The Caliginous Villainess

Chapter 4

"I'd like to cancel my engagement with the crown prince."

   My voice echoed through the huge room. The room was so loud of silence, it was deafening. I was looking down at the floor but I couldn't seem to lift my head up. With three more seconds of silence, I raised my head and looked straight in to the eyes of the duke. The duke himself had clear eyes which were almost similar to  mine. He stared straight to my eyes mimicking my actions which lasted for about one minute. It ended with the duke giving a light chuckle. I was flabbergasted.

"Rose, why do you want to cancel it? Don't you want to be the empress? Isn't that what most girls your age would want?" He asked with bright eyes demolishing all the rumors and descriptions of the novel. I knew it would be the best to answer honestly in this particular scenario.

"Isn't it too much of a burden? You'll have money, but you'll lose time to enjoy it. I'll be trapped in a room all day or end up running around greeting and holding peace treaties like a pigeon. Who'd want that life when you can spend your money like sand flowing through your fingers right now?" Maybe I was a little bit too honest.

"Sometimes, I wonder why you hide this personality in that pitiful face you make since you were child. It also gives me an answer on who you take after." The duke smiled. (This was a landmine, people! There was no description of the rough duke smiling to Rose.) And what did he mean by who I take after? I was adopted. Another reason for others to hate my existence. After all, they'll be happy when they meet Lily in a few months. I unknowingly frowned.

"If you want to cancel, go ahead. I have no objections at all. I am glad that you asked me anything in the first place. You can go, now" He exclaimed. I pushed my luck a little more on my reply.

"Thank you, father. I'll take my leave." The duke face contorted for a second and lit up the next. I wondered if Rose never called the duke as 'father'.

***

   I ate my breakfast and lunch in my room and shared some jokes with my maids. I was grateful that they look after me, kindly. The novel also mentioned that the maids were the only people to give Rose any affection. But I can't trust too much to luck and accident, so, I made a pact to myself to keep everyone in arm's distance. That way, none of us would get hurt. But I keep imagining if I was breaking my own pact during some times of the day.

***

   If the gods were trying to make my life the worst, they should be applauded at the precise moment. Two idiots were following my way across the cliff where I used to practice. Why would the twins even care what I did? They never did before and they never as hell should be doing it now. 

   I opted to give them a light scare so I took the left path from the estate which would conclude the path taker in 3 circles back to the estate entrance safe and sound. I resolved to play this trick to enjoy myself. 

   Like a damsel about to be in distress, I kept on roaming with a blank expression and the guys followed me like blunt tools in a shed. Ha?! I kept on walking like I knew where I was going giving the twins the idea that I was actually lost. I heard one of them sigh as they picked up that we were running in circles. Oh man, I am enjoying this! 

   I took a right turn where I used to take a left turn and led them to the darker, secluded part of the woods. The rumors (from the maids) say that monsters lie in these arenas. I let them take in their surroundings and patiently waited with a smirk on my lips.

   The guys started to tense up. This was my chance.

"You can come out now." I bellowed to the void. They waited as if I called out to someone else.

"I'm talking about you two, the one hanging on the tree branch"---I pointed at Richard--" and you there, hiding in the weed bush and by the way, there's a patch of poison ivy next to you"

"What!? Poison ivy? Ahh, I have double the reactions to those allergies. Why didn't you tell me before?" Robert sprang out the bush in a millisecond. I couldn't hold it so I started laughing.

"Ah...Hah... You guys followed me like idiots knowing fully well that I was walking in circles" I called them out. They both blushed a bright shade of red.

"We...uh...wanted to check where you were going, you know for safety measures." Richard said after coming down from the tree with one hand scratching his scruffy neck.

"Wow, so then, why haven't you followed me years ago?" I questioned pretending to be wholly curious. They were out of words to save themselves. I laughed again while they dusted the leaves out of their clothes. But the moment was interrupted by a rumbling noise. 

   The noise was faint but I could swear I heard it. I dug my ears a little deeper and a resilient silence followed. I felt the seconds tick. Thirty seconds after, our doubts raised once again with a deep roar from the forest. Trees shook and birds flew by. The atmosphere darkened. 

   As if on cue, the roar multiplied and accompanied a hissing sound. The noise of the woods carried an unfavorable feeling. I latched my hand on to my sword dangling from my waist in response.

Hello everyone,

This is the author. What do you think made the rumbling noise? In essence, why do you think the brothers followed Rose (now as Blair) after neglecting her all this time??

Leave your thoughts in the comments and feel free to leave a vote.