Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 225: ’You Died’

Chapter 225: ’You Died’

MidNight.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire

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

Lydia laid restless in bed the minute they got to their bedroom chambers, her hair lost its pin and she pulled the gloves only after she was in bed.

"Theodore please, I only wish to sleep now" she mumbled, avoiding his gaze completely.

He nodded, not liking the feeling of being kept in the dark and also realizing, this is how she must have felt those times she lashes out about his secrecy, "We can talk tomorrow" he mumbled.

She didn’t reply and simply settled deeper into her blanket.

Theodore leaves the room with a frown, for some reason he doubted this was connected to the reason she had come back home pale and sweaty the day she went to know Helena’s shop.

What was happening? Did someone dare to frighten her?

The maids found out a few moments later that the couple was back and they ran upstairs to her bedroom chambers.

Joyous as always put on a brave front and knocked on the door, "Lady Theodore" she called.

Silence.

"Lady Theodore it is midnight already, the monthly ritual has to commence" Joyous reasoned from behind the door.

"The bathe to wade off bad luck," Dorothy added, her voice meek.

Mathilda cleared her throat, trying to use the influence of their friendship, she started, "Lydia–" but the lady cut her off.

"Please come back later" she answered loudly from her bed, making them sigh.

It was already past the advisable time but they could still do it since it was dark but she was too shaken by the man she saw on their outing to be active.

She laid in bed looking at the ceiling for a while before sighing as the mind proved stubborn and wouldn’t stop pondering, the what ifs and how sos.

Lydia vacated her bed and went into her office like Theodore had, she put on some light and as she watched her gems, a certain one called to her and she picked.

She would make a masterpiece out of this, she whispered to herself.

The maids fell asleep in the parlour waiting for her while she worked away.

*

His Office, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

She was scared. She was confused and she needed space.

Someone must have told her something, she was doubting the possibilities and she didn’t trust him enough with the information, with whatever is bothering her, she thinks she has to do it alone and Theodore felt immensely uncomfortable with that. He needed to know what was happening to support, to protect, to understand and now he starts to see how wrong he might’ve been for keeping everything from her. Was it his insecurities, perhaps, his fear of her disappointment or his way of being in denial of her ability to love him even in his shortcomings, he had kept secrets from her in all their lives and maybe that was why he had to fight alone and still lost her.

Will she understand if he told her? Would she decide they were too ill-fated and leave him to save herself, to save them both or would she fight with him? He couldn’t take chances that was why he gave her that decision to make, though unconsciously, she has given their love a chance and he would appreciate her, forever for that.

Theodore was in his office pacing when Hound stepped inside, his face clear of anything but coal, no expression or stain.

"What did you find?" Theodore asked, as Hound had been the one to run after the mysterious man, Theodore had expected him to come back with either the man or reliable information.

Hound shook his head, "He simply vanished, I have nothing" he confessed.

"He vanished into thin air?" Theodore asked back with a frown, his fingers settling in his pockets as he pondered.

Hound shifted as he retold, "Well there was a small corner I had to take and suddenly I was standing alone"

"He is strong," He admitted.

"He would show himself soon" Theodore said because he knew surely that if history was trying to repeat itself yet again then he was coming to this mansion.

"I wonder when the right time is for him" Hound breathed out with a frown.

"Whenever we let our guard down" Conan’s voice sounded in the office, he is just coming back from attempting to talk to Helena but she wouldn’t answer him, it was as if she wasn’t in her room or she couldn’t hear him but he knew she was there and it hadn’t been long since she went inside based on what the maid told him. He wondered what the problem was but he didn’t want to push her since they had pressing issues that could affect them all.

"Conan," Theodore acknowledged. "What do you think is going on?"

"He is playing with us now, but he must have met with the lady or sent someone to her" Conan pointed out and that was a possibility already in Theodore’s heart so hearing his friend say it made him even more uneasy.

"You can go, both of you, we will talk tomorrow" he dismissed them.

"Of course" Conan watched his friend while Hound turned and left the room as though on a mission.

"I think the ladies should refrain from going outside for a while till it’s safe because we need to protect you first" Conan advised.

Theodore smirked, "You worry about making the witch stay away from her shop"

The knight left the office with worry in his mind, Helena will not give up on her shop on a hunch.

"Theodore" a voice filtered into his room.

He smiled, his heart full, "Gooseberry, come"

She approached him and he wondered why she didn’t change out of her dress, she also didn’t appear to be just waking up from sleep. His brows knitted, "Did you just wake up?"

"I was up working, look at this piece" she let out, her eyes wandering his features with heated desire.

He kissed her wrist before taking the piece from her, "It is tiny" he mumbled, watching the white gem. it looks almost transparent yet white and blue, he loved it, and this only made him wonder how she alone could see it.

"Yes, the stone was a large one and I made three pieces of art out of it, I wanted you to have one"

"Where can I put this, love?" he asked as he directed her to sit in front of him, on his desk.

She looked to her left, where his wrist watch lay, "In your watch, I am sure it will not only beautify it" she explained.

He trailed his palm around her jaw, "Mmm, you are a business woman, what else could it do?"

She leaned into his touch, "Protect your time, our time spent" she said, making him smile.

"You have me now, I shall pay for it" he offered.

She giggled, "No, it Is free, my dearest lord husband"

He laughed at the dramatic nickname before pressing a kiss to her lips, she responded easily by leaning in and he kissed her deeply, his tongue searching hers in the sweet battle of sensuality, he drew her closer to the edge of hsi table while kissing her like crazed pirate, he drew back, easing out of the kiss with glistening eyes. Lydia frowned when she saw the look in his eyes. ’Profound sadness’ "Theo-"

"Thank you," he whispered, cutting her off. He picked his watch and opened the top glass of the watch while she instinctively placed the small oval shaped into the space in the watch. It could stop the watch but if it didn’t it would beautify the watch.

"What did you make for yourself?" he asked after dropping it on the table.

She blinked, "A hair pin and a leg chain"

"I would love to clip the hair pin into your hair and clasp the leg chain on you" he whispered.

"When we get to the bedroom then" she replied with a yawn following right after it.

He kissed the side of her lips, "Come on"

They laid in bed, chest to chest when his arm, around a side of her waist, she had been sleepy when they were downstairs but it was as if the walk up to their room had cleared it and as Theodore helped her into a sleeping dress she felt considerably awake and strong, they climbed into bed and they lied facing each other.

"Lydia?" he called, his fingers absentmindedly stroking her stomach. "Do you still wear that jewel I gave to you?"

She smiled cheekily, "My first gift?"

Theodore grumbled as his reply.

"No, I do not wear it much," she replied. She didn’t wear it at all, as a jewel artist now she felt the gift was beautiful but just too simple to make a statement and she was the lady of the city whether the people liked her or not.

Theodore rose on his elbow abruptly, holding her gaze, "You should always wear it, please" . He sounded like it was urgent and extreme and she wondered what now?

Always?

"It is in a safe box, I am planning to make a good enclosure around it" she said with a scrunched nose.

"You cannot do that!" Theodore exclaimed suddenly.

Lydia rolled her eyes playfully, "I am a jeweler, darling husband, I can do that"

"I am saying you should not do that," he explained. "It would..." he trailed off, eyes wide.

Lydia sighed, "Why? It would─what? Disappear?" but he remained silent, his eyes shutting in a way that spoke how pained he was by the conversation.

She shook her head, they were back in circles, "If you are, as usual, unable to tell me the reason why then I shall just do it or let it be forgotten in the box" she stated sharply.

"Lydia, the gem is made of magic and it was given to me by a sorceress who said it would grant a final wish, whatever it may be," he told her.

Her eyes widened. Did he just tell her something important or is he trying to distract her by fabricating a tale?

At her silence, he continued, maybe he could finally share his burden, he mused. "It is a wishkeeper amulet, Gooseberry and we have had it for lifetimes"

"Theodore-" he cut her off.

"Would you believe it if I told you that we are reincarnated?" His voice was calm with a hint of hope.

"Reincarnated?" she asked with an elegantly raised brow.

"Yes, we existed before and I remember everything" he confirmed, his tone somber and weak.

She let out an exasperated breath, "My word, I would just sleep now"

Theodore appeared hurt, he hadn’t thought that’d be a possibility. "You do not believe me," he noted out loud.

"I would use the gem from tomorrow, there is absolutely no need to weave webs" she retorted before lying down.

Maybe not telling her everything, directly from the beginning of time isn’t the shortcoming, the old lady talked about, perhaps it was her, never believing him.

"You died in our former lives and all I could do was wail" she heard his whisper as she drifted to sleep but something raw pulled her into its embrace.

A nightmare.