The Tyrant's Pet

It poured heavily for the next three days, which reduced potential damages. Since the fire spread so fast, some parts of the Sapphire Palace were destroyed, but they reported no major accidents or deaths since the castle was abandoned.

To calm everyone down, the crown prince told the mass it was purely an accident.

The fire in the eighth prince's quarters, although got buried with more rumors, resurfaced. Joaquin couldn't afford people to think the security and power of the royal family had gone downhill by using the Valiente Group once again. Therefore, he covered up the story by saying the castle had stored a few crates of unused gunpowders, which explained the explosion.

Many believed this explanation, while others didn't. Even so, the manhunt and protest to put an end to the Valiente Group had grown fiercer. Anyone needed to blame someone when they were scared. And the resistance group had taken the blame after Joaquin pointed his fingers at them even before the recent incident.

"My lady, are you alright?" Gertrude tilted her head to the side, eyes on Aries who was sitting on the futon in her chambers, legs up and knees bent near her buttocks. She was standing just a few steps from Aries, reporting what she had heard so far from the maids and knights in the inner palace where Aries relocated temporarily until the Sapphire Palace was considered safe.

"Have you heard anything about Inez?" she asked after a minute of silence, raising her eyes at Gertrude. The latter shook her head and sighed.

"Apparently, no one seemed to be talking about the ninth princess. Even the servants in Lazuli Palace were tight lips."

Aries rocked her head mildly. Her brow arched as she glanced at Gertrude once again.

"What?" she asked.

"Your Royal Highness, this humble servant simply wants to make sure you were alright," Gertrude awkwardly voiced out, making Aries chuckle.

"Was it about that night of the incident?" Aries shook her head.
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That night, even when she wanted to stop crying, she couldn't. Gertrude and Curtis had to stay with her all night until Aries had fallen asleep. Many believed it was because the explosions traumatized Aries since she was around the area. Only Curtis, who was still acting mute and ignorant, somehow guessed the reason for her tears.

So Aries could understand this hidden worry gleaming behind Gertrude's eyes. A soft chuckle escaped her mouth as she shook her head.

"I am alright now, Gertrude. Never been better," she reassured with an encouraging nod. "I was simply surprised that night, but it's been three days. I had gathered myself together since I can't continue sulking. How was my plan going to continue if I didn't pick myself up?"

"My lady..."

"I appreciate your concern, Gertrude. But you do not have to worry about me. My will is one of my strongest points." Aries humored while raising her brows playfully.

"Yes, my lady. I'm glad that you are feeling better."

Aries smiled. "Anyway, how's Curtis?"

"He is staying right beside your room, Your Highness. He can now stand longer, although he seemed to have picked up the habit of reading." — more like staring at the book, but Gertrude didn't want to say that to Aries.

Aries simply stared at Gertrude and sighed. Until now, Gertrude didn't know that Curtis had actually recovered, albeit not fully.

"I will visit him later." She waved, and Gertrude bowed.

"By the way, Gertrude, summon the captain knight in charge of the crown princess's safety on your way out," Aries added when Gertrude turned on her heel to leave the crown princess' room.

Gertrude looked back and tilted her head down. "I will, Your Royal Highness."
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As soon as the click of the door caressed Aries's ears, she blinked and her eyes sharpened. She stayed in her lazy position, reclining on her side, arm over the armrest, feet bent on the futon.

"Your Royal Highness, this is the captain of the second squadron, Climaco," announced the man outside the door to which Aries responded with a calm, "come in."

Aries watched the man clad in his uniform enter the room wearing a stoic expression. Climaco carefully closed the door behind him, marching in, stopping three steps from the coffee table in front of the crown princess. He placed his fist across his chest as he bowed before holding his hand behind him.

Unlike when Climaco was just a knight with no position, this man's demeanor had changed a little. He carried himself with more dignity and carried more pride in him befitting for his position. It was amusing how one can change with no one noticing unless they didn't see that person for quite some time or just like in Aries's case; she didn't pay attention to this person since Carlos' banishment.

"How are you faring, Captain?" Aries broke the ice with her soothing voice.

Nove l B(in).C OM

"Thanks to Her Royal Highness, I had been well."

"Fantastic." Aries rocked her head mildly before jerking her chin to the armchair on her right. Climaco swallowed down a mouthful of saliva and lowered his head, trudging towards the armchair, and sat down on it.

Aries smirked, noticing the sweat forming on his nape and under his collar. "I will not eat you. Calm down." She humored, chuckling when he snuck a look at her, only to look down.

"Have you heard anything about the ninth princess?" she asked without beating around the bush.

"I heard she was kept in the dungeon prison in the inner palace," reported Climaco to the crown princess, since he knew she would be interested in this. "But the security is tight, and I had to be discreet since the knights in charge of the prison in the inner palace were receiving direct orders from the crown prince."

"In other words, you can't sneak me in, huh?" Aries arched a brow while Climaco lowered his eyes. "Don't worry, Captain. I summoned you today, not because I want you to sneak me into the dungeon."

Climaco heaved a quiet sigh of relief, but then heard her and laughed.

"I summoned you because I have a question for you," she continued, waiting for him to raise his eyes to her. Her smirk stretched when she caught his furrowed brows.

"Between the crown prince and I, whose orders will you follow?"