65

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(BAD GIRL)

-DUKE RESIDENCE-

*Cathlen Chamber*

Cathlen can't stay put as she bites her nails and keeps walking back and forth like she is inside the never-ending maze.

"Miss?" Angela get inside because Cathlen could not hear her calling from the outside,

"Miss, I brought your tea and snacks," Angela added. But Cathlen still did not hear her.

"This is very frustrating," Cathlen mumble to herself,

"Miss!" Angela shouts in concern, and Cathlen got startled.

"Wh-what?" Cathlen replies, stuttering and anxious.

"Miss... *sobs*" Angela cries,

"Hey, what's wrong?" Cathlen went over to Angela's concern.

"Miss... *sniff* You still thinking of the prince, right? Do you still love the prince? That is why you are spacing out like this, right? Uwaaa, Haaaaa," Angela cries more.

'Ugh... so that's why she cried. She thinks I am thinking of the prince, that I am depressed right now because of the prince,' Cathlen thought felt unbelievable.

"Angela... is not that. I'm not thinking of him," Cathlen answer with a deep sigh.

"*sniff* Then what are you spacing out for, Miss?" Angela asks,

"I was thinking of the Lamp,"

"Oh, then. Don't worry, Miss. I'm sure they will find it soon," Angela responds, wiping her tears away and smile.

'Oh, thank god she stops crying now,' Cathlen thought in relief.

"Oh, you bring my snacks and tea already,"

"Uh, yes I do, Miss," Angela answer and arrange the snacks then tea to the table one by one as Cathlen sits on her couch in front of the table.

"Come join me," Cathlen demands.

"Oh, I can't right now, Miss," Angela refused her offer,

"What? Why?" Cathlen asks, disappointed, because she doesn't want to eat alone today.

"I need to go back and finish my work first," Angela answer,

"Okay, but when your done, come back to my room straight away and join me, okay?" Cathlen proposes, and Angela nods, smiling.

"Yes, I will, Miss," Angela answer,

"Okay, you can go back to your work,"

"Then. I will see you later, Miss," Angela answer as she bowed then leave Cathlen room.

"Ha... this is nice..." Cathlen mentions as she sips on her tea and felt the relaxing sensations and aroma it freed out.

'But, wait, why do I feel like someone is watching me from outside my terrace...' She thought, observing outside her terrace when a tree leaf falls without wind.

"Oh... hoh oho... this is getting interesting..." She mumbles, smirking as she stood up, then walked towards her terrace and went outside holding her teacup that has tea.

"Hey, are you thirsty? Come, join me in my tea time. You must be hungry and tired," She talks in front of the gigantic tree outside her terrace. Alda has a powerful hearing and sense because her parents taught her when she was still five years old. They taught her to be an independent woman in a dangerous and unexpected situation.

'Shit! How...' Sir Ken thought, nervous as he hides at the top of the gigantic tree-like an assassin.

"Oh, well. When you feel hungry or thirsty, come by to my room, okay?" She mentions, then walks back inside her room, leaving the terrace mirror door open.

'Haha, this prince is dumb. I can't,' She thought, laughing inside her thought when a sudden knock on her door disturbs her relaxing moment.

"Cathlen?" Duchess Aerwen calls outside the door.

"Mother? Come in," She answers, then Duchess Aerwen gets inside, smiling.

"What can I help you with, Mother?" She asks while sitting on her couch as her Mother also sits beside her.

"I am going to town today," Duchess starts the conversation.

"Oh, for what, Mother?"

"I want to buy new clothes for the upcoming banquet party,"

"A banquet party?" Cathlen asks, clueless.

"Yes, we mention that to you before," Duchess reminded her,

"You did?" Cathlen asks because she can't remember.

"Yes, your father and I did. This party is for the Prince Mother, death anniversary," Duchess answer,

'Right... they mention that before. I almost forgot about that. Oh, well, whatever,' Cathlen thought.

"Oh..."

"Your not busy, right?" Duchess asks,

"Yes, I'm not, why you ask?"

"Well, you accompany me today?"

"To the town?"

"Yes,"

"Oh, uh..."

"If you don't want to is fine," Duchess mentions with a forced smile.

'If you smile like, that...' Cathlen thought, deep sighing.

"Okay, I will accompany you, Mother," Cathlen reply with a forced smile.

"Oh, my, thank you," Duchess reply hugging her child.

"Yes, y-your welcome, Mother," Cathlen reply having a hard time breath-well because her Mother hugs her tight.

-TOWN-

The Duchess and Cathlen arrived in front of the Dres's store with their carriage and two knight guards accompanying them. They got outside the carriage and went inside the Dress Store. People inside then greeted them and bowed to them. 

*Dress store*

"Mother, I am going to buy us some refreshment. I'll be right back," Cathlen mentions, then leave without receiving her Mother's reply.

"What are you two doing? Follow her!" Duchess demands to the two knight guards who guard them as they then run after Cathlen. But they can't find her because she hides at the back of the alley outside the dres' store.

'Oh, this is kinda fun!' She cheered up, feeling satisfied for making her Mother knight dumb.

"But, I still have one rat to catch," She mumbled in silence as she felt someone's presence on her back following, her like a shadow.

'Follow me!' Cathlen shouts, excited inside her thought as she uses her martial art technique while running to make the person confused and get lost.

"Hahaha, don't stroll around. Run faster!" Cathlen shouts, feeling joy upon playing Prince Adam's people. And after one hour pass, Cathlen then could not hear or sense someone following her anymore.

'Good he gives up,' She thought happy, then went to Arnold territory.

"You. How?" Sir Arnold got shocked upon seeing her inside their territory.

"I won't be here for long. Tell me the update," Cathlen pace demands.

"We are still searching," Sir Arnold answer,

"Okay, well, I will go now,"

"Wait! How did you,"

"Oh, I played around," She answered with a grin.

"What?" Sir Arnold confused reply.

"Je, I will tell you everything if I have time, but I don't have that much. So, see you! And please, hurry on searching for my lamp," Cathlen responds, then runs away like a supersonic. After two hours, Cathlen went back to the Dress Store with the promise refreshments and snacks.

"Oh, god! Why you run outside without receiving my reply?" Duchess complain,

"I apologies, Mother," Cathlen respond.

"Don't worry about that anymore. You are here now and safe that's all that matters. Come on, try the dress I choose for you," Duchess mentions pointing towards the sparkle ball gown with red flowers designed.

"A gown?"

"Yes, for you to wear on the party,"

'Oh...'

"WHAT?"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Uh, no. Mother, I am fine. There's no need to buy an extravagant dress for me," Cathlen respond, uncomfortable.

"But I want you to have a new one," Duchess sulking, and Cathlen looks at her with an uneasy feeling.

'Ugh... fine! But I won't wear that sparkle thing to the party,' Cathlen thought,

"Okay, I will try it on," Cathlen reply, with a forced smile.

"Yay, thank you, child,"

"Yeah... your welcome, Mother,"

To be continued.