The Tyrant's Pet

"Give me that knight's head… NOW!"

Joaquin observed how Aries's pupils flared at his order. But just as the royal knights moved, Modesto's voice thundered.

"Touch him and blood will spill!" the knight templars also took their fighting stance, unfazed by the numbers of royal knights surrounding them. "Your Royal Highness, let us not shed blood for the sake of the Maganti Empire."

"Did you hear him?" Joaquin giggled at Aries. "Isn't he cute, my love? He used to bark for me, but now... he had grown some courage."

"Joaquin Imperial..." Ismael's voice shook in anger, balling his hand into a tight fist. "... have you gone mad?"

"Him, too." Upon hearing Ismael's furious voice, a sly smirk dominated the crown prince's face, but he kept his eyes on Aries underneath him. "Aren't they cute? They were already aware of the situation and yet, they struggle. Amusing, isn't it? Just like you, my love. You already escaped, but... here you are. Back in my arms."

"If this isn't love, I don't know what is," he added, watching her lips slowly stretch.

Her lips reached her ears until her teeth appeared, revealing the fresh blood smeared on them. That second, his smile lines faded as his eyes darkened.

"Touch my people, and I'll keep chewing my tongue." Aries raised her chin and licked the blood on her side tooth, only to show her bleeding tongue. "If that didn't kill me, then there were more ways to take my own life, my husband."

"Hah..." he laughed shortly. "Take your own life, you say?"

"Do you think I won't do that, Joaquin?" she taunted, lifting her head to see him up close. "No, you know I would."

She snorted before relaxing her body underneath him, ignoring the shards piercing her back. "But you can't allow that to happen, can you?" Aries flashed him a frown, fluttering her eyelashes coquettishly.

"You love me so much — you'd rather have me crippled just to keep me. You can't live without me, Joaquin. Just the thought of it kills you... oh, love! What an astonishingly pathetic thing!" she laughed like a madwoman, making even Ismael and Climaco, who was on her side, wonder if she had snapped as well.

"Go!" Aries hollered with a laugh. "Kill each other like how animals will do and paint the castle red! What are you all waiting for? Use your swords and compose the best melody in the world!"

Her eyes popped open and stared at Joaquin. "Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that, Joaquin? Quite alarmed?"

"No." His lips curled up. "Quite amused."

His eyes fastened with amusement. "I expect no less from my queen."

Unlike everyone else in the room who was forced to listen to Aries's taunting, Joaquin was the only person who enjoyed the sensation she sent under their skin. Back to Ismael's question: if Joaquin had gone mad? Well, Joaquin had always been. But what could suit a mad person like him? Someone who was just as crazy as him.

And that was Aries.

"An eternity... will never be boring with you around, my love," he expressed, bending over to her ear and biting her earlobe. "We will have a fun time together... my favorite."

"Disgusting." Her eyes were icy with his breaths on her skin. "Your touches never fail to turn my stomach."

"Then prepare yourself to get indigestion, my love." He grinned against her ear, moving down to inhale the scent of her neck. "I wonder if chaos will ensue if I defile here where everyone can see?"

"Joaquin...!" Ismael took a step and withdrew his sword. However, he stopped after walking past a knight templar and met face to face with the knights on the first among the three circles in the dining hall.

"The nerve to raise your sword at me..." his voice shook just like his sword within his grip. "Just what is the purpose of those uniforms, hah?!"

"You..." Climaco also tried to suppress his fury in his chest but fought to stab Joaquin's nape, afraid he would hurt Aries if he wasn't careful.

"Your Royal Highness, the crown prince!" This time, Modesto's voice echoed like thunder at the indecency they were already used to.

This was the crown prince. The man who portrayed himself as a holy man but hid the demon within him. But now, the crown prince wasn't even trying to conceal his true colors anymore whilst oozing with confidence. Modesto was aware Joaquin had already given up the reputation he built for years.

Where did this confidence come from? No one knew exactly.

But what everyone was certain of was that this was Joaquin's way of putting everyone under his control. And that meant the ruin of the church and the law to monopolize the power. To put it simply, the power wouldn't be split between the monarch and the church.

"Go ahead." Ignoring the noises, Aries arched a brow and smirked. "Go ahead, Joaquin. Let's give them a good performance."

Aries ran the tip of her shoes up to his leg and moaned to spite him. "Come, Joaquin. Let's do it."

"Your Highness..." Climaco's pupils went huge at Aries's taunting moans, but she ignored him completely.

"Unzip now, Joaquin. Let's do it..." her lips slowly curled up as her eyelids drooped. "... you just have to make it stand up."

Joaquin smirked, perfectly aroused by her moans. If that was what she wanted to do, then he would happily fuck her for everyone to see. However, the moment her last remarks caressed his ears, his smirk faded as realization dawned on him.

He... couldn't feel his bulge, trying to break free from his trousers.

"Hmm?" her brows rose and blinked innocently. "What is it, Joaquin? I'm ready. Don't tell me you're shy and afraid they would criticize your performance."

Aries let out a deep sigh and nodded encouragingly. "Don't be, my husband. Treat this as our first night together and a marital duty we must fulfill. We already had witnesses, so it's the perfect time to seal this marriage."

"You…!" Joaquin roared after several seconds, pinning her hands over her head, even more, making Climaco raise his sword, which caused all knights to raise theirs. Alas, Joaquin and Aries ignored all these movements around them as they kept eye contact.

"What did you do?" he seethed, eyes burning at her.

"Nothing." She shrugged and then smiled. Aries lifted her head and licked his cheek, leaving blood on it.

"But I can help you… bring it back to life." She smirked, moving her eyes at him. "How does that sound, hmm?"