The Tyrant's Pet

"Ah!!"

Aries roared at the top of her lungs until her throat turned taut, wheezing. Her face and body were nearly covered with blood, but not all were hers. The tip of her sword was dripping with blood, the last remnants of life from those who died in it.

The knights who got in her way were either knocked unconscious or died. But never once did Aries look back to see or regret. She kept moving forward, navigating her way through the hallway and dyeing it red if she must.

Her stiff shoulders relaxed as she dropped her hand along with the sound of another thud which drifted in the commotion echoing from the outside. Aries turned to her left, eyes landing straight on the window. She didn't move a muscle for minutes, catching up to her breathing, until the transparent glass mirrored her.

That was her, she thought. That woman looking back at her who had bathed in blood, a woman with sullied hands, a wretched soul corrupted by hatred and malice.

The last remnants of the Aries she had known — the mischievous princess who had always fought for what was right — was gone.

All that remained was a damned mad woman, a queen of hell, a sadistic killer.

Aries dragged her feet towards the window and planted her hand on it. Blood instantly stuck on its surface, leaving her prints as she moved her hand to the reflection of her eyes. Despite everything that had happened and how she appeared to have come out from a tub of blood, her eyes didn't bear the slightest regret.

Although… her eyes looked exhausted.

"Abel," she whispered, smiling subtly, caressing the reflection of her eyes to wipe the invisible tears she couldn't shed. "Are you there?"

Aries waited for his voice to come through, but it didn't. All she could hear was the continuous metal clashing, yelling, and life fading. She looked past her reflection and saw that the Valiente Group, led by a man in full-body armor already breached the gates. Even without seeing that person's face, Aries was able to recognize the man with just his physique and the air he carried.

Roman.

Her lips curled up, relieved to see the seventh prince swinging his sword without a problem. She hadn't seen Modesto, Climaco, and Ismael since leaving the podium, but she had good faith in them.

"I cleaned the way…" she murmured, lowering her eyes and setting her focus back on her reflection. "… they were not my people but I… I sympathize with them."

The people in the Maganti Empire, although she loathed every single citizen in this nation, Aries couldn't blame all of them. After all, the people… were innocent. Just like those in the land of Rikhill. Those who deserved damnation were the people in power like Joaquin, the late emperor, Aries, Davien, the late king of Rikhill, and the list goes on.

A part of her believed the downfall of Rikhill was partly because the royalties were stubborn. Although their reason for fighting was quite admirable, it wasn't wise nor it was practical. However, although she believed they deserved death for not being able to withstand a formidable opponent, being stubborn was not something she would regret.

Quite complicated, but they fought for what they believed, even if it was foolish.

It was the same with these people in Maganti. Although it was foolish to go up against someone like Joaquin, who had planned for this moment for years, she would foolishly put all her bets on Ismael and Roman, Modesto, and the courageous Valiente Group.

"This is all I can help…" she breathed out. "… the rest is all on you."

Aries rocked her head mildly, smiling subtly even though those people wouldn't see her frail cheer. Initially, she planned everyone's demise and wanted to do the execution herself.

However, staying in this land as the crown princess, Aries learned many things.

She had stopped pointing fingers and recognized where she went wrong in the past, her heart, and the life she wanted in the future. Therefore, instead of total destruction, she wanted to believe in those men's hearts regardless of the blood running in them and the name they carry.

"I hope they can win what I — we in the Rikhill — had lost." She swallowed a mouthful and breathed out.

Aries slid her hand down from the window, leaving blood marks on it. She slowly turned on her heel, dragging the bloody sword to her side, leaving a line on the suede carpet and then on the floor. Her slow steps didn't falter despite hearing hurried footsteps echoing across the imperial palace.

When she turned left, she stopped. She raised her head ever so slowly, narrowing her eyes upon catching a figure ahead. There was Javier, the fifth prince, coming out of one room.

Javier stopped upon sensing a person's gaze from the other end of the hallway. He slowly turned his head and furrowed his brows, catching a woman in red. Blood dripped from her head, ripped dress, and he could barely recognize her from the thick blood covering half of her face and body. If not for those pair of familiar green eyes, he wouldn't recognize her.

"Your Majesty," he called, facing her with a calm smile. "What brings you in here?"

His brows rose, studying her visage. For a moment, he wondered if that blood on her temple was from a head injury or if she got it after slaughtering someone. From his years of expertise, he was certain it was the former.

"Were you trying to run away and got lost?" he asked, advancing three-step so his voice could reach her vantage point. "It seemed your injury was quite bad. Should I treat it for you?"

"Your highness, the fifth prince, Javier Imperial," Aries called, dragging her sword up. "Your expertise in medicine is phenomenal. Many times, I nearly died in the hands of the crown prince Joaquin, but you… bring me back to life. And thus, I sentence you to death... as a token of gratitude for your hard work."