Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 243: First Life, Alice. (10)

Chapter 243: First Life, Alice. (10)

Afternoon.

EverFall, Woods.

Springton

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

"What is your name?" Alice asked the young golden haired boy again days later, the next time,

He smiled, liking the pace of their meetings, if she’d go back to questions like this that meant they’d meet often and he wanted that, "I am prince Theodore of Firseria" at his reply she nodded curtly so he continued, "Nice to meet you" he smiled and Alice gasped as she felt her heart shift to sit in a comfortable position, where it could worship this boy, she squared her features, "And what are your intentions of coming to my kingdom?"

"To explore" he replied simply as he moved towards a rock and perched on it, his farm boy clothing fitting him modestly, the tip of his feets touching the water and Alice envied his free and comfortable behaviour so she decided to join him.

He glanced at her as she moved with a childlike wonder. What was it about her? he wondered. She made him feel and he loved the feelings she evoked despite the confusion that came along with it.

"Is that what you are doing?" she asked him as she approached the rock he was occupying but his eyes widened at her feet, "No, wait!" he warned and she did, abruptly even.

"You need to take off your shoes, Gooseberry," he reminded, stepping out of the water to where she stood with scrunched up nose now.

The nickname ’Gooseberry’ flicked her heart and it started beating so loud she reddened wondering what he’d think of her if he could hear it.

Before she knew or could ask where he was going, he knelt in front of her, and whispered, "Let me help you with the shoes and dazed she freely agreed and his smile was as wholehearted as she’d known him to possess.

He took them off one by one and her balance was good because the dance lessons the princess of Springton goes through just came in handy. After unfastening her shoes and dropping them aside, he looked up and met her ocean blue eyes and he loved the world she saw, "Yes, Alice, this is prince Theodore exploring uncharted grounds." Her sharp intake of breath made him smile.

"Come," she trusted his sky blue eyes despite only meeting him thrice now, he felt like hers.

She took his reached out hand and he guided her to the rock, she loved his smell so as she sat she skillfully leaned in, a cute act to get closer physically and Theodore blushed at that.

They sat in silence, gazing at vast water and where the sky meets the sea and the colour of the sun on the surface of the water.

"You should get going" Theodore announced suddenly and Alice nodded before letting out a sigh, "I enjoy this place, Everfall should be more famous than it is, I would love to come back here" she was letting her thoughts flow through her mouth.

Theodore gulped, nervous about what he was soon to ask, "Every fall?"

She stared at him for a moment before understanding settled in her mind at his cryptic message so she smiled, "Every fall" she agreed.

They have just made an agreement to meet every four days, as they meet on the waterfall side in Everfall and fall was a four letter word, it was the only thing that symbolized them and he couldn’t think of anything but how to make her desire to come back.

"What would you like?"

"A Gooseberry and honey, lots of honey" she declared in a drawl, with a nod he bit down on his lip as she turned and left.

She wanted gooseberries but he already had his, and it was her.

*

* *

*

Everfall.

Springton.

***********

"If your eyes remain closed you would miss the view" Theodor’s teasing manly yet boyish voice warned Alice who had been drifting off by the tree while waiting for him.

Alice had slept off with her back on the tree today, she’d waited shorter than the last time but she missed him more than she did the last time. "Perhaps I was waiting for another view" her reply came.

He grinned, pleased with himself and being here. Lydia scooted as he took his seat next to her under the tree.

She had almost begun to think that maybe she misunderstood what he meant but at least she didn’t, he was here, "How do you reach here successfully?"

He met her eyes, surprised she cared enough to ask, "I am a man of many talents" he shrugged with his reply.

"You are barely a man, you are a young prince" she said with a pointed look as she crossed her feet.

"Alice!" he exclaimed, alarmed by her comment.

She laughed before shaking her wrist pointing at him with it, "Sorry, but aside from your voice, your build─mmm, eyes and hair-" he cut her off.

"Princess what else makes one a man?" he asked curiously and the blush that crawled up her neck, spreading fast like wildfire, gave him the answer he knew her lips could never say, so he simply shook his head, "Gooseberry, the kingdom should be proud of you" he teased softly before facing the water.

Alice was amazed at how easily he took that, he simply knew he was a man and didn’t have to defend himself and that made him more man than most older males.

Here he was in another kingdom trying to─ explore and he led a few conciliation and battles that he was surely strong but also a boy by age. Responsibilities aged him.

As if remembering now, he quickly bent a thigh to pull out a sachet. "Here, I could not find the best honey, perhaps next fall"

"Thank you, I have never had a gooseberry," she confessed.

Theodore frowned, "But why?" Who wouldn’t enjoy these little things?

She looked away, her fingers tightening around the satchel and he noticed it, "I was not aware of it," she lied through her teeth.

"Gooseberry," he whispered, covering her palm with his, she drew in a breath before meeting his warm eyes.

"I hate berries" she let out softly, turning her hand inside out and now their palms faced each other.

"Then why did you ask me for these?" he wondered with a frown.

"Because when you called me gooseberry I had to research why you would possibly call me that"

He blinked, "Did you find out?"

"You think I am something that blooms amidst thorns" she muttered.

"You are my gooseberry," he drawled, and something beautiful fluttered around her belly. Butterfly.

"Now tell me the other reason, you wish to take berries" he prompted knowingly and it made Alice narrow her eyes, he really knows, so she nodded.

"Mother would always ask me to take berries but I can be very stubborn but now she─ emm, that could be her death bed and I wish to show her that I was going past my fears." her reply was true and understandable.

"You fear berries and you dare question my masculinity?" he said with a fake tone and accent, his chest puffing like a baboo’s and it made her burst out laughing.

"Your femininity should be questioned" he returned smoothly and when she could finally stop laughing, "I am feminine enough," she declared, her voice steady.

And Theodore, ever so sweet and matured, completely agreed with her, he lifted her hand that was in his and as he held her gaze, he pressed a kiss on her wrist.

She shuddered but didn’t draw back, so he smiled, relieved before intertwining her fingers with his.

"Let us take a walk as I eat it" she invited and Theodore knowing it could get dangerous but wanting to please her he nodded in agreement.

Soon they were walking hand in hand.