Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 29: The couple’s first kiss.

Chapter 29: The couple’s first kiss.

Lydia’s heart did a small, joyful dance as she sat up straight and saw him near the mirror.

"You do?" Her voice came out more brightly than she’d anticipated.

"Come here," he said, his expression neutral. She sweetly obeyed, stepping closer.

Standing in front of the mirror, she watched him as he faced it. He whispered, "Turn around."

He held out a small jewel wrapped in a delicate rope. It was a beautiful, almost bluish-white gem, nearly transparent, with light reflecting softly off its surface. The rope crisscrossed over it gracefully, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Lydia instantly recognized it as the magical jewel he had bought the day they met at the fair. But this one looked different—more elegant, almost like an imitation rather than the original.

Lydia frowned slightly but shook her head and waited.

He placed the jewel on her chest, and through the mirror, she watched as its crystal structure and color mirrored his eyes. It was no longer just a stone but a necklace she could wear, safely secured by the rope. She held her breath as he tied it at the back of her neck, his long fingers working with careful precision. The hair at the nape of her neck tingled under his touch.

The gem seemed to glow against her creamy skin, as if made just for her.

"Thank you. It’s beautiful," she murmured breathlessly as he finished, placing his hands on her lower belly and drawing her back so that her back pressed flush against his chest.

She was now utterly distracted. "You could have told me you were preparing it for me the other day," she said, her voice soft.

He stayed silent, lowering his head to nuzzle her neck. Lydia tilted her head back, resting it on his left shoulder.

"I was a bit embarrassed," he admitted with a small, shy laugh.

"I wanted to surprise you," he said, placing gentle kisses along her neck.

"And I’m surprised," Lydia confessed, turning to face him. "I don’t have anything for you."

His eyes took on a suspiciously warm glow. "I have you, and that is enough," he declared. Overcome with emotion, she stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his lips, earning a smile from her husband.

"Now that Gooseberry," he said, drawing her further into his embrace, "is more than enough." He lowered his head, and they shared their first kiss.

Lydia completely swooned, she had never known a feeling this complete, this kiss wasn’t as light as a feather like the previous one they had shared, this kiss was like an open invitation to pleasure, a promise of beautiful things ahead if permitted, his firm lips took her lower lip into his as he sucked on it with such attention she held on to his lapels for support from dizziness, his calm hold became tighter as he pressed her flush into him, feeling her every curve and flesh both with his palm and body. She was delectable as he had believed, even more so. He couldn’t get his mind off the things he could do to her as he sucked on the tongue she had shyly ventured into his territory. Her grip on him reminded him of how she might not be ready yet and he would be honoured to wait. He eased out of the kiss reluctantly, dropping two small kisses on her lips before slowly loosening his hold on her.

She licked her lips before dropping her gaze to his arm as he tucked some of her errant hair behind her ears. It was then Lydia realised that maybe or surely leaving the Statham house was her swansong.

In blissful silence, they got ready for bed, each with differing thoughts in mind. He took off his leather boots first as she continued to watch him, having finished preparing for bed earlier, he undressed so patiently that she fought not to assume he was intentionally trying to seduce her with his movements, slow and sensual, her heart thumped faster when he tugged at his trousers attempting to pull it, before stopping himself right after sending her a smirk that made her face hot she had to place her cold palms to feel normal.

He got into the bed with her minutes later as she had retreated into the covers out of shame for her brazen actions, watching him like the starved young lady that she was. Theodore joined her in their matrimonial bed, with most of the candle put off by him the room maintained the night darkness so he used his hand to locate her, drawing her into his arms where she belonged.

"Good night Gooseberry" he whispered right into her hair as he was now wrapping his strong arms around her abdomen, her back flush against his chest and thighs.

"Good night Theo" the words fell trembling from her lips. She snuggled closer and something Theodore didn’t think could happen to him, took place at that moment.

He wished to be more, to be better for her, for their possibly bleak future.

******

Morning

Critic Citadel, The Citadel.

Sitting on a desk in his royal office, Salvatore looks as dangerously hot and crazy as the wise people of Critic-Ishire imagined, the contouring of his face prominent as he stared out the door, lost in thought, just as Lydia had thought he looked a lot like Theodore, only more rough on the edges and his red eyes weighed emotions different from Theodore’s electric blue ones.

Without knowing Salvatore let out a long sigh before standing up straight and then taking notice of his shadow knight standing in the office with him, he shook his head and walked to his seat, the second he took his seat a knock sounded on the office door.

"Who died?" He questioned that as his acknowledgement of the Knock.

A knight dressed like a businessman stepped in, his head bowed slightly.

"Your majesty" the knight acknowledged, Salvatore simply waved his hand as a sign for the man to go on with his reasons for being there.

"Your betrothed is here to see you" the knight continued, his voice strong.

Without missing a beat "Send her away" the emperor ordered.

"She promised to bawl her eyes out if you refuse to see her" the Knight ’Loyd’ relayed looking conflicted.

Shaking his head Salvatore went on to say "That is a terribly unconvincing way to make me let her in" He then relaxed in his seat.

But Loyd further advised, "It won’t look good... "

"I’d send her away" Naoh the most loyal of his knights jumped in. His shadow knight.

"Oh Noah, always so quick to please me" he smirked, a dark heat in his orbs that went unnoticed as Noah drowned in the compliment.

Salvatore stood up from his seat and rearranged his dress shirt before moving for the door, Noah watching him with interest.

"But not to worry, I shall meet her, she is soon going to be my wife after all". He added, leaving the office for Mira.

Maids scurry to a corner as the emperor regally walks past them to his now betrothed ’Mira’ on the pavement he knew she’d be waiting, he had intended to avoid her but he suddenly thought of playing with her and texting her to confirm the opinion he has of her.

Mira saw the emperor coming first so she quickly readjusted her dress and stood up from her seat.

"Your Majesty" she acknowledged with a deep bow Salvatore enjoyed as he knew it would hurt her ribs immensely. He took his time before asking her to rise, her face red with breasts threatening to spill out of their dress.

"You dolled up" the emperor pointed out.

She went red "I... yMajestyesty"

"Come, let me show you something" he turned before she could agree or disagree,

she eyed the biscuits as she regretted not confidently stocking some in her kerchief.

They tasted really nice.

Salvatore walked her around, out of the pavement and the whole building to a place secluded and dark, he walked with her steps behind him to a room that sent cold through her before it flew open as he pushed it in, the saliva gathering in Mira’s throat went down her throat like a ball of stone, making her eye well up at the sight ahead.

"Your majesty!" She gasped, her eyes wide as she watched what the emperor was showing to her, Salvatore stepped inside with her.

Salvatore watched her with interest as she started to breathe as though a deer tied on a pole in front of a moving cart

"This is my favourite place"

In front of her is a room possessing possibly skin of humans that were peeled off them, a table with pools of blood and removed eyeballs

"You...your maj..." she managed to look disgusted even as she was so shaken, he smirked falling to make it look as innocent as he’d meant to.

"I just really wanted to show it to you" his defence.

The time Mira had come to the citadel to spend with her soon-to-be husband was cut short as she became extremely uncomfortable and the shivers all over her body weren’t subtle. The cold feet that seeped into her froze her limbs and she left to save her delicate jealous heart.