Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 53: Finding Red And Finding A New Home.

Chapter 53: Finding Red And Finding A New Home.

Noon.

Alderman

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

"We’re here" Conan announced.

Their carriage has reached the gates of the Alderman’s post. The ride here had been quiet with both the carts occupant occupied with varying thought.

Helena how she would’ve been perhaps lost if Conan had not stumbled upon her.

Conan, thinking of how he must return to Critic Ishelm for the muckraker. Meet the Lord again and probably see his father too.

Before the coachman could open the doors, Helena started to pat her hair, her finger tucking the falling strands. She blinked when Conan asked "Why are you suddenly trying to look better?" his eyes narrowed

She glared at him "I’m a lady" she enlightened.

"Oh?" Conan appeared baffled.

"How do I look?" she invited.

He smirked "Better than you actually are" he said making her clench her teeth, and sending him a glare.

"Nice, let us go" She puts on a smile and she is stepping out of the carriage.

"Good day, Mr. Jameson this is my..." Conan trails off confused as to how to introduce the menace.

This man could very much talk to his father about seeing him with a young lady. A gist he wouldn’t want his father getting a whiff of but he had already made the mistake of coming this far along with her.

The Alderman is a sixty-year-old man, who has worked in the council for years and is a friend of Conan’s father, Conan’s father who is the royal advisor to the emperor.

"Good day Alderman, I am Helena from Critic Ishelm and I need a house in Critic Arley" She started "Sir Conan here informed me how proficient you shall be with that information" she narrated in one breath, her smile intact.

"A small one?" the Alderman asked his voice soothing.

"Yes, I’m alone" she admitted.

He nodded looking between both of them. "That is rather odd," he said.

Helena smiled oblivious, Conan cleared his throat uncomfortable.

"I shall leave you now" Conan told Helena, his eyes never leaving her. "Find a house and come pick your things" he advised notwithstanding that somewhere inside of him, he wanted her to stay. So he can watch her closely he lets himself believe. To know if she was a witch sent to destroy Critic Arley.

"With satisfaction, Sir obnoxious... hmmmph" she scoffed, her chin high.

Conan drops his gaze with a helpless smile.

"I hope you enjoy your day, Mr Jameson," Conan said, nodded to both of them and then left for work.

"Come, what did you say your name is young lady" the Alderman, Mr. Jameson asked again.

"Helena, Mr. Alderman" she answered making him chuckle before letting out "You’re a humorous one, If Conan didn’t bring you I’d be obliged to introduce you to my son" she doesn’t reply.

"Tea?" he offered.

She smiled "No, I am homeless" she replied.

"Funny. Wait here someone is coming to show you around for affordable houses" he told her, leaving her presence.

"Thank you" she mumbled despite thinking, it would be best if he showed her himself since he was the Alderman and not the young man.

They spent the day going around for houses, they paused for lunch at a lunchroom. Talked to house owners and Helena came to a conclusion in the evening.

Houses in Critic Arley are very expensive and unaffordable, and she needs Conan yet again.

Life.

*

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*

Evening.

Casted Land

Borderline, Critic Arley

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Hound spent the whole of last night looking for Red until he heard some kids talking about the white cat they would have caught, had the greedy merchant not taken it. There was a big probability that it wasn’t Red but he took the lead and headed out of Critic Arley after asking them a few questions. The merchant with his cargo was headed for Critic Ishelm. Red must have been added to his load.

It was late in the evening when Hound heard a growl at the frontiers of Critic-Ishelm and Critic Arley. The casted land. He rushed inside, crossing the boundary. He spotted a furry white ball-shaped thing.

"Red?" he called out in surprise but the creature was in its large form. The beast form, angry and fast. "Shit" he cursed under his breath.

The creature growled again, inching closer to Hound, his stance predatory "Hey hey, calm" Hound raised his hand in surrender, and he walked slowly, measured towards it.

"It’s me, Zachary!" he announced, the beast shook.

At Red’s refusal to recognise him, Hound is forced to draw a dagger through his palm to draw blood, he then flicks and swipes his palm in a waving motion in front of the beast and seconds later after getting a whiff of the scent, Red growled in surrender, and then he was purring, he sat and started to close his eyes.

"Ah Ah Ah, No, Red!" Hound warned as that was a sign that Red no longer saw him as a threat and was drifting to his annoying slumbers.

"Open your eyes, Theodore will kill you if you don’t go back to his wife, don’t..." he trailed off his threat because Red was suddenly sprinting deeper into the land.

Hound was bewildered and late before he dashed after the beast.

"Red!... You beastly fool come back here!" Hound hollered.

It must think this is playtime.

"I’m leaving, Theodore shall come himself"

The beast paused so suddenly it would be a shock if it didn’t leave a dent in the grounds. He turned gradually, all fight left its body then it growled.

In the blink of an eye, the big furry creature a beast that growls transformed and in front of Hound was now a cute little furry cat that purrs and craves warmth. Hound shook and picked up the cat and with unsteady feet, he left the casted land.

Hound and Red travelled back home through the night, his steed strong and fast.

*

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*

Morning.

Dining Hall.

Critic Arley, Critic-Isire.

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

"Good morning Lady Theodore" a voice interrupts the couple’s flirty morning breakfast, Theodore was in the process of taking a bit of Lydia’s lovingly offered meal, when the man busted in.

"Hound!" she sprang out of her seat, her eyes wide.

"I brought Red for you" he announced, his tone slurring at the end.

"Ohhh, Red!" she purred, taking it out of the young man’s arms.

Its stench met her and... "Oh! You stink, Where have you been?" she questioned the happy creature as its fluff now stood higher.

Theodore asked "Where have it been?" she veered around to face him

"Red had been missing from the morning you gave it to me till Hound here found it for me" Her husband had gifted it to her the night before and she had woken up to find it missing, she had been asking Hound to look for it back to her for days now.

"Hound found it for you" Theodore repeated, his gaze darkened. "How did it get missing?" he then asked.

"I don’t know, You gave me in the night, I woke up the next morning and it’s gone" she reiterated the happenings.

The Lord nodded "I see"

Lydia stood up, done with her food it appears, she headed for her bedroom speaking to the very quiet creature "Let me go wash you up, look at how dirty you ..." her voice trailed off as she walked farther away to take care of a certain pet.

"You made her leave her food" her husband accused Hound, the latter merely held his Lord’s gaze in silence.

"Where did you find it?" The Lord of Critic Arley asked his underling.

"In the Casted Land," he answered, he suddenly looked paler.

Theodore’s eyes held deep interest now. "How did it do? What happened?"

"I...it was agress-"

Hound was suddenly on the floor, pale and unconscious, he had lost consciousness in the process of reiterating what happened.

"What just happened?" a voice came behind Theodore but the Lord didn’t bother turning to it before questioning the owner "Why did you not come out to tell me what happened in the lake?" he dropped his cutlery.

"Because I did not see it" he grumbled.

The short man, whom Lydia had met once. The first day she arrived at the mansion as the lady of the city, she might have forgotten the man already but he existed present, silent, lurking in the walls, watching and listening until he wasn’t.

"Why? What were you looking at?" Theodore asked as he approached Hound’s fallen body.

"The Emperor is headed to Critic Arley," the short man said as his reply.

"So you were out of the mansion" the Lord pointed out, frowning as he inspected Hound’s body.

The short man continued, his voice solemn "He might be coming here"

"Can I even trust any of you with the safety of my wife?!" Theodore snarled, his eyes furious.

"It shall not repeat itself, Lord Theodore" the short man pledged.

Theodore straightened "Take him to his cottage and please put off that incest he always spreads" he ordered.

"Yes Lord Theodore" the short man said rushing to Hound, he vanished in a second.

Theodore left the dining hall with a sigh for the bedroom, he changed his mind halfway and he was heading outside. He got inside the carriage where Blanc rode him to a destination.

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