Their first outing as a couple

Her left leg tap continuously on the ground as she contemplate her next words, what is Theodore thinking?.

"What are we having for lunch?" She rushed out as soon as he took the first two steps. He turned, his head cocked to get a better view of her.

"Are you hungry?" A smile started to bloom on his face 

"Are you not?" She countered 

"It is to my greatest shock that you're admitting to being ravenous" he chuckled halfway through the sentence.

"I did not do any such thing" she looked to her feet, with a shy smile, he basked in it with a smile in his orbs.

"Get dressed, we shall go out" he told abruptly

Her head whipped up, eyes wide "We shall go out?" She squealed, visibly thrilled by that information 

"Yes" he confirmed his eyes glued to her set of white teeths.

Lydia smiled bigger as she thought of all the things she'd need to buy, what she'll see and oh what she'd wear, her smile fell.

"I believe you to remember I don't have enough dresses to change not even twice a day" 

"Then this will do" he nodded to the one on her body, She looked wonderful even in dungarees, he'd simply said no to making new ones because he preferred gown as they were better for him.

She looked at him like he is out of his mind and had uttered a word too scandalous she's frozen in multiple emotions while he resisted the urge to scratch the back of his head. Lydia is comfortable in her dress but she had been in it before marriage and would not like a repeat, it was a simple dress.

"Where is the wedding coat?" She questioned as she thought of it 

"You were telling the truth" he blinked 

"About what?" 

His reply came fast "About loving the coat"

She shrugged slightly "Yes"

"Follow me then" he offered his palm and she rushed to place hers in it. She felt cold and dainty, he wrapped his large warmer palm around hers as they both went up the stairs.

Lydia followed him to a room next to their bedroom, he went behind a wooden compartment wrapped with curtains in the room and stayed there for a moment. She decided to look around but stopped herself as she was met with the same look the rest of the mansion had 'emptyness', rustles made way to her ears and she wondered what he was doing, he stepped out a moment later and she fought back a small frown, so original, she thought. He stopped in front of a chest and pulled out the coat he had worn to their wedding and she simply watched him wordlessly.

He hadn't dumped it like he claimed earlier.

He came up behind her and started to slip the coat into her, she smiled as she encouraged him.

"Thank you" she whispered, the coat settled like a dress on her.

"Why are you holding back a laugh" she narrowed her eyes, as she noticed he avoids her gaze and a small smile tipping the edge of his lips 

Her skepticism gave way for a frown "What are you laughing at?" She accused directly, checking herself out.

"The coat looks like a cloak on you" he dabbed his hair absentmindedly.

She shrugged her shoulders "It is beautiful" she smoothened her palm over it, from top to where her hands reach before they both laughed

The coat does look like a cloak on her, it stretched till her feet and it was so high up it looked like a good behind her head, when Theodore had worn it, it had been just under his hair.

Their laugh die down after a few beats and Theodore continued his work on his wife "Palms" 

She stretched both her hands, he took the right one in his and she arched a brow

He started to put a glove on her "It is cold outside so you will need to be protected from the harsh weather" answering her silent question 

"Alright" she smiled, her ocean blue eyes glowing with warmth.

Theodore drew her into his arms, his sky blue eyes never leaving hers before he dipped his head and dropped a kiss on her lips.

A peg filled with promise she was willing to believe in.

She took a step back stared at him for awhile but simply shook her head and decided to drop whatever comment she had on what she had accessed, Theodore didn't push for an explanation, he had a hunch it was about how roughly he's dressed.

The couple stepped out of their mansion hand in hand brimming with barely disguised delight, this would be their first outing together and Lydia looked forward to it, Theodore however carried a small frown.

"Where are the newest couple of Critic Arley headed to?" A new voice drew them both from their minds as Conan came into view with a wide smile, he seems to be coming from somewhere east of the mansion.

"Conan! I haven't seen you since forever" Lydia's face lit up with genuine happiness that made Theodore narrow his eyes.

He chuckled "I was here since, besides we saw each other only yesterday my la… Lady Theodore" he bowed 

She smiled abashed at her earlier reaction, he was right, they had seen each other only yesterday but that didn't stop her from craving more presence and human interaction "Oh well, it wouldn't hurt for more people to be in the mansion" she voiced her opinion, her small palm unconsciously tightening around his bigger ones.

"I…"

Feeling irritated by their conversation, Theodore interrupted Conan's reply "Ride the carriage Conan"

"That's not what I do" Conan reminded Theodore

"It is now" Theodore raised a brow

"Yes My Lord" he smirked as Theodore's lips thinned, he knew Theodore fancies the sound of his name too much to like being addressed without the attachment of his name.

******

They rode in silence, with Lydia's whole attention outside the traveling carriage, she gets fascinated by almost everything while he watches her and gets mesmerized by every drop of emotion and expression on her face, which was securely guarded behind delicate features of ocean blue eyes she had the perfect image of the kind of ladies Critic Arley created, they are not allowed to show too much on their faces, and he would like to peel those layers off to the carefree one beneath.

Theodore tapped on the front side of the carriage to get the attention of surprisingly quiet Conan, his never this quiet even in unfavorable conditions, his eyes narrowed. Conan didn't stop the carriage until Theodore used his words bitterly.

"We shall be stepping out here" it came to a halt

"Come on" he offered his hands after stepping down to help his wife down too.

Conan completely ignored they didn't notice he wasn't the one behind the reins.

Lydia looked completely taken as the sun warmed her skin, This market isn't as large as the one she'd met Theodore the last time, it was smaller and had neater roads, but also a shady edge to it, 'Middle market' it's called, Theodore told her and she quickly remembered in her books where it's written that the muckraker keeps her writings, so she discreetly searched for it.

Her silent search paid as she saw a… "Is that ?…"

"Yes, the muckrakers roof" he confirmed, she suspected grumpily 

"McDo… wow shall we pick one?" She was beaming much to his dismay

Theodore didn't understand what it was with the big mouthed witch who hid behind papers, he didn't have a personal vendetta with her but she causes her own small amount of chaos ever week.

Whatever is the reason why she cannot make enough papers to go round?

"They're none available at the moment" he tried to turn but she held him firmer, he continued "It gets finished minutes after the mysterious muckraker drops it" he didn't look like he liked the news he was dropping but she needed to know.

"Oh…" this are the times she appreciates how powerful her family were because someone simply brought the papers home weekly and she didn't know they were this hard to acquire, she'd loved the company they provided back home.

"Conan always have the latest ones, he's obsessed" he said to soothe her almost visible deflation had she not been a Critic Arlian.

She smiled.

"That's nice, I knew we would get along well" she tugged his hand so they could continue their walk.

"What is it with the witch" he grumbled but she missed it, looking around the small market.

They stopped somewhere, where he bought a paper he saw her glancing at unconsciously. She smiled approvingly with a blush and he took the duffel with a smile of his own, they continued their walk to wherever Theodore was leading them.