Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 73: The Protesters, Kill The Beast.

Chapter 73: The Protesters, Kill The Beast.

Midnight.

The gates, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

A fervent cluster of men and women gathered before the imposing wrought-iron gates of the grand Theodore mansion.

Clad in layers of corsets, top hats, and billowing skirts. In jeans, shirts and shoes, the protesters brandished placards adorned with demands for a beast to be killed,

They held onto their pitchfork and knives, chanting kill the beast.

The air resonated with vibrant speeches, echoing the calls for security and assurance in their city.

The atmosphere was charged with the determination to challenge the existence of a creature they had heard about.

A beast in Critic Arley.

As this group of Critic Arley citizens fervently expressed their desire to kill a certain beast, they rattled against the backdrop of the ornate mansion gates.

Amidst the clamour, a palpable anger surged through the crowd. Shouts demanding the release of a "beast" resonated, fueled by fear and discontent.

The atmosphere grew tense as the protesters, fueled by their collective fury and worry, awaited the symbolic confrontation from the lord.

The air crackled with an intensity that spoke of the deep-seated frustrations of a city struggling with rumour and fear of the unknown.

Theodore had woken up from his sleep early into the protest, at first he had decided to ignore it as they must be insane to decide nighttime was the best time to stand in front of his gates protesting. But as he lay nonchalantly his wife shifted in her sleep the movement outside, getting to her and with a sigh he left the bed to go see what the ruckus was about.

"Master, there seems to be a protest outside the gates" Shade appeared the moment Theodore footed out of their bedroom.

He hummed. "They would remain outside till daybreak if Gooseberry wasn’t sleeping" he added, his steps growing faster as their voice seemed to get louder.

He met Hound right down the front stairs waiting for him with a sword. "Would you perhaps need a sword, Lord Theodore?"

Theodore shook his head, his eyes straight ahead. "No they’re still my people" he said.

The people were still chanting and roaring, the night wasn’t a deterrence to them, they were under the moonlit night protesting against their Lord.

"Kill the beast’

’Kill the beast!’

They chanted.

Theodore reached the gate and in his peripheral, he saw Mira standing outside watching the protesters.

"What is happening here?" he asked calmly, the crowd went silent.

Presumably, their leader moved forward. "The city is no longer safe for its people!" he yelled.

Theodore raised a brow. "And why is that?!"

He had heard their chants but he needed to hear them still.

"There is a beast amongst us!" he claimed, earning nods and murmurs from the crowd.

"It’s is going around the city" someone from the crowd cried out, stomping his pitchfork.

"A dangerous beast" another added. Female.

"A beast?"

"Yes, Lord Theodore, a beast in Critic Arley," the woman said.

"Not just anywhere but from the Theodore mansion," the leader added.

"It comes out at night to inflict pain and injury, perhaps eat us up" The speaker is very short with his pitchfork taller.

They all looked like businessmen.

Theodore narrowed his eyes at them. "Did you see the beast?"

At his question the crowd resumed their chant, perhaps deciding to ignore him while pressuring him to bring out the beast.

"Kill the beast" they began.

Bring out the beast! Bring out the beast!

"Enough!" he barked.

At this rate, they would successfully wake Lydia up.

"How did all of you come up with this?"

He has an inkling of what they know about, Red had gone missing for two days, so maybe he had roamed about in his beast form but Red would never attack first unless sent to, and he doesn’t prey on people unless to play when allowed and some of the plays get bloody if he gets the message.

"A beast exists!" they rave.

"If there was indeed a beast in Critic Arley then present me with an individual that it has hurt or preyed on" Theodore countered, his posture proud and confident.

"There is a man! He could not tell us himself, he was down after being attacked by the beast, his wife told us" the leader of the already feeling defeated group explained.

A man probably saw Red and freaked out, if Red had actually done something they wouldn’t have the courage to come here.

"Who is he?" Theodore growled.

These are his people but they have crossed a line.

"You do not know him!" the leader is now barking.

Theodore gave out a low chuckle. "Oh I know you all more than you think I do and you have all crossed a line"

The crowd goes silent, no murmurs or yells but only gulps and glances.

"You dared to interrupt my wife’s peaceful slumber to protest about a supposed beast?" he boomed, his words chilling.

"We apologize Lord Theodore, but we fear for our families" They retreated, mumbles blessing the air.

"You do not fear for your life?" he started with a question, his gaze darkened and the moonlight illuminated his features.

They took steps backwards.

"You think you can come here in the middle of the night and spout nonsense about a beast and have no repercussion?" he continued, the murmurs were long gone and their bodies shook from the restraint of sprinting.

He chuckled, his hold locks gleaming as he watched them one by one, they had their lambs and light, their pitchforks, knives, reasons and fear.

They must be jobless.

He started. "Now there are approximately twenty-five of you here, and I shall allot your punishment, an easy one to be honest, one that you shall also benefit from" he smirked when they began to look at their leader, everyone trying to catch the eye of the one who incited them here.

He continued. "I want no objection!, each one of you would do a community development and service for a week and after that present me with the wounded man of the beast, only then would I start to consider removing the very meagre punishment" he completed, satisfied with the punishment, he had noticed an area where a small area of people had decided to turn into their dirt area but now with this people he didn’t have to order a clean up, though they shall still be stopped.

"I need you to line up now, anybody who tries to run away, I believe you all believe there’s a beast, so one by one you shall write your names on a sheet of paper" he instructed along with a threat.

"They shall guide you through it" he finished pointing at Hound and Mira who stood behind him.

Mira paled, while Hound looked to the heavens, this would be easy, she just needs to stay quiet, he thought.

"Do I make myself clear?" Theodore asked the crowd impatiently.

"Yes Lord Theodore" they boomed they’re heads bowing.

"Then why see you still standing there? Line up" he ordered, his brows tight.

"And leave your pitchforks and whatever it is you brought go kill the beast, it shall be returned after the penalty period" he snickered, and he almost heard them whining in their head.

"Thank you, Lord Theodore," they said in unison.

He shook his head and turned around carrying with him the invisible incense that had been polluting the air and making them breathless. His imposing aura.

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

During the altercation.

Maid Quarters, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

Kill the beast! Kill the beast!

Dorothy gingerly footed out of her shared room with Joyous, she heard a cacophony coming from the gates but as she sleepily moved for the fronts a rumble drew her attention.

She veered around for that place instead. The courtyard.

She reached the site and her eyes almost popped out of its socket, she held her chest gazing at the big white thing wrapped in the yard green garden, it hadn’t been there when she cleaned out the windows that day, it looked like a big ball of- the thing shakes and suddenly it looked larger and it stood up. It had feet and ears and its eyes met her.

Ahhhh, she shrieked.

Her eyes were wide as she gazed at a large white furry beast, it looked ferocious yet cute, its golden eyes looked familiar and it simply watched her, she blinked and so did it. The beast people are screaming for is in front of her but this looked like Red.

"Red?" she tried and the creature’s tale rosa, she didn’t notice.

Her eyes soft she asked, "Is this you?"

It growled and then blurred, it’s. Whiskers twitching.

"How did you become... what happened to you?"

Red moved towards her and started to kiss her palm with his nose. "Oh, you’re still cute" she giggled, its fur is

"Come, the people are here for you, we need to hide"

But Red wanted to play, he caught her dress between its paws stopping her movement, and she turned to him with a glare.

"Stop, Red!" she shrieked.

Red growled and started to turn away, his movement showing he intended to leave her presence.

She quickly ran to him and held him as right as she could, his body was furry and hard to grab.

His height is up to hip and he was as wide asher. "You can’t go out, the lord will settle the people you need to hide" she whispered.

"Come on, I’m sleepy mate" she complained making it calm, it started to walk back, it looked so majestic she was spellbound.

"Nice, follow me, can you not change back?"

"No no, don’t growl" she advised placing its large head on her belly and chest area.

"Shhh"

Dorothy held onto the beast till she slept off, her small arms wrapped around its body, Red’s ears kept twitching, he wanted to go but he couldn’t leave her, so he purred and snuggled her closer.

She woke up with her body resting on his, he felt warm and alive, and she wondered when he would change to his smaller form.

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