Chapter 82 - Hate And Love Are Just Two Words For Passion

Aries never fell in love in the past. She was too busy serving the people of Rikhill for that. Although she never lacked the love and admiration from her people, and many wanted her as their wife, Abel was different. 

He wanted her just like the rest, but at the same time, he didn't. It was hard to put it in words, but there was just something in him that magnetized her to him. His actions strongly backed that feeling. 

She just felt like the world could disown her or turn its back on her. But never Abel. She could be as pitch black as she could get, and he would embrace her just the same.

Was this love? She didn't know until now. Actually, even at this very second, while she was wiping off the blood on his body, she wasn't clear about this matter.

Did she fall in love with him without realizing it? Does she love him now? Was this called love? When did it start? How did it happen? 

She doesn't have an answer to that. However, if falling in love was akin to jumping off to a cliff, uncertain if the fall would break her or she would somehow survive, then probably she fell in love. 

Not that having the answer mattered to her and Abel, anyway. Whether she nurtured this inexplicable feeling or hate him to make it easier, for as long as she stayed, that was all that mattered.

All she knew was that there might be a million reasons to leave Abel, but there was one reason she held onto.

That was simple.

He was Abel, and she was Aries.

Their relationship was never normal to begin with. What was there to be afraid of?

"Stop moving," she warned, clicking her tongue as she put ointment on his wounds after she stitched them. They were now sitting on the edge of the mattress, facing each other with the first aid kit within her reach. 

Since there were no servants in the Rose palace, Aries had to do everything herself, even changing her clothes. She ran a bath for him, prepared clothes he had in her closet, clean cloth to wipe him, bandages, and first aid. Fortunately, she was observant and knew where to find all those.

"How are you still alive with all these wounds?" she asked with genuine wonder in her voice, fingertip stopping on his chest as she gazed up. "Are you crazy?"

"Do you think I am insane?"

"Sort of."

"Then that makes us two." He shrugged, gazing down at his bare top. "Won't you ask me who did this?" 

Aries huffed faintly, continuing in putting ointment on his wounds. "Why would I? Lord Darkmore would've turned the empire upside down instead of letting you search for a person you know you'll not find in this place like a madman."

"You think so highly of Isaiah."

"I just think he sees you as his God." She paused, casting him a glance. "Why would you even look for me despite knowing I'm not here anymore?" 

"I know you'll be here," he crooned, shrugging nonchalantly while she pressed her lips into a thin line. Aries was certain he meant to say he was certain he would see her illusion. He mistook her as one, after all. 

A shallow breath slipped past her lips. "If I didn't change my mind, what will you do?" she inquired out of plain curiosity.

"I don't know? Tell me. What do you think I will do?"

"Stare stiffly at the ceiling?" she guessed, without trying to be funny. Abel glanced at her with his brows arched, smirking in satisfaction. 

"You will probably have urges to find me and take back your words out of boredom, but I'm certain that will not happen in the end... for some obvious reasons. So, you will just lie down like a log and stare at the ceiling," she continued, basing everything on how she knew him. "You'll still probably stay still even when an assassin appears and stabs you right in the chest."

"That's some next-level prediction." Aries withdrew her hand with the ointment and faced him squarely. "Quite descriptive too."

"Am I wrong?" she inquired calmly. 

Abel smacked his lips, tilting his head, eyes still on her. "It was accurate. I feel like I am not as unpredictable as people branded me to be."

"You are predictable, Abel." She snorted, putting the ointment back to the kit, and picked up the bandage. "I mean, your unpredictability is predictable and to be expected."

"Or maybe you just know me all too well?"

"Have it ever occurred to you I am not simply guessing?" she set her eyes back to him with the bandage in her possession. "That maybe, I am not guessing what you'll do. But what I will do? Sit properly. I'll wrap you up."

Abel let out a dry laugh as she crawled behind him, wrapping his inked torso with the bandage. "I don't think you'll do that."

"What do you think I'll do once I left then?"

"Keep going until you drop?" He held her wrist that was in front of him from behind, bending his head down to plant a kiss on her knuckles. "Aries will not stop if she already decided to leave. Only when she couldn't fight her sleep, will she rest and then continue the second she opens her eyes. She won't waste a second to widen the distance."

"That's some wild guess and quite descriptive, too." This time, she spoke his words. He laughed as he cocked his head back at her.

"Am I wrong?" 

Aries pressed her lips and shook her head. "It was eerily accurate. I guess you know me more than I know myself."

"I'm not sorry about that." He humored, letting her hand go so she could continue bandaging him. As she did, Abel could not help but gaze down at his torso once again.

"You're good at this." He pointed out, making Aries smile. 

"I have clumsy siblings." Her smile broadened as her eyes softened. "Also, no one would take care of me in the Maganti Empire. I had to take care of myself."

Upon the mention of the said place, Abel went completely silent. His eyes glinted, letting her wrap him up. No one knew what he was thinking, but one thing was for sure.

He disliked the Maganti Empire. 

That alone was enough to narrow down his thoughts. Abel rarely disliked something; he was the type to find the benefit from anything. So for him not to look at the side that could entertain him called for trouble.

"Aries.." He spoke after she was done bandaging his wounds. "Do you want to be my sister?"