The Tyrant's Pet

Aries's lips were stretched from ear to ear as she approached Joaquin's vantage point. When she left her tent minutes ago and parted with Inez, Aries was stopped by a noble lady to give her a trinket and wish her good luck. It surprised her at first, as the maiden looked at her with great admiration.

She wouldn't think much about it, but more ladies mustered their courage after that first noble lady's action. So now, Aries collected quite a few trinkets before she stood in front of Joaquin and the few people with him.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness," she greeted with a slight neck bow, smiling at Abel, "Baron Albe," and then at Ismael, who was surely here to press the crown prince's nerves. "Third prince. I'm very glad to have you in here."

"You seemed to have garnered quite a lot of admiration." Joaquin pointed out, watching Aries grin happily as she raised her hand to show off the trinkets which were around her index. "I'm glad to see that my wife is recognized and admired."

"Well, you should, since I'm born to be admired." Aries giggled while playing with the trinket before her brows rose.

"What?" she asked, noticing the strange look in Joaquin's and Abel's eyes. It was as if the two of them were expecting something from her.

"Nothing, crown princess."

The crown prince's smile didn't reach his eyes, but Aries didn't dwell on it. But what she was more concerned about was the look in Abel's eyes. Abel wasn't smiling or frowning, but the expectations in his eyes were too obvious not to notice.

'What is it?' she wondered.

Aries stopped playing with the trinkets on her finger when she notice Abel gazing at them. She bit her inner lip, shifting her eyes at the silent Joaquin, who was simply staring back at her, waiting for something as well.

'My darling Abel… you are not expecting me to hand you a trinket in front of everyone, do you?'

"Your Royal Highness, didn't you make a trinket to wish the crown prince good luck for the hunt?" Ismael suddenly spoke as loud as he could, taking the opportunity to get on Joaquin's nerves. The latter cast the third prince a cold glance, to which Ismael replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"Well, you've been busy, so it can't be helped!" he continued while his lips stretched from ear to ear. "But I'm certain the crown prince will still win the hunting competition, even if you didn't give him a trinket as a lucky charm."

"I'm taking part as well," Aries replied, causing Ismael to raise his brows. "I didn't make a trinket since I'm one of the candidates and I don't wish luck to my opponents."

She displayed the trinkets she collected for the three men to see. "The crown prince already knows my heart is with him, but I can be quite competitive. We'll see if the ladies' spirits will help me."

"Circe is right. She is a participant and shouldn't be treated any less." Joaquin chimed in to save some face, hiding the slight disappointment in his heart from his expectations. "Still, even if you are my wife, I won't go easy on you."

"Heh," Aries smirked, moving her hand to her side with her palms open. Climaco, the knight, as if on cue, placed the crossbow on her hand, which she gripped securely with her left hand on the foregrip and below the crossbow's rail.

"I'll be disappointed if you do." She aimed at him playfully, but her eyes veered to the person — Abel — standing next to Joaquin. "Promise me."

"I'll console you later." Joaquin planted his hand on top of the crossbow and guided it down. "Let's go. The event is about to start."

"Right." Aries handed the crossbow back to Climaco while keeping her eyes on Joaquin.

With that being said, the crown princess and the crown prince headed to the raised platform while the rest followed them. As Joaquin's lackeys passed by them, Ismael was about to leave as well but halted when he noticed Abel was still standing still in his spot.

"Is she cupid?" Abel mumbled, causing Ismael to furrow his brows.

"Huh?"

"Your highness, do you think the crown princess is the cupid in disguise?" this time, Abel looked back at the third prince to inquire about something the prince would never think he would hear today.

"What are you saying?"

"I believe she is because the arrow went straight through my chest."

Abel pointed at his chest, sporting a solemn front as if he fell in love just now. However, that wasn't the point. Ismael gazed at this man in dismay who was audacious enough to speak his fantasies about the crown princess without a care of who would hear him! Not to mention how he spoke informally, as if the two of them were equal — not that this had ever mattered to Ismael.

"I want to build a cult and worship her. Too bad she didn't give me a trinket — I would've made one if I know," Abel mumbled as he gazed in the direction where Joaquin and Aries went. "See you around, prince."

Ismael's face contorted as Abel suddenly slapped his chest with the back of his hand lightly. For a moment, all he could do was watch the latter follow the noblemen who were walking behind the crown prince and crown princess.

"Did he... just pat my chest?" he wondered, studying the man's back and his arrogant manner of walking.

Joaquin was a man who would keep everyone he could use closely. Thus, it was no surprise he would keep a few lower nobles with him to be his fodder.  But that man Aries addressed as Baron Albe seemed different.

It was a gut feeling Ismael had. That Baron gave him this restlessness and inexplicable feeling he couldn't put in words.

'When the crown princess let herself known to me that night…' His eyes glinted as he set his eyes on Aries who was standing beside Joaquin in the middle of the raised platform. 'I've been suspicious of the unfamiliar faces I've encountered since.'

Ismael nodded mentally, knowing Aries had people behind her like Conan, who was a hundred times more capable than any elite knight.

'Was Baron Albe one of the crown princess' people?' he wondered and at the same time, he heard Joaquin announce to everyone;

"This hunting season will now commence!"