The Tyrant's Pet

"Do you think I am joking?"

Aries and Abel stared at each other in silence. The gears in her head turned at an unimaginable speed, thinking if this was a trap. She understood his capricious mood, but this was no joking matter, nor it was a topic they could take so lightly.

"That\'s strange," he spoke after some time of silence, planting a thumb on her chin. "Others would surely rejoice if I offered their daughter this title, but you... don\'t want it? Was there anything you\'d want from me aside from not killing you?"

Abel cocked his head to the side, blinking cluelessly. "How can I pamper you if you don\'t ask me anything?"

"I... just don\'t embrace things I know I can\'t," came out a soft voice, eyes on those pair of deadly deep rubies. "Being an empress is beyond me."

"You break my heart. Is that the only reason? Or you just don\'t want to carry my last name?" For a split second, bitterness resurfaced in his eyes, but instantly faded without a trace.

"It\'s not like that." She lowered her eyes. "I simply do not want to covet something that I shouldn\'t."

Abel pressed his lips and its corners curved down. "If that is what you say. My offer will remain. Once you decided to be an empress, I will make you one."

As he withdrew his thumb from her chin, Aries snuck a look at him. Her lips formed a thin line, noticing this distinct air around him she couldn\'t describe in words.

<strong>****</strong>

The day had passed in a blur. Aries accompanied Abel throughout the day; meeting nobles, key individuals who contributed to the empire, and staying in his office until the night approached. That had been her routine for the past week.

Today was different.

Aries was bothered throughout the day after her strange conversation with him. Hence, she couldn\'t sleep. So she went out to the balcony for some air.

She hid her body with the shawl wrapped around her, gazing at the dark greenery from the palace she stayed in.  "An Empress, huh?" she whispered, taking a deep breath of fresh air as the night breeze kissed her cheeks.

"Why would he look at me with those empty eyes again when I refused?"

Actually, Aries was smart and talented enough to take up the role. If she put her heart and mind into it, she could be a just ruler of an empire. However, accepting that role also meant she would be forever bound with Abel. Not that that wasn\'t the case right now.

Deep down, she still hoped Abel would let her go one of these days. Although... there was this chilling feeling that this would be harder than she thought.

She opened her eyes slowly. "Is he... becoming obsessed with me?" she wondered, grip on the shawl tightening.

Up until now, Aries treated Abel accordingly, said the things he wanted to hear, and acted comfortably. There were times his face would light up with kindness, even for a split second. She spent day and night with him except tonight, but during all those times, she must admit he was becoming less terrifying.

Although Abel could still be daunting at times, she got used to it already. But did her action cause a different effect than what she anticipated?

"I feel like I am always cornered and need to make a life and death decision," she mumbled with a deep sigh. "It\'s a good thing he said he is busy tonight. That\'s why he won\'t come. I think I can breathe for now."

Just as Aries was about to go back to her room, her brows furrowed. A crow suddenly landed on the railings. Her eyes instantly fell on the rolled parliament, making her look around.

"Is this a letter meant for me?" she wondered, approaching the crow warily. When she was certain the crow wouldn\'t attack her, she carefully reached to untie the rolled parliament tied on its feet.

[ Awake? — Abel ]

"Huh?" Aries checked the back of the small paper to see if that was all it. It was empty. "Did he send a crow just to send that one word?"

She gazed at the crow which was looking back at her. "Was it waiting for me to respond?" Aries studied the crow for a minute before checking the letter once again.

"He\'s scaring me," she whispered before walking back inside, leaving the door ajar. Aries didn\'t idle and perched on the chair in front of the desk, writing back to him.

[ Yes. ]

Aries stopped after writing her answer. But staring at the spaces of the parliament, she felt a bit... guilty. How could they waste papers like this? So, she wrote more.

[ I was standing on the balcony and noticed that I can see the emperor\'s palace from here. I cannot help but think how hardworking the emperor was to be working even late in the night. ]

She read it again, regretting writing this instantly. However, her regret wasn\'t enough to stop her from rolling it. Using the string from the letter she received from him, she tied it meticulously. Aries went outside, and the crow was still there.

"So he is expecting a reply, huh?" she mumbled, approaching the crow discreetly. As soon as she securely tied the letter around the crow\'s feet, it fled. Just like that.

Aries watched it fly away until it faded into the darkness. "Was he bored while in the middle of something important?" she muttered, recalling Abel addressing it as an \'important\' matter.

<strong>*******</strong>

Meanwhile, in the forbidden area of the emperor\'s palace...

Abel stood in front of the window. He raised an arm, letting the crow land on it. The side of his lips curled up, seeing a paper tied around its feet. He carefully untied it, flinging his arm, making the crow fly inside the room.

"She really knows what I want to hear..." he mumbled in delight. "... and drives me crazy."

He read her letter multiple times before he turned around. Abel walked over a body on the floor as if it wasn\'t there, heading to the desk to write back. Once he was done writing, he cocked his head to where the crow was at.

His eyes landed on the piles of body scattered around the bedroom, ignoring the blood splattered across the room. It was a dreadful sight to behold and yet he was unfazed.

"Send this to her," he whistled, making the crow that was nibbling on a person\'s eye fly towards him. Abel tied the letter, and the crow flew to the palace where Aries was staying. As the crow did, Abel assisted himself up.

"I wonder what she will say if I told her about this." He breathed out, staring at the mess he made just so she wouldn\'t die in his hands. "My Aries... you have no idea that the longer you live, the more people will die in your stead..."

Abel sauntered into the opened window, hand on the sill. He breathed in through his gritted teeth, letting his side tooth stretch until they were fangs. He stretched his neck sideways, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"... and I am fine with that."