The Tyrant's Pet



Aries should have drawn the line between her and Miguel from the very beginning. She shouldn't have waited or dwelled in the mystery behind that face of his.

If only she had done that… If only she had turned a blind eye to that face and listened to the advice she had told herself, she wouldn't be in too much pain.

The saying it was better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie was a lie. Aries just wished not to know anything at all. The truth that she had yet confirmed but reckoned was enough to devastate her.

"That's all, Your Majesty." Suzanne bowed, keeping her hands linked before her. When she uncurled her back, Aries was still working on the documents without casting her handmaiden a look. 

"Your Majesty…"

"I heard you, Suzanne," said Aries without taking her eyes off the documents she was signing. "Tell Marcia Graves I can't meet her right now. I think I know enough about what is going on in this territory that I need to have a word with her."

"But Your Majesty, Marcia Graves seemed to be alarmed —"

"If that is all, then leave me for now, Suzanne. I have a lot of catching up to do. I will appreciate a moment of peace and silence." Aries paused, lifting her gaze to Suzanne. "I am fine, Suzanne."

Worry would always swirl in Suzanne's eyes whenever Aries would bury herself at work. Suzanne served Aries even when they were candidates for the empress in the Haimirich Empire. Therefore, she knew when something was wrong or when Aries was bothered by something. 

Aries had been laser-focused whenever she was working recently, after all. She wouldn't even look at Suzanne.

"I will be on standby, Your Majesty." Suzanne didn't pry, knowing Aries would confide in her if she couldn't take it anymore. "Call me if you need me in any way."

Aries said nothing, watching Suzanne bow again. The latter didn't make a sound as she left, making it easy for silence to fill the chancery as soon as she closed the door.

"Hah…" Aries let out a deep exhale, leaning back. She tilted her head back, eyes shut to rest. 

"I shouldn't make it so obvious to not worry her," came out a whisper, letting her stiff body melt on the chair. "Get it together, Aries. Your life and everyone's lives were on the line."

Silence slowly reigned in the chancery until Aries could hear her own breathing. It was just pin-drop silence, keeping her eyes shut.

She didn't know how long she was in that same position until she opened her eyes. The room was already slightly dark, making her turn her head to the window.

"The sun had its fun," she murmured, seeing that the incoming darkness had already devoured half of the beautiful tangerine in the sky. "And when night rolls in, obviously, those who live in the dark crawl out of their cave — I am busy, so I will appreciate it if you keep it short and simple."

Aries maintained her cold and sharp countenance, peeling her eyes from the window. Her eyes fell on the dark corner of the chancery until a person's silhouette grew clearer.

"I supposed this is what they call a very productive day," remarked Aries with a tinge of ridicule. "I heard lots of good things about you, Giselle. It was an honor to have you here finally, though unannounced.

The person in the dark corner of the chancery slowly slinked out of the shadows. There, revealed a person in a huge and ragged cloak.

"Unannounced, but invited." A soft voice of a woman echoed in the quiet chancery, pulling the hood down to reveal her face. The woman's eyes were closed, but her facial features were refined and pretty. "Greetings, Your Majesty. Apologies for my rude intrusion."

"There were many things you need to apologize for, don't you think?" Aries humored, smirking. "Planting a spy on me, watching my every movement, and things one shouldn't do to others. Won't you apologize for them?"

"I recall doing no such thing." Giselle, the blind woman, lowered her head. "However, I apologize if Your Majesty thinks like that."

"Interesting choice of words." Aries rocked her head, chuckling with her lips closed. "Enough with the formalities. I was simply hoping you'd at least apologize to me. But well, I shouldn't have put my hopes up." 

"So." Aries cleared her throat, looking at the blind woman with a curious look. "State your purpose. Why are you here?"

The woman, Giselle, didn't answer immediately. She had her eyes shut, but her face was facing in Aries's direction. If Aries didn't know the truth, she would think Giselle had other means to see.

"I know you've been curious about the reason Miguel Rothschild looks like your brother, the crown prince of the land of Rikhill, Davien." Aries scoffed upon hearing Giselle's opening remarks. "If you want to know the truth, meet me on the night of the coven on the first night of the full moon."

"I will give you the truth you seek," Giselle added softly but with great certainty. "And I will cure Miguel Rothschild from the disease that had been eating him from the inside."

Deep lines appeared between Aries's brows. 

"This is a formal invitation from the Raven," Giselle spoke again. "It was our pleasure to have you there and set things back to their rightful place."

"You mean you are inviting me to a gathering where I, Aries Heathcliffe-Grimsbanne, would be the sacrificial lamb?" Aries chuckled in mockery. "What makes you think I would walk to a death trap willingly?"

"A gigantic magic circle surrounds the Mainland — by that, including the Forbidden Forest." Giselle didn't waste a breath to answer. "You don't want those children in the empty March to take your spot, don't you, Your Majesty?"

Aries secretly balled her hands into tight fists.

"I don't want to resort to such methods," continued Giselle as she slowly faded into the shadow. "I'll see you on the first night of the full moon."