Lydia becoming a favourite meal.

Morning.

Dining hall, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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

Theodore, without haste, led them to the dining room or more appropriately for the setting her gaze met, a dining hall, it was just as enormous as every room in the mansion and also scarcely adorned with decorations, she stifled a small smile. She has so much work to do and she loves it already

The breakfast was soon dropped one by one by Conan as he ove in and out of the room to drop the set of arranged dishes Lydia's mind drifted to what she saw last night, she had been sure it was a dream after she woke up but she'd never been one to have lucid vivid dreams as such before, or it was just her mind trying to lie its way out of the shock. Theodore doesn't look like someone who'd killed on his wedding night with his bride still lying on their bed in her white dress.

But he is.

She looked up to meet his electric blue eyes already trained on her fiercely studying her, she shuddered, will he hurt her if he knew she saw what transpired last night? Will she let her curiosity die and not ask who the man was and why he'd know her by name, why he had called her out and why she had failed him by not intervening?

Theodore gave her a small nod even though she didn't ask a question before realizing he was also talking and she hadn't been listening, he smiled.

There were so many seats, that an outsider would assume the occupants of the house were enormous, but she knew better now.

The food was just as she thought, so fancy she was scared to dive in, not like she's allowed to do that back at Statham estate.

They were bread loaf, scrambled eggs, honey, milk and coffee in abundant sizes, the bread was sliced and almonds sat comfortably on small plates, she noticed Theodore avoided the honey sharply while she intently dipped her sliced breads in the small pot of honey, it tasted divine.

"I shall be back with a dressmaker to take measurements of you later today" He picked up a piece of made eggs, and his voice filled the dining hall with a bass.

"A dressmaker?" Her question came out before she could maul over it.

"Yes, you can inform her the design and style of clothing you'd like, preferably dresses" he advised before his face squeezed into a frown "I would hate to keep seeing you in dungarees but whatever you decide, keep a space for me in the wardrobe" Theodore finished as he took a napkin to dab the corner of his lips delicately like the fine man he was.

"That is incredibly thoughtful of you husband" she countered "but I think I prefer to go to a dress shop in the marketplace and simply select dresses that are all ready-made" Still eating, she wondered why he didn't just pretend he was still eating so he wouldn't make her look like she's eating much, and why is he staring at her?!

"As much as I'd like to meet your wants and needs" he started"I'm afraid that's not a good idea, Gooseberry" He relaxed into his seat, one of his arms on the handle, he kept his gaze his gaze square on her delicate face.

Meet her wants and needs, she mauled over, her eyes dancing

"We are a newly married couple of Critic Arley" he wiggles his fingers to rid them of the bread crumbs "Do you want the society to think I'm unable to keep you within the mansion for the next few weeks?" He insinuated with a smirk.

"I… oh…" she blushed, her head docking to focus on her food.

"Also I absolutely hate to burst your bubble, but the people of Critic Arley might not treat you that well" he noted

"Considering you're now Lady Theodore" he continued after gazing at her and wondering what it'd be like if he suddenly kissed her flaming cheeks, probably disastrous with all the honey she'd taken.

"I think it's quite the opposite, they were really happy to make an acquaintance of me yesterday before our marriage union" Her brows scrunch in remembrance

"There had been more than fifty people who'd come yesterday, at least 10 were noble families" she narrated holding his gaze for a beat before returning to her highly appreciated breakfast.

"That's puzzling, So they're willing to look past their hatred for me and risk getting close to the monster's wife" Theodore examined with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think they hate you, Theo, they're just wary and also the emperor doesn't make it easy for them or you" Lydia dabbed the corner of her lips with the at least white napkins in the dining hall that had as less colour as it can carry. She is done eating too.

"Are you taking sides?" He cocked his lips, watching her through attentive blue eyes

"I'm not defending them as a favourite side, and I'd always side with you if it comes to that" she admitted, her cheeks flaming quickly after at the cheesiness of what she'd uttered

"You keep saying things like that and there's nothing you'd ask that I wouldn't adhere to" he promised completely swooned

A moment passed where they simply stared at each other their hearts racing in their respective chests, the atmosphere charged with so much heated energy, Lydia thought she'd choke on it, his eyes flickered to her plush lips and her breath sucked in, he averted his gaze with an effort he didn't want to exert.

"What's your favourite dish?" He asked after the comfortable silence stretched

"Everything that tastes good"

"That's interesting" he admitted with a small frown

"Why?" She noticed he'd resumed eating now.

"What if I don't taste good to you" he threw

"Oh but you'll feel good" Her voice came out breathless at the ending but instead of getting lost in her shyness the tinge of red colouring Theodore's cheek made her eyes widen.

Lord Theodore of Critic Arley is blushing.

"What about you?" She asked when he didn't say anything and simply focused on his food with so much interest she'd assume he was ignoring her, but she was too curious to let this opportunity slip, he started the questioning.

"Never really had a favourite, but I believe I'm developing one" Both of his elbows now resting on the tables he pinned her with a gaze

"You are?" She chewed on her bread slowly, aware of his gaze

"Yes" his gaze glued on her eyes

"Which one?" she prompted

"You" his gaze dropped to her lips, which parted with a less-than-audible gasp

"Gooseberry, you're becoming my favourite meal at an alarmingly fast rate" he admitted with a grin that melted her and made her heart speed spike up

Their eyes met in a heated gaze and she was sure he'd pull her into his face and kiss her but he simply looked at her chest area, blinked and shook his head like he couldn't believe he had done that. She frowned turning her attention back to her food.

A silence that they both needed settled between them, Lydia started to dwell on the thought that Theo didn't like her and might have married her for his special reasons which considerably scared her.

Why did Lord Theodore marry her?

Theodore, from his peripheral view, could see his wife deep in thought, he'd not want to make her uncomfortable, which is why he kept chastising himself whenever he got as close as he did just now to kiss her.

He wants her to know and wants him to before he ever takes her.

"I'll be leaving for work now, your books are being moved to the library at the moment so you can get yourself immersed in it before the dressmaker arrives" As he was talking he had already stood up adjusting the wrist of his dress shirt.

Lydia picked up his grey coat from the hanger at the end of the hall leading outside as she followed him outside, suddenly quiet, a small friend marred her forehead.

Theodore turned to inspect the reason for the sudden shift in the atmosphere and was met with a frown on his wife's face

"Whatever made you gloomy just now?" His big palm found their way to get cheek as he lifted her head to look at him.

Lydia stared at his face, noticing the small scrub growing on his face, the way his gold hair splayed behind his head making him look less uptight and more like the person she had seen kill another last night. He is dressed finely in a white dress shirt that is tucked neatly into his grey trousers, with no extra designs or adornments.

He looks so ordinary.

She had tried and buried the happening deep in her mind and directed her mind to believe it was all a dream but the reality of it wouldn't rest, The rumours of Theodore being a witch in guise and living amongst them had been subdued by her minds protective side but this one she had witnessed by herself and it didn't look as if he was trying to hide it from her also he didn't ask if she saw what happened when they'd talked since morning.

As Theodore kept staring at her, expression scarce on his face she decided to have a secret-free relationship with her husband.

"Where is the coat you wore to our marriage yesterday?" She spouted.