Donghyuck is still in shock.

It has been over a week since his parents sprung an engagement on him and he still feels like he is living in a nightmare. His mother, however,  is already making plans. They have set the day of the ceremony to the beginning of winter, giving Donghyuck approximately four months before he has to leave everything he knows and go live in a brand-new kingdom, away from his parents, brothers, and any familiarity.

Donghyuck just wants to stop everything. It seems that ever since the engagement was announced, Donghyuck has not been able to be by himself. If it wasn't his mother, then it was one of his brothers, and if not them, a maid. Donghyuck always had something going on. He has been to three different fitting already, his mother has an elaborate plan to make him wear three different outfits for the day: one for the ceremony, one for the dancing, and one for the feast. All of the fabrics are handmade and a specialty that has to be shipped from Sanrya which will take at least three weeks to be prepared and shipped. Everything will be intricate and showy, as it is custom for an omega's family to provide the grandest sendoff possible and since this is the royal family, it has to be that much more special.

Donghyuck finally was able to escape to his room after an hour-long discussion of what color the tablecloths should be. Donghyuck wants to claw his own eyes out, all of this is so infuriating. Mating ceremonies are supposed to be a joyous time for both parties, but Donghyuck is anything but happy; and chances are Minhyung doesn't even know what is happening with the preparations. The only thing Donghyuck wants to do is meet his future mate but even that looks like it will not happen. His father at least did that for him, they had sent a letter off to Purene a week ago but so far there has not been any communication back. Donghyuck is trying to hold on to some hope but he isn't selfish. He knows that Minhyung's father is dying, but it would still be nice to see him before they mate.

The omega gets maybe a quarter hour of alone time before someone is knocking at his door once again.

"Your highness? The Queen has requested your presence in her quarters." Donghyuck recognizes the voice as belonging to Yerim, a servant girl that Donghyuck is quite fond of.

Donghyuck sighs. "I am on my way. Tell her I will be there shortly."

"My prince, she had said now."

His mother is a pain in the . "Fine."

When Donghyuck enters his mother's bedroom, he notices that she isn't alone, the family physician is also present, medical bag in hand.

"Hello Dr. Kim, what brings you here? Is my mother alright?" As much as Donghyuck despises his mother right now, he does not wish for her to fall ill. He is not cruel.

"Hello, Prince Donghyuck. I came here on request from your mother, but she is perfectly fine from what I know of."

Donghyuck turns his attention to the said woman. "Mother? Care to explain then?"

"My dear, Dr. Kim is here to give you an exam."

"An exam?" Donghyuck is not sick and his heats have not been too out of hand, so why does he need a physical so suddenly?

" Yes, my little omega. We need to make sure you are healthy enough to carry an heir for Minhyung. We would not want to give him a defective mate, now would we?"

Well, of course.

----------

"Donghyuck, darling, why are you not dressed? She's going to be here any minute!"

"Mother! She is not even coming until noon!"

"Yes, and we still have things to do. We need to make you look presentable." The Queen looks peeved at him, but Donghyuck just wants to get some more sleep, he went to bed late last night and is so tired from the constant back and forth he has been doing lately.

"Can't I have another five minutes?"

"No. Now get up this instant."

Donghyuck huffs, but gets up, nonetheless. Today is a day he has been dreading for a while. He has to meet his future mother-in-law today and Donghyuck feels so scared. He has never met the woman, but from all the books that he had read about evil mothers-in-law, he is anxious to finally meet her. And to add even more pressure, Minhyung's cousin will also be coming. The cousin is apparently another omega and he lives in the palace with them, so Donghyuck must impress him as much as he has to impress the queen.

Donghyuck is rushed into the bath house and is scrubbed until his skin starts to turn pink. The maids douse him in fragrant perfumes, and he is dressed in some of his finest clothes. The way that he was being prepared, one would think that his wedding was that very day.

The only saving grace is that Taeyong is finally back from visiting his sick cousin. The older omega was quite shocked to find out out what happened while he was away, the last thing he expected when he got back was Donghyuck being prepared to be claimed. But because he is Taeyong, he immediately got to work helping out. Having been through the experience of being mated and sent to live in a foreign kingdom himself, Donghyuck found that Taeyong was a comforting presence.

Taeyong is trying to get him dressed but Donghyuck is making that hard to do with how much he is squirming. "Donghyuckie, can you hold still for me, so I don't accidentally poke you?"

Taeyong is so polite even though Donghyuck is the one making this hard. "Sorry Hyung. This is just so uncomfortable."

"We'll be finished shortly, so bear with me for just a little bit longer."

By the time Donghyuck is all made up, it is nearly noon. The Queen (is it bad that he does not know what her name is) will be arriving any second now and Donghyuck is a nervous wreck.

"How did you do this, Hyung? I feel like I will vomit any second."

Taeyong offers a gentle smile and takes the younger omega's hand in his own. "Calm down, Hyuck. It's okay to be nervous but I am sure that it is uncalled for. I have met Queen Minyoung