Anything too much

Aries slid down the tub until her chest was under the water. Across from her was Abel with his legs spread open, his knees over the water, arms over the rims of the tub, and leaning back, eyes on her.

She kept quiet ever since joining him in the tub, and Abel too. Many ideas already crossed her mind about what he could do to her, but Abel had done nothing aside from staring so far.

'Does he like silence? Or was he waiting for me to speak?' she wondered while sneaking a glance at him. The second she did, he held her gaze.

"Darling, if you have something in mind, say it aloud." Abel finally broke his silence while tapping his temple. "Even if you keep your thoughts inside that little head of yours, I can tell you kept sassing inside."

"Pardon?" — could he read minds? She wondered in panic.

"It's written all over your face." His explanation was short and simple. "Now, let's hear what is inside that head of yours. You don't want me to open your skull to satiate my curiosity, do you?"

Aries swallowed, hearing it in her ears. She knew the last remarks weren't just a simple joke. Abel would surely do it if he so pleased.

"I — I was wondering if His Majesty likes me to stay quiet or to amuse you by talking," she confessed while staring cautiously into his eyes.

Abel narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her while stroking his chin. She sounded cautious with her tremulous voice and yet, she maintained her eye contact with him. Even when she stood naked before him, he didn't sense any reluctance from displaying her body. If anything, he sensed... confidence.

"Guess," he answered, causing her brows to elevate. "What do you think I prefer?"

Her lips pressed together, gripping her hand under the water. But she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Neither?" she answered and Abel tilted his head. "I don't think His Majesty likes too much quietness, neither he likes too much talking — especially talking gibberish...?"

Pleased by her response, Abel nodded. "Good. If you just stay silent, I might misunderstand that you might wish not to talk. I can grant that silence, permanently."

'God... had he been thinking of silencing me earlier?' Her shoulder tensed up as her heart pounded loudly against her chest. Hearing his answer made her realize she shouldn't just play it safe. Instead, she had to play dangerously and take some risk to keep this man interested.

"And neither I enjoy too much noise. Basically, anything too much. Do you understand my preferences now?" he asked, simpering at the sight of her.

"Ye — no..." Aries hung her head low, biting her tongue as toeing the line felt like walking at the edge of the cliff. One wrong move and it was over.

"No?" Abel quirked a brow, watching her gaze up at him.

"It's too complicated, Your Majesty."

"How was it complicated?"

Aries mustered her courage to speak but still chose her words carefully. "If my thoughts are irrelevant to you, then I will naturally keep my silence. But Your Majesty might assume it was my wish and grant it to me out of the goodness of your heart."

"Haha! Then, think of other things that I will find relevant!" The corner of his lips stretched into a wide grin, chortling at how she made her point across while toeing the line but managed not to press a button.

All the women he had been with would either throw themselves at him, and their only means to entertain him was to warm his bed. It was just a matter of performance. But this new pet he picked up was unconsciously breaking the pattern.

He sort of liked it, but at the same time, don't.

Abel's eyes narrowed evilly, making her shrink back at the sudden evilness leaking from his back. "Darling, do you want to keep me entertained?" he watched her hold her breath, causing his eyes to droop while keeping his smirk.

"Then, how about this? Why don't you do the things you will usually do to appease your old master?"

Aries's mind went blank for a second. What kind of game did he want to play? She scrutinized his smirk, and she instantly knew he enjoyed inflicting agony on others. He wanted her to relive those dark times in Maganti Empire.

'This sadistic man...' Her fist underwater clenched while her shoulder tensed up. 'Did he think it is as easy as that?'

"Hmm? Why aren't you moving? You don't want to play with me?" Abel inquired, blinking twice while cocking his head to the side. "Come on, darling. I just want to know how good you were for the crown prince to search for you all over that place."

Aries bit her inner lower lip before letting out a shallow breath. "I am already doing it, Your Majesty."

His brows knitted while staring at her. She did nothing yet, and she was already doing it? The realization was quick to cross his mind as he rocked his head slightly.

"You just stay still to appease him?" he chuckled, shaking his head while running his fingers through his jet black hair. "I didn't know the crown prince of Maganti is that tame!"

"I never submitted to him," she explained in a quiet voice, gazing down the ripples on the tub while hugging her knees. "I'd rather die than be his dog."

Aries stared down at her distorted reflection. Since Abel wouldn't care, she didn't mind telling him a bit of the summary of her life in Maganti. As she shrunk down, Abel only stared at her with no trace of human emotions on his face.

"So, he simply forced himself to you?" he inquired, breaking the silence between them. She glanced up at him before averting her eyes.

"Yes," she whispered, abstaining from making eye contact with him. "He murdered my family, so I don't see any reason I should please him."

Abel tilted his head to the other side, batting his eyes lazily. "I don't believe you."

Aries only glanced at him to see his unmoved countenance. She told him that not to get his sympathy or for him to believe her. Abel wasn't that type of person, and that was clear to her. She was simply telling him the truth since he wanted to know. But she didn't find a reason to defend herself, since he would believe whatever he wanted to believe.

"Come here." Abel crooked a finger, eyes glinting menacingly. She hesitated, but still crawled towards him.

"Turn around and lie here," he instructed, pulling her shoulders to his body when she turned around. He kept her in between his legs, brushing her hair to the side.

"I hate liars." Aries flinched when he stroked her shoulder, making him glance up. "If I prove that everything you said are lies..."

Slowly, Abel bent over and bit her shoulder lightly. She winced slightly, clutching her hand without making a sound.

"... I will disintegrate you."