The Tyrant's Pet

"Silence," Joaquin ordered, waving weakly.

Their distinguished guest finally stopped chanting, feeling their throat almost bleed from all that yelling. But as soon as they raised their heads, they noticed the knights surrounding them.

"Since today is the first day of my regime," said Joaquin before they could even ask a question.

"What are you doing?" a nobleman asked to the knight who approached him, only to hear the explanation from the new emperor himself.

"As your new emperor, I would like to give you all a toast," Joaquin smirked, glancing at the knights, which was their cue to give the ministers small jars containing a red substance. The confused gentlemen accepted the tiny jars with furrowed brows, setting their shaking eyes in the throne's direction where Joaquin stood with his arm wrapped around the unwilling empress's waist.

From the outside, their stature and looks alone were worthy of admiration. No one could argue with that, since it was the truth. A dashing emperor and a peerless beauty. But alas, the only good thing about them was their shell, but neither their soul was pure.

"Under my rule, our Maganti will strive for even greater eminence. And for that to happen, you, my humble subjects…" he paused and chuckled, a little pleased with how 'my subjects' sounded in his ear. "… will need to be brilliant in every aspect of life. Not just wealth or your commanding prowess among your fiefs, but also strength and speed."

"I will bestow you these gifts held within those tiny jars," he added proudly, noticing Aries looked at him with disdain. "Take them as part of my gratitude for your loyalty."

The gentlemen's eyes shook at the devious grin plastered across the emperor's face. Their throats bobbed, gazing at the tiny jar in between their fingers. Not knowing the contents inside caused their heart to thud against their chest.

Was it poison? Was the first question that came through everyone's head. But what would Joaquin gain by poisoning them all? He already got what he wanted and was now the emperor.

"Don't worry," Joaquin cajoled, sensing the reluctance from his humble subjects. "That is not poison. If anything, it's the opposite."

He beckoned his hand, urging them to take the jars and drink them. Although the majority of them were reluctant, some people who were determined to survive took a leap of faith. They would die anyway, so they might as well die now.

When a few had shoved the contents of the tiny jar down their throat, some of them observed how they would react. Seeing that aside from confusion and bitterness that appeared on the courageous gentlemen's visage, everyone followed one by one.

As soon as they had a taste of the red liquid, everyone bore the same bewilderment. If their taste buds were correct, what they had drunk was akin to pure blood. They all looked at Joaquin in confusion, waiting for him to enlighten them, but to no avail.

Joaquin, now the Emperor, simply flashed them a satisfied smile. He then set his eyes on Javier, the fifth prince, who also drank a jar that was handed to him.

"Follow the fifth prince and let him examine you." Joaquin nodded at Javier and glanced at the rest. "He will help you realize what these gifts are for. By the time I return here, you will all be enlightened about my generosity."

"You're… sick," Aries muttered, grinding her teeth while keeping her eyes on the noblemen. But her voice only reached Joaquin's ears, making him chuckle in amusement.

"I never said I'm not," he leaned closer to her ear and whispered. "Don't worry. You'll be next."

With that being said, the knights assisted the noblemen to their next destination. Meaning, that they weren't still allowed to leave the palace grounds. Not Yet.

Meanwhile, since it was the new emperor's first day, Joaquin and Aries couldn't roll under the sheet to seal their marriage.

As mentioned, the rising of the new monarch had always been a bloody time. Therefore, their next destination was the front of the imperial palace where they would execute the rest of the royalties and aristocrats to secure the emperor's position. And also, to set them as an example for those who were ambitious to resist the new emperor.

These people whose head was about to roll and dye the scaffolds red were important individuals. The third prince, Ismael Imperial, was the second to the throne. If the crown prince, now emperor, died, he would have succeeded the throne if the emperor had yet without an heir.

Modesto Vida. The man whose words mattered to the royal court and to the church followers could incite a rebellion if he were left alive.

Those two, along with other noblemen, knights under the other royalties, and the knight templars, who had fought honorably for their land and their people sincerely, were now being sentenced to death as sinners and traitors.

As the man who was reading today's agenda aloud, barely a few made a commotion. Hence, everyone could hear the long list of 'sins' and 'crimes' of these men mentioned to the point it was ridiculous.

But that was the point. The execution wasn't playing as how it was supposed to be, but more like a mockery to these men on death row.

Joaquin purposely exaggerated their crimes to the point it sounded comedy just to let these men and these people know he could do everything he wanted. And no one would stop him, nor did anyone have a say in it.

Hearing all this, Ismael, who was standing in front of the stair going to the scaffold with his hands bound behind him, could not help but snort.

"He really has a sick humor," the third prince spat out, grinding his teeth in rage at this indignation.

Meanwhile, Aries, who was promised to have a special seat, sat daintily on the podium where they could see the execution properly and clearly. Beside her was the emperor, casting her a look from time to time, and holding her hand like a lover.

She couldn't hear any protest or anyone trying to disrupt the man reading the list of crimes. But the people's silence was enough for her to discern it was their silent cries.

"Tell me if you don't want to watch anymore."

She turned her head to her side, only to see Joaquin guide her hand and plant a kiss on the back of her hand. He winked at her, keeping their hands on the armrest of his chair.

"I won't force you to watch such barbarity this time," he added solemnly, making her chuckle at his hypocrisy. But instead of pressing his nerves or snatching her hand from him, Aries stared at his side profile in silence until he returned her gaze.

The second their eyes locked on each other, they heard the man, who had been reading the long list of crimes, yell.

"And so, with these crimes, the Third Prince, Ismael Imperial, is sentenced to death via guillotine!"

Cries erupted in the crowd, calling the third prince's name and pleading for mercy. Along with it was the sound of a bell being tolled.