Bedroom.
Thirheria
************
Adele’s eyes widened, she couldn’t deny this, she’d let it slip out between her lips, the prince of their kingdom Thirheria kissed her today and her father knew about it now.
Her heart raced, her mind swirling with confusion and frustration. She didn’t have answers to her father’s questions. She didn’t know why Theodore had kissed her, why he had looked at her like she was soone he cherished. All she knew was that the kiss had left her reeling, and she didn’t want to think about it anymore.
"I do not know," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "I do not know why he kissed ."
The Baron studied her for a mont longer, his expression hardening as he made up his mind. "Enough. Go inside and stay in your room. I have urgent matters to attend to." he said hiding his smirk, this was a good oppurtunity for him and his family.
Adele opened her mouth to protest, but the look in her father’s eyes silenced her. With a defeated sigh, she turned and made her way up the stairs, her footsteps heavy with the weight of her confusion and unease.
Once she reached her room, she locked the door behind her, leaning against it as if it could sohow keep out the turmoil of her thoughts. She crossed the small, familiar space and collapsed onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in her mind.
Why had Theodore kissed her? Why had he looked at her with such familiarity, such longing? It didn’t make sense. She had never t him before today—of that, she was certain. And yet, there had been sothing in his eyes, sothing that made her heart flutter in a way she couldn’t explain.
She touched her lips lightly, recalling the softness of his kiss, the way it had made her feel... different. As much as she wanted to dismiss it, to push the mory away, she found herself unable to. The kiss lingered in her thoughts, leaving her restless and conflicted.
And then there was the way her father had reacted, the fury in his eyes, the accusations he had hurled at her. It was as if he was afraid of sothing, sothing more than just a tarnished reputation. But what could it be? Why did he seem so desperate to keep her away from the prince? r was he doing the opposite? Did he want her to be pregnant?
Adele shook her head, trying to clear the confusion from her mind. None of it made any sense, and yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it—about him. The way he had fought the troll to protect her, the way he had looked at her afterward, as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
As she lay there in the quiet of her room, Adele couldn’t help but wonder: What was it about her that had drawn the prince to her? And why did it feel like, despite all her protests, she was sohow connected to him in a way she couldn’t understand?
With a sigh, she closed her eyes, hoping that sleep might bring her so clarity. But even as she drifted off, the questions remained, lingering in the corners of her mind, unanswered and unresolved.
What was Gooseberry?
*
* *
*
Castle.
Thirheria.
**********
The prince of Thirheria reached the castle in slow comfortable rides yet he didn’t get all of his thoughts together before reaching his destination.
Theodore dismounted his horse in one fluid motion, his boots hitting the ground with a thud. He barely had ti to catch his breath when Connell ca rushing toward him, his brows furrowed in concern. Connell was a picture of casual ease, with his dirty blond hair tousled as though he had just ridden through a windstorm, and his brown eyes always seed to glimr with a mix of curiosity and mischief.
"Theodore, where did you run off to?" Connell demanded, his voice tinged with worry and forever annoying to Theodore. "And—why do you look even more confused than you did when you left?"
Theodore shot him a sideways glance, trying to shake off the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in his mind. "You did not even see leave, Connell. Quit it."
Connell crossed his arms, leaning slightly toward Theodore with a knowing grin. "You are absolutely correct, I did not, but Holden did. And you know he never misses anything."
Theodore let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to focus on the here and now. He was always struck by the unwavering loyalty of his two closest friends, Connell and Holden. They had been with him through lifetis, bound together by a bond that transcended ti and space. It was both a comfort and a mystery to Theodore, how they too were reborn, following him into each new life. He couldn’t have been more grateful for their companionship, especially in monts like these when the weight of his past lives pressed heavily on him. He would always need them and he appreciated that they were protective of his love too.
But right now, he needed ti and space to think—alone.
Without another word, Theodore moved swiftly up the stone steps leading to the palace entrance. Connell’s footsteps fell silent behind him, respecting his unspoken need for solitude. The palace was alive with activity as maids bustled about, their skirts swishing softly against the marble floors, while guards stood at attention, their eyes following Theodore’s every movent. Yet, despite the hustle and the regal splendor that surrounded him, Theodore’s mind was far from the palace.
He reached his room and pushed the heavy door open, the familiar creak echoing through the quiet space. The room was dimly lit, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the polished floor. His gaze was imdiately drawn to the small white cat curled up on his bed. The cat’s pristine fur contrasted starkly with the deep blue velvet of the bedspread, and its bright green eyes flicked open as it sensed Theodore’s presence.
Theodore’s heart softened at the sight of the cat. He had found the creature injured on the streets, weak and on the brink of death. Nursing it back to health had been a small distraction, sothing to focus on while he struggled with the growing despair that he might never find his Gooseberry in this lifeti. History had seed determined to repeat itself, trapping him in a cycle of loss and loneliness. Every life he lived, every ti he was reborn, he would search for her—his Gooseberry, the one who held his heart across the ages. But each ti, it ended the sa: with him alone, bearing the burden of their past, and he’d always wait for her, this lifeti had appeared bleak, he’d been frightened by the possibility that this ti she wished she didn’t go through all of what they went through the last ti.
Until today.
Theodore’s thoughts raced back to the encounter in the woods. She was here, his Gooseberry was here, alive and as beautiful as he rembered. Her familiar blue eyes, the soft curve of her lips, the way she looked at him with that familiar mix of confusion and curiosity. It was all too real, too vivid to be a re coincidence. Fate had brought her back to him, but with it ca the mories of all they had endured in the past, the tragedies that had befallen them. He couldn’t allow history to repeat itself, not this ti.
He’d failed the last ti and he is determined to not fail this ti, he has power this ti, her father couldn’t do much damage as a baron.
He approached the bed and sat down beside the cat, absentmindedly stroking its soft fur as he stared out the window. His mind was made up. He had found her again, and this ti he wouldn’t let her slip through his fingers. He would do whatever it took to protect her, to ensure that the cruel hand of fate wouldn’t tear them apart once more.
’She’ll be my wife,’ Theodore whispered to himself, the resolve hardening in his chest. He wouldn’t let the past dictate their future any longer. This ti, he would rewrite their story, and nothing—not even the trolls, their enemies, or the unforgiving forces of nature—would stand in his way.
The cat purred softly, as if in agreent, and Theodore allowed himself a small, determined smile. The path ahead would be fraught with challenges, but he was ready. He had found her, and he wasn’t going to let anything keep them apart.
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