Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 280: The Third Lifetime, Adele. (6)

Chapter 280: The Third Lifetime, Adele. (6)

Afternoon.

Castle.

Thirheria.

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

Theodore stood by his horse, tightening the reins, his mind racing.

’She was there... She was right there, and I nearly lost her again.’ His grip on the reins tightened, and he cursed under his breath before he turned to Connell, who approached with a frown.

Theodore sighed, grateful for his friend’s loyalty but frustrated by the situation. He glanced back at the direction from which he’d come, the memory of Adele’s face still fresh in his mind. "I need you to do something for me."

Connell’s playful expression turned serious. "Name it."

"I need you to watch over the Baron’s house. Specifically, keep an eye on his daughter, Adele," Theodore instructed, his voice firm but laced with an underlying tension.

Connell studied Theodore’s face, noticing the unusual intensity in his friend’s eyes. "What is going on, Theodore? Why is she so important?"

Theodore hesitated, the weight of their past lives bearing down on him. ’Because if I do not keep an eye on her, history will repeat itself, and I will lose her again. But how can I protect her when she does not even remember me? And with the way she reacted in the past life I cannot trust her with the information in this life’

"It is rather complicated," Theodore finally said aloud, his tone clipped. "Just..." he let out a sigh before he said, "Trust me on this."

Connell nodded in agreement, though his curiosity was piqued. "Alright, I will keep an eye on her. But you better tell me what is really going on soon."

As Theodore mounted his horse and rode off with his crew, Connell couldn’t shake the feeling that there was much more at play.

*

* *

*

Baaron’s estate.

Thirheria.

**********

At the Baron’s estate, Connell arrived just in time to see Heather alone in the garden.

"Ow!" Heather yelped, pulling her hand back from the thorny plant. She cradled her hand, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at the small wound.

Connell dismounted quickly, his boots crunching on the gravel as he approached. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft and concerned, he had seen her finger get pricked by the thorn.

Heather looked up, startled, and met Connell’s gaze. For a moment, she was speechless, lost in the warmth of his brown eyes. ’Why is my heart racing? It is merely a thorn... and he is just a knight, is he not?’

"I-I am fine," she stammered, feeling her cheeks flush. "It is just a thorn." she let out.

Connell crouched down to her level took her hand gently, inspecting the small wound. "Let me see." His touch was warm, and Heather found herself oddly comforted by it. ’Why does his touch make me feel like this? He is just a stranger... is he not?’

Just as they were sharing this quiet moment, Adele’s voice rang out from the doorway. "Heather, where are you?"

Heather quickly pulled her hand away, and they both stood up at the same time, her heart still fluttering. "I am here!" she called back, before turning to Connell with a shy smile. "Thank you... Sir Connell."

Connell smiled, a soft warmth in his eyes as he watched her hurry back to Adele. "There is something about her... something that makes me want to protect her. I wonder if she feels the same."

As Heather rejoined Adele, Connell settled into his task of watching over the house, his thoughts now entangled with the image of Heather’s blushing face.

"To what do we owe the visit of a noble Knight" Adele’s father, the baron asked as he came down the small stairs in extravagant clothings.

Connell chuckled and cleared his throat before replying, "Pleasure to see you, Baron, I have been instructed by the prince to watch over Miss Adele,"

"Not the estate, kind sir?" The baron asked teasingly.

"No, not the estate but the Miss, if you would please let me do just that" Connell stated curtly.

The baron quickly catching himself, smiled, "Of course, please carry on" he moved away with that smile turning cunning on his face.

Adele glanced at the knight with a frown, Theodore had sent him to the estate to watch over her and she didn’t know if she liked that yet. Why isn’t he here himself?

Right, he was a prince and he cared for her. She blushed before turning inside.

*

* *

*

A day later,

Adele was waiting for Theodore in the garden, her maid Heather by her side. She was dressed in a light blue gown that fluttered gently in the morning breeze, her auburn hair cascading down her back in soft waves. When she saw Theodore approaching, a shy smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Good morning, my lady," Theodore greeted her. He smiled when he remembered that Freya didn’t like being called my lady. Bowing slightly, he took her hand, he turned her hand upside down and pressed a gentle kiss to the insides of her wrist.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Adele replied, her voice soft and melodious. She reddened as his lips brushed her skin, a warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with the sunlight.

"Theodore, please" he corrected but she didn’t understand so she glanced at him, "Excuse me?"

"Refer to me as Theodore, I am to be your husband anyway" he explained.

Adele blushed at that comment, ’She was indeed soon to be his wife’ she cleared her throat lowly, "Then you too should call me Adele," her words.

Theodore smiled with his eyes as he replied, "I would gladly call you, Gooseberry"

Nowhere was safe for her face to bloom red, so she held his eyes with a sincere smile gracing her face, "Shall we take a walk through the garden?" Theodore suggested, his eyes twinkling with a mix of mischief and affection. Adele nodded, and he offered her his arm, which she took without hesitation.

They strolled through the garden, the gravel path crunching softly beneath their feet as they admired the colorful blooms and the neatly trimmed hedges. Theodore pointed out various flowers, sharing bits of trivia and stories from his past, often laced with a touch of sarcasm that left Adele laughing in confusion.

At one point, they reached a secluded area where a wooden table had been set up beneath a large oak tree. A simple but elegant meal had been prepared—freshly baked bread, cheese, fruit, and a pot of honey. They sat down, and Theodore poured some honey onto a piece of bread, watching with amusement as Adele’s eyes lit up.

"I know how much you love honey," he said with a chuckle. "So I made sure there was plenty for you."

Adele blushed again, grateful for his thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said, dipping a piece of bread into the honey and savoring the sweet taste. "I could drink honey like water if I were allowed."

Theodore leaned back in his chair, smiling as he watched her enjoy her meal. There was something about the way she relished the simple pleasures in life that endeared her to him even more. "One day," he said teasingly, "I will bring you gooseberries, and we will see if they can compete with your love for honey."

Adele giggled at the idea, her eyes sparkling with delight. "I doubt anything could compete with honey, but I will take you up on that offer."

As they continued to eat, their conversation flowed naturally, touching on everything from their favorite books to their hopes for the future. Theodore found himself drawn to her even more with each passing moment. She was intelligent, kind, and had a gentle sense of humor that made him laugh in a way he hadn’t in years.

When they finished eating, Theodore suggested they take a walk by the small pond at the edge of the garden. The water was calm, reflecting the clear blue sky above, and they paused to watch a family of ducks swim by. The atmosphere was peaceful, almost magical, and Theodore could sense that Adele was beginning to feel more at ease around him.

As they stood by the water, Adele’s thoughts drifted to how much she had come to enjoy Theodore’s company. His presence made her feel safe and cherished, and she couldn’t deny the fluttering in her heart whenever he looked at her with those intense blue eyes. She hadn’t expected to fall for him so quickly, but there was something about the way he treated her—gentle yet firm, playful yet serious—that made her feel like she was the only person in the world who mattered to him.

Theodore, too, was aware of the growing connection between them. He had courted women before, but there was something different about Adele—something that made him want to protect her, to ensure her happiness above all else. He had been drawn to her from the moment they met, and now, as they stood together in the garden, he knew that his feelings for her were deepening with each passing day.

As the afternoon turned into evening, they returned to the estate, where Theodore reluctantly prepared to leave. He took Adele’s hand in his, his thumb gently tracing circles on her skin as he looked into her eyes.

"Adele," he said softly, "I have enjoyed our time together today more than I can express. I hope we can spend more days like this in the future."

Adele’s heart swelled with emotion, and she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I would like that very much, Your─ Theodore."

With one last lingering glance, Theodore leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, leaving her blushing and breathless. He then turned and made his way back to his carriage, his heart light with the knowledge that he was one step closer to winning the heart of the woman he was quickly realizing he couldn’t live without.

As Adele watched him go, a smile tugged at her lips. She hadn’t expected to fall in love with a prince, but now that she was, she couldn’t imagine her life without him. And as she returned to her room that evening, she couldn’t help but think about the day they had spent together, her heart fluttering with anticipation for what the future might hold.