The Tyrant's Pet

"You don't want to stay?"

Aries looked to her left and smiled at Curtis. When the sun went down, she and Abel decided to join the banquet Conan threw. Everyone was already dancing, singing, drinking, and laughing when they arrived. Hence, no one noticed them, which was their plan. It was better if no one noticed them, but Curtis was sharp and dragged her with him for a stroll.

"No." Aries looked ahead at the bustling street, walking down the pavement with her hand behind her. "Rikhill was once my home, but now... Abel is. I will follow him wherever he would go even if his destination is hell."

His brows rose, studying her side profile momentarily. "Are you happy, Aime?"

"Mhm... very much." Her smile grew gentle as her eyes shone elegantly. "Do you think I am being selfish? For choosing him over this land?"

"Not at all. You've fought for this land your entire life. I don't think anyone has the right to consider that is selfishness." Curtis cast her a quick side-eye, smiling encouragingly at her. "I am just worried about you and, if possible, I want to keep you safe in this place."

Aries chuckled as she looked ahead, inhaling the chill night breeze blowing past her face. Rikhill had changed since the last time she had seen it. It used to be a flourishing country with a small percentage of poverty. But now, the houses were rundown, and the ground has cracks everywhere. It looked like a poor country, but the festive air contradicted everything.

Joaquin simply wanted to squeeze every ounce of resource in this land, so maintaining it was a waste of time. But that didn't matter anymore. Aries was looking forward to how Curtis would make this country great again. Although it might not be as its own country, but as part of the Maganti Empire.

"Time flies so fast, huh?" she whispered after some time. "Back in Maganti, I never imagined I would walk these streets again with a smile and relief in my heart. It feels like a dream."

"Mhm... it really feels like a dream."

Silence once again befell their shoulders, listening to the cheers the soft wind carried. This time, they didn't speak for a long time as they reminisced about the previous years of their lives. Aries and Curtis had known each other since childhood and they watched each other grow; they knew each other's worries, dreams, and secrets.

They were present in each other's life when this country was at its peak and even during its downfall. The past years weren't easy for the two of them. Being captive prisoners of Joaquin didn't give them the slightest sliver of hope, and thus, this freedom they were basking in still felt surreal.

And without telling each other, this freedom slightly gave them these unspoken fears. What if this was all a dream? What if they were still in their cages and hallucinating to escape reality? They wouldn't take it well if they woke up and realize that was the case.

"Have you ever pinched yourself?" Curtis broke the prolonged silence between them and set his eyes on her, still strolling on the sidewalk. His question caused her to chuckle.

Aries lowered her eyes and shook her head. "Many times, yes. Sometimes, I will bite my tongue until it's bleeding... because it's better to know if this was all a beautiful nightmare early on." She glanced at him and smirk. "How about you? Have you ever pinched yourself?"

"As many times as you did, I guess." He shrugged as he looked ahead. His lips stretched from ear to ear. "It's hard to believe it, right? That we can now walk freely, Rikhill being free from his clutches, his downfall, and just... everything. Even though I wouldn't wake up every time I pinch myself, it'll take a lot of years before I will fully believe we're free."

"Mhm... but you'll be fine Kurt," she crooned. "We'll be fine for sure."

"Like always." Curtis smiled subtly as his eyes softened upon hearing her call him how she usually called him in the past. "We'll be fine."

"Huh?"

Both of them stopped upon reaching the square where they could see the familiar Conan with a group of people around a giant bonfire.

"Bohoo...!" Conan wept with his hand covering his face. "I didn't get married! How is this possible?!"

Around Conan were local men who Conan befriended during the banquet. With them were Climaco and Morro, who were forced to watch over Conan as he had been drinking more than he should. Aside from those two, the locals sitting on the crates they took from somewhere were all grinning, allowing the host of this huge feast to vent his woes. And from what they all heard, Conan's major dilemma was not being married at this age.

"My lord, you shouldn't cry so much for not having a wife!" one middle-aged man exclaimed so his voice could reach Conan's ears. "Being married is one tough life! My wife always nags me and she has all the powers in our humble abode. She'll kill me if I ever think of having fun alone."

"That's right. Once the honeymoon stage is over, it's just stress! Pure stress!"

"I disagree."

"That's because your wife is as holy as a nun! My wife will eat me alive!"

"Your wife will kill you if she hears you right now."

"Haha! Now that I think about it, I want to brag about my wife. She's wonderful."

"Oy! Doesn't mean my wife scares me, I can't brag about her, eh!?"

"But isn't that life is?" another man argued with booze in his hand. "Marriage is hard, but so is life! Having someone who loves you and has always been there for you through good and bad times is not easy, but at the same time, rewarding! That's better than growing old alone."

"That's right! Wuu!!" Conan harrumphed, shedding actual tears as he agreed on the oldest man in their group. "I want to spend my life with someone beautiful and smart; someone I can kiss every morning and night, take a bath with, and exchange cheesy dialogue!!"