56

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(THE REBOUND)

-DUKE RESIDENCE-

For five hours, Cathlen waits till the time comes. She then prepared herself to go out using her terrace and ladder.

'Let's go,' Cathlen thought while climbing down to the ladder. And when she's done climbing down. She then checks every corner and side of the place to check for any guards and found no one.

"Nice," She cheered up, then run faster to meet Angela in the garden. And when she arrived, she then saw Angela. But something is wrong. There is a two unfamiliar person who wears a red cloak who point a sword at them.

'Shit! Who are these people?' Cathlen thought, pissed off. She looks over to Angela as she saw her crying, begging, and kneeling on the ground together with the people she hired to find her lamp. Her heartbeat fasts not from fear but anger.

"These shit people, trying to ruin my plan!" She curses and runs to where they are as she then uses her martial arts to kick their sword away and pushes them away. Cathlen then gets Angela and her people to stand behind her.

"Miss," Angela calls within her sobs,

"Shh, don't cry," Cathlen mentions, comforting her.

"What is this, Cathlen!" A familiar angry voice rings inside the garden as the two unfamiliar people unveiled their cloak and push themselves to stand up while in pain. Cathlen then saw that the two people are Prince Adam and his guard.

"The Prince?" She got stunned.

"You know them?" Sir Arnold ask as he stands beside Cathlen,

"Yes," Cathlen answer with an uncomfortable feeling.

"What should we do, Miss?" Angela asks, nervous.

"Sir Arnold, you and your brother are experts on sneaking, right?" She asks out of the blue.

"Yes?" Sir Arnold looks at her, confused.

"Hey, what are you saying right now?" Mike ask,

"Of course we are expert, duh," Troy joined in,

"Okay, if that's the case then," She mentions,

"Miss, what are you going to do?" Angela asks, worried.

"Angela, do me a favor and watch out for any guards, okay?" She responds,

"Ye-yes?" Angela replies, confused.

"Never mind. I will make this fast then. You all stay put and wait for me," Cathlen mentions, not answering Angela's questions as she then went over to where her fiance is and his guard.

"Cathlen, who are those people? And what are you doing? How come you know how to fight?" Prince Adam asks, surprised. But Cathlen only smiles at him.

"Come closer. I will tell you," Cathlen respond, then Prince Adam went close to her. And she then takes this chance to hit the pressure point of his neck using her right hand. Then Prince Adam loses consciousness and falls to the ground like a leaf.

"Lady Cathlen! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIS HIGHNESS?" Sir Ken shouts in anger,

"Oh, I only put him to sleep for a while. Why? You want to join him?" Cathlen responds with a grin.

"YOU!" Sir Ken pulled out his sword, then swing it towards Cathlen. But Cathlen moves faster than him, then hits his neck with her right elbow, and he also loses consciousness.

'I guess, is a yes, then,' Cathlen thought, happy about seeing Sir Ken lose consciousness in front of her.

"Your wish is my command," She mumbles, smirking.

'Why don't you both marry each other. That would be more suitable and perfect,' Cathlen thought, with an evil laugh.

"A loyal dog and his master," She mumbles laughing,

"Young Miss!" Angela calls and runs over to where she is in worry as she cries.

"Aigo... why are you crying. I'm fine," Cathlen hugs her,

"I am crying because you are amazing, Miss," Angela responds, then Cathlen laughs because of her compliment.

"Your unpredictable," She replies, continues laughing.

"Sh-she's a madwoman," Troy mentions, surprised by her stunts and skills.

"Well, she is a Duke daughter indeed," Jin mentions,

"Amazing," Mike inserted as he wears admirable eyes because of Cathlen.

"I want her to be my wife," June mentions, then Arnold shush them all by saying,

"Shuts your all mouth," As he then went over to where Cathlen and Angela. Cathlen saw him coming, so she breaks the hug and faces him.

"So, what do you want us to do?" Sir Arnold ask,

"Easy, put him back to the Astrod kingdom. Tuck him into his chamber and do the same thing to his guard. Put away all their weapons and put them to their respective place so that on the next day when they woke they think that what happened today is only a dream," Cathlen respond,

"You're clever. Where do you learn those moves? Those kinds of fighting skills are not being practiced here at the Astrod land," Sir Arnold mentions, then Cathlen smirk.

"Well, I can't tell you, but one thing for sure. I didn't become a daughter of the Duke for nothing," Cathlen answer with a grin.

"Well, I think you are more than like a princess after all," Jin join at their conversation,

"tsk! Save your flowery words to your future wife because I already have someone," Cathlen mention,

"You do?" June asks, disappointed.

"Yes, and that's the guy. His, my fiance," She pointed at Prince Adam.

"WHAT?" They all got shocked.

"Oh, sorry. You all didn't ask, so I didn't bother telling you all about it," Cathlen mentions,

'But his only an excuse. The person I am in love with is perfect than him,' She thought.

"You hurt your future husband?" Mike asks, stunned.

"Yes, why? You got a problem with that?" Cathlen responds, with a threatening look on her face teasing him. And Mike shivered from fear.

"N-no," Mike stutter responds,

"Je! I'm going to get rid of him soon, so why not beat him while I still can?" Cathlen responds as she grins, satisfied upon seeing Mike shivered from fear because of her.

'He is a total jerk for playing a woman's heart, you know. Because of him, an innocent girl turned into a cruel woman. And I am not talking about this heroine girl. I am pointing at Vendia, the villainess of this story. Because she falls in love with this stupid guy. Her life got ruined but, on the contrary, I can't judge so much because falling in love is a mysterious thing,' She thought,

"Well, I'm not saying that I remember everything that happened inside this book. But whatever. I have the right to hurt the Prince, you know?" Cathlen mumble,

'Because he is the one at fault why the villain hates my character inside this book, and if I die here, that is his fault. So why not torture him while I still can? The villain would be happy too if I told her I hurt the guy who stole her heart and rip it in half. Then maybe we could reconcile and became a partner in crime. Oh, I would like that,' She thought, sinister.

"Miss, the guards. They're almost here," Angela called out for her, anxious.

'Right, I almost forgot,' She thought, getting back to her senses.

"You guys, go back home now," Cathlen respond, pointing at the people she hired to find her missing lamp.

"What? But don't you need something from us?" Clark ask,

"Don't tell me. You made us come here because of this two-person only?" Troy inserted,

"Oh, right? I almost forgot about it. Wait here for me," Cathlen replies,

"What do you mean, wait? What about the guards?" Jin complains,

"Yes, they're coming," June mentions, concerned.

"Don't worry. I'll handle this. You all must wait for me here, okay? I'll be back," She demands,

"We will, Miss," Angela replies as the others nod. Cathlen then goes out to the garden to lead the guards away from them.

"Miss Cathlen?" The guard's, surprised.

"Ahh, yes. Hello,"

"Go-good evening," The two guards stutter upon greeting her,

"Good evening to you both too. May I know your both names?" She asks, smiling.

"Ah, of course. My name is Lindo," The first guard with orange hair speak,

"And I'm Hero," The second guard with black hair responded,

"Oh, what a strong name, it's nice to meet you both," Cathlen respond,

"It's such an honor for us to be praise, by our names, Lady Cathlen," Lindo mention,

"Oh, don't mention it," Cathlen reply,

"Lady Cathlen, may we ask you something?" Hero speaks,

"Ahh, yes. Go ahead," Cathlen answer,

"We're you from the garden?" Hero asks,

"Ahh, yes. I'll take a walk for a minute," Cathlen answers, lying to them.

"I thought we heard someone talking at the garden, and so we come to check it out," Lindo mentions,

"Oh, sorry. I think the voice you heard inside the garden is from me," Cathlen lied again.

"Oh, then. Please excuses us from disturbing you. We will go back to our place now," Lindo apologize,

"Okay, thank you for always making the mansion safe. Take care, both of you," Cathlen responds, and the two of them bowed to her with a planted smile on their faces, then they leave. Cathlen then proceeds back to her chamber and when she arrived. She then grabbed the forest map she bought with a small sack full of gold coins and went back to the garden.

"Miss!" Angela felt relief upon seeing her back to the garden safe. Cathlen then smiled at Angela as a reply and went over to Sir Arnold.

"What's that?" Mike asks upon seeing Cathlen carrying some paper,

"Is a map," Cathlen reply,

"A map?" June asks.

"Yes, a map to the forest. Here," Cathlen mention as she gives two forest map to Sir Arnold.

"A forest map of Astrod?" Sir Arnold mentions.

"Yes, and over here. This red circle that I made is the location to where I lost my lamp," Cathlen mentions, and Sir Arnold nods,

"West Wing?" Jin mentions, and Cathlen nods.

"This will help us find your lamp fast," Sir Arnold mentions,

"Yes, and once you all found it, bring it to me straight away, understand?"

"Yes, but how can we give it to you straight away?" Sir Arnold ask,

"What do you mean?" Cathlen can't understand what he meant by his questions,

"Do we need to sneak out again like this? So we can then deliver it to you?"

"Oh, you all don't have to worry about it. I will make Angela visit your all territory from time to time to check if you already found the lamp and when you all found it. Give it to her straight away because she will be the one who will deliver it to me,"

"That's better," Sir Arnold agrees,

"But what about our end payment?" Mike asks,

"You don't have to worry. Once I receive the lamp in my hand. I will then send your all-end payment through Angela. She will be the one who will deliver your all-end paycheck. And here," Cathlen responds as she gives a large size sack full of gold coins.

"What's this?" Sir Arnold asks, then give the sack to Troy,

"Urk! He-heavy. How did you carry this massive sack with your small body," Troy mentions,

"Oh, do you want to confirm how much I can carry with this weak body?" Cathlen respond with a threatening look towards Troy,

"N-no, I already know," Troy responds, stuttering from nervousness.

"Good, that is a tip for bringing that two rats back to their lair," Cathlen mention, pointing at Sir Ken and Prince Adam,

"Okay, is that all?" Sir Arnold ask,

"Yes, that's all," Cathlen responds, then Sir Arnold nods.

"All right then, let's get these two back to their place," Sir Arnold commands, and all his brothers then help him. Then they leave the Duke residence in silence while carrying the Prince and his trusted guard.

"Let us go back now, Angela," Cathlen mention, and they also leave the garden then went on their separate way back to their chamber and quarter.

To be continued.