The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>Hours before the arrest…</strong>

"Isn't that the reason we're here? To plan my wedding? Abel already told Sir Conan what he likes to have at our wedding. It's my time to add my wishes, don't you think?"

Everyone shot Aries a relatively disapproving look at her remarks. She couldn't be serious, right? Dexter and Conan aside, who were in this burnt and pretty much ruined castle before her, Ismael and Curtis came in here after receiving a word from the Sapphire Palace — from the crown princess to meet her in this place secretly.

"Tell us if that is meant as a joke so I can laugh." Ismael's eyes searched for lack of seriousness in Aries, only to get disappointed at noticing the opposite. She was dead serious. Hell. No.

"I had enough of these wedding preparations," Conan mumbled with a long-suffering sigh. "Lady Aries, I know weddings are important. But isn't this a little out of track of what you're supposed to do?"

Aries shot those two who voiced out their dismay a cursory look and then veered her gaze to Curtis and Dexter. Unlike Ismael and Conan, Curtis and Dexter remained silent, waiting for any clarification for her reason. Her lips curled up subtly, side-eying Roman, who was lying motionless on the bed.

"First on my list… make sure Abel won't do anything reckless," said Aries, along with a shallow huff, not beating around the bush. "Sir Conan, I would like you to keep him at bay. The audience should only watch — he can complain in dismay or applaud, and the only time he can come up to the stage is to take his marriage vow."

Their brows knit together as silence descended, forcing them to listen to her every word.

"As you all know, I had met the emperor and discovered his pitiful situation. The sole reason I had to sell Roman out." Her eyes landed on Roman, nodding slightly as if that was enough gesture of apology. "Joaquin is a cunning and wise man. He doesn't put his apples in one basket. What I mean by this is splitting his trust with his henchmen: Roman held the dirty works, Hernan for his shady business, and Javier… for his bigger goal."

"Joaquin's greatest asset is he is aware of his disposition. There will be a time when he would be too old to breathe, much less protect himself. And he wouldn't allow that disgraceful demise. It just so happened Javier was a smart person who chose to stay in the background, unnoticed. I am not sure why Javier supports Joaquin, but what I am certain of is Joaquin trusts Javier." Aries gazed at Ismael, assuming the third prince already knew the unbreakable yet complicated bond between the crown prince and the fifth prince.

"Javier had always idolized Joaquin," explained Ismael, keeping it short and simple.

"The point here is, Joaquin is smart, and having to consider Javier, who successfully stayed out of everyone's radar until now, is the sole reason Roman was in this state." Aries let out a short sigh, eyes back to Roman. "I need to pull you out of his side, Rome, whilst gaining his trust."

"You don't have to apologize." Roman's voice was rasped, raising his brows as his movements were limited in his state. "How I ended up in this state isn't anyone's fault, but mine. I could've gotten out of that place safely, but I idled."

"You saved your people," Dexter chimed in.

"They still died," the seventh prince argued, and no one rebutted because that was the truth. Roman tried to save his people but to no avail. Roman was captured and those soldiers he saved were left burning alive under the order of the crown prince. It was pure evil.

"So, what is the point there?" asked Conan after an entire minute of nothing but silence.

"The point is… someone needs to stop Abel because Joaquin would soon find out about me." Aries glossed her eyes over their rattled faces, but her expression remained unstirred. "Even if he doesn't find out himself, I would make him realize it."

"Aime, are you out of your mind?" this time, Curtis's voice erupted in the air. "Why would you do that? Do you have any idea what that man would do if he figured out you've been playing with his head?"

"I know!" she raised her voice and her eyes glistened with determination. "I know, Curtis. I know. Two years… he tortured me without a moment to breathe, Curtis. So, I know what he would do if he ever finds out I've been deceiving him."

"Then why?" Curtis balled his hand into a fist, feeling his eyes heated in rage. If she didn't forget what she went through and survived, why would she purposely put herself in such danger? Even though Abel and his entourage walked among them, Aries would be hurt one way or another — it may not be physical, but mentally and emotionally.

"Joaquin… will not kill me," said Aries in an incredibly quiet voice. "Right now, Modesto is creating a ruckus, smearing the crown prince's reputation. Once the victims start coming forward to get the justice they deserved, more and more people, who were repressed by fear, will find courage."

"Our initial plan is to strike his reputation and get him under control by the power of the church, backed by the third prince's influence. However, I realized Joaquin's weakness wasn't his reputation," she continued, pausing to let them absorb her words. "Joaquin simply built that public image to hinder any disruption for his bigger plans and now, that plan is coming — no, Abel said it's already done."

It was pure silence for the next minute, making Ismael's hands tremble. But unlike usual, he kept his thoughts together. It was hard for the third prince not to act rattled because it was his nature, but that had been one of the things that nearly led him to multiple deaths. Hence, he remained silent and pondered about it thoroughly.

"In other words, even if the entire empire condemned him…" Roman breathed out and closed his eyes for a moment. "… it doesn't matter anymore?"

"Exactly." Aries nodded once. "Maganti is expecting the rise of a tyrant."