Theo and i decided to go into town, we went wearing regular clothes. We invited clark and bella but they both declined wanting to spend some time together. Bella had finally told clark she was pregnant, so they had lots of planning to do.
Lord Gavin has been staying at the dumont household since the funeral, I was too scared to send him back to lady alisa as I don't know how she will react to him, when he gets home. Although he hasn't said anything yet I could see the obvious signs of relief he felt when I asked him to stay in here till we returned to the palace.
Theo and i walked into a small cafe that was empty, the employees sat us down but i hated that she stared at theo longer than she should have.
"I don't like it" I mumbled under my breath staring at theo. He belongs to me, i want to take her eyes out. I could see her still stealing glances as she prepared our order. She set it down smiling a bit too much for my comfort, to shamelessly try to flirt with theo.
I took a bite of the cake, it was good, i turned around wondering why it was so empty if their deserts were this good.
I looked to theo and he hadn't taken a bite yet or tried his tea, he just sat arms crossed staring at me smiling.
"My love?" He looked at the meal and just smiled.
"Theo, whats wrong?" He leans forward caressing my cheek.
"I'm sorry my dear, I can't eat it. I thought i was over it, but i still can't eat food made from an unfamiliar source." I clasp my mouth shut with my hand feeling horrible for not realizing sooner. We had always been around people we trust so i never really knew or thought about it.
"I'm so sorry my love, I didn't know...." he kept stroking my cheek as he smiled.
"Its fine, just watching you eat is enough for me." I feel like an idiot, I knew he had some difficulty with meals before we got married but I never even asked about it.
"My dear" he press down gently on my lips as I was biting them.
"Don't blame yourself, its not something I talk about allot."
The door chimed breaking our focus as we turned to stare, an armed imperial knights walked in and the waitress ran out.
"Greetings sir." he spoke with her in whispers, she stared back at us eyes wide before running out back again.
He walked to our table, going on one knee.
"Greetings your grace" he only acknowledged theo, which i could see made him angry.
"Is my wife invisible to you?" The knight was shocked before mumbling an insincere Greetings to me.
Theos whole body tensed up as the knight stumbled back a bit.
"My love, its fine." Theo looked at me and eased up a bit before standing up, he walked past the knight towards me stretching his hands. I took his hand and we walked out leaving the frightened knight behind.
I hate this, I knew it would be like this when we came back to the capital. I didnt want theo to go through this trouble, that's why I didn't want to come.
"It was hard for me at first." His voice pulled me back to reality as we got back on the carriage.
"After the first poisoning, I was so scared."
"Theo...." he grabbed my hand and I could see he was trembling. He must be trying to distract me from what happened before.
"My love it's fine, I'm used to it."
"No it's not fine my dear and you shouldn't be used to it. You shouldn't have to experience that each time you leave the house." I moved over to him sitting on him as he wrapped his hands around me.
"So what's did you do, it must have taken you a long time to get used to eating again." He tensed up a bit, but i wrapped my hand around him.
"It was, but father and mother decided they wouldn't just watch me starve to death. They took turns making meals for me, although it was hard at first after a while i got used to it. I got so attached to them making my meals and having meals with me." He smiled, kissing my forehead, as the carriage sped down.
"I knew it was hard on them too, so i had to get passed it, slowly I started eating meals made by others, it was really hard at first. Each meal would look sickening to me but I got used to it...Got used to not having mother and father with me for every meal."
"My love you don't have to." His demeanor changed, i hugged him tighter and he kissed me again.
"The second time..... even mother and father's help didn't change anything. Everything scared me, each meal became a nightmare for me. I couldnt do it, i was scared..... each meal looked like poison to me.... it was hard..... it was really hard. But I realized that if I didnt eat, I would die soon, so i had to do it. I started simple, before moving to more elaborate meals, but i still cant have tea." Now that I think of it, I've never seen theo have tea. I never even thought about it, I just liked how he watched me as I drank tea, it made my heart flutter.
"I'm sorry my love, i should have been more considerate." He lifted me up setting me on his lap facing him, he stared into my eyes before pulling me in for a hug.
"Its not your fault dear, you saved me from doom. Before you came into my life, having one meal in 2 days was a luxury to me, but now I eat 3 meals a day and even have snack time with you. You saved me my dear, for that I'm forever thankful." I squeezed him harder, I never knew I could fall in love with him more but I just did, I love him so much.
How i wish I had met him sooner..... how i wished I had him in my life all these years.
********
"Sir henry?" Gideon walked up to him as he stared into space.
"You look extra gloomy today, whats wrong?" Henry just stared at him as Gideon took a sit opposite him.
"Come now, don't look so....."
"Why did you marry dame Ava?" He had cut gideon off mid sentence.
"Thats new, sir Henry talking about romance, how is it going with miss stella?"
"I'm working on it. Why did you marry dame Ava." Gideon was quiet for a while before a huge grin spread across his face.
"Because I knew.... i knew i would regret it if I didnt..... i knew I wouldn't be able to see her standing beside someone else." Gideon leaned back on his chair balancing it on its two back legs.
"Each time I saw her, she looked radiant, i could barely keep my eyes shut because I didn't want to miss a second of her." His chair makes a loud thud as he smiles showing his teeth as henry just stared at him expressionless.
"Henry, you think too much. I've seen how you look at her, you will definitely regret not being by her side." Gideon stood up running out the door, swung it open dramatically.
"I know i can't live in a world where Ava isn't mine."
Henry suddenly stood up running down the hall speeding passed Gideon.
"Go get her." He screamed at Henry as he sped away.
"Kids, they grow so fast." The 2 knights just stared at him confused, as he wiped off an imaginary tear.
In a bright room, ivy sits by the window just staring into the snow.
"Ivy...." Jordan walked in, she turned to him then turned back out the window. It was the first time they were meeting since the blow out 2 months ago, he was the heir to the county, so he had to put his affairs in order before he could come to her.
"I didn't want to do it... i didn't have a choice Jordan... your family were so nice to me... i couldn't let them sink after all they had done for me." Jordan stopped in the middle of the room hanging his head down.
"I'm sorry sorry ivy, I'm so sorry. You did it for me yet.... i couldn't do anything for you... I'll apologize to his grace..... its my fault.... i was the one who was supposedto do it but i was too scared... i'm so sorry" she stood up walking to him and hugging him.
"Its not your fault Jordan, I should have just apologized to theo in the past.... its too late now, I'll move on from him. I'm glad I still have you Jordan." He moved from her hug and she caressed his face gently.
"Yes we still have each other ivy..... i have you." She smiled brightly as Jordan smiled back at her. She hugged him again muttering 'we will be fine, just me and you jordan.'
Jordan walked out silently closing the door on the reassured ivy. He smiled at the maids as they blushed at his handsome face. He opened an heavily locked door. Leading to a dark room. The light slowly turned on, revealing a room filled with portraits of ivy, spanning different years. He walked up to a large portrait of her smiling brightly, running his finger along it.
"Finally... finally.... after waiting so long." He rest his head on the picture grinning.
"You are finally mine ivy..... mine forever..... it took you too long but it's okay.... i still love you my dear.... i love you so much." He kissed the portrait resting his forehead on it.
" for the last time sir henry, I cant approve your impromptu leave." Sir Austin pressed his temple as henry stood at attention staring him down in his office.
"Just standing there and saying nothing isn't going to change my mind sir henry. You were never this impulsive, I already have my hands full dealing with Gideon and cavill. I dont need another one." Sir henry just kept looking at him, making sir Austin just want to kivk him out, buy her knew henry to be an upstanding person that wouldn't do something if it's not important.
"If you are feeling tired, take a day or two off, i can't approve your impromptu indefinite leave. Take a day or two to...."
"How many days can I take?" He finally spoke cutting sir Austin off, he rummaged through his desk drawers grabbing a piece of paper.
"Lets see here, you have 1 month of leave saved up, so you can take a day or two off for now and request for a proper leave later."
"I'll be taking two days off starting today, thank you commander." He says and walks out leaving sir austin stunned.
"I should really consider retiring." Sir Austin sighed as he arranged his documents.