The Tyrant's Pet

"How about inviting some angels from our dear heaven above so they witness the wedding of the century in the city of the dead?"

Conan buried his face in his palm upon hearing another ridiculous suggestion from Abel. He thought he would have some peace preparing a wedding that wasn't his in the palace's inner library. It was presumptuous of him to think that way when Abel was everywhere.

"Hmm… how about a statue of us together and they will create it on the spot? That would be monumental." Abel's lips stretched. His feet were resting over the table between them, arms crossed, eyes flickering with enthusiasm.

"Your Majesty, why did you even give me this task and cut my vacation if you're this invested in this wedding?" asked Conan helplessly, peeking over his palms only to see the devious smile plastered on Abel.

"I'm simply trying to help, Conan."

"Help?" Conan's nose flared as dismay swam in his eyes. "Your Majesty! How can you call this help when you keep suggesting ridiculous things!?"

"I'm worried it won't be as grand as I imagined it."

Conan nearly wept and buried his face in his palm once again. He knew his vacation was over since this familiar stress prickling under his skin was back. If only he knew this vacation would be cut short like this, he would've enjoyed it to its fullest!

"I haven't even found a suitable bride and yet… I'm already planning for someone else's wedding…" he muttered in distress, spreading his fingers to peek at Abel, who was just from across him. "Your Majesty, you're truly thrilled about this wedding."

"Of course I am." Abel looked him dead in the eye. "It's my wedding with the most stunning woman in this unforgiving world."

"And also the ugliest witch," Conan returned with a deep frown, cupping his jaw with the bottom of his palm. "I'm worried about Lady Aries and also… I have this feeling that something is going on in Haimirich."

"People will have a wild time if the people in charge are not around." Unlike Conan, Abel was far too relaxed about what could be happening in Haimirich. "I'm more appalled that my dearest aide hadn't thought about that."

'I did!' Conan could only look at him with a dead expression. Instead of arguing with the stubborn emperor, he shook his head and gazed at the list he was writing before Abel made an entrance.

Meanwhile, Abel studied Conan in silence, fluttering his long eyelashes ever so tenderly. His unreadable expression was something that could make anyone wonder what was going on inside his head. But whatever it was, one thing was for sure… it was not good.

Just as Abel's lips parted, he closed them again at the figure approaching them. Conan also looked back with an arched brow. Both of them watched Dexter advance in their direction in silence until the latter was standing beside the round oak table separating Abel and Conan.

"Great… just when I thought this night could not get any worse," mumbled Conan, sizing Dexter from head to toe with dismay. "If that Duke and that bird came, I will totally lose it."

Dexter glanced at the mumbling Conan but ignored him. He then looked at Abel, watching the latter tilt his head to the side. Abel's brows rose when Dexter didn't say anything while he planted his palm on the surface of the table, eyes fixed on him.

"My, my… you're making me want to fix my posture to appeal in your eyes." Abel broke the silence between them, lips stretching broader. "Like what you are seeing, Marquess? Just in case you don't know, I'm marrying your sister, not you. You're a year late to seduce the irresistible me."

Dexter laughed weakly, but the mockery in his eyes remained. "What are you doing here, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"I am helping my dearest Conan, as you can see." Abel shrugged nonchalantly. Meanwhile, Conan narrowed his eyes, studying Dexter's strange demeanor.

"No, everyone knows you're not helping him." The Marquess shook his head mildly. "You're hiding, are you?"

Abel kept his bright smile while studying the taunting pair of eyes looking back at him. Oh… surely, Dexter hated him to the core.

"Hiding?" Conan mumbled with furrowed brows. "Your Majesty, did you do something crazy again? You didn't sabotage Lady Aries's plans, did you?"

But silence was the only answer Conan received, while the two just looked at each other in a hush.

"Was she angry?" Abel inquired out of plain curiosity, but Dexter laughed in ridicule.

"Why don't you ask her, Your Majesty?" Dexter returned, tilting his head to the side. "Scared to see how she will look at you?"

"I am… terrified, indeed!" Abel intoned, yet his smile persisted. "So much so I don't think I will ever face her until our wedding day and get jilt."

"What are you two talking about?" Conan mumbled, darting his eyes between Abel and Isaiah. There were many factors Abel could do to anger Aries to the point she would kill him and Conan was a hundred percent certain it was justified.

"My fiancee met her father-in-law and my best friend in Maganti," explained Abel to Conan, which made the latter's eyes dilate. Abel then leaned back, resting his arms over the armrest, shaking his feet that were over the table leisurely.

"As I've said, she is so smart for her own good. It'll be a miracle if she doesn't realize it," he added under his breath, closing his eyes to rest them. "Conan, we'll go with the statue."

Conan frowned, watching Abel rest on that chair before shifting his eyes at Dexter. He had shared a fair amount of time with the marquess to know Dexter was a little miffed. He could only think it was because Aries confronted her.

"Ghad… am I wasting time preparing all this?" he grumbled and clicked his tongue in irritation. 'I don't even think this wedding will proceed as planned if Lady Aries already knew about it… about us.'

A frown slowly resurfaced at Conan's at the thought. He glanced at Abel and then at Dexter, who was straightening his back while keeping his eyes on Abel.

They've seen tons of different humans… but none of them looked at them the same way after knowing what they were. Conan was afraid Aries would prove to them she was just like everybody else.

'This is sad…' Conan sighed deeply as he didn't even want to see Aries for now. 'I shouldn't have gotten too attached to her.' — but it was already too late.

Aries was already a part of their life and she could be a great reminder to them why there was a coven in the first place.