Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 54: Theodore Looking For A Witch.

Chapter 54: Theodore Looking For A Witch.

Last Evening.

Conan’s Bungalow.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

Conan, after having dropped Helena at the Alderman’s at noon, had left to see his mother. A letter had been waiting for him when he got home that day with Helena, the letter telling how his mother had missed him and intended to come over to his home if he didn’t come to see her.

Conan is the only child of a noble family that had always been close to the royals, his father Rior Jones, the emperor’s advisor. His mother, Sarah Jones a wife who had been a tutor before she lost her sight after a sickness, now is always at home and wishes to be with her son who is adamant about not getting married and for the love of God never had a scandal or been seen with a lady alone or chatting for more than mere minutes.

Conan went over to his mother’s and was over the top happy when he found out his father was still in Critic-Citadel with the emperor which meant there were no surprise visits anytime soon or the Alderman telling him what he had seen earlier today.

The Right-hand man and knight of the Lord of Critic Arley had not known that his father was travelling down to Critic Arley with the emperor and he most definitely would be coming to see his son.

Conan rode back home on his steed, as the coachman had returned with the carriage after dropping him off. As Conan got home, tied his steed to the pole in his house.

He was surprised to reach the doorstep and there sat Helena in the cold. Her face resigned and her shoulders slumped. She was still in her pink dress but her hair was no longer in a bun, she had it splayed on her shoulders and back.

"Why did you come back so late?" she raved.

Conan sighed, running his palm through his face "I had completely forgotten about you" he confessed

"You asked me to come back for my load remember," she told both her palms placed on her waist.

He nodded "Yes I do now" standing with her "So where is the cart?" he questioned

Temporarily muddied, Helena asked, "What cart?"

"The one to pack your very large number of properties," Conan said sitting with her.

"I’m exhausted Sir obnoxious if you shall please open the door" she nudged his arms complaining.

He scoffed, stood up and headed for the door "You are only taking your property and leaving Helena, wait outside" he instructed.

With urgency she sprang up, calling out his name. "Conan!"

"Yes, Lady Clingy" he answered with a tease.

"I am homeless" she mumbled, her eyes holding his.

He smirked "No, you bought a house today" he informed her, making her pout.

"I did not" she whispered ashamed and her expression innocent.

He raised an elegant brow "Why is it that, you were determined to get a building of your own this morning, what changed?" he asked. She cleared her throat.

"I want to live with you," she said to him blinking sweetly.

He paused, his eyes caught in her expressive ocean-blue ones "You are not only clingy you are also an aspiring liar" he tutted.

"I... I shall pay my rent" she stumbled to say, clutching his arm in a pleading grip.

"You are truly clingy" he confirmed then started to look for his keys.

"I also want the bedroom that is normal" she added as he took longer to find the keys.

"You should desire something unusual" he countered

"I do not desire something uncomfortable" she retorted

He turned to her "If you insist on staying in my room, I shall be forced to let you remain here" he warned, and then he found the keys.

She looked perplexed "Where might that be?" she asked.

"Outside" he pointed ahead.

"Conan I am hungry" she whispered.

"I am a tired man" he groaned, before pushing the door open, Helena right behind him. He felt better.

Helena let out a satisfied moan, her gown suddenly too tight, she could hardly believe she had missed this place she had only stayed in for a night.

Her new home.

*

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*

Today, Afternoon.

Theodore’s Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

Theodore came back home in the afternoon after leaving home in the morning, right after Hound had fallen unconscious, he visited the carpenter and invited the man over before coming home along with Conan whom he met on his way here.

"The carpenter will be here soon, Conan will help him inside, I have somewhere to be" he said "Do miss me, Wife" he dropped a kiss on her cheek before dashing out.

"I shall miss you if you come back tomorrow!" she retorted with a smile, Red in her arms.

"Conan is back?!" she screeched when the words her husband had uttered before leaving resounded in her head, she turned to Mira but the maid was already turning to leave. Why are they acting suspiciously?

"My lady!" a male voice gained her attention making her eyes lit up.

"Sir Conan! I cannot believe your presence could make this mansion so different" she expressed, her smile genuine.

"It was? I feel loved" he admitted, his palm to his chest.

"Not necessarily sad but even with the six of us, I could tell you weren’t here," she said moving inside, the cat purring in her arms with lazy glances.

Conan looked puzzled "Six of you?" he doubted.

"Oh yes, Come let us sit at the garden" she invited, eyeing the maids, who scurried along to deliver.

"We have maids now," she said as they stepped out the other door.

Conan’s lips thinned "Where are they from? Did Hound bring them?" he asked suspiciously.

"No Hound didn’t bring them, Theodore did" she answered honestly.

He nodded "I see, three ladies?" he muttered.

"Yes, they were slaves" Lydia added.

"They were. What are they now?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

She glared at him "Maids Conan, they’re maids, hold this" She handed Red to him.

"I don’t... this is-" he stuttered.

She bent to pick up a flower, she had asked Joyce to purchase some flower vases as she left for the market today, so she is gathering the blossomed flowers for the house. She does that for a while, the maids deliver biscuits and fruit punch for the two of them, and she arranges the flowers and takes back Red.

"Lady Theodore I should go see Hound," Conan said after almost an hour of just sitting in the garden, talking about his mother’s teachings.

"Where is he?" Lydia asked intrigued.

"In his cottage, I heard he fell ill" he said studying her

Her eyes widened "He did?! When? What happened?" she asked curiously.

He stood up "I do not have the answer yet, Excuse me" he bowed.

She stood up along with him "I shall come along" she announced.

He looked shocked. "His place is different," he said to her

"Of course, it shall be different, he is a different person himself," she said, with an easy smile.

He nodded and started for Hound’s place, the lady right behind him.

"Would you be so kind as to not be as uptight as my husband’s right hand is" she appealed to in the silence that came to be.

He chuckled "That shall be very tasking but I do try" He confessed.

She dropped Red into its basket "You wait here, we need to check on your hero" she whispered her eyes warm.

"I heard about what happened" Conan started "I tender my apology for not being present" he pleaded.

"Oh no, it was nobody’s fault, I was careless and then I slipped, also if you were around you would have been with my husband and not me," She said easily.

He nodded before asking "Why do you say so?"

She paused in her steps "I know you don’t like me, Conan, I only wonder when you shall start" She nodded.

He smiled "Start to like you?" he asked.

She remained silent, her steps slow but continued.

As the silence stretched, Conan sighed "My Lady I do not dislike you, I only have my priorities straight, and they lie with your husband" The mansion is big and far.

"I respect that, please protect him, so he can always come back to me" She whispered.

"Thank you, Lady Theodore" he mumbled, his shoulders taut.

She smiled, but it vanished fast as she remembered where they were headed. They stepped inside and his cottage looked creepy and cold, she shivered, resisting a frown. They reached his room and she saw him lying on the bed, pale and chapped lips.

"What is happening with him?" she asked, her eyes sad.

Conan sighed. "I think he stepped into the forbidden ground" he informed her, his grimace prominent.

"Where is that? Sir Conan" She asked curiously.

"A land no human should trespass, the Casted land" he grumbled solemnly. His calculating well-informed eyes glued on the beautiful yet pale Hound.

What shall be done?

Conan is thrown back to the memory of him and the Lord’s conversion after he came back that night.

They sat in the courtyard. "Why are you back so early, Knight?" Theodore had asked.

"The casted land... it is true" Conan had whispered.

Theodore stood up, and gazed at the stars for a moment before turning to Conan his eyes hard and waiting "How are you alive and back, Conan?" he asked.

The knight blinked. "Would you rather I die?" Conan asked.

"Tell me!" the lord roared.

Conan sighed, running his hand through his hair "I think a witch saved me"

"Where is she?" Theodore is asking, his eyes curious.

Conan held his eyes "I woke up alone, outside the casted land" he shrugged, lying through his teeth. "They are not all evil, Theodore" he added after a beat of silence.

Theodore frowned "I never said they were" he countered.

"Then why are you asking of her whereabouts?" Conan inquired of Theodore’s reason.

"I am looking for someone. A witch" Theodore disclosed. Conan blinked.

If Theodore was looking for a witch, it was either for a vendetta or a dear one and Conan could not risk Helena being that witch.

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