He/Heroine And My Villainess

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(INFATUATION OF MIND AND PLACE)

Prince Adam and Cathleen are now inside the carriage, which's filled with dead silence and a heavy atmosphere. No one seems to want to start a conversation. The image inside is formidable and full of mixed emotions. Prince Adam keeps tapping his right index hand to the couch, and his left foot keeps tapping to the carriage floor like he can't wait to arrive back at the castle. Cathlen, still looking outside the window with a plain face, does not want to look or even gaze at Prince Adam because she felt like if she does, Cathlen's body will react again and cry in front of Prince Adam.

The ride going back to the castle seems slow and very unbearable for both of them. Until Prince Adam heaves a sigh, then looks straight at Cathlen.

"The ride going to the castle is slow. Are you sure you don't have a plan to talk to me at all?" Prince Adam mentions with a calm tone of voice, hoping that Cathlen might look at him and talk for the last time. He is about to feel disappointed when Cathlen replies to him.

"I am afraid I don't have any words to say to you anymore," Cathlen replies with words mixed with bitterness. Prince Adam felt a sting pain in his chest and his throat seem to have dried out, and his breathing becomes unstable, but he maintains his posture then relaxed, forcing him not to cry again in front of the girl he loves and treasure the most.

"I-is that so..." He replies, hiding the discomfort of his voice, but he fails. Cathlen heard it and her heart then throb in pain a bit, making her feel uncomfortable.

'STOP! Don't you dare cry in front of him!' Alda shouts in her thought, pissed off as her body relaxed, then regains its normal state. She heaves a relief sigh, then straightens up herself.

"Cathlen, are you sure you want to do this?" Prince Adam asks, opening up their break engagement.

"Yes, I am sure," Cathlen reply without a second, and Prince Adam felt like someone has stabbed a knife at his heart. He breathes in a deep trembling air inside, controlling himself not to break down.

"I understand," Prince Adam responds, but inside his heart, he wishes that maybe Cathlen's mind would change even a bit, but he knows that will never happen because Cathlen already confesses to him she didn't love him from the very beginning. The ride going to the Astrod kingdom went dead silent again and heavy. After two hours of riding, they then arrived, and Prince Adam went out to the carriage first to wait for Cathlen outside, lending his hand to support him out.

Cathlen looks at his hand for two seconds, then convinces herself to accept it.

'Is only for tonight. These will be the last,'

She heaves a sigh, then takes Prince Adam's right hand and went out from the carriage.

"My father, the king, wants to talk to you first. Before we enter the banquet hall and meet everyone," Prince Adam mentions as Cathlen only looks straight to the front while listening to his words.

"Okay, lead the way," She responds as Prince Adam sigh again then passes through her. They continue to stride inside the castle, walking side by side. Then went straight to the king's palace. The guards assigned to watch and guard the king's palace greet them as they stride to the hallway. After fifteen minutes of walking, they then arrived in front of the king's office.

Knock

"Father, we have arrived," Prince Adam mentions outside the door with Cathlen, who stands one meter away from him.

"Come in," King Phantrel respond as Prince Adam then open the door, and they went inside in pace. Cathlen bowed, then greet the king, who's with his lover standing beside him, wearing a suit for a party.

"Greetings to you, your majesty," Cathlen gesture.

"Greetings, rise," King Phantrel respond as Cathlen then stood straight and look at him, stunned.

'I-is this the king? How come he still looks young! And also, who is that beside him? He's beautiful. I almost thought he's a girl for a second. I'm so glad he is wearing a suit. My god, they sure are father and son. They almost have the same face,' Alda thought, surprised.

"Um...." She forgot what to say to him upon being stunned a minute ago.

"We don't have time for a long conversation, so I'll be straight," King Phantrel mentions as he continues talking.

"Are you certain that you want to break your engagement with my son?" He asks.

"Yes, I am sure. Marrying someone you do not love is agonizing," Cathlen answers, not showing any hesitation or doubt expression to the king. King Phantrel sigh for a moment, then gazes over at his son and looks at him stress.

"I understand. If that is what you have decided, then we will respect it. How about you, son?" King Phantrel pointed to his son. Prince Adam looks over to his father with hesitation for a moment, then breathes a trembling sigh, closing his eyes for a second, and opens them back as he shows a plain expression to his father. He grips his right hand into a fist, forcing himself to calm down and not causing a scene.

"I... I also agree," He answers as king Phantrel then nods.

"Okay, if the two sides already agree, then we will announce it to the public after our entrance to the banquet hall," King Phantrel mentions as Butler Sed, only listening and looking at Prince Adam with full of concern and worry.

"Your Majesty is almost time. We should greet the guess now," Butler Sed reminded him as he sighs, then stood up from his chair and walked over to where the two-person standing with Butler Sed beside him.

"Come now, let my son escort you for the last time. Lady Cathlen, let's go meet them all now," King Phantrel mentions as Cathlen hesitates upon holding Prince Adam's right arm for a minute because she's afraid that if she touches Prince Adam's arm, Cathlen body will react and breakdown in front of him. Prince Adam saw her uncomfortable expression, so he sighed and spoke.

"If you feel uncomfortable, don't force yourself, stand beside me until my father announces our break engagement, then after it, you can go as you please. Just bear with me for fifteen minutes," Prince Adam mentions as Cathlen sigh in relief then nod.

"Come now," King Phantrel calls the two who are still not moving to their usual place.

"We are coming, father," Prince Adam replies as they catch up with them, walking side by side. For sixteen minutes, four of them walk to get to the banquet hall entrance. When they arrived, the announcer then announces their arrival, and they get inside full of confidence.

Everyone looks at them, full of admiration and expectations. Alda felt chills all over her body when she saw those hungry stares and gaze at them.

"Be poise, don't mind them," Prince Adam mentions, seeing Cathlen's unsteady expression as she answers with a nod.

'Easy for you to say, but for me is not. All these people are staring at us like we are a rare object in this world. Hello people, wakey, wakey. We're not gods. We are also people like you all, okay? So stop giving us that kind of stare,' Alda thought, wishing that she could say those words out loud at this moment, but she knows she can't because she will only embarrass herself.

They continue walking, then walk upstairs and look down at all people in a banquet hall. The king clears his throat before he begins his speech. 

"Good evening, I thank you all for coming and attending to my wife's death banquet anniversary today," King Phantrel mentions as he continues talking while the three-person is standing still beside him like a statue while looking at the people below them.

"I hope everyone will have a fantastic and memorable evening today. But before we start our evening celebration. My son here will also have something to say and share with all of you together with his fiance Lady Cathlen," King Phantrel switches the stage for his son and Lady Cathlen. Duke Thranduil and Duchess Aerwen look up at their daughter, full of concern when they saw her uncomfortable expression. 

'Aiyo... this old tradition never gets old! They sure like to share the private matter with the crowd is embarrassing, but whatever, let's get this done already. I want to go home after this,' Alda thought, annoyed as she went close to Prince Adam and stand beside him with a calm and sturdy expression. 

"Good evening today, Lady Cathlen, and I will denounce our break engagement to all of you. The reason is for us to keep, that's all. I wish you all have a wonderful evening," Prince Adam cut the sentence short as the crowd then went wild of gossiping, whispering, and talking about them.

To be continued.