Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 239: First Life, Alice. (6)

Chapter 239: First Life, Alice. (6)

Princess Alice.

Theodore remembers calling her name right after he saved her. Whatever had brought him to that waterfall at that particular time was a reason he had refused to dwell on, it was the same reason that had given their secrets away and now everyone knew he and his men were in Springton.

It was all his fault but he couldn’t ignore the alert after his spy guard told him the princess of Springton was finally going out after years of being locked down for leaving the day she met him first.

The day he had fallen in love.

He missed her so much he had to catch a glimpse of her, he told himself even if it was from a far ad for a moment, her thought about her to sleep every night for the three years that had stretched after their first meeting and he wanted a real feel of her, even if to quench his thirst for her, but he’d been wrong, his thirst, his hunger, his ache for her didn’t seize after seeing her, after feeling her cold skin under his palm, instead it intensified his scratch and he felt like an addict who didn’t want to go through withdrawal from her but he had responsibilities.

He had told his parents that he was ready for this mission and that was why they entrusted it to him despite how precious he was to them. He was the crown prince and hence should be protected from all of those who chose to harm him or prevent his ascension into the throne of Firseria.

King George, his father had only let him come to an hostile terrain because of the faith he had in his abilities. Ever since he was a little boy, Theodore was trained in the art of war so he could one day defend Firseria and he was also trained in politics and royal chivalry. He excelled in all but had a passion for being a soldier and he became the best of his kinds.

So far, he had an impeccable record with how well he completed missions and won battles. A lot of spies from Springton had been imprisoned in Firseria and it was all thanks to him just like dozens of his people rot in their kingdom. This mission had been thought to go no different than the other ones.

Theodore also believed in earning trust and respect which was why he always put himself in front of the battle and sometimes used himself as bait. His crew loved him and were happy to follow him into battle anyday.

But they were not here for a fight. Theodore was here to scan the enemy kingdom with his own eyes so he could draw the best plan for victory with the least bloodshed. His father had told him that a hope for surrender on either side was futile but he still wanted to try.

They had something precious that he wanted.

For years since the war started, there had been many measures made by King George of Firseria to King Albert of Springton to seek out peace between the two kingdoms but it had all been met with a resounding no. It was clear that King Albert wanted their lands and nothing more. Human greed stemmed from his head.

History was full of stories about kings like him but Theodore was convinced that he would not sit idly and let the throne of his father and fathers before him be conquered by a power hungry tyrant. He was here to seek out a weakness, he would exploit to get the much needed surrender from the king of Springton.

Firseria was a content kingdom and whatever land they had was good enough for them and if they could put the years of war behind, that would be all they wanted. Those were their demands from the beginning but the Lord of the Castle of Fire would not heed.

It was through his Intel that they were able to sneak into Springton with no casualties and both he and his spy had planned to meet again but he had been distracted by none other than the kingdom’s princess.

Alice, his gooseberry, a beauty between thorns. Even in the cheapest of materials and a personality dripping with carelessness, she had completely enchanted and spellbinded him with her ocean-blue expressive eyes, her captivating scent that dangled between apples and something fresh, her feet careless and ready to fall into his very waiting arms.

A war was brewing, a war they could not afford to lose and Theodore had sworn to his father, mother, soldiers and people that he was willing to lay down his life for their victory. The day he spoke the words flashed before his eyes as his mind crept up with doubt that he was going back on his word and it was all because of her but he would be a hypocrite if he didn’t admit to himself that he was willing to come to a truce with this awful land because of her. Theodore had a stronger and stricter approach to war and politics than the current king, so on his own he would’ve suggested they went to war, effectively, attacking so they could win without too much casualties but after he had sneaked in the last time he was here and found her, Alice of the land Springto his plans changed, they were of age to be married now if only he could find a weakness he could use to lower king Albert’s confidence and then he can present his truce. For her.

For the girl with the porcelain skin and ocean blue eyes that’d never mirror his bright, electric blue ones. She had been a stranger but he had been completely drawn to her and for years her thoughts plagued his mind. She called him handsome. He was captivated by her innocence and happiness and it was something he longed for.

He knew she would be in the fields last night and that was why he waited, when he saw her he was pleasantly surprised she could still knock the breath out of his chest but it became a brutal awakening when she didn’t remember him and she was still as careless as before. He had followed her down to a secluded environment, the waterfall despite not being sure she was the one because of her disguise, he wasn’t sure the king would let his daughter go out dressed like a maid if it was known by the castle and council that she was stepping out, but there was an undisruptable energy that pulled him towards her, and when she started to feel the surrounding, started to twirl he stood hypnotized but it all until she spun too close to the edge and he started to walk towards her, the fascination he had felt earlier disappeared in an instant as she slipped and prompted Theodore to leap into action. The moment he held her up in his arms, taking her pleasant scent in and looking at her face which was no longer veiled by the shawl, he had known that she was the one, his royalty.

He had heard stories about the princess of Springton but he’d settled for the part of her that he met that first day, the part that was alive and loved everything she set eyes on.

Rumor had it that the king was very protective of his daughter and would never let her out of his protection range for any reason. So he commended her for taking the right steps to have been there yesterday.

He had known that this would blow their cover, they just might get exposed but he couldn’t not meet her, not touch her or smell her again and now they are on the run, those things were not very fortunate for him or his people but the worst part was that he could not bring himself to regret it.

The guards that had come out along with her were so many that they noticed suspicious movement. The fallen guard had been one of his mens doing because the guard wouldn’t shut up, but they got the farming attire from a very willing poor farmer.

Up in an abandoned cottage, Theodore and his men lay on mats, each of them recounting the day’s incident. They had been patrolling the field because they were to meet with Theodore’s spy and have their eyes within the Castle’s walls.

This fellow wanted the war to end just as badly as Theodore did because he was a man in love and war would destroy it.

Holden, who was a native of Springton had developed quite some friendship with Theodore during their childhood years. After losing his parents, little Holden had wandered off and gotten lost. He was found by king George’s men and brought to the palace. First, little Holden was too scared to speak to anyone but after meeting the prince who was his age, he began to warm up to the place.

Theodore and Holden became the best of friends in no distant time which made it all the sadder when it was time for the brown haired boy to part ways with them. King George had made contact with some relatives of Holden’s in Springton.

King George had promised to stop by with Theodore whenever he could but no one could have predicted that the new king of Springton would wage war against their land that it had been at peace with for centuries. Holden also did not know that and that was why he had enlisted to join the army of Springton to be a knight just like Theodore had claimed he would be a knight prince, but he became a warrior prince.

His skills excelled but king Albert had been more interested in the young boy for his ties to the kingdom, and intended to use him to infiltrate Firseria which only gave Holden a chance to spend time with his friend and as the conflict got even more serious, King Albert stopped sending the suppossed usless knight to the other kingdom and Holden had to sneak to Firseria once in awhile,

they would simply use that period to spend time with Theodore as they trade stories of how the war affected both sides, so when Theodore begged him about informing him whenever the princess should be aowed to leave the palace grounds he should be informed after Holden comfirmed it was not for hostile reasons so he agreed to it and then he informed Theodore just in time.

They were suppossed to meet with Holden but being distracted by Alice wasn’t bad at all.

"Your highness" one of the men called, forcing his thoughts to take a temporal halt as he turned to the direction of the sound.

He skillfully put away a poem he had been writing, an ode inspired by the daughter of the enemy king. He found himself sketching her details in words, reminiscing their encounter on paper. Poetry was one of the few things he fancied besides swordsmanship but his men did not have to know that, not today at the very least.

"Yes" he said, clearing his throat and squinting his eyes to see the man who had stood to address him, "Andrew" he acknowledged.

"The city defenses have been doubled since the incident earlier today" Andrew spoke the words with caution, hinting it as a mere incident rather than an oversight of their comma nder.

"As they should" Theodore put his head down. Sometimes he forgot that he was a boy himself bearing so much responsibilities on his strong but young shoulders.

A boy in love.

"We do not think it’s safe for your highness to be here" Andrew spoke again, louder than the last.

A chuckle left Theodore’s lips before he blurted out, "I will finish the mission"

Andrew blinked. "But sir..."

"Anyone who wishes to leave may do so, take word to my king that his commander will not fail him" Theodore cut in, "I will not fail my father or my people" his gritted teeth gave space for the words to stream out.

The response was good enough for the soldier who went away smiling in unmasked admiration for his commander.

What Andrew failed to realize however was Theodore’s sudden closeness to this beautiful kingdom they were hiding in. Springton was a wonder to behold but what was even more of a wonder was her princess.

Princess Alice Cassandra Albert of the fire castle.

Theodore retrieved the poem he had been writing and whispered to himself, "I want to see her again"

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.