The Tyrant's Pet

Aries slowly opened her eyes as Abel drew his head back, breaking the kiss after a long time. His eyes were brooding, wiping her lips with his thumb.

"Your Majesty!" Abel didn't look away from her, even when he heard Conan's voice from the side. "We prepared a carriage for you and Lady Aries when we noticed the weather change."

Abel glanced at Conan for a moment while he took off his coat. When his eyes landed on her again, he draped his coat around her shoulders.

"I can almost see everything," he uttered in a low tone, eyes on her. "Anyone who dares look at her will lose their sight instantly."

Her brows elevated, hiding in the huge coat covering her. She glanced at Conan's entourage and saw them all looking away. When she returned her gaze to Abel, the distance beneath his eyes returned. It was as though he didn't kiss her as if he wanted to swallow her just moments ago.

'Just how fickle could he be?' she wondered, arching a brow when he offered a hand.

"Let's go, darling. You'll catch a cold at this rate."

"Oh..." she didn't think about that.

Aries reached for his hand, and as soon as he wrapped his fingers around her hand, Abel strutted away. With her hand under his grip, while clipping the coat with the other, Aries gazed up at him.

All she could see was his back. But somehow, she felt intimidated. Abel surely was the type of person who would make one think he was unreachable just by looking at him. But that didn't matter to her.

"Wai --" Aries nearly tripped as he picked up his pace with those long legs he had. "Wait... too fast..."

She snapped her brows up when Abel glanced over his shoulder and slowed down. Aries bit her inner lower lip. He listened. A subtle smile appeared on her lips, following Abel to the carriage Conan brought with them.

She blinked twice upon seeing that plain carriage. Surely Conan was always quick. He didn't bring the royal carriage to garner the attention of people.

"Go in." Abel opened the door for her, cocking his head. "Make haste. You'll catch a cold."

"You shouldn't have left if a cold bothers you," she mumbled while taking up the step up, holding his hand as she hitched inside.

To her surprise, as soon as she sat down inside the carriage, Abel closed the door while he was outside. Staring at him through the window, she tilted her head to the side.

"Aren't you going to come in?" she asked cluelessly.

"Do you want me to?" he inquired in a knowing tone. "You know what it means if I stayed inside with you, right? I think I already made what I want very obvious."

Aries pressed her lips into a thin line, planting her hands on the sill. "Abel, I am asking this not because I am asking for it, but you also know... you can get what you want. Are you doing this because you don't want to force me?"

"Obviously." He quirked a brow, running a hand through his damped hair.

"Why?" she asked almost immediately. "Why don't you want to force me?"

"Because you're used to it?"

"Pardon?"

"Since you're so used to people forcing themselves into you, it won't be fun anymore, darling." Abel simply cast her a quick look before jerking his chin. "Close the window. The wind is cold."

With that being said, Aries watched him approach the approaching Conan with some knights. A shallow breath slipped past her lips, sliding the window closed before covering it with the curtain.

"It won't be fun anymore, huh?" she murmured, resting her back against the soft backrest of the carriage. "How can he lie with a straight face?"

Aries fidgeted her fingers on her lap, eyes on them. This day wasn't like any other day. At some point, she genuinely forgot Abel was a tyrant who would kill anyone without conscience. It wasn't what she expected.

She touched her lips, still feeling the lingering heat he left. "What was that about earlier?" she wondered, thinking that his kiss earlier wasn't the same as his previous one.

He was hungry. That was what she felt through his kiss. Hungry for sex? Aries was unsure. But the kiss was definitely different. It felt like it was deeper than just sensual intention.

Aries glanced at the curtain as soon as the carriage started moving. It was pouring heavily and there was only one carriage. Did that mean Abel rode his steed under this pour just because he didn't want to touch her against her will?

"He should just continue to be a rotten piece of garbage," she whispered and exhaled. "If he is just a terrible person, it is easy for me."

Her eyes softened at the thought. Why did she stay and waited for him to come back? In her mind, she already had an excuse.

She hadn't found a replacement yet.

Leaving Abel with no one to play with just didn't sit right with her. But was that actually the reason? Aries wanted to believe that was the reason. That it was better to leave Abel if she was certain there was another Aries to indulge with him. In that case, Abel would truly forget about her.

It was a logical reason she made up in her mind. Deep down, Aries was certain that wasn't it, though. But she still wanted to believe that was the reason.

"In any case..." she glanced up and let out a sigh for the umpteenth time. "... I think I already know what kind of Aries he is looking for."

"Ah… I think I will catch not just cold this time," came out a whisper, feeling a slight headache and her breathing grew heavier. "The poison is ruining my body as well."

Aries closed her eyes, already aware she would run a fever after showering in the pouring rain. Her head felt heavy and the slight bounce in the carriage wasn't helping.

'I should've asked him to join me inside,' was her last thoughts before succumbing to the darkness, collapsing to her side.