The Tyrant's Pet

Aries had questions; she was curious. After reading the letter Abel received from the mainland, her curiosity peaked. She heard stories from Abel of what his life was like before, and he had told her things he remembered. His interest in his life on the mainland was close to none, and if Aries going to comment, Abel's life on the mainland seemed just a tiny bit uneventful. It made sense, though. Abel wouldn't leave the mainland if there were things that could occupy him.

Since that was the case, Aries thought it was useless to keep asking Abel. Her husband was just useless in matters of relation. Everyone was his dearest friends — even those he had killed. Although Abel had told her little things about this man, Maximus, the information wasn't enough to help her, so she knew how to deal with him.

Therefore, days later since receiving the letter, Aries made time to meet Conan.

"Hang!"

<strong>Thud!</strong>

Aries let out a shallow breath as she caught Conan and several knights surrounding the gallows as they executed the people they had arrested in the black market. She heard about the trial and their death sentence, but they weren't being executed publicly for political reasons.

"... therefore, you were sentenced to be hanged!" while the official was reading the list of crimes, the next batch of people walked up to the scaffold after the knights moved the first batch of dead men to the wagon like bags of wheat.

The moment the official read their sentence, the executioner pulled down the lever, opening the surface each man was standing on. The official continued reading as some knights waited for a moment before removing the bodies and then putting the noose on the next batch. It was a cycle that everyone had gotten used to, and these felons deserved it.

"Lord Hakebourne," called Aries as she approached Conan's figure near the gallows, making Conan look back at her.

"Your Majesty?" Conan furrowed his brows before he beckoned a neck bow out of formality. When Conan did, the knights around paused to pay respect to the empress.

"Don't mind me. Do not delay your duties because of me — continue." Aries waved dismissively and then set her eyes back to Conan. "A word?"

Conan glanced around before he nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty."

With that being said, Conan assisted Aries to the open hallway near the execution platform. He was overseeing the execution and making sure no puny business would occur. Standing in the open hallway connecting two castles, Aries glanced to her side.

Suzanne lowered her head and wordlessly created her distance from the two. She had been assisting Aries, and everywhere the empress go, Suzanne had to be with her at all times. Unless Aries had given her a different order.

"What do I owe this visit, Your Majesty? You could've summoned me to the Rose Palace instead of going to the execution yourself," said Conan politely.

He and Aries might be friends and don't consider their position privately, but it was different when they were out in the public. No one knew who was listening; hence, they had to maintain a level of diplomatic rapport.

"I think you already have an idea why I sought you in the middle of the day." Aries cast him a sidelong glance, then kept her gaze on the execution platform from a distance. "Have you heard about the letter from the future guest of the empire, Lord Hakebourne?"

Conan pressed his lips into a thin line as he lowered his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I had discussed it with His Majesty, but it was proven pointless. His Majesty isn't certain of the true nature of his friendship with that man." Aries didn't beat around the bush. "Therefore, as the empress, who is also in charge of the royal household and not just the commonwealth, I came here in hopes you might enlighten me."

There was a moment of silence between Aries and Conan. She tried to be patient as she waited for him to answer while killing time, watching the execution from the distance.

"Lord Hakebourne," she called after a minute of silence. "You were correct. I could've just summoned you to the Rose Palace. However, I came here and questioned you here as the empress of this land and not just your friend. I made a promise to my friend I would wait until he was ready to share his story, but as the empress, I do not have much time."

"Moreover, I heard about the execution. There were times I would watch it even if it turns my stomach just because I had to remind myself of what I should do if the situation calls it," she added sternly, not giving him a single look. "Abel used to say if not them, then it's me. I'd rather have others suffer than my family. Selfish, it may sound, but that is just how this world was. If you don't eat, you'd be the meal. And I planned to have a feast."

Aries slowly turned her head to Conan. Her expression was stony and her eyes distant, the usual look she would sport with everyone but rarely in front of him.

"This man… King Maximus IV, what is he like?" she asked once again, holding his gaze so he wouldn't look away.

Conan pressed his lips and let out a shallow breath. He slowly looked away, setting his eyes back to the execution.

"Maximus IV… is like His Majesty," answered Conan under his breath.

"Are you saying he is just as crazy — intense as my husband?" Aries also shifted her eyes in the direction he was staring at.

"No, Your Majesty." Conan's eyes lowered as they softened from equal bitterness and personal affliction. "The man I used to call my big brother is just like His Majesty when he was on the mainland. They were both kind, curious, and generous."

"Before His Majesty became a tyrant, he was the kindest and the most thoughtful person I had known. And I detested him for that. I used to think it was because he was a Grimsbanne and thus, he acts superior by being kind and mature," he continued solemnly, recalling what Abel was like on the mainland. "I disliked him even more when he had grown close to the only brother I am genuinely fond of."

"What made you leave the mainland, Lord Hakebourne?" she asked, already aware of this part of the story. "If you are truly fond of your brother and detested Abel, why did you follow him and didn't stay with your brother?"

This time, Conan took a pause as his jaw tightened. "Because the brother I knew wasn't the brother I truly have." He carefully turned his head to Aries.

"Maximus IV is the paragon of deception, Your Majesty. You will never even know you were dancing to his tune until he stops the music. But that doesn't what make him truly dangerous. What truly made him dangerous was that he had always exalted His Majesty." he added. "An admiration that is disregarded can incite an evil outcome."

"If he could hurt me for being friends with His Majesty, he wouldn't definitely let you off for capturing his heart."