Taking Theodore away.

Theodore did remember that Lord Silas promised they would be safe. He would just have to trust they would be. Cause all these strangers gaze on him gaze him the creeps.

Lucinda nodded at Theodore then rubbed her lean fingers through his soft curls.

"Mama already promised I won't leave this place without you, ok?" She squeezed his tiny hand gently in comfort.

"Yes. Then we see my new papa again". Theodore beamed. Seeing that man again with his confident cocky smile, like he had all life's answers at the palm of his hands.

Theodore was in a now more cheerful mood. The possibility of seeing the evil lord and leaving with his mama was keeping him brimming at the edge.

Suddenly a shadow loomed over them. Actions so soon off in the party? Lucinda eyed the shoes of the looming shadow from the corner of her vision; the low black lace trimming reaching the ankle. A maid.

She lifted and trained her accessing gaze to the maid slowing pushing up to face her.

"Lady vermillion has requested the child be brought to her" an instinctive force pushed her to glower at the maid. The very thought of her precious son meeting that awful specie of a human being left a bitter taste on her tongue.

"Why does my son," emphasis on my son "have to go meet her. Shouldn't she be the one to welcome him. Except she's feeling so lacking so soon". Her lips twisted in a bitter judging grin.

As expected her words turned the maid awful attempt to smile to be fully twisted.

"I advice you follow lady Valeria order as you are in her house as you see you don't have a choice" her tone was condescending.

"Do not dare act so mighty with me. For my patience run very thin. Who know i just might turn you into a frog when tempted. Aren't i a witch after all" Lucinda lips curled, a perfect stroke of dark eyebrow raising and her eyes narrow to slit in warning.

If they so wanted to make her out as a witch, why not go ahead with their twisted fantasy.

As expected the girl tensed and her eyes widen, she had a hard time keeping her composure with the devious threat hanging above her head.

Finally she mumbled a disgruntled apology "i was just following order".

Lucinda turned from the maid paying her no mind. She look down at her son who looked up at them studying their exchange.

Before the maid could take his hand!Theodore said "I don't take kindly to those who disrespect my mama" he glowered at the maid wrenching his small hand from her grip.

"And I don't wanna go with you. You're an incompetent meanie".

The few people around them who had significantly quiet down to take more note on the pair gasp at the child harsh words.

As it seems, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Both mother and son had an impeccable sharp tongue on them.

Lucinda look down at her son and she wished she could say she was shocked. But having Theodore grow up in an environment such as theirs filled with spiteful servants, he had since learn how to defend and speak up for himself.

Wanting to back off the claim, she suddenly remembered the conversation she and Lord Silas had. He had told her to do what they said until it was time to pull the curtain down. Though she argued he promised that on his word their shall be no harm to Theodore. With a clench of her fist hidden by her dress she said. "You'll go with the maid Theodore".

"Mama will come get you" Lucinda continued ruffling his hair which he enjoys, she saw him relax at her reassurance.

She turned to the maid "And if there is so much of a strand missing from his head. I assure you you'll be beyond sorry".

The maid wanted to scoff but something was wrong. Trembling, she looked down in confusion to see she was trembling. Despite how she willed herself, her heart was beating so fast her fingers shaking. The deadly glint she saw in this mother's eyes as she step into her space rocked her very being. No, something was wrong. She felt like she had the glare of more than one protective force.

Lucinda broke the intense gaze when she felt Theodore tug on her dress. She knelt once more and against her better judgement she squeezed his nervous hands and dropped a heartfelt kiss to his folded hands in her grasp, her gaze telling her precious son to focus only on her then with her gaze she told him all will be fine. And by her life she sovswear by it.

The maid recovering from the intense strare hesitantly reached for the boy's hand once more, this time he allowed her to take his hand and led him away from his mother through the weave of people standing around the hall. His worried gaze now trained on his mother as she stayed crouched, a reassuring smile only meant for him finding resident on face.

Lucinda kept her eyes trained on the both of them even as she saw the crowd curious gaze follow her child as he was ushered up the grand stairs by the maid.

"Ah if it's isn't lady Lucinda". She could swear she almost groaned. She neither had the time nor patience to deal with deranged imbeciles this early on.

Yet imprinted in her with the ease of her gaze, she confidently stood up to face the person. The fear, the uncertainty and worry all hidden from her; the epitome of calm, like she has seen it all and wasn't about to loose her child.

The man before her had a weirdly confident grin on his face. His pride practically radiating from him.

At her prolong silence, he raised a questioning brow. She almost huffed a disbelieving chuckle at his face. He expected her to know who he was. At her continuous silence not even trying to feign forgetfulness like most of the ladies when they can't remember a noble before them.

He was the one to break the facade fist snorting out in disbelief.

"...Lord Dane Rivers. Its been so long since we last spoke. Since we were all but little kids" He chuckled like he found something funny. Where was the secret joke? The only things she remembered about him, which was even hard to forget was his relentless chase after her and his constant running nose when they were little kids. How many times she had coldly poke him on his forehead to push him away when he tried to jump her with his usually unkept self. She had partly done that due to his father being a proud man and always degraded him. Honestly she kind of felt bad for him then, not enough to reciprocate feelings, but enough to always point out his unclean habit. And looking at him now. It seems it have been helpful. He stood tall before her, one hand in his pocket, but a too confident grin on his face.

She had once thought she might have be acquaintance with him, but he was always part of the group of kids that trailed around Valerie— her step sister.

And he had quite a huge problem. Lucinda raised her head to meet his gaze. Did he still have it...?