The Tyrant's Pet

Conan stared at Abel and Sunny sitting side by side around the table in the inner palace from the farthest shelf near the entrance. Abel had his arms against the edge of the round table. His attention was on Sunny. The little girl, on the other hand, was doodling something.

It was almost like a picture of a father and his daughter while he tutors her. Conan never thought he would behold such a sight. Abel just wasn't the type, but somehow he looked closer to Sunny these days.

"I wonder what Lady Aries would say if she sees this," he mumbled to himself, considering how normal Abel looked right this second while talking to Sunny.

"She'll probably wonder what it will be like if she and His Majesty have a child."

Conan nearly jumped when Dexter's voice came from behind him. He looked to his left in disdain while Dexter stood beside him. The marquess fixated his eyes on Abel and Sunny.

"What a strange sight to behold," commented Dexter, questioning his eyes if he needed them to get checked. He darted his eyes between Abel and Sunny before shifting his attention to the man beside him.

"Why did you call for me that is so important?" Dexter asked without beating around the bush.

"I'm not the one who did. It was an order from His Majesty." Conan jerked his chin in Abel's direction. "I'll go check the preparations for the coven."

Dexter blinked ever so slowly, watching Conan saunter off without saying another word. It was unlike Conan, but since the Coven would happen tomorrow night, he knew the reason Conan was acting detached.

'Even after all these years… he still hadn't gotten used to it,' Dexter thought, peeling his eyes away from Conan's back to Abel and Sunny. 'Well, I'm not the one to talk. It's all that Isaiah's fault.'

Dexter marched towards the table where Sunny and Abel were idling at. As he got closer, his steps slowed down, listening to what Abel was spewing.

"A death penalty," said Abel, knocking on Sunny's paper. He waited for the little girl to look up at him before he continued. "You're trial is still pending since there were other important things to do. But I've been thinking of what punishment to give you for your offenses."

"What do you think?" he added. "Should we chop your head?"

Sunny blinked twice. "Sounds good."

"They will roast you in hell lest you haven't figured that out."

"Like a pig?"

"Like a pig, indeed."

Sunny peered at him silently, unbothered by his remarks. She watched him tilt his head to the side.

"Don't die, Grandpa," she remarked, receiving no reaction from him. "Sunny will be sad."

"And who told you I will going to die?"

"You." Sunny set her eyes at the piece of art she had been doodling that were nothing but stick figures. "Sunny heard about the coven when Grandpa is at its weakest. They will kill Grandma."

Abel pressed his lips, watching the little girl continue with her doodle. "I won't die."

"Mister Fabian always tells Sunny when you pray for something, the creator gives the complete opposite of your wish." She muttered innocently. "Grandpa used to seek death, but he was denied repeatedly. Now, he doesn't wish to die… but he might."

Sunny slowly cast her eyes back to Abel once again. "Tilly will be sad if you died."

"No." Abel smiled shortly. "She'll tell me, 'good for you.'"

"Tilly will only say that if that is what you want. Otherwise, she will be sad." Sunny smacked her thin lips and pouted.

"What does a child know?" he mumbled, cupping his jaw with the bottom of his palm.

"Sunny doesn't know many things aside from what she observes."

"Then what do you think about Aries's condition?"

Sunny paused and snapped her eyes at Dexter's figure. The latter had stopped several steps away from them, looking back at Sunny with intrigue and disbelief.

"You were all lying to Grandma," she remarked without a second hesitation, casting her doe eyes back to Abel. "My mother will be furious with my father if he does this to her."

"Mister Fabian told Sunny that secrets are the most virulent that ruins relationships. That is why Mister Fabian doesn't keep secrets."

"We're not keeping things a secret."

"You were holding back information." Sunny frowned at Abel. "Grandpa, Sunny is scolding you. Sunny likes Grandma, and I don't want her to die if Grandpa dies."

Abel chuckled with his lips closed, planting a hand on top of her little head. "I am offended, Glutton. Don't underestimate me."

"I never underestimated Grandpa. Tilly said Grandpa is strong, but right now, Grandpa isn't." Sunny looked at him straight in the eye, sizing him up in silence for a moment. "Grandpa makes Sunny sad."

The side of his lips curled up into a subtle smile, staring back at Sunny's adorable face. Amusement fastened across his eyes the longer he stared at Sunny. The way this child spoke, no one would think she was a three-year-old little vampire.

However, this wasn't new to Abel. After all, his youngest sister was just an infant when she ran away from home.

"I will… not die," he stressed under his breath, waiting for Sunny to look back at him. "This will be the last coven. I'll be breaking the chain. Otherwise, she'll get hurt once she comes to know about the coven's existence."

Sunny's lips parted, but she closed them again, leaving it to Abel's imagination for whatever she didn't say.

"Until then, stay in the Marquess' care," Abel continued solemnly, allowing Dexter to listen to his remarks. "I'm expecting more guests in tomorrow's coven. They will kill you if they figured out you carry this cursed blood. The only person who will execute you is me."

Sunny frowned but bit her tongue from speaking further.

"Will that be alright with you, my brother-in-law?" Abel snapped his eyes at Dexter. And unlike usual, the marquess didn't act rashly at what the emperor addressed him. "Will you look after this child for the time being? I'll fetch her and my wife myself once the coven is over."

Dexter held his breath until his neck turned taut, lowering his head. "As you wish, Your Majesty."