The Tyrant's Pet

Throughout the luncheon, Aries kept her act together and didn't show the slightest hint that Curtis troubled her. This was the life of the Imperials. They would trample other people and they would still have an appetite to enjoy a lavish meal.

Sitting inside the sitting room where she was resting after parting with Joaquin, Aries kept her eyes on Curtis, who was kneeling in front of her. She hadn't spoken a word the second she reached this room and simply stared at Curtis, who was scratching his temple with the back of his hand.

"Can you remember me?" were the first words that slipped past her lips, but to no avail. Curtis wasn't responding and was acting like a real animal.

Her hand balled into a tight fist, jaw tightening as she clenched her teeth. She understood if Curtis lost his mind with what he experienced in this place, resulting in becoming a submissive dog. Aries experienced the same hell, and she could only think of the worse this man went through to survive even if it meant living like a dog.

"Curtis," she called under her breath, getting off of the settee to squat in front of him. She cupped his face, searching for his eyes before she spoke once again. "Look at me. Don't you recognize me?"

Curtis simply looked at her before he stuck his tongue out to lick the back of his hand. Her expression creased as she bit her lower lip, her heart sinking.

"Curtis!" she shook his shoulder, calling him through her gritted teeth. "Have you really lost your mind? You're smart. I'm certain you're simply faking it!"

Aries shook his shoulder, unable to control her strength until she accidentally pushed him. Curtis hit his back against the edge of the coffee table, causing him to whimper and tremble in fear. Her mouth fell open, tears swam in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, crawling towards him. When she came close, he lowered his head in fear, curling his frail body into a ball. But Aries ignored this defensive stance as she wrapped her limbs around him.

"I'm sorry, Curtis." She bit her bottom lip as hard as she could, cradling him in her arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She thought the pain Joaquin inflicted on her people had ended on her. She really believed she was the last who had suffered in Joaquin's hands. How foolish of her. Joaquin was a man who always had an alternative plan if the first one didn't do as expected.

The only logical thing why Aries never knew about Curtis was because she talked her way out of her own cage, subsequently escaping Joaquin's clutches and meeting Abel. He probably prepared this surprise before taking her life, but now he used Curtis to uncover her disguise.

"How dare he…" Aries's tears weren't from pain or pity, its source was anger. She rubbed Curtis' back gently, but her eyes were blazing. "… I'll make them pay, Curtis. I'm sorry… I didn't know."

There was a long silence in the sitting room as Aries coaxed Curtis until they both calmed down. After gaining control of her emotions, Aries called for a servant to bring her medicines and ointments for Curtis, which they brought immediately.

"You've done well until now, Curtis." She smiled, squatting on the floor while putting ointment on the scab on his kneecaps. Curtis was behaving well while looking at her kind features and gentle touches. He flinched when her hand sprawled towards him only to receive a gently pat on his head.

"No one will touch you anymore, I promise." Aries nodded reassuringly, looking him straight in the eye. "So, don't be afraid anymore, hmm? No one will hurt you anymore for as long as you're with me."

Although he just stared at her with eyes full of curiosity, Aries kept her smile and would constantly speak with him. The skin on his knees had grown thick with fresh and old wounds. After tending to his knees, Aries took care of his hands.

His hands used to do miracles in everything he touched. Curtis had this talent for making things work when he get his hands on them or just making them more pleasant in the eye. But now, these hands were covered with callouses with a broken finger and a missing pinky on his right hand.

"You will be fine." A forced smile dominated her face as she bandaged his hand. "Don't walk like that anymore, hmm? Don't use your hands and knees when walking. Otherwise, you will continue on damaging them until you can no longer use them."

Aries lifted his chin with a finger, locking eyes with him. "I'll help you stand on your own again, I promise. So, keep your chin up. There is no shame in being a victim."

Curtis didn't respond, but his lack of response didn't sway her motivation to help him. Bringing his sanity back might be impossible, but she was determined to make him live normally.

Just as Aries stood up, a loud knock from outside reached her ears, followed by a panicking voice. Her brows creased as she ordered the servant to come in.

"Your Highness!" Aries narrowed her eyes as soon as she saw the pale complexion of the servant. "Something happened in the inner palace…!"

Her eyes slowly dilated upon listening to the 'bad' news the servant relayed. Without a second hesitation, Aries commanded, "tell the servant to bring my pet to my quarters," as she marched towards the door.

The word she received was enough to rattle anyone who heard it. The servant led Aries on the way until the two of them reached the entrance of the inner palace. Aries stopped from the distance, seeing panicking knights and everyone working in the inner palace flock in front of the entrance of the inner palace.

Everyone's eyes were up, causing her gaze to follow where they were looking at. Aries held her breath on instinct upon seeing a decapitated head tied with a rope, swinging like a door chime from the window on the third floor — the floor where the crown prince's office was at.

"Alright everyone, the show's over…"

When the knights told everyone off and someone was already pulling what was hanging over there, Aries snapped her eyes away from the window. However, just as she did, she caught a familiar figure standing out among the crowd. She checked and her brain momentarily went blank.

There, standing in broad daylight and among the crowd, was Abel, smiling and winking at her before he resumed blending with the noblemen about the incident.

"…"