Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 98: Healing Lady Sarah Jones.

Chapter 98: Healing Lady Sarah Jones.

Evening.

Tea chamber, Jones Estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

"I am Conan’s friend, he is unable to come after your letter so I decided to come instead"

Sarah’s heart spiked. "Where is he?"

"Off to Critic-Citadel monthly meeting," There was a tinge of sadness and longing in Helena’s voice that Sarah caught.

She smiled. "You are correct, I had completely forgotten about the meeting, did you read my letter?" she asked.

"Yes, I apologize but the paper was peeked at by the courier already" Helena confessed.

Sarah gasped, her palm coming to her chest. "I knew he sounded sloppy earlier, thank you for coming to keep me company" she expressed.

Helena only smiled overwhelmed and shy, unable to keep the conversation.

"Do you want tea?"

At Sarah’s question, Helena nodded before she recalled the woman couldn’t see her so she verbalized her agreement "Yes tea will be great"

A small silence ensued as the maid set the tea.

Not knowing what to say next Helena blurted the truest of all things. "You look lovely, lady Jones"

"Thank you, I can only feel it" Sarah confessed, her palm caressing the dress.

She is dressed in a flowing gown adorned with elegant lace, Sarah embodied a timeless elegance that transcended her visual impairment.

She picked up her knitting again, her slender fingers deftly manipulated the knitting needles, each stitch a testament to her skill and patience.

As she worked, a contented smile graced her lips, and her guest marvelled at Sarah’s ability to create beauty through touch alone.

"So is Conan courting you?"

Helena giggled before shifting uncomfortably, it was easy to assume his mother would be different from the father, but they have been married for years so a lot of things would be similar.

"We are still getting closer" she muttered stupidly. Sarah merely laughed before she continued to ask lighter questions, about food, drinks, colour and style.

Their small chat was easy and light, and the evening drew closer.

And abruptly Helena said. "I can help treat your eyes in two days"

She offered in a mumble. Helena had seen magic swirling over Sarah’s eyes so she knew it was not a natural blindness but a black magic-induced one.

She was reducing the actual period it could take her to heal Conan’s mother. She didn’t want to expose herself as a witch, so she had to act as a physician.

"I beg your pardon?"

Sarah heard Helena but she was top shocked that she couldn’t believe her ears and wanted a repeat of the statement.

"I have some remedies that I guarantee can heal your eyes" Helena relayed.

Sarah sighed. "It is not wounded," she said in a whisper.

Helena nodded. "I know, it is magic" she confirmed.

Sarah shifted in her seat, her ears attentive. "Are you a magic practitioner?"

"No, Conan hates anything but human"

Sarah’s face visibly dropped. "Come my child sit here" she tapped on the space next to her couch.

Helena stood up and gingerly sat close to the woman who smelled like cherry.

Sarah started. "There was once a woman who would do anything to protect her son, even become a magic practitioner to defend him from his stepmother and her cold husband, she went to great lengths and one day one of her employeds saw her do something unforgivable, the only way to keep the matter shut was to blind the worker, I am that worker, I assure you I still never thought she was evil for doing this to me, she was only prioritizing her son," she told Helena a story about her and her employer.

She had been the young employed who saw what she shouldn’t have seen and only ended up blind.

Sarah found Helena’s hand and took it. "But my dear Conan he would not let it go, he is hellbent on hating those creatures, so yes I know it is magic and please do whatever you can for me" she completed because she was beginning to think Helena might be a witch, a few other witches had claimed to be able to help her but they had all fallen short because apparently the witch that had blinded her was a powerful one and it will take another powerful one to heal her.

"I shall do whatever I can, Lady Sarah, thank you," Helena said.

"Now when do we start the treatment? I would love to surprise Conan with my vision" Sarah tried to sound upbeat but she had been disappointed one too many times that it was now faked.

"Now, let me get something," Helena said.

She brought her handkerchief out "I know a bit of medicine" she said, dipping the kerchief into a glass of cold water "I learnt from my mother" she continued, her palm squeezing the piece of all its water. "I shall start now"

Helena moved closer to the woman and wiped her eyelids with the wet handkerchief as though cleansing them before sighing.

"Now I could give you some incense but I do not have any, so tomorrow I shall complete the process" she lied easily.

Sarah smiled. "Thank you," she said.

Helena spread the handkerchief on the table as she whispered. "I shall heal you, I promise"

"So you are not a witch?"

Before Helena could reply a loud screech pierced through the air.

"Hello, mother!"

A young lady in a fine dress and a box in hand stepped inside Helena turned to her and wondered who the guest was.

The lady was Abigail, Ms Janet’s apprentice but Helena doesn’t know her. Abigail’s eyes met Helena’s and she quickly asked. "Who is this?"

"She is Conan’s friend" Sarah informed.

Abigail stared at Helena with her nose high, disgust dancing in her eyes. Helena was dressed too simply in her eyes. "He shall have to do away with girls like this when he is ready to take a wife, I brought this for you Mother," she said moving closer to Sarah, she dropped it on the table.

Helena frowned, she felt offended, she was merely here to cover for Conan but if she was to get insulted then she must pull a card.

"We are to be married soon" she blurted out nonchalantly.

Abigail choked. "What?"

Helena ignored her and focused on Sarah with a sweet smile as her voice had already been complimented by Sarah she didn’t need to soften it too much. "Oh I’m sorry Mother, but Father had caught me and Conan in his bungalow where we confessed our undying love to him" she said dramatically making Abigail pale.

"I see" Sarah said ironically, her husband had told her about a certain girl living with Conan whom he intended to marry on a whim she had suspected it was Helena but the young lady denied it saying she was only a friend. Now jealousy has made her spill the beans.

"But... but mother!" Abigail faltered.

Sarah turned to her. "Thank you for the gift please I was about to retreat for the day" she confessed. Insinuating Abigail should leave the estate.

"I... okay, good night mother" she bowed before she harrumphed and left right after sending a death glare to Helena.

Helena left the house soon after with a smile outwardly and a frown inward. How would she heal Sarah without alerting Conan of her origins?

What will she tell Conan about the marriage thing she keeps spreading?

*

* *

*

Late Evening.

Statham Estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

The Marquis had arrived home minutes ago but none of the houses knew, he stepped into his office and after a few minutes he walked back to the parlour, he stood confidently before yelling. "Come out all of you I have news for you" the maid scurried to call their ladies and soon they were coming downstairs along with the sick Mira.

Her voice came a weak muffle. "What is happening?" Nobody answered her only Shi’Enz who helped her watch her feet.

"When did you get back home, Honey?"

Georgina asked softly, her eyes warm and eager. She missed him.

"I only came just now love, come here" he opened his arms and she walked into it before he addressed everybody.

"We have been put in different problems this season and our house is losing its strength" he started.

"Mira shall be getting married to Lord Bane, the Baron of Critic-Ishelm" he declared, his thundering voice clear and shocking.

Mira paled, suddenly strong. "What father! Critic-Ishelm is a witch city and the Baron position is the lowest of all nobility in critic Arley, I cannot be married to him" she claimed angrily.

"No they are not the lowest, the lowest are the Dames and Knights" he defended calmly.

Mira scoffed, no longer needing Shi’Enz

"Knights are more respectable than Borons! And this baron is rumoured to be poor" she wailed. At his silence, she continued pleadingly. "And being a Dame is a self-sufficient title, what did I do wrong Father"

Julius sighed, took a paper out of his armpit and stretched it. "Take, his picture, get well soon and you shall then be married off," he said coldly.

Georgina shuddered in his arms. "Julius... " she whispered.

"No, it is final!" he cut her off sharply holding get tighter.

"I shall rather die! He is old" Mira screeched suddenly.

Shi’Enz’s eyes widened "Mira!" she called.

"You marry him then" She shocked the picture into Shi’Enz’s chest but the latter let it fall without looking at it, she was not interested.

"He will be coming after the monthly meeting, get ready" Julius continued unbothered by her tantrums.

"Or I have an alternative, you should choose between the Baron of Critic Arley or the Baron of Critic-Ishem," he said, his voice final.

With that Julius drew in his wife and they went up the stairs together, Georgina could only look back and wish she could make her daughter see the light in the situation.

The emperor dropping her so abruptly and taking the sister and then all of the other men ceasing their courtship had made the Statham house look back and Julius could not have that.

The Baron met him and confessed his love for Mira and soon they shall be married.

But now he has created an option for her because he had dirt on the Baron of Critic Arley, and can help her get inside the household if he finally let his wife out.

His daughter would become a baroness while the other would be an empress. He no longer had objections because despite Salvatore being illegitimate as he had found out, Salvatore is still the most powerful man in Critic Arley and Julius wanted that power.

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