The Tyrant's Pet

"A tyrant like you must die!"

When Aries and Abel turned to the owner of the voice, all they saw was a man charging at them with a knife in his hand. Everything happened so quickly, taking everyone by surprise.

The echoing cheers abruptly turned into gasps and, for a moment, there was just a pin-drop silence. The next second, blood dripped down and landed on the ground, followed by the shouts of knights as they subdued the person who attacked the emperor.

"Ugh!!" the assaulter grunted, eyes filled with a deep resentment as he struggled against the knight — Climaco — pinning him to the ground. Several more knights rushed to them, surrounding the man with swords, others to protect the empress and the emperor.

"Your Majesty!" Aries panicked, standing before Abel. Her eyes shook, seeing that the man grazed the emperor's arm. Fortunately, Abel was quick to react and used his arm to block the knife.

"Insolent!!"

Suddenly, Isaiah's voice erupted, followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed heavily. Aries glanced in his voice's direction, only to see the furious grand duke marching towards them. She had never seen Isaiah lose his composure, even though Conan and Dexter habitually mock him.

Aries didn't have the leisure to dwell in it, though. She set her shaking eyes back to Abel, only to see him click his tongue in irritation, but didn't seem to mind his bleeding arm.

"Abel…" her voice shook, making him look back at him.

"It's just a graze, darling." He smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine."

The moment she heard his response, her heart instantly shook, realizing why Abel was so furious every time she would utter those words. <strong>'It was just a graze,' </strong>— the intention was good, but it was definitely not reassuring enough. It was insulting and somehow made her blood boil.

"How dare you attack His Majesty…" the knights surrounding the attacker that Climaco was pinning down made way for Isaiah. At this point, everyone — knights and the citizens included — already anticipated an on-the-spot execution. The grand duke wouldn't definitely let this slide.

"This monster should die!" Despite the presence of the furious Isaiah and the sword he was holding, the man barked fearlessly. "He should be loathed, and not be praised! This man and his tyranny need to be stopped…!"

The man rambled on and on, digging his own grave deeper and deeper. Isaiah's body trembled as he listened to the man's nonsense ramblings, but he didn't stop him. The grand duke simply fixed his blazing eyes at him, motionless, as if giving the man a chance to lose his voice before taking that ability from him permanently.

"Your Majesty," another knight called quietly as he approached the emperor, carrying an emergency kit for things such as this. However, as Abel undid his cufflinks and folded his sleeve to his elbow, he caught her shoulder tense up upon the sight of his wound.

"Hey, gorgeous," he called calmly, lowering his eyes, searching for her eyes. "It didn't hurt. I'm alright."

Her jaw tightened and said nothing. Aries only reached for his arm and laid her other hand open.

"Let me do it," she muttered, and the knight immediately handed him a bottle to sanitize the wound. As soon as she held the bottle, Aries saw Isaiah take a step from the corner of her eyes.

"Your Grace!" she raised her voice, stopping Isaiah's steps. "Let the man speak and I would want to personally deal with him after I dressed His Majesty's wounds."

Isaiah gripped his sword tighter, swallowing the frustrating tension in his throat. He kept his eyes on the man, his shoulders trembling in anger. If Aries forgave this man, Isaiah would definitely disobey her and kill the man. It would be a scandal and he would be in trouble, but he wouldn't allow this to slide.

Abel might not be a stranger to assassination attempts and danger, but that was within the palace's walls. If they let this man go or grant him a lighter sentence, it would only motivate those who were wishing for the emperor to fall.

Silence descended on the street that was initially filled with joyful cheers. Aries also kept tight-lipped, dressing up Abel's wound. The emperor, on the other hand, cocked his head to the side, assessing what his wife could be thinking at the moment.

Once Aries finished bandaging Abel's arm, she lifted her eyes to him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, cupping his face, eyes full of affection and nonchalance about the countless eyes around them. "It's just a graze… let's not say those insulting words again, my emperor."

His brows rose, taken aback at the realization she had, which he didn't intentionally do.

"Mhm." His eyes softened as the sincerity in her eyes moved his heart. "I'll make them taboo."

Aries forced a meek smile, rocking her head in understanding.

"Wait for me here," she muttered, causing his brow to arch as she faced the person who assaulted him. But before Aries took a step, she looked back at the woman and her little brother.

"Cover his eyes," was all the woman heard from the empress, which she did on instinct. Her gaze followed the empress's figure as she approached the person who assaulted the emperor.

Climaco kept his knees on the man's back and his hand on the back of his head. The other person was still grumbling about his preaches and how everyone was blind to even consider the emperor a good person.

"Your Majesty." Isaiah lowered his head, facing Aries when she stood beside him. "Why did you stop me?"

Aries didn't respond and simply kept her eyes on the man struggling underneath Climaco.

"A leopard doesn't change its spot!" shouted the man furiously, looking back at Aries while grinding his teeth. "Hah — ugh! What are you doing here?! If you think you can ask me for forgiveness, you're wrong! I do not regret fighting for this empire and for my people! Bring that tyrant to me! I'll kill him!"

"You…!" Climaco clasped a portion of the man's hair as he pressed his head against the ground heavily.

"A leopard doesn't change its spot," Aries whispered while Abel stretched his neck to take a glimpse of her back. "I agree with that…"

Aries took a careful step, approaching the man who attacked her husband.

"It seems you have a misconception of me, Mister," she added, snatching a knight's spare sword that was clinging to his hips. "I will not ask you to reflect on your actions, neither did I plan to hear your forgiveness and reasons."

Aries stopped in front of the man, her face devoid of any emotion. Seeing that, the man's mouth fell open, catching the glint of the tip of the blade as she held it vertically, its tip pointing down at him.

"The moment you raise your weapon to the people I care about, you have already lost the right to explain your side." As soon as those rolled out her tongue, Aries unhesitatingly struck the man straight to his nape.