The Tyrant's Pet

Dexter reminded Aries not to go to the forbidden palace, but that was just something that fueled her curiosity. She never heard of Abel having a son. Aries wanted to see what kind of place the crown prince's dwelling was, yet no one was talking about it.

'Just a peek,' was what she told herself repeatedly until she reached the said palace. Dexter didn't tell her everything about the crown prince aside from the general details. Nevertheless, he dropped the important details she needed. 

The first thing she noticed was that the closer she was to the forbidden palace, the fewer people were in the surrounding. Hence, Aries went straight ahead until she arrived in the place where the crown prince was at. 

She stood behind the tree not far away from the small mansion inside this imperial palace. It was unlike the Rose palace where Aries was staying at. The Rose palace was well-maintained, surrounded by all sorts of flowers, and just... a glorious place to look at. 

The king's palace, on the other hand, was just as busy as the street. Even so, each individual was considered a talent who was contributing significantly to the empire. It was not as elegant as the Rose palace, but it gave this feeling that was just empowering. 

Meanwhile, this forbidden palace, situated at the end of the imperial palace, was smaller than Aries expected. It looked more like a mansion; she would understand if it was a tower. But a mansion? A mansion that appeared haunted with untrimmed grass, withered trees, and emanated nothing but gloom and dread.

Just the sight of it caused all the hairs in her body to raise. She couldn't believe her eyes. 

"A boy is living in this place?" she wondered in disbelief, taking a step back. "Is there even a person inside?" 

From the outside, it looked more abandoned. Were they certain a prince lived there? Were there servants? It didn't look like it, though. 

"There are no movements inside," she mumbled, standing on her toes as if that would help her see through the foggy windows. "Did Abel make his son stay in here? For real? No, no. That shouldn't be surprising, considering his personality. But... the Rose palace is even better than this place."

There were many things that hovered over her head while staring at the seemingly haunted mansion. The first conclusion she had was that Abel was training his son's mentality. To live in such a scary place would surely strengthen a person's will to survive. 

It could also teach the crown prince to live with only a few people. In that case, he would learn how to be independent. All sorts of 'benefits' hovered over her head. Considering that the prince's father was a tyrant, many would target his son. 

But still... was this totally alright?

'It's not your business, Aries,' her subconscious mind reminded her in a sassy tone. 'It's not your damn business. Let this go.' 

She balled her hand into a fist and took a deep breath. "It's not my problem. I will be leaving this place and I'm doing good until now. There's no need to overcomplicate things, alright?" she nodded in understanding, patting her chest when she was almost convinced. 

But when she raised her eyes again and set them back on the mansion, another sigh slipped past her lips. She clutched her fist tighter until they trembled, jaw tightening as she clenched her teeth. 

"I shouldn't complicate things as they were." She nodded once again. "Pretend I was never here and never knew about his son." 

Aries stabilized her breathing and shut her eyes as she turned around. But just as she did, she hit her forehead against someone's chest. Her eyes instantly popped open as panic instantly swelled within her chest. Her complexion grew pale, only to sigh in relief upon raising her head.

"Marquess Vandran!" she exclaimed, barely stopping herself from slapping his chest for the scare. "Why would you suddenly appear like that?! I almost got a heart attack!"

Dexter blinked innocently. "I'm sorry for surprising you, Lady Aries. That wasn't my intention. I was simply concerned since you seemed you weren't listening to my warnings," he explained, watching her pat her chest while glaring daggers at him. 

"Good riddance..." she continued to pat her chest while heaving deep breaths. 

"Lady Aries, I told you don't go here," he scolded in a gentle manner, tilting his head to the side slightly. "Remember what I told you? Being curious is not a bad trait, but curiosity also kills."

"I just want to take a peek." She frowned dejectedly. "I never heard that His Majesty had a son. So..."

"So?" His brows rose, studying her hesitation to continue. "Did you come here thinking he might help you with your situation? Or were you curious what kind of child His Majesty produced? Have you considered this place might have tons of traps and you will never get out? There are endless possibilities that could've happened to you if you're not careful."

Dexter sighed while Aries kept her mouth shut while being scolded. He scratched his head slightly, letting out a sharp exhale. 

"Anyway, let's head back before anyone sees us in here," he suggested, waiting for her to raise her head. "Repeat what you told yourself. Pretend you were never here and you don't know about it." 

"Alright." she reluctantly nodded, but that was not enough to convince him she truly meant it. He didn't point it out, though. So Dexter turned his back against her and trudged away. 

Aries let out a sigh as she truly deserved that scolding. She followed his trail, stopping only after a few steps. She looked back at the mansion, eyes full of concern. 

'My heart feels heavy...' she thought internally before peeling her eyes away from it to follow Dexter. 

With a seed of concern and curiosity planted in her heart, it would only be a matter of time before it grows its root and sprouts. But the truth was beyond her imagination and... could cost her life. But Aries didn't know that her curiosity would lead to a path of no return. 

It was a trap.