The Tyrant's Pet

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"I hope you succeed. I really do, Miguel."

Silence followed Aries's remarks while holding Miguel's gaze without the intention of looking away. The person mirroring in his pair of sad eyes bore a stony countenance, something that was entirely opposite to all the memories she had with Davien.

In her brother's eyes, Aries was the brightest and the warmest. However, Miguel and Davien looked exactly alike, but she had convinced herself they were not the same. She didn't know how Miguel could share her brother's face. However, Aries stopped trying to understand such obvious matters. 

This was the mainland. The people in here would go so low just to bring her down.

"You baffle me, Your Majesty." Miguel broke the prolonged silence with his quiet voice, still holding Aries's empty gaze. "You tell me you will ruin this land, but then hope that I stop you successfully. At one point, I thought it was because you are confident, but at another, I think otherwise. The more I think about it, the more I realize it sounds like you are asking me for help as your reality drowns."

"And yet…" Miguel breathed a jagged breath, loosening his tight fist on his lap. "You aren't reaching your hand out as well. It's like making me watch as you jump off the cliff, leaving me wondering whether I jump after you or watch you fall from there."

His eyes shone with conflicted feelings he couldn't even describe. "What should I do?"

[ What should I do? ]

Those were the last words uttered between them before silence filled in between them until Miguel excused himself.

Aries stayed in the same spot, staring at the empty seat across from her. 

"What should you do?" she whispered, repeating his question to herself. "If I know… you wouldn't have to ask."

That was right. If Aries knew the answer, she wouldn't have to go around in circles. After all, even if she convinced herself that Davien and Miguel were two different people, she couldn't deny Miguel was a sincere man. 

Miguel's sense of duty and responsibility as a citizen of the mainland was genuine. It wasn't like every single individual on the mainland was evil. The mainland might be known as the land of vampires, but after living in this place for years, she came to realize one thing. 

The Mainland was just like any other country. 

The only difference was that their other customs and practice might be considered inhumane and disgusting. But then again, there were those kingdoms outside where slavery, oppression, and cruelty were widespread; they might not drink a person's blood, but humans were also capable of committing inhumane acts. 

Knock Knock!

Aries didn't budge even when she heard a knock outside the door.

"Your Majesty, the young lady of the House —"

"Grandmama!" Even before the person announcing the presence of the queen's guests could finish his announcement, the door was kicked open, followed by a youthful and jolly voice. 

"Hey! You can't just kick the door like that!" 

Aries slowly lifted her eyes toward the door, only to catch a young, chubby little girl grinning brightly at her. The corner of her lips curled up subtly.

"Sunny." Aries waved dismissively to the knight by the door, stopping him from dragging Sunny out of the chancery. "Let her in. I was expecting her."

Sunny cast the Knight a look and then stuck her tongue out. The knight's face turned red, but unable to do or say anything as the mischievous little girl skipped her steps inside.

"Grandmama~!" Sunny's sweet voice echoed in the quiet chancery while Aries flung her legs to the side. But instead of stopping in front of Aries, Sunny shamelessly climbed the queen's lap as if she didn't care if her weight would crush Aries's legs. 

"Sunny." Aries's eyes softened, allowing Sunny to sit on her lap. She even assisted Sunny until the latter found a comfortable spot on her lap. "How are you, Sunny?"

Aries cupped Sunny's chubby cheek, smiling genuinely. "It's been a while since I last saw you. I'm glad you came to visit."

"Grandmama, you won't visit Sunny. So Sunny nagged my papa to take me to the royal palace to see you!"

"Samael?" Aries raised her brows and glanced at the shut door.

"We parted ways when we came into the royal palace." Aries looked back at Sunny as the latter explained. "He told me not to wander off as he attend the bi-annual noble meeting."

"Oh, is that so?"

The bi-annual noble meeting was a gathering of selected noblemen to talk about some matters in the capital. Most of its members were officials in the royal palace, but there were those exceptions like Samael. 

Aries didn't know the details, but she heard the previous king — the king before Maximus IV — invited Samael to become a part of it. Samael used to be very popular on the mainland with his paintings and books; his influence was a useful addition to the noble organization. They mostly focus on the matters of those in the upper echelon.

"I see… so it was that time of the year." Aries nodded in understanding while stroking Sunny's hair gently. "Sunny, I appreciate you wanting to see me. However, the royal palace is a dangerous place. It is not like the empire where you can wander off freely."

"I know." Sunny smiled. "But if I don't visit my grandmama, you won't visit me."

"Well…" Aries felt conflicted, pondering on how to word her explanation. "I am in a tight position that I cannot just go anywhere on a whim."

"Sunny already knows that. That is why I came."

Aries's lips parted, but she ended up pressing them into a thin line, sighing in surrender. "I'm sure your father will not take you here if he knew you'd be in danger."

"Hehe. Even if I was, you will come for me." Sunny's face brightened up with a smile. "Just like how you always came to rescue Sunny in the empire, I know Grandmama will come and find me if I'm in danger. So I wasn't afraid!"

Aries's face softened, staring at Sunny's carefree smile. She cupped the little girl's soft cheek, brushing it with her thumb. 

"Thank you for coming, Sunny," expressed Aries softly. "Should we take a walk in the garden?"

"Mhm!" 

"Then, let's go."