61

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(THE WITTED MAN WITH FULL CRAFTS)

-DUKE RESIDENCE-

Cathlen strides back to her chamber and meets Angela, who wears an anxious look on her face.

"Miss!" Angela shout and went over to her, then hug her tight because of worry.

"Calm down, I am fine," Cathlen responds, hugging her back. Angela breaks the hug and looks down at Cathlen wrist, and saw a bruise.

"Miss! Your wrist!" Angela point towards her wrist that has a bruise with a concerned expression written on her face.

"Oh, this? Don't worry about this. I have to go back to the dining room and eat breakfast with my parents. You can go back to your work now," Cathlen responds like nothing.

"Miss! Who did this?" Angela asks, furious. Not responding to Cathlen words.

'Pft! She looks like an angry chipmunk,' Cathlen thought,

"Aigoo... my maid is very kind. Angela, hurry on now, go back to your work, don't worry, this is nothing, okay?" Cathlen reply with a wink.

"But, Miss! Wait, did the prince, is he?" Angela asks, still insists, but Cathlen pinches her left cheeks to calm her worries down.

"Awyooo..." Angela hisses in pain,

"Stop worrying and go do your chores now, understand?" Cathlen demand as she let go of Angela's cheek.

"Aiyoo... it hurt..." Angela whines in pain as she holds her left cheeks, calming them from throbbing in pain.

"You don't have to worry so much about me, Angela, okay?" Cathlen mentions,

"But, I'm your maid. My job is to take care of you," Angela answer back, Cathlen deep sigh.

'Yeah, I know. But, I won't be here for long, and I don't want to form ties or attachment because it will be hard for me to leave you all,' Cathlen thought, felt a sting of sadness.

"Okay, do what you want to do, go now. I will go to the dining room, see you later," Cathlen mention and leave her room first.

'I hope they found the lamp fast because I don't know if I can live here for long. I'm feeling guilt and pain upon thinking of leaving them all without words, which I should not feel in the first place because they're not related to me. I am Alda, not Cathlen,' Cathlen thought as she walks through the hallway.

"I must keep my heart distance from them at all cost so that the guilt and sadness can't live inside it," Cathlen mumble as she continues walking through the hallway.

-DINING ROOM-

Cathlen arrives outside, then fixes herself to look well and fine.

Knock

"Mother, Father," She calls outside the door.

"Come in, child," Duke Thranduil responds as she then opens the door and gets inside with a planted smile on her face.

"Your wrist, is it still painful?" Duchess Aerwen asks, concern towards her.

"No, it doesn't throb pain anymore," Cathlen reply as she sat in her chair beside her Mother.

"About you, not marrying the prince anymore," Duke Thranduil start the conversation,

"Yes?" Cathlen ask,

"Your mother and I talk about it, and we agreed," Duke Thranduil mentions, and Cathlen got shocked.

"For real?" Cathlen asks, standing up to her chair because of surprise.

"Yes, I agree," Duchess responds, smiling.

'Oh, that's an unfamiliar word I heard from you,' She thought, doubting her Mother's words for a second as she sat down back to her chair.

"Thank you, Mother and Father," She responds with a forced smile.

"Your happiness comes first," Duke Thranduil mentions, and Cathlen nods.

"But, if your mind changes, we can still..."

"Dear," Duke Thranduil looks at his wife with a frown.

"Sorry, let's continue eating," Duchess respond,

'As I thought, she is still rooting for the prince,' Cathlen thought as she eats her food, irritated.

"So, when are we going to tell the king about me not marrying his son anymore?" Cathlen ask,

"About that, we still need to send a message to inform him in advance," Duke Thranduil answer,

"Yes, the king is always busy on his duty. We need to inform him first before visiting the kingdom," Duchess explains.

"I see,"

"Don't worry, too much about it, okay?" Duchess mention and Cathlen forced a smile.

'Yeah, I don't have to because no matter what happened. My mind will never change,' Cathlen thought,

"Yes, I won't, Mother," Cathlen reply,

"Oh, do you want to go to town today?" Duke Thranduil mention out of the blue,

"What? Can I?" Cathlen asks, surprised.

"Of course,"

'Oh... what is this? What kind of food did they eat today? Did they drink a caring potion or something?' Cathlen thought, doubtful.

"Without guards?"

"With guards," Duke Thranduil answer, and Cathlen frown for a second then smile.

'Then forget it,' She thought, annoyed.

"No, thank you for your consideration, Father, but I still need to finish the book I haven't done reading an hour ago," Cathlen responds, lying.

"Are you sure? I can accompany you, where do you want to go. Do you want to buy new dresses? Or accessories?" Duchess Aerwen mentions,

"No, I am fine Mother, I will stay home," Cathlen reply with an uncomfortable tone of voice.

"Okay," Duchess responds, sad hearing her daughter replied.

"If you need anything, don't be afraid to request it to me, okay?" Duke Thranduil mentions, and Cathlen nods with a smile.

'Okay, but I don't think I can request anything from you,' Cathlen thought as she continues showing her radiant smile to her Father.

-ASTROD KINGDOM-

Prince Adam walks through a hallway together with his father's guards carrying his two trusted friends and guards. Sir Ben and Roy. Prince Adam felt his steps became heavy as time passes. Every corner they pass through felt shallow and unescapable. His tears touch his cheeks once again as it flows like rain that escapes from the storm.

"Your highness!" Sir Ken shout in terror as he saw his two subordinates full of wounds and blood. He ran over to them and held them both in pain. Prince Adam then wipes away his tears in pace.

"Sir Ken, call the physician," Prince Adam demand as Sir Ken then nod and do what he demanded him to do.

"Follow me," Prince Adam pointed to the two guards of his father as they then walk fast to get to the knight's quarter.

-KNIGHT QUARTERS-

"You two can tuck them there, and I will do the rest. Tell my father that I am grateful for his courtesy," Prince Adam mentions to his father's guards.

"We will, your highness," The guard's answer, vowing to him, then leave the room in silence. And not long, Sir Ken arrived together with the physician.

"Your highness," The physician greets and bows to him with respect.

"Yes, thank you. Mend there needs fast," Prince Adam responds with a demand.

"Right away, your highness," The physician answer, then went over to Sir Ben and Roy's side to check their condition. Helping them recover their stamina and strength while Prince Adam is with Sir Ken, only watching him from a distance.

"Your highness, may I ask what happened inside the throne room? And why do my brothers become like this?" Sir Ken asks with a voice full of concern.

"My father, the King, already knows what I have done to Lady Vendia," Prince Adam mention, and Sir Ken got stunned.

"Yo... mean..." Sir Ken can't speak out his mind.

"He put shadows in my back without me knowing again. I have been letting my guard down for days. That is why Sir Ben and Sir Roy become like this. My Father orders his people to follow them and take them to him," Prince Adam answer as Sir Ken looks at him with troubled eyes.

"What will you do, your highness?" Sir Ken asks, worried.

"Nothing, I won't attack the iron horn if it's still hot," Prince Adam mention, and Sir Ken looks at him confused.

"What do you mean by your words, your highness?" Sir Ken ask,

"There's no need to worry about that problem. Let's focus on Sir Ben and Sir Roy for now," Prince Adam answer,

"But, the King... he already knows what you had done," Sir Ken asks, anxious.

"Yes, but he only knew the latest information but not the old issue," Prince Adam answer.

"You mean..."

"Yes, my Father the King, still doesn't know the whole situation between me. And Lady Vendia," Prince Adam said, and Sir Ken nod as he sighs in relief.

"But, there's still uncertainty as to it," Sir Ken mentions, and Prince Adam nod.

"I know that is why after this I am going to visit my cousin. So we can talk this out,"

"But, your highness. I think your Father's people are still on watch," Sir Ken mention.

"I know, and he is also monitoring you," Prince Adam mentions,

"Yeah, I also saw his people tailing behind my back an hour ago," Sir Ken reply, and Prince Adam smirk.

"Don't worry, I already have a plan to overpower my Father's shadow," Prince Adam mentions, sinister as Sir Ken only nods.

To be continued.