Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 250: First Life, Alice. (17)

Chapter 250: First Life, Alice. (17)

Springton.

***********

He marched confidently, his smile large as he passed guards and maids and up towards the kings quarters, this knight had news and he believed it would elevate him, "I request an audience with the king" he announced loudly to the standing guards who had paid him no heed because they knew he couldn’t pass them.

"The king is currently taking no visitors" one of the royal guard said gruffly.

Another nodded his head at the door, "Kindly, leave" but this knight is cocky because he believes in the news that he has acquired. So he persisted, "He would be interested if he hears that it is about our princess,"

Warily the guard turned to face the knight, "Wait here," the guard said before nodding for his junior guard to go ahead and report to the king and when the guard came back out he called the knight over, "Come along" he said.

The good looking knight followed him with a smirk and when they reached the kings presence, the guard went away.

"Your Majesty, we have a report on princess Alice" a knight announced.

"Carry on," Albert, the king bit out.

"She has been going out of the castle, your majesty" he claimed, his voice convincing but the king thundered, "How did that happen? How could she escape the horde of guardsmen?"

The knight almost shrugged but instead he took a step back, "The princess is smarter than we give her credit"

Albert nodded, indeed she was smart. Perhaps too smart.

"What is your name?" he asked the good looking knight.

"Noah," he said before bowing in respect, "Your majesty"

"Thank you for your–" but Noah cut the king off making the man frown.

"Do you not wish to know who she meets?" Noah asked and now the king was furious. "Do you have that information and withheld it until now?" of course he would like to know the reason she leaves the castle.

Who would have thought it was for a person.

Noah’s spine straightened in fear, "Forgive me your majesty, the princess is leaving the castle to meet with the prince of Firseria, Prince Theodore"

"Blasphemy!" Albert wailed, his veins bulging.

He stood up and started to pace, the room, he ran his hand through his hair and yelled once in awhile.

"Leave!" he barked when he remembered he wasn’t alone.

Noah nodded, bowed and with a stupid grin he left the kings fuming presence.

The king gazed out his window, he had to use this information. How? He just hasn’t known yet.

*

* *

*

Night.

Princess bedroom chamber.

Springton.

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

"Did you hear? My lady" Harley started after the princess had bathed and the remaining maids had retired for the day.

Exhausted by the court and classes today, Alice sat uncomfortably, "No, what is it you heard?"

Harley took a deep breath before she started, "The kingdom, Firseria proposed a marriage truce but our king rejected it"

Alice blanched, "He did what?"

"He disagreed and our kingdoms are still going for war" the maid confirmed with a nod, despite being ignored by most maids since Conrad announced his intention with her, Harley had still managed to hear what was happening.

Her eyes wide she wailed, "Why would father do that?"

Silence ensued as Harley didn’t know.

"Why would Theodore do that?" Alice continued to ask but she knew the answer. "Because he loves me" she whispered to herself the reply before slumping onto her bed, her head fallen. "Theodore was going to marry me and father has destroyed that chance." she murmured dejectedly.

Harley felt bad for the princess, the king who was her father wouldn’t support her heart desires because of his own greed.

She would go to court tomorrow and expose egr father to the people, he cares not about them but fulfilling his greed and stubbornness. The people would choose peace over war.

"The king is here!" a voice announced startling Harley.

"My lady, the king" she whispered like a culprit.

"I heard" Alice said with an eyeroll.

That night the king restricted Alice from ever going out of the castle, her security details were increased and she couldn’t even leave the chambers comfortably, not to see her mother or to classes, most especially she was completely restricted from going to the court for anything.

"A prince is coming from the northern kingdom next autumn and you shall marry him" the king declared.

Over my dead body! Alice wished she could bark but her backbone wasn’t as strong after all.

The king has won, he has managed to make her miserable in the home she grew up.

Theodore would give up on her and then the war would go on, her kingdom would most likely win but everyone would be misarable and so the world would end with her alone and hateful.

Little did she know that it was not over yet.

A week later,

"Have you gone mad?" was one of the voices she heard in a hushed tone. It sounded strange and familiar at the same time.

"Please just get this to her" yet another voice that was whispering, another voice she would recognized even in hypnosis rang out.

Alice’s curiosity was piqued so she walked closer to where the inaudible conversation was being held. Her heart beat faster with every step she took, fearing that the palace might be under attack from the enemy kingdom or the guards find her snooping.

She paused thinking it safe to alert her guards instead but her heart told her not to. Alice remembered the promise she made to her mother then and just continued walking towards the source of the whispers.

"You..." Alice could not contain her shock when she spotted a man standing in the corner of palace halls obscured by darkness but she did not need any to tell who this person was.

Theodore.

"You came!" she squealed as she ran into his arms, she saw no one around anymore but she couldn’t wonder who it was because she missed him so much she didn’t care about anything else than to be in his arms.

"I missed you, I missed you so much" she repeated as he busied himself with kissing any side of her that came to his view, her forehead, her cheeks, her ears, her neck, her hair, he had missed her so much, words couldn’t express how much.

He was dressed in noble attires, his face somehow even more handsome than she remembered and he was with a sword like a warrior prince that he was.

"You came all the way here," Alice could still not believe that she was staring at Theodore, he had risked his life to be here, "Why?"

"I thought about you, and I wished to see you," he said, calmly. There was something about his demeanor that reminded her of soldiers sworn to defend her father’s throne and of her father himself but there was still something that set them apart "I am a man in love" he said.

"What are we to do? Theodore, I love you too" she said sadly, her arms wrapping around him as she pressed her cheek to his chest.

"Nothing can be done, I am a powerless man" he grumbled burying his face in her hair. Apples and something delectable, he mused. Something mine.

It was at the tip of her tongue to tell him that she already knew what he tried to do for them, that she does not understand why he would come here just to fulfill a trivial promise when it could cost him his life.

He must either be very brave or very foolish or both. No, he was in love.

But she was staring once again into those eyes which were still just as brilliant as they were during the day. Alice was begining to get lost once more in their depths, forgetting about who she was, the side she was on and all the trouble they were in except her feeling for him.

He noticed her staring but he did not make a sound because he was also lost in her beauty, the beauty that he convinced was worth risking his life for. He had gone mad for sure and it seemed that fate was rewarding his insanity with the gift of her presence.

Both of them stared at each other to their hearts’ content with neither of them knowing when both took a step towards each other. He was grateful for the proximity as it was a chance to get a better view of her, a chance to get inspired to write even more.

"What is that in your hand?" Alice asked suddenly. Apparently he had not counted on their closeness to be a chance for her to notice what he had been holding on to for sometime now, the other reason he had come.

"This" he said as he raised up the object in his hands "is a poem" he spoke as his heart beat faster, nervousness threatening to pull off the calm demeanor he wore "I wrote it for you"

That was the last thing she heard before the princess almost fainted from sheer excitement. She was sure her heart had never beat so fast before as his words continued to echo in her mind, blotting out every other thing.

She had never recieved a love poem!.

Alice felt like screaming and she would have if it had not been so late and for her not wanting to alert anyone of the guest she was having in her father’s palace. She was used to the stares courtiers, nobles and even princes of other kingdoms but no one ever risked her father’s wrath to write her anything.

Theodore was her brave prince charming.

The gesture was small compared to the gifts she was showered on each of her birthdays but it was worth more than everything put together to her. Alice could not wait to get her hands on that poem that was written just for her.

Her face was flushed but she did not care. Alice could not mask her desire for his poem even if she wanted to. She just stared at him with eager eyes and waited for him to hand her the poem that was handwritten in a single scroll.

"Here" he said, smiling at her so warmly, she thought she would be set on fire. She was staring at his bright blue eyes as het hands retrieved the scroll from his. It felt like it was a dream until his next words brought her back to reality "It is getting late. I should get going"

"Wait..." she said without thinking and watched as he stood still. The mere action still brought sparks up in her heart. If it would be for just a few seconds more, Alice still wanted to be with him and hence she thought of what might make him stay. "I already miss you,"

As if a thought clicked he snapped his fingers urgently, "Show me the amulet, do you have it on?"

She blushed, "Yes, Theodore I do" she replied breathless.

"Why are you so flushed?" he asked with narrowed eyes, touching her face.

"The amulet– okay" she said flustered.

"Okay." Theodore repeated after her.

She moved backwards, out of his arm and started to lift her dress making his eyes widen before she commented, "The amulet is on my ankle"

His gaze was plastered on her face while his reddened like Alice never thought possible, "Look at it, Theodore"

"No, I believe you please─"

"Prince Theodore!" a voice exclaimed and two guards came out of the shadows, each brandishing their swords against Theodore.

All the warmth in Alice’s heart dissolved into horror.