The Tyrant's Pet

"I think the seventh prince, Roman, is the mole we've been looking for."

Joaquin was sitting behind his desk, staring at the empty office and listening to the different volumes of silence. His wife's voice would constantly resonate in his head, telling him of things he purposely ignored.

"Violet."

That was the only explanation Aries gave him why she was 'assuming' Roman could be the mole. She told him she had been monitoring and looking out for him, which made sense. Recalling the time with the failure of Ismael's arrest and how things turned around, it wasn't surprising if the crown princess had a general idea of the situation.

"Roman…" Joaquin whispered, blinking ever so tenderly. "… you better prove her wrong."

Knock knock…

The door slowly creaked open after three calm yet distinct knocks. Joaquin kept his eyes ahead, watching the figure entering his vicinity from his peripheral.

"Greetings to Your Royal Highness. I, the seventh prince, arrive after you summoned me." Roman bowed with his fist across his chest. He kept his hands behind him and stood straight, eyes on the crown prince's side profile.

Silence…

Roman knitted his brows at the prolonged silence as Joaquin didn't react for a long time. A part of his heart felt restless. He disliked Joaquin's silence. Although the crown prince would usually stay hushed, the thickening quietness in the room was suspending the inbound breeze.

And yet, Roman kept his thoughts to himself and waited patiently. But when Joaquin's lips parted, his voice seemed to devour the silence in one giant bite.

"The Valiente Group…" Joaquin snapped his eyes and slowly set them at Roman. "… will go down tonight."

Roman furrowed his brows. "Tonight?"

"Prepare my people, Rome." The crown prince peeled his eyes away from him, and they glinted dangerously. "The Valiente district will be free from those barbarians tonight. We'll decorate it nicely with their heads in the stakes."

Roman lowered his head and grip his wrist tightly. He kept quiet only for a brief moment; he couldn't prolong his hesitation and surprise if he didn't want to get found out.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," replied the seventh prince, hanging his head low. "I will prepare everyone tonight."

When Roman raised his head, all he saw was Joaquin's unsmiling side profile. He didn't speak any longer as he excused himself and left the crown prince's chancery. Whatever motivated the crown prince to move up the attack wasn't important. What mattered now was… Ismael was a step behind once again.

Roman let out a deep exhale as soon as he stood outside the crown prince's office. His eye glinting, jaw tightening.

'I don't have time,' he told himself as he sauntered off. 'I can't meet him or send someone to give Ismael a heads up. Joaquin… what the hell is that man planning? He wasn't the type to act recklessly and gain casualties more than he is willing to sacrifice. I don't have a good feeling about this.'

<strong>****</strong>

Back in the crown prince's chancery…

Joaquin blinked slowly as soon as the door shut closed. His eyes were darker and unforgiving than ever. After several seconds, the other door connecting to the next room opened.

"Your Royal Highness, you asked for me?" Hernan bowed, standing at the corner of the room near the door he came from. Although he had already heard Joaquin's orders to Roman, he remained silent. If Joaquin had summoned them at the same time but kept the other's presence a secret, then that only meant Joaquin had something in mind.

"You heard my orders, Hernan." Hernan swallowed a mouthful of air the second his eyes met those sharp, menacing eyes. "If the Valiente fell at this surprise attack, then good. However, I have a feeling it won't be that easy."

"Your Royal Highness, what do you mean by that?"

Joaquin leaned back and threw his head back, eyes closed. When he reopened his eyes, his lips parted.

"Prepare a party of elite knights and also my shadow knights. Tonight's agenda isn't about massacring everyone in Valiente." The crown prince set his eyes back to Hernan, bearing murderous intent. "Tonight's real agenda is to trap the rat sneaking around in my territory."

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

"Welcome back, Your Royal Highness."

Aries ignored the beeline of servants who welcomed her back into the vestibule of the palace. Her steps were quick, but she maintained her poise, chin up. Her steps didn't falter as she went straight to Curtis' room. When she reached the outside of his room, she stopped and looked to the left.

Several maids had followed her to help her get changed to follow her routine. However, she wasn't in the mood to play the temperamental crown princess whose lifestyle was too expensive for anyone to afford.

"I'm not in the mood for any pest today." She spoke, watching the maids flinch all at the same time at her crisp voice. "Do not bother me while I calm myself down. Unless you want to quench my anger by beheading yourself."

She studied the maids who were hanging their heads low. Seeing that they were tamed enough to know her moods, she pushed the door open and slammed it closed. As soon as Aries was at the shut door behind her, she caught Curtis staring at the window like usual.

"That damn bastard…" she seethed, balling her hand into a fist. "How can I not consider he had another card up in his sleeve?"

Her eyes heat up in anger, glinting with killing intent. Aries stood there, smoldering in anger, while Curtis carefully snapped his eyes and gazed at her.

"Anything wrong?" he asked and tilted his head. "It's rare to see you seething in anger. You always keep it in."

Aries huffed as she held her head and stomped her feet towards him. The second she plopped her butt down on the futon while he was in the armchair, she kept her eyes low.

"Joaquin doesn't trust me just yet," she confessed through her gritted teeth. "I needed to do more for him. Something as big enough as to sell my good knight out."

Curtis creased his brows. "You rat out the seventh prince?" he asked, and her silence was enough to get his answer. "And change your plan entirely?"

"Not entirely. He can't die…"

"And how are you going to save him when the crown prince is probably laying his traps now?" Curtis replied as quickly as the wind, waiting for her response, only to receive a grunt. A shallow breath slipped past his lips before he stood from his seat to sit beside her.

"I got it." He elbowed her lightly. "Isn't that why you are here?"

"I don't have a choice." Aries ground her teeth and faced him. "I promised you to keep you out of it, but —"

Curtis shook his head to stop her. The side of his lips curled up and held her hand, nodding at her encouragingly.

"I know you promised to keep me out of it, but I've been a part of this, Aime. The crown prince put me through hell, and I would rather die than see him succeed without a sign of his fall." He squeezed her hand mildly. "I got it. Trust me. I hate to prolong my stay in here just as much as you."