The Conquerors Path

Catherine POV:

'He's fine'

Catherine sighed out seeing Austin walking towards the settlement all well, ever since they had moved from each other she couldn't stop thinking about him, when she closes her eyes he appears in her mind when she sits still the images of their beautiful family comes to her, while when she sleeps only he fills her dream.

It's being a hell of a time for Catherine and she knew better than anyone what it means, though she did find it hard to believe it at first, after all, she wasn't a fan of having a man in her life nor did she want love, she had lived her whole life seeing how the man that 'loved' her mother treated her, she never wanted such thing for herself.

Catherine has a gentle personality, be it with anyone she meets, her bubbly self is for everyone, making her easily liked but that also meant that not everyone has a place in her heart since her response to everyone is the same, no one can get close to her, she has the same face for everyone, only a select few managed to break that barrier and all of them are dear friends and mostly girls.

She tried her best to not let any man enter her life yet fate was different, she did end up falling in love, and now she was liking every minute of it, she felt as if the world has become a brighter place, just sweetness filling her heart.

Austin's voice, his enthralling purple eyes, his handsome face, everything keeps playing in her head like a movie, itching it deeper and deeper into her, the happy times she spent as a family with Austin had already bloomed within her a desire to have a family, one with the man she loves.

But the first hurdle to pass was for her to confess to him, to let out all the feeling deep within her heart, from the interactions she later had with Austin already tells her that he might have got some feelings for her and that is more than enough for her to work on, if she was to confess, she's sure that he won't reject her.

She wasn't bragging but Catherine's really beautiful, her background is mighty, and her personality is the best, back at her home, long lines of suitors await her, moreover she has already lost count of the love letters she got attending the academy.

'But our backgrounds might cause problems'

Catherine has such thought, if they were to get married such a thing would cause ripples across the sea, there is also the fact that where would she live? as the next ruler she has her people to look after, as such lots of problems lay in a situation if she was to wed Austin.

Everything has its problems and she needs to deal with them as they come, just for the two of them to get together they will have to pass through a lot of hurdles, though the silver lining was the fact that Austin has a great reputation with the sea, with him helping Xavier and the warriors gain peace, he is quite the superstar down in the waters.

It was during these thoughts that a certain thought popped into Catherin's mind.

'Does Austin have a lover?'

Austin has been in the academy for some time, and he's sort of like a superstar there, most of the information about him is blank and nothing about him can be said, his entire history seems like a mystery, plus his status only got elevated with him coming out as the successor to the Eleanor, the Bow Empress, giving another layer of mystery around him.

No one knows the depth of his power, though Catherine knew and she understood that he is an absolute monster.

Aside from that, Austin's the best bachelor in the Academy, in fact, his reputation is extremely good, there are no rumors of him playing with girls, no bad habits, and nothing that puts him in a bad light.

Heck, most of the time people even don't know where he is, even within the all-seeing academy he is an enigma, only rarely appearing during the faction meeting and class, while most of the people with his level of power would cause a ruckus or play around with women he seems to have completely focused on himself.

A rare trait to be seen, something which Catherine was coming to love about him but that still didn't answer the fact that Austin had a lover, and from the last gaze he gave her, Catherine seem to have understood that perhaps Austin might have a woman, something not too far fetched if you think so.

But the moment such thoughts entered inside her mind Catherine's bubbly personality distempered, her eyes turned cold, while the ruthlessness of hers only known to her mother and Marlene appeared, her mind started to work at speed trying to see if there is anything about him she missed.

'I need to collect more details about him'

She stopped at such thought, she needed to know more, what Austin liked, his favorite food, his favorite hobby, what is his favorite color, what type of girls he likes, what's his taste, and more, she needed more!

Once she got out of here, she will be trying her best to get more information about him.

'Maybe I can get close to his two sisters? they might know more about him'

Catherine thought but even then her eyes were cold, she was someone that went without love, someone who didn't want it but now after getting the sweet taste of that nectar she doesn't want to let go. No! she doesn't want to go back to her weary dark world of hers, after all her suffering she finally got something she wants and no way in hell is she going to lose that!

'Never'

Thinking till here a maddened glint flashed through Catherine's eyes.

.....

Time After Austin Left:

'So he does have a lover but I seemed to have already taken a place in his heart'

Catherine thought, all her troubled emotions washing away but deep within her heart it still hurt like hell, knowing that the one she fell in love with has someone else is not an easy pill to swallow.

Behind her calming expression stood a hurricane of feeling just waiting to burst apart and tear everything down but for now she held it in.

'I still have a place in his heart, all I have to do is to make sure that I cling on to it'

Catherine's mind already started to play with several plots, ones to make Austin hers.

'But first I have to find out whose the bitch trying to take my man'

Killing intent filled Catherine's eyes as she thought so, she was not stupid, a man like Austin won't choose some normal girl, she might be special in her own way but it didn't matter to Catherine, she can be much more special.....

Moreover, if that girl is normal, then all the better, her life will just be shorter then.

Catherine turned to look in the direction that Austin left, she got to know from their interactions up till here that he ain't some naive hero or some stupid man with just strength.

He seems to be a man of principles, quite dull towards others but he's fiercely emotional to people that enter his heart, just their reaction now was enough to prove her point, to find such a man is rare and she's not giving up on it.

Her heart started to beat faster and her lower parts itched as her mind played through that last scene, one where Austin stood above a huge bolder with just a single arrow in his arms, facing the impossible, his handsome face on display, while his valiantly stood against fate.

It's one of the scenes that's now stuck in her heart, she could with confidence say that her heart started to beat faster back then, though back then she might haven't been the only one, such a powerful scene, which woman won't be moved for a second?

Catherine shook her head, clarity returning to her, she knew a lot of work lay ahead of her.

'I will have you....'

'Because I really do love you.....'