He/Heroine And My Villainess

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(PRESSING JUNCTURE) 

Cathlen is now riding the horse that Angela buys from the town market, going through the Astrod forest at a pace without bringing along a lamp or wearing a cloak when she arrived inside. The darkness then fills in the moonlight is the only thing that reflects inside as chills run all over her body and the stiff wind brushes her naked skin while the howling and other sounds of animals sing for her inside.

"Calm down. You have a sword. We can kill those wild animals if they attack, Alda," She talks to herself, gripping into her swords beside her waist as she sighs, calming herself inside, then proceeds further into the forest with caution.

'Aish... how can I find them. Maybe Angela is right, but! I won't give up. I must try. There's still time before the sun will rise again,' Alda thought persistent as she continues searching for Sir Arnold inside the forest. For three hours, she searches everywhere but still no signs of them, Cathlen about to give up until she spotted a light fifteen meters away from her.

"Eeeh~? I found ma boys," She utter happy as she wore a satisfied smirk on her face while she jumps down from her horse and ties him to the tree beside her, then walk to where Sir Arnold and his brothers in silence with an ulterior motive.

"Hehe~ let's tease them for making me search for them for three hours, shall we?" She mentions tiptoeing at the back of the gigantic tent.

"Waaah, Wajah," She made a scary sound to make Sir Arnold and his brother afraid for five minutes, then receive a slight scream from inside the gigantic tent. She chuckled with a satisfied feeling.

"What are you screaming about?" Jin asks, annoyed.

"Bu-but brother Jin didn't you hear it?" June asks, shivering from fear. Jin sigh then answer.

"Yes, I heard it,"

"Haiyo... you guys. That's only a sound of ghosts. Why are you so afraid of?" Troy mentions, which made the situation even worse.

"Ghost? What ghost? Is there a ghost here? MY GOD! GHOST!" Mike shouts in fear.

"Haaa… my god," Jin utter, face-palming as he felt unbelievable towards his brothers exaggerate reactions.

"GHOST? Brother!" Sir Arnold's three younger brothers all run to him, scared and trembling, but a laugh shattered their all scared moment and became alert as they stood up with their unsheathed sword.

Cathlen went over to their gigantic tent entrance, showing herself to them with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Eh~? Why a scary face? Do you like my ghost voice?" Cathlen asks, chuckling to them.

"So, it was you!" June, Mike, and Clark both ask in sync with disbelief.

"Ohohohoho, tsk, tsk, tsk, you all act strong and might, but you three are afraid of ghost. Hahaha, aiyo, how disappointing," Cathlen mentions, which made the three younger people blush and feel shy. She chuckled and smirk.

"Good evening to you, Lady Cathlen," Sir Arnold greets her.

"Yes, good evening to you all too. Do you guys have food? I'm hungry from searching for you all for three hours," Cathlen mentions, which made all of them shocked.

"FOR THREE HOURS?" Mike raises his voice in surprise.

"Yes,"

"WHAT? You didn't encounter some wolves on the way?" June asks.

"No," Cathlen answer, which put disbelief into Mike, Clark, and June's faces.

"WHAT? How come? But that's impossible. We even face some wolves from coming here," Clark responds with disbelief.

"You guys do? What a misfortune. Maybe the wolves are fond of me," Cathlen wink then smirk, which made the three younger people puff from anger. She chuckled upon seeing it.

"Oh, by the way, why are you all hiding in the deepest part of the forest?" Cathlen added, asking.

"Because some Astrod knight guards will patrol inside the forest later, and this part of the forest is not part of their patrol," Jin answer.

"Oh, so that's why. How do you guys know that there will be guards who will roam around inside the forest today?"

"Is normal, all kingdom has that protocol every night to maintain the safety of their people," Troy joined in the conversation.

"Oh, then how can you guys be so sure that those Astrod knight guards will not check this part of the forest?" Cathlen asks as Jin deep sighs, getting annoyed by Cathlen, who keeps asking questions.

"Because we check our source through their kingdom first before conducting this mission," Sir Arnold answers which amazes Cathlen.

"Oooh, you all are good even at hiding, ha?" She asks as she walks inside then sits at the chair beside Jin, who looks at her with a frown and glare.

"What?" She asks as she takes one bread from the table and eats it.

"Why are you here?" Jin asks.

"Why? Am I not allowed to be here?" She replies with a mocking tone of voice, and Jin felt offended as he looks at Cathlen with a death glare.

"Aiyo, why are you so serious? Okay, okay. I am here to check on your all progress," Cathlen replied as she keeps munching the bread inside her mouth.

"Alone?" Clark asks in disbelief as Cathlen turned around and gazes at him. 

"Yes, alone, do you see anyone other than me here?" Cathlen ask. 

"No," 

"That's impossible! No woman can pass through here without facing some wild animals," Mike joined in, full of doubt at Cathlen. 

"Why? Do you think I can't go alone inside this dark, secluded and scary forest?" She asks. 

"Yes!" Mike replies.

"Suit yourself then," Cathlen responds, not caring about his words as she keeps munching the bread.

"Did you sneak out again, Lady Cathlen?" Sir Arnold asks. 

"I did. You are so smart for figuring it out," Cathlen answers as she winks her right eyes into Sir Arnold.

"Go back now," Sir Arnold demand as he uses a firm tone of voice. Everyone got startled by his change of aura and looks at him in surprise. 

"Eeeh~? What is this are you ordering me?" Cathlen asks with a grin on her face as she stands up and walks over to Sir Arnold. 

"I am serious. What if the Duke and the Duchess found out that you sneak out tonight?" Sir Arnold asks, but Cathlen only gives her a tired expression.

"Then I will handle the problem myself," Cathlen reply. 

"Are you even listening to our brother? He's only saying that you go back home now because this forest is dangerous and not suited for a woman like you," Mike mentions making Cathlen twitch her right brow and look at him with a straight expression.

"Is that so? So if I was a man, then I may stay?" Cathlen asks, which made them all confused.

"What are you saying right now?" Mike asks. 

"I was only interpreting the meaning of your words, which stand for injustice and racism," Cathlen added with a pissed tone of voice.

"Lady Cathlen, my brother didn't mean to offend you. He was only saying that I am worried for your safety inside this forest," Sir Arnold mentions as he tried to defend his younger brother's wrong words.

"SHUT UP! Do not defend your brother's wrong interpretation about being a woman here! I will not tolerate any man who looks down upon any woman into this world!"

'I am so done with this kind of treatment and culture. You all have inside this book it pissed me off so much!' Alda thought as her body trembles from anger. But when a sound of a familiar voice ring into her ear along with the stiff wind that brushed her left hand, all her anger fades away, and she had calmed down.

'Yerre,' She thought as she sighs and closes her eyes for one second, then opens them again alongside a sigh.

"Forget it, let's not argue further about it. But Sir Arnold, you must educate your brothers that not all women are soft inside. Some are rough on the inside. All women are different. So you all must remember we are not to be looking down for," Cathlen mentions as she went back to where she sat a minute ago then sits back down.

"I will, thank you for your consideration to my brother Lady Cathlen," Sir Arnold gesture a vow to her as an apology and respect.

"Em! Stand straight now," Cathlen responds, waving her right hands, signaling Sir Arnold to not vow for long. Jin and Troy look over at Mike, who also looks at them with a sad expression.

"Hemp!" Jin turns his head away from him, scoffing as Mike lowers his head upon feeling guilt.

"I apologies for my brother's words too, Lady Cathlen," Troy stand up and also vowed at her.

"Okay, okay. Stop with this drama. I am here because I want you all to help me with something," Cathlen mentions, which made everyone look at him full of curiosity. 

"What is it?" Sir Arnold asks. 

"Well, you see. I want to talk to Lady Vendia," Cathlen mentions, which made everyone inside the tent turned quiet.

"What, why you all so quiet?" Cathlen asks, sensing some heavy aura inside the tent.

"Why you want to meet the Marquis daughter?" Sir Arnold asks as he wears a weighty face. Cathlen gazes at all of them, only to see their tense and firm expression.

To be continued.