A Beloved Tyrant

Four days had passed since the incident at the debutante ball. Veridin sat in a room full of ministers, listening to them drone on. He tapped his finger on the arm of his chair. He wasn't really listening. They were merely complaining about matters like the taxes on luxury goods and the cost of transportation of those goods. They weren't discussing anything important. He exhaled quietly. Why should he have to listen to this? He was done listening to people tell him what to do. Anaroth's question arose in his mind. Maybe he did want to be a tyrant.

"Did any of you do as I asked?"

Their discussion stopped as soon as he spoke. By the silence in the room, the answer to his question was obvious.

"Your majesty, the presence of the slave trade brings prosperity to the Empire's economy. We can't just implement a law like that…"

Veridin's irritated expression caused the minister to close his mouth with a hiccup. The rumors of his ruthless execution at the ball had already spread through the palace and nobles. "Who do you think I am? I made the framework of that law myself, and you're saying we can't implement it?"

"Your majesty, it would ruin the economy!"

"Ruin the economy?" His eyes twitched. "In the next few weeks, we'll begin to trade openly with Dravonia. Would you like to create more tension between the merchants by allowing them to trade slaves in the demon kingdom? Do you realize the implications of that? I've been putting up with your baseless extensions for the past month. In three days. Get it done in three days, or I will strip you of your titles that clearly mean nothing to you."

"Your majesty, if you fire them all, I won't be able to keep up with the workload," Raven spoke from his side.

Veridin put his head on his hand and sighed. "Then I'll fire all of them except two. If you want to keep your jobs and status, get it done in three days. Raven, make sure they do it within three days."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Ahem, how about we discuss something else, your majesty?" Another minister spoke up nervously.

"Go on." Veridin glanced at him.

"The date of your coronation ball is approaching soon. As well as the completion of the 'transfer circle' as you call it."

"Get to the point. I would rather this meeting not last all day."

"Well, you are well past the age to be married. Perhaps you should look for a queen?"

Veridin forced a laugh. "What a good joke. There's no need for me to marry so soon after my coronation."

The minister opened his mouth, but Veridin's threatening glare prevented him from speaking his mind. "Of course your majesty, I was merely joking. I'm glad you found it humorous."

"Thank you for trying to improve my mood. If it wasn't a joke, I might have fired you on the spot." Veridin grinned deviously.

The ministers laughed together nervously. Ever since the debutante ball, they felt like they were walking on eggshells. They admired Raven's ability to speak freely around the king. Last time they had been caught accepting bribes or embezzling, they barely kept their jobs. Now, if they did anything inappropriate, it felt like they might not escape with their lives. They silently missed the previous king in their hearts.

Veridin glanced at the clock. "If you have nothing else to discuss, shall we end this meeting here?"

"Of course, your majesty! Then, excuse us." The ministers hurried out of the room.

Veridin raised an eyebrow then shook his head. "Raven, would Anaroth still be in the dining room at this time?"

"I believe so."

Veridin stood up without another word. He made his way to the dining room and walked in. Anaroth glanced at him as he sat down. Veridin smiled when they made eye contact. The way he turned his eyes away when Veridin looked at him was amusing. His smile faded when he thought about how Anaroth would leave soon.

"When the transfer circle is completed, will you return to the demon kingdom?"

"I can't just leave the kingdom to its own devices. Of course I'm going to return. Why do you ask? Will you be bored without someone to pester?"

"Maybe." Veridin looked down at his plate. He didn't like this. He didn't want Anaroth to leave, but he had no excuse to keep him here.

"I have a question for you."

"Didn't I say I would answer all your questions at my coronation ball?"

"Hmph. I had hoped you might have forgotten that."

"There's no way I would forget my promise to you."

"Can't you just answer it?"

"I could, but that would be less entertaining."

"Please just eat then."

"You first." Veridin tilted his head with a smile.

Anaroth sighed and ate silently. In the last four days, not a meal has gone by that the two didn't eat together. It wasn't anything strange, but to Anaroth, it felt like there was an underlying meaning to it that he wasn't getting. The hushed voices of servants caught his attention.

"Have you seen his majesty's mood lately? Everyday when he leaves his meetings, he always has this irritated look on his face."

"Right, but whenever he has a meal with his majesty Anaroth, he does nothing but smile!"

"Do you think that… They're close?"

"The demon king once said that they were friends. I believe his majesty is going to marry Miss Maria."

"Truly? Did you see how coldly he treated Miss Maria on the last day of the ball?"

"He's a gentleman who treats every woman with respect. He's not cold, just civil."

"Then why does he treat the demon king so differently? I heard from Mel that last week the two of them had tea in the garden together. She said his majesty laughed so hard that he was nearly in tears!"

"Then, could his majesty… Be attracted to men?"

Anaroth nearly choked on his drink. He coughed and panted. Veridin; attracted to men? No way. Absolutely not. Anaroth couldn't believe that. He refused to. Especially if that affection was aimed at him.

"Anaroth, are you alright?"

He looked up and nearly started coughing again. Veridin's eyes were confused and slightly amused, but concerned. Veridin was the fantasy of every woman in the Empire. Even the soldiers respected him and admired him. There wasn't a person in the Empire who hadn't heard rumors about his looks. His face was really handsome, and he was definitely reliable. Anaroth cleared his throat and waved his hand. What was he thinking?

"I'm fine. There's no need to worry."

"Were you startled by something?" Veridin tilted his head.

"I simply made a mistake." Anaroth looked away. He felt hot with embarrassment.

Veridin couldn't help but smile slightly. He had heard the maids' conversation as well. He stood up and pressed his hand against Anaroth's forehead. "You look flushed. You aren't sick are you?"

"I! I am fine!" Anaroth pushed his hand away.

"Perhaps you should rest for today. You don't need to overwork yourself with the construction."

"I said I am fine."

"Then you can help me in my office, can't you?"

Anaroth glanced at him and sighed. "I suppose that's fine…"

"Your majesty," Raven walked up with a tray, "You've received several letters."

"Letters? Who would be sending me letters?" Veridin's expression froze when he saw the pile of letters on the tray. They were a range of colors, but one glance was enough to determine that a majority were from noblewomen. His eyes conveyed a silent groan: What a hassle. "Bring them to my office then. I'll look over them there."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Where was I? Right, will you join me, Anaroth?"

"You aren't giving me much of a choice."

Veridin chuckled softly while Anaroth stood up. The smell of books and ink was prevalent the moment they walked into Veridin's office. Anaroth found a pleasant surprise in a change of decoration. The carpet and curtains had been changed from a cream color to a deep red. On the desk, the silver snake they had bought was curled up on a pile of papers. The pen that Veridin had also bought sat in its rest. A book on Dravonian law and culture was stacked on top of other etiquette and law books. The cushions on the seats had also been changed from cream to black. The room felt dark, yet comforting. Veridin sat down at the desk and picked up the book on top. He held it out to Anaroth.

"Could I ask you to make a report on this? I'm sure there's a few things in there that are outdated."

"This? Of course, but where–"

"Your desk is over there."

"My desk?" Anaroth looked in the direction Veridin gestured to.

Off to the side, there was indeed a clean desk. Blank papers that sat in a small tray, a closed inkwell, and a small gift box were the only things on the desk. He walked over and set the book down. Opening the box, the silver pen that Veridin had bought alongside his own was nestled inside. Anaroth half sighed as he mumbled, "What is this?"

"A gift. Didn't you say you liked it when I bought it? I hadn't found the right time to give it to you until now."

Anaroth lifted the feathered pen out of the box gently. The body of the pen was a deep purple that glittered when turned. The pure white feather that stuck out of the back matched beautifully with the silver accents on the pen. He couldn't help but admire its craftsmanship.

"Thank you."

"Like I said before, it suits you. I hope you take it with you to your kingdom."

Veridin smiled before picking up a letter from the tray in front of him. He opened and read them each one by one. Once the pile of letters was read through he began to sort through the stack of papers beside him. Anaroth looked up at him in confusion.

"Aren't you going to reply?"

"There's no need. They're all courtesy letters about the ball."

"Aren't most of them from young noble women?"

"Right," Veridin looked to the side, annoyed, "The duchy princesses are pestering me to attend their birthday parties."

Anaroth narrowed his eyes. "Will you? It would be a good opportunity to meet with your admirers."

"If I wanted to do that, I could just host a ball myself. There are many other ways to meet people," He turned back to the papers on his desk.

"None are as easy as attending another's party."

"There's no reason to."

"There's a reason to find a partner," Anaroth pressured him, "Your people are looking forward to who you choose as your queen."

The sound of crinkling paper followed Veridin's inexplicable expression. "I don't want to hear it. I'll meet someone at the coronation ball."

"Alright," Anaroth sighed.

Anaroth studied him silently. He looked focused, but gloomy. Despite that, he looked majestic. His golden hair fell down in front of his face as he looked down. His eyes moved back and forth subtly. The feather extending from the pen in his hand quivered as he wrote. His subtle movements were hard to look away from. Each twitch or shift made ripples pass through his hair. The deep purple set behind waves of gold were like gems adorned in a golden crown: striking and imposing. Anaroth caught himself staring too long. He fumbled with the papers on his desk and began to skim through the book. The coronation couldn't come fast enough. He was starting to question what Veridin's motives truly were.

In a small room, with a simple bed and a desk, there was another person working. This quiet room belonged to the captain of the guard, Rowan. He was scratching his head over the recent reports of slave trafficking. An order had come through Raven to investigate all the cases in the capital. That wasn't the issue Rowan was wracking his brain for. The problem was that there were several cases with no definitive evidence. Those cases were brought up against more nobles than regular merchants. To investigate a noble, there needed to be at least one piece of evidence.

There was no evidence against them at all. That lack of even a shred of evidence made Rowan skeptical. Each case was dismissed by interviews with servants and staff. Without any physical evidence, the cases had no other reason to be kept open. However, there were over twenty instances in which the same noble was investigated for slave trading. That alone made Rowan believe there was more to these occurrences than just suspicions. It was something he would have to bring to Veridin.

However, when he thought of Veridin his mind became muddled. It wasn't like Veridin to simply execute someone. Rather, it wasn't how Veridin used to act. When he first arrived at the front lines, he was a devout paladin and a kind child. As he earned prestige through war, he always remained humble. Rowan ruffled his own hair. What was all of this about the high priest as well? Child abuse? Corruption? Remembering the cold look in Veridin's eyes after he cut down the priest during the ball made Rowan shiver. Had he always hated the church?

Rowan leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Covering his eyes, a dull ache arose in his chest. He never truly knew how Veridin felt. He had been fooled and played just like everyone else. He had thought that Veridin was the closest thing he had to a brother, but now they felt worlds apart. They had fought side by side, through life and death, but everything changed when he met the demon king.

He clenched his fists. He couldn't forgive them. The demons who killed his family were unforgivable, but the demon king wasn't those people. He was thoughtful and dignified. Anaroth was doing his best to create peace between the two kingdoms. And he was someone special to Veridin. Rowan opened his eyes slowly. It wasn't hard to see how Veridin favored the demon king. How could he look at someone who would have killed him if necessary in such a way? Had he forgotten all the blood shed for this war, or had it never mattered in the first place? He stood up and gathered his papers silently. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how little he knew about Veridin.

A knock on the door to Veridin's office pulled their= attention away from their work. A voice spoke up from behind it, "Knight Commander Rowan is here to see your majesty."

Veridin placed his pen down quietly, "Come in."

Rowan's eyes widened as he stepped into the room. They rested on Anaroth before looking back at Veridin. "This, well… This is…"

"What is it, Rowan?"

"These," He cleared his throat and set the papers down, "Are the reports on the slave trading in the kingdom." Veridin looked through them while Rowan continued to speak. "There are several nobles who seem to be involved, but the cases were all dismissed on account of lack of evidence. There are merchants as well but none of them were ever arrested."

"Not one?" Veridin lowered the papers.

"That's correct." Rowan shivered when Veridin looked back down at the papers in his hand. How had he never noticed those eyes before? A look of hatred and disgust. A piercing gaze that made you feel like a mouse cowering in front of a wolf. Rowan swallowed hard. "Your majesty, no… Veridin, may I speak to you privately later?"

"What for?" The rage in Veridin's eyes subsided when he looked up.

"I just wished to speak to you, not as Knight Commander and King, but as friends."

"As… Friends?" Veridin's eyes drifted to Anaroth briefly. "You can speak your mind here, no?"

"I'd like to have a private conversation with you. We haven't talked in quite some time."

"Alright, as you wish. Thank you for your hard work. You may go now. I'll send Raven to get you when I have free time."

Veridin waved his hand dismissively and looked back down at the papers. Rowan sighed. As he turned, he caught Anaroth's eyes. A look of pity and confusion filled that scarlet gaze, but he didn't say a word. Rowan smiled slightly, returning his sympathetic eyes. He pitied Anaroth for unknowingly becoming Veridin's favorite toy. The sudden kindness from him startled Anaroth before he left.

"It seems your friend doesn't hate me anymore."

"He never hated you in the first place," Veridin spoke while scratching something down.

"If he didn't hate me then why did he look at me as if I were still an enemy when we arrived at the capital? It's as if I killed his family."

Veridin flinched. He gently rested his pen down. Both his words and his thoughts aligned as he said: "Because demons killed his family."

Anaroth spoke before his mind had time to process, "What did you just say?" Before Veridin could speak he sputtered out: "Nevermind! I heard you."

He looked down with furrowed brows. Why had he been so conceited? Rowan had every right to hate demons. Just as many demons had their reasons to hate humans, the same was true for humans. There were hundreds of displaced villagers in the demon kingdom. The human kingdom wouldn't be any better. He sighed softly. Perhaps he was the one who owed an apology.

"Don't think about it too hard. Soon, everyone will also think about how they are meant to interact with each other. You and I merely need to set an example."

"Are you not worried?"

"Of course not. Why should I be? The only person who could ever fight with me on equal grounds is you."

Veridin's smile eased his worries. Anaroth chuckled softly as new ones arose; "Don't beat up my citizens please."