lydia while Lydia sat surprised at the outcome of their conversation.

"What is happening here?"

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